Book Reviews

52 Books in 52 Weeks: What I Learned (And Why I’m Not Doing It Again)

Fifty-two books in fifty-two weeks.

On paper, that sounds doable, even fun. After all, I read 45 books in 2024, so adding seven more felt like a stretch… but not a huge one.

I was wrong. So wrong.

This challenge ended up being one of the most unexpectedly difficult goals I’ve ever set for myself. No exaggeration. I spent the final two months of 2025 reading every spare minute I could find, trying to make up for what I thought was a “slow start.” In reality, it wasn’t slow at all. I just made the classic reader mistake of choosing massive books early in the year, which completely derailed the one-book-per-week plan.

Still… I did it.

And I can confidently say: I will not be doing this challenge again.

When Reading Stops Feeling Fun

About halfway through the year, I noticed a shift. Reading, something I genuinely love, started to feel like a chore. Instead of picking up books because I was excited about them, I found myself choosing shorter, quicker reads just to stay on pace. It became less about curiosity and joy and more about hitting a number.

That realization hit harder than I expected.

Because of that, I made a decision I never thought I would: I ended my 718-day reading streak at the start of the new year. Not because I don’t love books anymore, but because I do. I wanted to reset, take a breather, and get back to reading for fun rather than for statistics.

A Look Back at Everything I Read

That said, I’m still incredibly proud of what I read this year. So instead of focusing on the pressure, I want to celebrate the stories themselves.

Below is the full list of the 52 books I read in 2025, organized by my personal star-rating system. These rankings aren’t in any specific order within each category, and many series entries are grouped loosely rather than sequentially.

I went into 2025 as a hardcore romantasy fan (and still am), but I came out of it with a deep appreciation for historical fiction, especially Kristin Hannah, who officially earned a permanent spot on my must-read list heading into 2026.

My Rating System

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ — Best. Books. Ever.

I would recommend these to anyone who would listen. Loudly. Repeatedly.

⭐⭐⭐⭐ — Great Books!

Highly recommend and thoroughly enjoyed.

⭐⭐⭐ — Pretty Good Books.

Solid reads, nothing groundbreaking, but still worth the time.

⭐⭐ — Not Worth the Time.

I struggled to finish these.

⭐ — DNF Territory.

I didn’t track these and honestly, they don’t deserve the spotlight.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Five-Star Reads

  • The Nightingale — Kristin Hannah
  • The Silent Patient — Alex Michaelides
  • Everything I Know About Love — Dolly Alderton
  • The Favorites — Layne Fargo
  • The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo — Taylor Jenkins Reid
  • Atmosphere — Taylor Jenkins Reid
  • Bottom of the Pyramid: A Memoir of Persevering, Dancing for Myself, and Starring in My Own Life — Nia Sioux
  • Queen of Shadows (TOG #4) — Sarah J. Maas
  • Empire of Storms (TOG #5) — Sarah J. Maas
  • Onyx Storm — Rebecca Yarros

⭐⭐⭐⭐ Four-Star Reads

  • The Four Agreements — Miguel Ruiz
  • The Secret Garden — Frances Hodgson Burnett
  • The Alchemist — Paulo Coelho
  • The Four Winds — Kristin Hannah
  • The Women — Kristin Hannah
  • The Measure — Nikki Erlick
  • We Were Liars — E. Lockhart
  • Yellowface — R.F. Kuang
  • An Offer From a Gentleman — Julia Quinn
  • People We Meet on Vacation — Emily Henry
  • Daisy Jones & The Six — Taylor Jenkins Reid
  • Sunrise on the Reaping — Suzanne Collins
  • Catching Fire — Suzanne Collins
  • Mockingjay — Suzanne Collins
  • Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban — J.K. Rowling
  • Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire — J.K. Rowling
  • Heir of Fire (TOG #3) — Sarah J. Maas
  • A Court of Mist and Fury (ACOTAR #2) — Sarah J. Maas
  • A Court of Wings and Ruin (ACOTAR #3) — Sarah J. Maas
  • A Court of Silver Flames (ACOTAR #4) — Sarah J. Maas

⭐⭐⭐ Three-Star Reads

  • (3.5) The Wedding People — Alison Espach
  • Carrie Soto Is Back — Taylor Jenkins Reid
  • The Subtle Art of Not Giving a Fck* — Mark Manson
  • Stop Letting Everything Affect You — Daniel Chidiac
  • The Summer I Turned Pretty — Jenny Han
  • Hamlet — William Shakespeare
  • The Reappearance of Rachel Price — Holly Jackson
  • Great Big Beautiful Life — Emily Henry
  • The Great Gatsby — F. Scott Fitzgerald
  • Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone — J.K. Rowling
  • Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets — J.K. Rowling
  • The Assassin’s Blade (TOG #0.1–0.5) — Sarah J. Maas
  • Throne of Glass (TOG #1) — Sarah J. Maas
  • Crown of Midnight (TOG #2) — Sarah J. Maas
  • Tower of Dawn (TOG #6) — Sarah J. Maas
  • A Court of Thorns and Roses (ACOTAR #1) — Sarah J. Maas
  • A Court of Frost and Starlight (ACOTAR #3.5) — Sarah J. Maas

⭐⭐ Two-Star Reads

  • The Wit and Wisdom of Bridgerton — Julia Quinn
  • Told You So — Mayci Neeley
  • The Seven Year Slip — Ashley Poston

Final Thoughts

I’m proud of myself for finishing this challenge, truly.

In 2026, I’m choosing intentional reading over numerical goals. Better books. Slower pacing. Reading because I want to, not because I “have to.”

If you’ve read any of these or have recommendations you think I’d love next, let me know. My TBR is always open!

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