TOP 5 Books to Give This Holiday Season

The holidays are almost here!  Have you finished your shopping yet?  What about the book lover in your life?  Have you found the perfect book for him or her yet?  

If not, here is my list of TOP 5 books to give this holiday season. I'm sure there is a novel on this list for every reader in your life.

My Favorite Books of 2014

1. Fiction / Paranormal: Leaving Time by Jodi Picoult is a must-read for both animal advocates and readers of mystery and occult novels. I know that sounds like an interesting combination, but trust me on this. This is unquestionably the most important novel of the year.  Although classified as fiction, there is nothing fictional about the urgent plight of elephants worldwide.  (Read full description and review here.)  

2. Fiction / Literary: The Search for Intelligent Life on Earth by Gerry Pirani is a debut novel and an award-winning finalist of the 2014 USA Book Awards in a fiction category.  This was the best surprise of the year with characters you will instantly connect with.  This novel will have you re-evaluating your own life and demons. Recommended for adult fans of literary fiction. (Read full description and review here.)

3. Young Adult / Realistic Fiction: Eleanor and Park by Rainbow Rowell was my favorite young adult novel read this year.  It is a timeless story of ill-fated love and what it takes to be your own person. Recommended for high school readers and adults who enjoy young adult fiction, especially if you grew up in the 1980s. (Read full description and review here.) 

4. Young Adult / Fantasy: Ingrid by Lynnette Kraft is a light-fantasy, young adult novel that shows how guilt, regret, and bitterness can tear away at the core of one's own soul. This was the most uplifting novel I read this year.  Don't forget to download the original soundtrack that accompanies this novel! Recommended for middle and high school students.   (Read full description and review here.) 

5.  Crime / Detective: The Silkworm by Robert Galbraith is the second in the Cormoran Strike series. This is a sophisticated crime novel that picks up right where The Cuckoo's Calling left off.   It is a welcome relief from others in this genre where you crack the case half-way through the book. Recommended to fans of J.K. Rowling.  (Read full description and review here.) 

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It was no easy feat to narrow this list down to only five books.  I particularly read a lot of young adult fiction, so I picked two that I felt were quite different. Check out my full list of book reviews to find your next novel.  Happy Reading!