2025 Bookish Highlights

The year 2025 was such a dramatic year for me in most aspects, from books to personal life, and to academics. So much happened. It was the year i had the most book slumps and also the year I didn’t hit my book goals. However, there were fun aspects too. There was the fact that I got to read a series that I didn’t think I’d ever read, and also, I got to change my ebook reader to something different, and I fell in love with it.

I planned to do this last year but with everything that was going on, I just kept on choosing other things. Hearing myself say I brushed aside an opportunity to yap, sounds unreal, because I’m always excited for an opportunity to yap. I even get twice as excited when it’s about books, lol. So yeah, today, I’m going to share with you all, my top five reads from the year 2025. Let’s go!

1. Legacy of Orisha (series)
   This is a trilogy that had me on chokehold for days. It’s the real life representation of ‘Do not judge a book by its cover’. I didn’t in anyway think the book would be as intense as it ended up being. I couldn’t in anyway, even predict how it turned out. I cried, I laughed, I smiled in relief but you know what I never did? I never regretted reading this book, even after the author wrecked me alongside the characters.

   Words cannot describe how much I fell in love with this book, and those closest to me can tell. I talked about this book everytime I got the opportunity to, because I don’t think I ever read a fantasy book set in a world like theirs. You can find my review of the books here. It’s a must read for every young adult fantasy lover.

2. Only ever yours
   Oh my! What did I not feel with this book? I remember finishing this book and staring into space for so long. I didn’t know what to think, I didn’t know what to do next. This was horror under the guise of psychological thriller. A world where women were kept only for procreation and male satisfaction, it’s the turn of Freida and Isabel. Two girls who have been each other’s strengths from the start. I can’t even imagine living in a world like theirs, and enduring all the characters did.

   The protagonist in this book, Frieda was one I liked a lot. Even when she acted out, doing things so stupid, you’d want to slap that action out of her, I still liked her. However, the way this story turned out, had me in tears. It was a wonderful read nonetheless. I wouldn’t recommend actually except you’re looking for something to numb a heartbreak or whatever kind of pain.

3. These Letters end in Tears
   This was a compilation of letters. Letters written to a lost girlfriend, by her partner. You know when you’re going after something, and all the indications are pointing towards a reality you don’t want to accept? The only other option in such situation is to hope for the best right? That’s exactly what happened here. I wished for the truth to be that the readers were being misled. That the only hope there was, was for the couple to have the happy ending they deserved. If only wishes were horses. This was such a beautiful read. I love loved it.

1. Tomorrow I become a woman
   I finished this book two days ago, so I was a bit conflicted whether it deserved to enter this list or not. But it just had to. This book was everything. It made me cry just as much as it made smile. I caught myself giggling like a child at a particular scene between two characters. Aside that, there was no reason to laugh here anymore. It simply centers around three young girls, pressured by a society that sees women as everything but people with choices of their own. Things kept spiraling as the book progressed, and I wished for more for the characters. I wanted the protagonist to be happy.

   Beggars did ride horses here, seeing how the end of this book was everything. It had me holding my palms over my mouth to stop from squealing (it was late at night). I absolutely enjoyed this one. It was heartbreaking yeahh, but still such a beautiful read.

2. Honey and Spice
   Simply writing out the name of this book made me smile. And I think it’s because I smiled all through the book. This is the only book in this list that had romance as its only genre, and you can guess how good such a book has to be, to make it to this list. Kiki and Malachai are two characters that shared a love I admire. They complimented each other so well and their story was so beautiful, I smiled for days after reading it. All I had to do was remember a scene, and I became happy.

   Kiki was such a smart lady. The author didn’t in anyway downplay her intelligence, instead, portrayed it as her strength, was the highlight of it for me. How she shone amidst all the conflicts that threatened to put her down, was lovely. You should definitely read this. You’d love it.

There! You have it! The five books that had so much impact on me in the year 2025. It’s been so long since I did this, I almost forgot how much I loved it. I hope to do this more often this year 2026 and I also hope you enjoy these recommendations.

Thanks for reading.

First image was designed by me using the Freeform app, and the second image is a screenshot taken by me.

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