Hello Reading Friends,
We not only made it to Friday, we made it through the first month of the year! Is it just me or has January felt like it’s lasted at least 6 weeks? I live in Ohio so I know the extreme cold, snow, and ice contributed to my feelings. But on the reading front I’ve had a STELLAR reading month with five 5 star reads and finishing eight books overall, all of which I enjoyed for the most part.
Below, I’ve put together a little list of 2025 publishing trends I’ve come across, and then below the paywall all of my January reads ranked with star ratings, and my full audio podcast where I’m reviewing the two 5 star books I haven’t shared anywhere yet and the two books I didn’t finish (one is a new release getting a bit of buzz). As this is also Friday, we’ll all be chatting in the comments about our favorite books of January.
2025 Publishing Trends & Predictions
Sourced from She Writes, Book Riot, Medium and Elle.com (congrats to for being featured!)
Genre Trends
Romantasy
Romanta-everything
Grounded Speculative Fiction
Hidden Historical Fiction and Contemporary Takes on the Past
Diverse Stories
Cozy “comfort reads”
Dark Near-Future Dystopias & Horror
Funny & Hopeful Stories
Renewed Interest in Classics
Genre Remixes - Expect the continued rise of new-adult and genre fiction—especially romance—and the resurgence of dystopian and horror.
Publishing Trends
Self-Pub to Trad-Pub Pipeline
Decorative or sprayed edges
An increase in “deluxe” editions
Influencer Dominance
Diversifying Platforms - Nothing will replace BookTok. But publishing will look to diversify which social platforms it invests in as influencers and readers do the same
A New Normal - Publishing will adapt to the current climate in politics and tech—for better or worse.
Rise of the Indies - BookTok has made it easier for independent authors to get their books in the hands of readers. Even with TikTok’s instability, the indie intrigue will continue
On Course for Crossover - Bookish communities will increasingly experiment in content outside their niche. Publishers and advertisers will pay heed.
** My quick thoughts on these trends - I’m excited about the influencer predictions and grounded speculative fiction. I’m disappointed that nothing crime or mystery/thriller related is mentioned. What do you think? Are you excited about any of these trends?
My January Reads
I’m “kind of” ranking these in order of enjoyment, but with so many five star reads this month, they could truly all be interchangeable. With the exception of my two surprise reads, I’ve reviewed the other books listed in different posts throughout the month. If you want to be surprised, listen to the audio first….
