Inspiration Ashley Danyew Inspiration Ashley Danyew

What I Read in 2025

December is my favorite time to reflect on my reading life.

I love hearing what other people read, reviewing everything I read this year, and making my annual book list for the coming year.

This year, I read 26 books on a variety of topics: novels to business and leadership, psychology to memoirs to the arts. Some were on my reading list, some I discovered in Libby (the library app), and some came recommended by friends.

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Inspiration, Personal Ashley Danyew Inspiration, Personal Ashley Danyew

Eight Festive Advent Calendars for Musicians

Advent is a season of hope, patience, expectation, and waiting. A reminder that light follows darkness; we cannot have one without the other. This is why I love Advent calendars—a tangible way to count the days of December and hold on to hope.

Whether you’re counting down to Christmas, Winter Break, or the end of concert season, an Advent calendar can offer a new rhythm or structure to your days. For busy musicians, it’s a simple way to pause and take in one small moment of reflection, joy, or nostalgia.

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Inspiration Ashley Danyew Inspiration Ashley Danyew

What I Read (and Loved) in 2023

It’s been my tradition here on the blog to write a brief review of what I read during the year and share my favorites.

If you’re new here, you should know that I tend to alternate between business and entrepreneurship books and novels, with a few memoirs and non-fiction selections added in. This year, I read 29 books (not counting the few I started but didn’t finish).

Here’s the book list I made at the beginning of the year.

Looking for a few new books to read in 2024? In this post, I’m sharing what I read this year, plus the seven best books I read in 2023.

Happy reading!

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