This holiday season we’re all about thoughtful present ideas that people can use for years to come. We think the ideal gift is one that a book lover can use to enhance their beloved books and or one that speaks to their bookish love language.
If you’re looking for some great gift ideas for the avid readers in your life you’ve come to the right place. We here at the Mystery Review Crew are all about good books and inspiring a love of books in others. But we often have struggled with what to get our bibliophile friends since they own so many books! So to tackle this problem we came up with 35 unique bookish gift ideas that your favorite book lover is sure to enjoy.
Each gift tells a story of its own, a narrative woven with creativity and passion. So, whether you’re on a quest to surprise a bookish friend or simply looking to enhance your own reading experience, join us as we navigate the world of book-inspired gifts, where every item is a chapter in the grand adventure of literary appreciation. Welcome to a realm where the magic of books extends beyond the covers, and the joy of gifting intertwines seamlessly with the love of reading. Let the exploration begin!
Please enjoy our guide to 35 of the best gifts for Book Lovers!
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1. Local Bookstore Giftcard
This one is pretty self-explanatory, however, it serves a dual purpose. One, you get to bless your book lover with a new book of their choosing (or one that their book club is reading). Two, you are helping a local business stay in business.
2. Etsy Gift Card
This idea also serves two purposes. One a book lover can find lots of bookish-related items on Etsy; sometimes too many as I’ve learned. The second purpose is that many independent authors sell their books on Etsy!
3. Bookbags – Tote Bag
What’s a better sign of love for a book lover than a bag to carry MORE books? On Etsy we found a bunch of options to choose from, here’s one of our favorites:
4. Coffee cups
Whether the book lover in your life is a Tea Drinker or a Coffee Connoisseur they’ll love a new mug to keep their beverage of choice the perfect temp!
5. Book cover
Now this one may seem strange to the non-book lover, but so many creatives have taken up the challenge of recreating some of the most beautiful book covers reimagined for us to display on our shelves. Some of our favorites come from Nerdy Ink, Etsy, and A Touch of Magic Designs.
6. eReader Book Sleeve
This is a fun one for the ebook lover. An opportunity to add a bit of style to our beloved handheld library.
7. Candles
Books and Candles just go together. Maybe as a nod to simpler times, maybe just because they engage more of our senses. Regardless candles make great bookish gifts. Some of our favorite bookish candles are from Lamplighter Literary, and Wick & Sarcasm.
8. Coffee
Going along with a Bookish mug is something to go inside it, whether your book lover is a coffee Connoisseur, a Tea Junkie, or someone who loves a good cup of hot chocolate. It is a simple, yet thoughtful gift idea for the bookworm in your life.
9. A Glass Book Vase
We found this really neat idea: Making a glass book cover vase! This would be a great way to immortalize a book lover’s favorite book.
10. Wooden Book Stand
A wooden bookstand with a mug holder too?
11. A Snow Globe
A Snow Globe is something that can decorate a Book Lovers Book Shelf for years to come. We found several places where you can get custom ones made: Snow Globe Central, Your Surprise, and of course Etsy.
12. Bookish Ornament
A book ornament is something perfect for the Christmas loving bookish enthusiast in your life. Like this custom one from Loveboutiquestuff on Etsy.
13. Bookmarks
Now as bookworms, we probably will use anything and everything as a bookmark but we love using pretty ones too! We loved these page heart bookmarks, engraved wooden bookmarks, custom name-engraved acrylic bookmarks, and these magnetic bookmarks.
14. Bookshelf Alley
Have you seen these before? Even the non-bookish person in your life will find them interesting!
15. Book necklace
A book necklace is something a book lover can enjoy for years to come, some can even be personalized with your book lover’s favorite book title.
16. Stickers
Readers are strange creatures for sure. We’re obsessed with books, mugs, pins, blankets, and stickers. Yes, stickers. They remind us of our favorite quotes, funny antidotes about our chosen genres, and they tell the world about our bookish obsession all without us having to say a word (the highlight for many of us introverts).
17. Socks
There are so many different cozy socks out there, why not make them bookishly fun?
18. Blankets
We LOVE a good blanket to curl up with for our reading time, and Storiarts has some super soft bookish ones!
19. Special Editions
Have you seen special editions of your favorite books or classics re-imagined? We’ve seen Classics like Jane Austen’s books, Harry Potter, Little Women, The Great Gatsby and many more! Some of our favorites are from LitJoy, Nerdy Ink, Harper Collins (Or Harper Collins Muse), and The Folio Society.
20. Bookends
What better way to support a bookworm than with bookends that help showcase their collection of books? We found some really neat ones on Etsy by searching for general bookends, however, if your book lover likes a certain genre like mysteries or fantasy you can narrow down your search for even better results.
21. Book holder
This unique page holder is one we use all the time for holding open books without damaging them. We found it on Amazon but there are even more designs on Etsy too!
22. Mystery Puzzles
What’s a better gift for a mystery lover than an actual puzzle to solve? A MYSTERY puzzle of course!
23. Book stamp
One way to make a book lover feel special is to get them a custom book embosser to immortalize themselves on all their favorite books. It’s the perfect addition to your book lovers personal library kit.
24. Puzzle book
Have you seen a puzzle book before? We recently stumbled upon Murdle, and boy are we hooked.
From the Publisher:
“G. T. Karber, the creator of the popular online daily mystery game Murdle, presents the first collection of 100 original murder mystery logic puzzles―a perfect gift for armchair detectives and puzzlers to hone their minds and solve a series of crimes.
Who committed the ghastly deed?
What weapon was used to dispatch the victim?
Where did the calculated demise occur?
Join Deductive Logico and investigate murders most foul in Murdle: Volume 1. The first of their kind, these humorous mini-mystery puzzles challenge you to find whodunit, how, where, and why. Examine the clues, interview the witnesses, and use the power of deduction to complete the grid and catch the culprit. Together, you’ll uncover a buried secret beneath all of the murders and a message that can only be decrypted when you’ve solved them all.
Packed with illustrations, codes, and maps, and brimming with wit and intrigue, Murdle: Volume 1 is the must-have detective casebook for the secret sleuth in everyone.“
On Amazon
25. Reading Light
We found several book lights in our search for the perfect one that wouldn’t obstruct the page while reading, and I think we may have found it. Behold the around-the-neck book light! On Amazon.
26. Book sign
We love collecting book signs to showcase funny book truths and our favorite literary quotes. Many can be found on Etsy, Amazon, or even your local bookstores. They make the perfect additions to a reading nook.
27. Book Reading Journal
Now this one may get the mystery started, and help a reader remember the highlights of all the books they’ve read through the years. We found it on Amazon.
28. Annotating Tabs/Highlighters
The Trend of Annotating/highlighting books is back and we are prepared for it. We’ve really enjoyed getting to safely highlight our books and remember our thoughts on them through the process of annotating. Here are some items that we’ve used and found helpful:
On Amazon, we found and liked using these Highlighters:
On Amazon, we found and liked using these transparent sticky notes in vibrant colors:
On Amazon, we also found these really colorful tabs that were handy for keeping track of themes in our annotating. We loved them because the different colors were vibrant and they helped keep track of the different ways we annotate:
29. Bookish Snackle Box
This item is one of my favorites on our list. It’s completely customizable and totally unique for the book lover in your life. You take the “tackle” box and fill it with your book lovers’ favorite snacks from Pretzels, to Candies, to Coupons for their favorite drinks. A totally unique gift for them.
32. Vergissm Wooden Book Light
Next, we found a book light – that’s an actual book! It would be a good way to add personality to your bookworm’s book nook. It’s on Amazon currently for under $30!
33. Bookish Key Chains
We all have keys, so why not decorate them with bookish goodness? We found many cute options on both Etsy and Amazon that make great gifts for under $20.
34. Kindle Accessories
A reader can enjoy a nice hands-free reading experience with a Kindle remote control for turning pages.
We love our reading Popsocket for easily holding our Kindle while reading!
And we use this for holding all the cords and reading earbuds so we don’t lose them 🙂
35. The Book Lover’s Advent Calendar: 25 Bookish Gifts for Readers Calendar
Lastly, we love doing an advent calendar each year to help us get in the spirit of Christmas, so why not make it bookish?
We found this one on Amazon.
BONUS: A Book Decision Coin
Many book lovers struggle with the decision of whether to read just one more chapter before starting the next task or going to bed. Enter the Book Decision coin: Simply flip the coin and it tells you whether to read just one more chapter (haha) or go to bed. We Found this delightful invention on Amazon.
Thank you for exploring these 35 unique gift ideas for book lovers that extend beyond the pages of a novel. We’ve collected many creative ideas to bring you a curated collection of items that enhance the joy of reading in various ways. From cozy reading nook essentials to personalized literary treasures, we hope you’ve discovered the perfect gift to delight the bibliophile in your life.
As we conclude this adventure, we want to express our deepest gratitude for your time and enthusiasm. It’s our sincere hope that these non-bookish gifts have inspired you to think outside the traditional book-shaped box when choosing presents for your literary-minded friends and family. After all, the love of books extends beyond mere pages; it’s a lifestyle, a passion that permeates every aspect of a book lover’s world.
But the journey doesn’t end here. We invite you to share your own unique gift ideas for book lovers in the vast landscape of literary possibilities. Have you stumbled upon a gem that hasn’t found its way into our collection? We’d love to hear about it! Your insights and suggestions could spark the next wave of inspiration for readers everywhere.
In the spirit of continuous literary exploration, we’d also like to draw your attention to the enchanting world of a book subscription box. These curated packages offer a delightful surprise each month, delivering handpicked books and bookish treasures right to the recipient’s doorstep; and it’s a guaranteed way to know your bookish enthusiast doesn’t own the surprise book already! It’s also a fantastic way to keep the magic of reading alive, with fresh stories and themed goodies to enhance the reading experience. Consider these subscriptions as an alternate avenue for gifting that keeps the joy of discovering new books alive throughout the year.
We recommend LitJoy, Owl Crate, and Book Of The Month.
Yet another great post. Thanks so much.
So glad you enjoyed it Debbie! It added a few to many new items to my wish list 🙂