Gifts for readers who want something warm, witty, or wonderfully escapist.
If you’re hunting for gifts that aren’t the usual scented candle or desk calendar, consider giving a story instead. These twelve books aren’t strictly Christmas novels, but they carry the vibe of slow mornings, comfy blankets, and main characters you want to follow around all day. Think of this as a “12 days of gifting” lineup but for book lovers who want romance, chaos, comfort, or a little intellectual spark.
Below, a mix of “BookTok” favorites, romances, modern classics, and underrated gems, plus, we tried our best to match who each book is perfect for.
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Babel by R. F. Kuang
Dark academia at its best. A hit across BookTok, Babel follows Robin Swift, a Chinese boy raised in 19th-century London who enters Oxford’s Institute of Translation, a place where language is literal magic and colonial power. It’s sharp, immersive, and emotionally heavy.
Perfect for: your friend who loves morally gray choices, academia aesthetics, and books that leave them staring at the wall afterwards.
The Pumpkin Spice Café by Laurie Gilmore
A small-town romance as warm as a latte. Set in the charming town of Dream Harbor, this story follows two opposites. Jeanie, newly divorced and needing a fresh start, and Logan, the broody local who wants nothing to do with strangers, and as they rebuild a cozy café and find unexpected love.
Perfect for: the friend who loves Gilmore Girls, predictable in the best way, and as comforting as their favorite drink.
Dash & Lily’s Book of Dares by Rachel Cohn & David Levithan
A holiday scavenger hunt across NYC. Lily leaves a red notebook full of dares in a bookstore. Dash finds it. What follows is a citywide adventure of notes, challenges, and teen awkwardness wrapped in charm.
Perfect for: fans of light YA, romance set against New York, or anyone who misses the feeling of being young and impulsive.
One Day in December by Josie Silver
Love, fate, and very messy timing. Laurie locks eyes with a stranger at a bus stop and feels an instant connection. Months later, she meets him again as her best friend’s new boyfriend. The story spans ten years of longing, heartbreak, friendship, and choosing yourself.
Perfect for: hopeless romantics, fans of slow-burn love, and readers who enjoy crying at 2 a.m.
We’ll Prescribe You a Cat by Syou Ishida
In a hidden clinic in Kyoto, people who feel lost or overwhelmed are given an unusual treatment: they’re “prescribed” a cat. Each person is paired with a cat that helps them face their worries or simply feel less alone. Their stories show how animals can change our lives in quiet but powerful ways.
Perfect for: cat lovers, anyone who needs a healing read, and friends going through a tough time.
A Magical Girl Retires by Park Seolyeon
This Korean novel takes the familiar “magical girl” trope and turns it into a commentary on burnout, adulthood, and the cost of being everyone’s hero. Dark humor and fantasy blend into a story that feels modern and painfully relatable.
Perfect for: fans of K-culture, or friends who are exhausted but still fighting.
Book Lovers by Emily Henry
A rom-com for Type A personalities. Nora, a sharp literary agent, ends up in the same small town as Charlie, the editor she cannot stand. It’s witty and full of banter that surprisingly makes you ‘kilig’.
Perfect for: overachievers, that “gifted” classmate, and anyone who wants a fun, fast-paced romance.
84, Charing Cross Road by Helene Hanff
This beloved nonfiction title collects 20 years of letters between New York writer Helene Hanff and the staff of a London bookshop. It’s funny, warm, and filled with literary affection.
Perfect for: your intellectual friend, stationery lover, or anyone obsessed with long-distance friendships.
The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows
A postwar story told through letters. Set after World War II, the novel follows Juliet Ashton, a writer who begins exchanging letters with residents of Guernsey and slowly uncovers their wartime stories. It’s hopeful, moving, and filled with humor.
Perfect for: fans of Little Women and historical fiction, or war stories.
The Cat Who Saved Books by Sosuke Natsukawa
A magical tale for every book lover. After his grandfather dies, Rintaro Natsuki inherits a secondhand bookstore and meets a talking cat named Tiger who needs his help rescuing books from people who mistreat them. It’s whimsical but also philosophical.
Perfect for: introverts, bookworms, and anyone who believes stories are alive.
Wolf Hall by Hilary Mantel
Tudor drama. Mantel’s Booker-winning novel reimagines the rise of Thomas Cromwell in the court of Henry VIII. Political and sharp, this is for the reader who wants something they can sink into for weeks.
Perfect for: history buffs, serious readers, and fans of really good TV (e.g. The Crown)
The Rainfall Market by You Yeong-gwang
Serin, lost and lonely, receives an unexpected ticket to the Rainfall Market, a mystical place that appears once a year and promises the chance to rewrite your future. With a magical cat named Issha as her guide, she wanders through bookstores, perfumeries, and enchanted realms, searching for the version of life she truly wants. But she only has one week to decide before the market swallows her whole.
Perfect for: fans of Studio Ghibli, and readers who love stories about self-discovery with a touch of magic.
These twelve picks may not all be Christmas stories, but they each offer comfort, warmth, escape, introspection, or that little spark of joy you get from finding the right book at the right moment. Wrap one, add a short note, and let the story carry the sentiment.
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