December 2025 TBR list:  Hello, dear readers, the last TBR of the year is here. I have some new authors to me, and ARCs (Advanced Reader Copies). I have two books from last month’s list that pulled over. I have an ambitious list of 12 books, with two books pulled over from last month. I did post my 10 before the end on TikTok early in November. I have a good variety of publisher and author books sent to me on the list, and a good deal of books on the Goodreads Choice Awards. 

This month, I will post my Look Ahead of all the ARCs I have received from publishers. I’ve already got some great reads. Two books are on my most anticipated books of 2026. I will also post an End of the Year post. I have read 71 books so far. My goal for the year was 75. So I will hit that soon. Speaking of goals, I did hit 100,000 views on www.readingwithmyeyes.com, so thank you, everyone, for reading any content I make. This community has been amazing. I’m thankful for any interaction I share.    

This month, I’m going to a very cool signing event called JeffCon1, which features horror writers Philip Fracassi, Kealan Patrick Burke, Chris Panatier, and Chad Lutzke. There will be some cool indie publishers: Rapture Publishing and Suntup. I’m getting 8 books signed; it is going to be a blast.

TBR December 2025:

ARC Books:

Humbug by Luciano Marano is a modern-day take on A Christmas Carol, where Stewart “Scrooge” Caine is a detective investigating the Humbug killings. His ex-partner, Marley, died while trying to solve it last Christmas. Scrooge is visited by three serial killer ghosts who help him solve it. With that premise, I had to read this book. Thankfully, Crystal Lake Publishing gave me a copy. Humbug comes out on December 2nd, 2025.

Library Book:

Katabasis by R.F. Kuang is a dark academia novel. Katabasis is about two graduate students who journey to Hell to save their professor. I loved Yellowface and have wanted to read more R. F. Kuang since. I’ve heard mostly good things about this book. Katabasis is nominated in the Goodreads Choice Awards in Fantasy for 2025.Katabasis was first published on August 26, 2025.

Kindle Books:

You Watched in Silence by H. Lee Justine is about Caitlyn, whose life is a bit of a mess since her best friend cut off all communication. She gets a lifesaving call to nanny the twins of a famous family lifestyle blogger. The blogger is facing a scandal after her number one fan commits suicide and shows indifference. The nanny gig is going great, but she starts flirting with the personal chef. Then, she sees a mysterious girl that only she can seem to see. She starts finding pentagrams in the yard. Someone has it out for her employer, or maybe her.  This book is from Blackstone Publishing, one of my favorites through Netgalley. H. Lee Justine reached out to me on TikTok and asked me to read it. This book is already out and released on November 18, 2025

When The Wolf Comes Home by Nat Cassidy is about a struggling actress finding a young boy roughed up and alone in the woods. She decided to take the kid in when he described his father. What he fails to mention is that his dad is a werewolf and is hunting for him. I have heard only excellent things about this book. When the Wolf Comes Home was nominated in the Goodreads Choice Awards in Horror for 2025. I read Nat Cassidy’s short story in The Stand Anthology, which was released this year, and was blown away. When the Wolf Comes Home was first published on April 22, 2025.

My Friends by Fredrick Backman is the coming-of-age story of three long-time friends growing up together. This book is supposed to be magical and timeless. I loved A Man Called Ove so much that I will read anything by this man. My Friends is up for the Goodreads Choice Award in Fiction for 2025. My Friends was first published on May 6, 2025.

The Staircase in The Woods by Chuck Wendig is about a group of friends who find a strange staircase in the woods that seemingly goes nowhere, where one friend climbs it and vanishes along with the staircase. 20 years later, on a group trip with the remaining friends, the staircase has returned. Chuck Wendig is one of my favorite horror writers. I have rated every book he has written 5 stars. I’ve heard great things. The Staircase in the Woods was first published on April 29, 2025.

Physical Books:

The Autumn Springs Retirement Home Massacre by Philip Fracassi is a slasher set in a retirement home. The final girl is 76-year-old Rose. I don’t want to know anything else. Fracassi is a favorite of my horror podcast guests. He also had an excellent podcast that went for two seasons called The Dark Word. I highly recommend. This was one of my most anticipated books of the year. I will read The Autumn Springs Retirement Home Massacre before I meet him on the 6th of December. The Autumn Springs Retirement Home Massacre was first published on September 30, 2025.

Bury Our Bones in the Midnight Soil by V.E. Schwab is about lesbian vampires in different timelines. I know the book is loosely connected to Addie LaRue. I have read 7 V.E. Schwab books, and they are all great. She is one of my favorite authors. I got my wife hooked on her, and she has read 3 books and bought the signed copy of Bury Our Bones in the Midnight Soil. Bury Our Bones in the Midnight Soil is up for The Goodreads Choice Awards in Fantasy for 2025. Bury Our Bones in the Midnight Soil was first published on June 10, 2025.

The Everlasting by Alix E. Harrow is about a lady-knight whose legend built a nation and a time-traveling historian who has fallen in love with her. Are they destined to meet and fall in love? Or will this damage history? I love Alix E. Harrow’s writing. I was floored by Ten Thousand Doors of January. I got to meet her at a book event and get The Everlasting signed. The Everlasting has been nominated for the Goodreads Choice Awards in Fantasy for 2025. The Everlasting was first published on October 28, 2025.

Death Comes for the Toymaker by Dakota Brown is a graphic novel pitting Santa Claus and the Grim Reaper against each other. Dakota, I’ve known him for years as a creative actor. When I found out he had a book and what it was about, I needed it and got to get my book signed at Chattanooga ComicCon.

Freebourne by Salman Shaheen is a future noir novel merging murder mystery with science fiction.  The blurb from Judith Woods of the Telegraph – Midsomer Murders meets The Matrix, is what hooked me. The publisher reached out to me to review this. It has been published in England, and will be published on 11-18-25 in the US.

Fiend by Alma Katsu is about a family that runs the largest import-export companies in the world, and they’ve always been lucky. Natural disasters will harm the competitors but not them. The father always told his son and two daughters that they were blessed. After his death, they fight to control the company. During this struggle, they find out the family was not blessed. Instead, they were cursed by a thousand-year-old demon. I have read two books by Katsu: The Hunger and The Deep. Fiend is her first contemporary horror, since she usually writes historical horror. The plot sounds awesome. I’ve liked Katsu Novels, but have not loved them. I hope Fiend does it for me.