Month: January 2025

My Top Ten Bookish Goals for 2025

Posted January 13, 2025 by Jana in About Me, Top Ten Tuesday / 64 Comments


Welcome to another TTT! Are you getting back into the swing of things now that we’re into the second week of 2025? I still want to write 2024 all the time, and it’s going to be a fun month trying to get used to this. LOL. Looking ahead, what are you hoping to accomplish in your bookish life this year? I try not to put undue pressure on myself and just come up with some fun hopes and wishes to help guide my reading when I’m in a slump or not sure what to read. I’m excited to lurk on some blogs this week and see what you inspire me to do!

1. Read 52 (or more) books. 
Back when I read YA, I was reading 70+ books each year but the books were shorter than the adult novels I read now! One book a week seems like a sustainable goal for me. Last year I read 53 pretty easily, so I’m going to stick with that goal and not push myself to read too quickly. I also want time to do other things!

2. Work on that Netgalley ratio!!
Friends, I am struggling with this. I know I’ve said this before, but back in the olden days this ratio didn’t exist and, as a baby blogger who was excited to review books, I requested everything I thought I might like (not expecting to be approved for them all). But I was. lol. I dug myself into a huge hole that I’ve been spending years trying to climb out of. I’m hoping this is the year I hit the recommended 80% (although, if I’m being realistic maybe 60% would be enough to make me feel better this year).

3. Request and accept fewer books for review.
This kind of goes hand in hand with #2. I don’t want to fill my plate so full that I can’t enjoy my Kindle Unlimited and Audible memberships, my library, and the books I already have on my shelves or receive as gifts. For years, I exclusively read review copies and missed out on a lot of other titles I was super excited about.

4. Read more backlist titles.
Being a slower reader means I don’t get to all the books I want to read the year they come out. And then I get bogged down in all the shiny new books the next year and forget about the ones that I was dying for before their releases.

5. Write more reviews, even if they’re tiny. 
I put a lot of pressure on myself to write long, detailed reviews, but sometimes I’m not in the right head space for that! But even just a short paragraph would be worth blogging, right? Would you be happy to read a to-the-point, paragraph-long review or would you skip past it and look for a longer one from someone else?

6. Read more physical books from my shelves.
I’ve got a lot of books on my shelves that get ignored because a Kindle is easier. I want to read my physical books, see if I love them, and donate them if I don’t so I have room for more!

7. Embrace whatever mood I’m in.
This goes for books as well as how I choose to spend my time. If I’m in the mood for a month of thrillers, I need to do it. If I’m reading a book and find I’m not in the mood for it, I need to set it aside or DNF it and find a book I am in the mood for. And if I;m not in the mood to read because I want to binge watch Friends or play a game on my Nintendo Switch, that’s ok too!

8. Re-read more. 
I never used to re-read, but I’ve started doing it more lately and I didn’t realize how much I’d still love my favorite books the second time around! I always worried that I’d get tired of them or decide I don’t like them, but so far re-reading has only brought more joy. And I need all the joy.

9. Prioritize the books I’m most excited about no matter when they come/came out.
Being a mood reader means grabbing what I want when I want it. Reading is not my job. It’s not school. I’m in charge and nobody else. If I want to start a book tonight that has a release date in October, I’m starting it tonight anyway! And if I’m super excited to start a book that came out 50 years ago, that’s fine too. I don’t always have to be reading the latest trending books.

10. Be ruthless with the DNF. 
I own or have access to more books that I will be able to read in my lifetime. So I need to DNF more and find the very best of the best. Life is too short for books I’m not enjoying!

What are some of your reading goals this year?
How many books are you hoping to read in 2025?


2024 End of Year Book Survey

Posted January 9, 2025 by Jana in About Me / 8 Comments

I love doing Jamie’s End of Year Book Survey every year, although I’ve added a few of my own questions and removed some of hers in order to make it work a little better for me. This survey helps me look back and remember all the wonderful (and terrible) books I’ve read throughout the year! Also… buh bye 2024. Don’t let the door hit you on the way out. Can 2025 please be better? So far, I am quite busy which is why I’m so late with this post! (Note: If I’ve mentioned books more than once, I’m only linking to them the first time so my post doesn’t look spammy!)

2024 Reading Stats

Number of books you read: 53 (all featured in the images right below this section)
Number of re-reads: 2
Number of books you DNFed: 46 (not featured in the images below)
Number of pages you read: 14,358
Most read genre: Contemporary romance! I read 34 of them.
Number of new-to-you authors you discovered: 32, I think?

Firsts and Lasts

First book you read: Never Blow a Kiss by Lindsay Lovise
Last book you read:
The Two Bells of Christmas by Joanna Barker
First 2024 release you read: Never Blow a Kiss by Lindsay Lovise

Best In Books

1. Best book you read in 2024:
This is hard, so I’m dividing it up by genre:
Contemporary: Four Weekends and a Funeral by Ellie Palmer
Historical: Never Blow a Kiss by Lindsay Lovise
Fantasy: The Spellshop by Sarah Beth Durst

2. Book you were excited about & thought you were going to love more but didn’t:
The Paradise Problem by Christina Lauren had all the makings of favorite book for me, but I ended up being so disappointed in it. I hated how Anna was portrayed (like is she really this dumb and hopeless?). I am so tired of the Manic Pixie Dream Girl, and that’s what the authors are trying so hard to have her be. I hated the main dude’s entire family. I loved the setting. This could have been so good, but they took everything good from The Unhoneymooners and did the opposite. Wanna know something crazy? A CLo book was my answer for this question in 2023, too. What is happening?!

I was also really surprised that I ended up DNFing some books from authors I really like, such as Haunted Ever After by Jen DeLuca, A Fire in the Sky by Sophie Jordan, The Rule Book by Sarah Adams, and A Fate Inked in Blood by Danielle L. Jensen.

3. Most surprising (in a good way or bad way) book you read:
This is hard, because nothing really surprised me. This really was a pretty meh reading year for me. I guess my biggest surprise was how disappointing The Paradise Problem was.

4. Book you “pushed” the most people to read (and they did):
I was more of a quiet reader this year, not really pushing books like I usually do, but I think I talked about The Spellshop more than any other book this year.

5. Best first book in a series you started in 2024. Best sequel of 2024. Best series ender of 2024.
First: Second Duke’s the Charm by Kate Bateman
Sequel: Just Friends Forever by Martha Keyes
Ender: Business Casual by B.K. Borison

6. Favorite new-to-you author you discovered in 2024:
Betty Cayouette

7. Best book from a genre you don’t typically read/was out of your comfort zone:
I didn’t jump too far out of my comfort zone this year, but I think it’s because I’ve expanded my comfort genres a lot over the years!

8. Most action-packed/thrilling/unputdownable book of the year:
Even though it was a re-read, I still adore The Unhoneymooners by Christina Lauren! I couldn’t put it down… again!

9. Book you read in 2024 that you are most likely to re-read next year?
The Spellshop by Sarah Beth Durst

10. Favorite cover of a book you read in 2024:
A Holiday by Gaslight by Mimi Matthews

11. Most memorable character of 2024:
Ok, there’s a tie so I’m breaking this down to most memorable human character and most memorable plant character.

Human: Guy Maple from The Christmas You Found Me by Sarah Morgenthaler
Plant: Caz the spider plant from The Spellshop by Sarah Beth Durst. This plant is the cutest, and I think listening to the audio made him better for me! Such a fun personality!

12. Most beautifully written book read in 2024:
The Christmas You Found Me by Sarah Morgenthaler was so beautifully written and emotional and tender. I was honestly terrified to read it because the synopsis sounded like it was going to be somber and heavy and a difficult read. I don’t like reading books like that, especially Christmas ones, but this was wonderful and hopeful and so, so sweet.

13. Most thought-provoking/life-changing book of 2024:
Well gosh, I had no idea The Christmas You Found Me by Sarah Morgenthaler would fit so many prompts. I reflected a lot on healing, grief, going through hard things, finding joy wherever you go, and perseverance while reading it.

14. Book you can’t believe you waited UNTIL 2024 to finally read:
A Stranger Is Watching by Mary Higgins Clark, only because it has been out for nearly 50 years and I have loved MHC since I was a kid so how had I not read it yet? lol.

15. Favorite quote from a book you read in 2024:

“It wasn’t that she didn’t like people. It was only that she liked books more. They didn’t fuss or judge or mock or reject. They invited you in, fluffed up the pillows on the couch, offered you tea and toast, and shared their hearts with no expectation that you’d do anything more than absorb what they had to give.”
– The Spellshop
by Sarah Beth Durst

16. Shortest and longest books you read in 2024:
Shortest: A Mistletoe Kiss by Catherine Walsh (25 pages)
Longest: A Court This Cruel and Lovely by Stacia Stark (562 pages)

17. OTP of the year (you will go down with this ship!):
I’m sorry, but it’s Guy and Sienna in The Christmas You Found Me by Sarah Morgenthaler. LOL

18. Favorite non-romantic relationship of the year:
Kiela and her BFF, Caz the spider plant in The Spellshop by Sarah Beth Durst.
Also, Guy’s relationship with his daughter, Emma in The Christmas You Found Me by Sarah Morgenthaler.

19. Favorite book you read in 2024 from an author you’ve read previously:
Old Flames and New Fortunes by Sarah Hogle. Such a fun and whimsical book, as I have come to expect and adore from Sarah! I’m so excited to read the next book in the series this year.

20. Best book you read in 2024 that you read based SOLELY on a recommendation from somebody else:
Four Weekends and a Funeral by Ellie Palmer is a book I never would have picked up if the book’s publicist hadn’t reached out because she thought I’d like it. And I LOVED it. It’s got the perfect combination of feelings and lighter, funnier swoons. There’s also some While You Were Sleeping movie Easter eggs, which was fun.

21. Newest fictional crush from a book you read in 2024:
Shall I be a broken record? Let me see if I can find someone other than Guy… WAIT. The prompt specifies newest fictional crush. So that means Leo from We Three Kings by Kristen Bailey AND Alexander from Miracle on Ladies’ Mile by Joanna Shupe. You can’t make me pick one.

22. Best 2024 debut you read:
Never Blow a Kiss by Lindsay Lovise and One Last Shot by Betty Cayouette.

24. Most vivid setting you read this year:
Ok LOOK. It’s just gonna have to be The Spellshop by Sarah Beth Durst.

25. Book that put a smile on your face/was the most FUN to read:
The Honeymoon Crashers by Christina Lauren. I love a full-cast audiobook, and this is delightful even the second time around!

26. Book that made you cry or nearly cry in 2024:
The Christmas You Found Me by Sarah Morgenthaler

27. Hidden gem of the year:
The One with the Kiss Cam by Cindy Steel

28. Most unique book you read in 2024:
This should come as no surprise. It has a talking plant and merhorses and forest sprites and lots of jam. And it rains flower petals. The Spellshop by Sarah Beth Durst

39. Book that made you the maddest (doesn’t necessarily mean you didn’t like it):
Let’s not beat a dead horse, ok? I would love a CLo book that I will love this year to make up for it.

My Blogging/Bookish Life

1. Favorite review that you wrote in 2024:
So… I only wrote 14 reviews in 2024. That’s bad. I will do better. But I love all of them because they’re my thoughts and I do wish they got more attention, but oh well!

2. Best discussion/non-review post you had on your blog:
Any one of the 50+ Top Ten Tuesdays! I have so much fun making my weekly lists.

3. Best event that you participated in (author signings, festivals, virtual events, memes, etc.):
No events this year.

6. Most popular post this year on your blog (whether it be by comments or views):
Top Ten Favorite Books I Read in 2023 got the most comments!

7. Best bookish discovery (book related sites, book stores, etc.):
No new discoveries, I’m afraid!

8. Did you complete any reading challenges or goals that you had set for yourself at the beginning of this year:
I surpassed my goal of reading 52 books this year by reading 52!

Looking Ahead in 2025

1. Book you are most anticipating in 2025 (non-debut):
Onyx Storm by Rebecca Yarros!!!! I have been waiting for this day, and it’ll be here in less than two weeks! Ahhhh! I love this series, and am both nervous and excited about what Rebecca Yarros is going to put my beloved characters through. lol.

2. 2025 debut you are most anticipating:
It’s hard to pick one, so two it is! I’m excited about Any Trope but You by Victoria Lavine and Crash Landing by Annie McQuaid.

3. Sequel you are most anticipating in 2025:
Honestly, the only series book I’m pining for right now is Onyx Storm. lol. I don’t read many series that end on cliffhangers or feature the same main characters across the series, so I don’t really find myself anticipating the next book in the series for the same reasons as I used to. Now it’s usually just because I love the author and am excited for their next book.

4. One thing you hope to accomplish or do in your reading/blogging life in 2025?
Post more reviews! I have not loved writing them lately. lol. Maybe I can force myself to be ok with writing shorter reviews so the task doesn’t feel as daunting.

Do we have any answers in common?

Pick a question or two and answer them in the comments! Let’s discuss!


My Top Ten Most Anticipated Books Releasing in the First Half of 2025

Posted January 6, 2025 by Jana in Top Ten Tuesday / 17 Comments

Happy New Year!! And welcome to another TTT! Life is slowing down and settling back into business as usual for me after the holidays, so I finally had a chance to sit and look ahead at all the things I’m looking forward to in 2025! Books are a big part of that, and there are some I’m really really looking forward to over the next six months! It’s hard to narrow it down to ten, but here we go!

1. The Lodge by Kayla Olson (January 7, 2025)

Alix Morgan just got her big break as the ghostwriter of a memoir by Sebastian Green, a former member of the boy band True North. And when he offers her a penthouse at a luxurious resort in Vermont, she jumps at the chance to work far away from her noisy, cramped apartment.

Her career as an entertainment journalist has been building toward this dream job—after all, she used to cover True North and was one of the last people to interview former front man Jett Beckett before he disappeared. As she combs through her client’s voice memos, the specter of the missing lead singer remains, and fans are desperate to know the full story.

But Alix also has time for some fun at this glamorous resort, where she begins ski lessons with a handsome instructor named Tyler. As Alix and Tyler fall in love on the slopes, Alix’s work takes a complicated turn—and the mystery of True North’s downfall may be hers to solve.

2. The Starlight Heir by Amalie Howard (January 7, 2025)

A bladesmith blessed by the stars. A prince with a dangerous secret. A god bound in shadows. From USA Today bestselling author Amalie Howard comes a scorching new romantasy that will leave you spellbound.

“His Imperial Majesty King Zarek requests your presence as his esteemed guest.”

When the gold-dusted court invitation arrives at Suraya Saab’s forge, she believes it’s a joke. Nobles might seek her skills as a bladesmith—one of few who can imbue her work with precious jadu, the last source of magic in the realm—but she has no qualifications as a potential bride for the crown prince. Still, the invitation is the chance at adventure, and the means to finally visit the capital city her late mother loved.

But what awaits her in Kaldari is nothing she could have imagined—and fraught with danger. It’s not the crown prince, but his impossibly handsome, illegitimate half-brother, Roshan, who captures her interest…and her ire. The invitation isn’t a quest to find a suitable bride, but a veiled hunt for the Starkeeper—a girl rumored to hold the magic of the stars in her blood. And across the city, unrest is brewing between the noble houses and the rebel militia.

When the rebels attack, Suraya and Roshan find themselves on the run, trying to deny their simmering attraction and the knowledge that Suraya herself might be the Starkeeper. But Roshan is guarding secrets of his own. And with no control over the power stirring within her, Suraya has drawn the attention of a dark god, an immortal whose interest might be the biggest threat of all.

3. Work in Progress by Kat Mackenzie (January 14, 2025)

A warm, sexy, laugh-out-loud rom-com about a woman who, desperate for a fresh start, books a literary bus tour across the UK that consists of a lively group of elderly ladies plus one infuriatingly handsome Scottish driver.

Falling in Love was not on her to-do list.

The last six months of Alice Cooper’s life have been, in her own words, “a poop tornado.” So, in a desperate attempt to pull herself out of the emotional quicksand threatening to swallow her whole, she books a three-week bus tour of literary and historical British sites.

Alice arrives in Edinburgh after a hellish trip involving multiple layovers, crushed luggage, and an epic row with an insolent Scotsman at the lost baggage counter. After a mad dash to catch the tour bus, she discovers that instead of globe-trotting thirtysomethings, the bus is?full of cheerful octogenarians, and that the aforementioned arrogant Scot is the bus driver. Alice is sure he will make the nonrefundable trip a misery.

He is arrogant and rude. He also has beautiful blue eyes and dotes on his elderly charges. The ladies are vivacious and full of stories. The historical sites are entrancing. The book club chat is on fire. And, it’s possible that Alice’s battered heart is starting to beat again.

Onyx Storm by Rebecca Yarros (January 21, 2025)

YESSSSSS. I am SO excited!!!

After nearly eighteen months at Basgiath War College, Violet Sorrengail knows there’s no more time for lessons. No more time for uncertainty.

Because the battle has truly begun, and with enemies closing in from outside their walls and within their ranks, it’s impossible to know who to trust.

Now Violet must journey beyond the failing Aretian wards to seek allies from unfamiliar lands to stand with Navarre. The trip will test every bit of her wit, luck, and strength, but she will do anything to save what she loves―her dragons, her family, her home, and him.

Even if it means keeping a secret so big, it could destroy everything.

They need an army. They need power. They need magic. And they need the one thing only Violet can find―the truth.

But a storm is coming…and not everyone can survive its wrath.

Never Gamble Your Heart by Lindsay Lovise (February 4, 2025)

To find her missing sister, an unconventional governess must infiltrate an infamous gambling den owned by a devilishly handsome rake.

Frankie Turner should be the perfect she’s genteelly born, impoverished, and owns a pair of ugly oversized spectacles. Now if only she didn’t have an alarming tendency to forget her charges while contemplating mathematics principles…

When Frankie’s impulsive younger sister goes missing, Frankie has no idea where to begin the search to find her. But when she discovers hasty marriages materializing between “troublemaking” women and men who don’t deserve them—she knows her sister is somehow involved. The only thread connecting the groomsmen is a membership to Rockford’s, an exclusive gambling hell owned by the devilish Jasper Jones. And it just so happens that Jasper has recently become the guardian of a sullen fifteen-year-old.

Jasper suspects his new governess has an ulterior motive for being in his household, but he can hardly find the time to uncover it when his life is in a constant uproar. First, Frankie teaches his niece how to count cards and then she tries to break into his study. When he finally learns Frankie’s true reason for being there, he agrees to help the brilliant mathematician find her missing sister, even if it means giving her a fake dowry and watching men trip over themselves in her presence. As he and Frankie work together to dismantle a nefarious scheme, Jasper realizes that for the first time in his life, he’s gambled his heart—and possibly lost it.

First-Time Caller by B.K. Borison (February 11, 2025)

A hopeless romantic meets a jaded radio host in this cozy, Sleepless in Seattle-inspired love story from beloved author B.K. Borison.

Aiden Valentine has a secret: he’s fallen out of love with love. And as the host of Baltimore’s romance hotline, that’s a bit of a problem. But when a young girl calls in to the station asking for dating advice for her mom, the interview goes viral, thrusting Aiden and Heartstrings into the limelight.

Lucie Stone thought she was doing just fine. She has a good job; an incredible family; and a smart, slightly devious kid. But when all of Baltimore is suddenly scrutinizing her love life-or lack thereof—she begins to question if she’s as happy as she thought. Maybe a little more romance wouldn’t be such a bad thing.

Everyone wants Lucie to find her happy ending… even the handsome, temperamental man calling the shots. But when sparks start to fly behind the scenes, Lucie must make the final call between the radio-sponsored happily ever after or the man in the headphones next to her.

While the Duke Was Sleeping by Samara Parish (February 25, 2025)

In this whirlwind regency romance, a woman with a secret identity and a rakish bachelor find themselves unable to resist each other.

When Adelaide Rosebourne must impersonate her mistress for a few days, it doesn’t seem like it’ll be a difficult task, even if her mistress’s supposed fiancé is in a coma. All she has to do is wait until he wakes up and then convince him to retract the proposal—thereby securing a tidy reward. What she doesn’t count on is the arrival of the duke’s brother and his damned inconvenient interest in her affairs. But does it really matter? She’ll be gone before he finds out the truth.

Rhett Montgomery knows two things—that he is woefully unprepared to take over the dukedom, and that the woman who claims to be his brother’s betrothed is not who she says she is. No debutante swears so fiercely or kisses with such recklessness. Investigating is what any good brother would do, isn’t it? As long as he doesn’t start falling for her charms as well.

Swept Away by Beth O’Leary (April 1, 2025)

Lost at sea . . . with your one-night stand

Lexi is looking for no-strings-attached fun with a stranger. She deserves one night for herself, doesn’t she?

Zeke is looking for love. But for one night with a woman like Lexi, he’ll break his rules . . .

Sparks fly at the pub, one passionate kiss leads to another and they end up stumbling home to the marina together.

The next morning, hungover and shaken by an amazing night together, Lexi is more than ready for Zeke to leave. There’s just one small problem . . . the houseboat they stayed on has been swept out to sea.

As their supplies start to run dangerously low, and the waves pick up, Zeke and Lexi soon realise there’s much more on the line than their new relationship.

How long can they really survive on a drifting houseboat in the North Sea? Will search and rescue find them? And who will they be if they both make it back to dry land?

The Love Haters by Katherine Center (May 20, 2025)

It’s a thin line between love and love-hating.

Katie Vaughn has been burned by love in the past—now she may be lighting her career on fire. She has two choices: wait to get laid off from her job as a video producer or, at her coworker Cole’s request, take a career-making gig profiling Tom “Hutch” Hutcheson, a Coast Guard rescue swimmer in Key West.

The catch? Katie’s not exactly qualified. She can’t swim—but fakes it that she can.

Plus: Cole is Hutch’s brother. And they don’t get along. Next stop paradise!

But paradise is messier than it seems. As Katie gets entangled with Hutch (the most scientifically good looking man she has ever seen . . . but also a bit of a love hater), along with his colorful Aunt Rue and his rescue Great Dane, she gets trapped in a lie. Or two.

Swim lessons, helicopter flights, conga lines, drinking contests, hurricanes, and stolen kisses ensue—along with chances to tell the truth, to face old fears, and to be truly brave at last.

The Ripple Effect by Maggie North (June 17, 2025)

A grumpy burnt out physician and a sunshine psychologist must fake an engagement to save his whitewater canoeing/ relationship therapy startup in Maggie North’s sparkling second novel about starting over.

Burned-out former ER doc Stellar J Byrd can solve any crisis except her own life. But with her financial prospects dwindling, she’d do anything to stay in her beloved, pricey wilderness town—even take a job as a camp physician at The Love Boat, an unspeakably touchy-feely whitewater canoeing/ relationship therapy startup. If there are sing-alongs, she’s calling in sick.

What’s worse? The founder is Lyle “McHuge” McHugh, the sunshiny psychologist she’s masterfully avoided since their disastrous hookup last year. Hardheaded relationship bean-counter Stellar plans to dodge his pathological generosity from now until September, but after a scathing article puts McHuge’s credibility into question, the two are forced into a fake engagement to salvage the camp’s crumbling public image. It’s strictly business . . . but the more closely they work together, the more Stellar realizes her feelings for Lyle are anything but professional.

This summer is nothing like Stellar expected, but could it be exactly what she needed? With a colorful cast of camp-goers, including a journalist intent on bringing The Love Boat down and an estranged celebrity sibling, plus a dash of corporate espionage, Maggie North’s signature heart and heat shine in The Ripple Effect.

Are you looking forward to any of these books?
What’s your number one, most-anticipated book that’s coming out this year?