As each year winds down, I make a TBR (“to be read”) list for the approaching year to keep my reading momentum. Typically, this list begins as the remnant of the current year’s list, all the titles I kept putting off until it was too late, and then I build on that.
Each year’s TBR list is flexible. As mentioned, I always leave several unread, pushing them to the next year’s list. I can read titles not on the list; in fact, as a mood reader, most of the books I read in any given year were not originally on the list. But I make the list every year to give myself some direction so I’m not overwhelmed by my unending lifetime TBR list.
Here’s a taste of my 2025 TBR. Sure, I’m posting it a full month into 2025, so I’ve finished three of these already in the time it took me to throw the rest of this list together, but it is what it is. (How did I have time to read three books but not write out this comparatively short list? Number one, how dare you.)
Fiction TBR 2025
Antony and Cleopatra by William Shakespeare
I have a casual goal of eventually reading all of Shakespeare’s plays, so I read maybe one a year. The last one I read was Julius Caesar, so this one is the logical next choice.
The Art Thieves by Andrea L. Rogers
In 2052, Stevie, a Cherokee teen, is just trying to survive, which is a feat in and of itself in a world wrecked by climate change. Then, someone from the future visits her to warn her about an impending pandemic. This one feels a little too real and will probably give me nightmares and/or panic attacks, but I think it will be worth it. Also promising: this novel was published by the same publishing imprint as Daniel Nayeri’s Everything Sad Is Untrue (which was my absolute favorite read of 2023). This author will be at the Tucson Festival of Books this year, which is yet another reason I need to read this ASAP!
Death of the Author by Nnedi Okorafor
I’ve been meaning to read something by this author for years, and I just discovered that she’ll be at the Tucson Festival of Books, so it put a fire under me. This one sounds very meta, a science fiction novel within a literary fiction novel. The premise: a writer’s sci-fi book about AI and robots begins to get a little too real.
The Giver of Stars by Jojo Moyes
During the Depression, First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt started a traveling library program to combat illiteracy in rural areas. Librarians in Kentucky used packhorses to deliver books to their remote patrons. This novel stars some of these horse-riding librarian women. This piece of history is fascinating to me as a librarian (sans horse).
Go Tell the Bees That I Am Gone by Diana Gabaldon
This is book 9 of Outlander series, which I began a decade ago, unwittingly breaking my rule about not reading series until they’re complete. By the time I realized my error, I was already invested, so I’ve been trying to drag it out by reading about one book a year and watching a season of the show in between to refresh my memory on some of the major plot points. It’s kind of working? But now that I’m approaching the final published book (supposedly the penultimate title in the series), I need a publication date for book 10 stat.
The God of Small Things by Arundhati Roy
A college professor likened my fiction writing style to this book and suggested it to me. I bought it immediately. This was 15+ years ago and I still haven’t cracked it open, but I already know that my professor’s comparison was overly generous. I don’t know anything else about it except that it’s literary fiction and it follows twin siblings in India.
Jackpot by Nic Stone
Nic Stone is one of the best YA writers, period. I reread Dear Martin and Dear Justyce last year, and I’m trying to tackle some of her other titles before the Tucson Festival of Books this year, where my students will be interviewing her. This one involves some shenanigans tracking down an unclaimed winning lottery ticket.
One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest by Ken Kesey
One of my best friends told me that this is her favorite book. Granted, that was over a decade ago and I haven’t asked her since if it’s still her favorite because I’m a terrible friend, but maybe if I finally read this I’ll be a slightly less terrible friend. I honestly don’t know much about it except that it takes place in a mental hospital and there’s someone named Nurse Ratched.
The Robe by Lloyd C. Douglas
What would it have felt like to be one of the Roman soldiers who stood at the foot of the cross as Jesus was crucified, then cast lots for his garments? (Mt. 27:35, Mk. 15:24, Lk. 23:34, Jn. 19:23-24) This 1942 novel explores that intriguing question. I think I’ll read this one leading up to Easter and watch the movie adaptation too.
A Steeping of Blood by Hafsah Faizal
This is the sequel to A Tempest of Tea, another book that reminded me of the danger of breaking my series rule (don’t read a series until all its books are published), this time because of a killer cliffhanger. Fortunately for me, it’s just a duology, so come September when this sequel is finally released, I’ll be able to breathe again.
Tress of the Emerald Sea by Brandon Sanderson
I’ve barely dipped my tiniest toe into Brandon Sanderson’s literary canon. Quite frankly, it’s intimidating! I’ve enjoyed the few books I’ve read by him, but while my younger self would have relished taking on multiple connected series of rather large books, my tired mom brain is…waiting for the right opportunity. So far, I’ve read Elantris (which I thought was a standalone, but seems to have sequels?) and Sanderson’s completion of Robert Jordan’s Wheel of Time series, the series which spawned my series rule (don’t start a series until it’s completed lest the author DIE on you). Tress of the Emerald Sea is a standalone fantasy in Brandon Sanderson’s Cosmere that has garnered favorable comparisons to The Princess Bride from many reviewers, so it feels more approachable at the moment.
Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West by Gregory Maguire
In my previous life (well, when I was in high school, which feels that long ago anyway), I was a musical theater kid. Right around the time I was first peer pressured into joining a musical cast, Broadway’s Wicked debuted. So for years, I listened to that CD in my off-brand walkman (and eventually, the album on my off-brand mp3 player) on repeat. Obsessed? Understatement. I had the whole show memorized, every lyric and beat and riff, years before I finally saw the show when it toured to my city. (Side note: when I saw the movie trailer during the Super Bowl last year, I cried. Yes, I’m that kid.) Anywho, several years into this obsession, I picked up the source material, the novel, expecting something similar to show. I hated it. Now that I’m 15ish years older and have adjusted my expectations, I want to try again. I might still hate it, but we’ll see.
Poetry TBR 2025
How Far You Have Come: Musings on Beauty and Courage by Morgan Harper Nichols
An artist and a poet (and apparently a musician), Morgan Harper Nichols is one of those people who is so talented that you would be tempted to hate her if she wasn’t such a lovely human. I read another collection of her art and poetry last year, dipping into it over the better part of the year, stretching it out to make it last, and I expect to do the same with this one.
Nonfiction TBR 2025
ADHD for Smart Ass Women: How to Fall in Love with Your Neurodivergent Brain by Tracy Otsuka
I’m in the throes of trying to figure out if I have ADHD or not (with a professional, not self-diagnosing on social media), but even if I’m never diagnosed, I am neurodivergent and I have a lot of tendencies that are consistent with ADHD, so I think reading books like this will be beneficial.
Braiding Sweetgrass: Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge, and the Teachings of Plants by Robin Wall Kimmerer
I listened to the audiobook of the young adult edition of this book last year and I liked it so much that I want to read the original this year.
Catching Ricebirds: A Story of Letting Vengeance Go by Marcus Doe
Marcus Doe lost his family in the Liberian civil war in the 1990’s and was forced to flee the country as a refugee. This memoir recounts that journey and his journey to forgive. I’ve heard pieces of his powerful story before, but only recently learned he’d written a book about it. You can also watch his TED Talk here.
Create Anyway: The Joy of Pursuing Creativity in the Margins of Motherhood by Ashlee Gadd
If you’ve been paying attention and you read the subtitle, you’ll understand why I want to pick up this book.
The Faithful Spy: Dietrich Bonhoeffer and the Plot to Kill Hitler by John Hendrix
While breathlessly waiting for the Wicked movie to start, I saw a trailer for the movie Bonhoeffer and remembered this graphic novel that I’ve been meaning to read. It was a finalist for the YALSA Excellence in Nonfiction for Young Adults award in 2019, which is a big deal in library land. This graphic novel is based on the life of Dietrich Bonhoeffer, a pastor in Nazi Germany who was a vocal opponent of Hitler’s persecution of the Jewish people. He was accused of being part of a plot to assassinate Hitler.
Genius Hour: Passion Projects That Ignite Innovation and Student Inquiry by Andi McNair
The library is uniquely positioned in a school to support individualized learning, and passion projects seem like the perfect bridge between the library and the classroom. I’ve been meaning to read this one for years to gain some clarity on how I can structure such learning opportunities as the librarian. Now that I’ve had the privilege of meeting and learning from Andi McNair a few times, I’m that much more eager to dive into this one. Some of the reviews observe that it seems geared more towards elementary, but having undergone many an elementary-centric PD, I’ve found that just as we can differentiate within a grade level, we can often adapt principles and strategies across grade levels with a bit of creative thinking.
Good Enough: 40ish Devotionals for a Life of Imperfection by Kate Bowler and Jessica Richie
As a recovering perfectionist who relapses almost daily, I need this. Guilt is my constant companion when I mess up even the smallest thing. Tackling perfectionism through the lens of the gospel should be especially powerful.
Habits of the Household: Practicing the Story of God in Everyday Family Rhythms by Justin Whitmel Earley
Basic routines and habits are hard for me. Routines and habits that grow my mind and/or soul? Those feel next to impossible. And I’m constantly bemoaning how quickly my children are growing up, how swiftly the time slips away. I’m hoping this book can help me and my husband become more intentional with how we practice our faith in our household and that implementing spiritual practices becomes second nature to us instead of largely neglected.
The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot
In the 1950’s, Henrietta Lacks, an African American woman, died of cervical cancer. During her treatment, a doctor conducting a biopsy discovered an unusual property about her cells: rather than dying, they kept reproducing, thus providing an endless number of cell samples to use in research. Unbeknownst to Henrietta or her family, her cells, nicknamed HeLa cells, were widely distributed to researchers, opening the door for tremendous advancements in our knowledge of the human genome and viruses, the development of IVF, new vaccines and cancer treatments, and more. Henrietta never gave her consent for this, and neither she nor her family received compensation for this invaluable treasure. These cells are still used today. This book digs into the gritty details of this story and the bioethical dilemma at its heart.
Misdiagnosis and Dual Diagnoses of Gifted Children and Adults: ADHD, Bipolar, OCD, Asperger’s, Depression, and Other Disorders by James T. Webb (and several coauthors, including Paul Beljan and Edward Amend)
Giftedness is a more nuanced form of neurodivergence than its name suggests. This book unpacks how some of the challenges and characteristics of giftedness can look like other forms of neurodivergence (like the examples in the title) and/or overlap with them. When an individual is both gifted and has a concurring disability (which is also sometimes a problematic term), this is called twice-exceptionality. Twice exceptional individuals often aren’t identified as such because either the giftedness will mask the disability or the disability will mask the giftedness. And a lack of knowledge about common gifted behaviors can lead to gifted individuals being misdiagnosed with various disabilities. Anywho, hopping off my nerd horse here, I’m always keen to learn more about this and this is the quintessential book on the topic. I’ll be reading the new edition, but it was published in 2016, so it’s not as current as I’d like and it’s possible that it’s outdated with research that’s come out in the last nine years. But bearing that in mind, I think it will still be a worthwhile read.
The Woman They Could Not Silence: One Woman, Her Incredible Fight for Freedom, and the Men Who Tried to Make Her Disappear by Kate Moore
Back in the day (not so very long ago, really), husbands could send their wives to insane asylums for practically any reason. Elizabeth Packard was committed for daring to have different opinions from her husband. This is the story of her committal, her struggle to regain her freedom, and her fight to change the system and stigmas that allowed her to be unjustly imprisoned in the first place. I think it’ll be interesting to read this in the same year I read One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest.
The Writing Life by Annie Dillard
This somehow wasn’t on my radar until a friend gave me a copy of it recently. Someone else gave it to her some time ago and it gave her the kick she needed to start writing more. Message received, friend! It’s a slim volume of anecdotes and musings on writing. I have something like a dozen writing books I’ve been meaning to read or reread, but I’m starting with this one.
My Other 2025 Reading Goals
My TBR list serves as one of my reading goals each year. In 2024, my other reading goals were to read less and to read at least half of my physical TBR. I failed. Previous years’ goals have included diversifying my reads (which is now second nature to me), reading one nonfiction book each month, and hitting a specific number of books read.
For 2025, my other reading goals are:
Read at least one nonfiction book each month. Last year, I did this without trying, but often I’ll neglect nonfiction unless I’m intentional about it.
Read with my kids every day. My husband has been picking up my slack with our four-year-old while I quite literally keep our newborn alive by feeding him at all hours, but I want to get back to it.
Complete the Goodreads Community Favorites Challenge. This is a new thing on Goodreads, and I’m a sucker for gamified achievement challenges like this. I’m prioritizing two of the titles on the list above (Tress of the Emerald Sea and The Giver of Stars) to meet some of the first challenges (Epic Quest and Era Explorer respectively). Currently, there’s a third challenge available (Buzzy Books) and it looks like three more will unlock over the course of February and March. A new set of challenges will be released in April or May, and so on. We’ll see how this goes! I’ll report back at some point about this new feature.
Continue tackling my physical TBR. Several of the titles on my 2025 TBR list overlap with my physical TBR. In other words, I own a physical copy, but haven’t read them yet.
What are you reading this year?
If you’ve read this far, how many books are on your physical TBR? What books are you hoping to read this year? What are your 2025 reading goals?
paige in the library 