2025 Wrapped - Book Edition

In December 2024 , it had roughly been 12 months since I had finished my studies at university. Whilst at school / university, from year 9 onwards I kinda fell out of love with reading. I was spending so much of my day buried in textbooks and studying, my thoughts were "why would I want to pick up another book to read in my free time?". However, since graduation my typical routine has changed, and having a shelf-full of textbooks isn't the norm. So as part of my 2025 new year resolutions, I set myself the following goal: read 1 book a month this year. 12 months. 12 target books. So how did I get on?

As I write this blog on the 28th of December 2025, I have read ten and a half books this year. Short of my target of 12 books - but the motivation behind the goal was met - to simply read more. Here is a breakdown of what I read in 2025.

P.S - there are no spoilers below!

Book 1: Hero - Michael Grant

Part of the 'Monster, Villan, Hero' trilogy by Michael Grant, author of the famous 'GONE' series, Hero is the final piece to the 3 part story. It involves the same characters (along with some new additions) from the 'GONE' series. Whilst 'Monster, Villan, Hero' is a standalone series, I would recommend reading it as a follow up to the 'GONE' series, as the background information will help you understand the plot better. If you're into dystopia, superpowers, sci-fi and potential global catastrophise, this book (along with it's 2 counterparts) are an easy read.

Books 2,3, 4 & 5: Mortal Engines Quartet - Phillip Reeve

This 4 part series were books that were coming out as I was growing up during school. I remember seeing them in the libraries at school, but never gave them a go. Fast forward almost 15 years later, I picked up Mortal Engines, and was pleasantly surprised at how much I enjoyed it. Set thousands of years into the future, it tells a story of mobile cities moving across the globe, after historical wars have ravaged the earth. At the same time, it follows a handful of key characters as they discover what their future will look like, whilst also uncovering their past. It has themes of technological steampunk, dystopian futures, sci-fi and adventure in a post apocalyptic world. All 3 subsequent books were as good as the first one, and the series finishes strong (no spoilers!).

Book 6: The Trading Game - Gary Stevenson

Moving away from the fictional reading, I first heard about this book during a course I was taking at work. It was recommended as an entertaining and insightful read into the trading industry, told with no frills or flowers. The Trading Game by Gary Stevenson was certainly a great read, with a mixture of humour, shocking numbers, and Gary's authentic east-London style coming to light. It tells a story of Gary's rise to the top of Citibank's trading division (his words, not mine), but the dark side that it also brings. The book read like a fictional storybook, but it was based on Gary's life experience. A good read, whether you're interested in finance or not.

Book 7: Walk With Me - Acharya Chandanaji & Vastupal Parikh

From high finance to something more spiritual now, Walk With Me tells the story of the last saint/guru in the Jain religion, called Mahavir Swami. The book cleverly delivers his teachings in story format, with each chapter focussing on a different lesson or moral. I've read this book a few years back, but decided to revisit it as the teachings are timeless.

For those who haven't heard of Jainism before, is is an ancient Indian religion/way of life that teaches non-violence (ahimsa), truth, and self-discipline as the path to spiritual liberation. Followers strive to overcome desires and harmful actions to free the soul from the cycle of birth and death. There are many parallels between Jainism and Buddhism, and Walk With Me is one of the most accessible ways to understand it's teachings.

Book 8: What Doesn't Kill Us - Scott Carney

A few of you might have heard of seen on TV the 'Iceman' - also known as Wim Hof. He is known for his amazing ability to deal with the cold under extreme circumstances, having completed a number of cold challenges over the year. What Doesn't Kill Us puts some science behind Wim's behaviours, with Scott Carney acting as the independent tester of his methods. Whilst this book follows the story of Scott's Bid to summit Kilimanjaro in nothing but a pair of shorts, I enjoyed learning about the science, human psychology and techniques to dealing with the cold, many of which we would apply immediately to our lives. As someone who is a keen long distance runner, the breathing exercises for example would allow me to take in more oxygen into my blood, keeping me from reaching an anaerobic state for longer - clearly beneficial. A good, well explained read on all things cold.

Books 9 & 10: BZRK Series - Michael Grant

Michael Grant is back with another great trilogy - this time diving into the microscopic / nanoscopic world. The BZRK series is a fictional story on something that I haven't seen covered before, using tiny robots controlled by someone's mind to spy, infiltrate and alter people's behaviour. It's something that feels far from reality, but at the same time you do wonder if something like this could actually happen.... This year I read the first 2 books, and am halfway through the final one of the trilogy - BZRK Apocalypse. Similar to the 'Monster, Villain, Hero' series, it is an easy read if you're looking for something fictional.

And with that, those are the 10 (and a half) books I read in 2025. Overall I have enjoyed reading as a hobby way more compared to a few years back. I find it a great alternative to reduce screen time just before going to sleep, as well as being a nice screen-free alternative when waiting for flights or after a long day in the office. As we head into 2026, there's a few books that I've already got on my list, but would love to hear any suggestions you may have - so get in touch!

Happy holidays 🎉

J.S.