The first set of monthly reading prompts are here! In addition to my 25 reading prompts for 2025, I’ll be posting extra prompts each month for those of you who want an extra challenge, or need a little reading inspiration. As always, I encourage you to diversify your picks anytime you can.

Here are the prompts for January. I themed them around new beginnings and since MLK Jr. Day is this month, I also included one that fits this holiday.

The books listed are merely suggestions, and you are not limited to only the books I have listed. Also, I haven’t read all of the suggested books. Some of them I pulled from other reader’s lists because the synopsis sounded interesting. Do your due diligence to check trigger warnings, etc before jumping in. Happy reading!

Since January kicks off a new (debut) year, how about we read a debut book? This book can be by any author and can be published at any time. The only rule is it has to be the first book ever published by your selected author.

Since this is pretty self explanatory, and the options are limitless, I won’t be posting examples.

Since January is (typically) ushered in with a celebration, read a book that is focused around a party or some sort of celebration. I realize it’s difficult to find a book that focuses on a single event, so an alternative would be that a party or celebration plays a central role in the plot, or is the setting for a major event in the story. A few examples:

A few other examples include:

• The Perfect Guests by Emma Rous
• The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald
• The Party Crasher by Sophie Kinsella
• The Second Chance Year by Melissa Wiesner

The United States has an ugly history of racism and inequality, and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. fought hard to bring about equal rights for people of color. His work was the catalyst for many other fights for equality. Read a book (fiction or non-fiction) that is set during the civil rights era (1954-1968).

Many people tend to gravitate toward “The Help”, or “The Secret Life of Bees” when picking a book that focuses on this point in history. While those books are entertaining, they are written by white women and are told through a white lens. Pick a book written by a Black author.

While you could select any book on MLK Jr., here are a few others that fit this prompt:

And still, a few others:

• In the Face of the Sun by Denny S. Bryce
• Grant Park by Leonard Pitts Jr.
• Voices of Freedom: An Oral History of the Civil Rights Movement from the 1950s through the 1980s by Henry Hampton and Steve Fayer
• Freedom’s Daughters: The Unsung Heroines of the Civil Rights Movement from 1830 to 1970 by Lynne Olson

For more reading prompts and to see my progress on these and other challenges check out this page.

If you’re playing along, don’t forget to tag your posts on Instagram or Threads using the #JRIA25 hashtag.

Happy reading!