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I know what you’re thinking: why does every blogger have to share a copious number of gift guides leading up to the big day?! There are so many gift guides out there, but it seems that every guide I come across is for a demographic I don’t understand, at a store I’m not familiar with, and for a price point I’m never going to be comfortable with. Can I get an amen? I thought I would put together a few guides over the next few weeks for categories of gifts that I love and at price points that normal people can afford. Because, let’s face it, my gifts are not all coming from Nordstrom!
First up is this holiday gift guide for readers. I have found few new subscriptions and products that I can’t live without and your book loving friends might need them in their lives.
1 | Subscriptions Services. My first encounter with subscription book services was through Kindle Unlimited. It wasn’t a bad idea (unlimited downloads for under $10 a month), but I found the books to be subpar and not worth my time or money. Instead, I’ve been loving a few other subscription services this year. Audible is fantastic if you’re an audiobook fan. I never listened to audiobooks much before discovering Audible, because they were bulky (CDs, anyone?) and either required more money than I was willing to part with or a trip to the local library (the hours at my library don’t agree with my work schedule). Instead, I pay $22 a month for a two book per month subscription and it’s perfect! I’ve found a few narrators that I love and these books help me to happily pass the time I spend driving and running. Another favorite is the Book of the Month Club, especially if your recipient is a fan of physical books. For less than $10 a month, you get a list of curated selections to choose from each month and a beautiful hardcover book delivered right to your door. You can skip a month at no charge and I have gotten almost all three and four star books this year.
2 | Accessories. Am I the only one who picks up every little gadget and accessory near the checkout counter at Books-a-Million? I am fascinated by all of those $5 items and these are a few of my very favorites! The Energizer Book Light because I like to stay up late to read. When using my Kindle this isn’t an issue, but those BOTM book require a little extra illumination! These Sprout Bookmarks are incredibly cute and can be used in several different ways to mark your place. Or what about this Thumb Thing Book Page Holder? Slip it on your finger to hold the pages down flat while one-handing your favorite novel.
3 | Book Journal. I love the format of this Book Lover’s Journal, especially. I usually keep track of my reading on the blog or over at Goodreads, but I know plenty of people who prefer putting pen to paper. This one lets you keep track of what you’ve read, add notes, rankings and suggestions for future reading.
4 | Bookplates. I’ve seen all kinds of stickers and labels for your books, but this Personal Library Kit is the cutest thing around. Complete with a date stamp and card inserts for the front cover, you’ll never have to wonder who borrowed your books again!
5 | A Book About Race. Between the World and Me is one of the best non-fiction books I’ve read all year. You can find my full review here, but I picked this up after vowing to read more books by authors who don’t look like me. Coates offers an eloquent perspective on race in America, told through the eyes of his own childhood and that of his son’s. The book is a memoir, written to his son in a series of four letters, about what it was like growing up black in a nation full of people who “think they are white.” Given the current political climate, I would call this one is a must read for everyone.
6 | A Book About Money. On the flipside, I picked up J.D. Vance’s memoir, Hillbilly Elegy, after seeing it mentioned in many post-election opinion pieces. As we begin to untangle what this election meant for voters and what it means for America moving forward, I think it’s just as important to focus on the socio-economic divide as the racial one. I’ll be reviewing this one early next month, but so far the audiobook is fantastic. Read by Vance, it recounts the oral history of his parents and grandparents as they chase upward mobility and the American Dream.
7 | A Thriller. For lovers of suspense and unexpected endings, Good as Gone is as good as it gets. It’s the first time I’ve read “If you loved Gone Girl…” and considered it a fair comparison. It is perfectly twisty, with a shift of perspectives and one really unreliable narrator. Fans of dark novels will give this two thumbs up.
8 |A Heart Wrenching Novel. The Light Between Oceans was a welcome surprise this month. I’ll be sharing a full review in a few more weeks, but you don’t need to read it to know that it gets four beautiful stars. The audiobook narrator was perfect, but I’m sure your recipient would appreciate the bound book just as much. Be sure to look for this beautiful cover –the mass produced, post-movie, paperback isn’t nearly as nice to look at.
9 | A War Time Novel. I read Secrets of a Charmed Life way back in March and I’m still calling it the best book I’ve read all year. There is romance, strong family ties, war torn British cities, and plenty of secrets. You cannot go wrong with this novel.
