Joanna Bome Kure

Twenty Twenty-five was a topsy-turvy, up-and-down year that we survived, thanks to God. Amidst the hustle and bustle of life, I managed to read a few books. Now, I had intended to do a full review for each book, but life happened (life is still happening). Yet I’m determined to do something at least. So, here’s a part of my 2025 Read-List, with a few things I learnt. Enjoy!

The Rules of Wealth: A Personal Code for Prosperity and Plenty– Richard Templer

I borrowed this book from my dad. In this book, I learnt more about wealth – some of the basic rules and exceptions. Nothing too rigid or scary. I found it an enjoyable read and funny at times. I think it is a book that should be read over and again just to allow some rules to sink in properly.

Little Platinum Book of Cha-Ching– Jeffrey Gitomer

I think I read this book at the beginning of 2025. It was an okay read with some lessons learnt. I got it at a discount the previous year. I bought it because the title and book cover caught my attention. I really have nothing much to say on it.

Anna Karenina– Leo Tolstoy

At first, I could simply not get past the first five pages of this novel. I had begun to read it in 2024, but anyone who has read Russian literature knows that it consumes brainpower because of the characters’ names and the many diminutives attached to each name.  However, 2025 was my breakthrough year with this book! I finished it and loved everything about it: its vastness, the social issues underlying the book, the fact that it is sort of a love story, and a story about finding Faith in God. You read this book and understand all the rave about classic Russian Literature and Tolstoy in particular.

The Screwtape Letters– C.S. Lewis

Ha! Clive. Stapes. Lewis. Only this man would think of writing a book from the point of view of a demon. A worthy book on Christian living to be read over and again. I doubt any Christian can read this book and not find something beneficial. It’s a book about temptation. The militant schemes of the devil and his demons to tempt Christians. We tend to think of temptations only in grand terms, but there are those subtle ones, which actually turn out to be grand if we continue to tread their path. It’s humbling, and I pray God helps us to always discern the schemes of the evil one and to fight temptations with all the God-resources at our disposal. I highly recommend this book.

Of This Our Country: Acclaimed Nigerian writers on the home, identity and culture they know – Nels Abbey Et. al.

I bought this book because I liked the title. I’m the type that judges a book by the title. Did it live up to expectations? I guess so. Of This Our Country is an anthology by some established Nigerian authors on growing up in (or experiencing) Nigeria. Some stories were funny and wild, even. And I guess it’s safe to say one gets the full range of emotions that being a Nigerian creates in a person. There were buts. I read some stories, and ‘but’ was all over my mind. I doubt I have the words to articulate those ‘buts’, all I know is that they arose as I read the book. All-in-all, it was a good read.

Searching for Certainty: Finding God in the Disruptions of Life – Shelly Miller

Search for Certainty because who isn’t searching for it? This was a reassuring read that carried some depth as it was written during the COVID-19 pandemic and is actually for post-COVID readers. I read and discovered that as Christians, the search is even more gruelling because we have to learn to trust God wholeheartedly, even when He seems distant or silent. The author’s personal story was comforting, but discovering she died after the book was published was saddening. It was a great read and recommended for continuous reading, seeing that the search for certainty is almost never-ending.

25 Lies Twenty-Somethings Believe: How to Get Unstuck and Own Your Defining Decade – Paul Angone

I read this book at twenty-nine and found that even thirty and forty-somethings could get a thing or two from it. Like Anna Karenina, I had attempted to read this book twice in 2024, but it just wasn’t working out. It reminded me of the time I simply could not get past the Hobbit starting his journey in The Lord of the Rings film because I would doze off. It took determination to watch all three parts of the film (which I liked eventually). I liked this book too, and Paul Angone’s sense of humour. I enjoyed this book so much that I want to read his other books. And to think that I got this book at a discount at the Christian Bookshop opposite Sky Memorial Mall, Wuse zone 5, Abuja. It was an all-you-can-read buffet. The shop attendant was like, “In this section, you can pick any five books and they would all total five thousand Naira”. Seeing that I judge books by their title, I selected this.

This is my 2025 read-list so far. I’ll take a pause here to prevent this from being lengthy.