As this year comes to a close, I’m beginning to plan out my goals and projects for the new year. I’ve made good progress with reading this year, both with my owned books and borrowing from my local library.
There are still many titles, yet unread, on my shelf. So, here are a few I’m excited to read next year, in no particular order.
The Hobbit by J R R Tolkein
The Hobbit is a classic, fantasy story following Bilbo Baggins, a Hobbit, who gets roped into a magical adventure. I remember watching the film adaptation, starring Martin Freeman, with my family upon its release, and know that Tolkein’s middle earth books are beloved by many. I’m looking forward to seeing what all the fuss is about.
Camp Zero by Michelle Min Sterling
When it comes to my favourite books, they often fall into the genre of Dystopia. My favourite kind of dystopian fiction are ones that focus on government and rebellion. However, other forms of dystopia, such as Climate Dystopia, tend to be just as fun. Camp Zero appears to be such a novel, following multiple characters through a harsh, climate-destroyed world.
The Peepshow by Kate Summerscale
Straying from my comfort zone of fiction and fantasy, The Peepshow is a non-fiction, true crime book detailing the murders of 10 Rillington Place. I first learned about the case through a 3-part BBC drama ‘Rillington Place’*. I’m excited to learn more details of the case, perhaps more about John Christie, the perpetrator, as well as the victims, their families, and how the case was resolved.
*Additional Note: The film ‘See How They Run’ also makes mention of the case. In the film, the Met Police are preoccupied by the Rillington Place murders, leaving Sam Rockwell and Saorise Ronan’s characters to solve a theatrical who-dunnit.
Frankenstein by Mary Shelley
One of the first books I remember buying before starting university was a Penguin ‘leatherbound’ edition of Frankenstein. The appeal of a teal harback, and the prospect of reading a foundational text of the science fiction genre, called to me. However, I’ve not yet had the chance or motivation to browse its pages. I’m hoping 2025 will be the year I fall in love with Mary Shelley.
Something Wicked This Way Comes by Ray Bradbury
As anyone who’s stumbled upon my YouTube channel will know, I have a… somewhat healthy obsession with Ray Bradbury. Since being struck by the beauty of his novel, Fahrenheit 451, a few years ago, I have been hooked. This year I read his crime shrot-story collection Killer, Come Back to Me, which included gripping and unnerving tales of murder and mystery. In 2025, I hope to continue reading Bradbury’s works, the most intriguing to me being Something Wicked, which details the adventures of two young boys as a travelling circus comes to town.
There are many more books on my shelf I hope to get to next year, but this list details the 5 hopefuls I wish to get to sooner rather than later. Are there any books you’re hoping to get to next year? Or any new releases you cannot wait to get into?
Elmo Moorby 
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