Most Anticipated Book Releases for December 2025

December may be a busy month when it comes to winter holidays, but for publishing, things tend to slow down. Many bookish publications have already put out their best books of the year lists, and the new year hasn’t yet begun. But even if things slow down a good bit, there are still some new books that come out in the final month of the year.

December is a popular time for new cookbooks and self-help titles to be released, in the lead-up to New Year’s Resolutions. But there are still some solid fiction picks trickling out as well. This month’s selection of most anticipated reads is a bit more eclectic than usual because the selection is a bit different from what you get most of the year. My reading tends towards contemporary romance and cozy fantasy, so many of my roundups do, too. But this month, we’ve got some cozy mysteries, romance, and nonfiction in our most anticipated new books list.

Every Day I Read: 53 Ways to Get Closer to Books by Hwang Bo-reum, Translated By Shanna Tan

• Release Date: December 2nd
• Price: $27.99 on Amazon
• Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing
• ARC Received: No

Hwang Bo-reum wrote the incredibly popular Welcome to the Hyunm-dong Bookshop. Now, they’re digging into the books in a new way, with a reflection on reading and why books mean so much to us. As a bookish human, it’s hard not to want to give this one a read! Plus, the cover is beautifully cozy. Books and cats. What more could you need?

The Layover by Beth Reekles

• Release Date: December 2nd
• Price: $18.99 on Amazon
• Publisher: W by Wattpad Books
• ARC Received: No

This one is billed as a fit for readers who love Sophie Kinsella and forced proximity, grumpy/sunshine romance. Given that I am one of those readers, it definitely caught my eye. Reekles is the author who penned The Kissing Booth, which became a hit Netflix series. So while I haven’t read her books before, I’m pretty confident this one will deliver on the funny contemporary romance vibes I love.

Secrets, Spells, and Chocolate by Marisa Churchill

• Release Date: December 9th
• Price: $18.99 on Amazon
• Publisher: Page Street YA
• ARC Received: No

I love a magic school book, and I love a baking competition book. Secrets, Spells, and Chocolate looks poised to deliver on both fronts. This YA novel follows Sylvie as she enters a magical cooking competition to prove herself in the hopes of attending her mom’s alma mater. Sounds like a delicious premise for a story in my book!

Murder by Muffin: A Cranberry Creek Word Search Mystery by Rosie A. Point and Charles Timmerman

• Release Date: December 30th
• Price: $14.99 on Amazon
• Publisher: Adams Media
• ARC Received: No

I received an ARC for the first book in this unique cozy mystery series, Murder Among the Stacks. These books combine a traditional cozy mystery novel with word search puzzles.

You read a chapter, solve a word search related to that chapter, and repeat. It’s a fun combination of story and puzzle book, perfect for cozy winter nights on the couch. I’m very much looking forward to this second installment in the series.

In Your Dreams by Sarah Adams

• Release Date: December 30th
• Price: $19.00 on Amazon
• Publisher: Dell
• ARC Received: No

I’ve yet to read anything by Sarah Adams, but her books always catch my eye. In Your Dreams is the latest installment in her Rome, Kentucky series. Like most romance “series,” though, this one can be read as a standalone. It follows Madison, who’s returning home after struggling to make it in New York’s culinary scene. Alas, it means taking a job from her brother’s best friend, James. Who just so happens to have been secretly in love with her for years. I love some good pining and culinary-adjacent works, so it sounds like this one is going to be perfectly in my wheelhouse.

Looking for more recently released books? Check out our most anticipated new books list from November. And if you’re looking to give some bookish gifts this year, check out my roundup of budget-friendly gift ideas for book lovers.

About The Author

Amanda Kay Oaks

Amanda Kay Oaks is a writer, book witch, and video game enthusiast based in Latrobe, PA. She writes about books, games, and more from an office packed with crystals and Pokemon plushies. When not engrossed in work or fictional worlds, Amanda can be found in the kitchen, on her yoga mat, or walking her dog, Azula.

See author's posts