4 Terrifying New Releases from Indie and Small Presses in December 2025

12-year-old Drew Kline and his family pack up and move into his father's childhood home after his ill-tempered grandmother passes away. The home comes complete with a sprawling forest, a picturesque lake, and terrible childhood memories.

25 years ago, it's where Drew's young uncle vanished.

Now, on the night of their return to the home, Drew discovers a miniature human skull in the crawlspace of his bedroom. As he and his brother, Dean, argue about whether it's real or not, they can't deny their curiosity.

Drew invites his friends over for the last weekend of summer to explore the woods. There, they find his uncle's secret fort, which holds a strange burial ground of pixie-sized bodies.

As the children find themselves trapped in a land of the dead, Drew's father must relieve the trauma of his brother's disappearance, bringing a horrific generational family secret to light.

This book is available now from Fedowar Press!

A follow-up to Birthday Party Demon, a twisted 90s nostalgia masterpiece, this book takes place a few months since Tina's Sweet 16, she and her friends accidentally summoned a demon.

One of the girls, Lacey, has been walking around possessed by the demon Zozo, having a blast tormenting teens and taking on a new identity, Zoey, at Tropic Acres High.

As winter break nears, Tina knows she must exorcise the demon as more teens fall under Zoey's spell. But in order to get her friend back, Tina is going to have to throw one hell of a Christmas party.

This book is available now from Mad Axe Media!

In a special car, a man can travel anywhere he can fathom, including the past. This vehicle can even take him back to the biggest mistake of his life, a moment he does not want to relive, and one he cannot escape—one that may be even worse to change…

An unmemorable film about “alien hand syndrome" seems harmless until a wave of viewers are inspired to self-harm. And then even more oddities follow for those obsessed with the film.

A woman attempts to bring her deceased lover back to life with a dark ritual that demands she attack his corpse. But does she long to be with him again, or do they simply have unfinished business?

This collection of evocative stories is great for fans of Stephen King, Tananarive Due, and Junji Ito.

This book is now available for pre-order and will be released on December 9th by Blackstone Publishing!

This collection of weird eco horror stories comes from Corey Farrenkopf, Tiffany Morris, and Eric Raglin.

A struggling community journeys through a chasm of nightmarish animal amalgams to try and find peace in the flourishing paradise beyond.

In the midst of a plant apocalypse, lovers fight not only to survive, but to find meaning amongst unspeakable loss.

Friends reunite to commit gruesome sacrifices in the name of resurrecting an extinct bird—but unexpected consequences follow.

This book is now available for pre-order and will be released on December 9th by Cursed Morsels Press!