Here are my favorite reads of the year. Not all of these books came out in 2025, and it was a little bit of a slow year for me and I’ve got a huge TBR going into 2026. But, as I did this year, I’ll be taking my time with it, as I’ve found going slow is better for me. I read for fun, and all of these books were that.
Days of Shattered Faith by Adrian Tchaikovsky
I’m a huge fan of this series of epic fantasy stand alones. They’re character-driven stories that take a stab at examining colonialism in a weird and diverse fantasy world. In Days of Shattered Faith we follow Angilly as she navigates political intrigue and necromancy for the Palleseen Sway as it works to extends its reach. Tchaikovsky's prose is, as always, fantastic: complex, dark, often tender and funny and utterly addictive.
Author: Adrian Tchaikovsky
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The Devils by Joe Abercrombie
Abercrombie is one of my favorite authors and The Devils lived up to the hype. A monk leads a ragtag team of monsters (it’s got the not-so-usual suspects, pirate, vampire, werewolf, necromancer, etc.) on a blood-soaked mission across a weird and at times terrifying version of medieval Europe. Brutal, hilarious, and surprisingly moving. Abercrombie at his absolute best.
Author: Joe Abercrombie
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The Raven Scholar by Antonia Hodgson
I loved every page of this surprising high fantasy epic. Take fantasy, add some dark academia and a murder mystery and you get a lot of fun. Seven champions compete for the throne, until one is murdered. Scholar Neema must solve the case while dealing with the competition herself, and navigating a host of complications. Oh, but she’s “helped” by a snarky raven companion. Twisty, emotional, and impossible to put down.
Author: Antonia Hodgson
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A Drop of Corruption by Robert Jackson Bennett
This might have been my favorite read this year. It’s another Fantasy plus mystery, his time of the locked-room variety. Detectives Ana and Din investigate an impossible murder in a weird world of leviathans and magic. Clever, addictive, and beautifully crafted.
Author: Robert Jackson Bennett
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Shadows Upon Time by Christopher Ruocchio
The epic conclusion to The Sun Eater series. Science fantasy space opera meets philosophy as Hadrian Marlowe faces humanity's final battle against the gods of the Cielcin. Ruocchio delivers a masterful, emotional ending to a fantastic debut series.
Author: Christopher Ruocchio
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(Bonus: Audiobook) This Inevitable Ruin by Matt Dinniman
Another winner. This series continues to delight. The stakes have never been higher in the seventh Dungeon Crawler Carl adventure. Faction Wars arrive with brutal consequences: this time, the dead stay dead. Carl and Donut and the crew are right there in the thick of it and as usual, chaos and hilarity follow.
Author: Matt Dinniman
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(Bonus: Graphic Novel) Helen of Wyndhorn by Tom King & Bilquis Evely
A beautiful book with a highly entertaining story. It’s a family drama wrapped in a second-world, sword-and-sorcery masterpiece. A young woman discovers her father's fantasy stories are real, and the monsters outside Wyndhorn Manor are waiting. Stunning art, devastating storytelling.
Creators: Tom King & Bilquis Evely
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