EPIC FANTASY, CLASSIC FANTASY, STEAMPUNK, & DARK ACADEMIA 📚 2025 TBR 🗓️ January

[@XxunforgottenxXxlove]

My goal this year is to really focus on reading the books I already own and try to complete series I’ve started

[@Colaman112]

Are you me?

[@estack24]

This is my goal too! Hope we are able to stick to it!

[@XxunforgottenxXxlove]

@@estack24 good luck!!

[@jenniferbramer9807]

Saaame lol

[@shay-car]

Same goal! I have quite a few left on my shelf.

[@renakellner4448]

My main reading goals for 2025 are 1. Read the books that have been on my shelves the longest. 2. Be more mindful when reading, as in i want to really gove each book the time and attention it deserves. I am a very slow reader, so I sometimes find myself trying to rush through books so i can finish more and I want to stop that.

[@erinbailey5619]

Blood Over Bright Haven was fantastic! Can’t wait to hear your thoughts!!

[@jenniferbramer9807]

I started it last night and already hooked!

[@cloudy_1999]

it was my only 6 star of 2024, I loved it. i am planning on reading the sword of kaigen this year.

[@erinbailey5619]

@ yess! I want to read SoK next!

[@ThreeSeagrass]

Kushiel's Dart is amazing! There's court drama, adventure, politics, religion and a cast of great characters. One of my favorite fantasy series.

[@miyayume_eclectic_dream]

I heard that but also that it has lots of nudity that was like groundbracking but also scandalose in time when the book got out. Do you know some facts?

[@ThreeSeagrass]

@miyayume_eclectic_dream It depends on your definition of "scandalous". The main character is a BDSM courtesan so there's that. But these weren't the most explicit scenes I've ever seen in a book. Also, sex seen as a religious act is an important part of the book's worldbuilding.

[@Meowlo]

My goal this year is to really focus on my owned TBR. I have a bad habit of constantly putting things on hold at the library and then getting overwhelmed with return dates that i only read library books and never the books i actually pay for lol. I love supporting my library, but at some point I gotta read what I buy!! Blood Over Bright Haven is on my Jan TBR as well for my crafty bookclub. It seems really intriguing but kind of heavy, so I'm breaking it up with some Ancient Magus Bride volumes and whatever else the library says I have to give back.

[@carleybarnes4365]

I want to read a lot of my grandma’s vintage books. ❤

[@kriseaf]

YEEEEESSSSS, Carriger deserves ALL the hype. I hope you love Soulless!

[@gretyl914]

Soulless is my favorite book (and series). This made my day!!

[@JashanaC]

Alexia Tarabotti foreverrrr!!!!!

[@rainlill3695]

I was given Rise of the Ranger for Christmas and I am loving the story and enjoying reading by the fire in this, the most relaxing time of year on my farm.

[@alliegrasso9969]

I am on book 4 or 5 of the parasol protectorate series and I love it so much! I have been listening to the audio on audible and the narrator is fantastic. Such a great story with fun humor

[@lindsayrenee1063]

My goal for this year is to continue series and slow down with my reading. I read a lot last year and had a great time but most of the books weren't that great so I want to be more intentional with my books this year

[@Joutja123]

For nearly a decade I've been struggling to give myself time to read for personal reasons so I have a lot of books to catch up on. But last year I managed my 10 book goal, which is probably a rookie number for a lot of people. This year I'm raising that goal to 17. It was 15 but I had to add two more. Lol. The main bulk of the books I have are some Isaac Asimov books I haven't read yet, and some books set in the Alien franchise which were a gift that I wanted to get around to. These will probably clear up all the sci fi books I have left on my tbr and then next year I can really tackle my fantasy list like catching up with storm light and some left over Tolkien. Maybe even finish off the children of earth series. But I do have some fantasy this year to break them up and I'm most eager to read them. Priory of the orange tree, the God of Endings, Empire of the damned and the First Binding.

[@efalkows]

My goal for the year is to read more fantasy books. I got back into your channel and got a bunch of recommendations that I’m excited to dig into and I’m excited to follow your channel to see what you recommend this year too.

[@alannapenner37]

I'm so curious to hear your thoughts on Kushiel's Dart! And I'm super excited for the steampunk video

[@catsandbats77]

So excited to hear what you think of Soulless! I love Gail Carriger's books. I read Part of Your World by Abby Jimenez last year and loved it. I do want to read the other books in that series. This year I want to continue reading books I own. I want to read more nonfiction this year since I only read three in 2024. I also want to either finish or catch up on more series.

[@lululala4658]

My goal is to continue the series I already started, read some of the physical books I own and maybe read a few of the trilogies/duologies on my tbr.

[@SuboJvR]

My goal is to get started with Discworld! I picked up Hogfather December 2024 and started it but felt like, I really needed to get into the world properly. So whether I make it to be "up to Hogfather" by NEXT christmas is anyone's guess but, that's a vague aim! :)

[@gertruidamulder8823]

Me also I have been collecting some.

[@ashleyoreads]

Blood Over Bright Haven was my fav of the year ! I hope you love it too!

[@nicole2462]

My main reading goals are: 1. To read 100 books primarily by focusing my time on activities that matter to me such as reading and my hobbies with audiobooks 2. To be mindful about the books i pick up, looking for books i will love rather than popular books 3. DNF if im not into it and dont guilt myself about it 4. Stop being precious about editions and build an eclectic medsy bookshelf

[@UchihaDedere]

I started Blood over Bright Haven three days ago. It is very binge-worthy, hard to put down book for sure, so I am pacing myself so that I don't finish it in a day. Also, the reviews are on spot, this book is GREAT. I knew this was gonna be a 5-star (ehm more like 6-star) read right from the second chapter. And not gonna lie, the pacing helps me keep my emotions in check through this because oh boy, do I need those breaks...

[@LilNincat]

Same here, I really diversified my fantasy reads last year to include other subgenres (horror, romance, thriller, sci-fi). I'll try to be strategic and intersperse those subgenres between epic fantasy reads. I've suffered from reading slumps and epic-saturation in the past ! 😆 - I'm in the middle of Poison Song right now. (Yes, I'm adoring every moment of it!) - I want to finish Hobb's last 2 books (but I'm scared, I don't want it to end 😩). - I'll do a reread of The First Law, this time as audiobooks, with the goal to then read the 3 stand-alones. I'm not sure I'll get to The Age of Madness this year. - Get into my physical TBR with The Book of Ice series, by Mark Lawrence (underrated author if I ever saw one !) - Dip my toe into the Forgotten Realms with The Dark Elf Trilogy, by R.A. Salvatore. - Continue The Expanse, Dungeon Crawler Carl, Murderbot Diaries, The Five Penalties. - Reign and Ruin, Divine Rivals, Slewfoot, Mexican Gothic, now Soulless. - The wishful thinking pile : Dandelion Dynasty, The Library trilogy, Suneater series.

[@lynnzukowski]

A little different but I just finished an ARC of A Sea of Unspoken Things by Adrienne Young and recommend it. It is Fiction that is dark and atmospheric with mystery, murder, past trauma, rekindled romance and a spooky, mystical connection between twins. Comes out next week.

[@noonelooksatusers]

!!! the title genres, im in heaven

[@iskanderium]

Hello, happy New Year! No specific reading goas for me. I've just finished First Law Trilogy and loved it so definitely more Abercrombie is what I'm looking forward to :)

[@surpriseitsus9622]

Im going to read what I love, which are urban fantasy, even older series that I never get to. I love The Parasol Protectorate series! ❤

[@TheTvnutty]

Looking forward to hearing your thoughts on these. I’m also really curious as to when you’ll read Talonsister from Jen Williams, a there’s a surprise in there for you. Would also like to recommend R J Barker’s Gods of the Wyrdwood - really interesting world and characters, and motivated me to try The Bone Ships which again had fantastic worldbuilding, character and prose.

[@Meg_Sprite]

I adored Blood Over Bright Haven! Kushiel’s Dart is such a good series. It’s a lot, but it’s great.

[@Booksandheather]

Blood Over Bright Haven was one of the very best books I read in 2024. I think you'll love it!

[@jenhall5718]

Looking forward to checking out Soulless myself now......New one to me and it looks good!

[@Chouninatte]

My goal is to work through the audiobooks I currently have, I've already been working on reading more. I'm currently listening to Jade City (Green Bone Saga) which is the longest I've read in a while! I forgot it takes a while to get to know the world/characters in longer works so I'm trying to be patient. :)

[@tiantuatara]

I'm looking forward to you reviewing Soulless and Blood Over Brighthaven. I really enjoyed Soulless and the next book is in my TBR pile. I loved BOB but in a completely different way from Kaigan. In BOB, I wanted to smack the MC for the first half, but it was necessary. Last year I read a bunch of books that I really enjoyed that were the start of a series, so this year I want to continue with those series.

[@soflacomet]

My goal is to make a dent in my TBR and catch up on a few series (Bound and Broken, Stormlight). I read Kusheil’s Dart and I loved it, the characters and plot were intriguing. Definitely not something I was excepting. Interested in your thoughts on it

[@michaelbodell7740]

Blood over Brighthaven, Echos Saga, and Kushiel's Dart! What a fantastic (and diverse) set IMHO.

[@libraryhours585]

My goal is to read more of my physical tbr and finish series I’ve already started. But I would also like to kind of slow down on my reading and not feel pressured to be reading constantly just because there are so many books I want to read. I’m trying to accept that fact that I’ll never be able to read all the books I want to before I die 😂

[@mariareadsssf]

For Steampunk I'll reread "A Dead Djinn in Cairo" by P. Djèlí Clark as I crave a little Murder Mystery in a Fantasy setting.

[@laurenschenck5355]

Amazing goals for 2025 Eliot wish you all the best and hope you love and enjoy these books 📚📚📙📖📖📖📙📙📖📖📖📙📚📙📖📖📖📙📚📚📚📚📙📖📖📙📚📙🎆🎆🎇🎇🎆🪥🎇🎊🎊🎊🎇🎇🎇🎇🎆🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎆🎇🎊🎊🎊🎇🎆🎆🎆

[@Chloes_World_of_Books]

Blood Over Bright Haven is in my top 10 books of all time!

[@kuroi-san7438]

For January I'll be reading all the summer romance books I own (it's summer here), and then overall I would like to start reading the Cosmere books!

[@kittyshiv]

excited for you to read blood over bright haven, one of my favorites for sure

[@madd5194]

For contemporary romance, you should try Wild Love by Elsie Silver

[@tiffanythomas1966]

Just read Blood Over Bright Haven recently and loved it!

[@ditsehv3305]

I’m reading blood over bright haven this month too! Can’t wait to hear your thoughts

[@kelleyeasterling]

Goal is to get my physical and ebook tbr down! It's not the worst ever but I'd like to stay on top of it

[@riva7rau]

My main reading goals for 2025 are: 1) make significant progress on series I have already started (Expanse, Suneater, Stormlight Archive, etc. 2) Read the first book in several series that I own to determine if I should pick up the rest of the books in those series (City of Brass, Bonesmith, Jasmine Throne, etc.) 3) Read more non-fiction. 4) Aim to read between 50 - 60 books - which for me includes audiobooks, novels, novellas, graphic novels, etc.

[@lleo9703]

Loved Blood Over Bright Haven. I just asked my library to order The Sword of Kaigen. My goal is to have less DNFs. I want to more carefully choose want I read this year.

[@whisper_dvm5157]

I’m currently reading Blood Over Bright Haven- basically just started (60 pages in) but it’s very intriguing so far Knowing your reading tastes, I’m a little nervous about you reading Kushiel’s Dart. 😅 It’s a FANTASTIC book but you will likely be uncomfortable or dislike certain aspects.

[@laurenschenck5355]

I love dark academia so much and fantasy too 🎊🎊🎇🎆🎇🎊🎉🎉🎉🎇🎆🎆🎊🎉🎉🎇🎇📙📙📚📚🎆📚📖📖📖📚📚📖📖📚📚📖📙📙📙📙📖📚📚📚📚📖📙📖📚

[@andrewjohnston1564]

I hope to read 60 books this year.

[@olivier.st-amand]

Bright over bright haven is really good, but it has a very different tone than Kaigen. Obviously the world and characters are different, but I was expecting something similar in terms of tone and depth, but it wasn't. Just a heads up!

[@pennybazaar]

Also hoping to get through Blood over Bright Haven this month- will be interested in your thoughts! My goal is to be more broad in the genres I read, and particularly to read more non-fiction.

[@kelseyreynolds1136]

Im going to try to read more non fiction this year! And more translanted works

[@stephaniehummel4851]

I really need to read Blood over bright Haven!!! Also loved Rise of the Ranger. Epic fantasy is my favorite.

[@mara-lia]

Blood Over Bright Haven was honestly so! good! I wish it was talked more about. Hope you'll like it :D

[@j.gillette5411]

If you're looking for steampunk recommendations, Metal from Heaven just came out last October and it's fantastic. Best way I can describe it is "Sapphic Mistborn," with a first-person POV and a very poetic writing style.

[@BookishChas]

Awesome plans my friend! I’m hoping to read Kushiel’s Dart this year too. Let me know if you want to borrow my copy of Ballad of Black Tom.

[@kohlibri22]

If you still want recommendations for contemporary romance: I read The Seven Year Slip by Ashley Poston last year and was pleasantly surprised :)

[@Tamsuw1781]

A romance I really liked was The Seven Year Slip... Has a interesting twist to it. Not fantasy but has a bit of magic in it.

[@miiiiaaah]

El have you read One Dark Window by Rachel Gillig? I’ve just finished the duology and I think you might like it. The atmosphere is incredible and I thought the plot was quite unique. It’s a fantasy with some romance but I liked the balance of the two and the sequel was even better

[@lynnzukowski]

Loved this.

[@laurenschenck5355]

Wisteria me too and 📙📖📙🎆🎆🎉🎉📙📖📚📚📖📚🎇🎇🎊🎊🎊📖🎆🎆📙📖📖📖📙📙📙🎉

[@bullbythehorns808]

Dope hoodie

[@MsMorri]

My reading goals: 1) read about 80 books 2) read one or two of the non fiction books I’ve been putting off 3) Be more conscientious of books I buy for the shelf vs on my kindle

[@miyayume_eclectic_dream]

Nr 3 is where I need to work on as well. That is how TBR came to be and still waits for me. I wonder, what criterias do you have if any? I was thinking it need to be 4 and up to stay on the shelf. I keep one but still think why or 4 by David Brown but aso 🤔 I don't what to reread...

[@MsMorri]

@@miyayume_eclectic_dream I think that's always very personal, but here are my criteria. 1) How likely will I like it? Unless it's an author or a series I've already invested in, I will see what reviews and booktubers I follow have to say. I also preview books if I can. It usually gives me an idea if the book is shelf worthy or not. 2) Is it a long series and do I want it displayed on my self? Some authors like Anne McCaffery have really long series and I don't always feel like I want my whole self to be taken up by them. 5 books is my limit. 3) Do I love the cover? I tend to look at my self as an art display, and some covers are just not that pretty to have on there. I sometimes take rereads into account. I always try to keep books I'll reread on my shelf, that doesn't always pan out. If I'm rereading a kindle book once every year, then I might get a physical copy. The main thing is that if I'm questioning a book, then it needs to be a kindle or I ask a friend to borrow the book. I occasionally do ask my friend to check out a book from the library for me, though rarely as I'm terrible at returning books.😬 Hope this helps, though as I said, I do feel it is a bit personal to each person.

[@riddhisingh1344]

I read the Reigns and Ruins by J.D. Evans but did not continue the series because the author herself has left the series hanging on the 4th book. That was the case when i started reading it but has she mentioned recently that she will be continuing it?

[@JashanaC]

Yeah she is going to continue! She just has had some interruptions in recent years, making the fourth book take a little longer and still working on the 5th and 6th books 🎉

[@JayGTheAwkwardBookworm]

I need to read belladonna still 😢

[@quientla25]

I personally don't give a damn about books, I'm here every time cause Elliot you look good girl🥰🤷🏾‍♂️

[@jasperkennethacasio1783]

Try Sevenwaters by Juliet Marillier please

[@estack24]

I'm hoping to read less (reading goal is down from 75 to 50) and balance the rest of my content like catching up on TV, movies, anime, etc. I also want to try to take part in the buddy reads as well as start some of the intimidating authors' works like Brandon Sanderson and Joe Abercrombie. If you're open to YA contemporary romance, I'd be interested to hear your thoughts about "Dungeons & Drama", "The Sun is Also a Star", "Frankly in Love", or "Fangirl" (if any of those interest you)! Hope you have an amazing year of reading!

[@gabrielrybicki894]

I have a really dumb question what makes a book “steampunk”? When I read perdido street station by China Melville I picture it steampunk in my mind but I don’t understand how it’s literary steampunk. Also the Bone Season series from Samantha Shannon felt like it could be steampunk? Am I way off help me out!

[@Dragoon4980]

You should give the chaos born trilogy a read by drew karpyshyn