Hi friends,

I keep logging onto Threads. I know, I know, I have no one to blame but myself.

It seems to me that every new book community feels like the worst one, but whenever I log onto Threads, I'm like, "No, really. This is the worst one." Something about nascent book communities makes them breeding grounds for the worst takes. A space still searching for an identity can feel like the perfect place to share your most marginalized-feeling thoughts because what if we thought less about books, and are audiobooks reading, and are you reading that many books if it makes me feel bad about myself?

None of these opinions are new, of course; they only echo louder in new spaces. And because these tepid takes are cyclical, it can be difficult to gauge how and if they are spreading or taking root.

It worries me that they are taking root, particularly as I think about how culture, society, and political climates inform our niche and online communities. If our current climate is one of mis- and disinformation, the rise of fascism, anti-intellectualism, and a lack of nuance disguised as moral superiority, it’s only surprise, then, that these tendencies show up in unexpected places—like book communities.

Still, not all hope is lost, and if there is a space where I feel most confident we can combat these tendencies, it’s within the realm of books and reading. And while it can often feel like my content is either preaching to the choir or arguing with brick walls, I know there are people out there who can be reached. I know because I was irrevocably changed by the education I received via online communities, through books, and through the friendships I formed thanks to both.

Many of us are used to considering books as agents of learning, growing, and creating empathy, but perhaps it's time to shift that perspective. Books can certainly facilitate those things, but only for the readers who are willing to approach them with curiosity.

With all these thoughts in mind, here are my wishes for the reading community in 2025.

Stay Curious

Oftentimes, my most generous readings of the worst takes I see on social media are that they come from deeply incurious people. Truly, you only have to spend a little time in a social media comment section of your choice to have ample evidence of how eager people are to assert their opinions without any desire to understand or explore the full picture. It's an intellectual laziness that refuses to engage with the information provided, look up information for oneself, or, for one moment, give any consideration to context. This incuriosity also shows up in reading spaces with refusals to seek new perspectives in our stories, a certain toxicity that prioritizes comfort above all else, and an approach to books that treats them as untouchable products.

In 2025, I'd love to see readers reclaim space as explorers, willing to venture beyond the easy for no reason other than pursuing a good story.

Rethink Comfort

The pursuit of comfort is an instinct many of us lean into, especially when the world around us feels chaotic. (And I fear we're facing four more years of extreme chaos.) But this year, the reading community needs to reconsider what comfort means. For instance, how comforting can something be if the only way to enjoy it is without thinking and at the cost of others? And if your comfort is all that matters, why are you bringing that into a space seeking community? And if what you seek is community, why should our collective priority be your comfort?

In 2025, I'd love to see readers become more aware of the politics of comfort.

Reject Mindless Consumption

Recently, a mutual of mine was pushing back on authors who were arguing for the use of generative AI. Her point was that if you skip all the messy, difficult parts of writing, you want to have written and not actually write. This made me think a lot about a larger pattern in reading communities that treat stories as products, where the priority is having consumed them. And when the priority is consumption (or in the case of authors, production), it's easier to think of things like writing and craft as incidental. I truly feel that this sentiment is behind why readers can argue that bad writing or plot holes or lack of quality of any kind don't matter or why writers can argue that if the robot helps them do the hard work, it doesn't matter.

In 2025, I’d love to see readers understand that the story is in the words, and the experience, whether you enjoy a book or not, is in the reading.

Rediscover the Joy of Thought

While not every book is intellectually stimulating, every story can be thought about. The idea that books are either purely for entertainment or solely for deep analysis creates a disservice to both readers and writers. A great story can be both enjoyable and worthy of reflection and more—we owe it to ourselves and each other to think about what we are reading, promoting, and forming community around.

In 2025, it's time for readers to turn their brains back on.

Well, a girl can dream.

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recently read

I finished my year with a few of bangers, which might just end up on my favorites of the year list. And this, my friends, is why I never make my lists until January 1st. 😌

_Cobalt Red _by Siddharth Kara is a deeply impactful exploration of the human cost of cobalt mining. Kara’s investigative work sheds light on the exploitation and environmental degradation tied to the global demand for cobalt. It's thorough and thoughtful, though it's worth it to note that the aim of this work is to bring awareness. There are no solutions presented outside of hoping that if more people know what's happening, we can support work to save the Congolese people. It is a book I'll take into 2025 and will inform a lot of my purchasing choices.

_The Eyes and the Impossible _by Dave Eggers is a Newberry Award winning middle grade work about a clever and observant wild dog named Johannes who serves as "the eyes" of an urban park. The narrative voice makes it a bit scattered (very fitting for a dog), but it's saved by it's beautiful thoughts on discovering art and navigating friendships. The art is stunning and the whole experience was whimsical and heart-warming.

I'm still thinking about _James _by Percial Everett. I read sections of Tom Sawyer and Huck Finn in elementary school, and yet, it was still clear to me how this works in conversation not only with those works, but slave narratives overall. This was smart and intricate, and it layered an emotional and moving story on top of the kind of commentary about history and society that will haunt me.

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a moment for gratitude and coming soon

I want to take a moment to express my deepest gratitude to everyone who has supported my publishing journey and joined the Mareas community this past year. When I launched this community at the end of 2023 and officially announced my imprint in early 2024, I didn’t know exactly what to expect, but the response has been overwhelming.

Since then, I’ve had the privilege of acquiring two titles I am beyond excited about. The Unmapping, debuting in just 153 days, is now in the hands of ARC readers. (Request it if you can ! Anything that shows interest in the title helps!) I’m being mindful not to consume too many reviews, but it’s been incredible to see people connecting with the book in their own way.

As we gear up for launch, the blurbs are also rolling in, and I’m so proud of what’s being said about The Unmapping:

"What a powerful way to get at the essential fact of our time—that the world we've always known is now shifting around us, and we must come together to confront that reality." – Bill McKibben, author of The End of Nature

"Bold, inventive, and genre-defying, The Unmapping is a thrilling exploration of human nature, survival, and the unknown forces that shape our world. At once surreal and eerily prescient, Robbins deftly conjures the disorientation of a city upended and rearranged by a mysterious phenomenon and the fragility of the systems that underpin our lives. I was in Robbins’ thrall from page one." – Nada Alic, author of BAD THOUGHTS

"A tour de force, The Unmapping is an allegory for this moment of disorientation, when climate change, predatory capitalism, and hubristic technology have left us unsure of our place and path. Yet Robbins weaves a thread of warm humanity through the book, hinting at how we may find our way again." – Marcia Bjornerud, author of Turning to Stone and Timefulness

I’ve also seen drafts of the special edition of The Unmapping and the exclusive ARC box, and they are both gorgeous. I’m sorry for the tease. It’s hard not to share the excitement!

On the Orange Wine front, the public cover reveal is coming soon! (If you’re a paid member, you’ve already seen early drafts.) The team at Bindery came up with a wonderful way to reveal the cover, so stay tuned!

I'm working on my best and worst lists for 2024, which means my paid members will get the associated bonus lists (top 11-20 books and most disappointing reads). And if you are in the Discord, I've already shared our Bingo board for Q1. Good luck and happy reading to everyone participating again!

2025 is shaping up to be a big year for Mareas. Thank you for being part of this journey. I’m beyond grateful to bring thought-provoking, thematically resonant stories to the world, and I’m so glad you’re here to join me.

Happy New Year!

♥️

Marines

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