The Books I Am Giving As Gifts

While I made several book gift lists this year, I thought I would share the books that I am giving personally to my family.  the books that took my breath away, the books that I know will make a difference to them and provide them with an incredible reading opportunity.

Laura Amy Schlitz’s The Hired Girl will be handed to the woman who loves historical accounts and likes to learn more about the past.

For the brother-in-law that loves to think deeply about the world, Neal Shusterman’s incredible Challenger Deep will hit all of the right notes.  Bonus is that he saw me reading it and asked a lot of questions.

For the mother that taught me to stand up for all that I believe in and not to give up even when the world seems against you, another Neal Shusterman book; Unwind, the incredible first book of his series.

For the brother that loves a great page turner, especially one that involves the covering up of warfare, crazy diseases and just got engaged so a little bit of love is ok, Illuminae was an easy choice.

For the brother who introduced me to the wonders of Neil Gaiman and loves his comic book art as much as I do, Holly Black’s dark and amazing Coldest Girl in Coldtown made all the sense in the world.

For the brother that told me to read Harry Potter when he was only 8, I know get to tell him to read Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo knowing that he will fall into the fantasy world as much as I did.  And then he can wait on the sequel along with me).

For the sister-in-law studying human psychology as she prepares to be a hospice nurse, Joelle Charbonneau’s masterful page turner Need was an easy decision.

I could have given All American Boys by Brendan Kiely and Jason Reynolds to every single person on my list but thought I would diversify.  Instead my brother’s girlfriend will be the lucky receipient of the must read book of the year.

To my future sister-in-law who has brought nothing but love to our family, I wanted to give her a great book that would leave her guessing until the shocking conclusion.  E. Lockhart’s We Were Liars was the perfect fit.

To the brother of my brother-in-law who loves a great mystery and also happens to be British, Jackaby by William Ritter is the perfect choice.  This book happens to be great for any Sherlock Holmes or Dr. who fans out there, no matter their age.

To my sister who works as a domestic abuse advocate, the heart-wrenching story of Joseph in Gary D. Schmidt’s Orbiting Jupiter is sure to make her read all night.  This is another book I could give to everyone on my list.

To my dad, who is still an old hippie at heart, who lived through the Vietnam Era, Steve Sheinkin’s latest page-turner Most Dangerous is a guaranteed fit.

To my other future sister-in-law whose degree is in social work, who cares so much about others, All the Bright Places by Jennifer Niven will probably make her cry but then make her think.

And finally to my step-brother who served 2 tours, who does not mind escaping into a great book as he finishes his nursing degree, the incredible Every Day by David Levithan.

All of these books are books I have loved and I hope my family feels that.  I hope they know that selecting just the right book is not a chore, but instead a privilege.  Which books will you be giving as gifts?

PS:  Here are my lists of books as gifts

Some Picture Books to Give As Gifts

Some Great Middle Grade Books to Give As Gifts

Some Great YA Books to Give As Gifts

If you are looking for a great book club to join to re-energize you in January, consider the Passionate Learners book club on Facebook.  We kick off January 10th.