Books of the Month January 2025

Along with new resolutions, each new year also brings new opportunities to try out new books or return to old favorites. This year is no exception and once again our readers made sure to find the time to indulge in some quality reading. The result is the following books of the month for January 2025.  Best RomanceForging GloryBy Lainey DavisForging Glory is the first novel in the Forging series by Lainey Davis. It is the tale of Cara and Wes, who are both soccer players. Cara is Wes’s biggest regret, but when she signs with the women’s soccer team in his city he is unable to keep his distance. Unfortunately, she tells him that the most powerful man in the sport is set on destroying her career. Although his only dream was of going pro, Wes is willing to risk everything to expose the truth and protect Cara. Best Action & AdventureEchoes Over Stormy SeasBy R. F. WhongEchoes Over Stormy Seas is a dual-time odyssey by R. F. Whong starring two remarkable women, separated by eras. The one, Debra Gong, is a PhD student in biochemistry looking forward to her upcoming 2020 wedding. The other, Shih Yi-Lan is a martial arts master and fierce daughter of a pirate captain 1800. Debra’s father is a famous writer, and his unexpected death takes her back to Hong Kong just before the pandemic leaves her stranded and separated from her fiance. Meanwhile, Shih’s father demands that she cement an alliance through marriage, causing her to devise a plan that would require any would-be suitors to beat her in two out of three contests. Both women face personal challenges against the backdrop of tumultuous times, but their parallel journeys are connected in unexpected ways.   Best Mystery & ThrillerBakeries and BuffooneryBy Elizabeth PantleyBakeries and Buffoonery is part of the Magical Mystery Book Club series by Elizabeth Pantley. In this installment, the magical book club chooses a book called The Great Cake Rivalry. As is normal for this group, any book they choose causes the mystery to come to life and they become part of the story. The adventure is set in a town named Frosting where the Annual Cake Competition is a a big deal. Unfortunately, the event has been tainted by a different murder that takes place every year. It’s up to the club to help the people of the community figure out the murders and fill themselves to the brim with cake along the way.  Best Children’s BookMy Play Can Be…By Stephanie SeiderMy Play Can Be is a children's rhyming book about imagination by Stephanie Seidler featuring beautiful illustrations by Anastasia Sikilinda. The book is filled with the captivating ways children engage in play. It features everything from play at home where the floor turns into lava to play on the beach with sand castle fortresses for dragons. The large font and use of rhymes make it easy for children to read and build their literacy while the vibrant illustrations are great for their imagination.  Best Young AdultKeep CloseBy Kristen WadeKeep Close by Kristen Wade is set in a post-apocalyptic Pacific Northwest and stars a haunted, but brilliant 17-year-old named Ren. The world is not the same after a catastrophic meteor shower and dangerous creatures called banshees prey on anyone caught alone. The story follows Ren as she embarks on a dangerous journey with her siblings to rescue their mother. To survive the perils Ren and her group must rely on safety in numbers, but trust is fragile and loyalties are tested in the treacherous wilderness. Best FantasyRunescribeBy H.G. ChambersThe Wylds Online is a LitRPG adventure novel by H.G. Chambers. It is the story of Ben Ashwood, whose only specialty it seems is to lose at life. Ben is broke, single, and stuck with the world’s worst boss, so when he enters the most advanced VR game ever created his bad luck streak continues. Not only is he stranded in a brutal world without a starting class, but the odds are stacked against him and the system is unforgiving. The only way to survive is for Ben to outsmart the game and carve his own path.  Best HorrorBeyond StoriesBy Alexander Semenyuk and many othersBeyond Stories is a captivating anthology of science fiction and horror stories featuring established writers such as Alexander Semenyuk as well as newer voices. This makes it a great source for discovering new writers for both genres. The stories featured in this anthology are short enough to not overstay their welcome but intriguing enough to hook fans of the genre. Best Literary FictionTangerinesBy Tsvi JollesTangerines by Tsvi Jolles is a tender story about family and friendship written in the voice of a 10-year-old girl named Gilly. Gilly lives with her mother in a home in the forest and her best friend is named Oggy. Gilly also believes that somewhere on the other side of the trees her dad is waiting so along with Oggy she comes up with ideas that might finally bring him home.   Best Science FictionThe Shadow OrderBy Michael RobertsonThe Shadow Order box set by Michael Roberson features the complete series of the science fiction space opera. It includes The Shadow Order, The First Mission, as well as The Crimson War, featuring a team called the Shadow Order that specializes in fixing problems in the galaxy that no one else can handle. The team members all feature their own individual talents, which take them from one dangerous mission to the next. However, when their goals begin to clash with their morals they begin to ask questions that could change everything.  Best Non-FictionChair Yoga for Weight LossBy Audrey FitzgeraldChair Yoga for Weight Loss is part of the Senior Fitness series by Audrey Fitzgerald. It is an easy-to-follow and step-by-step guide for people who want to transform their bodies with chair yoga and other healthy habits. Readers can build their confidence in their abilities with simple chair exercises and achievable goals. The focus is on gentle movements and gradual progress that can yield results in just minutes a day.