Books are always great gifts for Christmas: they last a long time, can be read over and over again, and they transport their readers into new worlds. Here are some of our picks for literature lovers:
For Fantasy Fans:
Throne of Glass is the first part in an epic fantasy series of the same name. Sarah J. Maas began writing the books when she was only 16 and now the series has become a worldwide phenomenon. The heroine of the story is an assassin who has been imprisoned in a labor camp. She is told that she can earn her freedom by entering a competition to become the evil king’s personal hitman. Throne of Glass has everything: mystery, witchcraft, love, and violence. Another great pick for a fantasy lover is A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness. This wonderful and heart-wrenching novel tells the story of a little boy whose mother is dying of cancer. One day, the boy wakes up to a wooden monster outside his window. That is the beginning of a strange and insightful journey to the root of the boy’s pain. Of course, this genre needs something from the world of Harry Potter. Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them is now out as a movie and as a script book, which means we can all relive some of the childhood nostalgia by reading about the magizoologist Newt Scamander.
For History Buffs:
Norse Mythology is a vivid retelling of the most known Norse myths by the talented fantasy writer Neil Gaiman and a must-have for anyone interested in Vikings and their history. Another great history-related book is The Color Purple by Alice Walker. The Color Purple is a Pulitzer prize winner and an important read for anyone interested in the history of women of color in the South. However, if a plunge into the mysteries of secret societies is more your cup of tea, then 101 Secrets of the Freemasons: The Truth Behind the World’s Most Mysterious Society by Barb Karg and Jon K. Young is the right choice.
For Thriller Enthusiasts:
The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins is one of the most celebrated thrillers in recent history, alongside Gone Girl. In the novel, the female protagonist becomes entangled in a missing persons investigation, which ends up drastically changing her life. Similarly, in Gillian Flynn’s debut novel, Sharp Objects, a female journalist becomes involved in an investigation, though in this case, the investigation concerns the deaths of two little girls. To make it a trio, I Let You Go by Clare Mackintosh is another exciting new book that’s, in fact, being hailed as the next Gone Girl or Girl on the Train. The book has a huge twist that will make you rethink everything you just read. It doesn’t get better than that. The basic premise has a woman losing her child in a hit and run. The cops then begin the search for the person responsible but seem to run into a dead-end. This book will certainly mess with your head, which is exactly what a great psychological thriller should do.
For YA Lovers:
Everything Everything by Nicola Yoon is wonderful depiction of life with an incurable illness and of love that comes when you least expect it. Think on the lines of The Fault in Our Stars by John Green and Am I Normal Yet? by Holly Bourne. In fact, all three novels are great stocking stuffers for readers of YA. If you think something that doesn’t make you ugly cry for hours more light-hearted might be more appropriate, anything written by Rainbow Rowell will do the trick.