Hal 9000 said:

I've got a stocked Kindle (app) and a revised, though still ambitious, reading list. I've got a good 2+ years for all this catch up reading

To echo what Tim said earlier, read what you think you'll enjoy, not what you think will have any bearing on VII. At least not until we start getting reports and blurbs from the filming after it begins.

If Hamill, Ford, & Co are in the next film - and it appears they are - there is no way any of the Zahn stuff will be part of the story. Well, not unless there's quite a stretch. The Zahn EU (all of which is fantastic, by the way) takes place when our heroes are in their 30s and 40s. The original cast are much older than that now. It would be a weird leap filming Thrawn stories with Luke in his 60s and Solo in his 70s.

That said; As a devout follower of all things Zahn EU (my personal canon), I would love an occasional name-check to some of the novels.