The Best Books of 2025: My Top 21+ Favorite Reads in Fantasy, Historical Fiction, and More For Your TBR
As 2025 comes to an end, it’s a yearly tradition to celebrate my most unforgettable reads—the one’s I can’t stop thinking about and recommending. This was a much slower year of reading for me than normal (I’m blaming my new hyperfixations of Cdramas and Stray Kids that definitely cut into my reading time), but I still managed to finished 77 books (I might be able to sneak one more in before the stroke of midnight, but we’ll see). As always, not every book on this top reads of the year list is perfect. But there were a lot of wonderful four star reads that I still enjoyed and would widely recommend depending on the type of book you enjoy. Whether you're seeking your next five-star read or simply curious to discover what stood out most in the world of fantasy (and beyond), this wrap-up probably has a little something for everyone. While BAMTP is a primarily fantasy, sci-fi, and historical fiction blog, I do dabble in many genres, and there were some great reads this year, so you’ll find some non-fiction favorites in my honorable mentions section. Maybe you’ll find a new favorite on this list to add to your TBR or confirmation of some reads you also loved. Either way, I hope you enjoy my best reads of the year, in no particular order. They’re totally worth it.
P.S. I set a goal this year to try and read through more of my physical TBR and DNF and unhaul more, and I have a final unhaul count reveal. My goal was to unhaul 200 books, and I ended up unhauling 144, which I know isn’t quite there, but I’m still proud of myself. I want my home to reflect my favorite books, so letting go of ones that didn’t bring me joy, or some duplicates felt so good. I’m going to continue with a new unhaul goal in the new year, because…let’s be honest, I still have no room on bookshelves. Do it with me?
What were your favorite reads so far this year? Drop those book recs in the comments!
Wild Reverence by Rebecca Ross
Considering Divine Rivals is one of my favorite books of all time, I had extremely high expectations for this prequel, and wow, did it deliver. Rebecca’s beautiful prose was front and center, and this was part mythology origin story and part love story. She writes the most achingly beautiful love stories and the slowest of slow burns. I loved it. You can check my full review here.
The Knight and the Moth by Rachel Gillig
I know this is going to make a LOT of people’s favorites list this year. I really enjoyed it and I’m desperate for book two after that ending! Bartholomew is possibly the best side character of all time. But it still had a few issues that kept it from being a perfect five star read for me. I also had insanely high expectations going into it because of my love for Rachel’s Shepherd King duology. Catch all my thoughts in my spoiler free review.
Blood Over Bright Haven by M.L. Wang
My first read of 2025, and my first five star read of the year, so it started off as a great reading year. This book was all over my Booktok FYP last year, so I had the highest expectations, and it did NOT disappoint. I absolutely loved it. Plus, it’s a standalone and we definitely need more of those in the fantasy world. The magic system is incredible, the characters super complex, and the ending impossibly tragic. I do think going into this book blind is a good strategy, as the first chapter is absolutely gripping, and you’ll pick up on some of the reveals before the characters themselves figure it out. I do believe if you’re in a vulnerable place mentally, you might want to wait on reading this one because it does tackle a lot of tough topics. But Wang does it with such care and mastery, and I couldn’t put it down. Read my full review here.
Sunrise on the Reaping by Suzanne Collins
Suzanne Collins is a national treasure. Every book she writes is a banger. I’ve literally given every single Hunger Games book five stars. I love them so much, they absolutely emotionally destroy me in the best possible way, and this book was no exception. I actually sobbed. SOBBED. It’s crazy to me because we thought we knew what happened in Haymitch’s Games, but Collins has a way of weaving together a story so seamlessly and yet bring so many new things to light, and shoving that knife of emotional destruction in deeper. This book was everything, and made me want to stop everything and read The Hunger Games yet again. Read my full review here.
Strange the Dreamer and Muse of Nightmares by Laini Taylor
Strange the Dreamer: This absolute gem of a book was sitting on my shelf for multiple years before I FINALLY picked it up. So I’m kicking myself for not reading it sooner. The writing is so incredibly beautiful without being purple prose. I loved the dual POVs, and was fully invested in the story, which felt like a fairytale, part lost city of Atlantis, and part El Dorado. This book feels like a waking dream, and I will be recommending it to everyone who loves books like The Night Circus, The City of Stardust, and The Ten Thousand Doors of January. Read my full review here.
Muse of Nightmares: My last read of 2025, and so fitting to be able to finish a stunning duology. This duet does NOT get talked about enough.
Hekate by Nikita Gill
A Greek retelling written entirely in verse, this book, in my opinion, MUST be listened to. The audiobook is beautiful, and I personally think it helps with the flow of the story. I loved this retelling of a character I honestly didn’t know much about previously. Read my full review here.
A Far Better Thing by H.G. Parry
THIS is historical fiction fantasy! I absolutely loved this retelling of Charles Dickens’ A Tale of Two Cities. While it stays true to the original characters, it weaves a completely new and magical story with traditional scheming fairies. If you love historical fiction, classics, with a touch of fantasy, read this book! Read my full review here.
Vicious by V.E. Schwab
I’m reading V.E. Schwab’s backlist, and it’s so interesting to see how her writing style has evolved over the years. This book and the next one on the list were so different from The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue. Vicious is a bit like reading a villain origin story of Magneto and Professor X. I saw a recent interview with V.E. Schwab where she said she wants her books to make you question just a little bit if magic really does exist in our world. And I’ve gotta say, she accomplishes that. I also read the sequel, Vengeful, which I didn’t love quite as much, but it’s still worth the read.
This Savage Song by V.E. Schwab
While this had a similar writing style and voice to Vicious, this was another wholly unique post-apocalyptic story of a city divided. I loved the idea that monsters were created in the aftermath. If you’ve ever seen the movie, Priest, it gave off those exact vibes with the vampire-like creatures, and other monsters. It’s not exactly a Romance, but I would say there’s a bit of a romantic subplot and enemies to lovers storyline for sure. Again, the sequel didn’t hit quite as hard, but still worth completing the duology. And speaking of, I wish more authors would write duologies. It’s so nice not to have a massive series to commit to!
Hemlock & Silver by T. Kingfisher
You’ve never read a Snow White retelling like this. I’ve said it so many times, but T. Kingfisher is an autobuy/autoread author for me. I’ve loved every single book I’ve read of theirs. They somehow capture dark and creepy, while still writing a somewhat cozy fantasy. It’s cozy fantasy with teeth, basically. The main character is hilarious, and OLD! I love that we got a middle-aged FMC. Read my full review here.
Metal Slinger by Rachel Schneider
This was an unexpectedly fun read! And I know some people are losing their minds over the ending, but I personally didn’t find it that shocking? Am I so excited for book two? Yes! I do think it’s best going into this book blind and with no spoilers, so I’m not going to say much more other than if you want a fast paced Romantasy with mating bonds, elemental powers, and a lost princess, you will definitely want to read this. Is it the most well-written Romantasy? Nahhhh, but it’s a good time. You can catch my full review here.
Onyx Storm by Rebecca Yarros
People can hate all they want, but the Fourth Wing series is like crack. You just can’t stop reading. I personally loved this third installment a lot more than Iron Flame, and I cannot wait for book four. She had me cackling and kicking my feet up one second, gasping the next, and then sobbing over fictional characters. I love an author who can bring out the feels. Plus, we all know I’m a sucker for snarky dragons, and the dragons are FULL of snark in this one. Ridoc is the best comical relief, and nothing better happen to him. P.S. The officially licensed Onyx Storm collection is LIVE at Valor & Lore!
North Queen by Nicola Tyche
So many people are sleeping on this series! This book was SO good and exactly what I look for in a Romantasy: an amazing fantasy setting with a romantic subplot and morally grey, complex characters. Yes, there’s some earned spice, but the enemies to lovers is so well done. Plus, the side characters are amazing. Read my full review here.
The Children of Gods and Fighting Men by Shauna Lawless
Yet another example of a superb historical fiction fantasy. If you love Irish mythology, Vikings, and characters like Cersei Lannister, you’ll LOVE this book and series. It’s a completed trilogy, and I devoured them. You absolutely loathe the villains, but at the same time, you can’t stop reading. It’s multi POV, has some romantic subplots, and I’d recommend it to everyone. Read my full review here.
Kill the Beast by Serra Swift
If found family is your favorite trope, you might love this monster quest revenge story. While it could technically be considered a cozy fantasy, it also has some teeth. I think that’s why cozy fantasy is so hit or miss for me. The ones I really enjoy have some grit and high stakes. Catch my full review here.
Red City by Marie Lu
Ever since I read Skyhunter by Marie Lu, she’s become an autoread author. I love that with every new series, she writes in a different genre. This is her adult fantasy debut, and I can’t wait for book two. If you love urban fantasy, magical crime syndicates, and childhood unrequited love, you’ll love this book. Throw The Godfather and Romeo and Juliet together with magic, and you get Red City. Read my full review here.
The Bookshop Below by Georgia Summers
I fear Georgia Summers may be an acquired taste as an author, but her writing really works for me. I loved her debut book, The City of Stardust, last year, so I was so excited to read her new novel. Her prose is so beautiful, and I loved the concept of this novel: magical bookshops, shadow organizations, and a more than one mystery. Read my full review here.
A Curse Carved in Bone by Danielle L. Jensen
I enjoyed this book so much more than book one. And not that book one, A Fate Inked In Blood is bad, it just had a bit too much insta-lust, bad spice, and a few other nitpicky things I didn’t love. This book, however, brought with it so much more worldbuilding and magic, and the plot was so much more developed. I loved the twists and reveals, and the relationship felt more fleshed out this time. I thoroughly enjoyed it, and felt it was an excellent conclusion to the duology.
Honorable Mention:
Careless People by Sarah Wynn-Williams
The only non-fiction and non-fantasy book on the list, but having seen all the hype around trying to suppress it, I had to read it. Having lived in SF for more than 13 years, and working in tech, so much of this book resonated with me, and made me think, “Dang, I could write a book,” about all my experiences being a woman in tech and dealing with all the crappy things that happen. Nothing in this book really shocked me, which I realize is sad. I mean, there are some explosive accusations towards the end that, if true, are egregious indeed. I’ll be curious to see how this all plays out. Overall, this is a solid audiobook for anyone wanting a peek under the hood of what it’s like to work at a pre IPO tech company and what can happen as it grows, and what those in leadership are willing to do to succeed at any cost.
Don’t forget to drop your favorite reads of 2025 in the comments below, so we can all continue to add to our neverending TBRs.
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