By Holly Fertsch
Whether you’re looking for a romance novel, an epic fantasy series or a graphic novel, here are some book recommendations to give as gifts this holiday season. All books on this list have been read by me or recommended by friends or family who have read them.
Fantasy:
- Six of Crows, by Leigh Bardugo
Want a high-stakes fantasy heist with some great characters and humor? Look no further. This novel is YA, with a 17-year-old protagonist who, somehow, became a crime boss at an early age.
Along the way, the chemistry between characters starts to become something more. Can a supposedly heartless gang member learn to let down his guard?
I’m going to rate this book ages 16 and up. It features no explicit sexual content, but there are scenes with nudity. It also has some violent scenes.
- Mistborn: The Final Empire, by Brandon Sanderson
I love so many Sanderson books, but this novel is a good starting point for his works. With incredible worldbuilding, fascinating magic systems, memorable characters and brilliant plot twists, Sanderson gave me everything I wanted from fantasy books.
You might be noticing a theme here; I love a magical heist. In “Mistborn,” a crazy crew leader named Kelsier is determined to pull off the most daring heist imaginable: killing the Emperor of the Final Empire, who is regarded as a god. He recruits a girl, Vin, who was raised on the streets and is too guarded to trust her new crew. Eventually Kelsier begins to regard Vin as the daughter he’s never had, but can they really kill a god?
I’m going to rate this series as ages 14 and up. There are no sex scenes or cursing.
- The Way of Kings, by Brandon Sanderson
So, your fantasy-lover has already read “Mistborn.” No worries! This means they’ve graduated to Sanderson’s most epic series.
A soldier, Kaladin, is lucky. He protects his men and never comes close to death himself. He can survive anything.
Fast forward: Kaladin’s luck has run out. All his men in his former squad are dead, and Kaladin has been branded a slave. Can Kaladin become the soldier he once was to keep his remaining men alive?
I’m going to rate this series as ages 14 and up. There are no sex scenes or cursing. There are mentions of prostitution and domestic violence. It is a long book, which could prove challenging for young readers.
Sci-fi:F
- Flowers for Algernon, by Daniel Keyes
Warning: This book is sad, and some scenes could be interpreted as misogynistic.
Scientists have successfully increased the intelligence of a mouse named Algernon. Encouraged by Algernon’s progress, they perform a procedure to increase an intellectually disabled man’s intelligence. Algernon suddenly begins to regress. Will the same happen to the protagonist?
- The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, by Douglas Adams
In this book, anything could happen. Seriously. Chaos reigns as Arthur Dent and his guide hitch-hike across the universe.
- Dune, by Frank Herbert
With the second movie coming out next year, what better way to prepare than to read the book? This sci-fi classic features witches, chosen ones, prophecies, political intrigue and galactic war.
Middle grade:
- Drama, by Raina Telgemeier
Graphic novels are a great way to motivate reluctant readers to pick up more books. This is a lighthearted story about a girl and her friend participating in a school play.
- A Monster Calls, by Patrick Ness
Warning: this book is sad. It’s about a boy whose mother is dying of cancer. As the boy is struggling to express how he feels about the situation, the yew tree in his yard comes to life. Each night, it comes to the boy to tell him a story. Eventually, the boy learns to tell his own story and come to terms with its ending.
Coming-of-age stories:
- The Kite Runner, by Khaled Hosseini
A rich young boy, Amir, grows up in Afghanistan and becomes best friends with a poor Hazara boy, Hassan. Then Amir witnesses something terrible happen to Hassan. Will he speak up? When he leaves Afghanistan for America, can he escape the ghosts of his past? Is it ever too late for redemption?
Warning: this book contains scenes of sexual assault, physical assault, self-harm, terrorism and racism. I’m going to rate it ages 16 and up, but this is not a YA book. It contains some heavy topics.
- The Extraordinary Life of Sam Hell by Robert Dugoni
Sam Hill was born with ocular albinism, causing his eyes to be red. His classmates mock him as a “devil child” and ostracize him. His Catholic mother tells Sam that it was God’s will that he was born like that. As Sam grows up, he wrestles with questions of faith and self-acceptance.
Romance:
- It Ends With Us by Colleen Hoover
Warning: this book contains scenes of domestic violence.
A young woman, Lily, struggles to break away from the abusive patterns she saw in her home when she was growing up. Are her romantic relationships doomed to be just as violent as her parents, or can she finally find love that doesn’t hurt?
Thriller:
- The Maid, by Nita Prose
Molly Gray is a socially awkward maid at a fancy hotel, where she is considered odd by her coworkers. When a guest is murdered, she becomes the prime suspect.
- Verity, by Colleen Hoover
Warning: this book contains scenes of murder, infant abuse and obsessive love.
A writer gets the job of a lifetime: a chance to finish a bestselling book series after the original writer is unable to do so. However, as she looks at the previous writer’s notes, she finds dark secrets that gnaw at her sanity.
- The Plot by Jean Hanff Korelitz
A one-hit-wonder novelist plagiarizes an idea from a student, which goes on to become a bestseller. However, the author then receives an anonymous email accusing him of being a thief. Soon, the author realizes the book’s plot was based on real-life events, including an unsolved murder. Will the murderer come after the author next?
Horror:
- Bunny, by Mona Awad
I thought this book would be a suspense novel about a sorority that increasingly becomes a cult. Nope! Instead, it was about deranged grad students creating monsters. Warning: this book is seriously disturbing.
I’m going to rate this book ages 18 and up. Read at your own risk.
Do you have a book recommendation that you didn’t see here? Email it to hfertsch@gmail.com.
Holly Fertsch graduated college in 2020 with an English degree and a certification to teach English as a second language. Since then, she has worked as a teacher, tutor, and editor. After helping out with Shore Local, her family business, part-time for years, she decided to make the shift to writing and editing full-time.
