Books I Would Give as Gifts to All the People in my Life
i firmly believe books are the very best gifts, even if nobody ever gets them for me because they think i have too many! not true!!! anyway. i’ve turned to gifting books to my people in hopes that it inspires them to return the favor… and also because as previously stated, i believe books are the best gifts.
i hope these ideas inspire you to grab a book for someone in your life, whether they fit one of these descriptions or are something altogether unique.
(pro tip: ask your local indie bookseller for ideas if you’re ever stuck! i’ve always gotten great recs when i’ve asked for them.)
here are my best bookish gift ideas for the people i love:
for my dad who has read a LOT of presidential biographies:
we’re going for historical themes, hefty page counts, and deep dives that leave an impact.
to my brother who is interested in mutual aid in his community:
we’re going for activism with a healthy dose of empathy, compassion, and tangible next steps.
to my friend who loves dance, glitter, and disney (as an adult):
we’re going for a blend of compelling nonfiction and a disney classic (beauty and the beast) retold as a sexy romance.
to my mom who loves discovering new birds out the kitchen window:
we’re mixing up fiction and nonfiction, but keeping it all avian-related!
for my cousin who lost her dad unexpectedly this yeaR:
we’re going for comfort, books that feel like warm hugs, and reminders that you’re not alone.
for my mom’s book club who requested a book about starting fresh:
we’re going for badass female main characters, big life changes, and hopefulness!
for my fellow exvangelical friend who is now a mama raising her littles up well:
we’re going for faith themes, but not like what we were raised with in the 90s!
to my coworker bff who loves things that are quirky, unique, and a bit macabre:
we’re going for weird and thought-provoking and a little bit… odd.
for my favorite 7 and 3 year old tiny humans:
we’re going for creative and engaging, books that get kiddos interested, moving, making, and asking questions.
for my bff who always sends the best hot hockey player thirst traps:
we’re going for spicy sports romances with characters of color and sizzling chemistry.
for my aunt who is so busy hosting everyone she doesn’t have time to read:
we’re going for short and sweet, easy to get through, and cozy for this time of year.
for my spunky grandma who always has a surprisingly funny comeback:
we’re going for older protagonists, sassy characters, surprising plots, and humor sprinkled in!
to my college bff who is a total swiftie:
we’re going for taylor-related (obviously) or lyrics-inspired.
for my bff’s bebe girl:
we’re going for fun, interactive, indestructible, and not mind-numbing for mom to read (and reread)!
for my trendy friend who wants buzzy #booktok picks:
we’re going for the picks i’ve seen repeatedly on my feed and fyp.
