Filthy Christmas: a dark romance Advent calendar

by Taj Sickterat

They say Christmas is the season of joy.
Define joy.

This Advent calendar is a collection of 25 short stories that end on cliffs, but in a fun way (you’ve been warned).

Quoting my “I love you, but sincerely… ‘you know what’ YOU AND YOUR CLIFFHANGERS T-T”

None will ever end on Santa’s nice list. Expect obsession, bad decisions, filthy minds, men who could ruin your life and you’d probably let them.

Some of the stories might melt you, some might bite, but all of them will make you question how this possibly counts as holiday spirit.

Oh, and one more thing—if you leave a bad review, make sure it’s funny. Otherwise, coal for you.

Merry chaos, darling.

Genres: Christmas

224 pages, Kindle Edition

Published December 1, 2025

About the author

According to Google, Taj Sickterat is an author of dark romance and erotic horror books. We'll run with it.

You can find me on Facebook & Instagram - Taj Sickterat

Reviews

[Neapolitan670 📚🖤 · Rating 4 out of 5]

As you may or may not have guessed from the title…there are 25 individual quick stories, Christmas themed but with a little bit extra 🌶️🪢

Gagged in the Gingerbread house
Bound in Christmas lights
The Devil Worships me
Don’t open till Christmas
Santa’s secret keeper
Mistletoe and murder
Frostbitten
Bite the Krampus
Fa-la-la Felony
The December app
Resting Grinch face
Daddy Frost
The naughty list
Operation: Santa’s most wanted
The collector’s tree
Season of Sin
The kiss of the Beast
Deck the halls and hide the bodies
Secret Santa
Silent night, violent night
Naughty by nature
Candy cane and crave
For better or frost
Fallen halo
Cold Hearts Club

“ℝ𝕖𝕒𝕕𝕪 𝕥𝕠 𝕔𝕠𝕟𝕗𝕖𝕤𝕤, 𝕝𝕚𝕥𝕥𝕝𝕖 𝕠𝕟𝕖?”

Things to note: read the trigger warnings under each title , they are short to the point with maybe a hanging end, so your brain can determine the outcome or just leave it as that is how it was written to entice and leave you dangling 😊

I read this in one sitting cos I’m a maniac who doesn’t do advent calendars 🤣 There are varying tropes; MF, MM, age gap, taboo, 🐝DSM, captivity, dub con/non con, primal to name but a few. I enjoyed some more than others. Also, I do feel it could have done with a final proof read there were some errors that I had to re-read, but if this doesn’t bother you and you can skip them, like a surprise then get your fingers unwrapping this one 🎄🖤

[Dark Romance Reader · Rating 5 out of 5]

Overall enjoyed the read. Some stories might have creeped me out just a tiny bit, but I clearly have no chill so I finished it early. Fingers crossed some of these shorties could turn into books in future, will keep an eye out on them. P.S. Loved Nico & Frankie bits, absolute gold!

[Josephine · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an advent calender with 25 short stories that ends on cliffs, it’s absolutely twisted and delicious, some might even say a little nerve wracking but also batshitcrazy this author knows how to pull you in the book with each little story you read it. It’s save to say I totally loved it, Dear author… please bring more chaos because we all need it in this way!😉
Happy reading or should I say Happy devouring😜

[Bryony · Rating 4 out of 5]

I absolutely loved this bookish advent calendar and if I could rate all of the stories found within individually these would all be five stars:
Bound in christmas lights
Santa’s secret keeper
Bite the Krampus
Daddy Frost
Season of Sin
The kiss of the beast
Secret Santa
For better or frost

I was gripped by them all and the cliffhangers were so good! 🎄

[Steph Spencer · Rating 1 out of 5]

terrible. if you enjoy starting something in the middle and have no end maybe you would enjoy all 25 mini stories with no plot. DNF so fast

[Thara · Rating 5 out of 5]

Where to start? When you think of an advent calendar, you think of opening one little box at a time, while eagerly staring at the rest of them, desperately trying to suppress the gremlin inside tempting you to open the rest. With this, the gremlin took charge. Before I knew it, I had finished the book and wondered how that happened. I guess December flew by?

Anyways, you're not here for my rambles and lack of restraint, so let's get into this. This book is like a roller coaster, you're excited one moment, holding your breath in anticipation the next, then you're at the edge of your seat with your stomach in knots at the next, then the author decides to throw you for a loop, because why not? And it's not just once, no, you go through a whole host of emotions at least 25 times.

I’ll try to do this story-by-story without giving spoilers. Now, let's dive into it.

The author starts off every story with trigger warnings, and if you’re the type to be sensitive about certain things, please be mindful of those TW’s, they’re there for a reason and they are not there for decoration. There were a few stories where I definitely ignored the trigger warnings and was left very emotionally confused. Did I like the emotional and physical assault? Yes. Will I be more mindful when this author gives trigger warnings in future works? Also Yes.

The book starts off with a story called “Gagged in the Gingerbread House”
This one wastes absolutely no time and pulls you straight into something deeply unsettling in the best, can’t-look-away way. It’s dark, twisted and slightly claustrophobic. It’s psychological horror with a level of intensity that keeps ramping up whether you’re ready for it or not. If you like your holiday reads unhinged, disturbing and unapologetically sharp-edged, this one will live rent-free in your head.

Bound in Christmas Lights
This one shoots you straight into power dynamics and definitely doesn’t shy away from exploring control, desire, and blurred lines. It’s deeply intense, extremely unapologetic, and very aware of exactly what it’s doing to you, making it a read that will either have you pucker up your bootyhole or lean in closer. Definitely not a cozy Christmas story. But if dark, dominant energy is your thing, this one delivers.

The Devil Worships Me
This one is pure tension from start to finish, the kind that has your shoulders up around your ears and has you holding your breath. It’s as if the author decided to put danger, obsession and psychological cat-and-mouse games into a blender, then poured out this story. It deliberately makes you uncomfortable, but it’s impossible to stop reading. It’s dark and relentless, and I am convinced the author was being a menace on purpose here since this story doesn’t let you breathe until it decides you’re allowed to.

Don’t Open Till Christmas
This one taps straight into that skin-crawling, boxed-in panic where every second feels heavier than the last. If you get claustrophobic, I suggest you skip this one. I’m not claustrophobic, but I now know what it feels like to be. It’s deeply unsettling in a quiet horror kind of way. It’s the kind of story that makes you hyperaware of small spaces and leaves you staring at the ceiling afterward, thinking, absolutely no fucking way.

Santa’s Secret Keeper
I loved this one. Absolutely adored it. This is the perfect blend of dark humor, fast-paced, and surprisingly charming in the most unhinged way possible. Like slow-roasted coffee, it has a perfect balance of sharp humor with chaos that keeps escalating until you’re laughing and wincing at the same time. Easily one of those stories you finish with a grin and a "what did I just read, and why did I like it?"

Mistletoe and Murder
This one is deliciously unhinged in that slow-burning, something is very wrong here way. Again, I think this author just loves being a menace, sitting there with a blender. Dropping in a dash of obsession, a dusting of power, and a glass full of razor-sharp dialogue, making every interaction feel dangerously loaded. It’s both booty-puckering tense and darkly seductive, it’s the kind of story that makes you whisper, “Why am I into this?” while absolutely refusing to stop reading.

Frostbitten
This one is one of the reasons why I called this book a rollercoaster. This is the moment you’re sitting there, you see the loop coming, but your brain hasn’t registered it yet. The way it creeps up on you slowly, trading jump scares for a growing sense of dread that settles inside your gut and refuses to leave. Let’s trade “Baby it’s cold outside” for a cocktail of isolation, forced proximity, and quiet unsettling kindness, “Baby it’s a blizzard outside”. It’s deeply uncomfortable in that you know exactly where this is heading and can’t stop it kind of way.

Bite the Krampus
This one is… forbidden and deliciously impulsive. I am going to stray away from calling this author a menace, they have entered their villain era and know exactly what they’re doing. This story has that “this is a terrible idea but I’m doing it anyway” energy. It’s both fun and scandalous. Bold, spicy, and unapologetically dramatic. I definitely needed to drown myself in some holy water after this and I’m definitely not religious.

Fa-la-la Felony
That opening had me howling, the author has officially unapologetically stepped into their villain era and we are just along for the ride at this point. The sheer audacity. And from the start, it just keeps escalating into chaotic, flirtatious madness. Sharp, ridiculous, and wildly entertaining. Goodbye weaponized incompetence, hello weaponized humor.

The December App
This one hits different and I dog-eared it (I didn’t, I used a bookmark, cause NO). I will be coming back to this story, it’s such a beautifully specific modern fear. It’s eerie, clever, and definitely gives off that, is there a sentient AI? Or a demon? Or a Hacker? kind of panic. You know that moment when you feel like your phone knows you a little too well, get ready to have a new fear unlocked. The tension builds fast and stays sharp, making it feel disturbingly plausible in a way that stays with you long after you’re done reading.

Resting Grinch Face
This one thrives on razor-sharp tension and power imbalance, turning an awkward holiday setup into something deeply unsettling, mindboggingly fast. The dialogue is on point and the control games are deliciously chilling. It’s cold, manipulative, and uncomfortably compelling.

Let me just say, if you are looking for a feel-good Christmas story… You’re barking up the wrong tree.

Daddy Frost
Remember when I said the author entered their villain era? Scratch that, they’re rooted and casually building a lair already. This one doesn’t even try to hide the forbidden tension, and it’s definitely not being subtle about it. It’s charged, messy, and has that delicious push-and-pull where every glance feels like crossing a line you absolutely shouldn’t. Taboo-heavy, spicy, and very aware of exactly why it works.

The Naughty List
I feel assaulted…. Do it again…
Never thought I’d be into a story like this. But here I am, rethinking not only my life choices at this point. This one will never let you forget who’s in control. It has a proper balance of discipline, desire, and emotional stakes in a way that feels intimate rather than unjustified. Deeply satisfying if you enjoy mind games wrapped in kink.

Operation: Santa’s Most Wanted
Remember the rollercoaster? This is the moment you think it’s over and you’re about to reach the end. It’s a little breath of fresh air. I laughed way harder than I expected to. It’s chaotic in the best way possible. Lighthearted, flirty, and deliberately unhinged, with banter that makes the whole thing feel playful instead of dark. It’s fun, self-aware, and a perfect breather in the lineup.

The Collector’s Tree
This one is pure nightmare fuel. The author has fully moved into their lair and just drops a bucket of ice water on you with this one. It’s cold, twisted, and relentlessly tense from the very first page. It’s not even edging into psychological horror, it just runs headfirst into it. Building a sense of dread that tightens with every reveal, there are no cheap shocks. You’re tossed into this disturbing, visceral, and unforgettable cocktail, this is easily one of the darkest entries in the collection. So let me tell you again, take the Trigger Warnings SERIOUS. If you’re looking for something lighthearted, you definitely took a wrong turn here.

Season of Sin
This one is brutal, indulgent, and unapologetically dark. Goodbye sanity, hello psychological warfare. This author took “Dark Romance” and decided to give it a whole new definition. It’s the kind of story that makes you uncomfortable on purpose, daring you to keep reading even when you absolutely shouldn’t want to. Not for the faint of heart, but if you like your fiction extreme, decadent, and morally feral, this one delivers.

The Kiss of the Beast
While we’re on the topic of “Dark Romance” getting a new definition. If you like it to feel like being spartan kicked into a hurricane, this is the one for you. Here you’re served a full course of dark, dramatic, danger and absolutely soaking with tension. You’re being served an unhealthy dose of menace with unexpected tenderness, keeping you on edge the entire time. If you like stories that feel intense from the very first page, this one hits hard. I definitely needed to take a sip of my, by then, ice-cold tea.

Deck the Halls and Hide the Bodies
Absolutely unhinged in the best possible way, the author took their cocktail shaker, tossed in a healthy dose of dark humor, a shot of pure chaos, and spiced it up with intensity to create a story that somehow still manages to have heart. The whole dynamic is sharp, twisted, and weirdly compelling. If you enjoy dark romance that makes you laugh, gasp, and mutter “what did I just read?” while immediately wanting more, this one delivers. If you’re as unhinged as I apparently am, my therapist will have a field day during our next session, you’re going to mark this as a re-read.

Secret Santa
I’m definitely not outing myself here, but you might want to grab a towel and sit on it before you read. You’re welcome.
Once again, the author just casually shows off how much they enjoy tormenting readers in a deliciously devious way. Again, I was left questioning my life choices, definitely want what our girl here had. If you like it dirty, on the edge of taboo, and just absolutely physically and mentally wrecking in the best way possible… this is your must-read.

Silent Night, Violent Night
I am a total simp for this story. Do I want it in real life, oh hell no.
Did I absolutely love reading this, oh hell yes. This unsettled me in the best way possible. The author really sat there in their lair, sipping their drink of choice with an evil grin on their face as they wrote this absolute gem of fear, intimacy and obsession. You’re going to read this while caught in a purgatory of uncertainty regarding your own feelings. It leans heavily into psychological tension, with just a hint of vulnerability and the quiet horror of being watched. It’s equal parts disturbing, haunting, and strangely compelling. This will stay with you long after you’re done reading.

Naughty by Nature
Back on the rollercoaster we go with this one. This is pure chaos in the most entertaining way possible, mixing dark humor, unhinged dynamics, and a surprisingly affectionate core. It’s fast, ridiculous, and self-aware. This story definitely didn’t take itself too seriously, it hits you with the right blend of manipulation and mayhem. If you like your spice served with laughs, absurdity, and “what did I just read?” energy, this one absolutely delivers.

Candy Cane and Crave
This is the kind of story where you keep reading even while thinking, “This is a terrible idea… and I love it.” It’s deliciously twisted, flipping power dynamics so often you’re never quite sure who’s winning. This story feels both dangerous and weirdly addictive. Messed up, clever, and oozing with chemistry,

For Better or Frost
A tense, courtroom-set power play that turns a “simple” divorce into a full-blown standoff. The vibe is dark, frantic, and weirdly magnetic, with the husband’s presence swallowing the room the second he appears. It’s the kind of story that leaves you rattled, because here too, the author proves to us all that their definition of romance isn’t sweet. Here it’s a cage with a big fucking bow on it.

Fallen Halo
Here we’re diving headfirst back into forbidden territory again, because why the fuck not, the author decided to make us a lovely gift by wrapping temptation, guilt, and desire so tightly together that it’s impossible to separate them. This is slow, intimate, and deeply uncomfortable in a way that feels scary intentional. You’re constantly left wondering how far someone can fall while still wholeheartedly believing they’re doing the right thing. Dark, provocative, and unapologetically transgressive, it’s the kind of story that makes you question your own reaction as much as the characters’.

Cold Hearts Club
Let me take a breath here. Because this needs to be said with my full chest….
There better be plans to make this into a whole ass standalone book. This sequel cranks the unease all the way up, it gives you grief, obsession, and technology all mixed up into something that feels way too plausible for comfort. It starts quietly, almost support-group gentle, and then spirals into a slow, suffocating sense of “something is extremely wrong” that never lets up. I finished this, feeling emotionally wrecked in the best way and absolutely convinced the author wholeheartedly meant to torture us with their wicked sense of humor. (I might riot if this story won’t become a standalone.)

If you made it this far, you’re a real one, and I hope you end up enjoying this rollercoaster ride as much as I did. Now, excuse me while I confess my sins to the devil and douse myself in holywater.

[Christie · Rating 3 out of 5]

it was ok

[Dianna Welsand · Rating 5 out of 5]

I don’t even know where to START because this collection absolutely wrecked me in the most chaotic, unhinged, delicious way possible. Every single story had me clutching my book, kicking my feet, gasping, whispering ‘oh my GOD’ to absolutely no one.

We’ve got public-restroom spice, forced captivity, shock collars, priests breaking vows, dead bodies, workplace messiness, handcuffs and belts, praise kink, masochism, dubious consent, divorce-court drama, guns, knives, kidnapping, literal boxes, electric chairs, dismembered limbs, feral MMCs, crazy FMCs, AND a horror dating app that basically becomes sentient — and somehow?? EVERY STORY SLAPS.

I was hooked from the first page and didn’t come up for air. The tension? Immaculate. The spice? Unholy. The twists? I had to stand up and walk around my house several times. The vibes? Dark, chaotic, addictive, and SO freaking good.

This author refuses to hold back, and I LOVE HER FOR IT. The writing is sharp, the pacing is perfect, and the characters are messy in all the ways that make dark romance fans scream. If you want safe, this is not it. If you want unforgettable, boundary-pushing, adrenaline-filled storytelling that leaves you mentally unwell… READ. THIS. COLLECTION.

[Faith · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.75 - This is a Dark Romance Advent novel with 25 short stories. Most of the stories were enticing, like a good thriller, but they end abruptly or on a cliffhanger. You’re never satisfied 😩