I read 40 books this year - these are my top 5
It was the year of dense fantasy series and fluffy romance novels…and now I just sound like a Dickens novel. I tell everyone that I tend to prefer the writing of female authors. To my dismay, this list, unfortunately, does not reflect that sentiment. I feel I owe my gender an apology. I’m sorry - will you forgive me? Now, in no particular order:
The Age of Madness series by Joe Abercrombie
“Winning teaches you nothing,” said Tunny. “You see what a man really is when he loses.”
I have to be honest. I still need to finish the last book of this series. It’s not because this series isn’t fantastic. It’s because it’s so fantastic that I need to mentally and emotionally prepare myself for the final instalment. This might be a hot take, but I think The Age of Madness series is better than it’s prequel, the First Law series…?
Joe’s writing is not lyrical. It’s grimy and straightforward. His characters are not pretty. They’re dirty and morally-corrupt. But somehow he makes me care about the story and the characters like no other author can. I feel their joy, their pain, their heartbreak, their devastation. That’s why I need to take breaks between each book.
Once again, reading Joe’s stories feels like he is slowly turning a pressure dial up and up and up until it explodes. For a brief moment, you’re suspended in mid-air, everything slows down and goes quiet. Then, suddenly, you’re free-falling and watching the ground speeding up towards you, and there’s nothing you can do but squeeze your eyes shut and brace for impact.
I will return with my official review of the final instalment in 2026.
‘Horse kicked me’, muttered Sunny.
‘Horse?’ Vigga rounded on the horse. ‘This fucker'?’
Oh look it’s another Joe Abercrombie book….
The First Law and The Age of Madness are two of the best fantasy series I have ever read. So when I heard Joe was starting a new fantasy book (and possibly series?) - I was so excited. And the premise of the story? A monk, an old knight, a cunning pirate, a pompous sorcerer (IYKYK), an unruly werewolf, a snarky vampire, and a shy elf are tasked by the Pope to transport a long lost princess to claim her birthright to the throne? Enough said. This is suicide squad on steroids.
It had all the tropes that I love - morally-grey yet endearing characters, unlikely friendships (relationships?), found family etc - and of course, this is Joe, so it was funny as f**k. I fell in love with these characters and I couldn’t stop laughing.
I agree with the criticisms that this is by no means Joe’s best writing. The characters, the story and the world are all quite surface level. There were no shocking twists or Joe’s patented gut-wrenching moments. But what you get is a fun and gory fantasy romp from start to finish. Think James Gunn/Guardians of the Galaxy style or Matthew Vaughn/Kingsman or Guy Ritchie/Sherlock vibes.
In fact, I need this book to be a movie.
The Divine Cities by Robert Jackson Bennett
What a tremendous sin impatience is. It blinds us to the moment before us, and it is only when that moment has passed that we look back and see it was full of treasures.’
I thought the first book couldn’t be topped. But boy was I was wrong. I thought I wouldn’t resonate with the character of the second book but it’s the strongest of the three. I knew I was going to love the third book…and it met all my expectations.
The premise - the Gods are thought to be dead, but are they? It’s up to Shara (a spy), Sigrud (her henchman) and Turyin (a battle-worn soldier) to find out. Along the way, they get wrapped up in murders, cults, and delicious political machinations.
It’s clear that for each book Robert wanted to explore a different theme. The first book explores how religion shapes people and societies. The second book delves into the true cost of war. The third book examines whether we are defined by our past or future actions. I loved each of the main characters - they were so complex and fascinating. But honestly, the side characters stole the show - two of them still live rent free in my mind. And the ending was perfectly bittersweet.
These characters will always have a special place in my heart.
Shadow of Leviathan series by Robert Jackson Bennett
‘I see!’ said Ana.
‘I just have one more questions. What colour was the clay?’
‘Clay? What clay?’
‘The clay you must have stuck in your eyes and ears to remain so amazingly fucking ignorant of everything about you’.
Oh another Robert Jackson Bennett book? Are you starting to sense a theme here? 2025 seems to be the year I go through authors’ entire catalogues.
I loved this series. I read both books - The Tainted Cup and A Drop of Corruption - back-to-back in two days. Each book starts out with a murder. Ana (the detective) and Din (her assistant) are tasked to solve it. Ana is a genius - brilliant but incredibly eccentric. Din is sweet but not-to-be underestimated. Think Sherlock and Watson vibes. They infuriate each other, but in their own ways, they care for one another. The mysteries are also super compelling and kept the plot moving forward.
In the first book Robert introduced us to the fantasy setting - the political, social and economic issues - and with the second book, Robert really cracks open the world and builds on what we know. The cases are an effective device to give Ana/Din, and by virtue, us, the opportunity to meet more characters and explore more of the world.
I really hope there are more books in this series.
Wild Reverence by Rebecca Ross
‘One day, I would perish, and she would live on, endless as the stars. But if we were doomed, then let us fully embrace it.’
I fell in love with fantasy/romance books because there’s something magical about being transported to a different world - to feel utterly enveloped in a story. In the last few years, I’ve started and DNF’d so many ‘romantasy’ books, searching for this feeling. With Wild Reverence, I finally found it.
I was sceptical heading into this book because I haven’t been the biggest fan of Rebecca’s other works (could not get through Divine Rivals). But I needn’t have feared. The writing - lyrical and beautiful. The characters - I cared for both of them. The world building - dreamlike. The pacing - I couldn’t catch my breath. And the story? Perfect. Rebecca did a beautiful job of capturing the transition between the innocence of childhood and the violence of adulthood. The romance? The yearning? Rebecca kept breaking my heart, putting it back together, then tearing it apart again.
Idk if this just found me when I needed it, but I hope it stands the tests of time.
Posted Dec 30, 2025, 8:55 PM UTC