My reading list this year was primarily focused on indie books—and whatever caught my eye while browsing. I never got around to Katabasis, and I avoided longer series in favor of reading more variety. There are so many amazing books that just didn’t get talked about enough this year, and I’m lucky to have read a few of them.
I’ll add, these are all books that I read this year, and not all books that released in 2025. Additionally, all of these picks are my personal option, etc.
As is always the case with these lists, it’s tough to pick just a few books. These are my favorites right now but If you were to ask me again in a few weeks, I might have a different answer for you. There have been so many standouts. That said, I’ve begrudgingly narrowed the list down to a top six that have really stuck with me this year.
The Ascenditure (Daughter of Summit and Sea #1) by Robyn Dabney
Klarke Ascher has a singular goal: to become an Ascenditure, a member of the kingdom’s elite climbing team who scale the treacherous peaks of Miter’s Backbone in search of an elusive medicine to treat the lung sickness that ails the populace. However, in a kingdom governed by centuries of tradition, where women are legally bound to home and hearth, owned by the men they are forced to marry, the Ascenditures have always been male. As the strongest climber of her generation, Klarke’ s skill and strength are undeniable, and her courage and persistence prompt a civil uprising to which the king is finally forced to concede. Klarke’ s fight for justice, however, quickly becomes a struggle for survival as fellow Ascenditures, one by one, are inexplicably murdered. For danger lies not only on the icy peaks of treacherous mountains, where ropes are cut and routes are compromised, but in the very halls of power. With the hope of an oppressed generation on her shoulders, Klarke must dig deep within herself to discover the greatest strengths— of muscle and mind— not only to survive but to unravel the sinister conspiracy upon which the foundation of their kingdom rests.
Some Thoughts on The Ascenditure
A few years ago, I had the pleasure of illustrating maps for The Ascenditure. I finally got around to reading it this year, and it immediately hooked me. This story is a very familiar coming-of-age and female empowerment tale, akin to something like the Hunger Games series.
Where it diverges is in the emphasis on mountaineering, and a mystery that begins while Klarke is scaling one of the largest mountains in Ectair. It’s a fun YA story with a unique approach that just clicked for me, and I am so excited to read the sequel next year. Read my full review of The Ascenditure on FanFiAddict.
The Bone Raiders (The Rakada #1) by Jackson Ford
This epic fantasy follows the story of the Rakada, a fearsome band known as the Bone Raiders, due to their charming habit of wearing the bones of those they kill on their armour. But being a raider is tough these days, especially when the High Chieftain is trying to wipe out you and your kind. When Sayana, a young Rakada scout, finds herself face-to-face with a fire-breathing lizard of legend during a raid-gone-wrong, she comes up with an audacious plan to save the Rakada and preserve their way of life. A plan that involves convincing the lizard to let her ride it.
Some Thoughts on The Bone Raiders
The Bone Raiders is an epic fantasy with tons of heart, equal parts serious and fun. I had a great time in the Tapestry, exploring this unique Mongolian-inspired setting and getting to know each of the titular raiders. This is all framed by a somewhat familiar dragon-rider story, though with more than enough wrinkles to keep things interesting. Read my full review of The Bone Raiders on FanFiAddict.
Mushroom Blues (The Hofmann Report #1) by Adrian M. Gibson
Two years after a devastating defeat in the decade-long Spore War, the island nation of Hōppon and its capital city of Neo Kinoko are occupied by invading Coprinian forces. Its fungal citizens are in dire straits, wracked by food shortages, poverty, and an influx of war refugees. Even worse, the corrupt occupiers exploit their power, hounding the native population.
As a winter storm looms over the metropolis, NKPD homicide detective Henrietta Hofmann begrudgingly partners up with mushroom-headed patrol officer Koji Nameko to investigate the mysterious murders of fungal and half-breed children. Their investigation drags them deep into the seedy underbelly of a war-torn city, one brimming with colonizers, criminal gangs, racial division, and moral decay.
In order to solve the case and unravel the truth, Hofmann must challenge her past and embrace fungal ways. What she and Nameko uncover in the midst of this frigid wasteland will chill them to the core, but will they make it through the storm alive?
Some Thoughts on Mushroom Blues
Mushroom Blues was one of my first reads this year, and it has remained firmly lodged in my head ever since. Detective Henrietta Hofmann is hard to like, and her partnership with officer Koji Nameko is constantly strained, but if you stick with them you’ll discover a great mystery and a beautifully detailed world.
Hofmann’s journey is challenging, but rewarding. The longer you stay in Neo Kinoko the more it seems to grow on you. And the audiobook is beautifully made, with music at the start of each chapter and a wonderful performance by Imogen Church. Read my full review of Mushroom Blues on FanFiAddict.
The River Has Roots by Amal El-Mohtar
“Oh what is stronger than a death? Two sisters singing with one breath.”
In the small town of Thistleford, on the edge of Faerie, dwells the mysterious Hawthorn family.
There, they tend and harvest the enchanted willows and honour an ancient compact to sing to them in thanks for their magic. None more devotedly than the family’s latest daughters, Esther and Ysabel, who cherish each other as much as they cherish the ancient trees.
But when Esther rejects a forceful suitor in favor of a lover from the land of Faerie, not only the sisters’ bond but also their lives will be at risk…
Some Thoughts on The River Has Roots
I think The River Has Roots will be a divisive story. It’s unique, and kept me hooked, but the narrative is also slow and meandering. That said, I highly suggest giving the audiobook a try. It’s not just Gem Carmella’s audio performance that’s striking; this story is beautiful the way it blends narration, poetry, song, and environmental sounds together. More than any other book I read this year, The River Has Roots reads like a work of art—an experimental presentation that takes your breath away when you see it for the first time. Read my full review of The River Has Roots on FanFiAddict.
Stay on the Line by Clay McLeod-Chapman
After a small coastal town is devastated by a hurricane, the survivors gravitate toward a long out-of-service payphone in hopes of talking out their grief and saying goodbye to loved ones, only for it to begin ringing on its own. As more townspeople answer the call, friends and family believed to have been lost to the storm begin searching for a way back home.
Some Thoughts on Stay on the Line
This novelette about loss and a haunting that takes advantage of it was such a welcome surprise. Stay on the Line was a deeply haunting story, and the audiobook narrators—Patricia Santomasso and Sean Patrick Hopkins—were absolutely stunning. Listening to this at the gym was a mistake, I was so captivated by this, I couldn’t focus on a damn thing. Read my full review of Stay on the Line on FanFiAddict.
A Swift and Sudden Exit by Nico Vincenty
An immortal, doomed to die. A time traveler, desperate to save her.
When Zera travels back in time to 2040, she aims to investigate the geomagnetic storm that scorched the earth. Instead, she finds the beautiful Katherine, who speaks of past storms and asks with her dying breath, “Is this the first time we meet?”
From WWII-era New York to early 2000s New Orleans and everywhere in between, Zera chases both storms and Katherine, thinking her immortality is the key to fixing the future. But as the immortal goes from a reluctant ally with a deadly hunter to a romantic complication, Zera wonders if the past is really set in stone, or if she can still save the world—and Katherine.
Some Thoughts on A Swift and Sudden Exit
A Swift and Sudden Exit is a fun sci-fi romance novel—though I’d consider it more romance than sci-fi. Things stay fresh thanks to the constantly changing setting and time periods, and throughout it all Zera and Katherine’s relationship grows as the years go on. There’s something incredibly charming about the asynchronous way each views time, and the finale connects everything in some really clever ways. Read my full review of A Swift and Sudden Exit on FanFiAddict.
Honorable Mentions
Psyche, there’s six more. While these didn’t quite make my top six, they each struck a chord for me, and absolutely deserve a mention.
The Envoys of War by Dave Lawson: A delightful fantasy adventure with loads of heart. I absolutely adored this story and the band of misfits in it. Lawson blends humor, drama, and battles in a way that I simply adore.
Parallax by Amber Toro: This second novel in Toro’s sci-fi / romance series did everything right. It’s incredibly polished, it’s got fast action, and the tension finally breaks as certain members of the crew “kiss.” I suspect it will be on a lot of readers’ best-of lists this year.
Remote Control by Nnedi Okorafor: This novella blurs the line between folk tale and the person who those tales are about, making her seem both larger-than-life and down-to-earth all at once.
The Ten Percent Thief by Lavanya Lakshminarayan: I really enjoyed this collection of linked short stories, and the vision of the future that Lakshminarayan gives us. “Etudes,” was the stand-out for me: a story of a young girl studying to be a pianist, living on what is essentially a tenuous visa, constantly reminded about how so many people want her deported—and carrying on anyway.
What Comes Before by Molly Macabre: Macabre’s got this addicting style that I love to read. Her new novella was a little spooky, it made me laugh, and it came with a twist ending that totally changed everything.
The Whisper that Replaced God Part II: Silent Almighty by Timothy Wolff: This novella duology is absolutely captivating with its unreliable narrator and pithy voice. Part I was fun, but Part II is where the story really came alive for me, as Lord Mute struggles to rule, fighting both theological and physical battles.
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