University of Kwazulu-Natal

My 2025 Reading List By Yazmine Textbook

Bonisiwe Shabane
-
my 2025 reading list by yazmine textbook

I recently told some family and friends that in 2025, I wanted to read less. After reading 80+ books in 2024, I decided I could stand to cut down a little in the new year and reallocate some of my reading time to other activities. Maybe this would be the year I learned to re-learned to sew? Tried glassblowing? The possibilities seemed endless! Thanks for reading Textbook!

Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work. Unfortunately, when I started making this list of everything I want to read in 2025, it turned out to be…a lot. I guess there are some habits you just can’t break and that’s OK. So if you’re also planning to spend the next 365 days reading furiously, here’s a little inspiration: This is my book club’s January pick! Our fearless founder Micaela was recommended it in the annual n+1 Bookmatch quiz and I’m extremely intrigued by this story about the residents of an apartment complex in Indiana.

As I mentioned in my Best of the Backlist post, Wellness was one of my favorite reads of 2024 so it’s only right I pick up Nathan Hill’s debut. It’s about a college teacher who, after seeing the mother he never knew all over the news for throwing rocks at a presidential candidate, attempts to learn more about her. If it’s anything like Wellness, The Nix will probably see Hill weave in 34980258 other topics that are somehow all fascinating and somehow all tie together. Helloooo! We’re already a week into 2025 and I’m already buzzing with excitement about all of the good books ahead! Below is a list of 25 books (of the 36) I plan to read this year, broken down into four categories - new books, books I’m currently reading, books I’ve read before (and am...

As a reminder (and helpful tip!), I try to utilize the library as much as possible. I think libraries are one of the greatest gifts and are far too underutilized. I mostly request and read books from the library first (either physical books, or via Libby or Hoopla), then, if they’re 5-star reads, I sometimes buy the book to have as part of my... This helps cut down on costs, keeping reading as free + fun as possible. I encourage you all to become BFF’s with your local library, too! Also, it’s worth noting that if I start a new book and it’s vulgar, super raunchy, repetitive or straight up just doesn’t resonate or sit right with me, even mid-way through, I’ll stop reading...

I think that’s what keeps reading special and enjoyable for me. I’m not the kind of reader who has to see a book through to the end to say I read it or to see if it gets better. There are far too many amazing books out there to waste time reading through ones that don’t keep us captivated or challenged, amiright?! So, #dontsettleforbadbooks, okay? New Books on the Block (books I’ve never read): 4.

The Maid’s Secret - Nita Prose (coming April 2025) After a very successful 2023 list (20/24, by far the closest I’ve come to completing one), I faltered a bit in 2024, finishing 16 of 24. Part of that was due to the library holds system – The Power of Moments just arrived, and I’ve been waiting weeks for Delicious! and The Measure to be delivered – but I suspect I also fell victim to a defect I noticed in 2022: placing books on the list that I wasn’t absolutely chomping at the bit... That’s the bar I’m using this year (absolutely chomping at the bit to read), and I’m also making one other change: I’m putting some of the books I’m most eager to tear into in... If I get to them sooner?

That’s quite alright. I’m guessing I’ll just be grateful to have read them at all :) (If you’re new, this is the very lowest-key of book clubs: I consider it a delightful exercise in thoughtfully planning my reading a year at a time (12 fiction, 12 non-fiction), and though I’m... January:The Unmaking of June Farrow | I love a well-done time travel escapade and this 2024 NYT bestseller, set in North Carolina and recommended by Janssen, has all the makings of a hit: “a... February:Gilead | This Pulitzer Prize winner has come recommended from many different sources over the years, and not always ones that I’d guess would appreciate a book about a pastor in the 1950’s.Adorning the... I’m looking forward to reading my first offering from Andrew Peterson.

2024 was a difficult year for me to maintain a blog. Growing children, moving house, health issues and increased work responsibilities made it difficult to find adequate time to read and review. Nevertheless, I am ploughing on! Perhaps not posting as frequently as I have in the past. And 2025 promises to be as challenging if not more so. In 2024 I made through all the books on my 2024 Reading List plus much more besides.

As well as the items on my list I also read a couple of prepublications novels that were sent my way – the charming Goyhood and the ponderous Sleeping in the Sun. My wife Rebecca tackled another – Conquist by Dirk Strasser. With my daughter having read her way through Harry Potter (after much elbowing) it was time I finally read it too. At the time of writing I have just started The Half-Blood Prince and have a long post of the entire series in the works. If I had to pick a favourite book this year it would be the 2022 Booker Prize Winner The Seven Moons of Maali Almeida by Shehan Karunatilaka. I will not be writing a review of it as Rebecca’s take on this blog is already popular.

It’s the New Year, which means it’s time for me to set some goals for the year. So today, I wanted to set up my reading goal and share my current TBR list. Last year, I managed to read 53 books. My goal was to read 50, so I ended 2024 with three books over, which I’m happy about! That’s an extra book on top of reading one a week, and that’s pretty good for me. I’ve seen posts on social media and blogs of readers who were able to read hundreds of books in 2024, which is mind-blowing to me.

I wish I could read more than a hundred books in a single year, but my dyslexia and the busyness of my personal life limits the amount of books I can finish. I will comfortably read a book a week, which works out perfectly for my weekly book review. I do want to push myself, however, so I’m setting my 2025 reading goal at 55 books. I want to make sure to set a realistic goal, and aiming for 55 books means I’ll have to read just a smidge more than a book a week. As for what I want to read, here is my TBR list that I’ll be working through for the year: A record of my reading in 2025.

This is a page to keep track of what I read (and what I don’t finish) in 2025. I read 30 books in in 2024, so I’m hoping to at least match that. It’s been a while since I’ve made a reading list for myself (the last one was in 2017!), so I thought I’d make one for 2025. For this reading list, I tried to pick a mix of books I haven’t read before, as well as some I’ve been interested in re-reading; fiction and nonfiction. There’s also a mix of all sorts of genres; prose and graphic novels; and new and old books. Energy levels permitting, I plan to post reviews throughout the year for each book I read from this list, too.

So, without further ado, here’s my (alphabetized) list of books I plan to read in 2025! Anyone who knows me knows that I read way more than 25 books in a year, so you may be wondering why this list is so short. The answer? I want to leave room for impulsivity and flexibility for when my brain needs a break from an assigned list, so I can pick up whatever books I want at the library or in... Also… I have a much longer list of books that I own but haven’t read yet, and I *also* plan to read many of them this year: I usually own somewhere between 25 and 40 books that I haven’t read at any given time.

I tend to go through approximately 30-50 books from this category in a calendar year. If you end up reading any of these books, too, please share what you think! It’s time for the 12th edition of my annual reading list. I like to put together the list as way to document my reading goals for the year and to collect any suggestions or recommendations you might have based on the types of books I... Similar to recent years, I’m maintaining two lists. The first list is my fun reads, which are generally fictional works from the science fiction genre.

I read these books for entertainment, although there are distinct reasons why the list leans towards science fiction that you can read about here. My morning reads is the list that I use for learning. The themes are primarily personal development, health and wellness, and business. The guidelines I use to comprise each of these lists are included at the end of this post. My ‘Want to Read’ list on Goodreads had 205 books on it to start the year which, believe it or not, is an improvement from last year when there over 220 books on it. I generally read about 30 books in a year – 20 from my fun reads and 10 from my morning reads.

I’ve trimmed the overall number of books in my queue by being more selective in what I add to it. While I create and use the lists to guide my reading, I’m don’t rigidly adhere to them. If a strong recommendation or new title comes up, it could jump the queue if I find it interesting. Each year, there are a couple of titles that I like to try and revisit. It’s a good way to reinforce the key concepts I took away the first (or last) time I read it. I didn’t do a good job of this last year, but I’d like to revisit at least one or two off this list in 2025.

Not a Medium Member? Read the full story here. 2024 was an exceptional year for me, reading-wise. Without a formal reading plan in place, I read over 60 books. This year, I am changing things. Instead of wasting time thinking about what to pick up next, I have made a holistic list of books that piqued my interest in 2024 across IG and other mediums.

People Also Search

I Recently Told Some Family And Friends That In 2025,

I recently told some family and friends that in 2025, I wanted to read less. After reading 80+ books in 2024, I decided I could stand to cut down a little in the new year and reallocate some of my reading time to other activities. Maybe this would be the year I learned to re-learned to sew? Tried glassblowing? The possibilities seemed endless! Thanks for reading Textbook!

Subscribe For Free To Receive New Posts And Support My

Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work. Unfortunately, when I started making this list of everything I want to read in 2025, it turned out to be…a lot. I guess there are some habits you just can’t break and that’s OK. So if you’re also planning to spend the next 365 days reading furiously, here’s a little inspiration: This is my book club’s January pick! Our fearless founder M...

As I Mentioned In My Best Of The Backlist Post,

As I mentioned in my Best of the Backlist post, Wellness was one of my favorite reads of 2024 so it’s only right I pick up Nathan Hill’s debut. It’s about a college teacher who, after seeing the mother he never knew all over the news for throwing rocks at a presidential candidate, attempts to learn more about her. If it’s anything like Wellness, The Nix will probably see Hill weave in 34980258 oth...

As A Reminder (and Helpful Tip!), I Try To Utilize

As a reminder (and helpful tip!), I try to utilize the library as much as possible. I think libraries are one of the greatest gifts and are far too underutilized. I mostly request and read books from the library first (either physical books, or via Libby or Hoopla), then, if they’re 5-star reads, I sometimes buy the book to have as part of my... This helps cut down on costs, keeping reading as fre...

I Think That’s What Keeps Reading Special And Enjoyable For

I think that’s what keeps reading special and enjoyable for me. I’m not the kind of reader who has to see a book through to the end to say I read it or to see if it gets better. There are far too many amazing books out there to waste time reading through ones that don’t keep us captivated or challenged, amiright?! So, #dontsettleforbadbooks, okay? New Books on the Block (books I’ve never read): 4.