Category Archives: reading stats

Most-Read Authors of 2025 & 2026 Predictions

I’m back with one of my favorite year-end wrap-up posts: my most-read authors of 2025!

In first place, we have Ali Hazelwood – 4 books

Not in Love (Not in Love, #1)FirstHot for SlayerMate

Ali Hazelwood was tied for my most-read author of last year, and she stands alone at the top this year. Interestingly, she also has a shot at the crown for 2026, since I currently have 3 of her books on my TBR.

In second place, we have a tie!

Tessa Bailey – 3 books

Dream Girl Drama (Big Shots, #3)My Killer VacationPitcher Perfect (Big Shots, #4)

Tessa Bailey tied for the top spot last year with Ali Hazelwood, and this year she was demoted slightly to second place. Her books are addictive and fun; could she appear on the 2026 list too?

Elle Kennedy – 3 books (new-to-me author!)

The Deal (Off-Campus, #1)The Chase (Briar U, #1)The Risk (Briar U, #2)

One of the main reason I track these stats is that I’m always hoping to find new-to-me authors that I like so much I end up reading multiple books from them within the year, and Elle Kennedy was that for me with her addictive hockey-centric contemporary romances.

Interestingly, I have fewer two-book authors this year than I have in past years I’ve tracked this. I’m not sure why, although I can think of several authors where I was thinking of picking up another book but wasn’t quite in the mood, or DNF’d.

Tied, with 2 books each:

Agustina Bazterrica – I knew I needed to read more from her after reading and loving her short story collection at the end of last year.

Tender Is the FleshThe Unworthy

Eliana Lee (new-to-me author!) – I started the Cozyverse series that she co-writes with another author, and then started looking for backlist titles.

A Pack for Winter (Cozyverse)The Scent of Us: Part One (The Bond Dissolution Omegaverse, #1)

Emily Harding – I actually wasn’t a fan of the book she wrote solo–the characters didn’t have enough depth for me–but her co-written modern Jane Austen retellings continue to hit for me. I’m just sad that with the Persuasion retelling, the series has ended.

How Freaking RomanticAnne of Avenue A (For the Love of Austen, #3)

And that’s it! Like I said, not that many repeat authors in 2025.

 

2026 Predictions – Most of my predictions are for authors that only have 2 books on my TBR, but who knows! Maybe I’ll get hooked on a new series, or a favorite author will release books that haven’t been announced yet.

Ali Hazelwood – I have very high hopes I’m going to love all 3 of these books that are already on my physical/digital shelves.

Deep EndProblematic Summer Romance (Not in Love, #2)Bound

Tessa Bailey – So far I only have one 2026 Tessa Bailey release on my radar, but that doesn’t mean she won’t announce another. She also has a substantial backlist that I could get into.

Catch Her If You Can (Big Shots, #5)Chase Me (Broke and Beautiful, #1)

Thea Guanzon – After LOVING The Hurricane Wars, I’m really excited to pick up the sequel, and I’m also hearing great things about her other romantasy, Tusk Love.

A Monsoon Rising (The Hurricane Wars, #2)Tusk Love

Rachel Reid – I really want to read the series before I check out the TV show, and the fact that I enjoyed several hockey romances in 2025 bodes well for me to like these.

Game Changer (Game Changers, #1)Heated Rivalry (Game Changers, #2)

Ilona Andrews – This writing duo has a really exciting book coming out set in a completely new world this year, and I also never got a chance to pick up their 2025 ebook.

This Kingdom Will Not Kill Me (Maggie the Undying, #1)The Inheritance (Breach Wars, #1)

Alexandria Bellefleur – These two newer releases sound like I’m going to love them, and I’d be surprised if I didn’t read both in 2026.

Playing for KeepsThe Devil She Knows

Elle Kennedy – Since I had so much fun with her contemporary sports romances in 2025, I think I’ll probably be picking up more from her in 2026.

The Graham Effect (Campus Diaries, #1)The Charlie Method (Campus Diaries, #3)

 

Who was your most-read author this year?

2025 Reading Stats & Wrap-Up

Stats

Total books read: 100 (exactly the same as last year)

Total pages read: 30,793 (about 1,000 more pages than last year)

 

Longest book: Stamped From the Beginning by Ibram X. Kendi (592p), followed by:

A Taste of Gold & Iron by Alexandra Rowland – 570p

Throne of the Fallen by Kerri Maniscalco – 564p

The Courting of Bristol Keats by Mary E. Pearson – 547p

How to Hide an Empire by Daniel Immerwahr – 513p

The Hurricane Wars by Thea Guanzon – 472p

An Academy for Liars by Alexis Henderson – 464p

Shortest book: The Knight and the Butcherbird by Alix E. Harrow (36p)

Average book length: 307p (slightly higher than last year)

Most popular (on Goodreads): Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir (shelved 2,428,685 times)

Least popular (on Goodreads): Night Beast by Ruth Joffre (shelved 436 times)

Average Goodreads rating: 4.0 stars (exactly the same as last year)

Highest rated book on Goodreads: The Fire Next Time by James Baldwin (4.55 stars)

Most-read genres: fantasy (26%), contemporary romance (21%), and horror (13%). Science fiction and nonfiction tie for 4th place, with 11% each.

Author breakdown by gender: 86% female authors, 10% male authors, 4% non-binary authors (exactly the same as last year)

BIPOC Authors: 32%

LGBTQIA+ reads: 39%

Sapphic reads specifically: 25%

Intended audience: 93% adult, 7% YA (exactly the same as last year)

New-to-me authors: 47% (interesting!)

2025 releases: 37%

Oldest book I read in 2024: Carmilla by J. Sheridan LeFanu, first published in 1872

 

 

Top 10 Favorite books of 2025:

Girl DinnerThirstLand of Milk and HoneyNot in Love (Not in Love, #1)

Girl Dinner by Olivie Blake (horror, dark academia); Thirst by Marina Yuszczuk (horror); Land of Milk and Honey by C Pam Zhang (dystopian literary fiction); Not in Love by Ali Hazelwood (contemporary romance)

We Could Be RatsThe Ministry of TimeHarriet Tubman: Live in ConcertHow to Become the Dark Lord and Die Trying (Dark Lord Davi, #1)

We Could Be Rats by Emily Austin (contemporary fiction); The Ministry of Time by Kaliane Bradley (science fiction); Harriet Tubman: Live in Concert by Bob the Drag Queen (fabulism); How to Become the Dark Lord and Die Trying by Django Wexler (fantasy)

A Taste of Gold and IronEat the Ones You Love

A Taste of Gold and Iron by Alexandra Rowland (fantasy); Eat the Ones You Love by Sarah Maria Griffin (horror)

 

 

Runner-Up Favorites of 2024

The Hurricane Wars (The Hurricane Wars, #1)Stamped from the Beginning: The Definitive History of Racist Ideas in AmericaTender Is the FleshThe Fire Next Time

The Hurricane Wars by Thea Guanzon (fantasy romance); Stamped From the Beginning by Ibram X. Kendi (nonfiction); Tender is the Flesh by Agustina Bazterrica (dystopian, horror); The Fire Next Time by James Baldwin (nonfiction)

The House of My Mother: A Daughter's Quest for FreedomMateWasteland: The Secret World of Waste and the Urgent Search for a Cleaner FutureJulie Chan Is Dead

The House of My Mother by Shari Franke (nonfiction); Mate by Ali Hazelwood (romantasy); Wasteland by Oliver Franklin-Wallis (nonfiction); Julie Chan is Dead by Liann Zhang (horror, satire)

A Dark and Drowning TideFirst

A Dark and Drowning Tide by Allison Saft (fantasy, dark academia); First by Ali Hazelwood (science fiction romance)

 

Best sequels

Sunrise on the Reaping (The Hunger Games)MateA Pack for Winter (Cozyverse)

 

Favorite contemporary romance

Not in Love (Not in Love, #1)The Deal (Off-Campus, #1)Pitcher Perfect (Big Shots, #4)Dream On, Ramona Riley (Clover Lake, #1)

 

Favorite romantasy/SFF romance

The Hurricane Wars (The Hurricane Wars, #1)MateFirstA Taste of Gold and IronA Pack for Autumn (Cozyverse, #1)A Pack for Winter (Cozyverse)

 

Favorite YA

Sunrise on the Reaping (The Hunger Games)The Thrashers

Sunrise on the Reaping by Suzanne Collins (dystopian) and The Thrashers by Julie Soto (thriller)

 

New-to-Me Authors I’m Excited to Read More From

A Pack for Autumn (Cozyverse, #1)A Pack for Winter (Cozyverse)

Emilia Emerson & Eliana Lee’s cozyverse series was perfect seasonal reading, and I can’t wait to pick up the spring and summer sequels as well as look out for their future projects.

Julie Chan Is DeadYou're InvitedThe Deal (Off-Campus, #1)Potions, Poisons, and Policies

Julie Chan is Dead was such a creative and fascinating debut novel, so I’m really curious to see what the author does next. The next 3 authors on here already have other books out that I plan to pick up in 2026.

 

Most disappointing

Great Big Beautiful LifeThe Wood at Midwinter

I’ve given past books from both of these authors 5 stars, and both unfortunately let me down this time.

The Spellshop (Spellshop, #1)

This was my first read of the year, a romantasy pick with a pretty cover and good reviews, and it was very underwhelming for me.

 

Current reads heading into 2026

Game Changer (Game Changers, #1)Africa Is Not a Country: Notes on a Bright ContinentAn Academic Affair

I started these 3 in 2025, but they’ll count towards my 2026 stats once I finish them.