The start of a new year means taking a hard look at my bookshelves and seeing how many books I’ve collected vs. reading. I feel like I didn’t do that bad, there are definitely more read books on my shelves than unread, but I would like to at least cut down my unread list in half. And my reward? Buying more books of course. One caveat is that this list includes all the unread books as of January 1, 2025, but since then, I have read two of the books. Check out my 2025 physical TBR below!

1. Fourth Wing & Iron Flame by Rebecca Yarros

If you read fantasy romance, you’ve probably heard of this series—it’s all over BookTok, and everyone loves it. I’m sure I will love it too….when I read it. I know the third book is coming out soon, and the plan is for it to be a five book series. It’s not that I never read incomplete series, I just prefer not to if I can. I would prefer to binge all the books all at once. And that’s what I’ll do. As I’m writing this I remember in my 2025 reading goals I said I wanted to read this series but I think I change my mind. Teehee.

Even though that is the case, I do have a physical copy of both books, two actually of Iron Flame. I got a special edition in Paris (yes, it’s in French but it’s pretty), and then I have a copy in English because it was on sale on BookOutlet.

2. Gothikana by RuNyx

So fun fact, I live in New York (it’s the greatest city in the worldddddd……….Hamilton anyone?), and there’s a romance bookstore called The Ripped Bodice in Brooklyn. How cute! It’s a little small, but I loved the idea of it. A bookstore that sells only romance books of all genres – fantasy, contemporary, YA, historical and more! I picked up Gothikana because I won’t lie, the purple sprayed edges drew me in and it’s a fantasy romance. And, it’s a stand-alone and I like having those in my collection when I don’t feel like committing to a series.

3. Immortal Dark by Tigest Girma

This book. This book wow. As I’m writing this review I actually just finished it a couple of days ago so it is still very fresh in my mind. It was not what I thought it would be at all. Despite giving it three deer-stars, I highly recommend reading it. And in the back of my head I’m going back and forth with whether or not it should be a five deer-star book. It is a series which I didn’t know before reading it, so now I’m eagerly waiting until October 2025 for book two. See why I prefer to read completed series!

4. The Darkness Within Us by Tricia Levenseller

I know people (Booktok) didn’t like The Shadows Between Us but Tricia Levenseller, but I did. And I liked this one too! It was my first read of 2025 and I found it to be a fun, light-hearted fantasy romance with great banter.

5. Bodies to Die For by Lori Brand

When Im taking a break from reading fantasy, I love psychological thrillers, and what an interesting premise this has. As someone who struggles with diet culture as well, I felt like this could be a fun read for me.

6. How Does it Feel? by Jeneane O’Riley

Fae? Trials/challenges? Enemies-to-Lovers? Need I say more?

7. The Cruel Prince by Holly Black

This is a Booktok staple, and also a completed series might I add. I hear this is one of those that you either love or hate, and I’m hoping to find out this year. I know that it’s YA and lighter on the romance and more about the politics, and I’m fine with that. I don’t need romance in every book I read, ya know? Just a preference. But if the writing is good and the plot is there, then I’ll read it.

8. Fall of Ruin and Wrath by Jennifer L. Armentrout

I loved  the From Blood and Ash series (okay so I didn’t actually finished it, and I haven’t read the prequel series, but those first four FBAA books?  *chefs kiss*) and when I saw that JLA had another fantasy romance series and it’s better (according to Booktok), than FBAA, well I just had to pick this up. The series isn’t complete, but I may just give it a read this year.

9. Everyone in My Family Has Killed Someone by Benjamin Stevenson

I saw this on BookOutlet and what a fun plot this has. The title says it all. The whole family has killed someone: the brother, stepsister, wife, father, mother, sister-in-law, uncle, stepfather, aunt. Just a whole family of killers. I can’t wait to read about this one.

10.  The Island by Natasha Preston

Another BookOutlet find! This one sounds so fun as well. And actually, as I’m re reading the summary, it’s kind of reminiscent of Fyre Festival. Anyone remember that? Advertised as a luxury music festival, a lot of influencers got stuck on the island with limited lodging, food, and water. There’s a Netflix documentary about it….

11. The House Across the Lake by Riley Sager

So I am someone who is easily influenced. And there’s this Booktooker, KK, and she hammers books based off how much she likes them. It’s actually a really funny, unique concept that I haven’t seen anyone do before. KK reads a lot of psychological thrillers and mystery books and an author she raves about is Riley Sager. I saw this book on BookOutlet (are you noticing a theme here?), and voila!

p.s. this post is in no way shape or form sponsored by BookOutlet lol. But ever since discovering it, I don’t think I will ever pay full price for a book again. I can get eight books, hardcovers at that, for like $50!

12. Wolf Gone Wild by Juliette Cross

So I got back into reading at the end of 2020 and I was kind of just buying books I saw on Booktok and also just browsing Amazon, and this book was one of them. As it’s 2025 now, it’s been five years since I even thought about this book and as I reread the summary, it still sounds interesting and now it’s a completed(?) series with six books. I hope to get to this series this year.

13. Legendborn by Tracy Dean

This is another Booktok fave, but also dark academia and now I’m scared because of the Immortal Dark trauma. But something tells me this isn’t going to be as dark as, so I’m hopeful. The third book comes out this year but it’s not the final one in the series so maybeeeeee I’ll read it. We’ll see.

14. Outlander by Diana Gabaldon

I definitely purchased this book as an impulse in 2020. Listen, the year was 2020, we were on lockdown, Booktok was like a shiny new toy, and I was just a buying machine. But since buying it, obviously I haven’t read it and I’m not sure if I will. I’ve learned that historical fiction / fantasy isn’t really my favorite. I don’t mind long books, I like them actually, but reading a book that long in a (sub)genre that isn’t my favorite, with nine books in the series doesn’t make me excited to read it. TBD if I’ll read it.

15. Heartless Hunter by Kristen Ciccarelli

Another Booktok recommendation  that I got from BookOutlet. It’s a fantasy romance and an almost completed duology. Similar to standalones, I’m a fan of duologies because they’re short and sweet, and if I don’t want to commit to a long series, then these are great alternatives.

16. Fathomfolk by Eliza Chan

So I saw this book in Book-Off which is a like a discount book store with other media too like video games, CDs, DVDs, etc, and it just looked so pretty I had to have it. Now the plot does seem interesting, fantasy sans the romance, and there are dragons and mermaids, so I may just give it a read.

That’s my 2025 physical TBR as of January 1! I’ve already made a dent by reading two books, but there’s a long way to go before I earn that reward haul. Have you read any of these? Which ones should I bump to the top—or avoid altogether? Let me know your thoughts and happy reading!