Books to Hibernate With: The Best Books for Winter 2025 (Cozy & Dark)
At Dope or Nope Hub, we know that finding the best books for winter 2025 isn’t a “one size fits all” situation. Some of you want a warm mug of hot chocolate and a story that feels like a hug. Others? You want a narrative that keeps you up at night, staring at the ceiling, wondering if you locked the front door.
It is officially that time of year. The air is crisp, the blankets are out, and let’s be honest—the motivation to leave the house is at an all-time low. Whether you are avoiding the cold or just avoiding your relatives, there is no better excuse to disappear for a few hours than a good story.
So, for this list, we are not choosing sides. We have cozy romance for the softies, dark thrillers for the tough ones, and a little sci-fi spice for the dreamers. Here are the dope reads you need to finish before New Year’s Eve.
1. The Cozy Mystery: The Christmas Appeal by Janice Hallett
Vibe: A puzzle you can solve while eating cookies.
If you enjoy being the smartest person in the room, this one is for you. Set during a chaotic amateur theater production of Jack and the Beanstalk, this book is told entirely through emails, texts, and police transcripts. There is a dead body in a Santa suit, a lot of passive-aggressive theater drama, and a mystery that feels like a game.
Why it’s Dope: It’s short, fast, and genuinely funny. You don’t read this book; you investigate it.
2. The Dark Thriller: Everyone This Christmas Has a Secret by Benjamin Stevenson
Vibe: Knives Out meets an Advent Calendar.
For my loyal thriller fans, Benjamin Stevenson is back. His narrator, Ernest Cunningham, is famous for following the “rules” of mystery novels, but this time, he’s dealing with a magician, a murder, and 24 chapters that count down to the killer like an advent calendar. It’s clever, meta, and just dark enough to satisfy your craving for crime without ruining the holiday spirit.
Why it’s Dope: It respects your intelligence. The clues are all there—can you spot them before Ernest does?
3. The Romance: Sweet vs. Spicy
We know our romance readers are divided, so pick your fighter.
Option A: The Classic Cheese
- Read: The Christmas Tree Farm Sometimes, you just want the Hallmark movie experience in paper form. Small town? Check. Grumpy local meets cheerful outsider? Check. Guaranteed happy ending? Absolutely. It is the literary equivalent of a warm sugar cookie.
Option B: The Dark Romance (For the brave souls)
- Read: The Monster Trilogy If “cozy” isn’t your thing and you prefer your romance with high stakes, morally grey men, and a lot of tension, you need to check out our deep dive into the Monster Trilogy. This isn’t for the faint of heart, but if you love a villain who would burn the world down for her, this is your stop.
[Read our full review of the Monster Trilogy here to see if you can handle the heat.]
4. The Wildcard: Onyx Storm by Rebecca Yarros (or Project Hail Mary for the Sci-Fi heads)
Vibe: Escapism at its finest.
If you are tired of Earth and its problems, it is time to leave.
- Fantasy Fans: Onyx Storm (The Empyrean Saga) continues to dominate 2025. Dragons, war, and heart-wrenching betrayal. It is the perfect blockbuster read to get lost in.
- Sci-Fi Fans: If you haven’t read Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir yet, do it now. It’s just a man and a spider-alien trying to save the universe. It is wholesome, scientific, and surprisingly emotional.
The “Dope” Factor
Not sure what to pick? Let us simplify it.
- Read The Christmas Appeal if you liked: Only Murders in the Building (TV Series).
- Read Everyone This Christmas Has a Secret if you liked: Knives Out or Glass Onion.
- Read The Monster Trilogy if you liked: Haunting Adeline or dark, moody playlists.
- Read Project Hail Mary if you liked: Interstellar but wanted more sarcasm.
What are you reading?
We want to know what is on your nightstand right now. Are you team “Cozy Murder” or team “Dark Romance”? Drop a comment below—let’s get a discussion going.
Stay warm and keep reading, The Dope or Nope Team
Want to know if the darkness is worth it? We mentioned the Monster Trilogy earlier as a recommendation for the brave souls, but we know adding a dark romance to your TBR is a commitment. If you are curious about just how intense it gets—or if you just want to gush about morally grey men—we wrote a full breakdown of the series. Check out our Kirill Morozov Monster Trilogy Review – The Dark Romance That’ll Own Your Soul to see if this series is a “Dope” or a “Nope” for you.
