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Forget about the same old ugly ties and fruitcakes! This holiday season, give your friends and family the gift of entertainment! For the price of that tasteless fruitcake, you can buy your favorite aunt a thrilling mystery. Or, for the price of that hideous tie, you can get your brother a movie that he’ll actually enjoy.
Need help picking out the perfect gift? Your friends at N&W.com are here to help! We’ve been buried in books, movies, and other entertaining goodies all year long—so we know a thing or two about the best, most entertaining gifts. So before you head online (or battle the crowds at the mall) to buy gifts for those you’ve deemed “Nice” this year, be sure to add some of our favorites to your shopping list.
Margaret’s Picks:
For those with e-book readers, I recommend I Didn’t Hear Anything by Jenni Holbrook. This charming romantic comedy is sure to put a smile in your day. I also recommend Bannon’s Brides by Loretta C. Rogers. The Wild West comes alive through the skillful imagination of this author. Another wonderful historical romance is Texas Hearts by Rachel Smith—epic, moving, suspenseful, and unique. On the horror front, I recommend Boleyn: Tudor Vampire by Cinsearae Santiago. This story of revenge will have you looking at Anne Boleyn in a whole new light.
For mystery lovers, I recommend: Burn by Nevada Barr. She takes a split personality to a whole new level of creepiness. I also recommend the quirky No Hope for Gomez! by Graham Parke. This unusual character will keep you enthralled on every page. A historical mystery is a also good choice, and I suggest A Curtain Falls by Stefanie Pintoff. Readers will get caught up in early twentieth-century forensics and criminology. Also, The Holy Thief by William Ryan is superbly written, hauntingly terrifying, and historically fascinating.
For thrills, I recommend Ice Cold by Tess Gerritsen. Not only is it full of suspense and chills, but Boston Medical Examiner Maura Isles is one of the most memorable characters ever written. Hypothermia by Arnaldur Indridason is a good choice. An ordinary crime turns into something that puts a chill in your psyche but also manages to touch your heart. And no list would be complete without Jason Bourne. The Bourne Objective by Eric Van Lustbader will take you on a most delightful and clever spin as Bourne and Arkadin face off.
For the TV series buffs on your list, I recommend Supernatural: The Complete Fifth Season on DVD. If you’re like me, you can’t get enough of Sam and Dean Winchester protecting the innocent from demons, vampires, zombies, ghosts, and other creepy things that crawl at night.
And, finally, after all the holiday food and drink overload, I recommend picking up a copy of Cutting Myself in Half by Taylor LeBaron as a gift for yourself. It’ll inspire you to take off those extra holiday pounds.
Kristin’s Picks:
For the commuter, frequent traveler, or tech-savvy lit geek: Barnes and Noble’s Nook (which, incidentally, you can actually buy on Amazon—but, for more info, visit Nook.com). I finally got one this summer, and I couldn’t be happier. Though I haven’t become an e-book-only reader (and I’m pretty sure I never will), I’m always eager to crack open the Nook and read something on its page-like screen. Of course, if you want a colorful reading experience, there’s the new NookColor—but I love my plain old black-and-white Wi-fi only Nook. If you’re working with a slightly higher gift-giving budget, I highly recommend it.
For cheeky chicks: If you’re shopping for a reader who thinks outside the usual chick lit, try Sophie Littlefield’s tough-girl crime novel, A Bad Day for Pretty, or Adrienne Barbeau’s steamy vampire mystery, Love Bites. You might want to throw in a copy of the Fix-It and Forget-It Cookbook, so she can spend less time cooking and more time reading.
For the retro time-travel aficionado: Pick up a copy of the Back to the Future trilogy on Blu-ray. To make it a fun gift basket, throw in Back to the Future: The Card Game—and maybe some Calvin Klein underwear.
For the fanboy: Try a trio of action-packed Blu-ray releases: Edgar Wright’s indie hipster action-comedy, Scott Pilgrim vs. the World, Christopher Nolan’s brilliant brain-bender, Inception, and the dark superhero comedy, Kick-Ass.
For the family: Spice up family game night with a new game or two. For some fast and frantic family-friendly action, try Spot It! or Triplica. Or, for your favorite word whiz, pick up Stir ‘em Up.
So what made our Christmas lists this year?
My Amazon wish list is loaded with classic books and my favorite movies on Blu-ray—like The Princess Bride and Charade. I’m also hoping for a big, roomy 16 GB microSD card for my Nook—and a cool Nook skin from DecalGirl.com.
What does Margaret want for Christmas? “The complete X-Files series on DVD; also, the second season of Fringe, along with the third and fourth seasons of The Pretender starring Michael T. Weis, and any movie by writer/producer/director, M. Night Shyamalan.”
Now that you’ve got plenty of holiday gift-giving ideas, it’s time to get shopping! With a few clicks of your mouse, you can have everything picked out, purchased, and headed for your mailbox—and you can rest assured that you’ll be giving a whole bunch of gifts that your friends and family will love. Then, your shopping headaches behind you, you can spend the rest of the holiday season relaxing on the couch with your favorite holiday movie, a mug of steamy hot chocolate, and a plate full of cookies (just be sure to save some for Santa!).
From all of us at N&W.com to all of you, our beloved readers, we wish you the happiest of holidays—and an entertaining New Year!
