Over the past two years, I’ve had the pleasure of getting to know many of the talented authors at my new publishing house, Black Rose Writing. I’ve also become closer with some of the authors from my last publisher, the now-defunct TouchPoint Press. (If you want to know the sad ending of that debacle, here’s an article from Publishers Weekly in which several authors including me are interviewed.) With the holiday gift-giving season upon us, I thought, What better time to share with you some book recommendations from these wonderful authors? And so I present, my Holiday Gift Guide.
I have read, and thus can personally recommend, these books. I’ve included my own brief description and sorted them by genre so you can skip to your favorite (or take a chance and browse them all, try something new…). None of them are hard-core literary fiction if that’s your thing, but many I would consider “upmarket fiction” which combines beautiful prose with a compelling plot. Others are classic thrillers and historical fiction. Click on a cover to get more info including a longer description, reviews and purchasing information.
Many of these have won awards. A few are part of a series but can be read as standalone stories. All are available as paperback and ebook, and some as audiobook.
So with apologies to those authors whose books I read but couldn’t fit in because the list was getting ridiculously long (I already went over my target of 15 books), and to those authors whose books I’ve long wanted to read but still haven’t, here is my list of 16 recommended books to read and gift this holiday season.
And scroll to the end to see my Top 3 Reads of 2024, as published recently on Shepherd.com.
My Books
First, I would be remiss if I didn’t remind you of my seven books, all of which make great gifts. The first three pictured below are adult contemporary fiction. Shannon’s Odyssey is for Middle Grade readers – I usually suggest it’s for ages 8-11 but the other day I met a 7-year-old who was reading Harry Potter, which is generally considered to be for ages 9 and up, so go figure. And the last one pictured is the first in my three-part Bit Players Young Adult series for teens and tweens.
Click on a cover to see where the book is available online. And if you’re near Manchester, N.H., you can now find my books at the Manchester Craft Market in the Mall of New Hampshire.
Holiday Gift Guide: 16 Recommended Books
Without further ado, here are the 16 books in my Holiday Gift Guide. Note that I am not breaking out Women’s Fiction as a genre because that term annoys me. Want to know why? I actually wrote about that here. Again, click on a cover below for more info and purchasing information.
Contemporary Fiction
My Year of Casual Acquaintances by Ruth F. Stevens (no relation to me), in which a recently divorced woman cycles through a new, casual friendship each month, trying to keep life light. A sequel, The Unexpected Guests, comes out soon.
Forks & Knives: A Marriage at the Crossroads of Addiction and Codependency by Mimi Wahlfeldt, a thought-provoking and searingly honest look at the different paths a troubled marriage might have taken, presented in “parallel universes.”
The Stories We Cannot Tell by Leslie Rasmussen, a crisply written, fast-paced and very funny novel that raises all kinds of interesting philosophical questions related to pregnancy and motherhood as two women struggle with deeply personal choices.
Analyzing the Prescotts by Dawn Reno Langley, LGBTQ+ Fiction, about a man who leaves his wife and children to transition to the female gender, and the therapist who treats the family, in an intriguing read that packs a highly dramatic ending.
Finding Naomi by Diane Nagatomo, a well-written and entertaining coming-of-age romance set in the very different worlds of Japan and Nebraska; I particularly enjoyed learning about the cultures of both places. (Release date Nov. 14.)
Once in a Lifetime by Suzanne Grieco Mattaboni, a coming-of-age story that takes place in 1984 (which some now consider historical fiction!), set in the gritty, slam-dancing, Mohawk-wearing, safety-pin-adorned punk scene as New Wave music was taking off.
Mystery & Thriller
A Dark Drink by Tina O’Hailey, a satisfyingly horrifying psychological thriller, with highly original characters including vice presidential motorcade member, avid caver and amateur mixologist Jude; and the whip-smart, trans, social media whiz Mercedez.
A River of Crows by Shanessa Gluhm, in which family secrets, cross-generational intrigue, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, double lives and creeping insanity all factor into a murderous good time that falls in the crime fiction and domestic thriller sub-genres.
Scorched: Burn Me Once… is a new release from Cam Torrens, and the third installment in his Tyler Zahn series. I actually read the second in the series, False Summit, which was a crisp psychological crime thriller with plenty of bad guys to keep you guessing.
What Really Happened to Steve Nathan by Mary Marchese falls in the Thriller genre but it’s more a lovely story about family, self and forgiveness, filled with lots of intrigue. Set in Vietnam and California in dual time periods including the Vietnam War.
Captives by Travis Tougaw is a crime thriller packed with drama, suspense and tension, but also humor as three detectives work to solve a kidnapping. The plot makes it a stay-up-all-night read but it’s the very well-developed characters that set this book apart.
A Place Unmade by Carla Seyler, an environmental thriller that raises ethical questions about our modern food supply wrapped up in a fast-paced suspenseful story; even though the villain is revealed early on, it’s still a page-turner.
Come and Get Me by Marisa Rae Dondlinger, a binge-worthy book in the crime fiction and domestic thriller sub-genres. A story of revenge, relationships and misguided love with extremely well-developed characters battling against time to save a child.
Fantasy
Dead Egyptians by Del Blackwater took me by surprise in a good way. It is historical fantasy with an LGBTQ+ twist, a clever premise, witty writing and a grand adventure in Cairo with Pharaohs, mysterious characters, and a love for the ages.
Memoir
Following Sunshine by Niamh McAnally is both a self-discovery journey and a love story wrapped up in travelogue paper. If you like adventure travel and sailing, or if you want to experience them vicariously, this is for you.
Historical Fiction
A Thousand Flying Things by Kathy Ramsberger offers a fascinating peek into the life of a humanitarian aid worker in Sudan under the thumb of a warlord, before shifting into a love story between an American woman and a Lebanese man.
My Top 3 Reads of 2024
If you want even more book ideas, check out my 3 favorite reads of 2024 so far, as published on book recommendation site Shepherd.com.
