January 2025 Wrap-Up: Life Struggles and Book Escapes

Hello Readers! I hope the first month of 2025 treated you well. For me, January started with hope but quickly turned into Life Struggles and Book Escapes with more downs than ups. Check out my month in life, books, and blogging in this January 2025 Wrap-Up post.

January 2025 in Life

The month began on a positive note—I had high hopes with plans for extended weekends and celebrations during the Kite Festival, which ensured some joyful family time. However, things took a frustrating turn with my child’s school situation.

I had written about my displeasure with school in the middle of month that resulted in the school being highly uncooperative regarding admission for 1st grade. This, despite every child’s right to education in India. We were angry.

We thought to fight but even after taking a forceful admission, I don’t have trust on them to treat my kid better. So, we are looking for a better, more inclusive school. This emotional and exhausting struggle—rooted in the ego and arrogance of one institution—has taken a toll on me, which is why I’ve been inconsistent with blogging and read less than I’d hoped. I just hope something positive comes out of this unnecessary battle.

Thankfully, books and Netflix have been my refuge, offering brief escapes from the chaos.

January 2025 in Reading

Books Read – 8
Pages Read – 1835
Goodreads Challenge – 8/80

I enjoyed reading both books- A Cross-Country Christmas and A Cross-Country Wedding in Road Trip Romance duology. Both books were perfect escape filled with fun, romance tropes and many heartfelt moments.

Before Your Memory Fades was as repetitive as previous books in Before Coffee Gets Cold series but I liked reading stories of new characters and time travel in new setting. I read another Japanese magical realism this month, We’ll Prescribe You a Cat, which didn’t have time travel but turned out better the Before Coffee Gets Cold with its unique concept of cats healing people and it.

I finally could read Mansfield Park before month end and I enjoyed it, maybe not as much as Persuasion but it turned out engaging and more thought-provoking than other two Austen novels I read lately.

I read three Children’s book – The Wish Fish, The Scent of Roses, Gawa’s Bag of Good Regards– with my kid that I received from publisher. They delivered meaningful messages with beautiful illustrations. My child especially loved The Wish Fish and Gawa’s Bag of Good Regards as they were age-appropriate, and she could read and understand them independently. as they were age appropriate and also she could read and understand both books on her own.

Storygraph graphs

January in Blog

I could post consistently 3 times a week for most of the month. I couldn’t stick to particular days due to unpredictability of life but I could interact more than last month and happy for being consistent and numbers weren’t that bad either.

Other posts this month

2024 Reading and Blogging Reflections

15 Best Books I Read in 2024

5 Disappointing Reads of 2024

Shows and Movies I watched

Me and my husband watched season 1 and 2. We both enjoyed it and now I wish to read more legal court room shows. I planned to watch season 3 before month end but I couldn’t so that’s now on February watch list.

Plans for February

• Secure my kid’s admission.
• Watch Lincoln Lawyer season 3.
• Read 6 books.

Here’s hoping February brings more peace, better school experiences, and, of course, more great reads.

Have you read any of these or wish to read?
What is your favorite read of the month?

Blog | Instagram | Twitter | Facebook | Pinterest | Goodreads | WhatsApp Channel

---