Books I Wanted to Love (But Didn’t) in 2025.
Some books just don’t stick, and that’s okay. Here’s my list of the 2025 reads that didn’t make the cut — the ones I couldn’t finish or found underwhelming.
I only review books I actually enjoy on The WCL.
I like to think of myself as a careful reader — picky, invested, and hard to disappoint. But every year a few books manage to put me off of reading.
And that never happens!!
These are the reads that frustrated me, or left me wondering why I even bothered.
Consider this your cautionary tale — and my yearly therapy session for wasted reading time!
The Midnight Feast by Lucy Foley
I made it about halfway before saying goodbye to this one.
So much was happening All. The. Time. — too many characters, too many settings changes — it made reading uncomfortable most evenings. I started avoiding it altogether because I didn’t want to untangle the chaos.
A close friend of mine came to the same conclusion after borrowing my copy.
Im sorry? ... But don't do it.
The Hitchhikers by Chevy Stevens
I found it so predictable.
This is a thriller — I expect to be thrilled at least once. Instead, it was a bland, uneventful string of events. Nothing was described in a compelling way, and the characters felt dry, with backstories that were a little cheesy.
I read about three quarters of it and then gave up.
(If something amazing happened in the last quarter, my bad).
If you’re looking for real thrills, read Karin Slaughter.
Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing by Matthew Perry
I honestly don’t know what I was expecting from Mr. Perry with this one.
His addiction takes center stage in this memoir, but I found myself frustrated by his constant blaming of family or upbringing for his choices. He had everything and threw it all away, again and again.
This isn’t a book for everyone; I struggle with stories about people who knowingly risk everything and give up on themselves. Give up on living.
I wish Chandelier Bing were still here to make people laugh.
But everyone takes something different from a book, so please don’t be discouraged if one of these books spoke to you.
That’s one of the main reasons I don’t post “bad” reviews here — every reader approaches a book with different expectations, and the amount of time and heart that goes into writing one is incredible.
Thank you to all the amazing authors who work day and night to create stories for us to enjoy.
You truly make my world go ’round.
Until next time,
Sheila
