top of page

Books to Gift this Holiday Season

amylandis1

Books are always a splendid gift for readers of all ages! Here is a list of suggestions with something for everyone and links included for easy shopping.




Classic Books That Never Grow Old



This Pulitzer Prize-winning coming-of-age tale set in the 1930s South never disappoints.



Wealth, ambition, and unattainable love set in the allegorical West Egg on Long Island. Fitzgerald is a wordsmith, and this quick read is a timeless treasure.



A Gothic gem and psychological thriller about an impetuous bride and a wealthy widower haunted by his late first wife.



French Revolution. False imprisonment. Doppelgangers. Knitting. “It was the best of times, it was the worst of times.” Enough said.



War is hell, and Hemingway takes us there. It’s not cheerful, but it leaves an indelible mark.


Jane Eyre, Wuthering Heights, and Pride and Prejudice also come quickly to mind. If you or your recipient have already read one of these, there are always first editions, gift editions and new editions of these classics.




Books For the Young Readers in Your Life


There is nothing more beautiful than a child falling in love with reading. Here are a few choices that have charmed young readers for decades:







Josephine March and her sisters continue to inspire in this classic set in Massachusetts during the Civil War.




The pioneer spirit of Ma, Pa, Laura, Mary and Carrie brings this tale of simpler times to life.




The Pevensie children’s journey through the wardrobe into a mystical land of friends and foes is a great read-aloud book for younger children.




If you are a dreamer, come in,

If you are a dreamer, a wisher, a liar,

A hope-er, a pray-er, a magic bean buyer...

If you’re a pretender, come sit by my fire

For we have some flax-golden tales to spin.

Come in!

Come in!




My boys read many a night past bedtime as they devoured the story of the lightning-bolt-scarred young boy with magical powers.



Bonus: These books all have sequels to keep the reading ball rolling.















Books You Can Read and then Watch the Movie


We all know the book is always better than the movie (check out my blog for reasons). Here are some marvelous stories to enjoy twice.

 



 

A psychological thriller that will keep you guessing.

 

 

Regal Aibileen and sassy Minny are black maids in Jackson, Mississippi. Idealistic Skeeter is a frustrated young white socialite. Woven together, their stories paint a complex picture of racial tensions in the deep south.

 

 

Young Katniss Everdeen challenges the corruption of the post-apocalyptic nation of Panem. Though technically a young adult novel, this story is timeless and timely for all ages.

 

 

Twisty and disturbing, but oh so delightful, this one’s carefully manufactured layers warrant a re-read/rewind.

 

 

The surprising secret to success in America’s game of baseball is told through an engaging David vs Goliath battle fueled by statisticians.






Books for Science Fiction Lovers

 

Two of my sons love a good science fiction yarn, and here are a few of their favorites.



 

“Are you happy with your life?” These are the last words Jason Dessen hears before he wakes up in a new, mind-bending reality.

 

 

A sole-survivor millions of miles from home is on a last-chance mission to save the world. (Note: Weir also wrote The Martian, another outstanding book/movie combo.)

 

 

One of the best-selling science fiction books of all time, this story intertwines politics, religion, ecology, technology, and human emotion as factions struggle to control the desert planet Arrakis and its priceless “spice.”

 

 

A remnant of survivors from the toxic outside world lives underground in a single silo, where hope is a dangerous thing.

 

 

This classic cautionary dystopian tale feels less and less like fiction every day.



Books for Mystery/Thriller Lovers


 There is nothing like a good mystery, and here are some great ones.




 

Christie is the queen of mystery, and I just picked one out of a hat, but you can’t go wrong with any of her books.

 


 

I loved this clever, breezy whodunit told through the eyes of a quirky, lovable maid named Molly.

 


 

Meet and fall in love with Chief Inspector Gamache and the memorable inhabitants of Three Pines in this complex murder mystery.

 


 

Fall down the Harlan Coben rabbit hole with this intense thriller. Bonus: many of his books have Netflix tie-ins.

 


 

Considered one of the best books of 2024, this mystery begins with a missing child at a summer camp in the Adirondacks.






Books For Historical Fiction Lovers

 


At its best, historical fiction enlightens as much as it entertains. Here are a few that do both.

 

 

Three women enmeshed in the code-breaking world of Bletchley Park during World War II overcome war, loss, betrayal and secrecy to identify a mysterious traitor.

 

 

Two sisters fight their own distinct battles in German-occupied, war-torn France in this beloved New York Times bestseller.

 

 

My love for Ms. Christie may skew this one (see above), but I enjoyed this fictional retelling of her real-life disappearance for eleven days, leading to a nationwide search.

 

 

In a Pulitzer prize-winning tour de force of prose, Doerr tells this unforgettable story through a blind French girl and a young German soldier during the Battle of Saint-Malo.

 


 

I read this one recently, and although I wasn’t crazy about the modern-day subplot, I couldn’t get enough of the enslaved horseman Jarret and his journey to earn his freedom through a record-breaking thoroughbred named Lexington.



Non-Fiction Books


I love to dive deep into a topic, and these five do it well.


 

Before the musical sensation, there was the book that inspired Lin-Manuel Miranda. Chernow’s biographies are all great, but his ability to shine a light on the complicated life of Alexander Hamilton amidst the birth of our nation is one of his best.

 

 

Dietrich Bonhoeffer was a brilliant, courageous pastor and theologian who was executed or his involvement in a plot to murder Adolf Hitler. I am dismayed to hear that both the right and the left have co-opted Bonhoeffer’s narrative, as any modern-day partisan lens corrupts the heart of the story, although failure to learn from Germany’s mistakes is just as tragic as any biased reduction of this brave man’s beliefs and actions. Bonhoeffer’s letters, sermons and diaries, edited by his dear friend Eberhard Bethge, speak eloquently on his behalf.

 

 

This is a biblical account of God’s ever-expanding grace and mercy. The stories are familiar, but the authors zoom out to an undeniably larger picture of God that is often lost in the parsing of the trees in the forest. Although the subtitle suggests this is a book about sexuality—and no doubt Richard Hays’s personal journey on this subject is compelling, regardless of whether you agree with his conclusions—the heart of this book lies in the heart of God’s mercy.

 

 

If you or a friend have ever dreamed of writing a book, buy this book. If the writing process fascinates you, buy this book. If you love Stephen King books, buy this book. Buy this book.

 

 

Dr. Peter Attia is shifting the focus from treating chronic disease to preventing it in this revolutionary treatise on longevity. He aims to change how we think about long-term health with a practical, science-backed approach.


A Few of My Favorite Books from the Last Five Years

 

Books creep into our hearts through different avenues, and these recent bestsellers found a place in mine.


 

This one caught me off guard. Its length daunted me, and I wasn’t particularly interested in early twentieth century India, but within the first one hundred pages, I never wanted it to end. Big Ammachi lives in my heart, and she will find a home in yours as well.

 

 

Let’s address the elephant in the room (pun intended): it’s about an octopus. But trust me, it is so much more. I couldn’t put this book down, and it will leave you satisfied in the best way.

 

 

I love Liane Moriarty, and I love the catch line for this book: The Delaney family love one another dearly—it’s just that sometimes they want to murder each other . . . That just about sums up this book to read by the fireplace on a cold winter day.

 

 

I’m embarrassingly new to the Ann Patchett bandwagon, and I’ve read three of her books in the last five years. (Bel Canto and The Dutch House are the others.) This is my favorite. I was all-in, reading with bated breath as a mother unfolds her life to her adult children amidst the orchards of Northern Michigan. Bonus: the Audible narration by Meryl Streep is divine.

 

 

This book is far from perfect, and it has its critics, but it humanizes the immigration issue through a mother’s eyes as she struggles to get her child to safety in the United States. It stuck with me.


Books I Want to Read in 2025

 



There is never enough time to read all the books on my list, but here are the ones at the top right now:

 

 

Happy Holidays!

 

Whether you choose a few to buy for others, or curl up with one yourself, make sure you embrace books during the holiday season. They’re the gift that keeps on giving!



















84 views4 comments

Recent Posts

See All

4 comentarios

Obtuvo 0 de 5 estrellas.
Aún no hay calificaciones

Agrega una calificación
wendy miller
wendy miller
18 dic 2024
Obtuvo 5 de 5 estrellas.

Thanks Amy! I added a few more from this list to my library app including the ones you gave me on Instagram. Have a beautiful and bless Christmas with your family. Hugs!

Me gusta
amylandis1
22 dic 2024
Contestando a

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to you and Meredith! ❤️🎄

Me gusta

Autumn Shackelford
Autumn Shackelford
12 dic 2024
Obtuvo 5 de 5 estrellas.

Such a great list!!! I loved The Covenant of Water too!!! Not my typical book, but so great!!! Love this so much!

Me gusta
amylandis1
12 dic 2024
Contestando a

Thank you, Aut! Covenant of Water jumped into my top ten favorite books of all time. I was so sad, but also satisfied, when it ended.

Me gusta

STAY IN THE KNOW

Thanks for submitting!

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • TikTok
bottom of page