Good morning! I decided to make this post to whoever is looking to buy their friends and family something bookish. This makes great for last minute gifts because there's going to be a minimal amount of gifts you'd order online. Enjoy :-)
1. I'll Be There For You: The One About Friends by Kelsey Miller
"I'll Be There for You is the definitive retrospective of Friends, exploring all aspects of the show from its unlikely origins to the elusive reasons why we still watch it. Journalist and pop culture expert Kelsey Miller relives the show's most iconic moments, analyzes the ways in which Friends is occasionally problematic and examines the many trends it inspired, from the rise of coffee-shop culture to Friendsgivings to the ultimate 90s haircut, the Rachel.
Weaving incisive commentary, revelatory interviews and behind-the-scenes anecdotes involving high-profile guest stars, I'll Be There for You is the most comprehensive take on Friends, and the ultimate book for fans everywhere."
This is the perfect gift for a Friends fan. It makes an even greater audiobook. I'm almost finished with this book and I started it last night. It's so interesting to hear about the creation of Friends and the experience of all the actors. Definitely going to be giving it five stars!
2. Dear Evan Hansen by Val Emmich with Steven Lenson, Benj Pasek & Justin Paul
"When a letter that was never meant to be seen by anyone draws high school senior Evan Hansen into a family's grief over the loss of their son, he is given the chance of a lifetime: to belong. He just has to stick to a lie he never meant to tell, that the notoriously troubled Connor Murphy was his secret best friend.
Suddenly, Evan isn't invisible anymore--even to the girl of his dreams. And Connor Murphy's parents, with their beautiful home on the other side of town, have taken him in like he was their own, desperate to know more about their enigmatic son from his closest friend. As Evan gets pulled deeper into their swirl of anger, regret, and confusion, he knows that what he's doing can't be right, but if he's helping people, how wrong can it be?"
This is a great gift for those who are a fan of musicals and know about Dear Evan Hansen. There is a playbook and an entire book about the musical but this is Evan's story told in novel form. I can't wait to get it myself!
3. To Make Monsters Out of Out of Girls by Amanda Lovelace
"Winner of the 2016 Goodreads Choice Award for Best Poetry, Amanda Lovelace presents her new illustrated duology, “things that h(a)unt.” In this first installment, to make monsters out of girls, lovelace explores the memory of being in an abusive relationship. She poses the eternal question: Can you heal once you’ve been marked by a monster, or will the sun always sting?"
If the person you're looking for gifts for loves poetry like Milk & Honey, Amanda Lovelace has several great poetry books. This is her newest release and I've heard it's lovely!
4. I Am Enough by Grace Byers
This is a gorgeous, lyrical ode to loving who you are, respecting others, and being kind to one another—from Empire actor and activist Grace Byers and talented newcomer artist Keturah A. Bobo.
This is the perfect gift for mothers and daughters, baby showers, and graduation.
If you're gifting someone who needs to be reminded,
I Am Enough is the perfect fit. It was a 2018 Goodreads Choice Awards winner and would definitely make a lovely gift to any younger girl/boy.
5. The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas
"Sixteen-year-old Starr Carter moves between two worlds: the poor neighborhood where she lives and the fancy suburban prep school she attends. The uneasy balance between these worlds is shattered when Starr witnesses the fatal shooting of her childhood best friend Khalil at the hands of a police officer. Khalil was unarmed.
Soon afterward, his death is a national headline. Some are calling him a thug, maybe even a drug dealer and a gangbanger. Protesters are taking to the streets in Khalil’s name. Some cops and the local drug lord try to intimidate Starr and her family. What everyone wants to know is: what really went down that night? And the only person alive who can answer that is Starr."
This book has been out for ages but it's been on the NYT Best Sellers list for months on end. There's a reason for that -- it's a modern classic. It's one of the most moving stories I've read this year and the movie definitely does it justice.
6. The Kiss Quotient by Helen Hoang
"Stella Lane thinks math is the only thing that unites the universe. She comes up with algorithms to predict customer purchases — a job that has given her more money than she knows what to do with, and way less experience in the dating department than the average thirty-year-old.
It doesn't help that Stella has Asperger's and French kissing reminds her of a shark getting its teeth cleaned by pilot fish. Her conclusion: she needs lots of practice — with a professional. Which is why she hires escort Michael Phan. The Vietnamese and Swedish stunner can't afford to turn down Stella's offer, and agrees to help her check off all the boxes on her lesson plan — from foreplay to more-than-missionary position...
Before long, Stella not only learns to appreciate his kisses, but to crave all the other things he's making her feel. Soon, their no-nonsense partnership starts making a strange kind of sense. And the pattern that emerges will convince Stella that love is the best kind of logic..."
This book would be a perfect read for those who want to read more diverse books and love a good romance!
7. Becoming by Michelle Obama
"An intimate, powerful, and inspiring memoir by the former First Lady of the United States.
"In a life filled with meaning and accomplishment, Michelle Obama has emerged as one of the most iconic and compelling women of our era. As First Lady of the United States of America—the first African-American to serve in that role—she helped create the most welcoming and inclusive White House in history, while also establishing herself as a powerful advocate for women and girls in the U.S. and around the world, dramatically changing the ways that families pursue healthier and more active lives, and standing with her husband as he led America through some of its most harrowing moments. Along the way, she showed us a few dance moves, crushed Carpool Karaoke, and raised two down-to-earth daughters under an unforgiving media glare.
In her memoir, a work of deep reflection and mesmerizing storytelling, Michelle Obama invites readers into her world, chronicling the experiences that have shaped her—from her childhood on the South Side of Chicago to her years as an executive balancing the demands of motherhood and work, to her time spent at the world’s most famous address. With unerring honesty and lively wit, she describes her triumphs and her disappointments, both public and private, telling her full story as she has lived it—in her own words and on her own terms.
Warm, wise, and revelatory, Becoming is the deeply personal reckoning of a woman of soul and substance who has steadily defied expectations—and whose story inspires us to do the same."
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*the photo used for the title of this blog post isn't mine. it was found online as a royalty free photo*
