50 Best Gifts for Book Lovers – 2023

by Jaylynn Korrell

Buying gifts for book lovers ain’t easy.

All they ever do is read. For the first few years of your relationship, you probably tried to buy the books they like, but it’s difficult to keep up with their interests or pinpoint their specific reading tastes. Then maybe you moved past buying books, and you got them coffee mugs. And then you did it again and again and questioned if there are any good gifts for book lovers left.

Now here you are, ready to go beyond your usual choices and find a unique & awesome bookish gift to buy for them.

I’ve been dating a book lover for almost a decade now and can tell you firsthand how difficult it has been to keep coming up with ideas over the years. It may be even harder to find gifts for writers! But last year, I came up with some absolute winners and have seen firsthand how often they went to use.

So, I’m sharing them with you.

Here are 50 of the best gifts for book lovers that the reader in your life will actually love.

(Everything on IBR lists has been independently selected by a very picky group of people. We may earn a commission on items you purchase through our links.)

---

#1. Literary Candle

Having a candle burning while you’re reading creates the ultimate ambiance, and it’s so much better when the scent is book related. It used to be impossible to recreate the amazing book smell that book lovers can’t get enough of. But now, with this awesome candle, you can have that scent wafting in your room whenever you want.

#2. Novel Teas

Check out these punny book lover tea blends featuring quotes from famous authors! If you’re like most people and have been buying book lovers mugs for all these years, it’d be nice of you to switch it up and buy them something to put in the mug. The perfect drink to read with is tea, and there’s a lot of delicious and creative tea out there.

Snag them a bag of loose leaf with a cute little strainer and they’ll finally be able to put those mugs to work.

#3. A reading journal

Whether they know it or not, the reader in your life could love an opportunity to track the books they read. This one offers readers spaces to fill out their favorite bits about the books they’ve read as well as writing prompts.

#4. Neck Reading Light

When you’re a reader, there is no time of day that reading is off limits. The reader in my life always feels the urge to read at night-time, but I’m sleeping over here, so he can’t just leave the light on.

That’s when he breaks out his new book light. He can curve the light to face the pages, and illuminate every word he needs to see—all while I’m sleeping soundly. And this way, he has no reason to bring his phone to bed like he did with the flashlight. These are perfect gifts for book lovers!

#5. Essential Novel Scratch-Off Poster

Keeping track of the classics you read has never been more fun. This poster features 100 spaces with book titles around them. Each time you read one, you scratch off the space and a unique icon for that book will appear.

#6. A Small Bookshelf

Any book lover will be glad to have more space to put their beloved books. This little bookshelf is a great gift option that they can put on their nightstand or a small side table to help give it some literary flare. And if you love small book cases like this check out our small bookshelf idea blog post!

#7. Bananagrams Game

A good word game will entice any book lover, which is why readers love the game Bananagrams. This can be played with two players or many more. You make words out of a limited amount of scrabble-like tiles, and whoever can complete their words first before the tiles run out is the champion. Fair warning, this game can get pretty intense, but in a fun way. 

#8. 1,000 Books to Read Before You Die

If you can’t think of a good book suggestion for the book lover in your life, then you might find this book to be quite helpful. Gifts for book lovers that help them find their next favorite novel will be much appreciated, and this book is filled with 1,000 books that people are known to love.

#9. Audible Subscription

Listening to audiobooks is an awesome way to branch out as a reader and to ingest even more content. I love listening to nonfiction books while doing the dishes or cleaning.

An audible subscription is a gift for book lovers that will give them access to thousands of audio books to enjoy at their leisure. They can even start with a 30 day free trial!

#10. Personal Library Kit

If you know someone who is always willing to lend you a book, we’ve found the perfect gift for them. This personal library kit contains everything they’d need to start lending in a more organized way. It’ll make borrowing their books more fun, and help to ensure they always get them back!

#11. Bamboo Lap Desk

A lap desk is a great gift to give to readers and writers who prop up their laptop, big book, or eReader. It gives them a space to keep a notebook handy to write down notes and thoughts from the story. 

#12. Wooden Page Holder

Book lovers run into this problem all the time—especially with brand new books. How do you read when you’re busy straining to keep the book fully open the whole time?

This tool will help your book lover read with one hand, which they would probably prefer to do.

#13. Bookshop Gift Card

If you haven’t heard of Bookshop yet, you are in for a TREAT.

This bookselling e-commerce store has “a mission to financially support, local independent bookstores.” Since more people wanted to buy books online over the last decade, indie bookstores were hurting to compete with the shipping fees and delivery time that Amazon can work from. So bookstores needed an e-commerce site just to handle fulfillment.

That’s where Bookshop comes in. They are a non-profit that gives back to indie bookstores. You can send the reader in your life a gift card that allows them to choose whichever book they want to read while also supporting the industry they love so much. They can buy from their favorite indie booksellers like Independent Book Review (!), Uncle Bobbie’s Coffee & Books, and A Novel Idea. Pretty cool, right?!

#14. Literary Genius Playing Cards

A good deck of cards should be a staple in every home, and these ones will make perfect gifs for book lovers. They feature some of the most notable writers in history.

If you like this gift list, you might also like gifts for writers!

#15. Literary T-Shirt

This literary t-shirt is a great gift to give the reader in your life that isn’t afraid to rep their favorite hobby through their clothing choices. If you like this shirt you might also like some of the tees on our our best book shirts post!

#16. Awesome Indie Books

If you’re not already aware, most of the books that get shelved in the major bookstores across the country are published by just five big companies. But there are SO MANY amazing books put out every year by indie press and self-published authors. Honestly, some of the best books I’ve ever read are by cool indie presses like Two Dollar Radio, Feminist Press, and Tin House.

To give the book lover in your life something they might not expect, check out our starred reviews! Chances are that you’ll find something that your reader will love, and you’ll be supporting indie authors and an indie bookseller in the process.

#17. E-reader pillow stand

Free up your hands with this e-reader stand, which will safely hold your e-reader or kindle while you’re busy doing other things. It’s a great gift for people who use their kindle or e-reader to read cookbooks, or just like to read in bed. Cozy gifts for readers are good gifts indeed.

#18. Literary Tote Bag

Most literary people have a small obsession with buying books. And that’s fine! It makes useful gifts for book lovers like this all the more exciting to receive! They’ll be glad to have a new bag to accompany them to their favorite indie bookstore!

#19. Creative bookends

This is a great gift for book lovers who enjoy adding to their bookshelves. (As if that even needs to be said—who doesn’t?) If the reader in your life feels this way, giving them a cool bookend can give their shelf a more polished look. It even helps the books avoid damage due to excessive leaning.

Bookends come in all shapes and sizes, and they can serve a good purpose. I’ve seen bookends in the shape of animals, people, cool objects, and even abstract art. Oh, and be sure to grab two so that they add one of both sides of their shelf.

#20. Noise Cancelling Earbuds

Though some people can read no matter where they are, others are more easily distracted by the sound of others. Luckily, this no longer means you have to read alone in a room. Noise cancelling headphones can give readers the flexibility to read wherever they please, while avoiding having to hear the noisiness of their surroundings. 

#21. Literary Magazines

If you want to buy the book lover in your life something new to read, bypass the usual gift of a popular book and venture into the world of literary magazines! While you’re opening up the reader in your life to brand-new voices, you’ll also be supporting the small passionate community of literary magazine publishers and inspiring them to bring more art into the world.

#22. Eyeglass Holder

It’s no fun to be ready to dive into a book and not be able to find your reading glasses. Neat eyeglass holders are great gifts for book lovers who are known to misplace their reading glasses from time to time. 

#23. Book Tissue Dispenser

Liven up a common space with your love of great literature! This book tissue dispenser is a fun way to bring a literary element into an uncommon area of your home. 

#24. Library Card Socks

Can you ever have too many socks? These comfy feet-companions pay tribute to the due date card often seen in the backs on library books, and they’re one of those special, “Guess what I’m wearing,” kind of quiet library surprises that book lovers love. They’d also make great gifts for librarians.

#25. Kindle Paperwhite

I LOVE my Kindle Paperwhite. I still love and adore holding a physical book, but I can’t always do it at night or on the road.

With this gift, book lovers can gain immediate access to thousands of books on one device, AND they’re often much cheaper than physical books. It even gives them the option to join subscription services like Kindle Unlimited and/or BookBub to make sure they don’t pay full price for a great new book ever again.

No blue light either, so it’s easy on the eyes!

#26. Kindle Unlimited Gift Subscription

The gift of unlimited reading is probably among the top gifts for book lovers that you could give. This gift subscription can allow them to have up to 24 months of access to thousands of free titles!

#27. Typewriter Keyboard

There’s something nostalgic about hitting the keys of a typewriter. While an actual typewriter isn’t a very practical gift anymore, a typewriter keyboard can be fun, practical, and creative. It looks cool as a decoration and might inspire the writer in the house to pump out something incredible. 

#28. Bathtub Caddy for Reading

A bathtub caddy allows book lovers to safely place their book down in the tub and to rest their arms while they’re reading. And what a way to produce some ambiance! Light a candle, pour a glass of wine, and set it all on the bathtub caddy for a perfect night of reading.

#29. Upgraded Kindle

If you want a little more out of your standard Kindle, or you have an outdated one, an upgraded Kindle could be a great gift for readers. The Kindle Oasis comes with a few added features that the Kindle Paperwhite doesn’t have, like an adjustable warm light, a variety of color options and a convenient page turner.

#30. Library Candle

While you may not be able to sleep in an actual library, you can definitely help a home to smell more like one. Gifts for book lovers like this library candle can help to bring a similar aroma into their house and make them feel like they’re in one of their favorite places.

#31. Lit Chat: Conversation Starters about Books & Life

This little book holds 50 cards that act as conversation starters for people who love to talk about all things literary. 

#32. Book Locket Necklace

It can be impractical to bring a book with you wherever you go, but that doesn’t mean you can’t always rep your love of reading. One of the great gifts for readers is this unique book locket that can be filled with tiny text or pictures of those you love.

#33. Literary movie

A movie about books might just be the next best thing to reading them. Luckily there are a ton of literary movies to choose from. You can send them something that’s based off of a book or you can pick a movie that’s about a famous or fictional author. There’s a wide range of movies to pick from, so here are a few of my favorites:

• Paterson – A quiet life in Paterson, New Jersey (a rich literary history here!) featuring Adam Driver as a bus-driving poet.
• The Pieces I Am – Toni Morrison documentary
• The End of the Tour – Journalist (Jesse Eisenberg) interviews David Foster Wallace (Jason Segal) while on tour for Wallace’s Infinite Jest.

#34. Blue Light Blocking Glasses

If the book lover in your life likes to read on their iPad or LED-light tablet, they may be doing unknown damage to their eyes. That’s where blue light blocking glasses can be beneficial.  They could help readers turn pages for a far longer time than they currently can because they’re no longer looking away from the screen with a headache.

#35. Literary socks

A book lover will love putting on these literary socks. Features typewriter text of some of the most popular novels ever written, this gift for book lovers is sure to go over well.

#36. Literary Postcards

Most readers can appreciate the art of writing, and what better way to put that to use than by writing to friends! Postcards are a nostalgic way to check in on people, letting them know what you’re up to, so why not make them a little more literary while you’re at it?

#37. Personalized Bookmark

Everyone who reads needs bookmarks. This is about as close to a fact as I can get. I can’t tell you the amount of times that I’ve started a new book only to realize I’ve lost my old bookmark AGAIN.

Whether it’s an old piece of string or a delicately created work of art, so long as there are books, there will be bookmarks. So why not buy a bookmark with their favorite author on it? Or a cool quote? These can be perfect, inexpensive little gifts for book lovers.

#38. Book Themed Purse

No matter if you’re a teacher or a coffee shop reader, getting a literary tote bag can be a great way to carry your books, notebooks, pens, and other necessities along with you. And luckily, there’s a design for almost every style, so book lovers who prefer subtle, funny, or eye-catching looks will all have something unique for them.

#39. Book Enamel Pins

Book pins are a great way to decorate a bags and clothing for all ages. They’re the perfect small gift that will fit well into a stocking stuffer, or go great when paired with a few more gifts from this list for an awesome literary gift basket! 

#40. Blind date with two books

Surprise the literary fiction & nonfiction reader in your life with a blind date with two different books! Two Dollar Radio is an awesome indie press based out of Ohio, and every book I’ve read from them (like The Book of X & The Deeper the Water the Uglier the Fish!) has been a five-star reading experience.

With this offer, the editors over at 2DR choose two books from their backlist and send them over to you. Not only will you be supporting a small press and its authors, but your book lover will be reading something without the loud buzz of new release fever.

#41. “Booksmarks are for Quitters” mug

Every reader enjoys having a beverage to go with their book. This cool literary mug is one of the more popular gifts for book lovers, and a safe choice with a good vibe.

#42. Mug Warmer

A good cup of tea or coffee goes great with your favorite book, but it often doesn’t keep warm for the length of your reading experience. For this reason, mug warmers make great gifts for book lovers. It allows them to keep their hot beverage warm long after it would be naturally, and give them more time to enjoy it while diving into a good story. 

#43. Do You Read Me?: Bookstores Around the World

Who doesn’t love a book that’s main subject has to do with books? This gift for readers is a great coffee table book that showcases bookstores from around the world, giving readers a small adventure from the comfort of their living room.

#44.  Bookcase Ornament 

The perfect gift for readers during the holiday season can be something as simple as an ornament. You can mark the year for your reader with a cute bookcase ornament to hang on the tree this Christmas. 

#45. Bedside table lamp

Reading should be attainable at any time of the day, and a bedside table lamp helps to make that possible. 

#46. Scrabble

This popular word game is a must have for readers, who typically have the vocabulary to become really good at it pretty quickly.  It’s one of the more classic for a reason, so your reader will definitely appreciate having it.

Find more great gifts for kids who love to read!

#47. Jane Austen Jigsaw Puzzle

Few things challenge the mind like a jigsaw puzzle. This one in particular would be a fun choice for all those Jane Austen stans in your life. They’d also probably like something over at our Jane Austen gifts blog post!

#48. Floating Bookshelves

There are all sorts of different ways you can display your books. From book stands to traditional shelves to the IBR style of wooden crates, I thought I understood it all. But then I remembered…floating bookshelves! And, voila, this gifts for book lovers blog post was born.

I mean, just take a look at that picture. The reader in your life could use these floating bookshelves all throughout their house. But it’s not only about decoration. They’re also great for storing your books when you’re done reading them in bed.

#49. Transparent Book Vase

If the book lover in your life also has a green thumb you may want to consider giving them this transparent book style vase. It’s a great way to showcase their love of books in the home without displaying an actual book (which we’ve sure they’ve already done).

#50. Spine Bookshelf

When you have a lot of books, they begin to take over your living space. Just ask any book lover you know. A nice spine bookshelf is a great gift for readers who are looking to economize the space their book display takes up. With this bookshelf, the books are able to sit spine out, making them easily accessible while also being an attractive (& skinny) display of your collection.

---

About the Author

---

Thank you for reading “50 Best Gifts for Book Lovers” by Jaylynn Korrell! If you liked what you read, please spend some more time with us at the links below.