It’s time for the first book haul of 2025. Initially, I didn’t plan to buy any books, but as any bookworm knows, books happen. Between a bit of online shopping and a trip to our local bookstore, I accumulated quite a few books this month. My January 2025 Book Haul is here and I’m excited to share all of the books I picked up this month. Perhaps you will find some books to add to your own TBR.
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January 2025 Book Haul
One-Pound Gospel Vol 1 by Rumiko Takahashi
Times are tough at Mukaida’s Gym. Though a promising novice with a surprise win in his debut bout, Kosaku has since adopted a steady regimen of extremely unhealthy eating habits–enough to make his coach ready to permanently throw in the towel. Will Sister Angela’s teachings help Kosaku realize that the road to victory is not paved with bowls of ramen? Or will Kosaku’s burgeoning feelings for the young nun undermine his ability to concentrate on training, fighting and binge eating?
One-Pound Gospel Vol 2 by Rumiko Takahashi
A talented boxer whose hunger for victory is eclipsed only by his ravenous appetite for hearty meals, Kosaku Hatanaka might have what it takes to be a true contender. Too bad his gluttonous gorging never fails to dash his hard-pressed coach’s dreams of managing a champion. Can the virtuous (and really cute) Sister Angela, a novice nun with a soft spot for hard-luck cases, help steer Kosaku down the path to righteousness–and victory in the ring?!
Four years ago, Kosaku pulled off an astounding upset in his pro test by KO’ing a big-time boxer. More than simply sending his opponent down for the count, Kosaku also managed to mangle this pretty-boy fighter’s teeth in the process. Now this toothless tyrant is ready for a rematch, but can Kosaku drop down an entire weight class to qualify for the bout? It is said that the weight of a fighter’s punch comes down to how hard he grips his fist, but will Kosaku ever get a grip on his pre-fight snacking?
A World Lit Only By Fire
From tales of chivalrous knights to the barbarity of the Inquisition and the misery of the Black Death, no era has been a greater source of awe, horror, and wonder than the Middle Ages. In graceful prose, and with the authority of his extraordinary gift for narrative history, William Manchester leads us from a civilization teetering on the brink of collapse to the grandeur of its rebirth during the Renaissance, a dense explosion of energy that spawned some of history’s greatest poets, philosophers, painters, adventurers, and reformers, as well as some of its most spectacular villains. The result is an unforgettable journey into the medieval mind, as Manchester ingeniously re-creates the lives of ordinary people and offers vivid portraits of the era’s most astonishing figures, such as Galileo, Machiavelli, Anne Boleyn, and Ferdinand Magellan.
Mao Vol 14 by Rumiko Takahashi
When Nanoka is transported back in time to a supernatural early 20th century, she gets recruited by aloof exorcist Mao. What thread of fate connects them? Together, they seek answers…and kick some demon butt along the way!
Nanoka continues to make progress controlling her sword, Akanemaru, but when Mao’s life is on the line, will it be enough? Then, our friends come between a pair of jealous sisters. Don’t they know it’s dangerous to interfere with a domestic dispute? Plus, an ambiguous hug followed by an unofficial date…at the public baths?!
Red River Vol 1 by Chie Shinohara
Yuri, a modern teenager, is transported to ancient Anatolia as part of a scheme by the evil Nakia, queen of the Hittites. Only the intervention of Nakia’s stepson, Prince Kail, saves Yuri from the queen’s bloodthirsty intentions. As an unintended consequence of the prince’s actions, the people of Anatolia embrace Yuri as the incarnation of the great war goddess Ishtar.
Finding herself entangled in the social and political drama of a fractured royal family, Yuri begins to maneuver through their manipulations and learn how to survive while stuck deep in the past.
Butter by Asako Yuzuki
There are two things that I simply cannot tolerate: feminists and margarine
Gourmet cook Manako Kajii sits in the Tokyo Detention House convicted of the serial murders of lonely businessmen, whom she is said to have seduced with her delicious home cooking. The case has captured the nation’s imagination, but Kajii refuses to speak with the press, entertaining no visitors. That is until journalist Rika Machida writes a letter asking for her recipe for beef stew, and Kajii can’t resist writing back.
Rika, the only woman in her news office, works late each night, rarely cooking more than ramen. As the visits unfold between her and the steely Kajii, they are closer to a master class in food than journalistic research. Rika hopes this gastronomic exchange will help her soften Kajii, but it seems that Rika might be the one changing. Do she and Kajii have more in common than she once thought?
Inspired by the real case of a convicted con woman and serial killer—the “Konkatsu Killer”—Asako Yuzuki’s Butter is a vivid, unsettling exploration of misogyny, obsession, romance, and the transgressive pleasures of food in Japan.
Rascal Does Not Dream of Santa Claus by Hajime Kamoshida
IS THE REAL MINISKIRT SANTA IN A SEA OF FAKES?
Sakuta thought he’d already accomplished step one: Find Touko Kirishima. The next step was convincing her to help protect Mai, but that proved easier said than done. In the process, however, he makes a confusing discovery: There are multiple Touko Kirishimas! The Touko he knows may not actually be the person he’s looking for! With clues from his friends’ prophetic dreams, he gets closer to figuring out exactly what danger awaits Mai, but he’ll have to sort through the fake Kirishimas and determine who’s the real deal before it’s too late…
The Mosquito by Timothy C. Winegard
A pioneering and groundbreaking work of narrative nonfiction that offers a dramatic new perspective on the history of humankind, showing how through millennia, the mosquito has been the single most powerful force in determining humanity’s fate.
Why was gin and tonic the cocktail of choice for British colonists in India and Africa? What does Starbucks have to thank for its global domination? What has protected the lives of popes for millennia? Why did Scotland surrender its sovereignty to England? What was George Washington’s secret weapon during the American Revolution?
The answer to all these questions, and many more, is the mosquito.
Across our planet since the dawn of humankind, this nefarious pest, roughly the size and weight of a grape seed, has been at the frontlines of history as the grim reaper, the harvester of human populations, and the ultimate agent of historical change. As the mosquito transformed the landscapes of civilization, humans were unwittingly required to respond to its piercing impact and universal projection of power.
The mosquito has determined the fates of empires and nations, razed and crippled economies, and decided the outcome of pivotal wars, killing nearly half of humanity along the way. She (only females bite) has dispatched an estimated 52 billion people from a total of 108 billion throughout our relatively brief existence. As the greatest purveyor of extermination we have ever known, she has played a greater role in shaping our human story than any other living thing with which we share our global village.
Imagine for a moment a world without deadly mosquitoes, or any mosquitoes, for that matter? Our history and the world we know, or think we know, would be completely unrecognizable.
Driven by surprising insights and fast-paced storytelling, The Mosquito is the extraordinary untold story of the mosquito’s reign through human history and her indelible impact on our modern world order.
I Will Forget This Feeling Someday by Yoru Sumino
Two parallel dimensions and brief meetings in the dead of night give rise to a passionate love story from the bestselling author of I Want to Eat Your Pancreas.
Suzuki Kaya lives an everyday, ordinary, boring life. That is, until a dazzling light appears before him at a defunct bus stop, showing him a vision of a girl from another world. From that moment, Kaya’s life changes as they strive to find ways to meet one another from across dimensions, and maybe… even fall in love.
Summertime Rendering Vol 1 by Yasuki Tanaka
Hearing the news of the passing of his childhood friend Ushio, Shinpei returned to his hometown on the remote island of Hitogashima to attend her funeral. Little does he know that it is the beginning of a summer full of mystery and horror! No one is prepared for the time-twisting adventures ahead that defy life and death!
Summertime Rendering Vol 2 by Yasuki Tanaka
After the tragedy at the Summer Festival, Shinpei started July 22nd for the 4th time! His first priority is to locate Ryunosuke Nagumo. Who is this mysterious lady that could be the key to defeating the Shadows?
Summertime Rendering Vol 3 by Yasuki Tanaka
Unlocking Ushio’s message, Shinpei and the others learned about the secrets hiding in the old ward of Sou’s family clinic. Exploring the Hishigata Clinic site, they encounter Sou’s sister Tokiko! Is she a friend or an enemy? A vicious battle with the Shadows is about to start…
The Fall of Selvandrea by T.J. McKay
Remember the wolf.
Remember what’s out there in the dark.
Valdaris was a middling artillery captain before his people fell to a conquering rival.
Then he fell further still, snatched from the battlefield by a ruthless cult and cast into the depths of ultimate evil.
Transformed by powers he can’t begin to understand, Valdaris seeks revenge on those who tried to destroy him. Instead, he’ll face monsters beyond his most terrifying nightmares. He joins with allies caught in the chaos of his war with evil, oblivious to his true nature and the darkness closing in on their world.
Full of dragons, monsters, found family, magical weapons, intense duels, and epic battles, The Fall of Selvandrea follows a vigilante’s quest against malice, greed, and the shadow within. Heroes and villains join against the rising dark, and against a tyrant whose schemes may destroy them all.
And from calamity’s ashes, a new power shall rise
I hope you enjoyed my January 2025 Book Haul. What books did you buy this month?
