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This Month’s Best New Holiday Gift Guide
Holiday shopping doesn’t need to be stressful! We looked through 2025’s biggest, buzziest books to find the perfect gift for every reader on your list. (And don’t forget to treat yourself, too!)
 
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Book cover for Strangers in Time by David Baldacci
This unforgettable New York Times bestseller is the perfect pick for booklovers
WHY IT’S READWORTHY:
  • David Baldacci is “one of the best authors alive, and every page of Strangers in Time shows why” (Lisa Scottoline)
  • In World War II–era London, a grieving bookstore owner finds his life transformed by two struggling teenagers — but his secrets could put all their lives in danger
  • Kate Quinn and Jodi Picoult are praising this transportive, heart-wrenching story of found family
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Media mentions for Strangers in Time by David BaldacciMEDIA MENTIONS:The Times, New York Post, Publishers Weekly, Kirkus Reviews
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AmazonOther formats and retailers
Book cover for The Correspondent by Virginia Evans
Gift ‘this year’s breakout novel’ (The Wall Street Journal) to anyone looking for a feel-good read
WHY IT’S READWORTHY:
  • Sybil has always loved sending letters to her family and friends. But when she receives messages from someone from her past, she’s forced to confront painful truths — and find a path to forgiveness
  • Rave reviews from Ann Patchett, Adriana Trigiani, and Ann Napolitano, who says, “This novel is a complete and utter joy”
  • A New York Times bestseller named a best book of 2025 by NPR, The Washington Post, and more
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Media mentions for The Correspondent by Virginia EvansMEDIA MENTIONS:NPR, PBS, People, The Washington Post, The Wall Street Journal, Financial Times, USA Today, Good Housekeeping, Parade, The Times, Publishers Weekly, Kirkus Reviews, Booklist, Literary Hub
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AmazonOther formats and retailers
Book cover for Family of Spies by Christine Kuehn
Gripping nonfiction that reads like a propulsive thriller
WHY IT’S READWORTHY:
  • After receiving a letter from a screenwriter, Christine Kuehn learned about her family’s involvement as Nazi and Japanese spies — and the role they played in the attack on Pearl Harbor
  • “An amazing and gripping tale, full of suspenseful twists and cinematic details” (The New York Times Book Review)
  • Gift this to readers of World War II history and anyone captivated by shocking true stories
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Media mentions for Family of Spies by Christine KuehnMEDIA MENTIONS:The New York Times/The New York Times Book Review, New York Post, Publishers Weekly, Kirkus Reviews, Booklist, BookPage, Literary Hub
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AmazonOther formats and retailers
Book cover for Broken Country by Clare Leslie Hall
Highly recommended for readers who love juicy family dramas
WHY IT’S READWORTHY:
  • This Reese’s Book Club pick and New York Times bestseller “fires directly at the human heart and hits the mark” (Delia Owens, author of Where the Crawdads Sing)
  • When her first love reappears, farmer’s wife Beth must reckon with unspeakable secrets in her past — and decide what her future holds
  • Think Atonement meets The Paper Palace
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Media mentions for Broken Country by Clare Leslie HallMEDIA MENTIONS:Reese's Book Club, Book of the Month, People, Parade, Indie Next List, Library Reads, Publishers Weekly, Kirkus Reviews, Booklist
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AmazonOther formats and retailers
Book cover for Nightshade by Michael Connelly
A surefire bet for fans of twist-filled suspense
WHY IT’S READWORTHY:
  • The creator of Harry Bosch and Mickey Haller introduces a brand-new protagonist, Los Angeles County detective Stilwell
  • Exiled from the homicide desk and sent to Catalina Island, Stilwell investigates a Jane Doe found in the harbor — but what will he risk for justice?
  • An electrifying #1 New York Times bestseller from “a master of the genre” (The Washington Post)
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Media mentions for Nightshade by Michael ConnellyMEDIA MENTIONS:The New York Times/The New York Times Book Review, People, The Washington Post, The Wall Street Journal, Associated Press, USA Today, Los Angeles Times, Publishers Weekly, Booklist
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AmazonOther formats and retailers
Book cover for The Fate of the Day by Rick Atkinson
History buffs will enjoy this riveting account with Ken Burns’s seal of approval
WHY IT’S READWORTHY:
  • This #1 New York Times bestseller was named a best book of 2025 by The Washington Post, NPR, Kirkus Reviews, and more
  • Chronicles the tumultuous middle years of the United States’ fight for independence, from 1777 to 1780
  • “To say Atkinson can tell a story is like saying Sinatra can sing” (The New York Times Book Review)
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Media mentions for The Fate of the Day by Rick AtkinsonMEDIA MENTIONS:NPR, The New York Times/The New York Times Book Review, The Washington Post, The Wall Street Journal, Associated Press, Los Angeles Times, New York Post, Publishers Weekly, Kirkus Reviews, Library Journal, Booklist, Literary Hub
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AmazonOther formats and retailers
Book cover for The True True Story of Raja the Gullible (and His Mother) by Rabih Alameddine
Hand this sensational National Book Award winner to the devoted book club member
WHY IT’S READWORTHY:
  • The literary world is abuzz over this dazzling novel that also won the PEN/Faulkner Award for Fiction
  • Outside the tiny apartment Raja shares with his elderly mother, Beirut is in turmoil — but Raja’s search for love and hope is eternally optimistic
  • “It’s a ravishing performance… Skillfully juxtaposes unflinching depictions of war and deprivation with the narrator’s joie de vivre” (Publishers Weekly)
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Media mentions for The True True Story of Raja the Gullible (and His Mother) by Rabih AlameddineMEDIA MENTIONS:The New Yorker, Time Magazine, NPR, The New York Times/The New York Times Book Review, The Washington Post, Associated Press, USA Today, Vulture, Parade, The Guardian, Publishers Weekly, Kirkus Reviews, Booklist, BookPage, Literary Hub
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AmazonOther formats and retailers
Book cover for My Friends by Fredrik Backman
One of 2025’s buzziest books is begging for a screen adaptation
WHY IT’S READWORTHY:
  • After a world-famous painting winds up in her possession, Louisa unravels its mysteries — and discovers the fascinating story of three friends 25 years ago
  • This #1 New York Times bestseller is a “moving ode to friendship” (People)
  • “Every Backman book should come with the warning that your heart will be split in two” (NPR)
Learn more...
Media mentions for My Friends by Fredrik BackmanMEDIA MENTIONS:The New Yorker, NPR, TODAY Show, The New York Times/The New York Times Book Review, People, USA Today, New York Post, Indie Next List, Library Reads, Booklist, BookPage
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AmazonOther formats and retailers
Book cover for 100 Rules for Living to 100 by Dick Van Dyke
An uplifting stocking stuffer for celebrity memoir fans
WHY IT’S