December 2025 Reads
POV: it’s currently December 28th. You’re sitting on your couch. No bra. Buffalo Bills game on the TV because they’re your second team and thinking about the Lions loss from last week is like pushing on a gnarly bruise.
Next to you, there’s a book you still need to finish reading so that you can write your last review for the year. Next to that is a pile of various yarn balls with an array of knitting needles sticking out of them because you can’t seem to stop knitting headbands for no one in particular.
Although you took the last week off for Christmas, you decided to still work the 29th and 30th just to make sure your brain isn’t “totally checked out” by the time you return fully to work on January 5th, and are now kind of regretting it.
This is me. It is I. Hello from the last week of 2025.
Now let’s get into the few books I managed to get through in December lol.
*All summaries are taken or paraphrased from Goodreads.
Damascus & The Wildfire by Rachel Esterline
DAMASCUS & THE WILDFIRE by Rachel Esterline (The Lone Star Mavericks MC, #2)
Rating: 3.75/5 stars
Summary: Love blooms in the wreckage. When Kenna Walsh trades her polished D.C. life for the wide Texas skies, she isn’t looking for love—just a fresh start. Three years after losing her fiancé, her heart still feels hollow. But when she’s hired to plan the Lone Star Mavericks’ fiftieth anniversary party, she’s pulled into a world built on loyalty, violence, and a code she doesn’t yet understand. Merrick, the club’s quiet, battle-scarred sergeant-at-arms, carries his own ghosts and keeps the world at arm’s length. Hatchet, their reckless enforcer, meets the darkness with a grin and refuses to let Kenna disappear into the shadows. And for the first time in years, her heart isn’t just waking up—it’s at war with itself. When a violent street gang threatens everything the Mavericks stand for, Kenna is drawn deeper into a brotherhood where loyalty is everything and trust is hard won, forced to navigate not just the threats outside the clubhouse, but the fractures within it. And as danger closes in, she finds strength in places she never expected—and faces a choice that could change the course of her future forever.
My Thoughts: Yessss. We love a niche romance, and diving into one centered around a motorcycle club was such a fresh experience. To be totally transparent, I was a beta reader earlier this year for the first book in this series (The Reaper & the Lionness) – which I didn’t include on my blog since it hadn’t been published yet but thoroughly enjoyed nonetheless. So you can imagine how excited I was to receive a free e-book copy of its successor from the author herself (thank you, Rachel!!). This book has everything you could want in a romance that’s rough around the edges: well-developed, complex characters; a solid plotline beyond the romance itself; multiple POVs; and plenty of action to keep you on your toes. Kenna is new to town and learning the ropes of what it means to be part of the Lone Star Mavericks motorcycle club. She’s searching for a change of scenery after being stuck in a cycle of grief since losing her fiancé three years ago. I loved how dynamic her personality was. She’s incredibly easy to be around, but definitely fiery if you get on her bad side. Add in the contrasting best friends, Merrick and Hatchet, and you’ve got the perfect love triangle for Kenna to get tangled up in. Of course, both men are equally likable, which makes it very hard to decide which team you’re on lol. If you enjoy a niche romance with a darker taste to it, I highly recommend picking this one up.
Caste by Isabel Wilkerson
CASTE: THE ORIGINS OF OUR DISCONTENTS by Isabel Wilkerson
Rating: 5/5 stars
Summary: In this brilliant book, Isabel Wilkerson gives us a masterful portrait of an unseen phenomenon in America as she explores, through an immersive, deeply researched narrative and stories about real people, how America today and throughout its history has been shaped by a hidden caste system, a rigid hierarchy of human rankings. Beyond race, class, or other factors, there is a powerful caste system that influences people’s lives and behavior and the nation’s fate. Linking the caste systems of America, India, and Nazi Germany, Wilkerson explores eight pillars that underlie caste systems across civilizations, including divine will, bloodlines, stigma, and more. Using riveting stories about people—including Martin Luther King, Jr., baseball’s Satchel Paige, a single father and his toddler son, Wilkerson herself, and many others—she shows the ways that the insidious undertow of caste is experienced every day. She documents how the Nazis studied the racial systems in America to plan their out-cast of the Jews; she discusses why the cruel logic of caste requires that there be a bottom rung for those in the middle to measure themselves against; she writes about the surprising health costs of caste, in depression and life expectancy, and the effects of this hierarchy on our culture and politics. Finally, she points forward to ways America can move beyond the artificial and destructive separations of human divisions, toward hope in our common humanity.
My Thoughts: I’ve been recommended this by a few people over the years and I’m so glad I finally dug into it. This book dives deep into the hidden caste system the present-day United States operates by unknowingly and explores the tragic, traumatic events and milestones throughout the country’s history that got us here. When I tell you I wanted to throw up multiple times from the gut-punching stories from history that I had never been exposed to before. It honestly makes me so sick about some of the powerful figures our country decided to put on pedestals who remain there today. The author takes you by the chin and forces you to look at the absolutely ugly and horrid centuries of racism, facism, and misogyny that still plague our country today and keeps minority groups in their designated caste. Honestly, this book is so important and if you haven’t read it yet, I highly recommend you prioritize it for one of your non-fiction reads of 2026.
Broken Country by Clare Leslie Hall
BROKEN COUNTRY by Clare Leslie Hall
Rating: 4.5/5 stars
Summary: Beth and her gentle, kind husband Frank are happily married, but their relationship relies on the past staying buried. But when Beth’s brother-in-law shoots a dog going after their sheep, Beth doesn’t realize that the gunshot will alter the course of their lives. For the dog belonged to none other than Gabriel Wolfe, the man Beth loved as a teenager—the man who broke her heart years ago. Gabriel has returned to the village with his young son Leo, a boy who reminds Beth very much of her own son, who died in a tragic accident. As Beth is pulled back into Gabriel’s life, tensions around the village rise and dangerous secrets and jealousies from the past resurface, this time with deadly consequences. Beth is forced to make a choice between the woman she once was, and the woman she has become.
My Thoughts: This book felt like a gently paced, poignant car crash that you can’t help but rubberneck the entire time because you need to see how it all ends. Switching between past and present, the story follows Beth, who fell in love with a wealthy neighbor as a teenager, only to ultimately end up with the town’s boy-next-door farmer. The book opens in a courtroom, and while it’s unclear who’s being prosecuted, it’s immediately obvious that it all ties back to this decades-long love triangle. As the story unfolds, you’re given glimpses of the all-consuming first love Beth and Gabriel shared when they were young, and how those feelings begin to resurface now that he’s back in town. At the same time, you learn about the first decade of Beth’s marriage to Frank, and the absolutely tragic incident that has caused a rift between them ever since. I listened to the audiobook, and I honestly don’t know if I would’ve been as invested if I’d been eyeball-reading it. It’s a heavier story that takes you on a full emotional rollercoaster, and even by the end, I was still torn over who I was rooting for in the love triangle. That said, the writing is beautiful and effortlessly transported me to the English countryside, where these characters slowly tease apart the complicated threads of their relationships. If you’re looking for a book with an easy, meandering pace and a storyline that will make you feel a lot of feels, this one is perfect.
Quicksilver by Callie Hart
QUICKSILVER by Callie Hart (Fae & Alchemy, #1) (REREAD)
Rating: 5/5 stars
Summary: Do not touch the sword. Do not turn the key. Do not open the gate. In the land of the unforgiving desert, there isn't much a girl wouldn't do for a glass of water. Twenty-four-year-old Saeris Fane is good at keeping secrets. No one knows about the strange powers she possesses, or the fact that she has been picking pockets and stealing from the Undying Queen's reservoirs for as long as she can remember. But a secret is like a knot. Sooner or later, it is bound to come undone. When Saeris comes face-to-face with Death himself, she inadvertently re-opens a gateway between realms and is transported to a land of ice and snow. The Fae have always been the stuff of myth, of legend, of nightmares... but it turns out they're real, and Saeris has landed herself in the middle of a centuries-long conflict that might just get her killed. The first of her kind to tread the frozen mountains of Yvelia in over a thousand years, Saeris mistakenly binds herself to Kingfisher, a handsome Fae warrior, who has secrets and nefarious agendas of his own. He will use her Alchemist's magic to protect his people, no matter what it costs him…or her. Death has a name. It is Kingfisher of the Ajun Gate. His past is murky. His attitude stinks. And he's the only way Saeris is going to make it home.
My Thoughts: Round two, and this book is still five-stars for me on vibes alone. You can read my full initial review here from my first read in February, but even on a reread—while the writing isn’t perfect—the experience is absolutely fantastic. I still loved Saeris’ core need to be independent and resilient even after finding herself as the only human surrounded by Fae in a completely different realm. Not to mention, the Fae are currently at war with the neighboring colony of vampires, and the only warrior strong enough to keep the bloodsuckers at bay is the beautiful and mysterious Kingfisher. The swoop in my stomach did not fail to dip all the way to my toes as this ruthless male started falling for this tiny human with an affinity to bend metals at her will. The plot was perfect, the pacing was chef’s kiss, and I’m still unapologetically obsessed with Carrion Swift lol. I’m glad I reread this before diving into Brimstone though because I definitely forgot a few major plot points that occur towards the end. Anyways. My dear fantasy-loving friends, with respect, if you haven’t picked this one up yet, what tf are you doing??
Brimstone by Callie Hart
BRIMSTONE by Callie Hart (Fae & Alchemy #2)
Rating: 5/5 stars
Summary: Duty. Blood. Honour. Power. Saeris Fane doesn't want power. The very last thing she needs is her name whispered on an entire court's lips, but now that she's been crowned queen of the Blood Court, she's discovering that a queen's life is not her own. A heavy weight rests upon her shoulders. Her ward - and her brother - need her back in her homeland . . . but the changes that have strengthened Saeris have also made her weak. Born under blazing suns, Saeris will surely die if she makes her way home through the Quicksilver. Which means that, once again, she must send someone else in her stead . . . Kingfisher of the Ajun Gate has defeated armies and survived all manner of horrors, but traveling back to Zilvaren with Carrion Swift might just be the death of him. The male just will not shut up. Hidden dangers await them down the narrow alleyways of the Silver City. Unfolding secrets pose impossible threats. Fisher must wrangle the smuggler and accomplish his goals quickly if he wants to see his mate again.
My Thoughts: YAAAAS CALLIE HART!! She put her whole fuckin foot into this one. For starters, we got dual POV from both Saeris and Kingfisher, which was an absolute game changer. Getting access to their internal dialogues and seeing what was happening around the realm when they weren’t together made all the difference. This book picks up right where the last one left off, but with more context. Without giving anything away, there’s an event that causes Saeris to wake up as the new Queen of the Vampires – a title she never asked for and very much does not want. That said, she and Kingfisher quickly realize it’s also a unique opportunity to create real, positive change for the realm and finally put an end to a war that’s been raging for centuries. As Saeris navigates her new reality and the nuances of the vampire Blood Court, she’s also on a time crunch to figure out just how far her abilities as an alchemist can stretch. Listen, I could not have asked for a better character arc for Saeris. She grew up human and in poverty, and now she’s overseeing an entirely different species as their ruler?? Y’all. There were several moments where I was incredibly nervy about how she’d respond to biting comments or outright physical attacks, and every time I was pleasantly surprised by how quickly she put people in check – both with her words and her powers. On the flip side of that coin, after only getting Kingfisher’s diamond-hard edges in the first book, we finally got to experience his softer side here. The chapter with Onyx and the acorn will live rent-free in my brain for eons (IYKYK). The plot was perfect, the development of the side characters was spot on, and the vibes remained immaculate. I am absolutely DISTRAUGHT that the next book in this series doesn’t come out until November 2026, but I’m also thoroughly looking forward to rereading this book next fall lol.
Killers of a Certain Age by Deanna Raybourn
KILLERS OF A CERTAIN AGE by Deanna Raybourn
Rating: 3.75/5 stars
Summary: Billie, Mary Alice, Helen, and Natalie have worked for the Museum, an elite network of assassins, for forty years. Now their talents are considered old-school and no one appreciates what they have to offer in an age that relies more on technology than people skills. When the foursome is sent on an all-expenses paid vacation to mark their retirement, they are targeted by one of their own. Only the Board, the top-level members of the Museum, can order the termination of field agents, and the women realize they've been marked for death. Now to get out alive they have to turn against their own organization, relying on experience and each other to get the job done, knowing that working together is the secret to their survival. They're about to teach the Board what it really means to be a woman--and a killer--of a certain age.
My Thoughts: My book club picked this as our next cozy mystery, and while I enjoyed the overall experience, I’ll admit I was hoping for a little more. To be fair, I think this was a case of the book falling victim to the hype I’d heard beforehand. Given the premise of older women who also happen to be trained assassins, I was told it was so much fun and packed with humor. While I did find it enjoyable, I kept waiting for the moment that would make me audibly laugh, and unfortunately, it never quite got there for me. That said, I really liked the overall plot and the characters. After spending 40 years as assassins for a secret organization called the Museum, Billie, Mary Alice, Helen, and Natalie are ready to kick back on a retirement cruise. Naturally, things go sideways when Billie recognizes an active Museum agent on board and they discover there’s a hit out on all four of them. They’re suddenly forced to rely on everything they learned during their years with the Museum to stay alive and figure out who wants them dead. The story was action-packed, and I loved that each woman brought her own strengths to the team. I also enjoyed watching their friendships evolve and seeing how their feelings toward one another have shifted over the years as they’ve grown older and taken different paths in their personal lives. Even if it didn’t fully live up to the hype, I still had a good time with this audiobook and would recommend it if you’re looking for a mystery with a unique twist.
Good Spirits by B.K. Borison
GOOD SPIRITS by B.K. Borison (Ghosted #1)
Rating: 4.5/5 stars
Summary: Ghost of Christmas Past Nolan Callahan intends to spend this holiday haunting like every other—get in, get out, return to his otherwise aimless existence as a ghost awaiting the afterlife. But when he’s faced with Harriet York, the sweetest assignment he’s ever had, he suddenly finds himself wishing for a future. Harriet York has no idea why she’s being haunted. She’s a good person—or, at least, she tries to be. A people pleaser to her core, she always does what’s expected of her. But as she and Nolan begin to examine her past, they discover there are threads that bind them together— and realize there might be more to moving on than expected. With the deadline of Christmas Eve fast approaching, will they find the key to their futures in each other’s pasts? Or will they stay firmly in the present, indulging in their unexpected, spirited connection?
My Thoughts: This book felt like slipping into your coziest pajamas and settling in with a mug of hot cocoa on the first night after you put up your Christmas decorations, when the spirit of the season is just starting to take off. It was equal parts romantic, playful, magical, charming, and absolutely packed with whimsy, and I loved every page of it. Harriet is the embodiment of Christmas cheer: the kind of person who owns a different holiday sweater for every day of December and has zero qualms about blasting Christmas music starting November 1st. On the other hand, Nolan—a.k.a. the Ghost of Christmas Past—is the definition of bah humbug and just wants to get his current assignment over with. It’s only when they begin spending more time together and revisiting glimpses of the past that they realize there’s something deeper connecting them. I was obsessed with the banter between these two and loved the dynamics of their “business” relationship, but this book landed plenty of warm-and-fuzzy blows straight to my heart as they slowly fell for each other. I genuinely wasn’t sure how the author was going to end this one, but let me just say, it did not disappoint. If you’re looking for a high-quality, not overly cheesy Christmas romance, I highly recommend adding this one to your list.
That’s it for December (and 2025)!
I hope everyone had a lovely holiday season and has a great start to 2026!
2025 Book Count: 143
Add me on Goodreads if you haven’t already.
YOUR TURN! What was your favorite book of the year?