Introduction

Part of my love language is sharing book recommendations with people! There is something so special about sharing the books that I love with the people that I love. Sharing my book recommendations with people is a sign of intimacy because I always try to personalize and tailor my recommendations to what the other person might enjoy. Maybe I think that a friend might really connect to the main character because they have similar experiences or a shared sense of humor. Maybe I think a friend will love the themes or tropes of the novel. Maybe I think a friend will love to dive deeper into this genre or try something outside of their comfort zone. Since I read an ungodly amount of books (you can read about how I do this in another blog post), I have so many books saved up for recommendations! Today, I want to share some book recommendations for some friends in my life.

Maya – The Dinner List

When I read this book earlier this year, all I could think about was Maya. I have referenced her in another blog post because I steal all her good products. I consider myself very lucky to say that I have had the same best friend for the past 16 years of my life. Maya is loyal and reliable and warm. We met in Kindergarten, probably because we both loved to hula hoop during recess on the blacktop. Since that first playdate, Maya has always been on my “name five people, living or dead, with whom you’d like to have dinner” list, which makes The Dinner List the perfect book for her! The Dinner List follows Sabrina at her thirtieth birthday dinner, where everyone on the dinner list she made in college is magically present, even Audrey Hepburn. Throughout the story, Sabrina attempts to untangle the reason why these six people have gathered together, and along the way, she learns valuable lessons about life. While it is easy to see this book as a love story between two exes, I believe that the book is truly about a celebration of long-lasting friendship. The relationship between Sabrina and her best friend – Jessica – is the core of this novel. It is about how friends will always be there to pick up your pieces when you feel broken on the ground. It is about how a good friend always gives you the truth, even when you want to be ignorant. It is about how friendships will continue to grow into adulthood if you nurture them properly. I have already learned all these lessons from Maya. She is always just a phone call away, even with a six-hour time difference between us. She is always honest with me. She has encouraged me to grow into the person I am today. Maya, I hope you enjoy this heartwarming and magical book that celebrates our friendship. 

Hope – The Cloisters

Even though Hope and I are humanities and art students, we actually met in Science class in middle school. I wrote about the impact that Hope has had on my life in another blog post. Hope is compassionate and sincere and has an amazing zest for life. We are constantly updating each other about what we are reading at any given time, so Hope was following my journey reading this book for the first time. Her book recommendation probably does not come as a surprise to Hope because I have already talked to her about this book, but I want to share it here also because it was that good! The Cloisters is about Ann, who is a recent graduate student and obtained a research position at (you guessed it) The Cloisters, a gothic museum that focuses on medieval art. While she works alongside some curious coworkers to try to uncover a complete set of the oldest tarot deck, the lines between reality and the mystical begin to shift, leaving Ann wondering how much can truly be read in the cards. One of the main reasons I am recommending this novel to Hope is because she has visited The Cloisters in New York City. I find it so fun to read books that take place in a real-life setting that I have visited (hence, why I love to read books about London). She is also a dedicated art student who I know will love all the references to famous medieval artists and their works. The Cloisters was a surprise five-star for me because I walked into this novel with no expectations. I was completely sucked into the dangerous game of ambition that kept me turning the pages late into the night. Hope, I hope you enjoy this arcane and uncanny novel (and then maybe travel with me to the real Cloisters later)!

Louisa – Rebecca

Like Hope, I also met Louisa in high school. Our friendship stemmed from our constant time in the library together, our shared love of reading, and fabulous Sugar Witch ice cream sandwiches. She has been an incredible friend to me over the years, with plenty of home-cooked meals at college and space to vent during difficult times. Louisa is witty and funny and wickedly bright. Getting to see her graduate was an amazing and strange experience all at once because I cannot imagine St. Louis without her presence. Louisa once recommended me a Gothic novel, so I must recommend one to her in return! Rebecca is one of my favorite books. The novel follows the story of an unnamed narrator meeting Maxim de Winters, a widower. Upon marrying him, the narrator suddenly finds herself being haunted by the memory of his dead wife – Rebecca – as she attempts to settle into her role as the new Mrs. de Winters. The novel is beautifully written and reminds me of all my favorite parts from Jane Eyre (which I recently wrote about in another blog post)! I believe Louisa will enjoy the mystery surrounding the narrator, the Gothic atmosphere, and the underlying subtext hidden between the lines. Rebecca is a beautifully written novel with fantastic use of diction, motifs, and imagery. It is a truly haunting book and perfect to read in the autumn or winter season. Louisa, I hope you enjoy this alluring and eerie Gothic novel!

Meris – Divine Rivals

Is there anything English majors love more than books about writers? At least, this is the case for Meris and me. I have written about Meris in one of my very first blog posts because our relationship is truly founded on reading and writing. Meris is dependable and empathic and literally one of the funniest people I know. Being English majors was one of the first things that Meris and I bonded over, and our friendship just grew from there. We are constantly sharing books as well as trading writing samples for classes. So, it is only fitting that his book recommendation includes two characters who do the same things! Divine Rivals follows Iris and Kitt, two budding journalists, as they are caught in a vicious war as well as fighting each other for the columnist promotion at work. Throughout the novel, Iris writes letters to her brother fighting in the war and puts them under her wardrobe door, where they are magically sent to Kitt. I instantly fell in love with this book. I think that Meris would enjoy the fact that the two characters both have distinct writing styles. Reading the letters between Iris and Kitt was my favorite part, especially as they started to fall in love. It is a beautifully written book, so I know that Meris will fall in love with the writing style with its large vocabulary, perfectly painted images, and dynamic cast of characters. If anyone knows about my tough rating scale, it is Meris. He jokes that I am a harsh grader… well, I did rate Devine Rivals five stars! There is a sequel, so be prepared for a cliffhanger (sorry). Meris, I hope you enjoy this poignant and eloquent story about the power of love and the written word.

Avie – Before the Coffee Gets Cold

This is the first time that I am talking in detail about Avie on my blog, although I did mention her in another blog post very briefly. Before I introduce Avie, I want to discuss her book recommendation. Before the Coffee Gets Cold tells four stories about four different visitors who take advantage of the cafe’s unique ability to time travel back to the past. They have until their coffee gets cold (ha, get it?) to change the past. It is a touching and moving story that perfectly reflects the way that Avie has impacted my life. Avie is my Little in my sorority, which is a fancy way of saying that I act like her big sister. I met her during Recruitment in January. However, I feel like I have known her forever. I remember going up to my friend Marissa during Recruitment and telling her that I met my future Little after talking with Avie. I even texted my parents about her after meeting her! Avie is passionate and vibrant and extraordinary. The core of Before the Coffee Gets Cold is about realizing the impact that people have had on your life and Avie has been a huge influence on me this past year. She is one of my guiding lights when times are dark. I consider myself so lucky to be her Big, and I cannot wait to see her again when I get back to St. Louis! The novel is also about finding joy in small moments, which is something that Avie is especially good at. She is so positive and can always lift my mood with a simple hug (hence, the photo accompanying this blog post). I know that she will love the stories about love, second chances, hope, and joy. Avie, I hope you enjoy this emotional and heartfelt novel!

Conclusion

I love gifting novels to friends and family for Christmas or their birthdays because it shows them how much I love them. I consider it one of my special talents. It is also something that brings me so much joy because it shows that person so many things. It shows that you understand them. It shows that you pay attention to them, even the smallest details. It shows the power of novels to connect people. It shows that you are thinking about them even when you are apart. Through this blog post, I hope that you can see the power of recommending a good book to a friend and walked away with at least one book to add your list!

Also, to any of my friends reading this, if you do end up reading the books I recommended, please text me! I would love to know what you think. If you would like more recommendations, I will always have them!

Bibliography

The Dinner List by Rebecca Serle

The Cloisters by Katy Hays

Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier

Divine Rivals by Rebecca Ross

Before the Coffee Gets Cold by Toshikazu Kawaguchi