Holiday Gift Guide: Reader’s Edition

For the Reader Who Wants the Celebrity Tea

If you know me, then you know that I always have my ears to celebrity gossip. As Marie Kondo says, “I love mess” (as long as it has nothing to do with me or my people lol). When a celebrity I like or have some sort of nostalgic connection to writes a memoir, I’m always excited to read the behind-the-scenes of their lives. I recently picked up a couple of celebrity memoirs from two women who I grew up watching or listening to: Jessica Simpson’s “Open Book” and Gabrielle Union’s “We’re Going to Need More Wine.” I’m looking forward to getting some insider context for some of the projects they worked on and on what was going on in their lives at the time.

For the Reader Who Loves a Thrill

I don’t read a ton of thrillers, but “The Woman in the Window” by A.J. Finn has been on my list to read for awhile because it gives me “Rear Window” vibes. Part of the “thrill” in thrillers is trying to puzzle out the mystery of the story, and I especially love when there’s a twist I’m not anticipating (although it’s also fun to guess correctly too). I’m saving this one for a cold winter day when I want to be inside and cozy.

For the Introspective Reader

The Enneagram is by no means a new concept but has fallen in and out of popularity multiple times in its history. One of things that I like about the Enneagram and other similar personality driven tools, is that it gives some potential insight into other people, which I think is helpful in communicating and understanding them better. I was happy to find this book at Goodwill so I could refresh some of my understanding of the Enneagram.

For the Literary Fiction Lover

There’s something lovely about a well-crafted story that utilizes poetic prose and beautiful imagery to draw you in, even if they might leave you a bit sad. I fell in love with the heartbreaking storytelling of Jesmyn Ward in “Sing, Unburied Sing” and was excited to find “Salvage the Bones” on Goodwill’s bookshelves. “All the Light We Cannot See” by Anthony Doerr was a former book club read that was moving and beautifully written. It’s been developed into a television limited series and I’m looking forward to re-reading it and then watching it come to life on the screen.

For the Fairytale Follower

Fantasy and fairytales have long been one of my favorite types of storytelling. I love that when I pick up a novel with fantastical elements, I can count on getting lost in the colorful world of someone else’s imagination. Two of my favorite sub-genres within fantasy are fairytale retellings and cultural lore or fairytales told with a darker twist. “Stepsister” by Jennifer Donnelly is a retelling of the classic Cinderella and what happens to one of the stepsisters in the aftermath of the events of the fairytale we all know and love. “The Hazelwood” is a dark and twisty fantasy from the mind of Melissa Albert and was one of my favorites from a few years ago.

There are so many more book finds I could share here! I’ve found so many I’ve had to get an extra bookshelf (also from Goodwill for under $20), but the moral of the story (you see what I did there? *eyebrow wiggle*) is that you should stop by Goodwill if you are shopping for the book lovers in your life this holiday season. Happy Hunting!