Books are the most fun presents to give and get, am I right? Here’s a little list of some books (and a few book accessories) I think would make great gifts this year. If you’re looking for my full gift guide, click here.
Watch my Good Things Utah segment below, where I feature 10 of these books:
My favorite book light: I’ve tried my fair share and this is the one I keep coming back to. It’d be a nice little addition to a book gift!
My top 5 audiobooks I listened to this year:
Every one of these books gets a chef’s kiss from me. They would be great in hardcopy form too.
Remarkably Bright Creatures: A heartwarming, unique story like you’ve never encountered.
Iona Iverson’s Rules for Commuting: Charming story with depth about friendship set in England. Part of the get 3 for the price of 2 deal on Amazon right now.
The Wedding People: Perfectly witty, gritty coming of age story of a woman with a touch of romance. Also part of the deal!
The Unmaking of June Farrow: Magical realism at its finest. Outlander vibes but PG, modern, and in the American south. Magical and fun. And if you don’t fully understand the time travel element by the end of the book, don’t stress it. I wasn’t completely sure but it took away nothing from my enjoyment!
Lady Tan’s Circle of Women: Lisa See always gets it right. Such a compelling story about women and medicine in 15th-century China.
For the literary lover:
These are books written with a care for the language and an immersive, settings-driven story. Think Where the Crawdads Sing vibes.
Go As A River: Finished this earlier this month and the story swept me away from page one. If you liked Where the Lost Wander, Where the Crawdads Sing, The Giver of Stars, or A Piece of the World, you’ll like this.
Homecoming: Kate Morton is one of my all-time favorite authors. I can’t get enough of her transportive settings. This one is set in Australia (where I used to live and left half my heart there), so I extra love it. It’s a historical mystery!
You Are Here: An unlikely romance (more literary than cheesy rom-com) set against the backdrop of the English countryside.
Unlikely Animals: Just an unexpected delight. The audio is epic.
All the Colors of the Dark: I don’t even know how to describe this book. It’s dark but beautiful and inspiring. I feel like everyone knows someone who likes that kind of thing. I highly recommend it! 58% off.
Rom-coms
Fun and light but not stupid. All have some spice!
Nora Goes Off Script: A fun, intelligently written romance to escape into. I like that the protagonist is older and has kids. A little more relatable than some of the rom-coms out there. $6 right now!
Just for the Summer: My first read by Abby Jimenez and now I’m hooked. Just everything you want in a swoony, witty-bantery rom-com.
12 Dates of Christmas: A Christmas rom-com set in a little English village. I also liked A Season for Second Chances by her.
Snowed in: Catherine Walsh is an utter delight to read. Don’t miss this one.
The Last Love Note: A rom-com with depth about a woman who finds love after losing her husband to early-onset Alzheimer’s.
The Bodyguard: Loved this story of a girl who falls for a celebrity. About $5 when you apply the coupon.
Thrillers/Mysteries:
All the Colors of the Dark: Dark but beautiful and inspiring. More of a literary mystery than an in-your-face blood and shocks kind of thing.
None of This is True: Quirky, creepy story about a woman who shares her story on a podcast which turns out to be a true crime sort of thing. You discover twists and secrets about this character and her life as the story unfolds in podcast interviews.
A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder: This 3-book series was such a hit that it was made into a Netflix series. Admittedly, I only read this to screen it for my teenager who wanted to read it. She loved it, but this genre just isn’t my first pick, even though it’s technically YA and mild as far as this stuff goes. But if you have a reader on your list who likes murder mystery/true crime, I think they’d like this.
Non-Fiction Faves
These would make great gifts!
Modern Manners Books: If you don’t already have Brooke Romney’s Modern Manners for Teens or Kids on your kitchen table, you should. Teaches kids all the things we want them to know to function as kind, self-aware adults in this world. 35% off right now.
Four Thousand Weeks: Time Management for Mortals: I’m Miss Picky when it comes to self-help and this is the best I’ve ever read. I wish every human being would read it. A great gift for anyone! Cannot believe the hardcover is $10 right now.
The Choice by Dr. Edith Eva Eger: The true story of a woman’s experience with her family at Auschwitz. What I love about this story is that it not only details some of the horrors of life as a prisoner of war, but how that experience continued to affect her and led her to become a therapist.
If you’re looking for more fun bookish gifts, you have to check out my friend’s shop, Bookshelf Tees. They’re having an amazing BF sale right now, too. Also, the book collection at Pippi Post! Such cute stuff for the bookworms in your life.
Jumelle Press has the best cookies cookbook and a home decor book that would make the best mom, mother-in-law, or sister gifts.
If you need a specific recommendation for someone in your life, I’m always happy to help! Just send me a message on Instagram.
xo
Kim
