BookNotes // vol.10
Kicking off 2025 with some new book releases!
Happy New Year! I’m enjoying being on winter break, having a relaxing week at home with my kids and sleeping in. We don’t go back to school until Jan.6; two weeks at home, with no travel has been delightful. There has been a lot of reading (of course); I’m tackling a non-fiction book, The Sisterhood: The Secret History of Women in the CIA (more on that below). My kids both got a ton of books for Christmas and have been reading nonstop. My 11 year old daughter got The Land of Stories series and a ton of Nancy Drew Diaries, while my almost 9 year old son got the new Dog Man and a bunch of Bunny vs. Monkey books. He has declared them his favorite, even more than Dog Man. That is high praise!
I’m in the middle of creating a 2025 YA new releases post, highlighting some of the books I’m most looking forward to for the year. Some January ones are below but stay tuned for the full list!
What have you been reading this month?
Book Buzz
January 1 releases:
All the Love Under the Vast Sky by Kip Wilson (editor). “Twelve short stories in verse by bestselling and award-winning authors that explore the highs and lows of love – romantic, platonic, familial, and self-love.”
January 7 releases:
The Last Bookstore on Earth by Lily Braun-Arnold. “This searing YA debut follows two teen girls as they fall in love and fight for survival in an abandoned bookstore, just weeks before another cataclysmic storm threatens to bring about the end of the world.”
After Life by Gayle Forman. “One spring afternoon after school, Amber arrives home on her bike. It’s just another perfectly normal day. But when Amber’s mom sees her, she screams. Because Amber died seven years ago, hit by a car while on the very same bicycle she’s inexplicably riding now.”
January 14 releases:
The Queen’s Spade by Sarah Raughley. “In this riveting historical thriller that’s loosely inspired by true life events… revenge, romance, and twisted secrets take center stage in Victorian England’s royal court when Sally, a kidnapped African princess and goddaughter to Queen Victoria, plots her way to take down the monarchy that stole her from her homeland.”
Biology Lessons by Melissa Kantor. “…a heartfelt and profound contemporary young adult novel about the strength and importance of female friendship in a time when bodily autonomy is outlawed.”
Truth, Lies, and the Questions in Between by L.M. Elliott. “Illustrated throughout with remarkable real-life images and headlines, this timely exploration of 1973—the year of Watergate hearings, the Equal Rights Amendment, and Roe v. Wade—unfolds through the story of a young woman driven to question everything as she learns to think for, and rely on, herself.”
From the Librarian’s Desk
As I stated, I’ve been reading The Sisterhood: The Secret History of Women in the CIA by Liza Mundy. She focuses on a few individuals within the larger history and I’ve really been enjoying it. Would highly recommend because it’s a fascinating look at an agency many still know little about, along with the role women have played in it.
The fiction books I read in December:
Where the Library Hides by Isabel Ibañez. I have been talking nonstop about this sequel to What the River Knows; this duology is stunning and fun and I absolutely loved it. Late 1800’s Egypt, with a lot of adventure, a dash of romance, and just a touch of magic.
Beautiful Ugly by Alice Feeney. I have complicated feelings about this one. The atmosphere Feeney creates is unparalleled and the small island the novel takes place on is really the star of the book. The reveal is far fetched but not enough for me to dislike it. I think my main issue is that Feeney uses a similar trick as she did in Rock, Paper, Scissors with the narration so … it gets gimmicky.
Saltwater by Katy Hays (release date March 25). I highly recommend this mystery/thriller about the wealthy Lingate family who vacation in Capri every year, even after the rumors swirled when Sarah Lingate was found dead at the bottom of a cliff. Now her grown daughter and the adults who were with her when she died are confronted with the past.
Say You’ll Remember Me by Abby Jimenez (release date April 1). I usually enjoy Jimenez’s books but this one immediately dives into the romance and the will they/won’t they did not really work because of it. Not my favorite of hers.
Beyond the Pages
This is the year I’m trying to finally give up GoodReads (it’s hard when you’ve been using it for so long!). StoryGraph and Fable are the two apps I’m using, to see which I like the most. Follow me @msburkesbooks on both!
I’ve been looking to subscribe to more Substack newsletters; here are some I’ve just added to my reading lists but share others in the comments that you love!
After School by Casey Lewis; all about what’s trending with Gen Z. Figure this will be useful working in a high school!
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