Christmas Gift Guide For Book Lovers 2025

I love getting literary themed presents for Christmas.

There’s nothing like the feeling of getting to Christmas day evening where dinner is done, presents have been given and I can rest in the quiet of the night with a book or a book themed item that I’ve luckily been gifted.

If, like my family, you have a bibliophile in your life and are struggling on what to get them, here are five of my recommendations. The best part, they are all under £20 (I am not getting paid to promote these, I just love them).

A Literary Cat For Every Day Of The Year by Tara Richardson. (RRP 14.99)

This is my kind of present.. Cats and books. I don’t think it gets better. This book by Tara Richardson brings together quotes and passages from some of the best cats in literature. It includes generalised quotes about cats to more famous sayings from T.S Elliot to the Cheshire Cat from Alice in Wonderland.

I am a proper cat lady, and I am not ashamed to say that I may purchase this for myself if I don’t get it for Christmas. I have been dropping hints to Mr. Novel Kicks. Haha.

There is an entry for every day of the year so it’s the gift that keeps on giving all the way through 2026.

It can be purchased at Waterstones.

50 Must-Read Books Of The World Bucket List 1000-Piece Jigsaw Puzzle. (£18.00)

OK, I know this isn’t technically a book but it’s a puzzle with books on it so I feel it counts…right? I know I would love this. I have gained an appreciation for jigsaw puzzles as I’ve grown older.

This puzzle is made up of 1000 pieces and would be a perfect way to spend a couple of hours in that strange time between Christmas and New Year. Does anyone keep up with the days during that weird passage of time? This puzzle will also potentially give the reader in your life a chance to discover new book titles to add to the TBR pile.

The website also suggests that, once you’re done putting it together, you could frame it which I think is a lovely idea.

This item can be purchased at The Literary Gift Company.

Beyond & Within – Then There Were More Crime Anthology – edited by Martin Edwards. (£16.99)

This anthology from the Crime Writer’s Association would be perfect for the crime fiction fan in your life. This book features short stories from Anne Perry, Christine Poulson, Andrew Taylor, Amy Myers, Judith Cutler, Gillian Linscott, Martin Edwards, Bernie Crosthwaite, Catherine Aird, Simon Brett, Yvonne Eve Walus, John Harvey, Kate Ellis, Zoe Sharp, Bill Knox, Cath Staincliffe, Liza Cody, Ann Cleeves, and Peter Lovesey.

There’s a wide range of various mysteries and dark crimes to escape into. There is even a bit of magic and myth contained within. The book itself is beautiful too so would love lovely on a bookshelf.

It’s available to buy via Flame Tree Publishing.

A Book Of Book Lists: A Bibliophile’s Compendium – Alex Johnson. (£9.99)

Who here loves lists? I don’t know what it is, but there’s something great about making a list. This book gives you many lists. As you can see from the book cover, this is not the usual ‘books you need to read before you turn 50’ list or anything like that, it’s more about lists of book titles that have been left the most in hotels, the books that MP’s have borrowed the most, the books on the International Space Station and the novels from Desert Island Discs.

This Compendium has the potential for the reader to learn a lot about the types of novels that are read by strangers. If, like me, you’re nosy and love knowing about people, this book of lists would make a perfect gift. You could even set yourselves reading challenges from it and read the books from a specific list?

This is available to buy from Amazon UK.

A Little Book About Books – Compiled by Marcus E. Leaver. (£6.99)

‘Books are a uniquely portable magic’ – Stephen King.

My final recommendation is A Little Books About Books. Like the books about cats that I recommended above, this little but simple gift is one that can be visited many times. This is full of quotes from all sorts of books.

The chapters include ‘one-liners’, ‘the magic of books’, ‘the power of words and writing’, ‘a precious gifts and, my personal favourite, ‘mirrors of the soul’. If you ask me, this book will make a perfect Secret Santa gift for someone. It’s certainly a book I’d love to have on my desk and will give the recipient a little bit of story magic when they need to escape for a few seconds.

This book is available at Bookshop.org.

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Those are my recommendations. I hope it helps you find something for the special people in your life. Which title jumps out at you? Let me know in the comments below.

(*All prices of items listed correct at time of posting.)