Happy New Year! 🥳
As we enter into a new year, I like to look back over the previous twelve months from a books and blogging perspective. It’s nice to summarise the year and, as long time readers of Jo’s Books Blog will know, I don’t need much excuse to roll out a few stats!
2025 was something of a mixed year for me. There were some real positives but also some low points, and this has influenced my reading stats. I don’t set a target to read 𝑥 books a year, but my total of 84 books read is a noticeable reduction for me. Ok – they were slightly longer books on average, but not by so much as to account for that difference. There were some excellent books though, and I shared my favourite books of the year here. I should add that I also loved Empire of the Dawn by Jay Kristoff, but read it after I’d shared my books of the year post 🤷♀️
My reading year in more detail:
While I don’t pay much attention to the stats WordPress provides throughout the year, I do like to look at which of my posts were the most viewed come year end – it’s usually not the ones that I expect it to be! For 2025, the following were my most viewed posts, and the year I originally posted my review:
- Children of Ruin by Adrian Tchaikovsky (2022)
- The Island by Victoria Hislop (2023)
- Us Against You by Fredrik Backman translated by Neil Smith (2019)
- All Her Fault by Andrea Mara (2021 – this one at least makes sense given the recent adaptation)
- Fair Play by Louise Hegarty (2025)
Of the posts I did publish in 2025, the following were my most viewed:
- Fair Play by Louise Hegarty
- The Artist by Lucy Steeds
- Human Rites by Juno Dawson
- The Inheritance by Trisha Sakhlecha
- Broken Country by Clare Leslie Hall
Here’s to a great 2026! 🥂
Jo's Book Blog 
Love the way you made infographic. Looks like 2025 was good in reading. I hope 2026 turns out even better with more amazing reads.
Thank you, Yesha – I’m quite proud of my little infographic! Here’s to a great year ahead! x
It’s so random when older posts get way more views and the newer ones 🙂
Here is my wrap up: https://laurieisreading.com/2026/01/02/lets-talk-bookish-2025-reading-and-blogging-wrap-up/
It’s happened to me for a couple of years running now – I still have no idea why Children of Ruin very suddenly started to see more traffic mid-2024! I’m not complaining though 😊
What Belgian author did you read, Jo? Here’s to an even better 2026 🥂
I read Jacqueline Harpman’s I Who Have Never Known Men.
Thank you, Kelly, and Happy New Year!
Never even realised she was Belgian, oops 😬😂 Happy New Year, Jo!
Me neither! 😁
Interesting. I think at least 75% of my books are by female authors… Happy 2026 reading!
Mine always falls in the 60%-70% range, last year was at the lower end.
Happy New Year!
I think my most viewed December post was the “anticipated” list I posted in January. I’d like to think people needed ideas for presents 😄.
Hope 2026 treats you and yours well, Jo! xx
It’s so random which posts do well, and when they become popular.
Here’s to a happy, healthy new year, Eva!