Gone is the 2024 ‘wrap up’ post, we’re bringing in a new style for 2025! We’re leaving the wall of stats in 2024, keeping the reflections in 2025 and adding something new. You may or may not know, that I started a reading journal for 2025 and so part of this Wrap Up post will be gathering the information I am collecting for my journal and sharing it here! So you may recognise some of those stats from the old 2024 style of Wrap Up but it will no longer be just a giant wall of them.
Additionally, I’m bringing back the book of the month! As well as discussing some of my favourite reads of the month (though this might be more discussing my biggest surprise of the month). At the end of December I’ll use the Books of the Months in a Bracket Battle to see which one I’d decide is my Book of 2025! Though this will be in addition to my Top X of the year, because as we found out last year, you don’t have to have been rated the best in order to make that list…
So here are the books I read in January:
I had a brilliant reading month in January – which is pretty unheard of for me! I typically read one series in January and then kind of hit a wall with reading and end up taking a break. I think this year it helped that so many of my friends were reading as well (part of new years resolutions I suppose) that everyone was always encouraging each other and talking about their latest reads. It’s been great fun and as a result, I didn’t end up feeling guilty for spending so much time reading nor ever hitting that reading slump that I’m used to hitting early in the year.
Reading Journal Stats
Stats about the types books I read
| # Physical Books off TBR | # of Days Read | # of Pages Read | # of Kindle Books | # of Audio Books | # of Books Read |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4.5 | 31 | Approx 5,720 | 9.1 | 0.4 | 14 |
Stats about the Spice level in the books I read (a 🌶 in the review list indicates a spicey book)
| W/ Spice | W/ Steam | Without |
|---|---|---|
| 6 | 2 | 6 |
Stats about the Ratings I gave the books I read (the books in the joined 6 star club would have been rated 5 stars on Goodreads and the Blog hence it looks like there are 3 more ratings below than books read)
| Joined 6⭐Club | 5⭐ | 4.5 ⭐ | 4 ⭐ | 3.5 ⭐ | 3 ⭐ | Less than 3⭐ | DNF |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | 6 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 0 |
Book Bracket Entry – Favourite Book of the Month
Shadow & Storms by helen Scheuerer
I don’t think I need to explain myself, because this book was perfect (other than the fact it meant saying goodbye to these characters… though not for long as there is a sequel series coming out!).
This author is an auto-buy author for me, I love Helen and I am now convinced that everything she comes out with will be gold.
I will add that Six Scorched Roses by Carissa Broadbent was that good that despite it being under 200 pages I almost made it my favourite book of the month. Ultimately, Shadow & Storms won out in the internal struggle… But it was close.
Biggest Surprise of the Month
BLOOD OVER BRIGHT HAVEN BY M.L WANG
Blood Over Bright Haven was easily the best biggest surprise for me. I did not expect to love it like I did, but it was amazing. I have already recommended it to multiple people as it was such a shock for me. I can’t wait to read The Sword of Kaigen by M.L Wang as well because I think she has a talent for writing stand alone books!
To Bleed a crystal bloom by Sarah A. Parker
I am still so upset and surprised at how much this book didn’t click with me…Or I didn’t click with the book. I loved When the Moon Hatched and had such high hopes for this dark Rapunzel retelling but I was confused the whole way through and didn’t connect to anyone the way I would have liked too (especially our FMC)… I think I will continue the series, but I’m not going to rush to get to it. Such a surprise 😔
General reflection
I didn’t have a full month of hits, but I did read some brilliant books in January! I knew we were starting the year off with a banger as Onyx Storm was releasing. Two of my other anticipated reads from 2025 came out in January, but my TBR was already huge so I chose to push them to a different month… Honestly, 2025 is going to be a brilliant year in terms of new releases! I might do a post about them and see if you are excited for some of the same books.
I made a start on my Throne of Glass journey with my partner, which I’m excited for. I didn’t quite get to start The Cosmere trek, but I will definitely be getting to it in February! I really thought I was one of the like last people in the BookTok / Tube / Gram circle I follow to get to the Cosmere but as it turns out there are a lot of people who want to make 2025 the Year of the Cosmere too! It’s exciting as it’ll feel like having a big ol’ book club even though I’m not actually talking to anyone directly.
Review Links / Dates
Kingdom of the Wicked by Kerri Maniscalco – Already available – 3.5 ⭐
Throne of Glass by Sarah J Maas – Already available – 5 ⭐
Six Scorched Roses by Carissa Broadbent – Already available – 5 ⭐ (part of the 6⭐ club) – 🌶
City of Ruin by Charissa Weaks – Already available – 3.5 ⭐ – 🌶
Shadow & Storms by Helen Scheruer – Already available – 5 ⭐ (part of the 6 ⭐ club) – 🌶
Blood Over Bright Haven by M.L Wang – Already available – 5 ⭐
The Plea by Steve Cavanagh – Already available – 5 ⭐
The Book of Doors by Gareth Brown – Already available – 3 ⭐
Once Upon a Broke Heart by Stephanie Garber – Available 5th February – 3 ⭐
Belladonna by Adalyn Grace – Available 7th February – 4 ⭐
Onyx Storm by Rebecca Yarros – Available 11th February – 5 ⭐ (part of the 6⭐ club) – 🌶
To Bleed a Crystal Bloom by Sarah A. Parker – Available 13th February – 2.5 ⭐ – 🌶
Crown of Midnight by Sarah J Maas – Available 15th February – 4.5⭐
Pestielence by Laura Thalassa – Available 19th February – 4⭐ – 🌶
Reading With Tyler 
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