Holiday Gift Guide for Every Reader in Your Life
Tis the season to give all of the readers in your life the perfect next book.
Everyone in my life knows to expect a book for every birthday, holiday, or “just because” celebration. If money didn’t matter and I could do anything at all, I would love nothing more than to be a professional book matchmaker. There’s factoring in what a person enjoys reading, their interests, open-mindedness, favorite authors, and there’s also knowing that some books require a specific set of circumstances to resonate with the reader. It gives me such a thrill to take all of this into account, pick out a book, and then see how my recommendation measures up!
With the holidays upon us, I’ve gathered here an assortment of recommendations for every reader - from those who are early in embarking on their reading journeys to the casual commuter reader to the long-time book devotee. This list includes a few helpful recommendations from my little elves, for whom I am deeply grateful. I’ll warn you: this is less “quick read” and more “searchable read”. My hope is this list serves as a starting point for every person on your list. I’d love to hear in the comments what you’re gifting (or asking for) this season. And if you’re able: support local bookstores!
Fiction
For the person who plans to spend the holiday break reading… The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue by V.E. Schwab. I am not embarrassed to admit that I quite literally cried through the last 40 pages and hugged this book to my chest after finishing it. That said, it also took me about 150 pages to really feel invested in the story so this is a book where I recommend having some significant time to commit, at least in the beginning. Addie LaRue probably has the most 5-star reviews amongst my friends on Goodreads and with good reason. And to my fellow friends who stay away from time loop/time travel stories: please take my word that the whimsical premise of this story is brilliantly executed, and the themes of friendship, love and heartbreak, grief, and belonging are powerful enough to win over the biggest skeptics. (Bonus: this one is great for your best friend, your grandma, and every age group in between.)
For the reader who is equally committed to both plot and character development… Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin. Let me be the first to tell you, I put this book off for as long as humanly possible because of how it was described to me: a book about video games. I don’t play video games, and I don’t know anything about them. After reading this book, I confidently declare that description to be insufficient for the magnitudes this book contains. Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow is a work of art that beautifully captures the fragility of friendship and life. Gabrielle Zevin may be one of the most brilliant authors in my opinion, and she plays with narration style and perspective in such a creative and powerful way. This book got me through some extraordinarily tough times last fall, and for that, I feel indebted.
For the reader who can only squeeze in a few minutes of reading a day… Iona Iverson’s Rules for Commuting by Clare Pooley. Some books are challenging to read and enjoy when you’re only reading a few pages at a time - we’ve all been there! Iona Iverson is a book that you can breeze through in a few days or pick up whenever you find yourself with a spare moment. It is laugh-out-loud funny as you see unlikely friendships develop among a series of commuters in London. Highly recommend for fellow fans of Marvelous Mrs. Maisel and Lessons in Chemistry (and again, great for all ages!).
For the Sporty Spice reader… Carrie Soto is Back by Taylor Jenkins Reid. I read this last year, then reread at almost the exact same time this year, and let me tell you… this book is better than even the hype surrounding it. This is part of TJR’s “Mick Riva” universe and revolves around one of the minor and less likable characters from Malibu Rising. That said, this can be gifted to anyone, regardless if they are already a TJR disciple. Carrie Soto is just plain fun to read. The competitive athleticism jumps off the page and feels so inspiring (I swear my own workouts packed an extra punch the week I was rereading this), and Carrie is entirely unapologetic in knowing who she is and recognizing her power. We need more female characters like this, and I have loved cheering on my friends as they tap into their own Carrie Soto energy.
RomCom
For your friend who is just beginning their romcom journey and may be feeling a bit skeptical… The Soulmate Equation and True Love Experiment by Christina Lauren. There are so many reasons to love these books: a) the male main characters smartly straddle aspirational and realistic, depicting a world where men are emotionally mature, have gone to therapy, and are willing to communicate in a relationship; b) the romance is perfectly spiced and make dating sound actually fun (?!); and c) Christina Lauren is the pen name of two best friends who write together, and we love female friendship, especially when it produces great reading material!
For the well-versed romcom reader… After I Do by Taylor Jenkins Reid. I loved this particular TJR read because it speaks to a less traditional relationship trajectory. While this book focuses on a couple that decides to end their marriage on a trial basis for one year (they make the distinction from “separation”), After I Do also shows the relationships between siblings, parents and children, friends and friends with benefits. One of my favorite bits, however, came from the perpetually single sister who makes clear that she is not upset with being single; she’s disappointed that her singledom seems to be the focal point - and a discouraging one at that! - for everyone else around her. I genuinely could not predict how this book would end, and it prompted some interesting journaling sessions. Love, love, love it!
For the reader who also watched/obsessed over The Summer I Turned Pretty (Season 1)… Every Summer After by Carley Fortune. I read this book last summer in less than 24 hours, but my two best friends (and favorite readers) described this book better than I ever could: “Reads like a mystery but feels like a romance…Coated in the nostalgia of your favorite summer vacation.” I mean with a description like that, you absolutely cannot go wrong gifting this one.
For the one who dreams of a modern day, London-based romance…. The Man I Never Met by Elle Cook. I think I hit my target heart rate while reading the last 50 pages of this book, and I truly could not predict how this one would end. The premise is kind of wild. What would happen if you started a long-distance friendship/relationship with someone all because they dialed the wrong number one day? The Man I Never Met is addictively good and perfectly swoonworthy.
Nonfiction
For the reader who is looking to better understand the ugly truth of U.S. history… Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents by Isabel Wilkerson. If you haven’t read Caste, run, don’t walk. Isabel Wilkerson is one of the most brilliant writers of our time (also worth reading The Warmth of Other Suns), and she writes about the caste system in the U.S. in a way that is digestible, compelling, and full of conviction. This makes it perfect for readers at every stage of their racial justice learning and understanding.
For the reader who may need facts and figures at the holiday table… The Sum of Us by Heather McGhee. And you know *exactly* what I mean by that description. I read this book as soon as it came out in 2021, and I immediately spent the next year telling anyone who would listen to me that they absolutely had to read it. Heather McGhee is brilliant and one of my sheroes. The Sum of Us goes chapter-by-chapter through various policy issues - from access to clean water and quality education to climate change and environmental injustice and union organizing - and lays out all of the ways in which those issues both depict the consequences of and further entrench systemic racism. Heather brilliantly sets up each chapter to carry forward the clear reminder that the people at the very top of our businesses and politics have created an us-versus-them society based on race, when we would be wise to remember that all of us who are not part of the 1% have more in common with each other than we are encouraged to believe. The Sum of Us also has one of the best, most nuanced, and evidence-based explanations of why diversity, equity, and inclusion work is of critical importance. Absolute 10/10.
For the environmentalist in your life… All We Can Save edited by Ayana Elizabeth Johnson and Katharine K. Wilkinson. If you have talked to me for more than five minutes, then you have probably heard how much this collection of essays means to me. All We Can Save is a collection of essays written by women, and primarily women of color and Indigenous women, about addressing the climate and environmental injustice crises, and it is quite simply a beautiful and powerful collection. This book has inspired hope on some of my hardest days, reminding me of all the brilliant and dedicated individuals who are giving everything they have to fight climate change and usher in a safer, healthier, and greener world.
For your dad/uncle/man in your life who would like a book… Boom Town: The Fantastical Saga of Oklahoma City, Its Chaotic Founding, Its Apocalyptic Weather, Its Purloined Basketball Team, and the Dream of Becoming a World-Class Metropolis by Sam Anderson. Okay admittedly I have *not* read this one, though it comes from a trusted source who has read it more than once and notes that it has broad appeal for both the history and sports fanatics alike. I will also admit that after typing that title, I am in fact very interested in picking up my own copy this holiday season!
For the friend group starting a health challenge in the new year… The Body is Not An Apology: The Power of Radical Self-Love by Sonya Renee Taylor. This has come at the recommendation of several friends, with one friend in particular noting that it is especially helpful to read at the start of the year as we see the rush of new health goals at the center of so many conversations. This book strives to support readers in their journey towards body acceptance and helpfully highlights the companies that stand to profit when we are perpetually looking to change our appearance. This could be a great book club read for your friend group at the start of the year.
Memoir, Essays, & Quick Reads
For your friend who experienced loss this year… This Will All Be Over Soon by Cecily Strong. You may know her from Saturday Night Live, but Cecily Strong’s memoir is a must-read for anyone who is grieving or just having a really tough time. Cecily’s memoir focuses on the one year following the death of her younger cousin, who passes away from a rare brain tumor. It simultaneously ends up being a bit of a Covid journal as well, as the memoir starts in December 2019 and carries through the following December. I read this book over the course of one evening in October 2021, and it was the first time in months where I understood the language of my own grief and loss, and I felt so incredibly seen and supported. I treated this book like a journal, underlining and writing in the margins, and while that’s not unusual for me, it created a powerful experience when I reread it earlier this year and could see my own growth in the pages of this book. This book is a hug, and I hope it brings some comfort to the person in your life who may need a little extra this holiday.
For the one who needs a good laugh… Well, This is Exhausting by Sophia Benoit and/or A Very Punchable Face by Colin Jost. Both series of essays are laugh-out-loud hilarious, and after reading cover-to-cover, these both lend themselves to be picked up for a quick laugh on a rainy day. Sophia Benoit’s essays often start out as funny little anecdotes or observations and end with pointed critiques of larger systems at play. And for Colin Jost, I was so anxious about reading this for fear of ruining the image I had of him in my mind and let me just say… my love and admiration for him only grew. Both of these are refreshingly delightful reads!
For your friend on a self-care journey… Heart Talk by Cleo Wade. I have treated this book like a journal, with its pages dog-eared, underlined, and highlighted. I’ve had Cleo Wade’s words written on post-it notes and scattered throughout my apartment more times than I care to admit, and this is a book I can pick up no matter my mood. I also recommend Wade’s Where to Begin, especially for anyone who may be experiencing burnout.
For the gal who is losing steam in the dating game… The Shift by Tinx. This is definitely one of those books where critical thinking is of the utmost importance, and you’ll need to take what resonates with you and ignore the rest. That said, Tinx writes in a way that really does feel like a conversation with your brutally honest best friend, and that blunt delivery is hilarious, necessary, and long overdue. The Shift includes fun action items (create a crush list!), helpful reframes (particularly around the first date debrief), powerful statements about self-worth (do not lose your mind over someone who wouldn’t mind losing you), and the much-needed reminder that you are not on a strict timeline to have your life look or feel a certain way.
Cookbooks & Coffeetables
For your farm-to-table friend… Six Seasons: A New Way with Vegetables by Joshua McFadden. I was gifted this by a friend a few years ago, and before I even cooked a recipe from this cookbook, I was completely enchanted by the way Joshua McFadden talks about food. Sometimes when I am in a cooking rut, I reread the preface of this cookbook just to remind myself of the beauty and privilege of food and cooking a delightful meal! Six Seasons focuses on - you guessed it - cooking seasonally, though McFadden makes the case that to extract the best flavors, we should cook according to six seasons, rather than four. The recipes range in difficulty as well, so all levels of expertise can find something to love in these pages.
For the master chef looking for new inspiration… Flavor or Plenty Yotam Ottolenghi. I am the lucky gift recipient of both of these books, which are every part inspiring and beautiful (the food photography is truly out of this world). Ottolenghi is a deeply talented chef, and the recipes within these pages bring out the most vibrant flavors that will be sure to win over the more veggie-averse.
For the hostess with the mostess… In the Company of Women: Inspiration and Advice from Over 100 Makers, Artists, and Entrepreneurs edited by Grace Bonney. I have gifted this collection to many of my creative and entrepreneurial girl boss friends, and on top of including inspiring and diverse stories, it is also just a beautiful book to grace the coffee table. This was published in 2016, and I have to hope that there will be another edition in our future!
That’s it! What did I miss? Comment below what you’re either gifting or hoping to receive this year. Happy reading!