I’ve read a ton in 2025 already, from massive fantasy fiction to thought-provoking nonfiction. Here’s a roundup of the highlights, starting with the biggest book I’ve read this year:

Wind and Truth by Brandon Sanderson (3.5/5 Stars): Let’s start off with my highest anticipated read of 2024, which I finished at the start of 2025. Because I have a pattern of highly ranking Sanderson books, this slightly lower-than-average rating means I have a lot to unpack with this entry. I will keep details vague to best avoid spoilers.

Let’s start with the negatives. In my opinion, Wind and Truth tried to do a little too much. Like the other books in the series, it follows several different characters’ stories, though unlike most of the previous books, very few of these storylines converge or overlap. And not all of the storylines were as compelling or felt as necessary; some chapters felt thrown in there just to remind the reader that this minor character has a part to play in the unfolding plot. Some of the additional subplots from these minor characters also felt forced, not really set up by the prior installments, and rushed. The middle of the book is especially bogged down. Related to this, the cosmere inclusions in Wind and Truth felt like a distraction from the smaller Roshar storyline going on. As Sanderson has said, his series can be enjoyed individually apart from the larger universe story connecting all of them, but Wind and Truth felt contrary to this statement. The novel answered too many questions I wasn’t asking, which came across as author-service rather than story-service. (Meaning: because Sanderson wanted to talk about the cosmere, it’s in the book, even if it’s not relevant to the story being told right then and there.) That’s maybe a little harsh, but I think I just kind of expected better storytelling from a big-name author I’ve enjoyed and admired for several years now. The final negative, and an extension of my above disappointment: the tone and writing style of Wind and Truth was off. Some of the dialogue felt way too modern and jarring, not all of the humor landed, and some of the character motivations seemed unclear or forced.

On the positive side, the beginning and end of the novel delivered. While the ending wasn’t as satisfying as I hoped it would be, I think that’s more of a comment on my expectations that the end of this first arc would feel more final. he book doesn’t end on a cliffhanger per se, but certainly leaves some elements dangling while providing some solid conclusions for our major characters’ initial arcs (Kaladin, Shallan, Adolin, Dalinar, and Szeth) and hinting at more to come for them and others. It also does answer some key questions raised from the very opening pages of The Way of Kings, which was fantastic. Out of the storylines followed, Adolin’s arc was probably my favorite; Shallan had some fantastic moments; and Kaladin had some good moments too, though several of my criticism of the tone and dialogue admittedly come from his chapters. It was also nice to finally get into Szeth’s backstory and see Shinovar for ourselves. Overall, despite some misses, Wind and Truth does deliver in several meaningful ways.

The Tolkien Reader by J. R. R. Tolkien (5/5 Stars): Okay, maybe the five-star rating is a little biased. But I do think if you’re a fan of Tolkien and have read The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit, this is a great next Tolkien book to read. It includes four different segments: a scholarly-adjacent work related to The Battle of Maldon (an Old English poem), an academic lecture, a couple of short stories, and a collection of poetry. I’ve read a few sections of this book before, but hadn’t read through all of it until this year. I recommend this book to Tolkien fans as a fantastic collection that gives readers a taste of the wider scope of Tolkien’s work and legacy beyond Middle-earth.

The Queen’s Gambit by Beth Brower (3.5/5 Stars): To be clear, this is not about the chess player; it’s the first book in a fantasy trilogy. And it was pretty good! It’s a bit of a slow burn, which I think is somewhat common in first books of a series, but it has some tender moments, interesting themes and conflicts over the responsibility and role of leadership, and an intriguing romantic plot that the novel’s ending makes all the more complicated. The twist was a little easy to see coming, though I don’t know if it was intended to be all that surprising. I was left curious to know what happened next—speaking of:

The Ruby Prince by Beth Brower(4.5/5 Stars): The sequel to The Queen’s Gambit starts at a faster pace that doesn’t let up. It’s super intriguing as it answers questions raised by the first book in satisfying ways, while also offering plenty of high-tension, high-stakes moments. The world-building is also amazing in this installment, particularly the religious aspect. Religion’s use in the novel played into the plot and character development in ways that were thematically interesting. I had a hard time putting this book down!

The Wanderer’s Mark by Beth Brower (4.5/5 Stars): The third and final book of Brower’s trilogy, The Wanderer’s Mark moved at a similar pace to The Ruby Prince and contained more than a few emotional moments, especially at the end. While some of the middle scenes dragged slightly, the book’s conclusion and resolution was excellent. I especially appreciated the story’s treatment of grief and loss, and definitely think the trilogy is worth a read.

How Progressive Christians Exploit Christian Compassion by Allie Beth Stuckey (5/5 Stars): At risk of being controversial, I do have to recommend this book. If you want a concise but well-articulated, well-researched look at how Christian belief and demonstrating love with truth is meant to look like, look no further than Stuckey’s recent release. She does not hold back, and what she has to say is challenging in the best way. Excellent book; one of the best on the topic of how Christianity and current events intersect that I’ve ever read.

Free Indeed by Jinger Duggar Vuolo (5/5 Stars): I used to be a big 19 Kids and Counting / Counting On fan, one of the most stereotypical homeschooled things about me, and picked up this book by Jinger out of curiosity. And it surprised me in a great way! While Jinger talks a lot about her personal experience growing up under a specific brand of legalistic Christianity and working through man-made rules versus God-given ones, she also applies it out to similar situations. I personally found it very encouraging as someone who is a natural rule-follower, struggles with guilt, and has embraced various types of legalism in my life. I can see it also being a similar gift of grace to others, too, as Jinger reminds us of our freedom in Christ.

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And those are some of my favorite first reads of 2025! I’m currently reading Robert Jordan’s The Eye of the World (the first Wheel of Time book), and I expect a fairly fantasy-heavy reading load through the summer. I also recently picked up some old Norse and medieval English books to read, so once school is out, I may visit those as well. Adventure awaits!