Kids aren’t reading like they used to. People in general aren’t reading like they used to. This is no surprise. The New York Times has published a few articles recently about the decline in reading for enjoyment. More and more, people aren’t finishing books they start reading.
That’s sad. And an ominous sign of what the future may whole. I believe we’re already paying the price for dumbing down of our culture.
So, if you get a chance, remember how much of a privilege it is to read.
Being the last week of 2025, here’s a list of books I read this year. What books were your favorite this year?
A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas — Fantasy, Romantic Fantasy, Young Adult — When mortal huntress Feyre Archeron kills a faerie wolf, she is dragged into a magical realm where she becomes entangled in a dangerous curse, a brooding fae lord, and a looming evil threatening both worlds.
A Man Called Ove by Fredrik Backman — Contemporary Fiction, Literary Fiction, Humor — A grumpy, rule-bound widower’s carefully ordered life is slowly transformed by unexpected friendships that reveal grief, love, and quiet acts of kindness beneath his prickly exterior.
Onyx Storm by Rebecca Yarros — Fantasy, Romantic Fantasy, Epic Fantasy — As war escalates and loyalties fracture, Violet Sorrengail faces devastating choices that will determine the fate of her dragons, her relationships, and the fragile balance of power holding her world together. My review.
How to Live Safely in a Science Fictional Universe by Charles Yu — Science Fiction, Literary Fiction, Metafiction — A time-travel repairman navigates fractured timelines, failed relationships, and grief as he searches for meaning, identity, and his missing father in a universe that behaves like a malfunctioning story. My review.
Big Magic: Creative Living Beyond Fear by Elizabeth Gilbert — Nonfiction, Creativity, Self-Help — Elizabeth Gilbert encourages artists to embrace curiosity over fear, offering personal anecdotes and practical insights on living a more joyful and creatively fearless life.
Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir — Science Fiction, Hard Science Fiction, Space Adventure — An amnesiac astronaut wakes alone on a spacecraft and must piece together his mission to save Earth from extinction using ingenuity, science, and an unexpected alliance.
A Court of Mist and Fury by Sarah J. Maas — Fantasy, Romantic Fantasy, Young Adult — Reeling from trauma and trapped in a stifling bargain, Feyre Archeron discovers new strength, freedom, and love as she becomes entangled in the dangerous politics of the Night Court and an approaching war.
Monument 14 by Emmy Laybourne — Young Adult, Post-Apocalyptic, Survival Fiction — A group of children and teens are trapped in a superstore after a chemical disaster, forced to survive together as the outside world collapses.
Dungeon Crawler Carl by Matt Dinniman — Science Fiction, LitRPG, Dark Comedy — After Earth is turned into a lethal alien game show, Carl and his cat must survive increasingly absurd and deadly dungeon levels for galactic entertainment. My review.
The Three-Body Problem by Cixin Liu — Science Fiction, Hard Science Fiction, First Contact — A secret first contact with an alien civilization sets off a chain of scientific, philosophical, and political crises that threaten humanity’s future. My review.
Eruption by Michael Crichton and James Patterson — Techno-Thriller, Disaster Fiction, Science Fiction — A massive volcanic eruption in Hawaii triggers a race against time as scientists and officials struggle to prevent catastrophic global consequences.
Sky on Fire by Emmy Laybourne — Young Adult, Science Fiction, Dystopian — Teens living in a sky-high settlement must confront class division, rebellion, and disaster when their floating city becomes unstable.
The Hiding Game by Naomi Wood — Literary Fiction, Historical Fiction, Mystery — Just before World War 2, several students attending The Bauhaus School of Art find themselves wrapped up in controversy.
Bauhaus: A Graphic Novel by Valentina Grande — Graphic Novel, Historical Nonfiction, Art History — The rise of the Bauhaus movement is dramatized through the lives, ideals, and conflicts of the artists who shaped modern design.
Savage Drift by Emmy Laybourne — Post-Apocalyptic, Young Adult, Science Fiction — Survivors in a flooded, near-future America navigate shifting alliances and moral dilemmas as they drift through a transformed landscape.
The Will of the Many by James Islington — Epic Fantasy, Political Fantasy, Dark Fantasy — A young man infiltrates a rigid empire built on stolen willpower, uncovering secrets that could destabilize the entire system. My review.
A Burning in the Bones by Scott Reintgen — Fantasy, Young Adult, Political Fantasy — A girl born into a fractured empire must master forbidden magic while deciding whether to uphold or destroy the world that shaped her. My review.
All Systems Red by Martha Wells — Science Fiction, Space Opera, Novella — A self-aware security android just wants to watch media, but ends up protecting humans while uncovering a corporate conspiracy.
Artificial Condition by Martha Wells — Science Fiction, Space Opera, Novella — Murderbot searches for answers about its violent past while forming uneasy alliances on a distant space station.
Rogue Protocol by Martha Wells — Science Fiction, Space Opera, Thriller — Murderbot infiltrates a research facility to expose corporate wrongdoing, even as it struggles with trust and autonomy.
Exit Strategy by Martha Wells — Science Fiction, Space Opera, Thriller — Murderbot returns to help former clients escape a powerful corporation determined to control or destroy it.
The Consortium Saga by Andrew M. Friday — Science Fiction, Space Opera, Political SF — On the war-torn planet Spotov, three friends are drawn into a sprawling political crisis that will determine the planet’s future.
The Sparrow by Mary Doria Russell — Science Fiction, First Contact, Philosophical Fiction — A Jesuit-led first contact mission to an alien world ends in tragedy, forcing survivors to confront faith, suffering, and moral responsibility. My review.
The Hungry Gods by Adrian Tchaikovsky — Fantasy, Speculative Fiction, Novella — In a world shaped by belief and power, mortals are forced to confront divine forces whose survival depends on human fear, devotion, and sacrifice. My review.
The Lies of Locke Lamora by Scott Lynch — Fantasy, Heist Fiction, Sword and Sorcery — A master thief orchestrates elaborate cons in a Venetian-inspired city until a deadly power shift threatens everything he’s built.
The Happy Writer by Marissa Meyer — Nonfiction, Writing Craft, Self-Help — A motivational guide encouraging writers to build sustainable habits, manage burnout, and rediscover joy in the creative process. My review.
The Shadow of What Was Lost by James Islington — Epic Fantasy, High Fantasy, Time-Manipulation Fantasy — Long-banished magic begins to return as three young people uncover truths that could reshape their world’s history.
Crumb Hill: A Town History by Ethan Renoe — Speculative Fiction, Weird Fiction, Fictional Local History — Stories and photographs chronicle the strange events and unexplained phenomena that define the mysterious town of Crumb Hill. My review.
An Echo of Things to Come by James Islington — Epic Fantasy, High Fantasy, Time-Travel Fantasy — Time fractures and destinies collide as characters race to prevent a future shaped by ancient power and catastrophic choices.
The Strength of the Few by James Islington — Epic Fantasy, Multiverse Fantasy, Political Fantasy — A protagonist split across multiple realities must confront the same enemy in different worlds, testing identity, loyalty, and power. My review.
Outlaw Planet by M. R. Carey — Science Fiction, Planetary Science Fiction, Political SF — Settlers on a hostile alien world must survive environmental dangers and political manipulation while questioning who truly controls their fate. My review.
The Library of Fates by Margot Harrison — Fantasy, Young Adult, Contemporary Fantasy — After discovering a mystical library where every book represents a different version of her life, a grieving teen must choose which reality—and which self—she is willing to live with. My review.
The Happiness Collector by Crystal King — Historical Fantasy, Literary Fiction, Romance — In Renaissance Italy, a woman discovers that happiness can be captured through art and memory, blurring the line between desire and obsession. My review.
Photo by Zeynep Sude Gürbüz
Andrew M. Friday 
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