I came across this prompt over at Pages and Tea, and I decided to take a chance on it. If anything, it's a nice and easy way to see what I've been reading so far in 2025 and what I might want to read before the year ends. The questions are as provided; the answers are mine.
1 Best book you’ve read so far in 2025:
This is a bit tricky for me as I have read a few very good books so far in 2025. They are books that will likely make my top lists at the end of the year. However, I am going to go ahead and pick just one at this time, and that book is White Poverty (link to my review). Reverend Barber's book stayed with me well after I read, and I still think about some of the issues it raises.
2 Best sequel of 2025 so far:
This is a sort of sequel in a series. I am choosing the Iron Warriors Omnibus (link to my review). The book is a bit of a spin-off of the Ultramarines novels in Warhammer 40,000. It's about as close to a sequel as I can get to answer the question. So get ready to root for the bad guy.
3 New release you haven’t read yet, but want to:
I have a lot of books on my TBR list, but I keep hearing good things about this book on social media, including positive feedback from people I hold in good regard. So I am hoping, but not sure if I will get to it soon, to read The Buffalo Hunter Hunter. I have my copy already, just need to make the time for it.
4 Most anticipated release of the second half of 2025:
I have one or two options here, but I am choosing Chuck Tingle's forthcoming at this time Lucky Day. I read his previous book, Bury Your Gays (link to my review), and while I liked it I did not love it as so many readers have, and that is OK. When the publisher sent me an invitation to get the ARC (advance reader copy) of Lucky Day, I figured it was a sign to take another chance. So I downloaded the ARC, and I hope to read it soon. To be honest, I will add that the premise of Lucky Day intrigues me, so I am hoping it will be a good read too. By the way, I do love the book's playing card theme cover.
5 Biggest disappointment of 2025:
Sadly there have been some book disappointments, so I had a couple of options here. This time I am going with Prospero Burns, Book 15 of the Horus Heresy series. While I know that Horus Heresy novels can be hit or miss, this was really one of the worst books in the series. Not bad enough to stop me from reading the next one in the series; in fact, at this time I am already reading Book 16 in the series: Age of Darkness, which is a short story anthology. Still, Prospero Burns is one I will tell readers reading the series to skip if they can.
6 Biggest surprise:
This was the biggest surprise at this point as in it surprised me how bad it was. Given how the book was described and marketed, it just surprised me how bad it was and how it did not fit the marketing. The book is Ghost Station (link to review). Based on that book's description, I went on faith and had requested an ARC for the author's following book, but I will be honest in saying that based on having read Ghost Station I may choose not to read the other one. It is not often I label a book as bad, but yea, this one earned it.
7 Favorite new author (debut or new to you):
In this case, it is an author new to me, and it is Lama Rod Owens. I read his book Love and Rage.
8 Newest fictional crush:
I am leaving this one blank as I have not read enough fiction this year, let alone good enough fiction, to have found a fictional crush in 2025 so far.
9 Newest favorite character:
Also leaving this one blank. See my answer for Question 8.
10 Book that made you cry:
There may be a book in 2025 so far that pissed me off, but none that have made me cry.
11 Book that made you happy:
It's a simple little book but Be More Vader made me happy while reading it and after.
12 Favorite book to movie adaptation of 2025 you’ve seen:
I have not read any books so far in 2025 that are getting a movie adaptation, or read any that I am aware is getting the movie treatment.
13 Favorite post/review you’ve written this year:
I have a couple of options here too, but I am choosing my review of Bad Law for this answer.
14 Most beautiful book you bought or received this year:
I have not really read, received, or bought any "pretty" books this year so far. Part of the reason may be that the books I often read are not ones for pretty covers. So I am going to choose a cartomancy deck for this prompt, and that is Angelarium: Oracle of Emanations (link to my review).
15 Books you need to read by the end of this year:
There are a few, but these are the ones that came to mind right away:
- The Secret History of Big Foot (am currently reading this one)
- The Rose at War (Warhammer 40,000)
- Tarot for the Magically Inclined.
And there you have it. If you do the prompts, feel free to leave a comment with a link to your blog, site, etc. so I can check it out, or just leave a few words in a comment as well. Have a great day.