Top Holiday Gifts for Book Lovers

The holiday season is the perfect time to indulge the bookworms in your life with thoughtful gifts that fuel their love for reading. Whether they’re fans of thrilling mysteries, epic fantasy, insightful memoirs, or the latest bestsellers, there’s a perfect gift for every type of reader. Books, accessories, and unique literary-themed items can transport them into new worlds and make their reading experience even more special.

In this gift guide, I have curated a variety of bookish treasures to delight every kind of reader on your list (including me), so you can give the gift of a story this Christmas.

A Gift that Keeps on Giving

For the bookworms who like a surprise, a one-off or subscription book box will be appreciated. You can find ones that can suit any reader from your romantics to your crime thriller obsessives.

1.Wordy & Wild -£27.99 per month

Wordy & Wild offer subscription boxes as well as one of book boxes to suit most types of readers. Perfect for those interested in romance, thrillers or fantasy. I bought a one of romance book box a few months ago and was impressed with the choice and loved the book themed items included.

2.Fawn & Flame – £39.50 per quarter

A beautifully presented seasonal book box which features a handmade candle, paperback, snack and treat. I love the idea of receiving a box every season and I promise you the candles smell amazing.

3. Prudence and the Crow – £16 per month

I love vintage books and have never received a bad choice from Prudence and the Crow whose offering features a vintage paperback, handmade book bag, library card and other surprises.

4. AbookandaCuppa – £12 one-off book box

Super cute one-off book boxes are perfect as a cosy gift this holiday season.

Wear your Love

1. Bookworm Sweater – Wordy & Wild from £35

I need this jumper for my lazy Sunday reading days (please Father Christmas I promise I have been good)

2. Book Shaped Handbag – Wellread co £50+

My favourite bags are from Well Read Co and I also have two coin purses, a purse and a pouch from there. The quality is amazing and I have had so many compliments over the last few years when using them.

3. Book Locket – Not on the Hightstreet £26

This is on my wishlist for 2024!

4. Classic Lit Theamed T-shirts – Literary Emporium £ 20.95

I love my Sappho and A Midsummers Nights Dream inspired t-shirts which are both super soft.

Pretty Books

If you have been following my bookstagram for a while you know that I love a pretty cover especially when it comes to my favourite classics.

1. Barnes and Noble Leathebound Editions -£20-30

2. Penguin Clothbound Classics – 3 for £33

3. Harper Collins Painted Editions – £15-20

4.Wordsworth Collectors Editions – Under £10

5. Penguins Little Black Classics – £1-3

Make sure that you check out second-hand retailers such as World of Books for the more pricey options as you can frequently find the leatherbound editions for £10 in near pristine condition.

Want to find out what editions are on my wishlist visit here

Experiences

For the last few years I have been asking for tickets and experiences as gifts and it’s something I try do for my friends especially for things that they want to go to but can’t justify the cost.

1. Shakespeare Plays – RSC from £10

The Royal Shakespeare Company offer tickets for £10 for those under the age of 25 which is how I have managed to see so many great shows over the last two years. However, even without this discount you can find well-priced tickets and spend the day wandering around Shakespeare’s birthplace I can’t think of a better gift.

2. Reading Retreat – Ladies Who Lit from £1000

Have you ever imagined a holiday designed around reading? Then check out these beautiful retreats which include accommodation and food & drink.

3. Library Reading Room – Gladstone Library from £10

Located in North Wales Gladstone’s library has been on my bucket list for a while and it’s not too far from where I currently live. They offer readers passes for free which gives you access to the beautiful reading rooms however they do ask for a £10 donation which I think is more than fair to keep such a lovely place running. They also offer stays from £120 for a single room. Who doesn’t want to say they have stayed in a library.

Cute Bits

1. Sunday Kind Jewellery – $35

Everything looks so pretty!

2. Clothing – Miss Patina

For more inspo check out my Christmas wishlist here!

This year, give a gift that celebrates their love of stories, and you’ll be sure to make their Christmas one to remember. Happy gifting, and may your book-loving friends and family find joy in every page they turn!

Love,

Ali xoxo

A Reimagining of a Classic: Infernal Falls by Bryan Mitchell

Books, Reviews

Let’s talk about my favourite read of November ‘Infernal Fall’ by Bryan Timothy Mitchell a great reimagining of Dante’s inferno.

This book is incredibly written and I felt immersed into the world he created which was a dark imagining of hell and found myself connecting with the main character Daniel almost instantly. I couldn’t put it down wanting to see where Daniel’s journey took him next.

Synopsis:

Daniel Strong is a troubled young man with only one bright spot in his life—his girlfriend, Kristine. He hopes to propose to her on a hike in the mountains, but a mysterious artifact in a dark cavern ruins his plan. Things quickly go downhill—literally—as handling the ‘keystone’ causes Daniel to fall straight into Hell, leaving Kristine behind.

A soul-harvesting demon tells him the only way out is through, that he must go to Satan and bargain for his freedom. But the shadow-man responsible for leaving the keystone behind tries to show him there’s another way out. Against his better judgment, Daniel finds himself listening to the demon’s claims that appealing to the Master of the Underworld himself is his only choice.

As the unlikely group traverses the many levels of Hell, hurt, anger, and fear hound Daniel, reminding him how hopeless his efforts truly are. All Daniel can do is push forward in hopes of making it back to Kristine. Will Daniel heed Kristine’s words to choose life? Or will he succumb to the lies pulling him down with every step?

I can’t recommend this book enough to those who love classic and ancient literature and are looking for their next modernised version.

Book Club: The Push- A Dark and Twisted Tale of Motherhood

Reviews

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The Push by Ashley Audrain tells the story of motherhood spanning three generations of women. Blythe who is the main subject of the book was abandoned by her mother Cecilia, who herself was the daughter of the twisted Etta.

The story begins with Blythe estranged from her daughter Violet’s life.She has been replaced as ‘mother’ by her ex-husband’s new wife and she has to accept that her family is happier without her.

Due to Blythe’s traumatic childhood she is left with a lot of anxieties and fears about her ability to be a good mother. Her fears come to a head when she fails to connect to Violet, is constantly exhausted and life is not going to plan. Violet is a difficult child who is manipulative, never smiles and is overall frightening. Her husband Fox ignores these issues as Violet is a daddy’s girl but her feelings towards her mother are a lot colder. However, when Blythe gets pregnant for a second time those fears about her daughter turn to terror.

Audrain creates a gripping and tense narrative that exploits the anxieties of motherhood. It showcases how a baby can either strengthen or break down adult relationships as well as how our childhoods shape our adult fears.

The Push expertly walks the fine line of a family cursed to repeat the same mistakes or of a mother paranoia twisting her daughter. It feels like The Push is a description of nature vs nurture for the women in Blythe’s family.

This is another difficult book to read and will not suit everyone’s tastes with its examination of difficult characters and their relations to motherhood.

’Stand in Saturday’ is a RomCom Masterpiece

Reviews

Omg, I’m obsessed with Theo and Lucie’s story it was so cute that I stayed up all night reading it!

This is the second book in the Love for Days series and for those that have already read Man Crush Monday you will be familiar with Theo and will be pleased to see he is the star of this book. Omg is Theo hot and nerdy my type to a tee so I was instantly in love with him. Lucie was perfect for him and I so want her to be my best friend!

Check out the blurb below for a small taste of what’s in store!

Blurb:

Two broken hearts. One fake dating agreement. What could go wrong?

Lucie thought she had it all—a loving fiancé, a nice apartment, and a job she was great at. But that all changed the day she walked in on her perfect fiancé screwing his personal trainer on her newly purchased dream sofa. Three months later, she’s bunking with her best friend and scrambling to make sense of her life sans cheating ex.

Theo is about to jet off for a long weekend in picturesque Scotland to be the best man at his brother’s wedding. With stunning views and nothing but free food and drinking ahead, he should be more excited than he is. If only he didn’t have feelings for the damn bride.

When fate throws Lucie and Theo together under unlikely circumstances, they bond over doughnuts and their mutually disastrous love lives … and it seems like they might be able to help each other out. As long as they both stick to the rules, there’s nothing that can go wrong.

Contract in place? Check.

Hot, fake dates? Check.

Sexual chemistry steamy enough to scorch sheets? Double che—

Wait, what?

That wasn’t in the agreement …

What I thought:

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Theo and Lucie’s chemistry is great throughout the book and their banter made me laugh out loud during places. I enjoyed the interactions with Jared and Amy and loved reading about their wedding alongside Theo and Lucie’s hilarity and drunkenness.

One of my favourite Ron-Coms of the year! I’m already excited for book 3 💕

Pick up your copy today:

Amazon Universal: mybook.to/StandinSaturday

Kobo: https://bit.ly/359noUS

Barnes & Noble: https://bit.ly/336CND3

iTunes: https://apple.co/3lYsHfR

Google Play: https://bit.ly/3bXwTYX

Amazon US: https://amzn.to/3i4iR9T

Amazon UK: https://amzn.to/3h937B7

Amazon CA: https://amzn.to/2Dzr5bf

Amazon AU: https://amzn.to/321E3I4

Book Club: The Secret History

Books, Reviews

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The Blurb: ‘Under the influence of their charismatic classics professor, a group of clever, eccentric misfits at an elite New England college discover a way of thinking and living that is a world away from the humdrum existence of their contemporaries. But when they go beyond the boundaries of normal morality they slip gradually from obsession to corruption and betrayal, and at last – inexorably – into evil. ‘

“Does such a thing as ‘the fatal flaw,’ that showy dark crack running down the middle of a life, exist outside literature? I used to think it didn’t. Now I think it does. And I think that mine is this: a morbid longing for the picturesque at all costs.”
Donna Tartt, The Secret History

Word of warning this book is not for you if you need to a. Relate to the characters and b. If you don’t like arsehole main characters. Despite all that I do have a fondness for most of the characters.

We find out in the prologue that Richard and four members of the group murder one of their fellow students to who they are close too which creates tension while reading the book as you know where its inevitable conclusion lies. The story is told in two parts, the first describes the events leading up to the death and, the second describes the aftermath. This creates a slow build towards the murder and then picks up pace once the deed has been committed.

Donna Tartt’s ability to write characters who are deeply unlikeable in a way that makes you care and sympathise with them is a true talent. I don’t think I have ever read a book that has stuck with mean even after three or four reads before and, I don’t think I will again. There is just something so hypnotic about The Secret History that draws you in and won’t let go.

I think the reason why The Secret History has been a favourite for many since its release is due to its ability to connect to our human insecurities when talking about friendships. Richard has a yearning to be accepted into a group of peers that he admires and, once he is in with the group, he is willing to sacrifice everything to stay there. It also touches on what it feels like to lose a great friendship and how loneliness and disconnect can have you longing for the most toxic people.

The book plays out like a Greek tragedy with the groups horrifying crime and their downward spiral in the aftermath which, forever changes them. This is not the story for the faint of heart with mentions of murder, incest, substance abuse and lots of twenty years olds angst.

How Lockdown Helped Me Get My Mojo Back

Books

During high school and the start of university, I was an avid reader and was barely ever seen without a book in my hand, but once my course started getting more intense and my reading habit suffered. I have since graduated with a degree in journalism from NTU and began working in marketing as well as writing freelance articles on the side, and for a while, I stopped reading altogether.

I was still buying books and making plans to sit down and read but I always ended up distracted by friends, work and even the TV. Then lockdown happened and two of those distractions suddenly went away and I found myself reading again.

I celebrated my birthday in April with a bottle of champagne and the film Doctor Sleep both of which I really enjoyed. The next morning I woke up hungover and with a deep need to finally read Stephen King’s ‘Doctor Sleep’ and compare it to the film. I finished the book within two days and that was it, I was back on a reading kick.

“The shining. It was a good name, a comforting name, because she had always thought of it as a dark thing.”
Stephen King, Doctor Sleep

Since then I rejoined the bookstagram community which has helped inspire my next reads and has helped me feel less alone while lockdown was happening. Now things are slowly going back to normal and I am making sure to carve out some time to read in the evenings instead of being on my phone.

Ali’s Book Corner

Carpe Diem

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