Mama's 2025 Reading List

Updated: Jan 2

Looking for some good books to read this coming year 2025? Check out my reading lists as this year I try to get back to old fashion books more and use my phone less. Keep reading to see some that I started this December and am still reading! You can jump to the bottom of this post to see a list of even more books I plan to be reading or revisting this year! Or you can also check out my other Mama Reads posts over on my blog under my Books page here for other book recommendations!

Many product links in this post are affiliate links. If you choose to use them I may make commission off of purchases, thanks for supporting our family if you do.

The month of December felt super busy with holiday hustle. But there is also this magical week between Christmas and New Year and time before work or school schedules call us back to routine, that sometimes lends to slowing down and enjoying books, movies, games and fun activities with friends and loved ones-though ours was still filled with a fun flurry of activity. And though I wasn't able to read a whole two books a month, like I was hoping to do this past fall, I have been reading two that I have really enjoyed. And whether or not you find yourself having some down time in the end of this holiday season, or just looking for some good book recommendations for the New Year, these two books are great additions to have.

The Gentleness Challenge by Abbie Halberstadt

This book is a 30 day devotional challenge to become more patient, kind and gentle Mamas. Our oldest is currently in the 3's and needless to say, as adorable as our kiddos are and despite our overwhelming love for them, my patience has been tested. As most parents of three year olds know, this year is a year where, what I like to call, "independently dependent" determination comes in full force. Add potty training to this time frame, and the possibility of other children to care for in the home, such as in our case a sweet baby who was teething, add in a dash of a tired mama, and you can see why I was needing this challenge.

I had heard Abbie mention this challenge in one of her other books which I have enjoyed, M is for Mama and Hard is Not the Same Thing as Bad, so I just went to find it and dove right in. In the opening pages I learned that she encourages you to do this with an accountability partner. I didn't have one going through this with me, but I didn't care. I needed to do it. And just as God often does, He gave me a sweet gift. That night at girls' night at our house, my first friend to arrive and I started to chat before the other ladies came. I opened up to her telling her I was struggling and had started the challenge that day, knowing she had read M is for Mama. And to my surprise, (since she is truly one of the most patient gentle mamas I know-whom I have barely ever heard utter a harsh word) she shared with me she also had just gotten the book! And viola! I had an accounability partner! Don't you just love it when God does things like that?

I'm right in the heart of the challenge and super grateful for it. Though at the beginning I had some spiritual warfare for sure and felt like an utter failure, thanks to my accountability friend and my amazing small group, whom I shared with and who prayed for and encouraged me, I truly have seen God showing up and growing me day by day, even though I have SO much work to grow in my lifetime. I already imagine myself going through the whole thing again as soon as I'm done. Each day gives you one element of gentlenss to focus on, whether it's choosing to just be quiet, or reframing our mind to believe that Christ CAN do a good work in our heart and life.

If you're looking for a quick read (like 2 mins a day) devotional to help give you both biblical and practical advice on developing a Christ-like gentle spirit, then you might just want to go get a copy for yourself! It's only sold as an ebook right now on Abbie's website (to my knowledge), and you can find it here.

Little Women by Louisa May Alcott.

The other book I've been working on throughout the month of December was, and still is, Little Women by Louisa May Alcott. A few years ago I was influenced by a YouTuber to start thinking about matching the books I’m reading to the season I’m in. Little Women, opens right up to Christmas time in the March household and follows the day to day lives of four sisters and their mother during the Civil war. The March family finds themselves missing their father, who is off serving as a Chaplain, while yet extending a hand of blessing to those around them less fortunate during this time. Due to the Christmas setting, at the beginning of this book, this was my December read. However, I had no idea how big this book was, I'm about a third of the way through, but this extra large book, which was originally written as two books, later put together as one, is a whopping 777 pages!

This book first appeared published in 1868- so it's over 150 years old! And it was the first American written book to be considered a children's classic!* Which I have been gathering and reading, since taking a free class on Classical Children's literature last year through Hillsdale College online. Which you can check out here.

It's been a fun read, and as someone who loved the Winona Ryder version of this movie growing up, I have been pleasantly surprised by the depth of characters and details that the book holds, that are just often overlooked or skipped in a movie, or simply would take a lot of time to develop on screen. I also didn't want to spoil the book, so I have been making myself wait to re-watch the movie until I'm done! So maybe there is more there I don't remember.

I am an affiliate associate with Amazon, and Harbor & Sprout, I earn commission on qualifying purchases through use of my links.

Mama's 2025 Reading List

The Gentleness Challenge by Abbie Halberstadt

Little Women by Louisa May Alcott.

Other books on my 2025 Reading List

Recent Posts

Comments