My top five reads of 2025 show that I keep coming back to the same moods, the same authors, and the same emotional vibes.
A mix of new books and rereads, comfort picks and familiar obsessions. Some of them surprised me. Most of them didn’t. That probably says more about me than I would like to confess, but there it is.
This isn’t a ranking based on craft, innovation, or literary merit. It’s basically a list of the books I enjoyed the most this year, and the reasons why. Sometimes the reasons are personal, and sometimes they’re repetitive.
Carrie
I’ve read Carrie more times than I can count. It’s short and sweet, and it still manages to be a bit uncomfortable in all the right ways. No matter how many times you’ve read it, it never loses its edge.
This reread made me remember why I keep coming back to it. The anger feels raw, the cruelty is just part of life, and the emotional damage builds up slowly before everything comes crashing down. It’s not subtle, but it is precise. Somehow, it always works on me.
At this point, rereading Carrie feels less like revisiting an old book and more like checking in with a past wound to see if it still hurts. It does.
Fairy Tale
I was surprised by how well it stuck.
Fairy Tale isn’t your typical horror story, and it takes its sweet time getting to the point. The pacing is deliberate, sometimes indulgent, but I found myself completely on board with it. The story uses classic fantasy structures, but it doesn’t feel lazy or nostalgic.
What I really took away from it was the sense of quiet endurance running through the book. You know how it is when you make a mistake and then you realize that you can’t just go back and change it? That’s what it’s like when you lose something, you take responsibility, and then you slowly start to understand that some things just can’t be undone. It’s not King at his sharpest, but it’s King in a reflective, patient mode that worked really well for me.
You can read my full review of Fairy Tale here, where I go into more detail about the pacing, structure, and why it worked for me.
Hell House
I have mixed feelings about Hell House.
It’s aggressive, uncomfortable, and openly hostile toward both its characters and the reader. There’s nothing gentle about this haunted house story, and that’s exactly why it earns its place here. Matheson isn’t just focused on creating a certain vibe. He always seems to be looking for a fight.
The house is basically the star of the show. Subtlety isn’t the point. Endurance is key. I wouldn’t recommend it lightly, but when it works, it works with brute force.
If you want a deeper breakdown of the hostility and atmosphere, my full Hell House review covers exactly that.
If It Bleeds
I’m a sucker for short fiction, and If It Bleeds fit that mood perfectly.
Like most King collections, it’s a bit all over the place, but the stronger pieces carry the book without much trouble. I like the relaxed vibe here. Some stories feel like they’re on track, while others meander a bit, but it’s rare to come across one that just feels pointless.
What I really liked was the mix of familiar themes and emotional restraint. It doesn’t try to shock you all the time. It lets discomfort settle in quietly, and for me, that tends to last longer than a spectacle ever does.
You Like It Darker
Yeah, another Stephen King collection. No, I’m not making this up.
You Like It Darker feels like a late career King book, and honestly, that’s a good thing. Not every story hits the mark, and that’s okay. The ones that work remind you why his voice still matters. The weaker ones pass quickly enough not to mess up the whole experience.
I read this slowly, one or two stories at a time, and that pacing made a difference. The unease builds up best in small doses. It’s not a total reinvention, but it’s a solid reminder of why I keep opening his books year after year.
I wrote a separate review of You Like It Darker where I talk about the stronger stories, the weaker ones, and how to approach the collection.
Patterns, Repetition, and no Regrets
Four out of five books here are by Stephen King. I could dress that up, but it would be disingenuous.
Every year, I tell myself I’ll branch out more. Every year, I find myself going back to the same author, experiencing the same moods, and engaging with the same emotional textures. Apparently, this is how my reading brain regulates itself. I’ve decided to let it go.
These books are more than just things I read. They’re patterns I keep going back to. We’re talking about stories that are a bit creepy, totally chaotic, and just dark enough to really grab you.
It’s Your Turn
What’s that book you keep rereading, even though you know exactly what’s coming?
And more importantly, have you stopped pretending that it’s an accident?
