All Finished

#39

The Eye of the Bedlam Bride

Matt Dinniman

This was hands down the best in the series! I loved how this floor was designed. The mechanics were so much fun and easy to follow, which made all the chaos even better. Carl, Donut, and Samantha continue to be one of my favorite teams in any series. The Eye of the Bedlam Bride has earned a spot on my all-time favorites shelf.

#37

Dark Age

Pierce Brown

The last 30% of this book was insane—I could not put it down! So many times something would happen in the plot and I would immediately have to text a friend who was also reading it with either a sad face or a mind-blown emoji. The sheer scale of the battles and relentless pacing were incredible. The only thing holding it back was the absence of Sevro. He is still in it from time to time, but I hope he becomes more prominent again in Light Bringer.

#36

Yumi and the Nightmare Painter

Brandon Sanderson

Another enjoyable Cosmere story from Sanderson. Sanderson's ability to world-build is unparalleled.

#35

Never Lie

Freida McFadden

My first official thriller. It was pretty good. The writing style was not my favorite, but the plot twist at the end got me hooked.

#31

The Fellowship of the Ring

J.R.R. Tolkien

I was honestly surprised I didn't like this as much as I thought I would. The opening chapters really pulled me in. It almost felt like I was reading a fairy tale, and I loved that vibe. But once the story got going, it started to feel a bit too slow for me. There were stretches where I found myself struggling to stay awake, which isn't something I expected going into a series this iconic. For now, I'm a little on the fence about continuing the series, but I'm still open to it. I've heard it picks up later, so we'll see.

#28

The Butcher's Masquerade

Matt Dinniman

Once again, another banger from start to finish. *Starts humming Wonderwall.*

#27

The Gate of the Feral Gods

Matt Dinniman

I've been immersion-reading this whole series, and I could listen to these books all day long and over and over. Just so freaking funny, but also—the heart! You care about every character, and they care about each other.

#26

Blood Over Bright Haven

M.L. Wang

“It's not enough to have meant to do good; if you don't do good, most gods—those of the rivers, the sky, and the fields—don't care for your motivations. Why should they?” Brutally honest, unique, and thought-provoking. I knew this was going to be a masterpiece when I wasn't even 100 pages in. It brought so much emotion from me. Absolutely phenomenal. This will be one of my favorite books of the year.

#25

Tender Is the Flesh

Agustina Bazterrica

Awful book. I have no idea why this went viral on TikTok. The premise sounded interesting, but it was honestly just bad in every way. The writing was elementary and there wasn't really a story at all. It reads like someone is trying their hardest to impress you without actually being impressive. Unearned recognition, in my opinion, and it should come with multiple trigger warnings.

#24

The Dungeon Anarchist's Cookbook

Matt Dinniman

The third book in a series that keeps getting better and better. It has all the great elements of the two previous books—the humor, the action, and the fantastic narration—while adding higher stakes and more heart. I'm more attached than ever to the main characters and was pleasantly surprised by the development and depth of the side characters. Even the NPCs have a unique voice.

#23

Carl's Doomsday Scenario

Matt Dinniman

Better than book one? I think so. Onto book three!

#22

The Devils

Joe Abercrombie

I have mixed feelings about this book. The overall story is good and the characters are very interesting. I like the way it ends—to a point. The back half of this book is where it shines, while the first half is a trudge. Overall, it was fun and it could be interesting to see more from these characters.

#21

The Hero of Ages

Brandon Sanderson

A fantastic end to the trilogy. It really shows how well the story was thought out from day one, where even the smallest detail has relevance.

#20

The Well of Ascension

Brandon Sanderson

Ups and downs with this book, but I rather enjoyed how things ended. If anything, it was quite surprising.

#19

Mistborn: The Final Empire

Brandon Sanderson

Brandon does great characters, and I had a great time. I'm excited for more of the series, but this one isn't a standout to me.

#18

Dungeon Crawler Carl

Matt Dinniman

I will definitely be continuing this series. Loved this! Such a unique storyline, and it was a refreshing break from the more serious series I'm currently reading.

#17

Iron Gold

Pierce Brown

This one was my least favorite in the series so far, but it was still good. The pacing was a bit slower, so it took me a little longer to read, and I didn't get that “I can't put it down” feeling. I did like the multiple POVs; that was a good change. I'm interested to see whether the remaining books feature the same four characters or introduce new ones. It's sad that this is the last book in the Red Rising saga that I'll be reading with the GraphicAudio audiobook.

#16

Sunrise on the Reaping

Suzanne Collins

That man deserves all the drinks he wants from the bar cart for the rest of time! Such a good read. All the reviews I saw before reading it were just people crying and honestly, that's the best review one could give.

#15

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows

J.K. Rowling

I can't believe it's over! This series has been such a journey, and I've loved every second of it. That said, Deathly Hallows left me a little torn. There were some absolutely beautiful and heartbreaking moments, but at times it felt rushed—like we could have spent much more time on certain parts, especially the final showdown. I wouldn't have minded a few more chapters to wrap things up properly. Still, the series was as great as everyone says it is, and I can officially say I've read the Harry Potter series at age 26!

#14

The Rage of Dragons

Evan Winter

#13

Fourth Wing

Rebecca Yarros

Fourth Wing was my first romance-book experience. I really enjoyed the world-building and the whole dragon-riding academy vibe. The action kept me engaged, and the enemies-to-lovers plot had its moments. That said, the writing style didn't fully click with me; it felt a bit cheesy at times, and some of the dialogue didn't feel natural. Overall, it was a good read, though I'm not sure whether I'll continue with the other books in the series.

#12

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince

J.K. Rowling

It was already my favorite movie in the series and is hands down my favorite of the books thus far. The character growth, darker tone, and the way everything starts falling into place made it such a gripping read. I knew what was coming, but it still hit just as hard.

#11

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix

J.K. Rowling

#10

The Sword of Kaigen

M.L. Wang

It took me a little while to keep track of who each character was, but once I was about 100 pages in, I was completely hooked. The story was heartbreaking in the best way, with characters who felt so real and moments that stayed with me long after I turned the last page. The action was intense, the emotions hit hard, and the writing was beautiful. Absolutely a must-read.

#9

Project Hail Mary

Andy Weir

Project Hail Mary was awesome! It had me hooked from the start. Ryland Grace was a fantastic character, and the relationship he builds with Rocky was so well written. Their dynamic was full of heart and humor, making the whole story even more special, and I couldn't put it down. The audiobook was fantastic; I highly recommend an immersive read for this one.

#8

Morning Star

Pierce Brown

This book was everything I wanted and more. The action was intense, the emotional moments hit hard, and the payoff for everything that came before was so satisfying. Pierce Brown pulled no punches, and I was on edge the entire time. The character arcs were incredible, and that ending? Absolutely perfect. This series has completely won me over. I've heard people recommend taking a break before jumping into the next books, so I'll probably do that—but I can't wait to continue the series!

#7

Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire

J.K. Rowling

#6

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban

J.K. Rowling

The ending really stood out. It was such a heartfelt moment and definitely one of my favorites so far. The pace felt a bit slower, though, and I missed Hermione for a chunk of the book, but I understand why it worked for the storyline. The Quidditch Cup win was such a hype moment! Excited to keep going with the series!

#5

Yearbook

Seth Rogen

Such a fun read. His storytelling is hilarious, and the way he writes makes it feel like you're just hanging out, listening to him tell wild stories. Some had me laughing out loud, while others were surprisingly insightful. I definitely recommend the audiobook for this one—his delivery makes it even better.

#4

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets

J.K. Rowling

I liked how much darker The Chamber of Secrets felt compared to the first book. J.K. Rowling is a master at world-building and character development; she really knows how to make everything feel immersive. Overall, an enjoyable read.

#3

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone

J.K. Rowling

My first time reading a book series and seeing how it compares to the movies I've grown up loving. It was really fun experiencing the story in a new way, with so many little details I never knew about. Even knowing what happens, it still felt magical. Excited to keep going with the series!

#2

Golden Son

Pierce Brown

This book took everything I loved about Red Rising and cranked it up to another level. The stakes were higher, the twists were insane, and the pacing was nonstop. Just when I thought I knew where things were going, it threw me for a loop. The characters, politics, and action were all so well done. I was completely hooked from start to finish.

#1

Red Rising

Pierce Brown

I'd never been a big reader, but after seeing so many people recommend this book, I decided to give it a shot—and I'm so glad I did! It's incredible, and at 26 years old it single-handedly kickstarted my reading journey. I honestly can't wait to dive into the rest of the series. The world-building, characters, and twists were all so gripping. Definitely a must-read!