Happy Monday, friends! I recently saw Pam @ Read Bake Create post the Firsts of 2025 Book Tag and it reminded me that this tag existed! I’ve done it for the past two years (see: 2023, 2024) and since I didn’t have anything planned for today, I thought I’d go for it! Before I get into it though, I want to say that I’m changing up the answers for the third & fourth questions because they’ll be the same as the first & second, and what fun is that?! I gotta make this a bit more exciting, lol! Now with that out of the way, let’s get to it. 😉
This tag was created by Tanya Patrice @Girlxoxo.
First book read in 2025
A Language of Dragons by S. F. Williamson
I was so excited to receive the digital ARC of this book and I’m glad that I got to read it, even if it didn’t end up being a new 5-star or favourite…
First review of 2025
Okay, so I’m keeping this answer the same as the above but I’m changing it up after this cos otherwise it’ll get too boring.
A Language of Dragons by S. F. Williamson
This YA fantasy was an interesting debut by Williamson. My reading experience of it was a bit complex—there were equal parts things I detested and could hardly stand, and things I enjoyed a lot. Check out my full thoughts!
First debut read in 2025
I know this is meant to be 2025 debuts but that’s the same answer as above, so I’m going a bit “rogue” for this question…
The Ten Thousand Doors of January by Alix E. Harrow
It might not have been published in 2025, but I can’t believe this was Harrow’s debut! I adored it and had such a great time reading it—I’m so glad I can take it off my TBR.
First new-to-me author of 2025
Katrina Kendrick
This was my first taste of Kendrick’s writing and I’m sure I had an enjoyable time reading it since I gave it 3.5 rating. However, I can’t say that I remember anything about it! 😅
First book of 2025 that slayed me
The Sword of Kaigen by M. L. Wang
This was the first book that truly slayed me. It left me a blubbering incoherent hot mess and all I wanted to do was lie in a puddle of my tears (dramatic, but true). Ugh, the gut punch was brutal AF!
First book of 2025 that I wish I could get back the time I spent reading it
Four Dead Queens by Astrid Scholte
Oof, this was so disappointing! It was part of the Owlcrate group buddy read that I’m doing with Ali, Leslie, and Julie. Unfortunately, this one didn’t work for any of us. The potential was there but the execution was so poorly done. 🫣 I’m glad it’s off the TBR and off the shelf now though!
First five star book of 2025
Emily Wilde’s Compendium of Lost Tales by Heather Fawcett
The pleasure goes to this treasure of a conclusion! I love this series so much—it is just so cosy, heartwarming, oddly charming and quirky. 🥰 It was so good to be back with Emily and Henry and I loved how all the other characters we met along their journey got cameos!
And that’s it for the 2025 edition of the Reading Firsts Book Tag! I’m not tagging anyone this time but if you do it, I’d love to see your answers! 😍 I hope you had some great 2025 firsts and that the rest of your reading year is fantastic!
dinipandareads 
I was also amazed that The Ten Thousand Doors of January was her first book.
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I was sure that I had done this tag but looking back, it appears that I’ve missed it this year. We share the same book for the first review though as mine was Language if Dragons too
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this is such a fun tag!!! i’m already so behind and need to draft up a quarter year crisis tag post, but i’m really tempted to hop on and do this one too! i’m also so glad you loved alix e harrow’s debut! i read her novella (six deaths of the saint) last month and am so!!! in!!! love!!!
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I like how short and sweet this tag is!! Oh my gosh.. Four Dead Queens was the worst! It went straight to the donation pile. lol. Sword of Kaigen! ❤ I’m so sad we don’t have another Emily Wilde book to look forward to next year!
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This is such a fun tag! I hate it when multiple prompts end up with the same answer, but you handled it well. 🙂
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My version of this post will be going live soon. 🙂 I also forgot about it entirely until I saw another blogger post it, but I found a place to fit it in my scheduled posts.
This early in the year, I rarely have a debut book read from the current year for the third prompt, so I always just do whatever the first debut book is that I’ve read no matter what year it was published in.
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The debut I had on my list wasn’t from this year either. It’s hard to have read a debut author in the first 3 months of the year. I’m not sure I’ve read one since either. LOL!
Pam @ Read! Bake! Create!
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Love this! It still shocks me that January was Harrow’s debut, it had no right being that good lol. Did you know that Kendrick was actually Elizabeth May? I think she writes her romances under a pseudonym, but I only found that out last year.
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[…] Thursday and today I’m doing the 2025 Reading Firsts Book Tag as found on Dini’s blog, dinipandareads. I remember doing this tag at the same time last year – 2024 edition – and thought […]
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The Sword of Kaigen hits sooooo hard at some point
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[…] I saw this tag, the 2025 Reading Firsts Book Tag, on the Bookish Me blog and on Dini’s blog. It’s the short and simple tag I needed. And here it […]
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[…] 2025 Reading Firsts Book Tag […]
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[…] 2025 Reading Firsts Book Tag (Dini @ dinipandareads) […]
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I have enjoyed everyone’s answers to this tag. It has introduced me to new books and authors. I loved The Ten Thousand Doors of January and was also surprised that it was a debut.
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