January 2025 Books

pin and picture found here

Today I am sharing my new reading goals for 2025, as well as the books I read in January.

Here are my 2025 reading goals:
1. Read 250 books. This includes the books I read to the kids, audiobooks, and anything I read for myself. 28 READ
2. Read twelve self-help/education books. 2 READ
3. Re-read twelve books. There are so many good ones I have been meaning to re-read, so this is my goal to help with that! 3 READ

I am also participating in a few book-related challenges this year:
1. The 2025 Audiobook Challenge, and my goal is the “Binge Listener” level (20-30 audiobooks.) 1 READ
2. The 2025 Netgalley and Edelweiss Reading Challenge, and my goal is the silver level which is reading and reviewing at least 25 books off my Netgalley list (I have 37 currently.)
3. The Craving for Cozies Challenge, and my goal is the “Famished” level which is 26-50 cozy mysteries. I have done this challenge the past two years, and it was a lot of fun, so I decided to do it again. 6 READ

A few formatting notes for my book posts:
1. I have inserted pictures as well as Amazon links to the books I enjoyed most for the month so that it is easier to read more about each book if you are interested. Hopefully, your local library system will carry most of these.
2. If I completed a more detailed review of any of these books, I included a review link after my comments.
3. If a book is not available yet, you will see the publication date in parenthesis after my comments.
4. I have rated each book using a bold numbered star after each comment.

The rating system is as follows:
*5-This book was so good, I either bought it, or think it is worth buying. I am pretty picky about the books I buy, so this is as good as it gets!
*4-This book was worth reading, but not necessarily worth buying-look for these books at your local library
*3-This book was just OK. I wouldn’t need to read it again.
*2-Don’t bother
*1-There probably won’t be any of these, because if it was THIS bad, I wouldn’t finish it. 🙂

Here are the books I read this month:

1. Sophie’s Squash by Pat Zietlow Miller-this book is so wonderful. I had to read it again before it went back to the library! *5

2. Time of Wonder by Robert McCloskey-beautiful-I loved this book *5
3. Bear Feels Scared by Karma Wilson-this series is so cute for littles *4
4. Fletcher and the Falling Leaves by Julia Rawlinson-good *3
5. Fall Walk by Virginia Brimwell Snow-OK *3
6. Construction Site: Garbage Crew to the Rescue! by Sherri Duskey Rinker-good *4
7. A Boy Called Dickens by Deborah Hopkinson-interesting *3
8. Tomfoolery! by Michelle Markel-fun! *4
9. A Berry Horrible Holiday (Kylie Berry Mysteries #7) by A.R. Winters-good *4
10. Atomic Habits by James Clear-excellent again! *5
11. A Berry Perplexing Puzzle (Kylie Berry Mysteries #8) by A.R. Winters-good *4
12. A Berry Unlucky Assassin (Kylie Berry Mysteries #9) by A.R. Winters-good *4
13. The Great Zapfino by Mac Barnett-OK *3
14. A Unicorn Named Sparkle and the Perfect Valentine by Amy Young-cute *3
15. Santa’s First Christmas by Mac Barnett-good *3
16. A Berry Bookish Puzzle (Kylie Berry Mysteries #10) by A. R. Winters-good *4
17. A Berry Terrible Tour Group (Kylie Berry Mysteries #11) A. R. Winters-good *4
18. The Shift by Gary Foster (audiobook)-good as always! *4
19. I’ll Love You ‘Till the Crocodiles Smile by Kathryn Cristaldi-OK *3

20. Too Many Pumpkins by Linda White-very good *5
21. Happy Valentine’s Day, Mouse! Laura Joffe Numeroff-OK *3
22. The Goodnight Train Valentine by June Sobel-OK *3
23. A Berry Peculiar Party (Kylie Berry Mysteries #12) by A. R. Winters-good *4

24. Rent Yourself an Elf (Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas #1) by Savanna Scott-excellent! I love this book, and the second time around was just as good as the first! *5
25. Catch Yourself a Snowmance (Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas #2) by Savanna Scott-good *4
26. The Backup Princess (Royally Kissed #1) by Kate O’Keefe-good *4
27. Royally Matched (Royally Kissed #2) by Kate O’Keefe-not nearly as good as the first one *3
28. Jacob DeShazer: Forgive Your Enemies by Janet Benge-good *4

This month I read one book to the kids, and I read/listened to twelve books just for me. I read fifteen picture books to myself for review.

Well, that’s it for today. I will share my February books the first Tuesday in March.