Blog 51: The Twelve Books of Christmas

Well, here we are in the final week of 2025. It’s that limbo time of the year between Christmas and New Year, where we aren’t sure what day it is or what we should be doing. The presents have been opened, but what's this? The last remnants of Christmas - the gift of cash! Oh the possibilities of what we could get and where we could spend it is magical. If you're at a loss how to spend your time and those precious Christmas pounds (not the ones from the food - we had better avoid that subject), I have a special treat for you.

I checked out Amazon, Goodreads, The New York Times and Waterstones and have compiled the 12 Books of Christmas! Do you wanna know the most popular fiction out there at this very moment? Of course you do, let’s go: -

On the first day of Christmas  – The Impossible Fortune by Richard Osman

This is the fifth book in the popular Thursday Murder Club series and a best seller in 2025. It’s a witty, cozy mystery/crime story featuring the beloved gang of retirees solving a complex case involving stolen Bitcoin, an uncrackable code, and a dangerous villain, while balancing a family event of Joyce's daughter's wedding. 

On the second day of Christmas – The Secret of Secrets by Dan Brown

A thriller that is a major best seller, including symbology, ancient history, mystery, conspiracy, and cutting-edge noetic science (study of consciousness) as Langdon races through Prague, London, and New York to find his missing love, Katherine Solomon, before a shadowy organisation silences her ground-breaking discoveries about the human mind. 

On the third day of Christmas – The Housemaid by Freida McFadden

One of my favourites at the moment and has been made into a film which is showing at the cinemas now! A domestic psychological thriller and suspense novel about Millie Calloway, a young woman with a hidden past (recently released from prison) who takes a live-in job as a housemaid for the wealthy but troubled Winchester family, only to uncover their sinister secrets and dark dynamics, leading to a series of shocking twists and turns.  There are another two books following this one, the second is just as good as the first. And I got the third for Christmas!

On the fourth day of Christmas – Sunrise on the Reaping by Suzanne Collins

The prequel to the Hunger Games series is going to be a well anticipated eager read. This dystopian focuses on the familiar character of Haymitch Abernathy in the brutal 50th Hunger Games (the Second Quarter Quell), exploring themes of tyranny, power, media manipulation, and the desperate fight for survival, revealing the tragic origins of his cynical character through a heartbreaking story of loss and rebellion against the Capitol. 

On the fifth day of Christmas – Onyx Storm by Rebecca Yarros

Not five gold rings but the third in this romantasy series with record-breaking sales. It continues Violet Sorrengail's story as she navigates deadly dragon-riding challenges, political intrigue, and a tumultuous romance with Xaden Riorson, forcing her to uncover massive secrets and seek allies beyond Navarre as war looms. Expect high-stakes action, intense emotions, dragon lore, and steamy romantic tension within a brutal war college setting. 

On the sixth day of Christmas – The Widow by John Grisham

A legal thriller/mystery/whodunit, from this bestselling author, about a struggling small-town lawyer, Simon Latch, who takes on a wealthy, secretive elderly widow, Eleanor Barnett, only to find himself framed for her murder and forced to become a detective to clear his name, featuring his signature legal manoeuvring alongside a twisting murder mystery. It's a blend of classic courtroom drama with a central puzzle of who actually committed the crime, moving beyond just courtroom scenes to focus on uncovering the truth. 

On the seventh day of Christmas – The Women by Kristen Hannah

A bestselling, powerful historical fiction novel set during the Vietnam War, following young Army nurse Frances "Frankie" McGrath, focusing on themes of sacrifice, trauma (PTSD), female friendship and the often-ignored contributions and struggles of women veterans returning to a divided America. It's a story of love, loss, courage, and resilience, exploring how war transforms individuals and the societal challenges faced by those who served. 

On the eighth day of Christmas – Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir

This seems appropriately named for Christmastime. No babies in the manger here though. It’s a hard science fiction novel, described as a riveting interstellar adventure and scientific mystery about an amnesiac astronaut, Ryland Grace, on a solo mission to save Earth from extinction by a sun-dimming microbe, featuring accessible science, humour, and a compelling alien friendship with a unique spider-like being named Rocky. It blends discovery, survival, and unlikely camaraderie. 

On the ninth day of Christmas – The Rose Field: The Book of Dust Volume Three by Philip Pullman

The conclusion to the bestselling series, epic fantasy, adventure, and young adult novel, continues Lyra Belacqua's journey as she searches for her daemon Pantalaimon in a world facing a spiritual crisis, intertwining quests, alchemy, and political intrigue with themes of consciousness, imagination, and the nature of "Dust". 

On the tenth day of Christmas – Alchemised by SenLinYu

We don’t have ten Lords a leaping, but what is described as a debut phenomenon. A dark, standalone fantasy novel featuring deep world-building, gothic atmosphere, and mature themes, centring on Helena Marino, a captive alchemist with amnesia, as she navigates a war-torn world ruled by necromancers and tries to reclaim her lost memories, revealing secrets of a brutal conflict and her own identity. It blends elements of dark fantasy, dark romance, and horror with graphic content. 

On the eleventh day of Christmas – Exit Strategy by Lee Child and Andrew Child

This may be the day your Christmas decorations get their exit back into the attic and it is also the latest Jack Reacher Thriller, the 30^th in the series, which of course is another bestseller. If you are familiar with the books or the TV series, you will expect it to be a fast-paced action-thriller/suspense novel. Reacher gets entangled in a desperate plea for help from a stranger in Baltimore, uncovering a dangerous plot involving corruption and a powerful conspiracy, pushing him to use his signature blend of brawn and strategic thinking to take down the villains. 

On the twelfth day of Christmas – James by Percival Everett

Not twelve drummers drumming but the book of the month in March at Waterstones. A satirical rework of Mark Twain's The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, told from the perspective of the enslaved Jim. It focuses on his quest for freedom and family, blending genres like historical fiction, neo-fugitive slave narrative, and literary thriller, as Jim navigates the Mississippi River, revealing profound truths about American racism, identity, and power with humour, anger, and hope.

Look at that combo of genres and storylines to choose from. There's something for everybody! Have you read any or are tempted to grab one or two? Project Hail Mary seems a fun read. Let me know what you think.

Until next time, don’t eat too much, try to keep track of what day and time it is and enjoy the New Year celebrations!