December was definitely a month that happened. I loved spending time with my family and friends during the holiday season, but I’ve also really enjoyed spending yesterday and today by myself alone in my apartment to recharge. But rather than reading me talking about how much I value my alone time, let’s switch our focus to the books I was able to finish during December, shall we?
Books by Rating
5 Stars
You’re about to hear SO much about this book because it will be featured here, in my Quarter 4 Favorites, and in my Favorite Books of 2025. I actually wrote/made a spread for this book in my reading journal, which is not something I typically do in mine, though I think I’m going to try to in 2026. I absolutely adored the writing. The way the book is structured reminds me a little of People We Meet on Vacation by Emily Henry, but I think I preferred the way this book handled it. The angst was delivering Scoring Off the Field by Naima Simone, one of my favorites, because while this book is a bit of second chance, it’s also got friends to lovers vibes. The end of this book didn’t land perfectly for me, but I finished it knowing it was one of my favorite books of the year so a five star still feels like the only choice I have really. And I leave you simply with a quote from Taylor Swift’s “New Years Day” that encapsulates so much of this book, “Please don’t ever become a stranger whose laugh I could recognize anywhere.” Truly adored this book. It’s incredible.
4.5 Stars
I almost made a spread for Good Spirits too, but I just never quite managed to find the time this month, but I really did love this book. I’m not sure what kept me from giving it the full five stars in this moment, but it’s possible it just suffered in comparison to how overwhelming I find It’s Different This Time. But Good Spirits truly is just such a great book about a people pleaser being haunted by the Ghost of Christmas Past and oops, accidentally falling in love with him? If you love Christmas pajamas, candy canes, hot chocolate, and ice skating… If you love romanticizing Christmas time… If you love B.K. Borison’s writing already… Definitely read this book. I’ve already pushed this onto one of my closest friends who texted me last night to say that she finished it and loved it. So you know, we’ve got a great track record so far. I think I may very well read this one every year. Time will tell, I suppose.
4 Stars
Lord of Scoundrels was a reread that I enjoyed the same amount as I remember enjoying it in my head, though my actual rating the first time I read it was apparently a 5 star book and I loved it. For some reason, in my mind, I’ve always had this as a book that I enjoyed but thought I should love because everyone else does. Turns out past me did really love it? I’m confusing myself. The point is, Jessica Trent is fantastic, I remembered virtually nothing of the plot, and I had a great time with the book again. But it’s still not one of my favorite books of all time like it seems to be for so many.
Wild Reverence by Rebecca Ross has gorgeous writing and I enjoyed the story itself just fine. The Defender by Ana Huang was great, but I liked the first in the series more. The Seven Rings by Nora Roberts is so interesting because I found myself wanting millions more pages about the social events that the women are preparing for instead of dealing with the ghost. Sometimes the things Nora writes that I find myself drawn to have me questioning everything, because I’m fairly confident that most writers would have me bored to death if they did the same thing. Hot for Slayer was a great time, but didn’t join the other Ali’s in taking over my life status. The Anthropocene Reviewed was interesting and I’m so glad to have finally read it. John Green’s love of Dr. Pepper is actually hilarious to me because I hate it so much. More Than I Could perfectly delivered exactly what I wanted in the moment I read it and I had a truly fantastic time with it. A Woman is No Man is a gorgeously written book, but wow, do I struggle to read books with domestic violence. All We Were Promised taught me about quite a bit that I didn’t know and it was so interesting. Also, the Philadelphia setting was so fun. And finally, Passion Project is a book I wanted to love more than I did, but still do think that it is a great book worth reading if you’re in the market for a grief book.
3 – 3.5
All Wrapped Up in You was a cute and quick read that I did really enjoy. I love Danan’s writing. It was only 70 something pages though, which made it perfect for what it was, but I wanted more like always.
Thirty, Flirty, and Forever Alone by Christine Riccio was so much fun for the first 37% of the book and then I thought I might die of secondhand embarrassment for a bit too much of the next nearly two thirds of the book. I’m not always good with the humor that Riccio leans on throughout this book, but I’ll try to explore that a bit more in my upcoming ARC review. I did really like the story though, so I was pretty conflicted all around over what to rate this one.
Mistakes We Never Made by Hannah Brown has a main character who truly has such a need for control that sometimes she does things where I wanted to scream. Her character development is slow, which is fair because this book takes place in like three days, but I really wanted to scream at her about how she needs to be in therapy instead of getting together with her will they won’t they man. I am super intrigued to read the next book in the series though, which is good because I had an ARC so it’s about time I get to it.
Closing Thoughts
Have you read any of the books I read? If so, what did you think of them? I managed to finish up the Buzzword and cover challenges as well as the Book of the Month challenge so I’m feeling particularly accomplished rolling into 2026. Here’s to you and another year of documenting my reads!
xx
firewhiskeyreader 