December is one of the best months of the year because of Christmas. My family knows just what to get me as each year my stockings are filled with books, Amazon gift cards, and more books. My family says I’m an open book for gifts, probably because I always have a book open at family events.
Despite the amount of books that I know are coming my way this month, that isn’t going to stop me from getting a few of my own. This month has a lot that I am looking forward to and some that I can’t wait all the way until December 25th to read. There is a new Jerri Chisholm this month called Escaping Eleven about a girl fighter in a post-apocalyptic bunker. There is also Murder With Oolong Tea, the latest in the Daisy’s Tea Garden Mystery series by Karen Rose Smtih, coming out this month. So much to read, so little time.
The Cousins by Karen McManus looks to be a must-read this month as well. Plus, a new Tarryn Fisher called The Wrong Family that I am counting down the days until release. There is plenty of great romance this month as well. Tis the season and all that.
There are just a ton of great books this month. Let’s take a look at some of my favorites.
Best Upcoming Cozy Mystery Books: December 2020
Poppy Redfern and the Fatal Flyers by Tessa Arlen - See at Amazon: The second book in this new series from Tessa Arlen so now is a great time to jump on. I like this series a lot because of the main character, Poppy Redfern. She is just so fun and the kind of character that you wish you could meet in real life or be related to. This book sees Poppy on the case when two female fighter pilots take a dive in World War II.
Premeditated Mortar by Kate Carlisle - See at Amazon: Kate Carlisle is one of the best cozy writers working today and she’s back with the latest in her Fixer-Upper Mystery series. The book stars a contractor named Shannon Hammer who is about to take on one of the biggest projects of her career, but a major wrench is thrown into things when Shannon finds a body in the old state insane asylum as she is looking to remodel it.
Murder with Oolong Tea by Karen Rose Smith - See at Amazon: The Daisy’s Tea Garden Mystery series has been a lot of fun so far and I’m looking forward to the sixth entry in the series, Murder with Oolong Tea.
Courting Can Be Killer by Amanda Flower - See at Amazon: Amish series are so popular these days and Amanda Flower has a great one with the Amish Matchmaker Mystery series. The series just began and the second book, Courting Can Be Killer, is due for release in December. The lead character is Millie Fisher who is basically an Amish Miss Marple. If you know, you know and that’s all I needed to know to check this one out.
Murder Can Haunt Your Handiwork by Rose Pressey - See at Amazon: Celeste lives in North Carolina and is getting ready for the annual craft fair when a tour guide is found dead. Along with the body, a valuable painting has gone missing and Celeste is on the case. She’ll investigate alongside a pair of handsome detectives, her chihuahua Van, and a friendly ghost with an interest in the case.
Best Upcoming Fantasy/Sci-Fi Books: December 2020
Day One by Kelly deVos - See at Amazon: The sequel to Day Zero looks to be another hit. This book picks up after the events of the first book and sees two stepsisters who much put their differences aside to rescue their little brother and save the world. Jinx’s father trained her for this with his disaster prepping throughout her life while stepsister McKenna finds herself as the first reporter in the new world.
The Ballad of Ami Miles by Kristy Dallas Alley - See at Amazon: Heavenly Shepherd was raised in isolation at her family’s survival compound and knows just how lucky she was to be born in a place of relative safety. However, as a young female capable of having children there are certain expectations placed upon her. Expectations that she is not ready to meet just yet so she finds herself fleeing from her life of safety and on a quest to find her lost mother.
Escaping Eleven by Jerri Chisholm - See at Amazon: The latest from Jerri Chisholm takes place in a future where the surface of the Earth has become uninhabitable and everyone is forced underground. Four generations later, Eve Hamilton lives at Compound Eleven. Survival isn’t easy underground, but she’s learned to survive as a fighter. Only now she seems to have met her match: a boy from the top floor with kind eyes.
Traders Leap by Sharon Lee and Steve Miller - See at Amazon: The latest in the sprawling Liaden universe series. This space opera manages to juggle a ton of balls in the air at once without ever dropping one. The books all have intricate plotting and vivid, interesting characters, and this entry is no different.
Crosshairs by Catherine Hernandez - See at Amazon: The future is terrifying, but not as terrifying as the one depicted in this book. This one sees a government regime known as The Boots rounding up communities of color, the disabled, and the LGBTQ+ and putting them into labor camps. New heroes will emerge to fight against The Boots as Kay, a drag queen, will join Bahadur and Firuzeeh to plan an uprising.
Best Upcoming Horror Books: December 2020
Layla by Colleen Hoover - See at Amazon: Leeds and Layla are convinced they’ll spend the rest of their lives with each other, but when Layla is attacked and that attack leaves her mentally scarred – something changes in her. Leeds isn’t ready to give up on her just yet though and takes her to the bed-and-breakfast where they first met. However, Layla starts acting even stranger and he soon finds solace in Willow, another guest. Leeds will find himself needing to make a choice on who to help that could end up costing all of them.
Red Hands by Christopher Golden - See at Amazon: The great Christopher Golden returns with the third book in his Ben Walker series. Walker is a “weird sh*t expert” who is called in to help Maeve Sinclair, a girl who has the “killing touch” and seek to unravel the meaning behind it.
The Bitterwine Oath by Hannah West - See at Amazon: Every fifty years there is a cult in this small Texas town that takes twelve men and murders them. No one has ever been caught for the crime, but there are plenty of rumors as to who is responsible. Natalie Colter has heard that her grandmother’s cult of wronged women is responsible, but she’s never believed it. However, she’s been wrong and now they want her to join. This revelation brings on even more questions for her including the big one: are they protecting the town from even darker forces?
The Valancourt Book of World Horror Stories, Volume 1 - See at Amazon: Horror can often work best in short form and this anthology looks like a ton of fun. This looks like a really great one as the stories in the anthology come from nineteen different countries with stories written in thirteen different languages. The stories are compiled in English here and this should be a fun one to delve into.
The Stand by Stephen King - See at Amazon: Okay, this one is a bit of a cheat, but there is a new The Stand adaptation coming to CBS All Access this month and how do I not mention the book? It’s one of Stephen King’s very best and just think of all that encompasses. I love The Stand and I can’t wait to watch the show and read it again!
Best Upcoming Mystery/Thriller Books: December 2020
Cold Wind by Paige Shelton - See at Amazon: December is pretty cold out where I live so what better to read during the cold months than a series about the Alaska Wild? This is a great jumping on point as this is the second book in the series and features an intriguing mystery. A mudslide uncovers a world that had been hidden for years including two silent girls and a trapper’s house in the woods with a dead body in the shed. Beth is unable to escape her roots as a journalist and can’t help, but to start investigating this one.
The Cousins by Karen M. McManus - See at Amazon: This has to be one of my top releases of the month as I really enjoyed McManus’ One of Us Is Lying. This book sees three cousins who barely know each other who have all received a letter from their grandmother to work at her island resort. The three have never met their grandmother so this is surprising to say the least. Their parents all say they have to go, but when they arrive on the island they soon realize that their grandmother has much different plans for them.
The Good Girls by Claire Elizabeth Barrlett - See at Amazon: I love a good high school drama and this one looks to be full of twists and thrills, yes please! The shocking murder of Emma Baines takes place at Jefferson-Lorne High and three of her classmates are considered as the prime suspects. They all fit into the high school archetypes of the partier, the cheerleader, and the valedictorian. However, there is much more to these three than appearances.
The Wrong Family by Tarryn Fisher - See at Amazon: Are you ready for twists? Are you ready for page-turning? I know I am and I’m ready for the new Tarryn Fisher!
The Art of Violence by S.J. Rozan - See at Amazon: The last mystery for Lydia Chin and Bill Smith to solve sees a serial killer hunting women in New York’s contemporary art scene. One of Bill’s former clients is convinced that he is the one who is responsible, but he wants Smith and Chin to investigate and prove things one way or the other. Sam has his mental issues, but Bill doesn’t believe he can be the killer. If not him, who?
Best Upcoming Romance Books: December 2020
The Bookworm's Guide to Faking It by Emma Hart - See at Amazon: As a bookworm myself, I feel very seen with this series! Holley thought she put her baseball ex Sebastian Stone behind her, but then he appears in her bookstore one day. It’s the first time they’ve seen each other since senior prom when he broke her heart. Now, he’s looking for a date to his sister’s wedding and Holley ends up doing it. She wants to fake her feelings to be his date, but that is hard to do when real ones keep popping up.
Awakened by Helen Hardt - See at Amazon: The Steel Brothers Saga is back with another steamy entry in the series. The book sees Ashley starting an internship at Steel Vineyards where she works under the renowned winemaker and his nephew Dale. Dale is a loner, but he’s found his home in this vineyard and peace in the work. His world is turned upside down when Ashley shows up and the two have instant feelings for each other. Dale is nervous to give in though as he has a darkness inside of him.
Courting Trouble by Kerrigan Byrne - See at Amazon: The second book in the Goode Girls series and I just love this tagline: The Goode Girls aren’t simply good, they’re stunning. Ha, that’s so clever. A good Victorian Historical romance to put on my reading list.
Dream Chaser by Kristen Ashley - See at Amazon: Boone is caring and protective of Ryn, but she wants nothing to do with it. When he brings her evidence that her own family is conning her, Ryn is furious at her family and him. Boone keeps trying to prove she is the type of guy that she can trust, but the walls are up with her. When Ryn as well as her niece and nephew are put in danger, Boone will do whatever it takes to protect her as their relationship is in more danger than just heartbreak.
Bailed Out by Rebecca Zanetti - See at Amazon: Anna Albertini has a case that she is very excited about, prosecuting her sister’s dirtbag ex. However, she’s not the only with issues with the man and he soon turns up dead. Now Anna is tasked with building a case against her own sister and Aiden, a former lover, for the murder. She wants to get her sister out of this mess and figure out who Aiden really is, and will have to take matters into her own hands to do it.
I hope everyone has a great December and holiday time, and is able to get a lot of reading in! Let me know what you plan to check out below in the comments as well as an recommendations for books as gifts.
