December’s books feature otherworldly tales, a literary icon’s life story and an adult royal romp

When you make a purchase using links on our site, The Week may earn a commission. All reviews are written independently by our editorial team.

The end of the year brings the close of the 2025 publishing season, and there is plenty to look forward to. This December, readers will be gifted a few thought-provoking book releases, including adult royal romance, the biography of a literary giant and a collection of social justice-minded works.

‘The Heir Apparent’ by Rebecca Armitage

Tasmanian journalist Rebecca Armitage’s debut delivers an adult spin on “The Princess Diaries.” In her “perceptive debut,” the British monarchy “navigates a crisis following the death of two heirs,” said Publishers Weekly. Lexi Villiers, previously the third in line for the crown, is whisked back to England to face her royal responsibilities after the death of her father and twin brother.

The Week

Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

Sign up

Armitage “convincingly renders Lexi’s inner turmoil as she weighs her sense of responsibility with a desire for freedom,” said Publishers Weekly. Her novel is a “standout portrayal of the royals and the tabloid culture surrounding them.” (out now, $29, Hachette Book Group, Amazon)

‘A Danger to the Minds of Young Girls: Margaret C. Anderson, Book Bans and the Fight to Modernize Literature’ by Adam Morgan

From the founder of the Chicago Review comes a comprehensive biography of Margaret C. Anderson, who founded the early 20th-century avant-garde magazine The Little Review in 1914. Initially intended as a monthly literary criticism magazine, the publication published some of the era’s most experimental writers, including Djuna Barnes, T.S. Eliot and Ezra Pound.

An obscenity trial for serializing James Joyce’s “Ulysses” is the lens through which Morgan tracks Anderson’s story. Still, Morgan manages to center Anderson’s “intriguing life story,” including “numerous creative and romantic relationships with women” and her “fascinatingly bizarre involvement with a commune,” said Publishers Weekly. Readers will “savor this enlightening depiction of a little-discussed but influential figure of both modernism and queer history.” (Dec. 9, $29, Simon & Schuster, Amazon)

‘Tailored Realities’ by Brandon Sanderson

A short story collection that both long-time fans and those curious about Brandon Sanderson’s sci-fi and fantasy novels will savor. This collection includes stories set solely outside the Cosmere, the shared universe in which all of Sanderson's adult fantasy books are set. In addition to the previously published stories from his career, there are a few brand new works, including a novella, “Moment Zero.” The book is “both a solid story collection for die-hard fans” and a “sort of retrospective look back on Sanderson's writing journey as a whole,” said Winter is Coming. (Dec. 9, $30, Tor Books, Amazon)

‘The Dark is Descending’ by Chloe C. Peñaranda

Buzz for the conclusion of Chloe C. Peñaranda’s “Nytefall Trilogy” has been building in BookTok circles, and the book has finally arrived with a deluxe edition featuring “celestial stenciled edges and gorgeous case art,” said Fan Bolt. The book wraps up the story of Star Maiden Astraea, who is racing against time to break the curse imprisoning her lover, Nyte. “Dragons, gods and the fate of the mortal world hang in the balance.” Fans of “star-crossed lovers facing impossible odds will find plenty of tension here.” (out now, $27, Macmillan Publishers, Amazon)

‘We Will Rise Again: Speculative Stories and Essays on Protest, Resistance and Hope’ by Malka Older (Editor)

An anthology inspired by the 2015 compendium “Octavia’s Brood,” in which Walidah Imarisha and Adrienne Maree Brown “examined the links between SFF short stories and movements for social change,” this new collection features both authors along with other essayists and writers, said Literary Hub. This “thought-provoking and inspiring collection” is “highly recommended for readers looking for visions that represent hope and change,” as well as “anyone who loves the work of Octavia Butler,” said Library Journal. (out now, $20, Simon & Schuster, Amazon)