We’ve made it to the last quarter of the year! Today I’m sharing my top five most anticipated books for each month of the quarter: October, November and December. Of course, I hope to read other books as well, but these are the ones I’m focusing on.
December is typically light on new book releases, and I currently only have three December ARCs. So I’m adding two highly anticipated January releases that I’d love to knock out early. Here we go!
October 2025 Most Anticipated:
Crafting For Sinners by Jenny Kiefer. A queer woman must fight her way out of a big-box craft store run by a diabolical religious cult in this gripping survival horror novel by Jenny Kiefer, author of This Wretched Valley.
Slayers of Old by Jim C. Hines. Buffy the Vampire Slayer meets Golden Girls in this humorous contemporary standalone fantasy about a group of former Chosen Ones coming out of retirement to save the world one last time.
Futility by Nuzo Onoh. For readers of Oyinkan Braithwaite’s My Sister the Serial Killer and Bella Mackie’s How to Kill Your Family, this is a monstrous, gleeful, bitingly funny tale of murder, body-swapping and bloody vengeance from the recipient of the Bram Stoker Award® for Lifetime Achievement and ‘Queen of African Horror’.
All of Us Murderers by K.J. Charles. The lush Gothic drama of Crimson Peak meets the murderous intrigue of Knives Out with an LGBTQIA+ love story to die for from award-winning author KJ Charles.
How To Fake a Haunting by Christa Carmen. A desperate woman’s plot to frighten her husband out of her life takes a nightmarish turn in a chilling novel of modern horror by a Bram Stoker Award–winning author.
November 2025 Most Anticipated:
The Blackfire Blade (The Last Legacy #2) by James Logan. Winter has come early to Korslakov, City of Spires, and Lukan Gardova has arrived with it. Most visitors to this famous city of artifice seek technological marvels, or alchemical ingenuity. Lukan only desires the unknown legacy his father has left for him, in the vaults of the Blackfire Bank.
Turns of Fate (Isle of Wyrd #1) by Anne Bishop. A young detective investigating crimes of the uncanny will learn that bargains can change your fate—for good or ill—in this darkly enthralling fantasy from the New York Times bestselling author of the Others and the Black Jewels series.
Outlaw Planet by M.R. Carey. This is the story of a lone outlaw, haunted by her past and with all the multiverse against her . . . Discover this thrilling standalone science fiction adventure from the million-copy bestselling M. R. Carey, author of The Girl With All the Gifts and the Philip K. Dick Award-shortlisted Infinity Gate.
Tea & Alchemy by Sharon Lynn Fisher. A tea leaf reader in nineteenth-century England falls in love—and in danger—with a reclusive alchemist in an enthralling historical fantasy by the author of Salt & Broom and Grimm Curiosities.
The Place Where They Buried Your Heart by Christina Henry. A woman must confront the evil that has been terrorizing her street since she was a child in this gripping haunted house novel, perfect for fans of The Last House on Needless Street and Tell Me I’m Worthless.
December 2025 Most Anticipated:
Snake-Eater by T. Kingfisher. In an isolated desert town, a young woman seeking a fresh start is confronted by ancient gods, malevolent supernatural forces, and eccentric neighbours. A witty horror-tinged fantasy, perfect for fans of Silvia Moreno-Garcia, Chuck Tingle, and Rachel Harrison.
An Arcane Inheritance by Kamilah Cole. A modern-day dark academia fantasy with a twist, perfect for fans of Babel and A Deadly Education.
30Seven by Jeremy Robinson. Twenty-eight people are abducted from a lakeside beach―and a killer is among them―in this twisty UFO horror novel from the bestselling author of The Others.
The Storm by Rachel Hawkins. New York Times bestselling author Rachel Hawkins is back with a thrilling new gothic suspense set in a Gulf Coast beach motel where hurricane season can be murder.
A Box Full of Darkness by Simone St. James. Siblings return to the house they fled eighteen years before, called back by the ghost of their long-missing brother and his haunting request to come home.
Third Quarter Results:
Well, I didn’t do terrible, but I didn’t do great either. I will mention that I didn’t read Saltcrop because I was never offered a review copy (and my request on NetGalley was never approved), which made me very sad, since I loved the author’s first two books. The others I didn’t get to I intend to catch up with at some point!
Oh I want to read Simone Saint James book!
Ooh I didn’t realise A Dark Inheritance has a cover, full blurb and release date now. I was starting to think it would be pushed to next year. Although I guess it only just squeezes into 2025 by a day. I’m excited for a few of these books as well, especially Tea & Alchemy and Snake Eater. Im curious about the Anne Bishop one too but really want to try her earlier books first. I hope you enjoy all of these and have a wonderful end of 2025. This year’s really flown by.
Not really. I may try a few upcoming releases, maybe Salman Rushdie’s?
It’s rare that you don’t get an ARC, isn’t it? But I guess you can always borrow it from the library, or buy it later. If your pile of review books permits, that is ;D.
I want to read A Box Full of Darkness (my request is in limbo, and I’m afraid it will stay there until the book comes out…).
I’m always up for M. R. Carey and Cristina Henry, although I didn’t have these specific books on my TBR yet. I love the cover of All of Us Murderers — such a throwback feel to it! I hope you enjoy all of these!
Your third quarter results look pretty darn good to me! As for the fourth quarter, there are several there that catch my eye but if I had to pick just one from each quarter it might be Slayers of Old, The Blackfire Blade (though I’d need to read the first book in the series first), and Snake-Eater. Of course I reserve the right to completely change my picks at any time. 🙂
I am really looking forward to Slayers of Old! And I’m curious about Tea & Alchemy, too. Happy reading!
Enjoy!
I’ve heard We Spread is super weird. A Booktuber I watch all the time said it was sooooo odd and sexual in fact. I am still interested though. I hope you love Slayers of Old. I also hope he makes it into a series. I’m tempted to preorder the Anne Bishop book. That reminds me, I need to preorder King of Sorrows by Joe Hill too!
Slayers of Old is high on my TBR list. And Outlaw Planet caught my attention. I think I need to check that one out, too. Happy reading all of these! 😀
30Seven immediately caught my attention. I have yet to read an alien abduction horror novel. Hope you enjoy all these!
Lots of great books are on the way!
Oh right, the new KJ Charles came out yesterday! And sounds like it’s good spooky season reading, with the gothic setting. I must remember to snag it. 😀
I’m planning on Turns of Fate and Outlaw Planet.
I cannot believe we’re in October already. I keep hearing good things about The Bewitching.
We share a lot of titles! I am really excited about Slayers of Old (or I was excited about this one, because I have already read it, and loved it! ), Blackfire Blade (soooooooooo excited for that one!) and the new one by Anne Bishop! Also, the new Kingfisher one, obviously!! Just to mention a few!
And you did great with your reading!!
I can’t believe I managed to get so far behind after being (for once) quite on track! Anyway, putting that aside I can’t wait to pick up The Blackfire Blade and I have my eye out for the Hawkins too.
Lynn 😀