We’re finally moving on to the last parts of the End of Year Survey for 2025! These sections are more about blogging and what we have to look forward to in the year ahead. If you missed Part 1 of the wrap up, you can find it HERE and if you’re curious to check out my previous year wrap-ups, you can check them all out below! ⬇️
This survey was originally created by Jamie @The Perpetual Page Turner.
2019
2020
2021
2022
2023
2024
New favourite book blog/bookstagram/YouTube channel you discovered in 2025?
I was kind of disappointed in myself for not engaging with more creators in 2025. That said, there were a few people who I had the chance to connect with though, and its been such a delight to make new bookish friends! 💜 The final two creators on this list are creators I really enjoy (especially Emily!) but I’m definitely more of a lurker on their pages, lol.
- Emma @ Pages of Emma
- Charlotte @ Bewitching Books, Ravenous Reads
- Veros @ Dark Shelf of Wonder
- Mackenzie @ mackenziespocket
- Isabella @ The Inkboundreader
- Emily @emilysreadingera
- Sam @samfallingbooks
Favourite post you wrote in 2025?
Ach, I’m really bad at choosing favourites of any kind, so I’m just going to share a few posts—mostly Let’s Talk Bookish posts—that I enjoyed writing. I hope you enjoy reading them 🙂
Favourite bookish-related photo you took in 2025?
I was surprised to find myself even more active on bookstagram in 2025—although admittedly still not nearly as much as many other bookstagrammers/bloggers. That said, I’m happy with the posts that I made. I wish that I was more consistent with posting because I’d often post a few pictures only to drop off completely, but maybe 2026 will be my year! 🤭 This is one my favourite posts of 2025, I think maybe it’s all the purple, lol.
Please ignore Sylvia Plath in this #BlackHistoryMonth bookstack. I’m embarrassed to admit that I didn’t even notice the book in there until like months after. I thought I’d grabbed a very different book. 🤦🏻♀️
Also, if you want to follow me over there I’m @dinipandareads!
Best bookish event that you participated in (author signings, festivals, virtual events, etc.)?
Just like in previous years, I attended zero bookish events this year. 🥺 One day I’ll attend one!
Best moment of bookish/blogging life in 2025?
While buddy reads have continued to be a massive highlight for me in 2025—shout out to Leslie and Charlotte for all the buddy reads we did last year! But I think one of the best moments in my blogging life in 2025 was becoming a co-host of Let’s Talk Bookish. 💜 When Aria asked me to be co-host at the end of 2024 I was shocked because ME?! Haha. I’m beyond honoured and I hope that I’m doing this weekly discussion meme justice. I hope things continue to run smoothly in 2025 🙂
Most challenging thing about blogging or your reading life this year?
I’ve mentioned this several times in many posts throughout the year and in my wrap-ups as well, but the biggest challenge I faced was my reading life in general in 2025. 😂 That’s such a broad scope but honestly, it wasn’t the reading year that I thought it would be. As a mood reader, our global geopolitical situation had me feeling wrecked—especially because it’s so closely tied to my work—and it was just not great for my overall mental health. As a result, my reading really suffered. I found it difficult to find books that I really connected to emotionally, but ones that also held my attention. Yes, I did have some great reads, and I surprisingly read more last year than previous years. That said, if I have to be honest, very few books have really stood out to me—even the ones I enjoyed reading at the time and gave good ratings to. It’s not great when you can hardly remember the books you read, right? I’m hoping that 2026 will play a different tune!
Most popular post this year on your blog (whether it be by comments or views)?
Something happened towards the end of 2025 where my blog started getting thousands of views from China, and apparently, this happens when they’re scraping your site for AI. 😭 In the last two months of the year, my blog garnered over 580,000 views, which is absolutely ridiculous—and it sucks because it means nothing and it also skews my insights terribly! I hope that never happens to me again—I don’t even know how it happened to me in the first place?!—but thankfully, things seem to have gone back to normal now. All that’s to say, I don’t really know what the answer is to this prompt but according to my stats my most popular post over the past year is this post: #TopTenTuesday: Say Hello to My Chonky Friends!
Post you wished got a little more love?
This is another tough one because I’m just glad people are still coming to my blog at all, lol. 😂 But as with every year, I notice that my book reviews always get the least number of views and engagement. While I didn’t write a whole bunch of reviews in 2025, here are some that I really enjoyed writing:
Best bookish discovery (book-related sites, bookstores, etc.)?
I’ve been trying to think if I made any bookish discoveries and sadly, I don’t think I have… 🥺
Did you complete any reading challenges or goals that you had set for yourself at the beginning of the year?
Answering this prompt was a bit of a *womp womp* moment for me because out of the five challenges I set in 2025, I only managed to complete one. 😮💨 I’m terrible with these reading challenge things but I still participate in them anyway, lol. I was one book away from completing my GR challenge as well, and to be honest, I feel like I did. There were some discrepancies in my Notion tracking that made it seem like I’d read much more, which I know isn’t true, but I do think I got at least 150! But anyway… Considering how poorly my overall reading year was, I think I still did pretty well. I’ve never managed to complete the Popsugar before, and this was as close as I’d ever got, so I’m quite happy with that.
✅ 2025 Year in Aeldia — Completed
❌ Goodreads Reading Challenge — 149/150
❌ Buzzword Reading Challenge — 11/12
❌ Beat the Backlist Bingo — 22/25
❌ Popsugar Reading Challenge — 31/40
One book you didn’t get to in 2025 but will be your number one priority in 2026?
Blood Over Bright Haven by M.L. Wang
I actually started reading this towards the end of 2025, but with end of year work things and the holidays looming, I decided to put it down because my brain was too frazzled to comprehend anything, lol. I’m hoping to re-start it soon!
Book you are most anticipating for 2026 (non-debut)?
The Last Contract of Isako by Fonda Lee
You might know that I’m slightly obsessed with Fonda Lee’s books so I’m extremely excited to get my hands on this one. It sounds so good and I mean, it’s Fonda Lee?! That’s all! 😂
2026 debut you are most anticipating?
I’m glad that there was an easy answer for me this year because there’s really only one debut that I can recall off the top of my head, but it is one I’m highly anticipating, and it’s:
The Poet Empress by Shen Tao
I’ve already seen some early reviews of this by reviewers whose ratings align well with mine and whose tastes I trust, so that makes me even more excited to read it!
Series ending/sequel you are most anticipating in 2026?
I’m sure there are way more sequels that I’ll remember after I make this post, but the one that’s right on top of my head at the moment is:
A Parade of Horribles by Matt Dinniman
Bring on Book 8! Am I ready to be destroyed even further!? I’m terrified and excited all at once.
One thing you hope to accomplish or do in your reading/blogging life in 2026?
One thing I really hope happens in 2026 is me finding my reading groove again. I feel like I’ve been in such a slumpy weird reading mood for months now and it’s starting to really bug me. It takes so long to find something that manages to keep my attention or make me feel something. I really miss those days when I could immediately (or at least almost immediately) fall in love with whatever I’m reading. It’s been so long since I felt that… 🥲
A 2026 release you’ve already read and recommend to everyone (if applicable)
I’ve only read one 2026 release so far and while I know it’ll be fun for some, I wouldn’t recommend it to everyone! So, for this, I’m sharing an ARC I have for a 2026 release that I’m really looking forward to: Behind Five Willows by June Hur. A Pride and Prejudice inspired romance set in historical Korea? Aah, I can’t wait! 😍
Behind Five Willows
Publisher: Feiwel & Friends
Pub Date: 26 May 2026
Genre: Young Adult Historical Romance
📖 SYNOPSIS
From the New York Times-bestselling author of A Crane Among Wolves comes a warm and romantic homage to Jane Austen set in historical Korea, about a reader and a writer who secretly fight against government book banning and find themselves irresistibly drawn together.
As the dutiful second-eldest daughter of a poor family, society would have Haewon believe that her only hope of a decent life is to marry well. But during a time of rampant government censorship and book banning, she instead works as an illegal book transcriber in order to make a little extra money. It’s dangerous work, but she loves it―especially when she gets to transcribe the work of her favorite author, known as Black Lotus.
When her older sister becomes smitten with a wealthy young gentleman, Haewon is roped into chaperoning them during their courtship. Which wouldn’t be so terrible… if it weren’t for the young man’s uptight and annoying best friend who also accompanies them.
As the only son of a noble, Seojun has a lot expected of him. Wealth. Status. Respectability. Certainly not frivolous and often illicit activities such as reading fiction. But Seojun loves to do something even more scandalous: writing. He’s kept his work secret from his father and friends, but with each passing day, the pressure of being his father’s son and the dispiriting actions of the government make Seojun question the purpose of it all. The only thing keeping him going are the encouraging letters he receives from his transcriber, known only as Magpie.
When his best friend falls hard for a girl of lower social status, Seojun finds himself forced to act as chaperone to the infatuated couple―along with the girl’s younger sister, who is as irritating as she is judgmental. But as Haewon and Seojun spend more time together, they begin to suspect they may have judged each other too quickly…
And that, my friends, is a wrap on the End of Year Survey for 2025. What a year it was… I’m looking forward to seeing what 2026 has in store! What 2026 releases are you looking forward to? What didn’t you manage to read in 2025 that you want to prioritise this year? Are you joining any reading challenges or have you set a specific blogging goal for yourself? I hope 2026 will be an amazing year for all of us! Stay happy, healthy, and safe, everyone! 💜
dinipandareads 
I’m sorry to read you weren’t happy with your reading year Dini. From the outside it looked like you had a great time with the books, but I totally understand how it can feel different from within. I’m glad you had some great reads despite it.
I’ve loved reading your blog over this year, and I am so glad I found you and the LTB Fridays!
I hope your 2026 lives up to your hopes for reading and your life!
LikeLiked by 2 people
I think it just felt like a lot of the reads I was picking up weren’t hitting the way I thought they would? There was something just off about the reading year for me and I know that largely has to do with mental health drops + being a mood reader. I hope that 2026 will be different 🙂 I’m so glad that you’ve joined LTB and so consistently as well—thank you so much for your participation, it really does mean so much! 💜
LikeLike
Aww, Dini thanks so much for the tag!! I’ve enjoyed getting to interact with you on your blog and on IG so much! Here’s to more of that and I feel the same as you, I was hoping to engage more overall in the blogosphere but I’m hoping this year I can be around more, trying to make it my safe space. I also attended bookish events, I tried to go to one but the tickets sold out so yeah one day… 😂
You have been doing so well with LTB, by the way!! 🖤Ughhh I always want to join every challenge too, looking at the buzzword and beat the backlist ones 👀👀!!
LikeLiked by 1 person
I’m so glad that we did as well, Veros! Here’s to more of that in 2026 🙂 I’ve been seeing a lot of people mention wanting to do more blog hopping and engaging on other blogs this year, so it seems that we’re not the only ones who want to do this (although sometimes it feels like I’m the only one who struggles to find time/energy)! I hope you manage to go to a bookish event this year! And thank you, sometimes it’s a struggle to also find topics for LTB but I’m still enjoying co-hosting right now.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Yeah for sure, I think people are craving less extremely short form content and more connection. I know I, at least, am. lol Ohh trust, I have to dig deep to find energy sometimes and other times I simply don’t and have to be ok with it 😛 Thanks!! I’m so glad you’re enjoying it and I can imagine coming up with topics can be difficult.
LikeLike
Thank you for the mention Dini 😊
LikeLiked by 1 person
Urh fucking AI.. but you’re doing great with let’s talk bookish! 🤗
LikeLiked by 1 person
UGH, I know, right?! Fucking AI…
LikeLiked by 1 person
I really hope that you feel better about your reading this year Dini and hope that you love Blood over Bright Haven when you pick it up again.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you Janette! I thought I’d be in the right frame of mind when I picked up Blood Over Bright Haven at the end of the year, but I was already too checked out to keep all the world-building details straight 😂 Let’s hope 2026 will be better!
LikeLiked by 1 person
No, Dini, I am sorry – 149 rounds to 150 – you completed your GR challenge. I feel you on book events. I don’t think I have been to one since before the pandemic. Yeah, book reviews are never well read though I do read them. I think older books do better for me. More of a chance that someone read the book.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Hahaha, thanks Sam! 😂 It’s interesting that older books do better for you! I’ll have to see whether that’s the case for me as well, although I haven’t been doing a great job of writing reviews in 2025, but maybe for reviews before that, lol.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I hope you manage to get your reading groove back for 2026 and just have a great year all around. 😊
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks, Chris 🙂 Fingers crossed!
LikeLiked by 1 person
I feel as though the current state of global affairs has messed with everyone’s mental health. I have had to cut back on my doom scrolling through social media, and even sites like MSN because there is SO much there that I can’t escape it.
On to happier things, I’m sure your review for Heated Rivalry has gotten more views in recent weeks with the popularity of the show. I know my local bookstore has a distinct lack of her books (the shelf space is there, the books just aren’t).
Pam
LikeLiked by 1 person
I want to say that I hope 2026 will be better for the state of global affairs but with everything I’m seeing lately, it doesn’t seem to be the case. That said, it’s early days yet, so maybe the year will get better! Heated Rivalry was really everywhere towards the end of 2025—the whole community latched on hard to those two men and I mean, I don’t blame them, haha. I loved the show and the book—I just need to read the second part of their story in The Long Game now!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Aww thanks for mentioning me. Im glad we got talking and found each others pages. Im also loving doing buddy reads and surprised by how many we got to. Especially with horror titles too as its not a genre either of us generally reach for 😂
The Instagram post looks lovely and you’re not alone with randomly disappearing from there 🙈 here’s hoping we both stick around more consistently from now 🤞
Its wonderful that you’re having so much fun with Let’s Talk Bookish and I’m definitely going to have to join in sometime. I also think you did wonderfully with those challenges. They were so close that I’d consider them wins.
Omg I cant believe you started Blood Over Bright Haven and put it down at the end of the year. I got it out of the library then never got to starting it between catch up and someone requesting it. Here’s hoping we both love it when we get to it.
I hope you love the new Fonda Lee title and am also very excited for Behind Five Willows although I somehow didnt realise it was a Pride & Prejudice retelling 🙈
I also really hope you find your reading groove again and have an incredible 2026 ❤️❤️
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks for the shout out, my friend!! ❤ We went SO HARD on buddy reads last year and I’m so proud of us! We started and finished/caught up a few series. I believe we had one most months going. We have not had one going this month!! What?! How! haha. I know that work and life has been harder to get you into the reading mood and I hope that changes this year. I hope you have the best year! Much love!! ❤
LikeLiked by 1 person
[…] 2025 End of Year Survey: Parts 2 & 3 […]
LikeLike
This was fun to read! You’re doing an amazing job as an LTB co-host btw, go you!!
I’m curious, how did you figure out that all that Chinese traffic was for AI? A bunch of my posts are on search engines too but I got totally 2.4k views from China. Do you specifically post something that they’re really interested in? 😂
I hope you find your reading groove again this year! I totally understand what you mean by not getting hooked into a book quickly like over a year ago. It’s one of the reasons I’m trying to actively switch to fantasy and other genres that I used to read the most. Hopefully the recent trends in publishing aren’t the reason for this and it’s just me 😬
LikeLike
[…] with an array of wonderful books. You can find part two and three of Leslie’s post here and Dini’s […]
LikeLike
[…] traffic from China has increased because I've seen the same observation mentioned by Hannah and Dini. Dini's was wayyy out of the way but Hannah's stats saw a small jump like mine. No clue what to […]
LikeLike