I love to give books as gifts, and there are so many genres and options that it works for so many recipients and is usually a very decent price point. Cookbooks, self-improvement, coffee-table books, inspiration, those are my go-to when gifting, because novels are way more of a gamble in terms of taste. (Although I did include a few recent best sellers here, in case you have someone who enjoys reading the most buzzed about books of the year.)

You can see all these books in one place here.

I’ll add to this list throughout the holiday season if I see something great, but here are some good ideas to get started.

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Let’s start with

Books I’m Actually Giving This Year

These are books I plan to (or already have) purchased for someone else this year:

Burnout

By Emily Nagoski and Amelia Nagoski
I’ve talked about this book so much since it came out this spring. A must read for women.

atomic habits.jpg — Atomic Habits

by James Clear
I read this one at the beginning of the year and have been thinking about it ever since. Perfect for the goal setter (or wannabe goal setter).

Strong Is The New Pretty.jpg — Strong Is The New Pretty

by Kate T. Parker
Don’t tell her, but my daughter will be receiving this one.

Super Simple.jpg — Super Simple

By Tieghan Gerard
I fell in love with this cookbook after I interviewed her for a podcast episode. (Also love her first cookbook.)

Memoir

These are some of the most talked about buzzed-about memoirs of the year, and also books that I really enjoyed. Maybe You Should Talk To Someone by Lori Gottlieb will be among my very top of the year.

Inheritance

by Dani Shapiro
This is a fascinating story about discovering something shocking through one of those online DNA tests. So well written, and so relevant as these stories rock families.

Maybe You Should Talk To Someone.jpg — Maybe You Should Talk To Someone

by Lori Gottlieb
I devoured this memoir that reads like a novel. A good story, but also a really informative look at therapy.

Wild Game.jpg — Wild Game

by Adrienne Brodeur
Everyone is talking about this book lately, and it certainly is a conversation starter.

Cookbooks

In the age of Pinterest and recipes available for free all over the internet, cookbooks can feel like a splurge. But they’re often beautiful and always useful, I think they make for great gifts.

The New Frontier.jpg — The New Frontier

by Ree Drummond
I buy all of The Pioneer Woman cookbooks right when they come out.

Salt Fat Acid Heat.jpg — Salt Fat Acid Heat

by Samin Nosrat
I know I’m a little late to this one after her popular Netflix show, but this cookbook is a MUST HAVE.

For the teenagers

I read both of these novels this year, and I think they would offer some broad perspective while also being an enjoyable story. I didn’t read enough books like this when I was young, and I wish I would have.

On the Come Up.jpg — On the Come Up

by Angie Thomas
From the author of The Hate U Give, this is the story of an aspiring rapper in high school.

All American Muslim Girl.jpg — All-American Muslim Girl

by Nadine Jolie Courtney
This is about a teenager living in the south who carries a secret beneath her blonde hair and light eyes: her family is Muslim.

Current Events

Now, of course you need to know your audience a little bit, and understand who would appreciate the books in this category. I listened to both of these on audio, but will also probably purchase the hard copy because I think they were both excellent and important. The Ronan Farrow book Catch and Kill is a more specific look at the case that blew open the #MeToo movement, while She Said takes a bigger picture view and turns more political with a section at the end about the Brett Kavanaugh appointment.

Catch and Kill.jpg — Catch and Kill

by Ronan Farrow
I was so surprised by this book. It was as compelling as any true crime I’ve ever read, and better written.

She Said.jpg — She Said

by Jodi Kantor and Megan Twohey
This was riveting, with the depths of the Harvey Weinstein scandal beyond anything you thought you knew.

Novels

Again, novels can be tricky to buy as gifts unless you’re pretty sure on the recipient’s taste. However, these are some of the big best sellers of the year that I think would be well received.