BB #16: 8 Tips for Setting Reading Goals You’ll Stick To in 2025, Book News, Releases + Reading Update
Your mid-week serving of all things bookish and beyond!
Hey book besties, welcome to Bookish Brunch! A mid-week break to catch up. Grab your favorite drink, get comfy, and let's dive into what I’ve been reading, what I’ve been loving and a sprinkle of fun. Share with me in the comments or chat what you’ve been up to!
Bookish Brunch: Start Your 2025 With the Right Reading Goals
Happy New Year, bookish friends! 🎉 It’s officially 2025, which means it’s time to stop saying “next year” and start making this year your best reading year ever. I know, I know—we’ve all been guilty of setting goals that sounded amazing on January 1st and mysteriously vanished by February (cough that “Read 100 Books” goal from 2022 and I read 2). But this year? This year’s different. Trust me.
Before we dive into tips for setting reading goals, bookish news, and my latest reading updates, I wanted to take a moment to introduce you to the new and improved (fingers crossed!) Under the Covers Community newsletter schedule.
We’re streamlining content and consolidating a few things here on Substack to make it easier for you to stay connected. Here’s what you can expect moving forward:
Weekly Newsletters
The Weekly Insider (Free): Delivered every Sunday, this email rounds up everything we’ve posted across all platforms—including blog posts, podcast episodes, YouTube videos, and social media highlights—so you’ll never miss a thing.
Bookish Brunch (Paid + Free Content): This newsletter, arriving midweek (typically Wednesdays), combines free content like the new releases for the week (this will no longer be a separate email), bookish news, and tips with exclusive updates for our paid members, including reading reflections, deep dives, and personal recommendations.
Monthly Newsletters
Romanceopoly (Free): A monthly guide to keep you on track with the reading challenge, including themed recommendations and updates.
The Lounge (Paid + Free Content): Formerly the Under the Covers Insider, this revamped newsletter delivers a monthly reading guide, tailored to the best reads and themes of the month. Includes a mini recommendations section for free subscribers. A seasonal PDF download packed with extra goodies will be available every three months for paid subscribers.
I’m so excited about these changes, and I hope they’ll make it even easier for you to stay inspired and engaged with our bookish community.
Now, here’s what you’ll find in this week’s edition of the Bookish Brunch:
8 tips for reading goals you’ll actually stick to in 2025.
Bookish News: Lots of cover reveals the past few weeks. 2025 is going to be amazing.
New Releases of the Week: A preview of this week’s standout books.
Extras for our paid members:
My reading update since the last Bookish Brunch (spoiler: my December wrap-up is coming next week in the Lounge!)
A deep dive into my 2025 reading goals.
Perfect book recommendations for new beginnings.
Essentials to create a cozy reading retreat and make it extra special
A sneak peek at my customized Notion reading tracker (YouTube video coming soon).
So grab your beverage of choice (mine’s a chicory coffee today, in case you’re wondering), and let’s talk about how to set reading goals that won’t turn into a chore—or worse, a guilt trip. Whether you’re a mood reader, a Kindle hoarder, or someone who hasn’t touched a book in months, I’ve got you covered with these 8 tips to make 2025 your most satisfying, stress-free reading year yet.
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8 Tips for Reading Goals You’ll Actually Stick To in 2025
🎥 Watch the Video: Check out these tips on video instead!
Make It Personal
Reading goals aren’t one-size-fits-all. If you’re a mood reader, planning a strict TBR might not work. Instead, think about what excites you. For example:Try a genre you’ve been curious about.
Read books with specific vibes (e.g., atmospheric, cozy, adventurous).
And if you’re just starting to build a reading habit, aim for simple goals like 15 minutes a day (that will maintain a Kindle reading streak, by the way, which is a great way to track it) or a certain number of books this year.
Create a Bookish Vision Board
Get creative and visualize your reading year!On Pinterest, gather images that represent the kinds of book vibes you want to read.
You can use my free Canva template to design a vision board for your phone wallpaper or reading journal. Letter size | Mobile
Get Social with Your Goals
Reading is better with friends! Join a book club (like our League of Lusty Ladies here on Substack!) or find a buddy to share reads with. Discussing books makes them more memorable and fun.Quick plug: Our book club is kicking off this month, reading fantasy, paranormal and historical romances on Kindle Unlimited. More details are coming this weekend in the Romanceopoly newsletter, so stay tuned!
Join a Reading Challenge
Feeling overwhelmed about what to read next? A reading challenge can provide structure and inspiration.For 2025, our Romanceopoly reading challenge has been revamped with a whimsical map and lots of fun reading.
You can also try seasonal or genre-based challenges for fresh inspiration.
has some fun and low pressure reading challenges for every season.
Experiment with Genres and Formats
Stuck in a reading rut? Mix it up!Love fantasy? Try steampunk or urban fantasy. Can’t get enough romcoms? Try a historical or paranormal romcom this year!
New to audiobooks? Listen during commutes or chores for extra reading time. Don’t let format shame stop you—ebooks, audiobooks, and physical books all count!
Limit Ongoing Series
If you’re like me, you’ve started way too many series. Keep it manageable by focusing on just a few at a time. It makes it easier to follow the storyline and finish what you’ve started.Set Creative Goals
Think beyond numbers:Read one book a month from an epic series. Think of it like your project and maybe read one book per month in that series if it’s super long. Some ideas for you: join us in reading (or re-reading like us) the Black Dagger Brotherhood series by J.R. Ward, or check out one of our favorite series of all time the In Death series by J.D. Robb.
Dive into books-to-screen adaptations.
Explore the history of romance by reading one book from each decade.
Travel around the world by reading a book set in each continent, or a book set in each country in a specific area of the world, or a book set in each state of the United States (make this an ongoing project).
Track Your Reading
Find a system that works for you—be it spreadsheets, apps like StoryGraph, or a reading journal. I’ll be using my Notion tracker this year to keep things organized and fun! If you want to grab it as well, it is the ultimate bibliophile template if I do say so myself, click here. I also have a more simple Notion Reading Tracker.
Plus, here are some other templates that I think look amazing:
Related: You may also enjoy reading some other blog posts related to reading goals
📢 Let’s Chat: Now, I’d love to hear from you! What are your reading goals for 2025? Are there any tips or books from this week’s newsletter that resonated with you?
Bookish News
Lots of covers were revealed lately. A quick recap on what caught my eye:
Toni and Addie Go Viral by Melissa Marr coming August 12, 2025
A Dance of Lies by Brittney Arena a debut fantasy coming June 10, 2025
Indiscretion by Vi Keeland coming January 13, 2025
The Midnight Arrow by Zoey Draven a fantasy coming January 21, 2025
Anne Mallory re-released some of her historical romances with illustrated covers. It seems to have been a bit polarizing in the bookish space as some feel like they can get mistaken with contemporary romance. Check out Seven Secrets of Seduction, the first in the Secrets series.
Not Safe for Work by Nisha J. Tuli coming May 20, 2025
Roll for Romance by Lenora Woods coming July 15, 2025
Digging Dr. Jones by Olivia Jackson coming May 2, 2025
Good Spirits by B.K. Borison coming October 7, 2025
Taste the Love by Karelia & Fay Stetz-Waters coming July 15, 2025
Kiss Me, Maybe by Gabriella Gamez coming May 6, 2025
I’ve been working on adding tons of 2025 book releases to our database. More will keep coming and the database itself will get a bit of an overhaul on the look. If you’re a paid member of Substack, you have access to it!
New Releases of the Week
Here are some of the most exciting books hitting shelves this week to kickstart your 2025 TBR.
🎙️Listen to the podcast: If you prefer to listen to me tell you all about these books and how excited I am to read them, tune in to the podcast.
Note: In the episode I mention Dead of Winter. This was pushed back to January 28, 2025.
Married to the Devil by Lillian Lark
Genre: Dark Fantasy Romance
Why You’ll Love It: A steamy enemies-to-lovers romance featuring a demonic antihero, sizzling tension, and an emotional depth that will keep you hooked. The heroine finds herself in an arranged marriage with the devil himself!
Battle for the Shadow Prince by Genevieve Jack
Genre: Dark Fantasy
Why You’ll Love It: A high-stakes story about a mage rescuing her mate from a terrifying vampire queen. With rich world-building, emotional depth, and intense battles, this one’s perfect for fans of dark, emotional fantasy.
Victory for Vampires by Hazel Mack
Genre: MMF Poly Romance
Why You’ll Love It: Cozy vibes meet big relationship stakes in this poly romance. The heroine reconnects with her two vampire mates after centuries apart, exploring love, compromise, and ambition in a tight-knit monster community.
Where the Creek Bends by Linda Lael Miller
Genre: Women’s Fiction
Why You’ll Love It: A heartfelt blend of family drama, romance, and magical realism, this small-town story dives into the mystery of a childhood friend’s disappearance while delivering a touching romance and self-discovery journey.
Stealing for Keeps by Rebecca Jenshak
Genre: YA Sports Romance
Why You’ll Love It: A sweet and heartfelt story about a soccer player navigating high school drama, big dreams, and a slow-burn romance with an injured heroine finding her footing. Perfect for fans of sports romance with a touch of youthful charm.