A Year of Books, Blog Chaos & Cozy Little Moments
If you’d told me at the start of this year that I’d be running a blog, inhaling books like oxygen, and voluntarily creating life chaos… I would have laughed and gone back to my reading.
And yet — here we are.
Somewhere between audiobooks playing in my ears, blog drafts piling up in WordPress, and life doing its usual chaotic thing, The Reading Nook really started to take shape.
This year has been equal parts creative comfort, absolute madness, and quiet pride. I read, I listened, I blogged, I spiralled into AI rabbit holes, and I somehow kept showing up. So this post? This is me pressing pause, looking back, and saying: actually… I did alright.
Let’s dive into the stories, vibes, chaos, and wins that made 2025 so special. 💛
📚 Book Adventures
A look back at the books that kept me company this year — through busy days, quiet nights, and everything in between.
👑 Stolen Heir — Sophie Lark
Mafia romance with bite. Intense, dramatic, and addictive — the kind of book that makes “just one more chapter” an outright lie.
👉 Read Review →
🔥 Dirty Daddies — Jade West
Bold, taboo, and unapologetically spicy. Not here for subtlety — here for chaos, intensity, and exactly what it promises on the tin.
👉 Read Review →
👑 Filthy Rich Fae Series — Geneva Lee
Fae politics, power, drama, and addictive audiobook narration. This series fully pulled me in and refused to let go.
👉 Read Filthy Rich Fae Review → & Read Fallen Court Review →
💎 Sugar Daddies — Jade West
Equally spicy but with a different flavour. Messy dynamics, emotional undercurrents, and that unmistakable Jade West edge.
👉 Read Review →
💔 Twisted Love — Ana Huang
Angsty, intense, and emotionally charged. A perfect “feel everything all at once” romance read.
👉 Read Review →
🌹 ACOTAR Series — Sarah J. Maas (Graphic Audio)
My absolute favourite way to experience this series. The Graphic Audio versions brought the world, characters, and emotions to life in the best way possible.
👉 Read Reviews →
🔥 Lights Out — Navessa Allen
My 5-STAR DARK GEM OF THE YEAR.
Deadpool vibes from Josh.
Mask kink plot twist.
Dark humour done RIGHT.
👉 Read Review →
🧪 The Love Hypothesis — Ali Hazelwood
The Reylo-coded academia love story that owned my heart. Fake dating? Yes please. Grumpy x sunshine? Inject it directly. A total comfort read that I’ll never get tired of recommending.
👉 Read Review →
🐺 Rough — Renee Rose & Vanessa Vale
Fast-paced, trope-heavy, and emotional in ways I didn’t expect. Cowboys, shifters, and surprising heart.
👉 Read Review →
🕯️ The Cloisters — Katy Hays
Dark academia that whispered instead of screamed. Secretive scholars, creeping tension, and a slow-burn unease that lingered long after finishing. Atmospheric and quietly unsettling.
👉 Read Review → coming soon
Total Escapism Hours:
94 hours, 17 minutes of storytelling bliss!
📖 Book Bracket of 2025
After working my way through all these reads, narrowing them down felt only fair — and slightly painful. This book bracket is my attempt to crown the standouts of the year, pitting favourites against each other based on vibes, reread potential, emotional damage, and pure enjoyment.
Some rounds were obvious. Others had me staring at the screen questioning my entire personality. But every book in this bracket earned its place — whether it was a comfort read or a story that lived rent-free in my head.
🖥️ Blog Post Chaos
Considering The Reading Nook only came to life towards the beginning of August, I’m genuinely proud of how much content happened in such a short time.
Highlights include:
📚 Book Hauls
Because apparently I cannot be trusted around bookshops. These posts became a fun way to document new additions, first impressions, and my ever-growing TBR — with zero guilt attached.
👉 Read Posts →
🍽️ Theme Dinners
Food, but make it an event. These posts blended creativity, family time, and storytelling into themed meals that were just as fun to plan as they were to eat.
👉 Read Posts →
🤖 AI Book Character Creations
What started as curiosity quickly turned into a full-on rabbit hole. Turning book characters into “real life” visuals became one of the most unexpectedly fun creative outlets of the year.
👉 Read Post →
🎄 Christmas Planning & Festive Chaos
Lists, ideas, prep, and sparkle — Christmas fully took over the blog, and honestly? No regrets.
👉 Read Posts →
🧝♂️ Elf on the Shelf: December Daily Series
The biggest commitment of the year. A daily post throughout December documenting festive mischief, creativity, and mild exhaustion — absolutely worth it.
👉 Read Series →
Was it chaotic? Yes.
Did I occasionally question my life choices? Also yes.
But did I love it? Absolutely.
🌈 Monthly Vibes Recap
AUGUST — The Month of “Why Can’t I See?”
Eye issues. Headaches. Chaos. The universe tried to take me out but I said “no hun, I have stitching to do.”
SEPTEMBER — Back to School, Back to Work, Back to Overwork
New school year + OVERTIME OVERTIME OVERTIME.
My cross stitch hoop barely saw daylight.
OCTOBER — Busy but Beautiful
A whirlwind month saved by a magical Halloween half-term break.
NOVEMBER — Craft-Goblin Mode Activated
Christmas crafts everywhere.
Printer crying.
Glue gun sweating.
Me? Thriving.
DECEMBER — Full Festive Frenzy
Elves. Wrapping. Christmas Eve boxes.
Lights, snacks, family time, and constant glow.
The busiest but happiest month of the year. 🎄
🍿 Snack & Sip of the Year
After extensive research (aka constant snacking), the winners are clear:
🏆 Snack Winner:
👉 Any and all Baked Brownies treats. No notes. Perfection.
🥤 Drink Winner:
👉 Pepsi Max — my forever emotional support beverage.
✨ Random Wins & Life Bits
- Survived another year of nursery kitchen madness
- Finally building my dream DeAgostini Cake Decorating magazine collection
- Theme dinners absolutely becoming a favourite
- I gave my boys a magical Christmas
- Finding joy in stitching again
- I kept blogging even when life was loud
- I created something just for me — and shared it anyway
- I proved I don’t have to be consistent every day to still be committed
Those wins count. Big time.
📸 Lens through the Year: A Look Back at the Moments That Mattered
A little visual love — stories, vibes and chaos all in one place.
Sugar cookie butterflies 
New glasses finally!! 
My Spud fish watching 
Kids fed the ducks 
Meatloaf, creamy mash and southern green beans…delish 
Harry Potter Krispy Kreme delights 
First Theme Dinner Night – New Girl 
Next year country of the month planning for work 
My cute new friend 🐿️ 
Mythbusters theme dinner was a hit 
Dog sitting and more AI rabbit hole 
Pumpkin Picking! 🎃 
De-earing our corn 🌽 
Our goodies 
Carved and glowing! 
Baked Brownies treats 
Let’s get my cake decorating on! 
My type of perfect roast dinner 
Lego Botanicals 
The most perfect vases 😍 
Zade Meadows vase & red roses 
Absolute perfection 
Work crafts for Christmas 
Work’s Christmas tree in all its splendour! 
Elves came back for their 11th year! 
A moment of uninterrupted bliss! 
Cousins off to the park 
Christmas Elf Magic 
Dessert Charcuterie was a hit! 
Last Book Haul of 2025
🔮 Looking Ahead
Next year’s intentions are simple and gentle:
- Read widely and without pressure
- Try new blog series (hello WordPress daily prompts!)
- Let The Reading Nook grow naturally, without forcing it
🎀 Wrap It Up & Join Me
This blog started as a quiet little corner for me — a place to document books and life — and somehow it’s become something I genuinely look forward to.
If you’ve read, liked, commented, or even just quietly lurked: thank you.
If you’re new here: welcome to the chaos.
Here’s to more stories and more cosy creative moments ahead. 📚✨
Stick around — it’s only getting better.
The Reading Nook 