The 15 Best Gifts for Book Lovers, According to Someone Who Reads 60+ Books a Year

Audiobooks have long been all the rage. I get it. Reading takes time, and not everyone has six hours to blow on Reese Witherspoon’s new book. But if you can multitask? Consider the book (and your chores) done. PureWow Associate Commerce Editor Natalie LaBarbera loves Libro.fm, an audiobook subscription platform that also supports indie bookstores. Memberships start at $15, and credits are also available to purchase and gift. Credits also start at $15 and grant access to one book, in addition to 30 percent off any other audiobooks. Plus, they never expire.

I recently crawled under one of these blankets during a trip and it was the softest, coziest thing. Perfect for snuggling under with a book, if you ask me. There are tons of colors to choose from, such as pink, blue and green, and at 50 x 60 inches, it’s big enough to share. (Not that you’d necessarily want to.) Bonus, it’s under $20.

This buzzy little light has taken TikTok by a storm. I am 100 percent that person guilty of reading until she falls asleep with the lights on. Thus, I’m predicting that I’ll be picking up one of these for myself this holiday season. Because who wants to get out of a warm bed after they’ve turned the last page at 2 a.m.? Not me. LaBarbera has been using this for a while and loves the lighting options, sharing: “I appreciate just how many different settings there are on this light. You have three different warmths to choose from (a warm light, crisp light and ‘versatile’ shade that falls in-between), along with five different brightness levels. Personally, I almost never need to turn my light up past the first brightness level and usually keep it on the warm light setting, but I like that I have plenty of options.”

I LOVE a good bookmark. Specifically, hand-painted or illustrated. One of my favorite bookmark artists is Waterdrop Art Studio. I’ve had many of her bookmarks for probably close to a decade now. They’re so full of whimsy, they’re just as likely to take you on an adventure as your book is. Individual bookmarks start at $4.50, and a set of three is $12.

Looking for a romantasy gift? Chances are, if they’ve read ACOTAR, they’re going to love this cookbook. Inside are 65 recipes inspired by characters, places and plotlines, including Starlit Stuffed Chicken with Berry Reduction, Cassian’s Banned Chocolate Cupcakes and Moon Phase Crackers. If this doesn’t transport them straight to Prythian, what else will?

If the book lover you know is an audiobook fan like LaBarbera, they’re going to appreciate some wireless headphones.

“The Sonos Ace is *so* comfortable to wear while I'm listening to audiobooks while I'm cleaning, cooking or going for walks thanks to the cushy padding on both the ear cups and the top band,” she says. “Plus, they're adjustable so it’s easy to get the right fit. You can switch between full noise cancellation and a transparency mode that allows you to still hear your surroundings, which is a must for me if I’m wearing them outside.”

LaBarbera has been a Book of the Month subscriber for over a year and loves it. She writes in her review, “I love that Book of the Month introduces me to some titles I wouldn't normally choose, but also offers ones I've been really looking forward to. I've picked up everything from lighthearted romances to enchanting fantasy series—because, yes, if the first in a series is offered through the subscription, you'll have the option to add any of the following books to your box to have matching editions on your shelf. Another huge benefit is that all of the physical books offered are hardbacks, and at $18/month, that's a serious discount from retail prices in this format.” It’s convenient, low-commitment and flexible, with the option for a 3-, 6- or 12- book membership. The recipient can also, if need be, pause or cancel by the 21st of each month.

PureWow Editor-in-Chief Jillian Quint is an avid reader who immediately recommended Lily King’s new novel. “I feel like she’s such a book-lovers author,” Quint says. As a bookworm myself, Heart the Lover has most definitely been on my personal radar and those of my literary friends. Based on reviews (and my own skim of the first chapter), it’s very Sally Rooney-coded. The novel follows Jordan and her two friends, Sam and Yash, who all meet their senior year of college. Decades later, one unexpected visit will have their pasts colliding with their presents. If you like relationships crashing into mundane life, then Heart the Lover will be a page turner.

There are many Kindle iterations to choose from butLaBarbera thinks you should opt for the Colorsoft. There’s an eight-week battery life, wireless charging, 32GB of storage, waterproofing and, of course, full color. This brings illustrations and covers to life, in addition to providing the most serious readers among us a more organized annotation system. Not to mention that graphic novels just got a major glow-up. If the book lover you’re shopping for is a kid, PureWow Vice President of Editorial Candace Davison recommends the Kindle Colorsoft Kids, which won over her elementary schooler. “It seemed like no time had passed before she hit her reading goal—30 minutes a day, programmed on the device—and surpassed it willingly, just to take in one more tale (after all, we needed to know why Pink Is Not a Color),” she reports.

To accompany their Kindle, a Kindle Unlimited subscription is a no-brainer. At $12/month, you get access to 4 million+ books spanning all genres, from classics and best-sellers to must-read series. Additionally, there are thousands of audiobooks and titles available to borrow through the Great on Kindle program. Kindle Unlimited also includes select magazine subscriptions.

Something I have recently gotten into is highlighting passages in books that I like (The Picture of Dorian Gray and Frankenstein are peppered in yellow). While I am using a random highlighter I dredged up in my desk drawer, these pretty Zebra Pen highlighters would be great for throwing together stocking stuffers and/or holiday gift baskets. The dual sides have a chisel and bullet tip for highlighting or underlining in five pastel colors: pink, orange, yellow, blue-green and blue.

Serious annotators don’t just use highlighters, they make notes. I’m always a fan of pencils—can’t risk ink bleed on the pages! For over a decade I’ve been a devotee of the Blackwing 602, which I affectionately call the Steinbeck pencil. Many legendary writers, including John Steinbeck, Stephen Sondheim and Truman Capote, were loyal to Blackwing. Though the original was discontinued, Cal Cedar Company did everyone a solid when it reintroduced the iconic pencil under its Palomino division in 2011. While $35/dozen isn’t quite the Ticonderoga deal you’re looking for at back-to-school shopping, it’s a whole lot better than the $40/PENCIL prices going around on Ebay before the resurrection. The graphite is smooth and sharpens into the most perfect point. My preferred sharpener (and traveling case) is the Faber-Castell Sharpener & Extender ($14), which delivers a sharpened graphite tip that could kill.

Tell me something better than a rainy day spent under abig blanket with a400-page book, cup of tea and candle. NOTHING. LaBarbera turned me on to Soulful Scents, which makes delightful literature-themed candles. My personal favorite is “Smells Like Mr. Darcy Walking Across a Foggy Meadow” (for obvious reasons), but there are tons of candles to choose from, including “Smells Like She’s Watching Pride & Prejudice Again,” “Smells Like She’s Reading Dramione Fanfic Again,” Smells Like He’s Reading Stephen King Again” and Smells Like She’s Reading Madeline Miller Again.”

I’m something of a pajama aficionado, having an entire dresser drawer dedicated to one of my favorite clothing items. Specifically, I’m very much into having pairs on pairs of the “good pajamas.” I’ve been following Clementine since they launched and think they make some of the best silk on the market right now. This organic mulberry silk T-shirt dress will do double duty. Comfortable pajamas for an all-day reading marathon, cute enough to wear out at night when you finally decide to step out on the town. If you’re feeling incredibly splurgy, they just launched a long-sleeved pajama set ($790) in three delicious colors, of which I’m coveting the bordeaux and martini green. 

What book lover doesn’t enjoy a good trope? Viral beloved Brooklyn book store, The Ripped Bodice, is coming through with Trope Teas, including “Immortality Blew Until You,” “There’s Only One Bed,” “Can You Zip Me Up?,” “Why Talk When We Can Pine?” and “Snowed Inn.” Blends vary and range from green tea to rooibos and herbal.