⋆.˚✮🎧📒✮˚.⋆ My best reads of 2025!

2026 is just around the corner, and I would like to share my favorite reads from the 33 books I have read during 2025. (bc this year was very good for my lectures)

Two quick notes: first, many of these books have not been translated into English or are exclusively in Spanish, so I will indicate which books have not been translated (im going to mark when the book is only in spanish); and second, they are not listed in any particular order.

(My native language is Spanish, I translated this post in a translator so please excuse any mistakes lol.)

First favorite read: Felices Ahora by Maria Dresden. (Only in Spanish for now)

My rating: 5/5 stars    

Summary: A cozy fantasy book set in a modern society where humans and vampires coexist, but the latter are forbidden from drinking blood.

The story begins with Ophelia, a vampire who is unique because she loves garlic, which makes her feel insecure because most vampires judged her for it throughout her childhood. But now she is entering college and is ready to make friends. She ends up meeting Nico, a serious guy with too many jobs, who seems to know more about vampires than Ophelia herself. Throughout the plot, we see their romance develop and Ophelia gain new confidence.

My opinion: I could start by saying that this book is physically beautiful. The author is an illustrator and created all the details and drawings inside. Sometimes she includes small comic-style vignettes, which makes it fun to read.

Moving on to the reading itself, it is a very easy book to read. It is María's first book, and she managed to hook me with her light narrative style. The characters are very real. Ophelia is very relatable, and more than once you want to give her a hug. Nico is also very well written, with his own goals, insecurities, and distinct personality.

Their romance is progressive and very cute. They help each other overcome their fears and internal conflicts, supporting each other until they realize they have something in common that unites them.

And in general, the world is explained quite well, from why vampires no longer drink human blood, to the secondary characters with their own personalities and tastes, a mystery, and some interesting plot twists.

If you like vampires but want a lighter and more refreshing story, I 100% recommend this read.

Second favorite read: Carmilla by Sheridan Le Fanu.  

Rating: 4.5/5 stars.     

Summary: A classic of Gothic literature, this is the story of a young woman named Laura who recounts a tale from her youth when she met the mysterious Carmilla, a sickly but enigmatically beautiful girl with whom she struck up a friendship (or perhaps something more), while at the same time sudden deaths of young people occur in the area and Carmilla seems to be more involved than she appears.

My opinion: What can I say about this book that hasn't already been said? Carmilla had to run so that Dracula could walk.

A beautiful setting, a narrative that is very easy to understand despite being a classic, a “mystery,” an obviously lesbian relationship between Carmilla and Laura, which was what I liked most about the book, apart from the beautiful hardcover edition with illustrations that my mom gave me for my birthday in 2024.

I would recommend this book to anyone who wants to read more classics but is afraid because most of them are very long or have a narrative that is difficult to understand (or sometimes even both). Carmilla is a short story that can be read in a single day due to its pace and uncomplicated writing style.

Third Favorite Read: Done and Dusted (the Rebel Blue Ranch series in general) by Lyla Sage. 

My rating: 4/5 stars.    

Summary: (I will focus on the first book in the series because it is my favorite, but I liked all the saga in general)

The story is about Clementine “Emmy” Ryder, a girl who was a barrel racing horse rider. After a serious accident that affects her mental health, she returns to her hometown to her family's ranch to clear her head, reconnecting with her family, her best friend, and Luke Brooks, her older brother's best friend and the town's former bad boy who now owns the only decent bar in town.

The two begin to develop an attraction to each other while trying not to cross the line into inappropriate territory, but it's hard to deny the tension between them.

My Opinion: Man...I <3 Cowboy romance.

Honestly, out of this whole list, this book is the weakest and most cliché of them all. I saw several reviews saying it was the most cringe-worthy, cliché, and silly thing that TikTok had popularized (it's not slow burn btw), so I went in expecting a disaster, but the truth is, I LOVED IT.

I'm not going to deny it, it's not the best book in the world because it is cliché and there may be moments that some will consider cringe-worthy, but I was surprised by how ADDICTIVE it was. I don't know what the author did while writing it, but I finished the first two books in the series in one day each.

There's a comforting feeling to this story. Not much happens, but watching the romance between Emmy and Luke unfold had me kicking my feet. The author did a great job of writing their dynamic and tension. There's also a very nice feeling of found family within Rebel Blue Ranch which grows larger as the saga progresses.

It's no big deal, it may be a “guilty pleasure” (I'm lying, it's not), but there are worse things out there, and I love this series and would love to have it in physical, and I also really like the aesthetic they used for the covers of the entire saga.

Fourth Favorite Read: The House in the cerulean Sea by TJ Klune. 

My rating: 5/5 stars.     

Summary: Linus Baker is a social worker with a boring and lonely life, until he is sent to an orphanage where some very special children with supernatural powers and appearances live under the care of Arthur Parnassus, an eccentric and charismatic man who hides a great secret.

During his stay on the island where the orphanage is located, Linus begins to grow fond of the children and especially Arthur, but he knows that his job comes first and that it would be a mistake to develop affection for the place, especially when he witnesses the community's hatred towards the children and knowing that the closure of the orphanage is in his hands.

My opinion: This book changed my life when it said, “Hate is a waste of time, I'm too busy to hate.”

My friend recommended this book to me because it's similar to one of my favorite books, and she was right. I'm grateful to her for recommending it to me.

TJ Klune writes very well and develops his characters in a phenomenal way, characterizing them in a very distinctive way, not only physically but also in terms of personality. His narration conveys every feeling of happiness, anger, fear, and sadness, and he knew how to write a found family that feels very genuine, where everyone loves each other and no one is more important than anyone else.

I love that none of the children are overshadowed or left in the background. Linus has his moment of reflection and talks with each of them, giving importance to their thoughts and concerns, which makes Linus's thoughts and his connection with everyone in the house seem more genuine.

This doesn't just happen with the children, but also with Zoe, the other caregiver and owner of the island, one of my favorite characters (along with Thalia), and also with Arthur. They all have their moment to shine, to explain their history, their likes, and their fears, which leads to very precious feedback. Linus has things to teach others, and others have things to teach him.

Linus and Arthur are such an adorable couple. I have to say that I wasn't really hyping up their relationship that much. I feel like the focus of this book is more on the discrimination that children suffer for being different and on Linus trying to leave behind a gray life along with his insecurities. But the moments of connection they had were very special and gradually added up until culminating in that beautiful scene in the last chapter.

It's a beautiful book. Read it if you're a fan of fantasy and found families. I've said it before, but I'll say it again: this book made me rethink many things and changed my perspective, which helped me in several aspects of my personal life.

Fifth favorite read: Venenos que Obsesionan by Tyffani Calligaris (Only in Spanish for now) 

My rating: 5/5 stars (I would give it more if I could lol)          

Summary: Lucero Nieves, a girl who feels lost, is a new agent for a magical institution called “The Court of James,” which is responsible for protecting society from the dark arts. She is given her first assignment: to infiltrate Hallwyn College in Scotland, and investigate a potion called “Hyde's Tonic” that brings out the worst in those who consume it. The potion is being disguised as a drug among students and has already caused a series of violent acts at the university.

Luce will also be accompanied by Benedict Knight, a more experienced agent who is trying to leave his dark past behind.

Both try to resist the addiction that their magic causes them as they delve into the dark situation at Hallwyn College, Luce trying to resist the charms of an enigmatic boy named Dean Hollow and Beck struggling to avoid falling into old addictions and control his feelings for Luce.

My opinion: Did you remember that I said above that there was no specific order? Well, I lied lol.

Because THIS BOOK WAS ABSOLUTELY MY FAVORITE OF 2025.

This is long, so buckle up.

What I liked most about this book was the magic, which they call “Spark” here and which has different uses that each magician can use according to their abilities. Luce is a potionist and Beck is an illusionist.

But I think the twist the author gives it is great because she treats spark as something good but at the same time something dangerously addictive. Beck and Luce struggle with their addiction to using their spark throughout the story, and I find that SO interesting and refreshing, treating magic as something difficult to control your dependence on, like a double-edged sword.

The author has an AMAZING way of narrating, from Luce and Beck's inner thoughts about their insecurities and how they talk about the past, to how they describe that anxiety and need to use their spark to create illusions or drink potions that calm them down or emulate feelings.

There are moments of tension that had my heart in my mouth, especially in the last few chapters where the climax of the story occurs and which made me fear that this book was going to end badly or in a real disaster.

As for the mystery, it's quite well thought out, it had me on the edge of my seat the whole time, and in the end, I really didn't expect who was behind the distribution of “Hyde Tonic,” and the “Dark Academy” setting added the finishing touch.

The secondary characters are also very noteworthy, the most important being a girl named Ashlyn, Luce's roommate at Hallwyn College, who has her own story that gradually twists and turns until it connects with Luce and Beck's, ultimately becoming a key character in helping them both complete their mission.

I liked that Ashlyn's subplot wasn't boring or tedious. Sometimes authors include subplots that aren't key to the development of the story but end up being exhausting to read, but that wasn't the case here. At first, Ashlyn seems like the typical Californian singer, egocentric and idiot mean girl, but I ended up loving her for being ambitious, sensitive, and determined. She was definitely my favorite character.

Moving on to the romance between Luce and Beck, it lays its foundations in this book and develops in a way that clearly culminates in the next book (yes, this book is a duology, I didn't know until I finished reading it lol). 

I should clarify that it is Beck who starts out with feelings, who definitely has more “prominence” in terms of his internal conflict, addictions, and feelings for Luce, who doesn't fully develop her feelings for Beck since she spends 60% of the book hooked and obsessed with Dean, an obsession that has an explanation and a plot twist that I found interesting even though I saw it coming.

But in an era where every damn book has an Enemies To Lovers storyline, I THANK GOD that this book establishes Beck and Luce's romantic relationship based on friendship and companionship from the moment they meet. They get along great from the start, and I liked that because they support each other through their problems, make inside jokes, and in general, it makes their romantic feelings feel more genuine and healthy.

Overall, I FUCKING LOVE this book with all my heart—the characters, the setting, the mystery, the magic system, the romantic interactions that gradually intensified, the author's excellent storytelling, the fact that it's based on “Jekyll and Hyde.” EVERYTHING is wonderful.

It's my favorite read of 2025, and I eagerly await the second part, which now seems to involve vampires. I sincerely hope it lives up to my hype.

Well, those were my favorite reads of 2025. 📚

I read 33 books this year, and overall they were very good reads. Only two or three books were disappointing or downright awful, so I hope 2026 continues in the same vein in terms of the number of books read and the quality of the reads.

If you want to share your best reads from this year, I'm 100% open to reading your opinions, and the same goes if you want to recommend books for me to add to my to-read list for 2026.

Happy New Year to whoever is reading this! 🥳🥂

Dividers by: bronzewasp and saradika-graphics on Tumblr.