Simply put, what are you manifesting for your TBR pile or publishing this year?
Elyse: I actually halved my reading goal from last year and unsubscribed to a lot of social media stuff regarding books. I feel like I got caught up in a lot of hype for not great books last year and that I consumed a lot without enjoying or processing it.
My goal this year is to slow my reading down and be more mindful about what I’m reading and why.
Amanda: I want to make a concerted effort in building an audiobook habit. I signed up for a stitch-a-long and my new office will have space to do some small crafts, so I’m hoping to listen to audio during those activities rather than watch YouTube.
In terms of genre, I am always trying to manifest more historical fantasy or paranormals. I want gritty romance a la Bec McMaster and Kristen Callihan. Cozy is having a moment and I think it’ll continue this year, but selfishly I’d love to see more variety in tone.
Claudia: I’m manifesting more historical romance with non-titled MCs and non-Regency settings, and make it racy, please. And could someone either “fix” or breathe new life into film and book classics and make it a romance book? So many to choose from…
Lara: Claudia, that’s a great one!
I’m manifesting the return of my reading time. I have a seven week old baby and I really miss all that reading offers me
Kiki: I am seconding manifestation for more historical fantasy/paranormal and more non-titled main characters in historical romance! Personally I am also manifesting the ability to keep track of my reading better this year. Last year I made it to (drum roll please…) January 15! Aiming for a little longer this year, maybe even a whole month?
Sarah: I have been thinking about this all day. I love this question!
I am manifesting more blends of romance and mystery, especially historical, especially, as Kiki and Claudia said, historicals with a wider cast of characters than titled people running about.
I also want to manifest more genre fiction translated into English please! I really liked The Kamogawa Food Detectives by Hisashi Kashiwai, and I have The Rainfall Market by You Yeong-Gwang on my audio-TBR.
Also I love this question. Thank you, Amanda!
Tara: I can’t think of anything in terms of genres or tropes. I’m mainly manifesting fewer book bans, with more big publishers taking up lawsuits as needed.
Sarah: THAT TOO.
Shana: I want more queer main characters in my (book) life. Only 9% of my 2024 reads had bisexual protagonists! What a bummer. Can we manifest a bevy of Black bi books for me?
Tara: Ooh, I want that too, Shana!
Shana: Bisexual books for everyone!
Carrie: I have a simple request: well-written books that hold my interest.
Sneezy: Yay bisexuals! I also want more monster romance.
Do you want to see more werewolf romances? Want to try to whittle down backlist titles? Tell us all your hopes and dreams for your reading in 2025!
For books, I am manifesting relationships between love interests that are engaging enough to quiet the cynical/critical part of my brain that distracts me by picking apart the author’s choices (re: tropes, social issues, or just narrative structure). Characters first, authors. Please.
For my reading behavior, I am manifesting more responsible use of library loans. I’ve been treating library loans more like a wishlist than a reading list for the past couple of years, and the guilt and shame finally outweigh the convenience.
I’ve definitely been in the quantity, not quality, reading space. Reading more to check out than to be present with the book. I’ll finish one book and then immediately hunt for and start another. Which leads to many Bad Decisions Book Club moments.
So my plan for this year is to journal after each book. Take a little time to sit with what I’ve read. How convenient that you all recommended a reading journal this week. It’s going in my Amazon cart today.
I’m probably falling in the reading fewer books group this year.
My reading goals are pretty much the same every year. Try to get my TBR down to 100 (it perennially hovers around 130). Read more library books than purchased. Read translated work, and queer work. Before I became disabled a few years ago, I was starting to read middle-grade books in Spanish; I may try to get back to that (maybe through audiobooks?)
As for publishing…hmm. Less illustrated covers (yes, I am THAT grump). More and better asexual representation. More and better disability representation. Enough of “romantasy” (I don’t want to yuck yums but I’m also sick of hearing about it). And DEFINITELY manifesting fewer book bans. I’m hoping to have the spoons to volunteer with, or at least donate and spread the word about, the Florida Freedom to Read Project. https://www.fftrp.org/
I think the only thing I really want for myself is to be delightfully surprised by some books this year. Nothing gives me a bigger high than picking up a book that doesn’t seem like my type of thing and getting completely sucked in. That’s why even though I’m kind of a picky reader, I do try at least to read out of my comfort zone even if it means I DNF a lot.
I also would not say no to Sarah’s idea of good mystery/historical blends particularly in more unusual places or time periods. And if they could have a bit of a Moonlighting/Scarecrow and Mrs. King/Remington Steele vibe, even better.
Hope everyone’s 2025 reading wishes come true!
Just getting through the pile, brick by brick.
I love the idea of slowing down and journalling after each book. I have a new book-themed planner, which I’ve been enjoying and tracking my reading, but maybe it would be good to take more time to process what I’ve been reading. I might yoink that idea for myself!
These days I’m reading a lot of heavy non-fiction for academic reasons, so I’m manifesting books that feel light and joyful to balance it out. And I’d like them to have a wide range of diverse characters. I’d also like more disability representation, and more trans characters who are having a good time. We’re having enough of a bad time in the real world! (And this year is going to be brutal for my community, so I want to read stories that make trans joy and trans possibility more visible, so that I don’t get totally overwhelmed by the hard stuff.) And I also want more bisexual books!
I started a book review vlog project with one of my partners and we’ve managed to post a weekly video three weeks in a row, so I’m also hoping that continues, because it’s been fun and it’s nice to have a creative project that isn’t tied to academics or to any of my work.
@Jill Q: The NOISE I just made at Scarecrow & Mrs. King/Remington Steele vibes. Yes, please!
Joining the chorus for more bisexual rep, please and thank you.
My TBR manifesting can be summer up with MOAR non-fiction! I have Doppelganger checked out but currently uncracked.
I’m hoping for more diverse historicals as well, with non-titled yes, but also with queer relationships. Many of my favorites last year were queer historicals and I will gladly take more than that.
I’m hoping for enough spacein my brain to read some non-fiction.
@Lara: Congratulations on the little one!!!
More genre blends please! Also just more interesting/unique stories and distinct author voices.
and more vampires, always more vampires.
I’m manifesting actually finishing the 30-odd books I enjoyed reading at the time over the past 2.5 years but set aside for whatever reason. For genre, I want to get back into epic fantasy and fantasy books with a mystery/police procedural vibe. I’m hoping to read my backlist from Sanderson, Aaronovich, Hobb, and K. Liu. I also want to read pretty much all the books on my TBR from SFF black authors this year, with Jemisin, Butler, and P.D. Clark being at the top of the list.
I want to manifest more books started but giving myself permission to DNF when my tolerance for bad writing in any form is breached.
I want to manifest permission to try and to enjoy audiobooks.
“I am always trying to manifest more historical fantasy or paranormals.”
YES! To me, the only good thing about the new cover aesthetic is that I can easily scroll past all the samey contemporaries.
And also, YES, or rather, NO, to all the hyped books.
I’ve been leaning harder towards mystery in my reading lately, and I don’t even care if there’s romance as long as I enjoy the characters. And, boy, enjoyable characters are not easy to find in mystery. I find that the mystery fandom is fundamentally different from the romance fandom, and I have to read reviews in a completely different way.
Kindness. I am trying to manifest kindness in my books. A strange one, I know, but there were several books I read in the last year that were marked by the characters actively choosing to not do harm, or be careful with each other. I’m not saying there can’t be conflict, mayhem or righteous vengeance. Lord knows I’m a big time rider on the historical mystery train. It’s just that I also want empathy and respect between the characters. Honest sincere apologies. Taking a different road when life gives the chance to be kind. I was feeling this most recently as I was reading THE TELLER OF SMALL FORTUNES. Tao spends most of the book trying to stay hidden, trying to keep from being forced to use her bigger gift because of the trauma it caused when it first manifested. She ends up with her eclectic group of companions when their “small” fortunes lead them to believe that what they seek will manifest by traveling with her. There is a point in the book where their fortunes could be made, their future prosperity assured, and they turn away when they see the harm it would cause another. I’m looking for for more of this.
I’m with Elyse in letting go of the hype. I had a far happier reading year with some eye-popping surprises! (You, Again–chef’s kiss.) Yes to queer and diversity, and for me, less angst. Too much angst reading the news to want it on-page.
I’m with @Carrie.
I would love to see more science fiction and fantasy worlds that are not autocracies. Why can’t authors imagine worlds in which power is not concentrated a few hands, usually people with inherited wealth and power?
I would love to see more books where people find non-violent ways to resolve problems and conflicts. Also, please give me some great stories with restorative justice rather than an analog of our criminal legal system.
It is going to be a hard year. I’d like to escape into worlds that are kinder and more just.
Also seconding all the folks looking for good disability, ace and trans books, preferably own voices.
Merle, yes! Give us Star Trek worlds, not Star Wars ones. And LOTS more trans and ace books. Far too few.
I’ve enjoyed this topic!
@Lisa D.: It sounds like time to dive into Star Trek novels, then. Or Trek fanfic. Or at least a rewatch of your favorites (series and/or films) in the franchise. I think I’ll be doing some comfort watching of all the OG Trek and films (and the reboot films). Maybe I’ll even bust out the boxed set of TNG that I’ve had for years and finally watch it. I know there have to be episodes I never saw, since I watched TNG when it was airing on TV as a kid back in the 90s. That 6:30 PM Wednesday show time was not always doable with a strict household “No TV at dinner time” rule.
Manifesting more character driven fantasy-romance that aren’t about young coded chosen ones saving the world from some dark massive evil, but rather interesting characters in interesting worlds/systems that are living and navigating their corner of it. Like Penric and the rest of the Chalionese from Lois McMaster Bujold’s series, the characters in Sharon Shinn’s Elemental Blessings series or Juliet Marillier’s Blackthorne and Grimm series.
On a personal front, I agree with the idea of being more intentional about my reading. I am kinda already doing it because ‘trope marketing’ doesn’t work for me, so I tend to ‘swipe left’ on those. Because of it I am reading less romance. I have decided to have theme months to help me with my reading each month. January is Space Opera.