We’re halfway done with 2025, so here’s a mid-year reading wrap-up, including the best and worst books I’ve read so far. In this post, I’m talking all things books, the best, the worst, the most surprising, and how I’m reading more with the Headway app.

My 2025 Reading Goal:

My Rating Scale:

★★★★★: Absolutely obsessed, would recommend to everyone
★★★★: Loved it, a great story
★★★: Liked it, still entertaining
★★: Wasn’t good, but still read it all the way
★: Should’ve DNF’d it

Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links, which means I may receive a commission for purchases made through my links at no extra cost to you. Thank you for the support, and as always, all opinions are my own.

The Best Books I’ve Read So Far

1. Every summer after by Carley Fortune

★★★★☆

Fiction, Young Adult, Romance

I was about to give up on romance books, but this one just saved the whole genre for me. It reminds me of Love and Other Words by Christina Lauren, so if you loved that one (like me), then you’ll love this one! It’s a cute friends-to-lovers romance that spans both the past, as teenagers, and the present. I loved this one more than I thought I would!

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2. Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros

★★★★☆

Fiction, Young Adult, Romance, Fantasy

This was my most anticipated book to read this year, and it didn’t disappoint. It’s a cross between The Hunger Games and Harry Potter, but with a hint of romance. To me, this wasn’t a romance book; it was 90% fantasy. I loved the dragons, the friend group, and of course, the enemies-to-lovers.

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3. The oath we give by Monty Jay

★★★★☆

Fiction, Young Adult, Dark Romance

I loved this dark academia/romance series by Monty Jay so much! I was reading it every free second I had. This book is instant love, but please give it a chance because you will fall in love with the MMC (male main character). This series follows a group of boys known as the Hollow Boys who love to terrorize the town of Ponderosa Springs. Each book tells the story of one boy and their love interest, and this one is about Silas and Caroline. Silas was my favorite character, so it makes sense why this was my favorite book!

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How I’m Reading More

(Even On Busy Days)

I don’t always have time to read nonfiction books, but I still want to learn and stay inspired, so Headway has become my new favorite app. The Headway app summarizes bestselling nonfiction books into 15-minute reads and audio. It’s designed for people who want to learn more, but don’t have the time to read the entire book. Perfect for students, entrepreneurs, or anyone with a busy schedule. They have 2000 books to choose from, plus they help you pick books to read based on your preferences. So far this year, I’ve read summaries from:

The 12 Week Year by Brian P. Moran and Michael Lennington
The 4-Hour Workweek by Timothy Ferriss
The Let Them Theory by Mel Robbins
Why We Sleep by Matthew Walker and Steve West
The 5 Second Rule by Mel Robbins
Make Your Bed by Admiral William H. McRaven
The Miracle Morning by Hal Elrod
The Purpose Driven Life by Rick Warren
Biohack Your Brain by Kristen Willeumier, PhD
What The Most Successful People Do Before Breakfast by Laura Vanderkam

Whether you’re trying to hit your reading goal, build better habits, or just want something productive to scroll instead of TikTok, this app is truly a game-changer. You can read my full, honest review here, which includes a deep dive into how it looks and works.

Try Headway here

The Most Disappointing Reads

1. Part Of Your World By Abby Jimenez

★★★☆☆

Fiction, Contemporary, Romance

I was so disappointed with this book, and I was so sad about it! I really wanted to like this book because so many people on TikTok recommended it. I honestly thought it was a bit boring. The characters kept talking about how much chemistry they have, but I didn’t feel that at all. The second half picked up a bit, but overall it was okay. It’s a cutesy romance with a sprinkle of fantasy, but also deals with some heavy topics, so be sure to look up trigger warnings.

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2. The Blood We Crave: Part Two By Monty Jay

★★★☆☆

Fiction, Young Adult, Dark Romance

This book was all smut and no plot. I loved the characters, but the MMC constantly calling the FMC bad things in the bedroom made me so mad. The FMC was a little crazy, so she didn’t care, but I wish she did. This is the fourth book in a series of five, but I honestly think this one wasn’t necessary. Overall, the story didn’t move along too much because the characters were busy doing other things. I still loved the series as a whole, though!

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Most Surprising Reads (Books I Didn’t Expect to Like)

1. The Boyfriend By Freida McFadden

★★★☆☆

Fiction, Thriller

With the way people were talking about this book on TikTok, I thought it was going to be worse, but it wasn’t bad! I only gave it a three-star rating because the main character ignored so many red flags. Overall, it was fast-paced, with short chapters, and I didn’t see the plot twist coming! Definitely my most surprising read this year.

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2. The Perfect Son by Freida McFadden

★★★☆☆

Fiction, Thriller

Another Freida book, but I’ve never heard anyone talk about this one, so I didn’t have high expectations. This has the typical short chapters with a fast-paced storyline that Freida always has, and I love. I did figure it out this time, but overall it was a great story!

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