Jayda Justus of The History Mom recommends books for gift giving this holiday.

Favorite Fiction:

●      Nostalgic reading - The Star of Camp Greene by Joy Callaway

●      Old favorites made new - The Gatsby Gambit by Claire Anderson Wheeler, The Worlds of Jane Austen: The Influences and Inspiration Behind the Novels by Helena Kelly, and Jane Austen’s Fashion Bible by Ros Ballaster

●      Old favorite/new favorite pairing - Gone with the Wind by Margaret Mitchell and The Jackal’s Mistress by Chris Bohjalian.

●      Vacation reading - The Lost Baker of Vienna by Sharon Kurtzman 

●      Sweet reads - Katherine Reay, Kristy Cambron, Sarah Sundin, and Laura Frantz 

●      Entertaining reads - Destiny of the Republic by Candace Millard

250th for America:

●      For guys: fiction - Jeff Shaara and John Jakes, nonfiction - Rick Atkinson and Nathaniel Philbreck 

●      For women: fiction - King’s Mountain by Sharyn McCrumb, My Dear Hamilton by Stephanie Dray and Laura Kamoie, and Answering Liberty’s Call by Tracy Lawson. Nonfiction - Founding Mothers by Cokie Roberts

●      Middle grade: Susanna’s Midnight Ride by Libby McNamee

First Lady history:

●      Official White House China by William G. Allman

●      Jackie Kennedy: Jackie by Dawn Tripp and And They Called it Camelot by Stephanie Marie Thornton (fiction), and Designing Camelot by the White House Historical Society (nonfiction)

Royals watchers:

Nonfiction - Sally Bedell Smith has written many biographies of the Royal family and The Queen: The Life and Times of Elizabeth II by Catherine Ryan

Fiction - Christmas with the Queen by Hazel Gaynor and Heather Webb, The Gown and Coronation Year by Jennifer Robson, and The Queen’s Faithful Companion by Eliza Knight

Christmas Books:

O. Henry for the Holidays by O. Henry

Cookbooks:

The Southern Kitchen by Ivy Odom

The Pioneer Woman Cooks―The Essential Recipes: 120 Greatest Hits, New Twists, and Perfected Classics by Ree Drummond

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Jayda can be found on ⁠her website⁠ and ⁠Instagram⁠.

Want to know which new titles are publishing in January - May of 2026? Check out our fifth ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Literary Lookbook⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠which contains a comprehensive but not exhaustive list all in one place so you can plan ahead, and we color-code by genre in this one!

Looking for something new to read? Here is my monthly ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Buzz Reads⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ column with five new recommendations each month.

Link to my article about ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Best Books of 2025⁠.    

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