Here is my gift guide for book lovers and avid readers for this holiday season. I hope it helps you guys with some of our shopping troubles and makes your life a little less stressful.
1. Book Nerd Mugs
I absolutely love book nerd mugs. I see pictures of these adorable drinking apparatuses on Tumblr and Instagram all the time and because mugs are such a small, non-necessity, I would never go out of my way to get one for myself. It doesn’t mean I don’t want one. It doesn’t mean I haven’t imagined myself sitting on my couch or arm chair drinking tea in my “Never Judge A Book By It’s Movie” mug while reading a long daunting classic by Dostoyevsky. It just means that I’m “frugal” and always talk myself out of buying one because I don’t “need” it.
This year, I’ve started a tradition with my boyfriend where I’ve demand he get me a book nerd mug every year for Christmas. It’s a self imposed tradition but I’m looking forward to having witty book puns on my mug while I guzzle tea and try to write my 500 words for the day. I really like the idea of book nerd mugs as a gift because not only are they cute, but they’re functional. I mean, a girl’s got to drink beverages sometime right?
Though I’ve seen a few cute book nerd mugs in retailers like Barnes and Noble, Michaels (they have scrabble tile mugs!!), and container stores, the cutest and most accessible mugs to shop for online come from Etsy. If you don’t know what Etsy is (and seriously, how could you not?), Etsy is an online marketplace where people can sell their homemade products to others. Think Ebay but handmade and not used.For cute book nerd mugs, check out: https://www.etsy.com/search?q=book%20mugs.
These can be great stocking stuffer gifts or if you fill the mug with small things like cosmetics or seasonal candies, can be a great low cost gift for friends.
2. Personal Library KitThis isn’t as useful a gift at the mug - not everyone needs a personal library kit but if your friend or significant other is always lending books out to friends (like I do), then this might be a really fun gift for them. It really tickled me when I first saw it in a Barnes and Nobles years ago.
I don’t own one of these personally and I haven’t lent out books to my friends in months. When I was younger though (and loved sharing - and shoving - new favorites at friends), I would have really benefited from owning this adorable kit. I was always getting anxious when I couldn’t find a specific title in my shelves (still get that way, in fact) and would have liked to know when something was unaccounted for because of being lent out as opposed to my just mis-shelving it.
These kits comes with 20 self-adhesive pockets and checkout cards to put in them, a date stamp and ink pad, and filing cards for you to keep with you so you have a record of what is loaned out while your book is off making new friends.
This gift may not be the most useful for everyone but is a gift someone will think is cool regardless. To purchase your own personal library kit, check out http://www.modcloth.com/shop/office-desktop/check-me-out-library-kit.
3. Book Lover’s Journal
Another affordable gift that a book lover would appreciate is a Book Lover’s Journal - think goodreads but in a notebook. While a lot of people like using websites like goodreads to rate or log books that they’ve read, others (like me) might like a notebook like this to reflect on books they’ve finished.
Another affordable gift that a book lover would appreciate is a Book Lover’s Journal - think goodreads but in a notebook. While a lot of people like using websites like goodreads to rate or log books that they’ve read, others (like me) might like a notebook like this to reflect on books they’ve finished.
These notebooks usually have a list of general information for you to include in cataloging the book (title, author, number of pages, genre). Some only have a notes section for you to free write your thoughts on the book like this:
While others give prompts for you to write about each book that you read like this:
Some also include quotes sections, which I think are a serious bonus.
These notebook or reader's journals can be a lot of fun to fill out of you're someone who keeps track of the books that you read like I do or if you take reading challenges throughout the year like I do - I've already surpassed my 50 books for the year!
You can find different variations of these on amazon at http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_1?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=reading+journal.
4. Floating or Invisible Shelves
I love books, more than I probably should. And what this means is that I buy way too many books at the expense of my wallet and the nonexistent space on my bookshelves. Ergo, the need for more shelving. I love the way invisible shelves look and if your friend or significant other has the shrinking bookshelf space problem, invisible shelves are the perfect solution. What I like about these small and awesome optical illusion shelves is that unlike large bookshelves, they don't take up floor space. Instead they suspend your books higher up for a really cool effect.
So if your friend has books piles up on the floor against the wall, these book shelves are the perfect way to help them make their space look less cluttered, to get their books more organized, and to add an interesting decorative flair to their room.
You can find these shelves at Barnes and Nobles.
5. Book Retailer Gift Card
A lot of people don't like to give gift cards for Christmas. I'm usually one of these people. Gift cards don't feel personal and honestly, I feel a little lazy trying to give them to people as gifts. The weird thing is, I love receiving gift cards as gifts. I like not having to spend my own money on books, video games, and movies. I like buying apps without having to spend my own money. Instead of telling myself I don't need a new book or new video game or app, I just buy it because why not? I think this is why gift cards are so amazing. We stop being so strict with ourselves when we spend money from a gift card and we are able to enjoy getting small things we would have convinced ourselves we didn't need.
Since this article is specifically about buying gifts for book lovers, obviously I'm hinting at bookstore gift cards. I personally like getting Barnes and Nobles gift cards (since I like to support physical stores I can visit instead of online stores - more on that here). But there are a lot of other popular online book retailers like: Bookoutlet, Powell's, and Strands.
6. Book Subscription Box
If you know someone who is an avid reader, a book subscription box is the perfect gift. A book subscription box is a monthly service that sends a book (and depending on the subscription, book related things). What comes in these boxes depends on which subscription you apply for. The most popular of these subscriptions are:
Book subscription boxes are a great gift because you not only get a book but you get add-ons but it's fun getting something in the mail that isn't a bill or bank statement. It also gives an avid reader more books without the trouble of having to go out and purchase it yourself. It also sends you something you might not have heard of that becomes your favorite new book.
7. A Collection from Juniper Books
Juniper Books has an amazing book collections for sale on their website. These are collectables that look amazing on your shelf and that you'll be proud to display. The most affordable set I've found is $65 and most of these collections are by author (though few are genre specific). These are pricey collections that range between $150 and $400. The website also offers Make Your Own sets which will help more frugal shoppers to create a smaller and more affordable collection without compromising on the quality of these beautiful books.
These would make wonderful gifts for anyone who has thought of collecting books. I also think it would be a wonderful gift to give someone a collection of their favorite author. These collections also include children's literature sets for younger readers (Peter Pan, The Secret Garden, etc).
I've had my eye on these collections for the past two years and have no yet been able to convince myself to make the the purchase. These would be a great gift and would surely make any reader happy.
8. An Ebook Reader
Physical books are amazing. I like the weight of them in my hand and I love the smell of books but there is something to be said about having a good ebook reader. I love being able to switch books whenever I want on my Nook and I love being able to carry a full library with me without breaking my back.
An ebook reader is a life savor if you are an English Major in college as you can have all of your reading materials in one device without it being an issue to your bank account or added weight to your backpack. Ebook readers also have an amazing function that will find quotes for you and save minutes in trying to find quotes for essays.
Ebook readers are also kind of personal. Picking the right kind of ebook reader is somewhat of a challenge. There are many different models within the same brand. I myself have the Nook E-Ink Glowlight from Barnes and Nobles. It doesn't go online, it doesn't have apps, it just lets me read. I got it because I didn't want to be distracted from my reading by all of the possible add-ons. It also simulates a real paper feel while reading so my screen doesn't have glare. Furthermore, because of the glowlight feature, I can read in bed after having turned off the lights. This is terrible for making sure I have enough hour of sleep, but amazing to my reading experience.
I have purchased Samsung Nook tablets for other family members with all the bells and whistles. They love them and use them as book an e-reader and surrogate-laptop (since I also bought them keyboard cases). I think these are wonderful gifts that are incredibly useful. The new Nook Glowlight is on sale right now for $99. It is waterproof and had some enhancements that my glowlight does not. Honestly, I might upgrade to this nook before the holiday season ends.
I hope this gift guide for book lovers has been helpful to you. Please let me know of you have anything else you think should be put on the list or if you own any of these products and your opinions on them.
Hope you have a great holiday!
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| From My Bibliofile: A Reading Journal For Book Lovers - http://www.amazon.com/My-Bibliofile-Reading-Journal-Lovers/dp/0307465373/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1449462618&sr=8-5&keywords=reading+journal |
While others give prompts for you to write about each book that you read like this:
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| From the Book Lover's Journal - http://www.amazon.com/Book-Lovers-Journal-Reading-Organizer/dp/1441304827/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1449462618&sr=8-2&keywords=reading+journal |
These notebook or reader's journals can be a lot of fun to fill out of you're someone who keeps track of the books that you read like I do or if you take reading challenges throughout the year like I do - I've already surpassed my 50 books for the year!
You can find different variations of these on amazon at http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_1?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=reading+journal.
4. Floating or Invisible Shelves
I love books, more than I probably should. And what this means is that I buy way too many books at the expense of my wallet and the nonexistent space on my bookshelves. Ergo, the need for more shelving. I love the way invisible shelves look and if your friend or significant other has the shrinking bookshelf space problem, invisible shelves are the perfect solution. What I like about these small and awesome optical illusion shelves is that unlike large bookshelves, they don't take up floor space. Instead they suspend your books higher up for a really cool effect.
So if your friend has books piles up on the floor against the wall, these book shelves are the perfect way to help them make their space look less cluttered, to get their books more organized, and to add an interesting decorative flair to their room.
You can find these shelves at Barnes and Nobles.
5. Book Retailer Gift Card
A lot of people don't like to give gift cards for Christmas. I'm usually one of these people. Gift cards don't feel personal and honestly, I feel a little lazy trying to give them to people as gifts. The weird thing is, I love receiving gift cards as gifts. I like not having to spend my own money on books, video games, and movies. I like buying apps without having to spend my own money. Instead of telling myself I don't need a new book or new video game or app, I just buy it because why not? I think this is why gift cards are so amazing. We stop being so strict with ourselves when we spend money from a gift card and we are able to enjoy getting small things we would have convinced ourselves we didn't need. Since this article is specifically about buying gifts for book lovers, obviously I'm hinting at bookstore gift cards. I personally like getting Barnes and Nobles gift cards (since I like to support physical stores I can visit instead of online stores - more on that here). But there are a lot of other popular online book retailers like: Bookoutlet, Powell's, and Strands.
6. Book Subscription Box
If you know someone who is an avid reader, a book subscription box is the perfect gift. A book subscription box is a monthly service that sends a book (and depending on the subscription, book related things). What comes in these boxes depends on which subscription you apply for. The most popular of these subscriptions are:
- Owl Crate - Owl Crate is a subscription box that you can pay for every month for $30. These boxes include (at least) one hardcover novel and four or five bookish things to go with the book. Each month has its own theme and the book and objects sent in the box reflect it. Last month, the theme was Myths and Fairytales and I received Soundless by Richelle Mead. I was sent a castle necklace, a mermaid tale pattern compact mirror, an amazing tin of tea (themed after fairytale princesses - mine was Snow White), and a Camp Half-Blood bracelet.
I really enjoyed receiving this box in the mail. It was something to look forward to and honestly, I was so excited about not having to pick out a book myself (having to go through Barnes and Nobles book shelves for an hour before picking just 2 books to leave with), that I read it almost immediately. The smaller gifts were cute and appreciated and I really really liked the tea. This is the only subscription box that I subscribe to out of this list because after looking up unboxing videos I felt this had the most to offer but I plan on trying some of the other subscription boxes as well sometime in the future.
The best part is that you can gift someone a specific number of months worth of this subscription box. You can gift someone up to 6 months for $167, 3 months for $86, or just one month, to show someone what getting a subscription box would be like.
- YA Chronicles - This is a book subscription box from Australia. The subscription costs $30 plus shipping and handling. The box includes a book and two to five extra bookish things. This subscription also had different themes every month that the book and extras follow. November's box was themed: What Nightmares Are Made Of and included The Masked Truth by Kelly Armstrong, Organic Unicorn Blood Tea, Harry Potter Dark Mark Tattoo, and a Monster's Inc. decal.
This is maybe not the best subscription for someone who lives in the U.S since shipping would be very expensive ($24.99), payments are not recurring so you will not automatically be charged every month if you buy a one month subscription box. This means that you can buy someone one box and not be worried about being charged again next month. You can also buy 6 months, 3 months, or one month worth of subscriptions in one shot before having to manually resubscribe at the end of the those months.
- Uppercase - I really want to try this subscription out. Uppercase has 3 different options available for their subscriptions. They range from $17 - $30 a month depending on which one you choose. These boxes include: a new hardcover young adult novel, a signed book or bookplate, 1-2 bookish items, and a personalized note. November's box included Wolf by Wolf by Ryan Graudin, a cute picture frame about books, a book pin, a book stack keychain, and two letters from Uppercase. I would suggest trying this box for at least one month and seeing if you like it.
- The Book Drop - This is the most customizable book subscription as it offers 4 different kind of books for subscription: The Jane (contemporary and historical fiction with some literacy books - in paperback), The Ernest (thrillers or action novels with some non-fiction books - in paperback), Young Adult (paperback books appropriate for readers ages 14-15+), and Children (paperback books perfect for kids ages 8-12).
Unlike the subscription boxes above, which are young adult book boxes, here you can really choose the kind of literature you like to read. But unlike the above which includes hardcover copies of books, these are all paperback. Also, these subscriptions don't include bookish extras. If these things aren't deal breakers for you, then maybe this if the better and more frugal choice for you. Depending on which box you choose and how long you subscribe for, the cost runs from $13-90.
- Book Riot - This is a quarterly book box, meaning it is sent every 3 months. They offer both an adult box and a young adult box depending one your preference. This is the most expensive of the book subscriptions listed and is $50 per box. I've decided to get at least one box from this subscription just to see what it is like but wouldn't want to pay more to feel like I'm getting less (the same amount of things I would get from other subscription boxes but 3 months apart). This book box does include 2 books (instead of just one) and 5 bookish things. I would suggest that you try this at least once and see who you like it before ruling it out all together.
7. A Collection from Juniper Books
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PENGUIN CLASSICS 5 BOOK SET |
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MAKE YOUR OWN DROP CAPS |
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HMH “2 WORKS” MODERN CLASSICS |
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JOHN STEINBECK SET |
Juniper Books has an amazing book collections for sale on their website. These are collectables that look amazing on your shelf and that you'll be proud to display. The most affordable set I've found is $65 and most of these collections are by author (though few are genre specific). These are pricey collections that range between $150 and $400. The website also offers Make Your Own sets which will help more frugal shoppers to create a smaller and more affordable collection without compromising on the quality of these beautiful books.
These would make wonderful gifts for anyone who has thought of collecting books. I also think it would be a wonderful gift to give someone a collection of their favorite author. These collections also include children's literature sets for younger readers (Peter Pan, The Secret Garden, etc).
I've had my eye on these collections for the past two years and have no yet been able to convince myself to make the the purchase. These would be a great gift and would surely make any reader happy.
8. An Ebook Reader
Physical books are amazing. I like the weight of them in my hand and I love the smell of books but there is something to be said about having a good ebook reader. I love being able to switch books whenever I want on my Nook and I love being able to carry a full library with me without breaking my back.
An ebook reader is a life savor if you are an English Major in college as you can have all of your reading materials in one device without it being an issue to your bank account or added weight to your backpack. Ebook readers also have an amazing function that will find quotes for you and save minutes in trying to find quotes for essays.
Ebook readers are also kind of personal. Picking the right kind of ebook reader is somewhat of a challenge. There are many different models within the same brand. I myself have the Nook E-Ink Glowlight from Barnes and Nobles. It doesn't go online, it doesn't have apps, it just lets me read. I got it because I didn't want to be distracted from my reading by all of the possible add-ons. It also simulates a real paper feel while reading so my screen doesn't have glare. Furthermore, because of the glowlight feature, I can read in bed after having turned off the lights. This is terrible for making sure I have enough hour of sleep, but amazing to my reading experience.
I have purchased Samsung Nook tablets for other family members with all the bells and whistles. They love them and use them as book an e-reader and surrogate-laptop (since I also bought them keyboard cases). I think these are wonderful gifts that are incredibly useful. The new Nook Glowlight is on sale right now for $99. It is waterproof and had some enhancements that my glowlight does not. Honestly, I might upgrade to this nook before the holiday season ends.
I hope this gift guide for book lovers has been helpful to you. Please let me know of you have anything else you think should be put on the list or if you own any of these products and your opinions on them.
Hope you have a great holiday!
