It’s the holiday season!! The smell of pine and eggnog is in the air! It’s that time of year for gift-giving and here at Riveted by Simon Teen, we continue the tradition of telling you what books from this past year we’d love to receive and which ones we recommend as the perfect gifts for your loved ones. Hope you have a happy and bright holiday!
Our Favorite Books from 2019 We Like to Give (and Get) this Holiday Season!
Emily recommends Start Here by Trish Doller
What about this book did you love?
“Start Here is one of my fave books of 2019. I love ALL of Trish Doller’s books, and this story of two friends sailing down the eastern seaboard together as they deal with the loss of their best friend is beautiful and heart-wrenching. I was so enthralled by this summery road trip boat trip that I read it in one sitting!”
Annika recommends SLAY by Brittney Morris
What about this book did you love?
“If you or your friends haven’t read SLAY yet, you should definitely read it ASAP! Believe me, if you’re a fan of video games and all things nerdy, this is the book for you!”
Alissa recommends There’s Something About Sweetie by Sandhya Menon
What about this book did you love?
“There really IS something about this book! Sweetie grapples with her inner strength and faltering self confidence based on familial and societal perceptions of body image in such a relatable way. I’m also just sitting here waiting for my Ashish to show up. If anyone sees him, please direct him to me!”
Thandi recommends Winterwood by Shea Ernshaw
What about this book did you love?
“Every chapter is filled with the kind of magic that holds a secret and there is a bone-chilling sensation when reading. It felt like I was entering a dark and eerie forest with every turned page because I never suspected what was coming.”
Rachel recommends Cursed by Thomas Wheeler and illustrated by Frank Miller
What about this book did you love?
“If you love King Arthur, you’ll love Cursed! It’s a wonderful retelling, with a strong female protagonist, that keeps you hooked from page one. It has romance, suspense, and intrigue, and is my pick from 2019. Make sure you don’t miss the Netflix adaption coming in 2020!”
Francie recommends Shatter the Sky by Rebecca Kim Wells
What about this book did you love?
“This is my favorite book of 2019—it’s the angry lesbian dragon book (as some have begun to refer to it), what more could you possibly need?”
Natasha recommends Earth to Charlie by Justin Olson
What about this book did you love?
“I loved this book because it was all about friendship and family and not really knowing what you want . . . all while chasing aliens.”
Caroline recommends The Cold is in Her Bones by Peternelle van Arsdale
What about this book did you love?
“It feels like an eerie fairytale you’d find in an old storybook and yet also totally relevant to our current moment. It has girls saving each other and reckoning with a legacy of injustice, and a fierce heroine becoming “monstrous” while questioning what monstrosity really means. I absolutely devoured it.”
Brian recommends Brave Face by Shaun David Hutchinson
What about this book did you love?
“Shaun David Hutchinson crafts a raw, difficult, and unflinchingly honest portrait of gay adolescence and mental health. This memoir is a gift of compassion for queer youth everywhere, and I am so thankful for a book like this in the world.”
Jenny recommends Sorcery of Thorns by Margaret Rogerson
What about this book did you love?
“This is my favorite book of 2019 because the hero is a bad-ass bookworm, it’s killer suspenseful, and there’s a good spicy romance (and bromance!).”
Savannah recommends Slayer by Kiersten White
What about this book did you love?
“Who doesn’t want to be a Scooby again? Set in the world of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, this story about a new Slayer named Nina will be hard to put down!”
Chantal recommends The Lady Rogue by Jenn Bennett
What about this book did you love?
“This book is such an exhilarating and mystical read, filled with an action-packed treasure hunt that’ll have you journeying in and out of Gothic villages and spooky castles to find the notorious ring of Vlad the Impaler. Oh, and did I mention the swoon-worthy romance? This book is Jenn Bennett at her best—I highly recommend!”
Jill recommends The Toll by Neal Shusterman
What about this book did you love?
“The Toll was exactly the unpredictable, twisty, mind bendy, edge-of-my-seat stress-joy that I wanted.”
Shivani recommends Permanent Record by Mary H. K. Choi
What about this book did you love?
“Mary H.K. Choi’s first book, Emergency Contact, is one of my favorite books, so of course, I couldn’t wait to get my hands on Permanent Record! Pablo and Leanna’s relationship is so captivating and real, but this book is about so much more than their love story. It’s about loneliness, about the pressures of acceptance, and about finding yourself. This book is brilliant and I highly recommend!”
Looking for more? Here are the perfect bookish gifts that aren’t books to give this holiday season!