As the holidays approach, so does the hustle and bustle (and the panic) of holiday shopping. We wanted to make your holiday season just a bit easier with our curated book gift guide, featuring 2023 releases for everyone on your gift list. There’s something for every reader, so keep on reading, and shop for these titles from your favourite local bookstore.

Happy shopping… And don’t forget my favourite rule of gift giving: One for them = one for me! 

For the One Who Loves Hallmark Movies…

Three Holidays and a Wedding – Uzma Jalaluddin and Marissa Stapley

Three Holidays and a Wedding is a delightful and sweet rom-com by Canadian author duo Uzma Jalaluddin, and Marissa Stapley. Maryam Aziz and Anna Gibson are seatmates on their holiday flight to Toronto, and neither of them expect the severe turbulence, which ends up scaring them enough to confess their deepest hopes and fears to one another. At least they’ll never see each other again… And it’s not like the love of Maryam’s life was sitting two rows behind them, listening to all of it (he was). When an emergency landing finds them all snowbound at the quirky Snow Falls Inn, both women soon realize that there’s no place they’d rather be for the holidays. Full of chaos, romance, and holiday magic, this is the perfect book to curl up with for any Hallmark movie fans.

For the One Who Loves Watching Saturday Night Live…

Black Friend – Ziwe

Ziwe is an icon. She’s also a hilarious and entertaining writer. Black Friend is her debut essay collection. It’s laugh-out-loud funny, and full of Ziwe’s signature sharp wit and incisive commentary. It’s a short, but delightful read, containing short tidbits, alongside longer essays that distill cultural phenomena. Personal, funny, challenging, and delightful, this book will have you laughing, nodding vigorously, and highlighting passages to share with friends. So count how many Black friends you have, and dig into your new favourite read.

For the One Who Loves Award Winners…

Study For Obedience – Sarah Bernstein

Sarah Bernstein’s Study for Obedience recently won the Giller Prize, and you’ll understand why when you read the haunting and lyrical story about complicity, power, displacement, and inheritance. It follows a young woman who moves to the remote northern country of her forebears, to become her brother’s housekeeper. Soon after her arrival, inexplicable events start to occur, and suspicion seems to be directed at her. As hostility against her grows, she begins to fear what might happen, and what people are capable of.

For the One Who Has Some Big Changes on the Horizon…

The Pivot Year – Brianna Wiest

Brianna Wiest’s The Pivot Year is a balm. Full of 365 meditations, aimed to help you get through any “pivot period”, or time in your life when you find yourself trying to bridge the gap between where you are and where you want to be. The reflections are bite-sized and beautiful, and you’ll find yourself highlighting your favourites, and reading them over and over again. This is the perfect gift for someone starting a new phase of life, or for anyone who takes their New Year’s Resolutions seriously.

For the One Who’s A Hopeless Romantic…

Divine Rivals – Rebecca Ross

Rebecca Ross’ Divine Rivals is one of the best books I read this year. This breathtakingly beautiful historical romance follows two rival journalists competing for a promotion, set under the backdrop of a war between gods. Eighteen-year-old Iris Winnow is desperate to hold her family together, as her mother battles addiction, and her brother is missing on the frontlines. Her best bet is to win the columnist promotion at the Oath Gazette. The only thing that gives her solace is the letters she writes to her brother, which she slips beneath her wardrobe door, only for them to disappear… Right into the hands of Roman Kitt, her handsome, driven, and cold rival at the paper. This is the kind of story you won’t be able to put down — a book for anyone who loves love, magic, or the kind of book that when you put it down, you won’t be able to stop thinking about it.

For the One Who Is Dreading Family Time Over the Holidays…

Drama Free – Nedra Glover Tawwab

Nedra Glover Tawwab is best known for her book Set Boundaries, Find Peace, and her latest book, Drama Free, is a road map to understanding, navigating, and moving past family struggles, and living your life, your way. This is an empowering guide from the bestselling relationship expert, that gives the reader clear advice on how to identify dysfunctional family patterns, choose the best path to help you break the cycle, and move forward. While this may not be the traditional book to give under the tree, it could be just the balm someone needs to navigate some tough relationships, during a challenging time of year. 

For the One Who Loves A Good Cry…

Hello Beautiful – Ann Napolitano

Ann Napolitano’s Hello Beautiful was one of my favourite books I read this year. Emotionally rich, tender, and unputdownable, the book tells the story of a family, asking whether love can make us whole. William Waters grew up in a silent house, surrounded by grief and tragedy. His parents could hardly stand to look at him, much less love him, so it was a relief when his skills on the basketball court earned him a college scholarship. He soon meets Julia Padavano, an ambitious young woman who knows exactly what she wants, and appreciates his quiet steadiness. With her, comes her whole family — her parents, and the three younger sisters she is inseparable from. Sylvie, the dreamer — happiest with her nose in a book; Cecilia, the artist; and Emeline, who patiently takes care of them all. William soon finds himself happily folded into the loving and chaotic family. However, darkness sits under the surface, threatening Julia’s carefully orchestrated future plans, as well as the sisters’ loyalty to each other, all resulting in a devastating and catastrophic family rift that shapes their lives and their family for generations to come. This is a love letter to sisters, and to family, and to love — perfect for anyone who loves a good cry.

A Stocking Stuffer For the One Who Could Use A Little Self-Care…

The Little Frog’s Guide to Self-Care – Maybell Eequay

Maybe you, like me, are one of the nearly 400,000 Instagram followers of Maybell Eequay, best known for her long-legged, thigh-high booted, mushroom-hatted frog, often paired with memes, jokes, affirmations, and poignant phrases. Or maybe this is the first you’ve heard of her! Either way, her debut book, The Little Frog’s Guide to Self-Care, is an adorable and hilarious book, full of affirmations, reminders, and advice – reading a few pages a night is the perfect addition to anyone’s self-care routine.

For the One Who Loved Fourth Wing, and Wants To Know What to Read Next…

The Hurricane Wars – Thea Guanzon

Thea Guanzon’s The Hurricane Wars is a bold and immersive romantic fantasy with unforgettable characters, rich world-building, and enemies who turn into lovers. Talasyn is an orphan who has grown up in a nation under siege by the ruthless Night Emperor – all she has ever known were the Hurricane Wars. She’s found her family among the other soldiers fighting for freedom, but she’s also hiding a deadly secret — the magic that courses through her veins, a magic long believed to have been wiped out. Prince Alaric is the emperor’s only son, and he’s been forged into a weapon by his father, tasked with destroying any threat to the Night Empire’s rule, through the might of his armies, and the strength of his shadow magic. He’s never been bested. At least not until he sees Talasyn on the battlefield, burning brightly with the magic that killed his grandfather, turned his father into a monster, and began the Hurricane Wars. They both know this war can only end with them, but a greater threat is coming, and they must work together to overcome it. This is a sizzling and delicious fantasy, the perfect read for the person in your life who fell in love with Fourth Wing, and wants to know what to read next.

For the One Who Keeps Trying to Convince You to Try An Exciting New Business Opportunity…

Hey, Hun – Emily Lynn Paulson

Emily Lynn Paulson’s Hey, Hun was a fascinating insight into the life of a woman who joins, and makes her way up the ranks in a multilevel marketing organization (also known as an MLM, or a pyramid scheme). This was a compelling “tell-all” memoir that almost read like a thriller, as Paulson provides a thoughtful and critical exploration of MLMs, through both her research and her own experiences. She does a great job exploring many of the different structures that make MLMs possible (and helps them thrive) — from white supremacy and racism to predatory behaviours, and manipulation of sisterhood and women’s empowerment. This book is equal parts salacious and fascinating, while also being incredibly human and empathetic. This is the perfect gift for anyone who is, or once was in an MLM, or anyone who has been curious about how the world of MLMs works, and how they can be so popular.

For the One Who Enjoys Intimate and Beautiful Portraits Of People…

Halal Sex – Sheima Benembarek

Halal Sex is Sheima Benembarek’s intimate and unprecedented look at the lives of six different Muslim women and nonbinary people. The profiles are empathetic and vulnerable, and Benembarek approached and reflected on each of their interviews with empathy, care, and understanding. The chapters were short and engaging, and Benembarek did a great job welcoming us into the lives of her subjects. This is a fast read but packs a poignant and personal punch. This is the perfect read for anyone who loves compelling, human stories.

For the One Struggling To Find Beauty When the World Is Overwhelming…

Falling Back In Love With Being Human – Kai Cheng Thom

Kai Cheng Thom’s Falling Back In Love With Being Human took my breath away. She grew up a Chinese-Canadian transgender girl in a hostile world. Despite it, she’s always held onto the belief that every human — no matter how horrible or hateful — is sacred. But, during the pandemic, she — like many of us — found herself in a crisis of faith, overwhelmed by the viciousness with which people were treating one another. Rather than succumb to her pain and despair, she channelled all of her grief and rage, and she wrote. And what she wrote defies genre and simple explanation, and its scale is huge and impactful — even as it’s written in short pieces. Told as a collection of letters, which are more than letters: they are poems, stories, prose, essays, spells, calls to action, and manifestos, Thom puts together words with such beauty and care, as she makes them into magic. This is a must-read for anyone who is seeking a bit of hope, in a time where it feels lost.

For the One Who Likes a Little Spice with Their Sugar…

Icebreaker – Hannah Grace

Hannah Grace’s Icebreaker is a sexy, steamy romance that will leave you giggling and kicking your feet. Anastasia Allen is a competitive figure skater on the Maple Hills skating team who has been working her whole life for a shot at Team USA. Nathan is the captain of the Maple Hills hockey team, and with that he holds a lot of responsibility to keep his team on the ice. When a misunderstanding leads to the two teams needing to share a rink, and Anastasia’s skating partner gets hurt in the aftermath, Nate finds himself swapping his stick for tights, and one scary coach for another. This book was a straight-up, toe-curling good time!

For The One Who Loves A Bit Of Magic…


Emily Wilde’s Encyclopaedia Of Faeries – Heather Fawcett

Heather Fawcett’s cozy and magical fantasy story Emily Wilde’s Encyclopaedia of Faeries follows a grumpy professor who journeys to a small town in the far north, in order to study faerie folklore. She’s the foremost expert on faeries, but she’s not very good with people. She hates small talk, and prefers the company of her books, her dog, and The Fair Folk. So when she arrives in the village of Hrafnsvik, she has no intention of befriending anyone in town, nor does she care to spend any time with the other new arrival in town — her handsome and insufferable academic rival, Wendell Brambleby. However, as Emily gets closer to uncovering the secrets of the elusive faeries, she finds herself investigating another mystery as well: Wendell Brambleby. This is the perfect gift for lovers of romance, cozy reads, and a little bit of magic.

For the One Who Loves A Thrill…

The Whispers – Ashley Audrain

Ashley Audrain’s latest thriller, The Whispers, is a page-turner about four suburban families whose lives are changed when the unthinkable happens. The Loverlys sit by their son’s hospital bed while he’s in a coma after he fell from his bedroom window in the middle of the night. His mother Whitney won’t speak to anyone. Meanwhile, back home, their friends and neighbours are left in shock as they confront their own roles in the events that led up to what happened that night. The story spins out over the course of a week, told in the alternating voices of the women in each family, as they’re forced to confront the secrets within the walls of their own homes, as well as the uncomfortable truths that connect them to each other. This is the perfect gift for the reader who loves twists, turns, and dark family dramas.

For the One Who’s Getting More Comfortable in The Kitchen…

Start Here – Sohla El-Waylly

Fans of Bon Appetit may be familiar with the name Sohla El-Waylly, but just in case you’re not, she’s an American chef, YouTuber, and restaurateur, and was previously an assistant food editor for Bon Appetit. Her book, Start Here, is a practical and information-packed guide to becoming a better cook. There are a dozen technique-themed chapters, covering topics from temperature management to butter, to dough – introducing the fundamentals of cooking that will help any reader become a better, more inventive, and intuitive cook. This is a one-stop resource and the perfect gift for people at any stage of their cooking journey. This book is culinary school, without the student loans.

For the Little One Who Just Started School…

Mr. S – Monica Arnaldo

Monica Arnaldo’s Mr. S is a laugh-out-loud funny and charming story about a class that arrives for their first day of school. They don’t see a teacher anywhere, but there is a delicious-looking sandwich on their desk, and on the chalkboard, it says “Mr. S”… The “S” doesn’t stand for Sandwich, does it? It’s not possible that this sandwich is their teacher, is it? This book has plenty of laughs for kids, as well as for the grown-ups reading the story with them… (Pro tip: Keep an eye on what’s going on in the window while you’re reading through the book!) 

For the Young History Buff…


A Girl Called Echo (Omnibus) – Katherena Vermette

Katherena Vermette’s A Girl Called Echo is a breathtaking, genre-bending graphic novel about Métis identity and resistance. It’s part time-travel story, part history, part coming-of-age story, following Echo, a young Métis girl struggling to fit in, and find her place in her new school. As she learns about Métis history and resistance in class, she starts travelling back in time to key periods in Métis history. Here, she witnesses, first-hand, the indomitable spirit of her people in real-time, even as they face betrayal and violence from the Canadian government, time and time again. Alongside the time travel element, this book also shares real history. Beautifully illustrated, eye-catching and immersive — this is a galvanizing and incredible read for any and every Canadian, and a necessary addition to any library bookshelf.

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Ameema Saeed (@ameemabackwards) is a storyteller, a Capricorn, an avid bookworm, and a curator of very specific playlists, customized book recommendations, and cool earrings. She’s a book reviewer, a Sensitivity Reader, a book buyer at Indigo Books & Music, and the Books Editor for She Does the City, where she writes and curates bookish content, and book recommendations. She enjoys bad puns, good food, dancing, and talking about feelings. She writes about books, big feelings, unruly bodies, and her lived experiences, and hopes to write your next favourite book one day. When she’s not reading books, she likes to talk about books (especially diverse books, and books by diverse authors) on her bookstagram: @ReadWithMeemz