25 Books in 2025

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To start the year off right, I’ve decided to participate in a trend that has been going on for a few years now. I started to really get back into reading going into 2024, and I’m ready to up my own game. This year, I decided to create an annual TBR list. This list consists of 25 books that you definitely want to read before the year is over with. It may not be the most fun to get through them as your first books of the year, so I sprinkled in some other books I’ve been looking forward to reading as well. If you take a look at other posts, I talk about my January 2025 TBR, and will continue to post others. This can be super helpful if part or all of your annual TBR consists of full series and can give you a slight break between them.

Considering my annual TBR for 2025 consists of four to five series, I really wanted to make sure that I had some breaks in between to allow myself the chance to recoup in case any of them we really tearing at me. (I’m also totally the person to start reading about 4 books at the same time). But, enough about what it is, let’s get to what my choices were for this annual TBR! I included pictures of all the titles along with any warnings that need to be mentioned before you dive in as well. Know that some of these books are rated R, so please, read carefully, and know what kind of book you or your child may be reading is about before diving in.

#1 - #6 The “L.O.R.D.S” Series by Shantel Tessier (For each book, I included the trigger warning list as described by the author)

    The Ritual - 4.06 stars on Goodreads

Trigger warnings: "Graphic violence, non/dub con, branding, forced sex fantasy, drug/alcohol use, masks, breath play, bondage, kidnapping, anal, praise kink."

    The Sinner - 4.04 stars on Goodreads

Trigger Warnings: "BDSM (no safe word given or used), murder, sexual asphyxiation (breath play), suicide, drugs, non con, dub con, CNC, forced body modification, masks, sex toys, praise kink, water bondage, anal, overdose, self-bondage, knife play, gun play, blood play, age play, role play, grooming, child abuse, fear play, degradation, humiliation, forced orgasms, rape, Somnophilia."

The Sacrifice - 4.32 stars on Goodreads

Trigger Warnings: "Dub/non-con, CNC, erotic asphyxiation—breath play, anal, punishment, forced enema, shock treatment, bondage, praise kink, degradation, virgin h, orgasm denial, nipple banding, wax play, forced orgasm, painslut, branding, graphic murder, rape."

Sabotage - 3.83 stars on Goodreads

Trigger Warnings: "Misogyny & slut-shaming, rape by an ex-partner, on-page, sexual assault, intimate partner violence & emotional abuse, parental abandonment recounted, infidelity, alcohol consumption, drug use (cigarettes, marijuana), involuntary body modifications, consensual blood & knife play, death of a mother recounted, murder, torture, physical assault, attempted strangulation, car accident & car fire (arson), whipping."

Carnage - 4.32 stars on Goodreads

Trigger Warnings: "Murder and torture (both in graphic detail), CNC (consent-non-consent), blanket consent, dubcon (dubious consent), kidnapping, forced drugging, claustrophobia, somnophilia, branding, BDSM, bondage, blackout contacts, deepthroat training, face and throat fucking, forced orgasm, orgasm denial, anal, punishment clothing, humiliation, degradation, cockwarming, drug and alcohol use, forced proximity, miscarriage, rape."

Madness - 4.6 stars on Goodreads
    
Trigger Warnings: "Murder and torture (both in graphic detail), CNC (consent-non-consent), DUB CON (dubious consent), forced retention enema, predicament bondage, rope bunny, BDSM (no safe word is used or given), anal, face fucking, cockwarming, humiliation, degradation, forced orgasm, praise kink, drugging, alcohol use, spit, forced piercing, branding, forced sterilization, waterboarding, hallucinations, forced proximity, attempted suicide, birth control tampering, talk of miscarriage, rape, blackmail.

I have yet to decide if I will read these all back to back. I have heard so many good things about the series in the wrongest way possible, but I'll be sure to share with everyone.

#7 - #13 The “Blood and Ash” Series by Jennifer L. Armentrout

From Blood and Ash - 4.22 stars on Goodreads


A Kingdom of Flesh and Fire - 4.33 stars on Goodreads


The Crown of Gilded Bones - 4.16 stars on Goodreads


The War of Two Queens - 4.08 stars on Goodreads


A Soul of Ash and Blood - 3.9 stars on Goodreads


Visions of Flesh and Blood - 2.98 stars on Goodreads


The Primal of Blood and Bone - 4.29 stars on Goodreads


Trigger Warnings for the full series: Attempted suicide (past, side character), blood & gore, corpse depictions, death (violent, death of a minor), death of parents & family members (past, off page), domestic abuse (implied), dubious consent, emotional abuse, graphic wound descriptions, grief & loss, imprisonment, kidnapping, misogyny, murder (including children), physical abuse, PTSD, rape (implied), sexual assault & harassment (on page), substance abuse, torture (including whipping, on page), violence (graphic)

#14 - #18 Finishing out the “Zodiac Academy” Series by Caroline Peckham starting with

The Big A.S.S. Party - 3.87 stars on Goodreads


Fated Throne - 4.34 stars on Goodreads


Heartless Sky - 4.22 stars on Goodreads


Sorrow and Starlight - 4.04 stars on Goodreads


Restless Stars - 4.29 stars on Goodreads

Trigger Warnings: Alcohol, alcoholism, amputation, anxiety, assault, attempted murder, blood, bones, branding, conversion therapy, cults, death, decapitation, depression, drugs, emesis, emotional abuse, fire, gore, hallucinations, hostages, Harry Potter references, kidnapping, misogyny, murder, needles, physical abuse, poisoning, profanity, sexually explicit scenes, slavery, slut shaming, snakes, spiders, torture, violence.

#19 - #22 The “Flesh and Fire” Series by Jennifer L. Armentrout, which is a prequel and spin off to her earlier series "Blood and Ash"

A Shadow in the Ember - 4.46 stars on Goodreads


Trigger Warnings: Forced sex work mentioned, sexual harassment, child abuse, arranged marriage, depression, anxiety & panic attacks, suicide (off-page), suicidal ideation, self-mutilation, death of a parent in childbirth, blood & gore decapitation, dead bodies, decapitation, amputation, death of a father from suicide (off-page), graphic murder & attempted murder, torture, including restricted access to food, whipping (on-page), imprisonment, war themes & battle scenes, animal abuse.

A Light in the Flame - 4.5 stars on Goodreads


Trigger Warnings: graphic violence, sexual assault, torture, abuse, death, suicide attempts, slavery, trafficking, and disturbing imagery.

A Fire in the Flesh - 4.11 stars on Goodreads


Trigger Warnings: Anxiety

#23 - #25 Finishing out the “Fate of the Fae” Series by Vera Rivers

Fae Destiny 4.03 stars on Goodreads



Ruthless Fae King - 4.18 stars on Goodreads


Her Warrior Fae - 4.11 stars on Goodreads


After spending a long time looking, I was unable to find a trigger warning list curated for this series, so please read with caution if you decide to read it as well. There are mentions of slavery, beatings, kidnapping, hostages, blood, and more throughout the series. Once I finish the series, I will make a full list to make available online.

Let me know if you've decided to read any of these books as well, and your thoughts on them! I can't wait to dive in.


References

https://shanteltessier.com/trigger-warnings/

https://triggerwarningdatabase.com/2023/12/22/sabotage-by-shantel-tessier/

https://booktriggerwarnings.com/From_Blood_and_Ash_by_Jennifer_L._Armentrout

https://triggerwarningdatabase.com/

https://goodreads.com


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