Even though I only read about 40 books in 2025, I actually had a really good reading year. Everything I read I gave four stars or above. Everything, that is, except for the five books I’m discussing today.

But even then, the lowest rating I gave was 2.25 stars. So, no real stinkers this year. However, some are definitely worse than others. As such, I decided to rank them. I used to star ratings I gave each book to determine the order, which ultimately feels right. That said, the most disappointing book is also the highest rated on this list. Don’t worry about it.

And now, without further ado, here are the worst and most disappointing books I read in 2025!

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5. Bury Our Bones in the Midnight Soil by V.E. Schwab

When you’re expecting “First Kill,” getting Addie LaRue is quite the shock to the system. This book is overlong and contemplates the same themes as Addie LaRue. Still, I would probably choose this book over Addie LaRue because at least it’s gay.

Bury Our Bones in the Midnight Soil was marketed as a book about toxic lesbian vampires. Unfortunately, it’s not toxic in a sexy way, but toxic in an abusive way. Exploring abuse in lesbian relationships is valuable, but not what I was expecting.

Moreover, the pacing could’ve been better. It gets tiring reading primarily one woman’s story at a time. There’s very little action throughout the story in favor of introspection and interpersonal relationships. I was also underwhelmed by the ending.

However, the writing was good. I like the interpretation of vampires here. Except the number of them that hate being vampires, but Schwab loves a reluctant monster. I also found the characters interesting.

Ultimately, this book taught me not to expect much outside of Shades of Magic and Vicious. Nothing else Schwab writes compares.

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4. The Millicent Quibb School of Etiquette for Young Ladies of Mad Science by Kate McKinnon

This was a really fun, cute story! I’m always hesitant when reading books by celebrities, but you can tell reading this that Kate McKinnon didn’t write this for a quick buck. She had an idea and she executed it.

So why is this book on this list? The characters aren’t fleshed out very well and the story has no room to breathe. Middle grade can be fantastic, but this book really falls short. I haven’t thought about it since I read it back in spring. It was a decent debut, but not enough to keep me reading.

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3. Metal from Heaven by August Clarke

I gave this book three stars, which feels generous. The first half of the book was pretty good. Unfortunately, it takes over half of the book to get to what’s in the blurb. The world-building is confusing. I get the sense the author has all the answers, but they didn’t bother to put them on the page. I still don’t understand what ichorite is, what it means to be lustertouched, and why that gives you powers.

I also don’t have a sense of who Marney is. How did she become the Whip Spider? I love the communist ideals and overt lesbianism, but it just wasn’t enough to carry this story.

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2. The Gilded Crown by Marianne Gordon

This is the first book on this list I actively dislike. It started out so strong, but over time I find myself feeling more and more annoyed. Hellevir is painfully naive and is constantly making stupid choices. She ruminates on the same things over and over again. And she’s got serious plot armor.

Moreover, the romance was underdeveloped. Sullivain, the love interest, is inconsistent. Even when major events happened, I found I didn’t care. I just… I’m irritated, man.

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1. The Fireborne Blade by Charlotte Bond

This was the last book I read in 2025, and it was by far the worst. It reads like a first draft. It’s repetitive, including within pages of each other. Even within a paragraph it repeats things!

It was also a bit convoluted. However, some issues I had were resolved or explained by the end of the book. Additionally, it got real twisty at the end and I kind of liked that. Regardless, I wouldn’t have continued the series if I didn’t already own the next book.

And guess what? I’ve already read the sequel, and I actually really liked it. No idea how that happened. The first book still sucks though.

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What were the worst and/or most disappointing books you read in 2025? Let me know in the comments!