Terri Schlichenmeyer’s Holiday Book Gift Guide (Fiction and Non-Fiction)

By Terri Schlichenmeyer
The Bookworm Sez

One thin line.

There you are, you’ve just crossed off your last person, thereby finishing your Holiday Gift List for the year. But oops, you forgot that one hard-to-buy-for aunt, and you haven’t gotten anything for your babysitter. And, and, and… you’re out of ideas. So how about something to read? See if these great books don’t give you some guidance…

FICTION

The novel lover who’s always doing good things for other people may enjoy unwrapping “Just Do This One Thing for Me” by Laura Zimmermann (Dutton). It’s the story of a daughter who always does what her free-spirited mother asks of her – even if it gets her in trouble. Wrap it up with “Time’s Undoing” by Cheryl A. Head (Dutton), a novel about a woman who’s determined to learn how her great-grandfather died, and how what it means to her safety. Bonus: this book was based on the author’s own family history.

The reader who loves twisty tales of sister love and rivalry will want to unwrap “How to Care for a Human Girl” by Ashley Wurzbacher (Atria), the story of two sisters, two pregnancies, and a whole pile of resentments. Pair it up with “Before You Found Me” by Brooke Beyfuss (Sourcebooks). It’s a tale of choosing your family and sticking together.

Is there a horse lover on your gift list? Aha, then look for “Girls and Their Horses” by Eliza Jane Brazier (Berkley), a novel set in the world of competitive show-jumping, where one mother’s wish to give her daughters an opportunity she always wanted could lead to death. Wrap it up with another mean-girl novel, “Under the Influence” by Noelle Crooks (Gallery Books), a novel about a woman who gets a job with an influencer. Does she live to tell? Wait a few days, then ask your giftee…

Here’s a nicely complex novel your giftee will love: “The Heaven & Earth Grocery Store” by James McBride (Riverhead Books). When a new housing development is being constructed in Pottstown, Pennsylvania, builders found a human skeleton. The people in the neighborhood know who the bones belonged to, but they’re not talking. This book about racism, community, and survival will make a great gift.

Mystery lovers will rejoice when they unwrap “Mrs. Plansky’s Revenge” by Spencer Quinn (Forge), the story of a seventy-something widow who’s scammed out of all her money. Law enforcement says the crime is impossible to solve, but your giftee will know better… Wrap it up with “The McMasters Guide to Homicide 1: Murder Your Employer” by Rupert Holmes (Simon & Schuster), a book about an unusual school where murder is the main focus.

If you’ve got someone on your list who loves books of magic and spells, then look for “Black Candle Women” by Diane Marie Brown (Graydon House). It’s a tale of three generations of Montrose women who live in the same house, stick to home, and keep their own company. Everything’s fine until one of them brings home a boy whose presence opens up an old family secret that will change everything. Wrap it up with “Wade in the Water” by Nyani Knrumah (Amistad), a novel of a white woman who befriends an eleven-year-old Black girl, and the relationship between the two in a racially-divided southern city.

Does your giftee have keen memories of high school? Then “Speech Team” by Tim Murphy (Viking) may be the thing to wrap. It’s the story of a suicide, a teacher who may have been the root of it years ago, and the middle-age search to close old wounds.

Of course, the vampire fan on your gift list is going to want “Vampire Weekend” by Mike Chen (Mira), the story of Louise Chao, who finds out that the life of a vampire is actually pretty boring – although she does have punk rock shows to look forward to. And then a teenage relative arrives at her doorstep and everything changes… Give it with “Rook” by William Ritter (Algonquin Young Readers), a book about a girl who could see other realms and creatures, and she knows her gift can be used for good. But there’s chaos on both sides of the curtain, and her parents want her home. Can she save both worlds, and her own life?

For the future homeowner on your gift list, wrap up “Perfectly Nice Neighbors” by Kia Abdullah (Putnam), a thriller filled with revenge and regret. When your dream home is perfect but the folks next door aren’t, what do you do? Wrap it up with “Our Hideous Progeny” by C.E. McGill (Harper), a book about old family homes and ancient family secrets.

You’ve got a reader on your list that would love a seafaring tale of pirates and ships, don’t you? That’s why you want to wrap up “A True Account: Hannah Masury’s Sojourn Amongst the Pyrates, Written by Herself” by Katherine Howe, a novel about a professor who finds and reads the journals supposedly written by a woman who snuck onto a pirate ship to find treasure hundreds of years ago. But the journal is missing some crucial information. Was that on purpose?

If your giftee loves to immerse themselves in series-mystery books, “To Catch a Storm” by Mindy Dejia (Atlantic Monthly) will be the gift they’ll love. It’s a new series featuring a physicist and a psychic; this first book is set in Iowa during inclement weather. You can’t go wrong, eh? Wrap it up with “The Killer Speech” by Kevin Kluesner (Level Best), a thriller set in Wisconsin, featuring a politician and an FBI agent.

GENERAL NON-FICTION

Your giftee follows politics, rabidly. So why not give them “The Handy Supreme Court Answer Book, second edition” by David L. Hudson, Jr, J.D. (Visible Ink Press). This easy-to-understand book is filled with Q&A information on how the SCOTUS works, why it’s important, and some insight to the nine people who sit on what may be the most controversial court ever. Pair it with “Grifters, Frauds, and Crooks” by Richard Estep (Visible Ink Press), for a great look at law, order, and the lack thereof.

The horror-movie-lover on your gift list will absolutely want “The Exorcist Legacy: 50 Years of Fear” by Nat Segaloff (Citadel Press). It’s the story of the movie, its making and the outrage and controversy it led to… but it’s also about the crowds, creators, and fans who made it a classic. Wrap it up with “Say Hello to My Little Friend: A Century of Scarface,” also by Nat Segaloff, also from Citadel Press.

The connoisseur of fine liquor will want to unwrap “Last Call at Coogan’s: The Life and Death of a Neighborhood Bar” by Jon Michaud (St. Martin’s Press). It’s a biography of a drinking spot, but also of the people who loved it and could be found inside it. Wrap up “A Good Mom’s Guide to Making Bad Choices” by Jamilah Mapp and Erica Dickerson (Harper One) with it. It’s sharp, hilarious, and a good reminder that you can make mistakes and the kids will probably be just fine.

For the giftee who likes to think big, “Age of the City: Why Our Future Will be Won or Lost Together” by Ian Goldin and Tom Lee-Devlin (Bloomsbury) may be the perfect gift. It takes a deep dive into how cities have shaped the world in the past, and how they may be the answer to a lot of the problems that citizens in the future will face. Wrap it up with “Bold Ventures: Thirteen Tales of Architectural Tragedy” by Charlotte Van den Broeck (Other Press), a book about builders and buildings they didn’t live to regret.

If you’ve got a pop culture fan on your list, or a Millennial, wrap up “Wannabe: Reckonings with the Pop Culture That Shapes Me” by Aisha Harris (Harper One). Harris, of NPR’s Pop Culture Happy Hour, takes a look at growing up in the 1990s and all the fun, irritating things that came with it. Pair it with “The Perennials: The Megatrends Creating a Postgenerational Society” by Mauro F. Guillen (St. Martin’s Press). Imagine a world with no more Boomers, GenXers, or Millennials. It’s a world where we’re not categorized, and your giftee may love reading about that.

The person on your gift list who loves love will be thrilled to unwrap “Love Stories” by Trent Dalton (Fourth Estate), a collection of quick, super-short man-on-the-street stories of finding, having, and losing love. Swoon. Pair it with “Your Difference is Your Strength” by Kris Ferraro (St. Martin’s Essentials), a book about knowing, loving, and accepting yourself. Or try “The Joy Strategist” by Grace Harry (Andscape Books) and wrap it up for someone you love who also loves books.

And here’s a book that will make someone smile this holiday: “Family, Friends, and Neighbors: Stories of Murder and Betrayal” by Richard Estep (Visible Ink Press). Your true crime fanatic will love it.

The Bookworm is Terri Schlichenmeyer. Terri has been reading since she was 3 years old and she never goes anywhere without a book. She lives on a hill in Wisconsin with two dogs and 13,000 books.