MJV Bookish Thoughts: January 2025 Reading Wrap-Up

Reading Time: 5 minutes

Welcome back to My Jamaican Vignettes. First Sundays officially now mean reading wrap-ups (or monthly wrap-ups in general, you’ll see what I mean at the end of the blog post).

In January, I read seven books but I also want to highlight one of the last books I read in 2024, and the physical Caribbean book that I started in January but will likely complete by today. So today, we will be discussing a mix of contemporary romance, short stories, non-fiction and feminism, historical romance and speculative fiction.

January 2025 Reading Wrap-Up

The first book I read on New Year’s Day was All About Love: New Visions by bell hooks and I rated it 3.5 stars. I found some of hook’s insights interesting and applicable and it sparked an in-depth conversation with my partner that was great for a holiday when were just lounging around. I didn’t quite get into or align with some chapters such as the ones about death, the divine and angels. However, I enjoyed the discussions surrounding self-love, community and romantic love. I don’t own a copy of this book but I read the ebook via Everand. I may try some of her other works in 2025. This did however, solidify my desire to read more non-fiction this year.

Then I read or completed reading the e-ARC of Losing Sight by Tati Richardson. This was a four-star book. I enjoyed it so much. I appreciated how Richardson tackled grief and loving again after the death of spouse. This is book one in a series. I already pre-ordered a physical copy. This is something I plan to re-read later in the year once I have the physical copy in my hands.

I read the contemporary novella The Marley Diaries by Vasalona Cooper and I rated that three-stars. Marley’s life is a mess. I enjoyed her friend group and their dynamics but Marley really needed to be smarter. I will read more from Cooper. I think I got this book for free during the Black Reader Appreciation Event (BRAE) in late 2024.

In 2025, I want to read at least one book each month from the free books I downloaded during BRAE 2024.

Frying Plantain by Zalika Reid-Benta is an interconnected short story collection about a Canadian teen with Jamaican heritage. I rated that three-stars as well.

I read a novella in January called Just Me & You by October Brown and that was quick evening read before bed, short and sweet.

I finally got around to reading book two in the Le Veq Family series by Beverly Jenkins. I adored Zahra but it took me a while to like Archer. While reading, I was conflicted about how sex work and sex workers were portrayed but I kept reminding myself that this book is set in the 1800s. I rated it four stars and I want to complete the trilogy in Q1. So look out for that and my final thoughts on the trilogy.

The physical book of the month was It Waits In the Forest by Sarah Dass. I love this. It is creepy and atmospheric and set on the fictional Caribbean Island St Virgil. Sadly, as I update this post the Sunday before this is scheduled to be published, I am not finished reading this – so first failure of 2025 reading challenge, I didn’t complete my first physical book of the year. Or my first Caribbean book of the year. Fingers crossed I read this in February and it will make it to the February reading wrap on the first Sunday in March. But it feels like this will be a story I’ll be recommending to others. Just a feeling I have.

I started reading the e-ARC via NetGalley called The Unmapping by Denise S Robbins. This is speculative fiction and is being published by Bindery through the Mareas imprint. I have been following Marines on YouTube since maybe 2016 thereabout so when she launched Mareas, I supported her and joined. I am struggling with this book so I will roll it over to February.

Now the NetGalley ARC that completed in January was One Night Crush by Mia Heintzelman and it was good. My only issue is that it is book four in a series and that wasn’t clear to me when I requested it. So big oops on my part. But if you contemporary romance, age difference (she’s older), wine, close family ties and friendships, you’ll enjoy the book and I think the series itself.

Then one of the last books I read in 2024 was the contemporary romance, Somebody’s Husband by Robbi Renee. I got this as an e-ARC via NetGalley from the publishers Black Odyssey. This book was so good. I’ve read two other Robbi Renee books, and I will be reading more from her.

Bonus: TV and Movies Wrap-Up

I hoped you stayed until the end. If you did, thanks. On Saturday 4 January this idea came to me to add my TV and movies that I watched to the monthly wrap-up blog posts, so here we go.

The first movie I watched in 2025 was Beast a 2022 horror/action movie staring Idris Elba. It was on Netflix and I enjoyed it. I didn’t watch it one sitting though, so I started it on NYE and finished it New Year’s Day.

The series that I watched was the first season of Only Murders In The Building staring Steve Martin, Martin Short and Selena Gomez. This was a fun watch and I will continue watching. I watched season one on Disney Plus.

Then, Found resumed its season in mid-January, so I am back to watching that every Friday. It is one of my fav TV series. I watch it on Max.

I played a video game this month as well, Kena: The Bridge of Spirits. I am new to video games, so I don’t have a lot to share in regards to gameplay or anything but I liked the graphics and it was fun to stream and play. I play it on the easiest setting.

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That is it for my January 2025 wrap-up.

What books did you read in January?

Also what do you think of the TV and movie inclusion in the monthly wrap-ups?

Come back tomorrow for the next mental health post, this one is very personal.

Be well, until next time.