Books are one of my favourite gifts to receive. Perhaps I’m biased as a militant bookworm, but a good book can do no wrong. One of my most cherished gifts is a book (‘On Earth We’re Briefly Gorgeous’ by Ocean Vuong) from one of my dearest friends that I met on my study abroad year.
She sent me a copy adorned with sticky tabs and annotations of parts that made her happy, sad, comforted and when she wanted my opinion. It was such a deeply special way to bond and get to know her. Inspired by her, I made a rule that I gift everyone important to me (unless they aren’t a reader) a book and write something of significance in them, so that it can sit on the shelf, whether it’s read or unread, and tell a story of our friendship within the comfort of another story.
If you’re stuck on what to get someone this Christmas, a book will certainly suffice. Of course, a quirky personalization isn’t necessary, but nonetheless reading is a gift we are lucky to have. Below is a list of some suggestions of what books you might want to get the reader(s) in your life.
Quirky Literary Fiction:
- Nothing To See Here by Kevin Wilson
A witty but tender story of parental love and found family. Lillian’s life was at a halt until she gets an unusual request from an ex-best friend from boarding school: to work as a nanny to twins. With nothing to lose and in need of money, she accepts. Unbeknownst to the new and unsuspecting nanny, these twins come with a twist: they spontaneously combust when they feel certain emotions. This is a super weird story but at its core is a journey of acceptance and embracing differences that every reader will appreciate!
TW; drug use
- Everyone in This Room Will Someday Be Dead by Emily Wilson
Don’t be put off by the morbid title- this is a comfort read! This is a story that tackles themes of mental health and beautifies a crippling fear of death into living life in the fullest way possible. Gilda is gay, atheistic, and tortured by her mortality, but ironically finds herself accepting a new job as a receptionist at a Catholic church. The role sees her earning a living, but also pretending to be someone she’s not while also solving a murder along the way! This is a deep novel that does not shy away from darkness, but by the end of it you certainly feel lighter and less alone in the world.
TW; death of a pet, suicidal thoughts, homophobia
For the sleuths:
- Vera Wong’s Unsolicited Advice for Murderers by Jesse Q. Sutanto
A new sub-genre of the cozy mystery has emerged, and this book is both a good segway into the genre and to explore it more! Vera Wong is a sixty-year-old and lonely tea-shop owner who one day wakes up and finds her store a murder scene. Well, the police don’t think it’s a murder, but there’s no changing Vera’s mind that it is. She settles that she will do a better job at solving the mystery herself and goes about investigating the crime herself. While this is a story of murder, it feels more like a warming cup of tea with the main theme being found family.
- The Writing Retreat by Julia Bartz
Okay, this is an unhinged one, but it’s super thrilling, well-written, and not like anything I’ve ever read. This is a book where you should know as little as possible going into it. Essentially, the story follows Alex as she attempts to write an entire novel at a writing retreat run by a famous feminist horror writer in order to win a publishing deal. But things take a dark turn when one of the attendees is discovered dead. It is an exploration of the dark side of the writing community, making writers block seem like a pleasantry. If you’re looking for weird and murder, look right here, this is it.
TW; murder, alcohol consumption, drug use, kidnapping and abuse
History that we were never taught in school:
- The Stationary Shop by Marjan Kamali
This is devastating yet beautiful love story set against the political turmoil of Tehran in 1953. The narrative sees us transported into the idealistic mind of Roya who spends her days in a neighborhood stationary shop. There she meets passionate Bahman, and a romance ensues. The fates are stacked against them with the instabilities of both Tehran and their families attempting to rip them apart. This is a bittersweet story of lost love and self-discovery. The pages glitter with romance and melancholy, as well as educating us on a hushed part of history.
TW; child death, suicide, mental illness, war
- A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini
Following in the steps of the huge success that is The Kite Runner, Hosseini’s second book delivers a gut-wrenching and breath-taking read. The story spans from the 1980s Soviet takeover through to post 9/11 Taliban control in Afghanistan and sees the bond of two women blossom as they navigate life under such strict regimes. This is a deeply emotional read that will have you feeling sad, uplifted, angry, and in the end, hopeful.
TW; domestic abuse, war, violence, rape
To escape reality:
- Assassins Apprentice by Robin Hobb
This is a crucial for the collection of a fantasy reader. Hobb is one of the founders of the genre which makes it a good read to see where the favorite fantasy tropes originated from. This is the start of a long series which follows Fitz who is a royal bastard that has been adopted into the royal household and begins to train as an assassin’s apprentice. This is perfect for those who enjoy escapism and medieval settings with characters that feel like home. Be warned though, Hobb knows how to pack a punch!
TW; animal death, death, violence
- The Final Empire by Brandon Sanderson
Take a step into the Cosmere universe: an expansive world with grim-dark characters, intricate magic systems and chilling plot-twists. While there are several roots into this fandom, the Mistborn trilogy is the best way in! Set in a world where darkness rules, the plot follows a group of criminals determined to overthrow the lord ruler with every odd working against them. That is until they stumble upon Vin who wields the greatest weapon of all…
TW; violence, slavery, death
For the scientists:
- Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir
From the writer of The Martian, we are foisted into a spaceship with a lone survivor on a mission, albeit unbeknownst to him. This is another book that you should blindly wander into: the plot thickens and curdles very early on into the novel, making for a non-stop page turner! While Weir’s writing is effortlessly funny with a plot that has you on the edge of your seat, it’s also makes for an ego boost- I have never felt smarter while reading this book, for once I actually understood science! (I’m going to shamelessly plug my in-depth review of this book that I published on Goodreads right here; https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/5350241562?book_show_action=false )
TW; death, medical content, suicide, confinement
- How High We Go in the Dark by Sequoia Nagamatsu
While it might hit a little too close to home after the COVID pandemic, this is a dystopian anthology which investigates the world’s reception in the wake of a deadly virus. The stories span years, the starting point being a solitary Siberia in 2030 in which a discovery of the ancient Artic plague is unshackled and released unto humankind. After the initial set up, Nagamatsu introduces characters and their despairing hopes and dreams, monstrous technologies that have become the new normal, and a lot of death! It makes for a thought provoking read that will certainly haunt. If you’re looking to be disturbed, this is for you!
TW; child death, death, terminal illness, suicide
For the hopeless romantics:
- The Bride Test by Helen Hoang
This is one that will turn your insides to mush! It is the second in a series but can be read as a standalone! Khai believes that he is incapable of emotions, especially anything like love. His reluctance for romance dismays his mother so much so that leads her to seek out the perfect bride for him. She decides on Esme, a single mum living in Vietnam who is struggling to find her place in the world, and offers her the opportunity to fly out to the States in order to seduce her son. While this is certainly a romance of butterflies, be prepared for some steamy scenes! If you’re struggling to believe in love, I could not recommend anything more. This is also a great choice if you’re looking for some autism representation!
TW; sex, grief, ableism
- Book Lovers by Emily Henry
When someone says romance it’s hard not to think Emily Henry. A good choice is Book Lovers which incorporates the tropes of enemies-to-lovers caught up in close proximity. Nora is a literary agent holidaying in the fictional town of ‘Sunshine Falls’ which happens to be the town where Charlie, an editor who has previously rejected some of Nora’s author’s best work, is residing. Their paths inevitably cross and they begin to realise that their preconceived notions about each other are all wrong. At its core this is a cute romance it also incapsulates themes of family, self-discovery, grief and mental health.
TW; death of a parent, grief, sex
To believe in magic again:
- The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern
The Night Circus is not only magical in plot but in nature too; magic simply dances off the pages. The story centers around a mysterious Circus that is only open at night and is the setting for a competition between two students of two ancient, rival magicians. The contest sees them besting each other’s magical illusions and enchantments while they begin to fall in love. A perfect read for the winter period, for those that want to believe in magic and to read a love letter to the art of storytelling.
TW; child abuse, death, blood
- Piranesi by Susanna Clarke
Piranesi lives in a labyrinthine house with infinite rooms joined by boundless corridors and statues for comfort. He lives a lonely existence with no memory of his life outside of the house, but he enjoys exploring it and conversing with the statues. Until one day he finds that he might not be alone after all. This is certainly a strange read and will not be for everyone, but it has haunted me ever since I read it! It’s magical and eerie and explores human nature, the self, mental health and memories lost and regained.
TW; kidnapping, confinement, guns, mental illness, death
For a nightmare before Christmas:
- The Pallbearers Club by Paul Tremblay
Tremblay tells his story in an inventive and original style; crafted as a memoir written by a troubled Art Barbra that has been revised with edits by his ex-best friend that undermines everything he asserts. He starts his memoir when he is seventeen as a nobody in high school when he decides to start an extracurricular club for volunteer pallbearers to attend funerals of those that have limited turnout. Through the club he meets a cool girl called Mercy who ensues chaos on life as he knew it. The horror of it? Probably vampires. This is not necessarily a scary book, but it is what happens off the page that makes it a chilling read. I’m always eager to push this onto readers because it offers a reading experience like no other!
TW; death, addiction
- Our Wives Under the Sea by Julia Armfield
A creepy story that explores a deteriorating relationship. Leah has returned home to her wife after a failed submarine work trip. But the Leah that Miri welcomes into her home is not the same one that left. This is a dual perspective that shifts from Miri, who investigates what her wife has become, to Leah and what haunted her on the mission. This is a short but compelling read that confronts themes of love, loss, grief, being haunted and transformation.
TW; body horror, grief, confinement, death