Reading Recap: January 2025

A couple absolute bangers + one book that was not for me

Feb 05, 2025

January was such a loooooong month. With everything that was going on in the world (*gestures around wildly*), I felt like I wasn’t reading as much. But maybe it was that I was more distracted and less focused on my reads than usual. Despite all of that, I still managed to finish six books. I’d say I enjoyed every book I read last month (except for one, which we’ll get into below) and two of them were really excellent reading experiences. Without further ado, let’s dive into the books I finished last month!

So Let Them Burn by Kamilah Cole | YA Fantasy

I was craving something with dragons and then I remembered that I had this book on my TBR shelf. I really enjoyed this Black YA fantasy about two sisters who are trying to protect their home island and save it from being conquered. I love that we got both sister’s perspectives and I admired how fiercely they were devoted to each other.

In the beginning I did feel a bit like I’d been dropped into the story and missed a chapter, but then I quickly caught up. Cole writes about the burden of duty and having the weight of the world and their expectations on your shoulders. She also writes about the desire to step out of someone else’s shadow and make your own mark on the world. I definitely related more to Elara’s character (eldest daughter to eldest daughter). Sometimes I wanted to shake Faron for her childishness and recklessness, but then I reminded myself that she is an actual child (I believe she’s 17 throughout the book).

The ending was an absolute cliffhanger. Thank goodness the second book comes out soon because I need to know what happens next!

The Favorites by Layne Fargo* | Contemporary Fiction

The girlies were going feral over this book and I completely understand why. Once you pick this book up, you won’t want to put it down!

I loved Layne Fargo’s last book and figure skating is one of my favorite Olympic sports, so I was immediately on board when I heard the premise of this book. THE FAVORITES is juicy and full of drama, and I loved every single second of it.

It reminded me of DAISY JONES & THE SIX, as well as THE FINAL REVIVAL OF OPAL & NEV, in the way it was structured. There are interviews from other characters sprinkled throughout the story that really add color to Kat and Heath’s journey. I also felt like the book was well-researched in its discussion of the figure skating world, but I’d be curious to know what actual figure skaters think about the representation here.

Fargo does an excellent job of foreshadowing and building up the tension, which leaves you desperate to know what exactly happened between Kat and Heath. We do get Kat’s first person POV, but not Heath’s. This did make the narrative feel a bit one-sided and I definitely felt like I knew more about Kat as a character vs. Heath.

This has a full cast audiobook and it is excellent (side note: Can we talk about how Johnny Weir was the perfect choice to narrate the character of Ellis Dean??). I ended up switching back and forth between the physical copy and audiobook and I had a great reading experience with both.

What a wild ride! This was just SO fun and entertaining to read. If you’re looking for a real pageturner, this just might be the one for you!

I also really enjoyed reading this interview with Layne Fargo that Sara wrote for her newsletter, Fiction Matters.

James by Percival Everett* | Literary Fiction

I wasn’t sure what to expect while reading my first Percival Everett book, but perhaps I thought it might be dense and difficult to read. I actually found it very accessible. Yes, it was difficult to read at times because of the subject matter, but not because of the writing. JAMES is just as brilliantly written as everyone says it is, as well as biting, smart, and humorous at times.

Everett writes about the power and importance of words. How enslaved people were expected to speak a certain way and act a certain way. How they weren’t taught to read or write, because an educated enslaved person was far too dangerous. I absolutely loved the way that Everett played with language. Oh and I wrote down this quote for the “books are not political” people:

At that moment, the power of reading made itself clear and real to me. If I could see the words, then no one could control them or what I got from them. They couldn’t even know if I was merely seeing them or reading them, sounding them out or comprehending them. It was a completely private affair and completely free and, therefore, completely subversive.

We see James code switch when he’s around white people, as well as teach others to do the same. It’s a harrowing journey for James as a runaway slave, but James is determined to survive and reunite with his wife and child.

I’m so glad I finally read this book and I feel that books like this are even more important in our current political climate.

I loved reading this interview with Percival Everett that Cree Myles wrote for Elle.

Woo Woo by Ella Baxter | Literary Fiction

This is one of those books that you finish and think, “WTF did I just read??” I felt a bit like my brain was broken when I finished this read and I don’t know if I mean that in a good way or bad way. I can’t say that I enjoyed it, but I think perhaps it was somewhat effective in the way the story was told.

I read most of this in one sitting and I certainly felt something while reading. I almost felt like I was Sabine, experiencing the spiral with her. This book is definitely weird and out there. The word that kept coming to mind while I was reading was unhinged.

I knew pretty early on that this book wasn’t for me, but I kept going because it’s our book club pick this month. I’m very curious to see what other people think because I feel like this is a book you either love or hate!

You Between the Lines by Katie Naymon* | Romance

I really enjoyed this debut novel about the main character Leigh, who is shocked to see her high school crush turned nemesis ten years later at the same MFA program she’s enrolled in.

I’ve read books about writers before, but I don’t think I’ve read one where the main character was a poet, so that was an interesting perspective. I’m not a huge poetry reader myself, but I think that if you were, you might enjoy that aspect of this book even more than I did.

Leigh is quite insecure throughout the whole novel, which was a little bit painful to read. At the same time, I understood her feelings around not belonging or like she didn’t fit the typical mold of who a poet “should be.” I was rooting for her and wanted her to break free from her negative self-talk. I also appreciated the discussion around vulnerability and how difficult it can be to be vulnerable with your art or in your life.

I thought there were some pretty swoony moments in this book- things like notes passed back and forth and passing physical touches (was it accidental or on purpose?!). I’ll also mention that this is the second time wrists have been featured in a romance novel I’ve read recently and I am here for a sexy wrist moment. The author created great chemistry between Leigh and Will and I couldn’t wait for them to get out of their own way and just get together already!

Comedic Timing by Upasna Barath* | Romance

I think I got caught up in this myth… that you have to wait to be some ideal version of yourself before you go after what you want.

Ahhhh, I do love a book about being a messy twenty-something. And it’s set in NYC? Even better!

This book made me a little nostalgic for that experience of first moving to NYC. You had to wait and see if the city was going to chew you up and spit you out immediately, or if you were going to be able to hold on for a while.

Naina is insecure and she makes mistakes. She’s just trying to figure it all out. I remember being in my 20s and wishing that someone would just tell me how to do life the correct way. But of course there’s no one size fits all manual for life. I think we’ve all been Naina at one point or another, just bumbling around, trying to find our way.

*Gifted by the publisher. All opinions are my own.

Have you read any of these books? If so, let me know your thoughts in the comments! How was your reading month in January?