Booked With Aiden

I know 2025 is a few months gone, but that does not mean that my reviews of the books I read during that time are null and void. In fact, book reviews never go out of style!

Now I won’t say I’m some amazing book critic or anything. Actually, I’m not even a book critic at all! But that does not stop me. I think it’s important for everyday people, no matter what field of work they’re in, to give their opinions. Those reviews can be some of the most honest out there.

So, shall we get started? I will list them in order of which I read them, so this is not a ranking. The tier ranking and recognition will come after.

BOOKS READ IN 2025

Remember, the order is from which I read. This section is not a ranking.

*Thank you Books-A-Million for affiliating with me. You can click the link attached to the titles to be directed to their site!*

1. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone by J.K. Rowling
2. The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides
3. Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets by J.K. Rowling
4. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Askaban by J.K. Rowling
5. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire by J.K. Rowling
6. The Stranger Beside Me by Ann Rule
7. Notes From Underground by Fyodor Dostoevsky
8. Harry Potter and the Order of the Pheonix by J.K. Rowling
9. Frankenstein (new annotated version) by Mary Shelley
10. Dungeon Crawler Carl by Matt Dinniman
11. Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince by J.K. Rowling
12. The House in the Cerulean Sea by T.J. Klune
13. The Housemaid by Frieda McFadden
14. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by J.K. Rowling
15. Angels & Demons by Dan Brown
16. The Last Wish by Andrzej Sapkowski

Yes, I was only able to read 16 books in 2025. Very sad. Luckily, I will be reading more than 50 books this year! After discussing my DNF’s, I will give out some awards to the books I read.

BOOKS I DNF’D IN 2025

1. Dracula by Bram Stoker
2. American Psycho by Bret Easton Ellis

Give me a chance to explain before you start coming after me and forcing me to read them to you like a bedtime story.

First, Dracula. So I was thoroughly enjoying the first half. I liked the characters, the writing style, the atmosphere. I did, and still do, understand why it is a classic. Partway through the story however, Mr. Stoker switches things up a little, changing the writing style to letters and journal entries. Just the new style of it took me out of the story.

I stopped reading it, thinking I would pick it up again in a week or so, but I ended up never getting back to it. I do plan to finish it someday.

Now for American Psycho, that’s a different story. You may be thinking I DNF’d because of the gruesome and horrible things Patrick Bateman does, but that’s not it. I can handle all that (I’m a Paramedic after all). What I couldn’t take anymore were whole pages, or even chapters, being filled with Bateman just listing every single thing people are wearing, or all that he owns, or describing people based on stereotypes. You can only handle so much of that before it becomes pure torture.

I understand what the author was getting at with it, and I do believe he did a very good job at it, but I just could not keep reading. If Ellis took out chunks of those descriptions, he would still get his point across, and I would have likely kept reading.

Awards & Recognitions

I just want to say, there isn’t any “bad” book that I read in 2025, so this is not a way of me giving any negative representation. I just want to take a moment to thank all of the authors for creating these extraordinary tales. Thank you!

Okay, now let’s give out some awards.

BEST WORLDBUILDING

Yes, of course it is Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone. From book one, the whole Wizarding World is brought to life so well that you can almost smell it.

MOST THOUGHT-PROVOKING READ

For me, this was a battle between Angels & Demons, Notes from Underground, and The Silent Patient. All three forced me to use my brain cells and read a bit slower than usual. Both The Silent Patient and Angels & Demons had mystery and plot twists, which truly are my cup of tea, but…

Notes from Underground though was the only one that reminded me of the type of novel that would be required reading for a philosophy class or literature degree. It made me feel like I was sitting in a candle-lit room with a group of men, smoking a cigar and drinking whiskey, and debating about philosophy and life.

EXPANDED MY PERSPECTIVE AWARD

Now this was an easy pick for me. As someone who never thought he would want to read romance or romantasy, I found myself completely immersed in the story and wondering why I didn’t try this genre sooner.

I bought this book because I decided I wanted to try reading something that I don’t ever read. I went to the store and saw this cover, and I really liked how it looked. I had never heard of it before and had no idea what it was about, but I just had a strange feeling that I would like it. Thankfully, my intuition was right.

Thank you, T.J. Klune, for helping me realize that I can like cozy romantasy.

Best Character Development

Frankenstein’s monster goes through a whole life-cycle of growth, from being born to learning the basics of being human, to recognizing his emotions. There’s no other character I read that had as much of a transformation as him.

Most Unique Concept

Sorry Dungeon Crawler Carl fans, but Angels & Demons takes the cake for me. It was a hard decision, but what Dan Brown created was something quite complex and extraordinary. While Dungeon Crawler Carl was most definitely unique, we have heard of fight-to-the-death-for-entertainment before (e.g. The Hunger Games, and Ancient Rome, if you want a real-life example).

Strongest Structure Award

Yes, I am putting the whole Harry Potter series here. Even if I just chose one book, that would be sufficient enough, but I want all seven books to be recognized here.

No one can deny the great structure of the whole story, through each book. The writing is consistent throughout, the story is clear and you’re able to follow it without getting confused, and the pacing is fast and fun.

Wildest Plot Ride

I was debating between Dungeon Crawler Carl and The Housemaid, but I am taking the word “wild” literally here. Dungeon Crawler Carl was crazy fun and all over the place with action, comedy, gaming, and even a little drama.

Most Shocking Twist

This was easier to choose than I thought it would be, especially since I read a few plot twisters. The Silent Patient was great, but I did see it coming around half-way through. The Housemaid was also fantastic, but it could not beat Angels & Demons.

I truly did not know who was good or bad, and it kept me on my toes until the end. And, when the twists were revealed, which Dan Brown really made it a roller-coaster of who’s who, it was an actual surprise.

Funniest Read

Easy.

Most Effective Ending

Freida McFadden did a great job at showing that it is obvious that Millie will continue with her work and we can expect to see more of her.

Best Travel Companion Book

For me, a travel companion book is one that I don’t have to use my big-brain energy for. Instead, it’s an easy-read that has a simple story. TJ Klune books are perfect for this. I took this book to the doctor’s office, the park, and even the casino!

Modern Classic Potential

Classics are books that stay relevant through the span of time. Although I do think The Housemaid will become a classic, The Silent Patient will be the one that stays more relevant and understandable.

Booked With Aiden Gold Stamp

I’m sure you’re wondering why. This award is more personal. You see, I have been severely disabled by ADHD for a long time, and didn’t even know it. I got to a point, a few times actually, where I really should have gone to the hospital (yes, ADHD can be a serious illness). But in August of 2025, I started on ADHD medication, and that changed everything. It was the first year that I was able to actually sit down and read for long periods of time, and actually enjoy it.

Before, I just couldn’t keep my mind focused on a book, no matter how hard I tried, and it made me very upset because I wanted to be an avid reader and writer. My love for reading came shortly after starting on medication, and what really made me want to read more was none other than The Silent Patient.

I gobbled this book up faster than I thought I ever could. It was the first time I finished a book so quickly.

MY TIER-RANKING