What I Read In 2025…

… and what I plan to read in 2026!

What Did I Read in 2025?

After breaking down the numbers, I was surprised to find that what I read in 2025 was split almost equally between novels (both fiction and non-fiction) and graphic novels / manga (26 vs 24). What’s more, my shift to graphic novels didn’t really start until Q4 of 2025, presumably because I was behind in my annual reading goal. (Also, you know, the state of the world.) I also read more fiction this year than in years past. My explanation, looking back, is two-fold: a desire for more exposure to fiction as a means to improve my own writing and escapism.

My favorite non-fiction work from 2025 was probably Stolen Focus, but Things Become Other Things was also a stand-out. My favorite work of fiction was Hard to Be a God, though the Ministry of the Future could also arguably be given that spot. The novel that surprised me the most (in a good way) was Strange Pictures. Pictures was plotted to perfection; in my review, I called it a nesting doll of a book. If I had to pick a favorite manga from 2025, it’d probably be Frieren (though, admittedly, the only other Manga I read was Spy x Family, which is good in its own right). If I had to pick a favorite graphic novel, it’d be DeadEndia. The graphic novel that surprised me the most (again, in a good way) was Bitch Planet.

What Do I Plan to Read in 2026?

My goal in 2025 was to read 50 books. I met that goal, but only just, and only by supplementing with a lot of comic books. I like comic books / graphic novels / manga, of course, but I want to read more novels to sharpen my skills as a novelist. (Granted, reading a smaller number of books critically and intentionally would probably help me improve more than reading a larger number of books casually … I still want a certain level of escapism and entertainment, though!) Having met my 2025 goal, I’ve elected to be more ambitious in 2026.

I’ve set my 2026 reading goal to 100 books. I do this with some trepidation, as the last time I pushed myself to read that many books I ended up reading more out of obligation than enjoyment. It also meant that I selected many works for their length (or lack thereof) rather than their quality. How will I avoid falling into the same trap in 2026? My plan is to split my reading like I did in 2025: 50% novels, and 50% graphic novels. In a way, it’ll be like reading the same number of books as in 2025! (That’s the hope, anyway).

As far as content is concerned, I plan to continue to focus on fiction over non-fiction. I’ve also delved deeply into the Lone Wolf and Cub manga, having read 20 of the 28 volumes. This is giving me the confidence that I’ll hit 100 books, especially since it’s still Q1 of 2026 at time of writing. I also want to center marginalized voices in my reading, be it authors of color, LGBTQIA+ authors, or authors from disenfranchised parts of the world. I have a “to be read” pile filled with such books, so it’ll just be a matter of getting copies to read / listen to.

Lastly, I want to get back into the habit of reviewing the books I read. It’s a habit I fell off at the end of 2025 because I was much more focused on meeting my reading goal. I’ve come to miss it in 2026, though, because writing the reviews helped me crystalize both my memory of the book’s contents and my understanding of the book’s meaning. Not every review might make it to this site; I want this space to focus more on my creative writing in 2026. With that said, I’m sure some of the more notable or interesting reviews will still appear here.

Ultimately, I’m excited to see what 2026 will bring … at least with regards to what I’ll be reading. I’m withholding judgment for everything else until I’m a bit deeper into the year. The last few years have been topsy-turvy, after all. With that said, I wish you happy reading in 2026. Feel free to share what book(s) you’re looking forward to reading in the comments.

Addendum: Every Book I Read in 2025

• The Summer of Jordi Perez by Amy Spalding (Fiction)
• The Ministry of the Future by Kim Stanley Robinson (Fiction)
• It Can’t Happen Here by Sinclair Lewis (Fiction)
• The Bookshop: A History of the American Bookstore by Evan Friss (Non-Fiction)
• Adult Children of Emotionally Immature Parents bu Lindsay C. Gibson (Non-Fiction)
• The Ministry of Time by Kaliane Bradley (Fiction)
• Stolen Focus by Johann Hari (Non-Fiction)
• What Looks Like Bravery by Laurel Braitman (Non-Fiction)
• Branded by the Pink Triangle by Ken Setterington (Non-Fiction)
• Witchcraft for Wayward Girls by Grady Hendrix (Fiction)
• Getting Over It by Faith G. Harper (Non-Fiction)
• A Magical Girl Retires by Park Seolyeon (Fiction)
• Ring Shout (Fiction)
• The Day the World Stops Shopping by J.B. MacKinnon (Non-Fiction)
• Calypso by David Sedaris (Non-Fiction)
• Roadside Picnic by the Strugatsky Brothers (Fiction)
• Hard to Be a God by the Strugatsky Brothers (Fiction)
• Things Become Other Things by Craig Mod (Non-Fiction)
• A Lady for a Duke (Fiction)
• The Perks of Loving a Wallflower by Erica Ridley (Fiction)
• If Cats Disappeared from the World by Genki Kawamura (Fiction)
• Come as You Are by Emily Nagoski (Fiction)
• Fangs by Sarah Anderson (Graphic Novel, Fiction)
• Spy x Family, Volume 1 by Tatsuya Endo (Graphic Novel, Fiction)
• Frieren, Volumes 1-3 by Kanehito Yamada and Tsukasa Abe (Graphic Novel, Fiction)
• Boy’s Weekend by Mattie Lubchansky (Graphic Novel, Fiction)
• Goodnight Punpun, Volume 1 by Inio Asano (Graphic Novel, Fiction)
• DeadEndia, Volumes 1-3 by Hamish Steele (Graphic Novel, Fiction)
• Strange Pictures by Uketsu (Fiction)
• Artists, Writers, Thinkers, Dreamers by James Gulliver Hancock (Graphic Novel, Non-Fiction)
• Pathfinder, Volume 1 by Jim Zub (Graphic Novel, Fiction)
• Another Castle: Grimoire by Andrew Wheeler (Graphic Novel, Fiction)
• Zodiac Starforce, Volume 1 by Kevin Panetta (Graphic Novel, Fiction)
• Giant Days, Volume 1 by John Allison and Whitney Cogar (Graphic Novel, Fiction)
• Coady and the Creepies by Liz Prince (Graphic Novel, Fiction)
• Red Sonja, Volume 1 by Gail Simone (Graphic Novel, Fiction)
• Plutona by Jeff Lemire and Emi Lenox (Graphic Novel, Fiction)
• Sketch Monsters, Volume 1 by Joshua Williamson (Graphic Novel, Fiction)
• Terrible Lizard, Volume 1 by Cullen Bunn (Graphic Novel, Fiction)
• Buzz! by Ananth Panagariya (Graphic Novel, Fiction)
• Bitch Planet, Volume 1 by Kelly Sue DeConnick (Graphic Novel, Fiction)
• Down, Set, Fight! by Bowers, Kowalchuk, and Sims (Graphic Novel, Fiction)
• The Sixth Gun, Volume 1 by Cullen Bunn (Graphic Novel, Fiction)