I ordered two books, but got three because the publisher lost my order, then realized that they never sent it, and sent a third book as an apology.
As we enter gift-giving season, what's the book you're giving your friends/ family? Alternatively, what's the book you're dropping hints about wanting someone else to buy for you?
For my mom's birthday (this past weekend), I got her Ædnan by Linnea Axelsson, because she loves winter and Scandinavia and indigenous stories, so this seemed like a slam dunk.
I'm excited to read the fifth Stormlight book that comes out this week, and I'd like to get to the new James S. A. Corey series at some point as well (The Mercy of Gods came out in August, but I haven't got to it yet), so those would probably make good gifts for me.
I wouldn't mind getting any of Simon Stålenhag's books -- Tales from the Loop, The Electric State, Things from the Flood, etc.
I just read Brothers by Alex Van Halen which is kind of a love letter to Eddie and kind of a reminiscence of the early Van Halen years. A good gift to that Van Halen fan in your orbit.
Stay away from The Marriage Portrait by Maggie O'Farrell. Same author of the wonderful book Hamnet. This book is not that. It's very show off-y, while the story lingers as the author describes everything in exquisite detail. Plus the "twist" is obvious less than a third of the way through.
If you know anyone who likes poetry, may I suggest Raised By Wolves from Graywolf Press. It's has poems from 50 years of Graywolf's archives where 50 Graywolf poets have selected 50 poems by other Graywolf poets, offering insightful prose reflections on their selections.
Oooh, Raised by Wolves sounds interesting! (Speaking as a onetime Graywolf intern...)
https://www.graywolfpress.org/books/raised-wolves
I put Words from Hell on the jalapeno's gift list; it seems like a good one for a 14-year-old.