What I Read in January

And some belated thoughts on 2025 reading goals

My primary reading goal this year is to be more intentional. Last year, I swung too far in the direction of mood reading and reacting to the chaos of my Libby holds. As a result, I read too many books that were just okay. I also made little progress on some larger reading projects I want to tackle (like reading down my physical TBR, for example). So, here’s what I’m thinking for 2025:

1. Read 75 books. This goal reflects my desire to read more difficult texts, and let what I read marinate more. I also want to spend more time writing longer book reviews.

2. Read one work by Toni Morrison, August Wilson, or Octavia E. Butler per month. I’ve only read one book by each of these iconic authors, and this is the year I correct that. Also, my son is named after August Wilson, which feels like further motivation to become more familiar with his oeuvre.

3. Read two books from my physical TBR per month. I am an e-reader girlie and I struggle to read physical copies of books. Yet, you wouldn’t know that from my bookshelves. This year, I’m going to read more of what I own and reacquaint myself with a physical reading experience.

4. Read one banned book per month. As an education policy researcher who cares about strengthening public education, I am deeply concerned about the rise in state censorship efforts and book bans. So, my plan is to read more banned books and continue to take action against these trends.

5. Write a review for every book I read. Writing book reviews helps me sharpen my thinking about books I’ve read. It’s a practice I’ve really come to enjoy as part of the reading experience, and one I’m planning to continue in 2025.

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January Reads

January felt like the longest year of my life. There were too many snow days and school closures amidst a busy work schedule, the US nosedived into a constitutional crisis, and my toddler stopped napping out of nowhere (truly, wtf?!).

Still, I managed to read twelve books, including a few pretty fantastic titles. I read an exceptional memoir (Hunger by Roxane Gay), some incredible nonfiction, I dipped my toe into science fiction and fantasy, and, of course, I read a few delicious romance novels along the way. I didn’t achieve all my monthly reading goals (no banned books, nor any works by Morrison, Wilson, or Butler), but that’s okay! Progress >> Perfection.

Favorites

Hunger: A Memoir of (My) Body by Roxane Gay | Memoir

Roxane Gay’s writing has had a profound influence on me and her 2017 memoir was no different. Hunger is a raw and evocative exploration of the ways trauma, hunger, desire, and stories impact us and how we move through the world. It is about the everyday indignities of being a fat black woman in a hostile world. And because it’s also Roxane Gay, it’s also a sharp cultural critique of the ways girls and women are conditioned to make themselves small, how fat girls and women are taught to be grateful for any romantic attention, the “weight-loss industrial complex” and spectacle of celebrity weight loss, and more. And like Bad Feminist, it’s also about the contradictions we inhabit. I especially appreciated how honest Gay is about her desires for a thinner body, even as someone who intellectually understands the root of those desires. Hunger was tough to read given the traumas Gay has endured (CW: she was gang-raped by a group of boys when she was 12-years-old, which she discusses at length), but I’m so grateful that Gay brought her intellect and skill to write about her life in this phenomenal memoir.

Challenger: A True Story of Heroism and Disaster on the Edge of Space by Adam Higginbotham | Nonfiction

As an education policy scholar who studies the federal bureaucracy, I was completely captivated by this deeply researched account of the 1986 Challenger disaster, a tragic story about technical innovation and stunning hubris. Challenger is an incredible work of narrative nonfiction that details the many failures— both bureaucratic and technical— that led to the 1986 disaster. I loved how Higginbotham is able to tell both the larger story of Challenger alongside the human stories of the many individuals who worked on the project, including the seven astronauts who ultimately lost their lives. Higginbotham’s skill in building narrative suspense and tension is remarkable— especially considering that the reader knows what’s going to happen. (I listened to and enjoyed this on audio 🎧.)

Indigo by Beverly Jenkins | Historical Romance

When Hester Wyatt, a conductor on the Underground Railroad, agrees to hide a severely wounded man, she finds herself surprisingly captivated by the arrogant and stubborn Galen Vachon (himself, an indispensable member of the northern underground railroad network). This was my first historical romance by Beverly Jenkins, and I get it! This was the perfect blend of historical fiction and romance. Jenkins tells a rich narrative about the Underground Railroad and free Black communities at the northern border, while exploring themes of solidarity and classism in pre-Civil War America, all while telling a love story filled with passion and yearning. The skill! I loved the characterization and Jenkins’ writing style. I was obsessed with the fiercely independent and brave heroine Jenkins created in Hester. I loved the banter and chemistry between Hester and Galen, and their HEA was so incredibly satisfying. I cannot wait to read more from Jenkins’ extensive backlist.

Loved

Hope in the Dark: Untold Histories, Wild Possibilities by Rebecca Solnit | Nonfiction

A short non-fiction work by Rebecca Solnit, a feminist writer and activist, that outlines the case for hope in the face of global challenges and uncertain futures. Even though this book was first published in 2004, so many of Solnit’s key arguments remain salient and relevant today. Solnit brings forth a myriad of examples to highlight the ways that moments of significant positive social change are the product of countless actions (both big and small)— actions that we often cannot appreciate the full impact of for years to come.

“Hope locates itself in the premises that we don’t know what will happen and that in the spaciousness of uncertainty is room to act.” (pg. 15)

There is hope in appreciating the complexities of our history— a history filled with stories of despair, activism, incremental and occasionally incredibly progress. Solnit also makes clear the strong connection between hope and action— hope springs from action, with action serving as an antidote to despair. While our political challenges certainly seem worse relative to the early 2000s context of this book, there are many lessons to learn from this work as we face the second Trump administration.

Democracy in Chains: The Deep History of the Radical Right's Stealth Plan for America by Nancy MacLean | Nonfiction

If you are at all interested in understanding the ideologies of the billionaire libertarians (e.g., the Koch brothers) who financed the radical right-wing movements that have captured the Republican Party, this is the book you. Relying on a corpus of primary sources, MacLean details the significant influence the political economist James Buchanan had on the radical, libertarian wings of the conservative movement. Buchanan’s theories of public choice economics were used to motivate and justify efforts to undermine public trust in government institutions and privatize public services. Worse still, Buchanan and his conspirators promoted stealth, antidemocratic means through which to achieve their ends (a far smaller government that provides only protection for property rights and national defense). I found MacLean’s work edifying and her writing captivating. Given the obfuscation and deceit that characterizes contemporary right-wing movements, works like Democracy in Chains and Jane Mayer’s Dark Money provide much needed insight into the workings and ideological underpinnings of the radical right-wing movements that are reshaping American democracy for worse. An excellent and infuriating read to start the year.

Really liked

Tastes Like Shakkar by Nisha Sharma (If Shakespeare Was an Auntie #2) | Romance

Loosely inspired by Shakespeare’s Much Ado About Nothing, wedding planner Bobbi Kaur is determined to make her best friend’s wedding perfect, and to do so requires working with the infuriating chef Benjamin “Bunty” Padda, the groom’s best friend. Bobbi and Bunty have electric chemistry and sexual tension, and the evolution of their relationship from at each other’s throats to enjoying a weekend sex-romp was a lot of fun to read. I loved Sharma’s emphasis on community and friendship and getting to spend time with the broader cast of characters. Like Dating Dr. Dil, I found the B-plot a bit silly at times, but overall I enjoyed this one and plan to finish the series.

Blood Over Bright Haven by M.L. Wang | Fantasy

A favorite of BookTok (RIP) and BookTube, I picked up this stand-alone fantasy novel on a whim when I saw the e-book on sale and it did not disappoint. The story follows Sciona, a notably talented mage selected as the first woman to join the elite High Magistry, a powerful group of mages whose spells run their cloistered city (imagine civil engineers but with magic). Unsurprising to no one (except Sciona), the good ole boys club that is the High Magistry turns out to be a pretty crappy (and misogynistic) place to work. Sciona’s colleagues don’t take her or her work seriously— so much that they assign the janitor, Thomil, to work as her research assistant. Sciona and Thomil strike up an unlikely friendship and in working together discover a dark secret about their city that sets the larger plot line in motion. I enjoyed a lot about this book including the magic system (which was really fun to read about and imagine) and the world building. I appreciated how the author explores political themes of colonization and class and social inequality through the narrative, though those themes felt a bit heavy handed and too on-the-nose at times. I found Sciona’s character frustratingly naive, though I thought her characterization served the broader narrative and themes very well. I loved Wang’s depiction of Sciona reckoning with learning the truth about herself and her world, and where and how her story ends. Overall, this made me want to pick up more of Wang’s work and more standalone fantasy novels.

All Systems Red by Martha Wells (The Murderbot Diaries #1) | Science Fiction

A short novella about an antisocial sentient security robot who hacked his mainframe in a dystopian future that features corporate captured space exploration. The robot, who's named himself “Murderbot”, hides his consciousness from his corporate owners and the team of scientists he’s been assigned to accompany on a scouting mission to another planet, preferring to keep to himself so he can ponder the meaning of his existence and catch up on his favorite serial dramas. I read this over a few days and it was a fun, quirky ride featuring astute and funny musings on what it means to be human. I sometimes find adult science fiction and fantasy difficult to get into (especially if the world building is complex), but this was the perfect amount of science fiction for me. There are seven books in this series (with at least two more expected), and at this point I’m curious enough to keep going. I also love novellas!

Liked, but didn’t love

A Reaper at the Gates by Sabaa Tahir (An Ember in the Ashes #3) | YA fantasy

This is the third installment in the An Ember in the Ashes series which follows three main characters as they navigate various social and political conflicts in a magical and brutal Roman Empire-like world. I enjoyed elements of this book including the world building, the expanded set of POVs included, and the development of some of the side characters (like Cook’s backstory, which was both surprising and haunting). Though, similar to the second book, I found this too plot heavy. I wanted more character development and backstory. I was especially disappointed that we spent so little time with Devin after spending the first two books following Laia and Elias on their quest to save him. I would also have loved to learn more about Musa’s backstory and the origin of his magical powers. I’m sure I’ll finish this series because I’m too invested at this point, but I’m really hoping for more character development in the final book.

We Could Be So Good by Cat Sebastian | Historical romance

A historical queer M/M romance set in 1950s New York City between two newspaper journalists— Nick Russo, an up-and-coming reporter from Brooklyn, and Andy Fleming, the newspaper owner’s son whose forced to take a job in the newsroom in preparation for an eventual move into management. I’ve heard nothing but great things about this book and I was surprised when the romance fell flat for me. Though I think the culprit was the audiobook. The narrator’s 1950s New York and Brooklyn Italian accents were cartoonish in a way I found distracting. I also found the novel too long, and without sufficient romantic tension in the third act. Though outside of the romance, I enjoyed a lot about the book including: the depth Sebastian brought to Nick and Andy, their friendship and its’ grumpy-sunshine dynamic, the mid-century NYC setting, and learning about queer culture during this time period.

Sleeping with the Frenemy by Natalie Caña (Vega Family Love Stories #3) | Romance

The third installment in the Vega Family series follows the youngest son, Leo, a fun, (and once carefree) firefighter working to recover from a near fatal gunshot wound, and Sofi, his sister’s best friend and former secret on-and-off again lover. We meet Sofi as she finds herself unexpectedly crashing on her mom’s couch following a soul-searching year spent abroad that left her feeling no less lost. I enjoyed a lot about this book, especially Caña’s emphasis on community and depiction of Latine families and community dynamics. The characters had great chemistry and their backstory was a fun place to start a romance novel (and not one that I’ve read recently). That said, similar to the first book, I hated the ending. The public grand gesture didn’t feel true to the characters, or what they needed to earn their Happily Ever After. These are two people who have avoided direct communication about their feelings for more than a decade(!!!) and they desperately needed to talk, to each other, in private, about their feelings!

Isabel and the Rogue by Liana De la Rosa (The Luna Sisters #2) | Historical romance

Isabel Luna Valdés, a Mexican heiress who relocated to London with her two sisters during the French occupation of Mexico, is a bookish wallflower whose been tasked with spying on the British peerage in search of any information that might help the Mexican president defeat Napoleon and the French. Isabel finds herself constantly crossing paths with the frustratingly handsome Captain Sirius Dawson, a rakish war veteran who works as a covert agent for the British Home Office. Like the first book in this series, I enjoyed elements of this story especially seeing Isabel come into her own and step outside the shadow of her more outgoing sisters. But again, the pacing felt too slow. I was so bored by the time the grand gesture was revealed, its emotional weight didn’t land. I like the youngest sister’s character a lot, so I may still pick up the third book featuring her love story (though, truly, I’m not sure why I would).

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What I’m currently reading

• Say Nothing: A True Story of Murder and Memory in Northern IrelandPatrick Radden Keefe. 🎧 I’m 85% through this absolutely captivating true story about a series of murders that took place during a period of violent conflict known as The Troubles in Northern Island.

• Girlhood by Melissa Febos. I’ve read essays by Melissa Febos over the years, but not her longer works and with her new book coming out in June, I wanted to correct that. So far, her reflections on girlhood are searing and painfully resonant.

• Harlem Rhapsody by Victoria Christopher Murray. I somehow snagged this very recently released historical fiction about the literary icon, Jessie Redmon Fauset, first from the library and I’ve got a week left to finish it!

P.S. Let’s be friends on Storygraph!