‘Tis the season for giving! A few weeks ago I shared my Gift Guide for Book Lovers with lots of bookish accessories and merch to gift the readers in your life (or yourself!). Now I’m sharing a list of books to help you find the gift for EVERYONE in your life: avid readers, occasional readers, or even nonreaders you want to hook. These are some of my favorite recommendations in every genre (with a bonus fantasy because it’s my favorite), so you should be able to find the perfect gift!
DYSTOPIAN
Ready Player One by Ernest Cline
This near-futuristic dystopian sci-fi is perfect for fans of video games, adventure, and ’80s pop culture. Review
FANTASY
A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas
This Beauty and the Beast retelling full of fae, romance, and action has hooked many non-fantasy readers on the genre. Review
The Bridge Kingdom by Danielle L. Jensen
This enemies-to-lovers fantasy romance features political scheming, gray morality, imaginative world building, and an uncomplicated magic system. Review
HISTORICAL/LITERARY FICTION
The Vanishing Half by Brit Bennett
This family drama poignantly addresses issues of race, identify, gender, sexuality, family, destiny, and the consequences of choice while following multiple generations of Vignes women from the ’60s through the ’90s. Review
HORROR
Mexican Gothic by Sylvia Moreno-Garcia
An isolated mansion, an incestuous family, and a fungus infestation create the perfect recipe for an atmospheric and unsettling gothic horror. Review
MYSTERY
The Sun Down Motel by Simone St. James
This suspensful mystery features parallel timelines, strong women, and a paranormal presence. Review
PARANORMAL
Crave by Tracy Wolff
Crave takes all the tropes from popular YA paranormal romance series and combines them in delightful, cheesy, and utterly addicting goodness. Review
ROMANCE
Beach Read by Emily Henry
This contemporary romance is hilarious and heartfelt, but it also involves some serious topics that make it feel more grounded than other rom-coms. Review
SCIENCE FICTION
Defy the Stars by Claudia Gray
This is one of my absolute favorite books and it is incredibly underrated. With space, adventure, war, romance, technology, and humanity, what’s not to love? Review
THRILLER
He Started It by Samantha Downing
The twists and turns when siblings embark on a road trip from hell in order to earn their grandfather’s inheritance will absolutely blow your mind. Review
VERSE
Clap When You Land by Elizabeth Acevedo
This YA novel in verse beautifully tells the story of two girls who discover they are sisters after their father dies in a plane crash. Review
MEMOIR
Becoming by Michelle Obama
Michelle Obama is so much more than just a first lady. Her memoir is inspiring, relatable, compassionate, and emotional. Review
Are you giving books to anyone on your list this year? What books are you planning to gift?
