Hey all! I have a friend that has a birthday coming up in a couple weeks or so and I wanted to get them a book because they’re pretty open to different genres and reading new things. However, I myself haven’t read a truly great book in a very long time so I’m fresh out of suggestions for others 😭 this friend really likes John Gwynne (they just read Shadow of the Gods and loved it) the Dune series, and LOVES The Outsiders by SE Hinton and When We Were Villains. They also really like The Foxhole Court series and The Hunger Games. I’m getting them some other stuff too but I wanted suggestions for the book side of things that I could check out. Thank you!
EDIT: to give more options, someone else recommended The Woman in White to me which is a good option I think due to its atmosphere. Just looking for more things to look into though.
by Silent-Ambassador904
2 Comments
Hey there! First off, full disclosure: this is shameless self-promotion, but I think my book (Fall to Pieces) could actually be a great pick for your friend’s birthday.
It’s a gritty, raw, and deeply human story about a disabled vet named Tyler who’s trying to find his way out of a brutal cycle of addiction, homelessness, and survival on the streets. The book doesn’t sugarcoat anything — it’s honest about struggle, poverty, and the search for meaning in a broken system. If your friend digs character-driven stories that don’t shy away from the darker sides of life but still have moments of hope and humanity, this could really resonate.
Plus, it’s got a strong social commentary angle, exploring the crushing economics of the American Dream and the bonds people form when everything else is stripped away. It’s not just a story about hardship — it’s about transformation, survival, and finding family in unexpected places.
If that sounds like something your friend might appreciate, you can look for my book releasing August 15, 2025. Thanks for letting me share, and I hope your friend loves whatever you pick!
Any thing written by Terry Pratchett or Neil Gaiman.