‘Stuff Your Stocking’ is a joint, three-week Christmas-themed project between Jen at Pop! Goes The Reader and Ginger at GReads! in which we celebrate the two things we love most: Christmas and Reading! Need some help finding the perfect Christmas gift for the person who has everything? No problem! We’ve got you covered.
When Ginger first approached me back in November and suggested we team up in order to create a series of Christmas-themed posts for the month of December, I couldn’t have been more thrilled! Combining two things I absolutely adore? What’s not to love about that? While the concept continued to evolve as the weeks progressed, there was one thing Ginger and I were certain about: We wanted to offer help to those who were still struggling to find the perfect gift for that special someone on their list. Over the course of the next four weeks, we’ll be doing just that!
Is it any wonder that book sales spike during the holiday season? I can think of few things that make greater gifts, and I know there’s little that brings me more joy on Christmas morning than the sight of a fresh, unopened novel. Books provide an experience, an escape, and open up a world of limitless possibility. Don’t have the money to take a vacation or travel to an exotic locale this year? No problem! Take a road trip with Honor and Rusty in Jessi Kirby’s In Honor. Backpack across Central America with Bria in Kirsten Hubbard’s Wanderlove. Travel to the far reaches of outer space with Lilac and Tarver in Amie Kaufman and Meagan Spooner’s These Broken Stars. The world, or should I say the universe, is your oyster.
Depending on your perspective, however, therein lies the problem. The sheer scope of the literary market can be more than a little daunting to the uninitiated, and can prove challenging when it comes time to buy a Christmas present for the voracious reader on your list. Amongst my family and friends I’m known as a bit of a reader (In the same way that this comment will subsequently be known as the understatement of the century) So, when the topic of which books to give as gifts for Christmas comes up, I’m inevitably bombarded with questions. “What should I give for a girl who loves historical fiction?” “Do you know any good contemporary novels?”
And I love this! I really do. But because I’m not at my best when put on the spot or forced to come up with a suggestion at a moment’s notice, I’ve decided to compile a selection of some of my all time favourite novels across a variety of different genres. So, here they are. The crème de la crème. The books I’ve read over and over again. The stories that have stuck with me long after I’ve turned the last page. The ones I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend to my own loved ones this holiday season.
So, without further ado, I present to you…
Don’t forget to enter the giveaway at the conclusion of this post for your chance to win your choice of any two novels on this gift guide!
1) Golden by Jessi Kirby
2) Amy & Roger’s Epic Detour by Morgan Matson
3) Audrey, Wait! by Robin Benway
4) This Song Will Save Your Life by Leila Sales
5) In Honor by Jessi Kirby
6) Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell
7) Wintergirls by Laurie Halse Anderson
8) Something Like Normal by Trish Doller
1) Sisters Red by Jackson Pearce
2) Die For Me by Amy Plum
3) Posion Princess by Kresley Cole
4) Starcrossed by Josephine Angelini
5) The Art of Wishing by Lindsay Ribar
6) Unearthly by Cynthia Hand
1) Mothership by Martin Leicht & Isla Neal
2) Across The Universe by Beth Revis
3) Cinder by Marissa Meyer
4) Hourglass by Myra McEntire
1) Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi
2) The Forsaken by Lisa M. Stasse
3) Under The Never Sky by Veronica Rossi
4) Divergent by Veronica Roth
5) The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
6) Legend by Marie Lu
7) Article 5 by Kristen Simmons
1) Bright Young Things by Anna Godbersen
2) The Girl Is Murder by Kathryn Miller Haines
3) Born Wicked by Jessica Spotswood
4) A Great And Terrible Beauty by Libba Bray
5) Between Shades of Gray by Ruta Sepetys
6) The Dark Unwinding by Sharon Cameron
1) The Rosie Project by Graeme Simsion
2) Sharp Objects by Gillian Flynn
3) Attachments by Rainbow Rowell
Now here comes the best part! In the spirit of the season, Ginger and I have decided to hold a giveaway! At the end of the Stuff Your Stocking event, Ginger and I will each be choosing one winner. The lucky winner of Pop! Goes The Reader’s giveaway will be given their choice of any two books on my Ultimate Gift Guide 2013. This giveaway is open internationally, the only caveat being that The Book Depository must ship to your country in order for you to qualify. So what are you waiting for? Go enter!
Be sure to come back and visit Pop! Goes The Reader next Thursday when I’ll be using Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice as the inspiration for a selection of bookish themed gifts for the Austen fan on your Christmas list. See you next week!
24 Responses
This is the coolest! And you are totally saving my bacon right now, because my baby (read as: thirteen year old) sister is finally taking a liking to reading, and I’ve been massively stressed for finding books that would fit her picky habits… These lists are totally going to help me pick the perfect gifts!
Savannah recently posted…College Fashion Post Link Up: Hans Christian Andersen
This is awesome! And you have excellent taste, I must say (and quite diverse too which I’m loving!) Sadly, none of my friends or family are big readers (or if they are it’s not this) so the recommendations are wasted on me, but I second all your choices!
Elizabeth recently posted…Emerald Green (Ruby Red Trilogy #3) – Kerstin Gier
What a great idea =)
I just wish I could convince my Dad that books are very good gifts…but he never gets me any 🙁
Well, I have to gift myself then 😀
I remember the Christmas that I received Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets from my parents (and I was confused thinking “but what about the first book??”). Then we went to my grandparents’ house for our Christmas with them, and they gifted me with a copy of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone. 🙂 Awesome bookish Christmas!
Randi M recently posted…Twice Baked Thursday: The Ocean at the End of the Lane, by Neil Gaiman
I love this post! I especially like your picks for YA contemporary books. This Song Will Save Your Life and Fangirl are two of my favorite books of the year, and I’ve always thought Audrey, Wait! was a really underrated book, sadly. It’s not one of my all-time favorites, but it’s so enjoyable and I feel so few people know about it!
As for memorable gifts. . hmm. This one takes some thought. I guess the most memorable gift I received was my college class ring. My parents bought it for a Christmas present(though I knew about it early, for sizing and such), and it just really meant a lot to me, because the school I went to meant a lot to me. Up until college, I hadn’t been an entirely happy person, and college was such a fresh start that I loved having a tangible reminder of that time.
Stormy @ Book.Blog.Bake. recently posted…Thoughts on Spoilers{And Why I Don’t Mind Them}
Oh how awesome is your post?! Love the way it turned out! Also.. your picks for contemporary.. PERFECT! Any reader would be lucky to have one of those books.
I apologize for being an internet fail & not having my post up. I was so sad there were no comments when I got up this morning & then realized why.. HAHA. Thank you again for teaming up with me! Can’t wait to see what’s next!
Ginger @ GReads! recently posted…Blog Tour: Shelf Life by Stephanie Lawton
Fun post with lots of great book ideas! The gift I’m giving Mr. Betty this year is quite memorable already. We compost, but he has been wanting to kick it up a notch with a vermicompost for a while now— so I decided to surprise him with a worm factory compost! Anyway, the worms arrived before the worm factory and I had to care for 2000 worms– feed them coffee grounds and oatmeal until it got here. LOL I won’t be forgetting this any time soon.
Betty recently posted…Book Bangin’: My Top Ten Contemporary Book Boyfriends (Plus a GIVEAWAY!)
My most memorable Christmas is the year I got a full on set of Barbie bedding and a bike and ALL BARBIE. Man, it was a good year.
Frasier recently posted…How Zoe Made Her Dreams (Mostly) Come True by Sarah Strohmeyer
What a great post! I love the books that you picked, especially A Great and Terrible Beauty. There are so many great quotes from that book and even though I read it years ago, I still find myself going back to it and reading it again.
Also, it’s interesting to note the similarities in color schemes in the covers of the books when divided into genres. Definitely looking forward to the Jane Austen post next Thursday!
alice-jane recently posted…It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like…
Oh my gosh, I just discovered your blog and I am loving it :))) So creative and cute. This is an awesome gift guide and list. I think the most memorable gift I remember receiving was a foosball table from my parents when I was little. My dad surprised me with it. Kinda goofy, but I’ll never forget it 🙂
I love this! So many great book gift ideas! I might even have to treat myself to one or two of them! 🙂
Sam @ The Nighttime Novelist recently posted…Thoughtful Thursday: Retellings + Reading Challenge
These are so great! I think I may have to take a shopping trip this Christmas and get myself some of these books! I definitely agree that Amy & Roger is a great contemporary pick, and Cinder would be a science fiction book to read! I still have yet to read The Rosie Project and I know so many loved it so I’m definitely going to go and pick up a copy! Great guide – made me so excited for the holidays! 🙂
Annie recently posted…Anna Dressed In Blood by Kendare Blake
Great post idea! I’m actually planning on picking up The Rosie Project for my mom for Christmas, since she mentioned it a month or so ago. Unfortunately, I don’t think this list will help me much in picking up a book for my dad 😉 (he’ll probably get the Bobby Orr bio Chapters-Indigo has been advertising).
So looking forward to your Jane Austen post!
As for memorable gifts, I’ve been lucky enough to receive many lovely gifts over the years, but I still remember the ring and necklace my (now) husband gave to me our first Christmas together… more than ten years ago now!
Such a lovely post! 😀 I think I might do a bookish holiday gift guide on my blog too.
Memorable gifts: To be honest, I don’t really remember many. Although this one time, years ago, I got one of those doll heads to put make-up on and do their hair. It was freaking amazing. Had me quiet for weeks. 😛
Lauren @ Lauren Reads YA recently posted…Stacking The Shelves (24)
What a fantastic bookish list–so many great choices!
Hmmm…the most memorable gift I ever gave anyone during the holidays was the TARDIS tea mug I gave my best friend! I could tell she loved it because it was custom made and we both really love Doctor Who. It’s still on display in her room to this day!
This is such an awesome idea, Jen!! You guys chose some excellent books for each category! I’m gonna have to use this guide to add to my TBR list… uh oh, lol.
The most memorable gift I remember giving… Probably the digital picture frame my mom and I gave my dad one year. We scanned tons of old photos that had been gathering dust in the closet, and put them all on the picture frame for him. He loved it. ^_^
Nikki recently posted…ARC Review: THESE BROKEN STARS by Amie Kaufman and Meagan Spooner
I remember one Christmas when I was younger that I received almost everything I had asked for. We were dirt poor so it was a shock because I wasn’t even expecting anything from my WL.
Jessica @ That Girl Reads recently posted…25 Days of Bloggy Christmas: Day 6 — Literary Lacquers
Whoa great post you have here! 🙂
Probably the most memorable gift i have received is a cd and poster from my favorite band 😀
I’ve always received what I wanted for Christmas.. at least from Santa..but objects or presents have never been my true desire, what I’ve always wanted was a united and not broken family…
stil waiting..
I wish all the best anyway to everyone,enjoy your days and your friends 🙂
The most memorable gift I’ve ever received is a red velvet cake! Not that memorable, but it is for me because it was a first!
Celine M. recently posted…(Fix You Blog Tour) Review + Giveaway
The most memorable gift I received was concert tickets! It was memorable because it was the tickets to the first ever concert I went to 🙂
I find as I get older it’s not about the gifts but about being with family. I tend to have all I need and want.
Angie recently posted…2013 End of Year Book Survey
This is awesome! Good luck to all!
I like to do themed gifts. My gramma loves historical fiction and reading about the monarchy. (We are direct descendants of skittish royalty so she’s been very inserted Jung that as well) I decided to make her a royalty basket. I got her the latest Philippa Gregory novels and a book on Mary Queen of Scotts. Nice people slippers and a people robe. Dreading wax and a stamp with her initials. A queen Elizabeth plush doll. Marie Antoinette had pops. And playing cards that featured real royalty. It was great fun.