What I Read in December
thank you to short books for making this possible ♥️
Does anyone else feel like December was such a long time ago? It seems like when the calendar turns to January 1st, the entire Christmas/winter season gets swept away. The new year, new you energy takes over, and we’re plummeted right back into the grind of “do better, try harder,” and we forget that winter just started! Especially if you live in a warmer climate like mine, winter feels virtually nonexistent, aside from a few chilly mornings. But winter is a season of hibernation, rest, and restoration before spring brings new life. So maybe instead of reinventing ourselves in January, let’s cozy up a little longer. You with me?
This book list is a long one, so grab a blanket and a cozy beverage, and let’s dive into everything I read in December!
The Wisdom of Your Body (3 ⭐️)- our book club book from November and December! Full review here, but I will say I didn’t like it as much as I wanted to — though that could be related to the fact that I switched from physical book to audiobook partway through, and the author was not the narrator, unfortunately. I will die on the hill that nonfiction authors should ALWAYS read their own book.
Fake Skating (3.5 ⭐️) - I added this one to my Winter TBR list without realizing it’s YA. I don’t mind young adult reads, but it’s not my favorite genre. The book is told in two POVs, alternating between the female and male main characters, and the male main character, Alec, is pretty annoying to read before the fake dating trope begins. I can’t say living in the mind of a teenage boy is something I enjoy doing. Regardless, the story wound up being a cute wintery YA romance!
A Well-Trained Wife: My Escape from Christian Patriarchy (5 ⭐️)- This memoir left me shaking my head, eye rolling, and generally reading with my mouth hanging open, because GOOD LORD, it was awful what Tia experienced in the name of Christianity. Abuse, manipulation, and so much trauma just to follow the rules of conservative Christianity and purity culture. This is not the way, friends. Controlling women’s bodies and policing people’s morality is not the Christian legacy Jesus promoted, but unfortunately, it’s been a cornerstone of evangelicalism for years (and still is today). Books like these are always highly recommended and highly rated by me! Education and community are what helped Tia break free, and it’s what will build a better world for us today, too.
Heart the Lover (5 ⭐️)- An incredibly short and impactful read about first loves, the decisions we make while we’re young, and losing the people we love. I was heart-wrenchingly attached to this book, its characters, and its drama. Give it a read if you love emotionally raw and real books!
Cultish: the Language of Fanaticism (🎧, 3.5 ⭐️) - This was a very interesting audiobook listen, which dug into the role that language plays in attracting people to cults and creating “cult followings” of popular products. Whether in religious groups or workout classes, or even in modern marketing campaigns, words matter and shape what we believe and how we act. It was a bit dated, but still relevant to life in 2026.
Good Spirits (4.5 ⭐️)- I absolutely loved this one! The premise is a bit weird, TBH (the ghost of Christmas past comes to haunt a woman who isn’t that bad morally, and is confused about why he’s assigned to her, but enjoys her company so he keeps visiting her and they fall in love), but the author pulls your emotional heartstrings on this one, and I was just dying for the two main characters to find a way to be together. They were both so lonely! And needed each other! But he’s a ghost, so how in the world can that happen!? Just wait and see. I will say it went on a bit long, but that was the only negative!
The Most Wonderful Crime of the Year (3.75 ⭐️)- Most holiday books fall firmly into the Hallmark movie territory — it’s not bad, but it’s also not good, you know? This book felt like that. While it’s not a typical Hallmark movie plot, it was cute to read, though not the best book. Just simply enjoyable. This book follows two mystery writers who are invited to an old English country estate belonging to another famous (elderly) mystery writer (think Agatha Christie). When she suddenly goes missing during the Christmas festivities, the two main characters must solve the mystery of her disappearance. All while falling in love, of course.
Small Things Like These (4 ⭐️)- Another short but impactful read! This Christmas story follows a man in a small Irish town in the 1980s who chooses to help someone in need, even though the local church convent does not. Heart-warming, encouraging, and the perfect message for the season.
Before we wrap up, I just wanted to mention that I’ve switched from Goodreads to Fable and I’ve been loving it! This app includes a daily tracker to help with reading goals and functions mostly like Goodreads, with a much better user interface. Some features are free, and some are paid, but I’ve found it well worth the annual fee as an avid reader.
I hope you've enjoyed hearing all the reviews and you’ve found a few books to add to your TBR. I’ll see you next month with more reviews, but in the meantime, tell me what you’re reading in the comments!