What I Read: December 2025

December was a good month of reading. Thanks to my new Kindle, I found myself reading more often than ever before. I kicked off the month with a very sweet read, cruised through some fun holiday stories, and ended with my favorite genre—a classic thriller.

The House in the Cerulean Sea by T.J. Klune
⭐⭐⭐⭐
I adored this book. It came highly recommended by a friend, and it absolutely lived up to the hype. This sweet story made me well up a few times, touched my heart, and made the world feel a little brighter. Highly recommend.

The Perfect Divorce by Jeneva Rose
⭐⭐⭐
I wanted this to be great, but it ended up being just good. I listened to this one on audiobook, so maybe it’s a story that works better in print. I do love Jeneva Rose, and I’ll definitely keep reading her work.

Three Holidays and a Wedding by Uzma Jalaluddin and Marissa Stapley
⭐⭐⭐⭐
I loved this book. It was everything you want in a cheesy Hallmark-style holiday story—and more. All of the characters were lovable, welcoming, and warm. I wanted to be snowed in with them. I will be adding more Uzma Jalaluddin books to my 2026 reading list.

The Christmas Catch by Toni Shiloh
⭐⭐⭐
This book was cute, but not incredible. It’s a sweet story about a high school love that’s reignited when an injured NFL player returns home for the holidays. Predictable, cozy, and charming.

Legends & Lattes by Travis Baldree
⭐⭐⭐
Such an easy, cozy read. An orc who wants to put down the sword and open a coffee shop—what’s not to love? I’m excited to read the next two books in the series.

The Holiday Mix-Up by Ginny Baird
⭐⭐⭐
A fun holiday read about friends who plan to pretend to be dating—until one of them ends up in the hospital. Add in pushy family members and lots of assumptions, and the next thing Katie knows, she’s cozying up with Juan’s family and falling for his brother.

Expiration Dates by Rebecca Serle
⭐⭐⭐
Rebecca Serle always delivers a fun, unexpected twist. In this story, the main character, Daphne, receives pieces of paper with expiration dates for every man she dates. My only compliant is that I didn’t love Daphne—she came off a bit too prim and proper for me—but overall, it was still a good love story.

Window Shopping by Tessa Bailey
⭐⭐⭐
This spicy holiday romance was a fun one. I love the world of merchandising, so when the main character is a window display manager for a department store, I was immediately all in.

Before the Coffee Gets Cold by Toshikazu Kawaguchi, Geoffrey Trousselot (Translator)
⭐⭐⭐
I had high hopes for this book, but it let me down a bit. It was very sweet, but also a little slow and, at times, boring.

The Serviceberry: Abundance and Reciprocity in the Natural World by Robin Wall Kimmerer
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
One of my top books of 2025. I read this at the perfect time—during the height of gift-buying and consumerism—and it deeply resonated with me.

The Secret History by Donna Tartt
⭐⭐⭐
It has been some time since I read a good thriller and this book scratched that itch. Add in dark academia, a tight circle of friends, and that one strnage professor... this book has it all!