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My Favorites of 2025

Hi everyone! I believe this post requires no introduction. You know the drill with this one. Please enjoy my favorite things from this year. Here’s to a great 2026! (Let’s face it. 2025 was a sh*t show. The only way to get through was by finding literally anything to enjoy.)

Books

  • Oathbringer (Book 3 of the Stormlight Archive) by Brandon Sanderson
  • Ithaca (Book 1 of the Songs of Penelope) by Claire North
  • Rhythm of War (Book 4 of the Stormlight Archive) by Brandon Sanderson
  • Psyche and Eros by Luna McNamara
  • Near the Bone by Christina Henry
  • The Final Empire (Book 1 of the Mistborn Saga) by Brandon Sanderson
  • The Fury of the Gods (Book 3 of the Bloodsworn Saga) by John Gwynne
  • Sunrise on the Reaping by Suzanne Collins
  • Once There Were Wolves by Charlotte McConahgy
  • The Children of Jocasta by Natalie Haynes
  • Kindred by Octavia E. Butler
  • The Archive Undying by Emma Mieko Candon
  • Brother by Ania Ahlborn
  • Ripe by Sarah Rose Etter
  • And Then I Woke Up by Malcom Devlin
  • The God of Endings by Jacqueline Holland
  • I Who Have Never Known Men by Jacqueline Harpman
  • The Monster of Elendhaven by Jennifer Geisbrecht
  • The Well of Ascension (Book 2 of the Mistborn Saga) by Brandon Sanderson
  • Orphia and Eurydicius by Elyse John
  • The Hero of Ages (Book 3 of the Mistborn Saga) by Brandon Sanderson
  • Assassin’s Apprentice (Book 1 of the Farseer Trilogy) by Robin Hobb
  • Wind and Truth (Book 5 of the Stormlight Archive) by Brandon Sanderson
  • The Reformatory by Tananarive Due
  • The Alloy of the Law (Book 4 of the Mistborn Saga) by Brandon Sanderson
  • The Swan Thieves by Elizabeth Kostova
  • Dune by Frank Herbert
  • Elektra by Jennifer Saint
  • Blood on Her Tongue by Johanna van Veen
  • Katabasis by R.F. Kuang
  • Uprooted by Naomi Novik
  • Swordheart by T. Kingfisher
  • One’s Company by Ashley Hutson
  • Grey Dog by Elliot Gish
  • We Used to Live Here by Marcus Kliewer
  • The Unworthy by Augustina Bazterrica
  • The Haar by David Sodergren
  • Diavola by Jennifer Thorne
  • One Yellow Eye by Leigh Radford
  • Shadows of Self (Book 5 of the Mistborn Saga) by Brandon Sanderson
  • House of Odysseus (Book 2 of the Songs of Penelope) by Claire North
  • The Only Good Indians by Stephen Graham Jones

Movies

  • Sinners (dir. Ryan Coogler)
  • Thunderbolts* (dir. Jake Schierer)
  • Superman (dir. James Gunn)
  • The Fantastic Four: First Steps (dir. Matt Shakman)
  • The Long Walk (dir. Francis Lawrence)
  • Frankenstein (dir. Guillermo del Toro)
  • Wicked: For Good (dir. Jon M. Chu)

TV Shows

  • It: Welcome to Derry (Season 1, HBO Max)
  • The Mighty Nein (Season 1, Prime)
  • Heated Rivalry (Season 1, HBO Max)
  • Severance (Seasons 1-2, Apple TV)
  • Murderbot (Season 1, Apple TV)
  • Hazbin Hotel (Season 2, Prime)
  • Yellowjackets (Season 3, Paramount)
  • Fallout (Season 2, Prime)
  • Andor (Season 2, Disney+)
  • Only Murders in the Building (Season 5, Hulu)

Music

  • Hurry Up Tomorrow by The Weeknd (album)
  • The Giver by Chappell Roan (single)
  • Forever is a Feeling by Lucy Dacus (album)
  • RUSHMERE by Mumford and Sons (album)
  • At The Beach, In Every Life by Gigi Perez (album)
  • I Don’t Know How But They Found Me! by Jensen McRae (album)
  • Even In Arcadia by Sleep Token (album)
  • Man’s Best Friend by Sabrina Carpenter (album)
  • Virgin by Lorde (album)
  • The Cosmic Selector Vol.1 by Lord Huron (album)
  • BITE ME by Renee Rapp (album)
  • Willoughby Tucker, I’ll Always Love You by Ethel Cain (album)
  • Ego Death at a Bachelorette Party by Hayley Williams (album)
  • Breach by Twenty One Pilots (album)
  • Good Boy by Paris Paloma (single)
  • The Life of a Showgirl by Taylor Swift (album)
  • Everybody Scream by Florence and the Machine (album)
  • The Hand by Annabelle Dinda (single)
  • Silver Spoon by Erin LeCount (single)
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Life was here, and life was now: Reviewing The Half Light (Book 3 of the Capherayna Chronicles) by Karen Menezes

Hi everyone! I’m back sooner than I expected! As you all know, I love reviewing indie authors. I am totally down to review your books. If you want to get some buzz going, feel free to reach out to me and I will happily review your book. I absolutely love it when that happens. Feel free to check my reviews of Karen’s other books. I will leave her information below so you can send her your support and love. In the meantime, let’s talk about The Half Light.

Content Warning: Discussions and Depictions of Genocide, Discussions and Depictions of Violence (Including Sexual Violence), Sexual Content

The ghetto of Crikwood is not for the fainthearted. The Lightbender is not fainthearted. The ghetto nourishes his soul with its vibrant culture and eternal chaos. He unwinds in its Gothic nightclubs and hangs out with pansexual stoners and war veterans. But settled life is killing his spirit. One morning, a highly depressed woman lands at his door. She is a soul without a body, a body without a soul. Together, they drudge up clues from a painful past that shapes their destinies in ways they have yet to comprehend.

The Half Light was easily the most intense and intriguing book in this series. I appreciated the shift in perspective as Menezes explored the individual impact of such atrocities. It was a very intimate novel at times. It explores human connection and the deep-seated need to care about each other, as well as to be cared for. It was as heartfelt as it was passionate at times. Menezes incorporates existential prose along with cheeky dialogue that helps balance the different elements of the novel. Overall, reading this series was such a great experience. Please send your support to Karen and I want to thank her for reaching out to me with this opportunity.

Website: https://karenmenezes.com/the-chronicles-of-capherayna.html

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/karen.menezes/

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/50832081.Karen_Menezes

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/karen_menezes

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thechroniclesofcapherayna

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Posted on by bookreviews628

Welcome to the universe, from which there is no escape: Reviewing Safe Passage by Karen Menezes

Hi everyone! I am super excited today because I have a review by another indie author! It is always a treat to get to do these kinds of reviews. I will link all of Karen’s socials at the very end of this review so you can send her your love and support. Thank you for reaching out to me, Karen! Now, let’s talk about her novel, Safe Passage.

Content Warning: Violence, Graphic Descriptions of Injuries, Discussions and Depictions of War.

The old-growth forest and the borderlands of Capherayna are a mystery. So are its people, the Xaeltik community. They live in a pre-industrial time warp, unable to defend themselves from the dark forces of the modern world. In the heart of the forest, a vortex of death is rumored to swallow the living, chew on them, and spit out the pieces. The Lightbender stumbles into Xaeltik territory after days of wandering the forest. He is welcomed by a macabre sight that changes the course of his destiny. To save lives, he must let them die.

What I loved about Safe Passage was the mixture of grounded social issues and fantastical sci-fi/fantasy elements that are used to build the narrative. It was as funny in a cheeky way as it was emotional and profound. Menezes doesn’t hold back when it comes to discussing war and the aftermath of it. I loved her use of descriptive language, the minute details, and the overall sympathetic tone that the novel takes. War is never an easy topic to tackle but Menezes shows every facet, from the people fighting the war to the people caught in the middle of the crossfire. Overall, Safe Passage is a refreshing and introspective novel with plenty of fun and interesting science fiction elements

Website: https://karenmenezes.com/the-chronicles-of-capherayna.html

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/karen.menezes/

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/50832081.Karen_Menezes

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/karen_menezes

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thechroniclesofcapherayna

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