Welcome back to Novels and Nightcaps — the podcast where we read, drink, and ramble (and somehow remember every book except the ones we rated highly).

This week’s episode is our big year-end roundup of everything we read in 2025 — the best of the best, the absolute stinkers, and all the beautifully mediocre books that lived quietly in the middle. Expect chaotic rankings, plenty of “Wait, did we actually like that?” moments, and some honest reflection on what we want our reading year to look like in 2026.

We cover a little bit of everything: sweeping fantasy epics, hard sci-fi, deep dives into psychology, history tomes, Stormlight highs, Red Rising debates, and yes… more Murakami than anyone should reasonably consume in 12 months. It’s rambly, it’s messy, it’s honest — the perfect way to wrap up another year of reading, drinking, and rambling.

And don’t worry: we’ve still got one last read to close out the year. Next time, we’re diving into A Court of Thorns and Roses — so grab your copy (preferably with our affiliate link!) and get ready for fae, drama, and probably some questionable decisions.

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