It’s time for a new year of reading! By the end of 2025, I finished the year with 60 books read, my highest total yet! Now, I’m looking forward to 2026; it’s going to be a busy year, so I’m scaling my total book goal down to 55.
Other reading goals I hope to achieve this year are having less than 50% of my reads fall into the romance category (I love the genre, but I need a bit of a break) and to read six nonfiction books. Both of which, I am happy to report, I’ve already made progress on!
As for my January reading, there’s something special about the promise of a new year, and that definitely extended into my reading. With some time at home to start the month, I hit the ground running and finished six books in January. As for the stats of those reads, I got through 2,097 pages and read physically, on my Kindle, and through audio.
*Note: Although a few books this month I read were given to me early through the publisher, all my reviews contain my honest thoughts.
- The Hunting Party by Lucy Foley
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I had been meaning to read this thriller set over New Year’s for the past two or three winters, and this year I finally got to it! The story follows a group of college friends (with some messy relationships between them) who are snowed in at a hunting lodge during a group trip.
From the beginning of the book, you know one of the friends dies, but you don’t know who or how until the end. While the beginning was a little slow and character-focused for me, I was audibly gasping throughout the last 70-90% of the book. I’ve read some Lucy Foley before, and she will get you!
Do I recommend it? Maybe, but if you want an atmospheric winter thriller, I’d choose Dead of Winter by Darcy Coates instead (one of my favorites from 2024).
- People We Meet on Vacation by Emily Henry
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In honor of the movie adaptation that came out on Jan. 9, I decided to do a re-read of a book from one of my favorite authors! While I think People We Meet on Vacation doesn’t quite crack my top two Emily Henry books (shoutout Happy Place and Book Lovers), I really enjoyed getting to revisit this since I hadn’t read it since 2022. I had totally forgotten how much I love Poppy’s inner monologue and struggle with romantic relationships. Friends-to-lovers isn’t always my favorite trope, but this book truly has so much heart.
Do I recommend it? Yes! Although it’s very different from the movie, Emily Henry’s romance almost always gets a thumbs up from me.
- Red City by Marie Lu
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Pitched as a “dark and deadly contemporary fantasy of magical warfare, star-crossed ambition and the pursuit of perfection at any cost, set in a glittering alternate Los Angeles,” Red City is Marie Lu’s first adult novel. And wow, did I enjoy it! Even though Part One dragged a bit, Parts Two and Three of this book had me on the literal edge of my seat.
Lu crafts such a rich world that questions morals and features characters who are both flawed and easy to root for at the same time. The gore, bloodshed, and body count were insane, and as a massive horror/thriller fan, it made the story that much more entertaining and raised the stakes. I will be first in line to read book two!
Do I recommend it? Absolutely yes! Just know you might have to push through Part One.
- They Can’t Kill Us Until They Kill Us by Hanif Abdurraqib
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This is how you write about music.
Part memoir, part social commentary about music’s connection to our lives, Abdurraqib’s writing shines throughout this collection of essays. He also narrates the audiobook, which I highly recommend. My favorites of the collection were Brief Notes on Staying and On Summer Crushes.
“And maybe this is what it’s like to live in these times. The happiness is fleeting. And so we search for more while the world burns around us. There’s an option in that too, in knowing that more happiness is possible.”
Do I recommend it? Yes, especially if you’re a music fan (but read it even if you’re not).
- Rooting Interest by Cat Disabato
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If you know anything about me, it’s that I’m a huge sports fan, so I couldn’t wait to get to this queer romance novella between a WNBA star and a journalist! The romance was so sweet, and the representation was something I yearn for in a repetitive genre.
The short page count caused a few issues for me, such as the lack of depth into Nat’s character, or how the setup was a little unrealistic. But overall, it was enjoyable. Additionally, the conversation around how Nat and Felix’s identities and jobs are shaped by being queer was refreshing. It was a little cheesy at times, but reading this over a weekend of watching Unrivaled was so special.
Do I recommend it? If you’re looking for some variety in your romance reading, yes!
- Oxford Blood by Rachael Davis-Featherstone
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Due to this being a YA thriller, I flew through the book. But I did find that the characters were a little one-dimensional at times. This was a tad disappointing since a lot of the conversation around privilege — especially when it comes to race — and reparations due to past mistakes were really interesting to me. Definitely a quick read, but overall, this one didn’t do a lot for me.
Do I recommend it? Maybe? I think my younger self would’ve liked it more
Despite not having any new favorites this month, I was happy to start the year with good reading habits. It’s always a good feeling to get through some of my Advanced Reader Copies (ARCs) and read a non-fiction book! If you’re interested in seeing real-time updates, friend me on Goodreads. I’ll be back to share my February reads soon!
What did you read last month?
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