My 2025 Reading Personality

When I finished my 122nd book of 2025, I did what I always do at the end of the year. I scrolled through my "Favorites" shelf to see if there were any patterns.

I expected to see a lot of fantasy. That part wasn't surprising.

What surprised me was how specific my reading taste has become.

It isn't enough for a book to be labeled "romantasy" anymore. There are hundreds of romantasy books being published every year, and while I've read a lot of them, only a handful earned five stars from me. Looking back, I realized that my favorite books weren't connected by dragons, magic, or even romance. They all made me feel the same way while I was reading them.

I like books that completely consume me.

The kind where I'm thinking about the characters while I'm making dinner, counting down the hours until I can read again, and immediately searching to see if the next book has a release date before I've even finished the last chapter.

Apparently, that's my reading personality.

I read for immersion, not escapism.

People often describe fantasy as an escape, but that's never been the reason I reach for it.

I'm looking for immersion.

I want to understand the world I'm stepping into. I want to know the history between kingdoms, why certain families hold power, how the magic works, and why every decision carries weight. The more layered the world feels, the easier it is for me to disappear into it.

That's probably why so many of my favorite books are series. I enjoy spending time with characters long enough to watch them change. By the third or fourth book, they stop feeling like characters and start feeling familiar.

The romance matters because the story matters.

One thing I noticed almost immediately was that my favorite romances all exist inside bigger stories.

The relationship isn't the only conflict.

There are wars to win, kingdoms to protect, mysteries to solve, or impossible choices to make. The romance develops alongside everything else, which makes it feel earned instead of inevitable.

For me, that's what separates a good romantasy from a memorable one.

Character development will always win.

If I had to choose between an incredible plot twist and incredible character growth, I'll choose the characters every time.

My favorite books this year were filled with people who were flawed, complicated, and sometimes frustrating. They weren't perfect heroes or heroines, and I didn't want them to be.

Watching someone grow into the person they're meant to become is far more satisfying than reading about someone who had everything figured out from the beginning.

My favorite books of 2025

Looking back, three recommendations stand out above the rest.

Onyx Storm by Rebecca Yarros

If you've already fallen in love with Fourth Wing and Iron Flame, this is the payoff you've been waiting for. Rebecca Yarros continues to expand the world while keeping the emotional stakes front and center. The dragons might draw you in, but it's the relationships that make you stay.

Court of Ravens and Ruin by Eliza Raine

This was one of the biggest surprises of my reading year. The Shadow Bound Queen series has everything I love in a fantasy romance: immersive world-building, court politics, layered characters, and a romance that develops naturally instead of rushing to the finish line. It's a series I found myself thinking about long after I finished it.

Anything by Jagger Cole

Jagger Cole became an automatic read for me this year. His books aren't fantasy, but they deliver the same kind of emotional investment I look for in every genre. If you're a fan of darker romance with compelling characters and plenty of tension, you really can't go wrong with any of his books.

So what is my reading personality?

If I had to describe it in one sentence, I'd say this:

I don't read books for the genre. I read them for the feeling they leave me with.

Fantasy just happens to be the genre that gives me that feeling most often.

Looking at my shelves, it's obvious that I gravitate toward immersive worlds, emotionally rich characters, and romances that take their time. Those are the stories that stay with me long after I've finished them, and they're the ones I'll recommend every chance I get.

After 122 books, I think it's safe to say I've figured out exactly what kind of reader I am.

Now I just need to find more books that make me feel the same way. Recs?