bookish year-end vlog 🎀📘 (2025 TBR, book haul, & new reading journal)

[@LottieSmalley]

hi guys! I personally felt it was important to clarify some things about my ‘small things like these’ review: I didn’t mean to imply that the atrocities of the mother & baby homes are a sweet or cozy topic at all. I do see how this could be misinterpreted though. I more so meant that the setting of snowy Ireland felt cozy and our main hero is very kind and saintly. and these things in contrast with the horrors happening alongside that is an uncomfortable but important reality for the reader to grapple with. the fact that it takes place in the weeks leading up to Christmas caused me to think about the broader message in the context of the season. My favorite quote and takeaway was this: “…is there any point in being alive without helping one another?” I do apologize for my somewhat abridged review! I will admit I’ve been so focused on getting videos up for you guys for bookmas, I didn’t pause to explain myself well enough in the moment. happy holidays and love to you all! 💛

[@mikaschmelzle2325]

just found your channel today, but you've inspired me to make my own 25 books to read in 2025 list, and please post alllll the reading journal content! love it so much !!!

[@AbbyAsselin]

watched this while catching up in my arl doodle journal heheh 🤭 I'm so happy you got one and I hope you love it as much as I do! i love starting my wfh mornings with updating it :)

[@AbbyAsselin]

i personally really enjoyed mile high, it was different from a lot of romances I've read!! it's definitely a spicy series but I felt like it wasn't overdone from what I can remember. also reading the nightingale in jan/feb will be perfect, I'm pretty sure that's when I read it back in 2021 & it was the PERFECT time of year to read it

[@kaleighmjones]

I can't wait to see how you use the bullet journal for your reading journal! I used to be a big bullet journal fan until it became too much to keep up with the monthly/weekly spreads. I may need to consider doing this for my reading journal in 2025.

[@LottieSmalley]

Yay!! Glad you’re looking forward to seeing it 🫶 I totally get that though, bullet journals can def be overwhelming

[@micslibrary]

congrats on completing bookmas !!!! such an accomplishment! 🫶🏻🎁

[@LottieSmalley]

@@micslibrary THANK YOU 😮‍💨 I’m exhausted hahaha

[@christineshen8358]

I've been wanting to read a quick holiday book to round out the year and the one you read would be perfect! Thanks for the rec and happy holidays!

[@HannahAmendola]

congrats on finishing bookmas, loved all the videos! merry xmas and happy holidays to you and your loved ones!!!

[@LottieSmalley]

@@HannahAmendola thank you Hannah!!

[@ldc0513]

Thank you for your hard work and dedication to bookmas! Thoroughly enjoyed every episode and hope you have a relaxing rest of your holidays 💝

[@LottieSmalley]

Awww thank you so much, means a lot! 🎄🥰

[@BridgetReadsandReads]

Happy holidays, Lottie! I really enjoyed Bookmas! 🎁

[@LottieSmalley]

@@BridgetReadsandReads thank you Bridget 🥰🥳

[@julieperez95]

The Nightingale, The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue & The Women were SO GOOD and worth diving into!!! The Wedding People is set during the summer but also mainly focuses on the wedding/hotel so I didn't get insane summer vibes (I read it in December) - they do go out on a boat but I feel like you can read it during any point in the year! Throne of Glass is BY FAR my favorite book series of all time and I FLEW through them - it's so worth the read bc then you can dive into all the lore/tiktok edits!!

[@JenniT5123]

Love the idea of keeping your 25 list as books that you need a nudge on, I am going to do the same - and copy a few from your list! Would love to see your reading journal setup too, I use Notion but am interested in seeing something more creative. Your bookmas was fantastic, so appreciate all your efforts to treat us to all these videos ❤🎉 Merry Christmas Lottie!

[@LottieSmalley]

@@JenniT5123 thank you Jenni!!! Merry Christmas!

[@nzlisam6715]

Merry Christmas, Lottie. What an amazing wrap-up to Bookmas. I’ve enjoyed all the videos. 🎄❄️🩵

[@LottieSmalley]

Thank you so much, means a lot! 🎄🥰

[@AbbyAsselin]

and I want to read make the season bright SO BAD but ill prob be waiting til next year since I didn't get to it this year :/ however I need that special edition omfg.

[@mackenziehorton1584]

Windy City is definitely a series to read! They can get a liiiiittle spicy, but not in a spice every chapter way where it is too much. I was on an athlete romance kick for a while and I like that the characters in these are adults vs college athletes

[@kaleighmjones]

I agree with this! The only time I had issues with the series is when I read them back to back because it almost felt repetitive, but if you throw a few books in the middle then I thought they were great.

[@singsingasong-i7q]

Great video as always, I loved seeing you go through the process of creating your 2025 TBR! 🎁

[@LottieSmalley]

Yayyy so glad you enjoyed it! 🥰

[@sophiak8485]

Love this so much for you!! I just made a booklist for 2025 as well! you convinced me! Happy reading : )) Also, wanted to say, I love your style!! hope to be like you someday! and yes to the reading journal video!! I love to see those! Your reading notebook is beautiful!

[@LottieSmalley]

@@sophiak8485 omg yay!! happy reading! 🫶 and thank you so much 🥹 so sweet!!

[@alexandriamay7284]

I'm on my computer so I can't get the emoji, but I personally would love to see reading journal updates and flip throughs haha, I have really enjoyed your bookmas videos! Merry christmas!

[@LottieSmalley]

@@alexandriamay7284 amazing!! thanks for your comment & for watching bookmas 🫶 merry Christmas!! 🎄

[@user-SAK-vk3bd6re1b]

Great list! I have a lot of the same ones. I have been putting my reading in my planner. This year, I am starting a dedicated reading journal. Journal videos would be great.

[@Socialmora]

Felt like this video had a little bit of my favorite things. Awesome work 🎁

[@LottieSmalley]

@@Socialmora 🫶🥰

[@saalexanderson699]

Would love to see your reading journal set up/updates! 🎁

[@ldleslie]

Love these kinds of videos 🎁💝

[@LottieSmalley]

@@ldleslie so glad 💓💓

[@brit4992]

I just finished The Nightingale yesterday! Such a good read, I’m excited to hear your thoughts!! 💖

[@LottieSmalley]

Yessss! A must read for me soon

[@angelavanpelt2228]

Love this video and your other bookmas videos. You should do a video showing how you set up your reading journal. Merry Christmas 🎄 Will you be doing a January TBR video ?

[@LindyS1830]

Have really enjoyed your bookmas vlogs. Great job. Thank you! Merry Christmas.🎁🎁

[@LottieSmalley]

Awww so sweet! thank you & merry Christmas to you too!!! 🎄

[@gemsngiftsusa2281]

Shop ARL is pronounced as the letter name (not a word) because it is the initials for Amanada Rachlee. So it is Shop "A"- "R"- "L". She has great videos.

[@LottieSmalley]

@@gemsngiftsusa2281 thank you for the correction!! I’ll have to check out her videos 😊

[@ptvbry]

🎁🎁🎁🎁 yes queen!!!!

[@LottieSmalley]

thank youuuu ❤

[@sierrasmith1751]

I am the exact same way when it comes to Throne of Glass. I devour everything from SJM (read all 3 Crescent City books in under a week 😅) and Throne of glass is only thing left for me to read right now. I don’t want to start it because that means I won’t have any SJM to look forward to for a while 😭

[@starlasell5698]

❤📚🎄🎁 Merry Christmas! Good luck with your 2025 reading goals.

[@LottieSmalley]

Thank you! Merry Christmas to you too 🎄🎁

[@starlasell5698]

@LottieSmalley Thank you 🤗

[@malloriemoreno4263]

I agree with your approach to 25 in 2025. I also made my list from books I currently own. I have a separate list for new releases.

[@LottieSmalley]

yes!! glad we’re on the same wavelength 🫡

[@angelavanpelt2228]

🎁

[@jstosic9576]

Ur videos are my favourite 🙌🏼🫶🏼

[@LottieSmalley]

Omg thank you!!! 🙏

[@lisa-v8z]

🎁🎄

[@LottieSmalley]

@@lisa-v8z 🥰

[@jillbellaus385]

You might want to listen to The NY Times book review podcast on the Claire Keegan book. It is a very deep book about the Magdalene laundries, the saddest of times in Ireland.

[@LottieSmalley]

Thank you for the rec, I’ll definitely give it a listen! I’m aware of the deep themes and thought provoking nature of the novella. I know the story highlights the atrocities of the Magdalene laundries, and while I may not have explicitly mentioned that in my review, I hadn’t had time to research it deeply before getting this video up, so I didn’t want to misspeak on such an important topic.

[@kaekae198]

Ngl Blue Sisters was a bit of a disappointment for me! I feel like it was cute, but overyhped. Annie Bot was SO GOOD! I was surprised at how much I liked it!

[@LottieSmalley]

Ooo good to know!! Thank you for sharing! 🫶

[@Mollywashere]

I was also underwhelmed by Blue Sister, nice character driven story concept but it just fell flat for me and the character development was so rushed