Winter 2025 Backlist Reading Check-in and Life Update

Winter 2025 Backlist Reading Check-In

Winter 2025 Backlist Reading Check-in and Life Update

This will be the whale shark of blog posts because I read a lot of backlist titles in January and February. I was sick for most of February, so I ended up taking it easy and doing a lot more mood reading than I usually do. Plus, as I heard the news about removing Black History celebrations and mentions of women leaders in STEM from websites and government programs, I only felt more determined to read more about both of those things.

Because this list includes so many books, I’m breaking it into subsections. Click the links to jump directly to a subsection that interests you, or feel free to browse the whole post!

Note: This post contains affiliate links that do not cost you anything to use but help support this blog. Thanks for using them to do your shopping.

Graphic Novels and Adaptations (MG and YA)

Middle Grade Fiction

Young Adult Fiction

Nonfiction

Black History Month

Winter 2025 Backlist Reading Check-in

Graphic Novels and Adaptations (MG and YA)

Layers: A Memoir by Pénélope Bagieu

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

What you need to know: Translated from French by Montana Kane. The author expertly captures being awkward and the transition from childhood to adulthood. I laughed and cried. I will be reading more by this author.

Published October 17, 2023 (Orig. 2021) | My Review to Come


Swim Team by Johnnie Christmas

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

What you need to know: This has been on my reading list since it came out. I love how participating in the swim team changed Bree’s life and helped her form meaningful relationships with others. The story also offered context for why some characters didn’t learn to swim.

Published May 17, 2022 | My Review to Come


Boy vs. Shark by Paul Gilligan

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

What you need to know: This poignant memoir is about growing up in the 1970s, seeing the movie Jaws, and the impact of toxic masculinity on a boy’s adolescence. It’s so underrated. I loved this one.

Published October 15, 2024 | My Review


Redbone: The True Story of a Native American Rock Band by Christian Staebler, Sonia Paoloni, and Thibault Balahy

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

What you need to know: An enthusiastic recounting of a Native American rock band and Native American civil rights movement in America. This is a perfect blend of music history and Indigenous history. Really nicely done.

Published October 28, 2020 | My Review to Come


Laura Dean Keeps Breaking Up with Me by Mariko Tamaki and Rosemary Valero-O’Connell

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

What you need to know: This is another book that was on my reading list for a long time. Tamaki made the pain and confusion of a toxic relationship absolutely palpable here. If you’ve been through a rough break-up or had the on-again-off-again experience of a bad relationship, reading this could be extremely cathartic. (Or triggering. It was cathartic for me.)

Published May 7, 2019 | My Review to Come


The Worst Ronin by Maggie Tokuda-Hall and Faith Schaffer

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

What you need to know: A young warrior teams up with her idol to save a village’s children from a terrible threat. A few moments are darker than I expected, but it’s also super funny and celebrates unlikely friendships. I enjoyed this.

Published May 21, 2024 | My Review to Come


Horse Trouble by Kristin Varner

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

My thoughts: This sweet graphic novel offers a closer look at competitive riding for curious/unfamiliar readers and a heartwarming tale of a girl who loves horses.

Published October 26, 2021 | My Review


Middle Grade Fiction

Sylvia Doe and the 100-year Flood by Robert Beattie

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

What you need to know: Set in Western North Carolina, this book was published on the heels of Hurricane Helene, a real-life 100-year flood. I loved the imaginative elements of the book and the relationships between characters.

Published October 8, 2024 | My Review


Hazel Bly and the Deep Blue Sea by Ashley Herring Blake

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

What you need to know: I read this with some blogging friends, which was incredibly fun. This is the kind of book that sticks with you. Hazel’s complex grief journey and the challenges she faces in a new town with the possibility of new friends and anxieties were so relatable and engaging.

Published May 25, 2021 | My Review to Come


The Wild Robot (The Wild Robot #1) by Peter Brown

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

My thoughts: Absolutely fantastic. The description of this book didn’t appeal to me so much, but the engaging illustrations and endearing relationships between Roz and the animals on the island absolutely won me over. I will be continuing with this series.

Published April 5, 2016 | My Review


The Wild Robot Escapes by Peter Brown

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

What you need to know: My littlest and I read this one together after I read the first in the series to her. We had to know what would become of Roz and whether she’d ever make it back to Brightbill on the island. It’s such a sweet story about connections and found family.

Published March 13, 2018 | My Review to Come


You Don’t Know Everything, Jilly P! by Alex Gino

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

What you need to know: I’m woefully behind on Gino’s books, so this is part of my attempt to play catch-up. I continue to be so impressed with Gino’s ability to write deeply nuanced, emotionally vulnerable stories that never talk down to readers. Just amazing.

Published September 25, 2018 | My Review to Come


The House of Many Ways by Diana Wynne Jones

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

What you need to know: Charmain Baker must care for her wizard uncle’s house while he’s away with the elves. She discovers a sinister plot against the king and seeks help from Sophie and Howl. I loved getting to visit the world of Howl’s Moving Castle again in this book.

Published May 22, 2009 | My Review to Come


Joy, to the World by Kai Shappley and Lu Bunker (writing at the time as Lisa Bunker)

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

What you need to know: The joy in this book is so beautiful. Joy, a young trans girl, faces discrimination and learns about activism while finding her people and celebrating a love for faith and cheerleading. I loved this.

Published May 9, 2023 | My Review to Come


Just Lizzie by Karen Wilfrid

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

What you need to know: Another great book! Here, we have another author who never talks down to her audience and yet writes about complex ideas: recovery from witnessing a loved one experience trauma; the empowerment of learning self-defense; the ways in which adults surprise us (for better or worse); and the validation that comes from understanding who we are.

Published November 14, 2023 | My Review to Come


Wishbone by Justine Pucella Winans

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

What you need to know: The author’s first middle grade book is one of my all-time favorites, so I went into this with huge expectations. I had a great time reading this book. The Otherwoods remains my favorite, but Winans did some great storytelling here, too. I’m also ALWAYS a fan of a cat-who-is-not-a-cat, so it was pretty much destined to be a win for me.

Published September 17, 2024 | My Review to Come


Young Adult Fiction

Warrior of Legend (Heromaker #2) by Kendare Blake

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

What you need to know: The conclusion to the Heromaker duology read to me more like a middle book than a conclusion, but it sounds like the author is leaving room for spinoff series’ to come. I’m glad I read it.

Published October 29, 2024 | My Review to Come


Flyboy by Kasey LeBlanc

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

What you need to know: Mostly closeted, transgender Ash wakes up at night to live a circus life in a body that matches his identity. I love the powerful way Ash’s night/day lives converge and how this speaks to identity and being seen.

Published May 14, 2024 | My Review to Come


Thieves’ Gambit by Kayvion Lewis

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

My thoughts: The high-stakes game kept me turning pages from start to finish. Great intensity and memorable characters. I cannot wait to see where this series is headed next.

Published September 26, 2023 | My Review


Heist Royale (Thieves’ Gambit #2) by Kayvion Lewis

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

What you need to know: I listened to an audiobook version of Thieves’ Gambit last year, and I had to find out how Ros’s story ends. Overall, I thought this conclusion was satisfying, and I loved seeing how Ros’s relationships from the first book continued to grow in this one.

Published November 12, 2024 | My Review to Come


Bad Graces by Kyrie McCauley

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

What you need to know: A group of girls becomes castaways on a strange island. Their bodies begin to change. They wrestle with past trauma and deal with current horrors. This one is deep, and thought-provoking. Do not read if you are squeamish about mushrooms.

Published June 18, 2024 | My Review to Come


All American Boys by Jason Reynolds and Brendan Kiely

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

What you need to know: Another big one on my reading list. The two perspectives here are perfectly chosen and add so many layers to the story and draw readers’ attention to some of the issues that might be overlooked otherwise. Nobody who has read Reynolds will be surprised to hear that this is great writing.

Published September 29, 2015 | My Review to Come


Loveboat, Taipei by Abigail Hing Wen

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

What you need to know: I love so many things about this book. Ever’s journey to set her own boundaries and priorities and her love for choreography deeply resonated with me. I will be reading more of this series for sure!

Published January 7, 2020 | My Review to Come


Loveboat, Forever (Loveboat, Taipei #3) by Abigail Hing Wen

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

What you need to know: Here’s me, reading more of this series. I skipped the second book, but it didn’t really matter (except for a HEA spoiler). I went into this series expecting a fluffy romance, and it’s got romance, no doubt about it. But it explores so much more than that. I loved the descriptions of music and Pearl’s journey reconnecting to lost family and family history here.

Published November 7, 2023 | My Review to Come


Nonfiction

The Ultimate Driving Book by Emma Carson Berne

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

What you need to know: My daughter is learning to drive, so I wanted to check this out in case it was useful for us. It has a lot of basic info, and covers a wide range of topics.

Published August 27, 2024 | My Review to Come


This Book is Gay by Juno Dawson

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

What you need to know: This upbeat guide to coming out, forging relationships, and forming a community includes testimonies of hundreds of LGBTQIA+ people and practical tips and advice from a seasoned writer.

Published September 4, 2014 | My Review to Come


Black History Month Reading

Legacy: Women Poets of the Harlem Renaissance by Nikki Grimes

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

What you need to know: Yet another title on my reading list since it was published. I love the method that Grimes used here to pair her poetry alongside women poets of the Harlem Renaissance. The connections between poems and the illustrations are awesome. I enjoyed this one a lot.

Published January 5, 2021 | My Review


March: Book One by John Lewis

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

What you need to know: This has been on my TBR list a LONG time. The first volume in this nonfiction series recaps John Lewis’s early work for the Civil Rights movement including marching and attending sit-ins. It brings history to life and helps create a broader view of the Civil Rights movement.

Published August 14, 2013 | My Review to Come


The Port Chicago 50: Disaster, Mutiny, and the Fight for Civil Rights by Steve Sheinkin

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

What you need to know: Do you know about the Port Chicago disaster during World War II? I had never heard about this before reading Sheinkin’s book. The author does a phenomenal job anchoring the events discussed in the book into the timeline of familiar events from World War II and the Civil Rights Movement in the US. I can’t recommend this enough.

Published January 21, 2014 | My Review


Hidden Figures: The Untold True Story of Four African American Women Who Helped Launch Our Nation Into Space (Young Readers Edition) by Margot Lee Shetterly

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

What you need to know: I can’t believe it took me so long to read this book! And I wish I’d read it before seeing the movie! This is another wonderful nonfiction account that anchors itself well within other familiar points in US history. Really nicely done.

Published November 29, 2016 | My Review to Come


Black Heroes of the Wild West by James Otis Smith

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

What you need to know: Offers context and information about Black cowboys and specific contributions by people like Mary Fields, Bob Lemmons, and Bass Reeves. Engaging and informative. I was blown away by some of the information offered here, especially in the before and after sections.

Published September 15, 2020 | My Review to Come


What are the best books you read this winter?

Have you read any books lately that you can’t seem to stop talking about? Have you read any of the titles on my Winter 2025 Backlist Reading List? If so, what did you think about them?

Leave me a comment below and let me know!

About Kasey

Reads things. Writes things. Fluent in sarcasm. Willful optimist. Cat companion, chocolate connoisseur, coffee drinker. There are some who call me Mom.

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