At the start of 2025, a friend and I made it a goal to read at least 100 books over the course of the next year. We each kept careful track, logging each and every book we read, and by the end of the year, we’d read a combined total of over 200 books. Here are some of the most captivating titles I read in some of the most popular book genres. 

Fantasy

There’s nothing that a good dose of fantasy magic can’t cure, and Leigh Bardugo’s Six of Crows delivers on drama, action, and just the right amount of romance. Set in the Grishaverse world, Six of Crows follows the notorious teenage gang leader Kaz Brekker as he and a team of five other dangerous and cunning thieves set off on an impossible heist: to break into and steal from the impenetrable Ice Court. Bardugo’s writing shines through the gritty streets of Ketterdam, and her sequel, Crooked Kingdom, is just as good. 

Other Notable Fantasy Titles: 

• The Poppy Wars by R. F. Kaung
• Carry On by Rainbow Rowell (and the rest of the series!)
• Uprooted by Naomi Novik

Romance

If you’re looking for a cozy romance read this spring, Red, White, and Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston is just the novel. Chronicling the forbidden, enemies-to-lovers relationship of US first son Alex Claremont-Diaz and English prince Henry Fox, McQuiston delivers a beautiful, humorous book filled with witty dialogue and charming characters that’ll have you staying up till 2 am (as I did) to finish it! 

Other Notable Romance Titles

• Eleanor & Park by Rainbow Rowell
• Love and Other Perishable Items by Laura Buzo
• I’ll Give You the Sun by Jandy Nelson

Realistic Fiction

Gabi, a Girl in Pieces by Isabel Quintero is the heartbreaking story of Mexican-American high school senior Gabriela Hernandez (Gabi). Told through diary entries and packed with beautiful poems written by Gabi), Quintero follows her protagonist as she navigates family and friend issues, comes to terms with her identity, and discovers her love for poetry. I read this one twice, back-to-back—it was that good! 

Other Notable Realistic Fiction Titles

• Turtles All the Way Down by John Green
• Ain’t Burned All the Bright by Jason Reynolds
• We Deserve Monuments by Jas Hammonds
  

Horror/Thriller

I’m not much of a horror fan, but The Diviners by Libba Bray is one of the best books I’ve ever read. Told from several alternating perspectives, The Diviners follows danger-loving flapper Evie O’Neill as she navigates the streets of 1920s New York during the Prohibition Era. Bray’s beautiful prose creates a rich, fascinating world filled with mystery and a healthy dose of gore, both elements that multiply when Evie’s drawn into the investigation of several mysterious, gruesome killings. To solve the crimes, Evie must come to terms with her own magical powers, and watch out for the things that lurk in the dark.

Other Notable Horror Titles

• Lair of Dreams by Libba Bray

Science Fiction

A riff on the classic tale Frankenstein, This Monstrous Thing by Mackenzi Lee details a Gothic, steampunk version of 1818 Geneva, Switzerland, a deeply prejudiced world, where clockwork parts are used as prosthetics and their owners, so-called “clockwork people” are looked down upon. Clockwork mechanic Alasdair Finch works with his father to repair and replace these parts, and when his older brother Oliver is killed in a tragic accident, Alasdair secretly resurrects him, bringing to life a monstrous version of the brother he so admired. Filled with action, science (or at least science-y sounding passages), and mystery, Lee’s worldbuilding creates a dark and deeply compelling alternative universe that’s delightfully chilling to read about. 

Other Notable Science Fiction Titles

• These Broken Stars by Amie Kaufman and Meagan Spooner
• The Thing About Jellyfish by Ali Benjamin (leans more realistic but with lots of science in it!)

Nonfiction

Because I read so much nonfiction in my normal academic life, I tend to seek fiction when I’m reading for pleasure, but The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot is a non-fiction must read! Skloot’s genuine interest and vivid writing transport you into her story, and her portrayal of her real-life characters is stunning, humorous, and poignant. In her beautifully written narrative, Skloot takes us through the journey that the first cloned human cells went through–cells taken without consent from the cancerous tumor of Henrietta Lacks in 1951. Blending interviews, storytelling, and personal experience, Skloot tells a deeply moving tale of ethics, science, and immortality. 

Other Notable Nonfiction Titles

• A Walk in the Woods by Bill Bryson
• The Best of Me by David Sedaris

Historical fiction 

Told in two halves, Code Name Verity by Elizabeth Wein details the story of a captured spy during World War II, blending historical facts, witty characters, and tragedy for a memorable and unconventional view of war and loss. The first part is told by a captured spy through the narrative she’s being forced to write, and the second is written by a female pilot through a series of diary-like entries. Both are filled with historically accurate facts and events, and in the author’s note, Wein shares the backstory behind her characters and plot. I’m mildly obsessed with WWII fiction, and this book was one of the best renditions I’ve ever read of the war and its impact on friendship, loyalty, and truth.

Other Notable Historical Fiction Titles 

• I Must Betray You by Ruta Sepetys
• Matilda Bone by Karen Cushman
• The False Prince by Jennifer A. Neilson

Action/Adventure

In this cross-Europe roadtrip-gone-wrong adventure, author Mackenzi Lee blends history, love, and humor for an unforgettably enjoyable read in The Gentleman’s Guide to Vice and Virtue. When 18-year-old English lord Henry “Monty” Montague steals a mysterious object from a vengeful man, his “Grand Tour” of Europe (something that was all the rage for young lords of high social status) takes a drastically sour twist and turns into a manhunt. Monty, along with his best friend Percy and bookish sister Felicity, must run for their lives through extravagant cities and filthy canals, confronting prejudice and privilege all the while. Lee’s writing hums with wit and action, making this book one of my all-time favorites despite its truly regretful cover.

Other Notable Action/Adventure Titles

• Games Untold by Jennifer Lynn Barnes (and the others in the series!)
• The Tale of Despereaux by Kate DiCamillo

Graphic Novel

The Princess and the Grilled Cheese Sandwich by Deya Muniz is a humorous and (yes) cheese-filled romance packed with color, fashion, and love. The death of Lady Camembert’s father forces her to disguise herself as a man and move to the Kingdom of Fromage, where she meets (and subsequently falls in love with) the beautiful Princess Brie. Forced to hide her true identity, Cam, alongside her loyal housemaid Fata, must navigate love and loss in a world focused solely on its own traditional ways. I’m not a huge graphic novel reader, but this one really captured my interest and held it, and I’ve since reread it a number of times! 

Other Notable Graphic Novel Titles

• A Year Without Mom by Dasha Tolstikova
• Long Way Down: Graphic Novel by Jason Reynolds