Hi, everyone! You may have already seen my post over on Instagram, but today I wanted to officially share my favorite books of 2025! It truly is a good mix of genres and really reflects my reading this year - romance, YA, fantasy, historical fiction, and nonfiction!
My most read authors were Sierra Simone (16), Katee Robert (8), and Christina Lauren (7). I caught up on some backlists and also found some really fantastic new-to-me authors. Romance was still my top genre, but I definitely branched out into some new genres. Here are some of my favorites of the year:
Do we share any favorites? What books are you looking forward to in 2025?
Happy new year, everyone! Today I thought it would be fun to share some reading stats from the year.
Let's start with a look at Goodreads. I read 110 books this year, which is way more than I thought I would!
Now, onto some more specific 2024 stats - the majority of my reading is still backlist reads.
I'm still reading female authors way more than male authors - the lopsidedness of this just makes me laugh!
Romance is still my most-read genre, although it is more than 10% less than last year. As always, some books are hard to place in just one category, but I did my best!
Almost half my books came from my unread shelf!
I didn't have a format chart last year but thought it would be interesting to track this year - I'm kind of surprised that I read more audiobooks than ebooks!
Do you have any interesting or fun stats from your 2024 reading year?
It's hard to believe, but 2024 is just about over! So, how did we do on the goals we set back in January?
Read 75 books. I was able to read over 100 books!
Reread once a month. 100% completed! I accomplished this by choosing a reread for my first book of each month.
Read at least six nonfiction books. I ended up reading 16 nonfiction books this year, well above my goal!
Finish the Bridgerton series. Goal completed! I finished the last book in June.
Purge my shelves. I've donated over 76 books this year, plus a few more dropped off at Little Free Libraries. My shelves are still full, but I'm making progress!
And here is how my sister did on her goals:
Read 275 books. I had dropped this down to 250 during the year and I was able to meet it! I’m being much more selective about my reads so I feel good about it.
Track my reading contemporaneously. Done! My spreadsheet is completely up to date and it is so interesting seeing the sources and format of my reading, as well as what genres I gravitate towards.
Binge author backlists via audio. Done! I have listened to multiple backlist titles from Christina Lauren, Katee Robert and Sierra Simone this year. I never would have had time to physically read all of these so the audiobooks have been a lifesaver.
Listen to 5 audiobooks with my hubby. Did not complete this one, but there ended up being two interesting developments this year. One was that I ended up listening to a few audiobooks with my daughter – she is 8 and we spend a lot of time in the car driving around to different activities. One book was full of short stories about historical women and a couple others were Disney Audible Originals. The second was that while I did not listen to many audiobooks with James, I did recommend quite a few physical books to him this year and he actually read them! He even has first dibs on Onyx Storm when we get our copy in January.
After socialite and influencer Piper lands in jail, her stepdad sends her to a small town in Washington to prove that she's more than just a pretty face and learn some responsibility. There, she reconnects with her late father's family and friends and meets sea captain Brendan, who may just have her giving up her partying ways for a slower-paced life. I wish it hadn't taken me so long to finally read this book, because I just absolutely loved it! At first I was a little unsure of Piper - she seemed so naive, but underneath that innocent exterior turned out to be a heart of gold and a cute sense of humor. I loved watching her grow and learn things about herself, that she's more than just an "it girl." Brendan was the perfect foil for her - a widower totally set in his routines, he learns to loosen up a bit while giving Piper the stability she needed. Although their relationship was a bit on the fast track, I was here for all of it - their chemistry had me turning the pages late into the night. There's humor, there's lots of heart, and there are some seriously steamy scenes to keep readers satisfied! 5 stars
When aspiring journalist Elise finds herself stuck in a cable car with three strapping men, she never thought it would lead to the most unconventional relationship of her life, but now she's juggling three boyfriends while also trying to break a big story. LMAO, what did I just read?? I thought maybe this was about a woman who is actually dating three men separately, but it turned out to be a reverse harem/polyamorous romance. I've read lots of different types of romances, but never one like this! It was so hard to reconcile in my mind how all four of these people felt an instant connection and understand how the men would make it work for Elise. I mean, it must be nice to be completely adored, cherished, and admired by three guys! I did enjoy how Bailey showed that the relationship brought out the best in each of them and how the men (and Elise) grow over the course of the book, but the sex scenes were maybe a little much for me? Sometimes it seemed like that was the driving factor behind the relationship. The bits of political intrigue were a nice (and needed) addition, breaking up some of the overwhelming lust and love between the four. 3.5 stars
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It's hard to believe, but Henry is turning ONE today! This past year has been a blur, filled with trying times but so many more joyful moments of smiles, laughs, hugs, and new achievements. Of course, I knew our life would change once we became parents (and it has, in so many ways), but since this is a book blog, let's talk about how my reading has changed since becoming a mom! I think most of these are fairly obvious, but that's ok!
I'm reading less. I think this is a given - babies take up a lot of your time, so most of my reading comes after Henry goes to bed. And since my bedtime has also gotten earlier, this doesn't leave a ton of time each day for reading. But honestly, I'm reading more than I thought I would! I expected maybe a book a week, and I'm probably around two a week, most weeks.
I ADORE children's books. I've always enjoyed buying books for my nieces and nephews, but now that I'm paying even more attention to them, I've found I really love children's books - the charming text and rhymes, the simple but important messages, the cute illustrations. It is such a joy to read with Henry every day because even if he doesn't totally understand what we're doing all the time, I love it and I hope that's coming across to him. And as much as I love books, I never really thought I'd be the mom doing all the voices and making all the animal sounds, but here we are!
Henry's TBR is just as important as mine. I'm constantly on the lookout for new books for him, whether they are new or old, and I've created a wishlist for him on our library's website. I choose a theme or two each month for our reading, and at the beginning of the month I peruse our wishlist, check out several books from the library, and pick a few from his shelf. He loves touch-and-feel and lift-a-flap books, so I always try to make sure those are mixed in. We reread each book many times during the month, but I also want to keep things new and exciting for him.
My identity as a reader is expanding. At the daycare, I'm known as Henry's mom, but also the "reading mom," and Henry is the infant room's "little bookworm." Whenever something about books or literacy comes up at school, they often show a picture of him, with his little books, and I love that! He proves that you're never too young to enjoy books. The director and I chat about books quite often, sending each other recommendations for Henry and the other kids. Although I would never want to force a hobby on my child, I know how important it is to expose him to all types of books, and so my identity as a reader has expanded from a solo activity to also being somewhat of an advocate for children's literacy.
I'm planning for the future. My hope is that as Henry gets older, we will continue to enjoy reading together (and maybe that will include less chewing on books). Several of the books on his TBR are meant for older children, so that's a start! My sister is inspiring me in this area, too - her daughter Luna is 6 and loves to read, and Michele is reading and compiling a library of books for Luna to read when she's older, mostly YA books she thinks she'll enjoy.
Fellow parents - how have your kids impacted your reading? Or if you don't have kids, what big events in your life have changed your reading habits?
Not Since Ewe, an all-new heartwarming second-chance romance from Susannah Nix, is available now in Kindle Unlimited!
Tess McGregor doesn’t need anyone.
So what if she doesn’t have any close friends or family anymore? Her successful consulting business keeps her so busy she barely has time to be lonely. She’s got her life organized exactly the way she wants it.
Until the daughter she gave up for adoption 30 years ago tracks her down.
Tess doesn’t know anything about being a mother, but now that she’s met Erin, she’ll do anything to stay in her life.
Even if it means facing the life-ruining jerk who got Tess pregnant in high school and broke her heart.
Donal Larkin would do anything for a second chance.
He’s divorced, his kids hardly talk to him, and he works so much he barely has time to eat. But when he’s united with the daughter he never had a chance to know, he vows to make up for past mistakes.
Step one is proving to Tess he’s not the same unreliable kid she knew 30 years ago.
And maybe if he’s lucky he can win back the heart of the girl he never got over…
Not Since Ewe is a full-length contemporary romance and can be read as a standalone. Book #4 in the Common Threads series, Seduction in the City World, Penny Reid Book Universe.
“I’m just nervous.” Admitting that to Donal took a lot of effort. “Opening up to people isn’t exactly my strong suit, and I’m taking my insecurity out on you.”
He surprised me by pulling me into a hug.
Wow. The man really knew how to give a hug. I wasn’t generally a big hugger, but just like the other night when he’d held me in his arms, I didn’t hate it.
In fact, it felt amazing. A few more hugs like this, and I’d be a dedicated convert to the holy sacrament of hugging. I’d be going door to door proselytizing on the spiritual benefits of embracing physical embraces.
“I promise I’m on your side.” Donal’s voice was low and rough, his breath a warm caress against my hair. “I’m not going to say or do anything to damage your relationship with Erin. You’ve got to trust me on that.”
It was difficult to talk with my heart lodged in my throat and my face pressed against his astonishingly firm chest. “I want that for you too. I’ll try to be a better teammate.”
He pulled back to look at me, and my stomach did another one of those unsettling flips under his up-close scrutiny. “We’re really bad at this, aren’t we?”
I was so flustered, I thought he was making fun of my poor hugging skills and stiffened. “I—what?”
“Being friends.”
Oh. There went my heart, right into my throat again. “Is that what we are?”
“I’d sure like us to be.” His eyebrows notched up a few millimeters. “Wouldn’t you?”
Damn the man for being so likable. How was I supposed to protect myself when he kept being all vulnerable and appealing?
And handsome. Don’t forget the handsome.
Shit, did I really want to be friends with Donal Larkin again?
Yes.
Even with our poor track record, I wanted that. Maybe it could be different this time. We were both mature adults now. Surely we could handle it. We wouldn’t make the same mistakes.
“I’d like that too.” I sounded out of breath, like I’d just done a hill ride on the stationary bike.
“Good.” Donal’s shoulders sagged in relief. “Can we go sit down and eat now? Because I was too nervous to eat much at lunch, and I’m seriously hangry.”
About Susannah Nix
Susannah Nix is an award-winning author of contemporary romances featuring smart women and swoony men, including the Chemistry Lessons series of romcoms about women who work in STEM fields and the Starstruck series of movie star romances.
Susannah resides in Texas with her husband, two ornery cats, and a flatulent pit bull. When she’s not writing, she enjoys reading, cooking, knitting, watching stupid amounts of television, and getting distracted by Tumblr. She is also a powerlifter who can deadlift as much as Captain America weighs.
Henry and I have been having so much fun together reading (even if he thinks reading includes putting the books in his mouth)! Here are some new pictures of him with his books:
Authors are no longer confined to traditional publishing – the
number of writers self-publishing seems to have exploded over the
last few years. With access to so many forms of social media and the
technology to format and market their own books, authors can have
successful careers without ever being accepted by a traditional
publishing house. This is also great for readers, as we have access
to so many more wonderful authors.
Today’s
installment focuses on authors who self-publish and are also part of
Penny Reid’s Smartypants Romance imprint (SPRU).
Karla Sorenson –
Love at First Sight series (SPRU) and the Washington Wolves and Ward
Family series. Available in Kindle Unlimited.
Nora Everly –
Monroe Brothers (SPRU) and Barrett Brothers. Available in Kindle
Unlimited.
Piper Sheldon –
Scorned Women’s Society (SPRU) and other contemporary and
paranormal works. Available in Kindle Unlimited.
Juliette Cross –
Part of the Green Valley Heroes series (SPRU). Other series include
contemporary (Beauville) and paranormal (Stay a Spell).
Aly Stiles –
Work for It series (SPRU). Genres are wide, with rockstar, angsty
and paranormal romances. Available in Kindle Unlimited.
Laney Hatcher –
London Ladies Embroidery (SPRU) and Bartholomew Family historical
romance series. Available in Kindle Unlimited.
Susannah Nix –
Common Threads series (SPRU). Other series include rockstar, women
in STEM and small town romance.
Jiffy Kate –
Fighting for Love series (SPRU). Small town and sports romances set
in New Orleans. Available in Kindle Unlimited.
Allie Winters –
Lessons Learned series (SPRU). Also has billionaire and new adult
series. Available in Kindle Unlimited.
Have you read any of these
indie authors? If so, any favorites?
Authors are no longer confined to traditional publishing – the
number of writers self-publishing seems to have exploded over the
last few years. With access to so many forms of social media and the
technology to format and market their own books, authors can have
successful careers without ever being accepted by a traditional
publishing house. This is also great for readers, as we have access
to so many more wonderful authors.
Today’s
installment focuses on authors newer to indie publishing.
Elsie Silver –
author of the Gold Rush Ranch and Chestnut Springs series, focusing
on horse trainers and rodeo riders in Canada. Available in Kindle
Unlimited.
Chloe Liese –
author of the Bergman Brothers series, which centers around a big
Swedish family of brothers and sisters. Will also be making her
traditional publishing debut this fall.
BK Borison –
author of the Lovelight Farms series, set on a Christmas tree farm in
Maryland. Available in Kindle Unlimited.
Jenny Bunting –
Currently publishing her Finch Family series, which takes place in
and around a winery in California. Currently enrolled in Kindle
Unlimited.
Julie Olivia –
Currently publishing her Honeywood Fun Park series, which takes place
at an amusement park. Available in Kindle Unlimited.
Victoria Denault
– Author of hockey and small town romances, with two titles under
Sarina Bowen’s Heart Eye Press publishing imprint.
Catherine Cowles
– Small town romance author whose books are self-proclaimed
“suspense lite."
My sister is back today with the first in a series of guest blogger posts about indie authors! She has introduced me to so many amazing authors, so let's dive in!
Authors are no longer confined to traditional publishing – the
number of writers self-publishing seems to have exploded over the
last few years. With access to so many forms of social media and the
technology to format and market their own books, authors can have
successful careers without ever being accepted by a traditional
publishing house. This is also great for readers, as we have access
to so many more wonderful authors.
Today’s
installment focuses on the OG’s – authors with a lot of indie
experience, publishing for more than 5 years or with 10+ titles.
Penny Reid –
author of beloved series Knitting in the City and the Winston
Brothers. Has expanded her reach with Smartypants Romance, her own
publishing imprint.
Melanie Harlow –
Small town romance in series such as Cloverleigh Farms and Bellamy
Creek. Available in Kindle Unlimited.
Adrianna Locke –
Small town, family series such as the Masons, Gibsons and Landrys.
Available in Kindle Unlimited.
Devney Perry –
Small town romances almost exclusively set in Montana. Some have
suspense elements and the Clifton Forge series revolves around a
defunct motorcycle club. Also writes under the pen name Willa Nash,
whose books can be found in Kindle Unlimited.
Staci Hart –
Romances with settings that range from a tattoo parlor in NYC to a
bee farm in Texas. Currently enrolled in Kindle Unlimited.
Kandi Steiner –
Angsty romance, with her most current being a new adult, football
series. Available in Kindle Unlimited.
Kathryn Nolan –
Romance author with surfer, boxer and billionaire heroes and
heroines. Also has a romantic suspense series that centers around a
detective agency that tracks down rare stolen books. Available in
Kindle Unlimited.
Lauren Blakely –
Super prolific romance author, releasing almost a title per month.
Fun and quick reads with lots of sporty heroes.
Sarina Bowen –
Widely known for her Brooklyn hockey and True North series. Has
expanded into her own publishing imprint, Heart Eyes Press.
Do you read any
indie authors? If so, any favorites?
Former best friends Zorie and Lennon have to work together when they find themselves stranded in the wilderness. They might be rekindling their friendship, but their families are still a mess. I first read this book back in 2019 after winning it in a giveaway. I gave it 4 stars then, but unfortunately, I DNFed it this time around, at about page 60. I think this is just another example of my waning love and patience for YA books. Zorie and Lennon came across as such cliches, Zorie as the hipster and Lennon as the goth, and I found myself not really up for all the drama.
Charlie Silver is a professional tennis player - after getting injured, she hires a notoriously successful coach to get her to the top. But will all the changes to her personal and professional lives be worth it? I have been a huge fan of Lauren Weisberger for years, ever since The Devil Wears Prada. I first read this book back in 2016, pretty much right when it came out. I gave it 4 stars then, and I concur with that rating today. In my review, I noted how much I enjoyed the behind-the-scenes look at what it's like to be an athlete at the highest levels - the training, the travel, the highs and lows. Weisberger's writing is always good, but I noticed then (and now) that her stories are a bit predictable (or, at least for awhile there was a stretch of books that were all very similar). For that reason, even though I enjoy this story, I'm not sure I would read it again.
Verdict: Donate!
* This post contains affiliate links; I earn a small commission on qualifying purchases, at no cost to you.
It's hard to believe that 2022 is already half over, but it's a great time to check in on the reading and blogging goals I set at the beginning of the year.
Read Little Women. I did it! It took me a month and a half to read it, but I finally read Little Women!
Read 52 books.
At the time I'm writing this post, I've read 50 books, so I'm actually almost done with this goal. I figured I would maybe get to a book a week, so I'm pleasantly surprised at how much I've been able to read.
Don't be so rigid about a blogging schedule.
I think I've been pretty good with this. I've mainly been able to stick to my normal schedule, but I'm not pushing myself to fill in empty days like I used to. I also haven't always been posting reviews every week and sometimes my "Friday reviews" don't show up until Monday, but that's ok! I don't necessarily want to review every book I read on the blog, so because I'm reading less, there are fewer reviews.
Continue growing my Instagram account.
I've gotten a lot of new followers, but my engagement doesn't seem to be growing, and I blame the algorithm, LOL! I don't do reels, so I feel like the platform doesn't "promote" my posts very well to my followers. But, I still have fun taking and sharing photos, so I'll continue with it for now.
Reread from my own collection with the intention of pruning my shelves. So far I've attempted 6 rereads - of those, I DNFed two of them and I will be donating five.
Keep track of how much I'm spending on books.
I've adding a line item to my budget spreadsheet for this, so I've been tracking my book spending, although I'm not going to say how much I've spent! I'm counting books I buy for Henry, too, and admittedly I go a little overboard when it comes to him. I need to rein it in until his birthday/Christmas.
Blind Side is a fake dating sports romance that early readers are calling Kandi's spiciest book yet! Add in that the heroine is a virgin and takes "lessons" from our star athlete Hero on how to please herself, and this is one hot summer release you won't want to miss! 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐡𝐨𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐜𝐨𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐠𝐞 𝐟𝐨𝐨𝐭𝐛𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐬𝐚𝐟𝐞𝐭𝐲 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐧𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐣𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐚𝐬𝐤𝐞𝐝 𝐦𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐛𝐞 𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐟𝐚𝐤𝐞 𝐠𝐢𝐫𝐥𝐟𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐝. 𝐀𝐧𝐝 𝐈 𝐣𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐚𝐬𝐤𝐞𝐝 𝐡𝐢𝐦 𝐭𝐨 𝐭𝐚𝐤𝐞 𝐦𝐲 𝐯𝐢𝐫𝐠𝐢𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐲. Clay Johnson has the abs of Adonis and the deadly smirk of the devil, himself. There's hardly a day he's not headline material during football season, and never a day he isn't a bullseye target for every girl on campus. He used to be the easiest of all the players for me to wrangle as the Public Relations Coordinator, but after a nasty breakup with his high school sweetheart, he's a mess. And a complete pain in my ass. We meet to discuss his behavior and review media relations standards. But when he witnesses how I fall to pieces in front of my guitar-toting crush, his wheels start turning. And he cooks up this absurd plan. He helps me get noticed. I help him make his ex jealous. All by pretending to be in a relationship. What he doesn't realize is that this bookworm is a virgin, and far from versed in seducing a musician. So, to sweeten the deal, I convince him to help me -- not just to get my crush's attention, but to knock his socks off once I have it. But the more I come unraveled at the hands of Clay Johnson, the more trouble I have discerning what's fake and what's undoubtedly real -- particularly, the way my heart flutters every time that breathtaking man touches me. We set the rules. We put the safeguards in place. But they say rules are meant to be broken. They probably should have added that hearts are, too.
Download today or read for FREE with Kindle Unlimited
Kandi Steiner is an Amazon Top 5 bestselling author and whiskey connoisseur living in Tampa, FL. Best known for writing "emotional rollercoaster" stories, she loves bringing flawed characters to life and writing about real, raw romance — in all its forms. No two Kandi Steiner books are the same, and if you're a lover of angsty, emotional, and inspirational reads, she's your gal.
An alumna of the University of Central Florida, Kandi graduated with a double major in Creative Writing and Advertising/PR with a minor in Women's Studies. She started writing back in the 4th grade after reading the first Harry Potter installment. In 6th grade, she wrote and edited her own newspaper and distributed to her classmates. Eventually, the principal caught on and the newspaper was quickly halted, though Kandi tried fighting for her "freedom of press."
She took particular interest in writing romance after college, as she has always been a die hard hopeless romantic, and likes to highlight all the challenges of love as well as the triumphs.
When Kandi isn't writing, you can find her reading books of all kinds, planning her next adventure, or pole dancing (yes, you read that right). She enjoys live music, traveling, playing with her fur babies and soaking up the sweetness of life.
Kandi Steiner may be coming to a city near you! Check out her "events" tab to see all the signings she's attending in the near future: www.kandisteiner.com/events
