The End of the Year Book Tag | 2025 Edition

Hey hi hello friends, and welcome back to my blog!

It's time to do one of my favorite tags, the End of the Year Book Tag! This tag was created by the one and only Ariel Bissett, way back in 2015. Can you believe that this tag is ten years old? I've been doing this tag since 2019, I believe. It's such a staple! It's also one of my absolute favorites. There are only six questions so it's nice and short, but I feel like those five questions really just set up the last quarter of the year. 

Okay, enough babble, let's get into the tag!

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1. Are there any books (series) you started this year that you need to finish?

I always tweak this question because I hardly ever have books to finish, aside from whatever I'm currently reading (like The Silmarillion by J.R.R. Tolkien). Ariel is the type of reader who picks up and puts down books whenever the mood strikes her, but I'm very much the type of reader who can't leave a book unfinished, unless I purposely choose to DNF. So once again, I'm changing the question to look at book series that I need to finish. 

I have quite a few series that I'm in the middle of, like the Song of Ice and Fire series by George R.R. Martin, but there's no way I'll read the last three books before the year ends, so I'm not counting that one. The first series that comes to mind is the Dragonwatch series by Brandon Mull. It's a middle-grade fantasy series that is a spin-off of his Fablehaven series, a childhood favorite of mine. I have two books left, and they're so easy to fly through, I'm confident I'll finish the series before the year ends. I'd also like to say Diana Wynne Jones's World of Howl series, but I'm pretty sure I've said that at least twice before, and I still haven't gotten to the last two books of that series. I will at some point, but I'm not going to put any pressure on myself to read them this year. 

2. Do you have an autumnal book to transition you into the end of the year?

This is probably my favorite question of the whole tag, because yes I have so many autumnal books it's not even funny. You'll get my whole Fall TBR in a couple of weeks, but for now here is a little taste. 

The big one is Katabasis by R.F. Kuang. I have it out from my library and every night I can hear the little voices in my head screaming, "read Katabasis, read it!" I'll start it soon, don't worry! Another pick is Ascension by S.T. Gibson. It came out earlier this year, but I've been saving it for the Fall because it seems like that's where it belongs. 

3. Is there a new release you're still waiting for?

This is my second favorite question because I love talking about upcoming releases, and there are still quite a few coming out in the last few months of 2025. 

Firstly, on September 16th, there are two books that I've been dying to get my hands on. Among the Burning Flowers by Samantha Shannon is the prequel novella to Priory of the Orange Tree, set only a few years before that story takes place. I love the world of Priory so much, and I will gladly read anything Samantha Shannon comes out with related to that world. On the same day, The Court of the Dead by Rick Riordan and Mark Oshiro comes out. This is book two in the Nico di Angelo Adventures, a spin-off series following characters from Rick Riordan's iconic Percy Jackson universe. Do I know what it's about? No, not really. Am I still going to grab a copy on release day? For sure, absolutely. 

October 7th also has two books coming out that I'm excited for, and they're also both series continuations. Queen Demon by Martha Wells is the sequel to Witch King, which I read a few years ago and really enjoyed. It was convoluted for sure, but it had a great found family and I thought the magic system was fascinating. I'm definitely interested to see what else is in store for these characters. And lastly is A Mouthful of Dust by Nghi Vo, which is book six in the Singing Hills Cycle. This is a series of novellas that all center around a single character, Chih, as they travel the country and collect myths and fables to keep them from disappearing. I've loved every installment of this series and I can't wait for the next one.

4. What three books do you still want to read before the year is over?

Oh boy, this is always so hard to narrow down. I have probably thirty books I want to read before 2025 ends, let alone three. But let's see if I can highlight just a few. 

First, Babel by R.F. Kuang. This would be a reread for me, but it's the last Game of Tomes book club pick, for October-November-December. It's been a few years since I've read it and I think it would be fun to participate in the book club, as I've kept up with it all year long. Plus, I'm pretty sure Babel is my favorite book of hers, and this reread might help determine that. I think I'll probably have to reread The Poppy War series to actually decide, however.

Next, I'll say Meditations by Marcus Aurelius. I read Letters From a Stoic by Seneca last year and it become one of my favorites of 2024, and everyone has told me that Meditations is even better. I've had it on my shelves for a while, too. It's fascinating that philosophers from thousands of years ago can be relatable to us nowadays. I know that a reason I connected so much with Seneca was his chronic illness, but I'm pretty sure there will be at least some aspect of Marcus Aurelius' writing that will get to me on a more personal level.

There are so many books that I want to read, but I'll end this question off with A Storm of Swords by George R.R. Martin. I know I said that I won't be finishing the series this year, but I think I can manage reading the next book. I read A Clash of Kings back in February and I didn't love it (something I figured would happen) but I have a feeling that A Storm of Swords will be the complete opposite. Season three is one of my favorites of the show, so I have no doubt that book three will compare nicely (even if it has some of the most brutal scenes in the whole series).

5. Is there a book that you think could shock you and become your favorite of the year?

Honestly, anything's possible. My favorites so far this year have been unpredictable and completely out of left field (like East of Eden by John Steinbeck) so I wouldn't be surprised if any book I plan to read before the year is out rises to the top of my favorites list. 

If I have to guess, I'd say maybe Memoirs of Hadrian by Marguerite Yourcenar. It's a classic, written in the 1950s, about Emperor Hadrian of Rome. You might recognize his name from Hadrian's Wall, the massive structure he built throughout England to show where the border of the Roman Empire began. It's fictional, but based around real people and real primary sources, to create a through narrative. We all know that ancient history is my weak point, and the more I talk about this book, the more I'm convinced it'll become an all-time favorite. I know going into a story with that high of an expectation is almost always a recipe for disappointment, but I'm holding onto hope. Everyone, pray for me!

6. Have you already started making reading plans for 2026?

Yes and no. I've started a few "2026" folders in certain areas, like my phone notes (where I keep notes on each book I read) and my google doc where I keep all of my reading journal pictures and references, but I haven't gotten much farther than that. I'm thinking I want to go into 2026 goal-free. Every time I set up yearly goals, I end up failing them spectacularly. I want to see if tackling the year freely will change anything. No rules, no bans, nothing. Just go where the reading fairy takes me. 

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And that's it for the tag! Another year, in the books. I love looking back on the previous tags and seeing what my answers were, and if I managed to accomplish what I set out to do or not.