Katie & Rel’s Novel Gift Guide is back! We had so much fun putting our Christmas 2018 guide together, we wanted to do it again. Books are the best kind of Christmas gifts, don’t you agree? The aren’t costly, they provide hours of enjoyment (even more if your recipient re-reads), and you may be opening up a whole new experience for your reader, introducing them to a new author with a great backlist, or enabling them to try a new genre they might not otherwise have read. Katie – Fiction Aficionado – and I have each shared our recommendations, grouping them in threes (mainly), as giving just one book isn’t always enough. I promise you, that your reader will think you are the best if you give them a bundle of books under the tree! We have also taken a different approach this year, sometimes recommending three books by the one author, or suggesting firsts in three different series, to give your reader some variety.
We hope Christmas 2019’s Novel Gift Guide eases your way in selecting some book gifts for your reading friends and family ~ we all need a little help with Christmas gift ideas! If you have questions about any of these books or want other ideas, don’t hesitate to post your questions in the comments below, or head on over to Katie’s blog and ask for her thoughts too!
Happy Christmas giving and reading to you!
Contemporary Romance
My contemporary romance selections are the first books in a series, so if you buy this trio of books, you are really giving them the gift of these books, plus the gift of anticipation of more to come! Victoria, Courtney, and Lisa write authentic love stories with characters and circumstances that are grounded in every day life. And I totally give my vote to Katie’s choice of Carla’s complete series – I’ve even read her final book in the series (releasing, Feb 2020) and it completes the series so very well.
Rel recommends…
When He Found Me || Just Look Up || Once Upon a Montana Summer
Katie recommends…
The Saturday Night Supper Club || Brunch at Bittersweet Cafe || The Solid Grounds Coffee Company
Cozy Mystery
I’m NOT a cosy (as we spell it) mystery fan, but Jenny B. Jones has convinced me I need to change my tune! I adored her Enchanted Events Mysteries – now looking spiffy with new covers – and recommend them to anyone who loves humour, mystery, and Beau Hudson! If you don’t know who Beau is, that’s even more reason to gift these stories to a friend or yourself! I also loved Heather Day Gilbert’s first Belinda Blake mystery, so clearly, I’m not so opposed to cosy mysteries after all 🙂
Rel recommends…
Katie recommends…
A Caffeine Conundrum || Rules of Murder || Belinda Blake and the Snake in the Grass
General Fiction
Do you have readers who love diving deep into life and pain and hope and redemption? Get ALL these books! Highly recommend the stories and writers in our General Fiction suggestions.
Rel recommends…
The Solace of Water || Send Down the Rain || The Feathered Bone
Katie recommends…
We Hope for Better Things || How the Light Gets In || Missing Isaac
Historical Fiction
Deeply moving stories with meticulous attention to historical detail and nuances in these selections. These stories are exceptional and will appeal to the lover of history in your life. They will experience different eras and continents, along with a compelling story not to be missed. Yep, I’m with Katie with her trio, too.
Rel recommends…
Between Two Shores || Many Sparrows || The Seamstress
Katie recommends…
Becoming Mrs. Lewis || Of Fire and Lions || My Dearest Dietrich
Historical Romance
These stories have all the feels! Mimi Matthews was a new find for me this year – thanks in part to Katie – and each of these books begin a new series. I’ve read the current three books in both Mimi’s and Tamara’s series and enjoyed every page. I’m looking forward to reading Elizabeth’s second Hope & Glory novel when it releases in 2020. As for Katie’s selections, you know Carry Me Away is one of my all time favourite historical romances, and I’m hoping to get to my copies of Sandra’s and Carolyn’s novels soon.
Rel recommends…
The Matrimonial Advertisement || The Spice King || Merciless
Katie recommends…
A Hero for Miss Hatherleigh || Carry Me Home || One Plus One Equals Trouble
Novella
Looking for a short and sweet story to give – a tiny stocking stuffer (maybe of the ebook kind) – then you can’t go past these Christmas delights! My selections will be sure to fill you with a festive spirit. On another note, I love the covers for Sarah’s novellas. You can find them in one collection by clicking on the link below the covers.
Rel recommends…
A Shot at Love || A Holiday by Gaslight || Christmas at Whitefriars
Katie recommends…
Romantic Suspense
My favourite genre was well represented in 2019 with FIVE Susan May Warren heartstoppers released, completing her Montana Marshalls series. This series makes the perfect Christmas gift (ebook or print) for the reader in your life – just be ready to be ignored for a while as they are hard to put down! Katie’s offerings are the first books in their respective series, leaving plenty of opportunity to gift more on birthdays, Valentine’s Day, Mother’s Day….
Rel recommends…
Katie recommends…
Living Lies || Oath of Honor || Wild Montana Skies
Speculative
If you only buy one book for Christmas, make sure it’s Ronie Kendig’s Brand of Light. It’s simply epic and will appeal to ANY reader, not just those who enjoy a space opera/sci fi type of novel. But if you have readers to buy for who love books out of the ordinary to stretch their mind, experience another world, and capttivate heart and mind, grab these stories that cross the gamut of space opera, science fiction, fantasy, speculative, allegorical, and more!
Rel recommends…
Brand of Light || Mark of the Raven || The Pages of her Life
Katie recommends…
The Baggage Handler || Romanov || One Mind’s Eye
Suspense/Thriller
Perfect for readers who love a thrill in their life all while remaining safely ensconced in their comfy reading chair! Both Katie’s and my selections fit the bill. Siri’s and Steven’s are stand alone novels, but the rest are the start of some brilliant series that will keep your thrill loving reader on the edge of their seat.
Rel recommends…
State of Lies || Synapse || The Gryphon Heist
Katie recommends…
Storm Rising || Mind Games || The Line Between
Time Slip
Want to have your cake and eat it too? These time slip novels give you both an historical and contemporary story line that will captivate you from beginning to end. This has been an emerging genre over the past few years and they are sure to please readers who want a bit of both, along with an often haunting and redemptive story line.
Rel recommends…
The Hidden Side || Whose Waves These Are || Echoes Among the Stones
Katie recommends…
Women’s Fiction
Does your reader long for a book with substance and challenge and encouragement? I selected three Catherine West novels because they are THAT GOOD! Each of her stories brings something new and intriguing, always a fresh take. And a word to the wise, I recommend you gift a box of tissues with all of these selections. Your recipient will thank you!
Rel recommends…
As the Light Fades || Where Hope Begins || Yesterday’s Tomorrow
Katie recommends…
Things I Never Told You || The Heart Between Us || The Enlightenment of Bees
Young Adult
Do you have a teen or young adult reader in your life? You will become their favourite book-buying Aunt or Mum or Dad or brother if you gift this wonderful medieval romantic series from Jody Hedlund! I’m yet to read any of Katie’s choices, but I trust her taste in books implicitly 🙂
Rel recommends…
Always – prequel novella || The Lost Princesses
Katie recommends…
Coral || Orphan’s Song || Heart of a Royal
What books have you bought as gifts this Christmas?
December 15, 2019 at 9:02 am
That’s quite a list, that will need to be shown to Daughter #2! I don’t know how you narrowed your choices down, so well done!
Books I’m giving away – Dotti’s books to a dear friend and “Masterpiece” by Francine Rivers is waiting for me to figure out who needs to read it.
December 16, 2019 at 12:03 pm
Tracy » It was no easy task, that’s for sure! Those book gifts sound great, of course.
December 15, 2019 at 10:06 am
Some great books here!! I’m floored, astounded, gobsmacked, and just so completely honored to have my novellas listed. Thank you!
December 16, 2019 at 12:01 pm
Sarah » Katie made a great choice, I reckon!!
December 15, 2019 at 11:36 am
What a simply marvel’s gift giving guide! So many wonderful books I’ve read and would love to read! Thank you for sharing Katie & Rel!
December 16, 2019 at 12:01 pm
Necee L » Thanks Necee – hope it helps lots of people put great books under the tree!!
December 15, 2019 at 10:46 pm
What a wonderfull list! Honored to see Merciless among so many great reads. Thank you!
December 16, 2019 at 12:00 pm
Tamara Leigh » I realise Merciless made it on last year’s list too – LOL! Clearly, we really love it!
December 16, 2019 at 12:06 pm
Aww, thank you, Rel!
December 16, 2019 at 9:54 am
I’m so honored to be included on this list (and taking screen shots so I can add them to *my* TBR list)!
December 16, 2019 at 12:00 pm
Siri Mitchel » Delighted to add your fabulous book to our list, Siri 🙂
December 16, 2019 at 3:31 pm
Thank you so much for including my books–and in such great company, too!
December 16, 2019 at 4:30 pm
Mimi Matthews » What a delight to have you drop by, Mimi – thank you!
December 22, 2019 at 1:05 pm
What a terrific list of books! I’ve pinned several that I want to read.
Saw a bunch that I loved (The Feathered Bone, Mind Games, and more).
I love to give books to my friends and family!