Hello friends! 

Today I’m bringing you one more holiday-themed post! I hope you’re doing well and I hope you are excited for the holidays just like I am – can’t you tell I’m excited?

Every year I write a “Books I would love to find under the Christmas Tree” post, so it only makes sense for me to keep it up in 2024! But there’s a small difference this year – instead of 10 books, I’m doing 8 this time. To be honest, I struggled a little to find books to add to the list, so I kept it a little shorter this year. It seems like I don’t want to receive any books, but I promise you it is not the case!

So today I’m bringing you 8 books that I would be thrilled to find under my Christmas tree. These are books that have been on my radar for the last few months and I don’t have physical copies (yet).

Ok, enough talking – let’s dive in!

Let’s take a closer look at each book individually!

1. I Want to Eat Your Pancreas by Yoru Sumino

I have been intrigued by this book for a very long time! It seems like a really interesting and deep story, and the cool thing is that it is a graphic novel! As far as I know, this is a duology and the last book was published for the first time in 2026 – so I think it’s safe to assume this is going to stay a short series, which is great news for me. I would love to read this in a physical format!

Synopsis

“In this deeply moving first-person story, an introverted high school boy finds his classmate’s diary―and learns her biggest secret. Yamauchi Sakura is dying from a pancreatic disease and now he is the only one person outside her family to know the truth. The last thing the boy wants is to be her friend, but Sakura’s cheerful demeanor and their shared secret draw them together in this heartrending tale of friendship and mortality.”

2. Gleanings (Scythe #3.5) by Neal Shusterman

The science-fiction/fantasy series “Scythe” is one of my favorite book series of all time. So you should’ve seen my face when I saw the author released this new book! I thought this was a novella type of book, but it seems like it’s a full-length book, which was very surprising to me. But when I get to this book, I will need to read the entire trilogy again first because I want to have a fresh memory! Needless to say, I would be thrilled to find this book under the Xmas tree!

Synopsis

“The New York Times bestselling Arc of the Scythe series continues with “captivating…thrilling” ( School Library Journal ) stories that span the timeline. Storylines continue. Origin stories are revealed. And new Scythes emerge!
There are still countless tales of the Scythedom to tell. Centuries passed between the Thunderhead cradling humanity and Scythe Goddard trying to turn it upside down. For years, humans lived in a world without hunger, disease, or death with Scythes as the living instruments of population control.
Neal Shusterman—along with collaborators David Yoon, Jarrod Shusterman, Sofía Lapuente, Michael H. Payne, Michelle Knowlden, and Joelle Shusterman—returns to the world throughout the timeline of the Arc of a Scythe series. Discover secrets and histories of characters you’ve followed for three volumes and meet new heroes, new foes, and some figures in between.
Gleanings shows just how expansive, terrifying, and thrilling the world that began with the Printz Honor–winning Scythe truly is.”

3. Beyond the Story by BTS & Myeongseok Kang

Of all the books I’m sharing with you today, this is the only one you will recognize from my previous posts. The reason behind this is that I actually started reading the audiobook version a few months ago. But I never made much progress because I realized something important: this shouldn’t be read as an audiobook. Sure, there’s an audiobook version available, but I believe this book needs to be experienced in its physical form. There are photographs and art to be enjoyed… and I can’t do that with the audiobook version. And that is why I would be super happy if I ever get this book in a physical copy – because that would mean I can finally read it!

Synopsis

“THE FIRST EVER OFFICIAL BOOK—
Published in celebration of BTS’s 10th Anniversary, stories that go beyond what you already know about BTS, including unreleased photos, QR codes of videos, and all album information.
After taking their first step into the world on June 13, 2013, BTS will celebrate the 10th anniversary of their debut in June 2023. They have risen to the peak as an iconic global artist and during this meaningful time, they look back on their footsteps in the first official book. In doing so, BTS nurtures the power to build brighter days and they choose to take another step on a road that no one has gone before.
BTS shares personal, behind-the-scenes stories of their journey so far through interviews and more than three years of in-depth coverage by Myeongseok Kang, who has written about K-pop and other Korean pop culture in various media. Presented chronologically in seven chapters from before the debut of BTS to the present, their vivid voices and opinions harmonize to tell a sincere, lively, and deep story. In individual interviews that have been conducted without a camera or makeup, they illuminate their musical journey from multiple angles and discuss its significance.
In addition, portrait photos that show BTS as individuals and artists open the book, and throughout there are concept photos, tracklists of all previous albums, and over 330 QR codes. As digital artists, BTS has been communicating with the world through the internet and this book allows readers to immediately access trailers, music videos, and more online to have a rich understanding of all the key moments in BTS history. Complete with a timeline of all major milestones, BEYOND THE STORY is a remarkable archive—truly everything about BTS in one volume.”

4. Penance by Kanae Minato

Ever since I’ve read “Confessions” from this author, I became very interested in reading her other books. So I decided to add this one to the list! If it’s as good as the one I just mentioned, I’m in for a treat!

Synopsis

“The tense, chilling story of four women haunted by a childhood trauma.
When they were children, Sae, Maki, Akiko and Yuko were tricked into separating from their friend Emily by a mysterious stranger. Then the unthinkable occurs: Emily is found murdered hours later.
Sae, Maki, Akiko and Yuko weren’t able to accurately describe the stranger’s appearance to the police after Emily’s body was discovered. Asako, Emily’s mother, curses the surviving girls, vowing that they will pay for her daughter’s murder.
Like Confessions, Kanae Minato’s award-winning, internationally bestselling debut, Penance is a dark and voice-driven tale of revenge and psychological trauma that will leave readers breathless.”

5. The Girl With No Reflection by Keshe Chow

I’m not ashamed of saying that this book caught my attention by its beautiful cover and intriguing title – and nothing more, because I have absolutely no idea what it is about. The truth my friends, is that I’ll be that person for the rest of my life – picking books by the cover whener I feel like it! Do I really care? Not really! Santa please, put this beauty under my Xmas tree!

Synopsis

“A young woman chosen as the crown prince’s bride must travel to the royal palace to meet her new husband—but her world is shaken when she discovers the dark truth the royal family has been hiding for centuries—in this lush fantasy debut perfect for fans of Song of Silver, Flame Like Night and Violet Made of Thorns.
Princess Ying Yue believed in love…once upon a time.
Yet when she’s chosen to wed the crown prince, Ying’s dreams of a fairy tale marriage quickly fall apart. Her husband-to-be is cold and indifferent, confining Ying to her room for reasons he won’t explain. Worse still are the rumors that swirl around the imperial whispers of seven other royal brides who, after their own weddings, mysteriously disappeared.
Left alone with only her own reflection for company, Ying begins to see things. Strange things. Movements in the corners of her mirror. Colorful lights upon its surface. And when, on the eve of her wedding, she unwittingly tears open a gateway, she is pulled into a mirror world.
This realm is full of sentient reflections, including the enigmatic Mirror Prince. Unlike his real-world counterpart, the Mirror Prince is kind and compassionate, and before long Ying falls in love—the kind of love she always dreamed of.
But there is darkness in this new world, too.
It turns out the two worlds have a long and blood-soaked history, and Ying has a part to play in the future of them both. And the brides who came before Ying? By the time they discovered what their role was, it was already too late.”

6. The Rom-Commers by Katherine Center

Ever since I started reading Katherine Center’s books, I have become obsessed with her stories! She writes wonderful books, and I wish more readers gave her a chance to be wowed. This is one of the books I haven’t read yet, so I would be thrilled to find it under the Xmas tree. I don’t know a lot about this story in particular, but I prefer it that way at times – so I’ll probably start this one without knowing too much about the story.

Synopsis

“She’s rewriting his love story. But can she rewrite her own?
Emma Wheeler desperately longs to be a screenwriter. She’s spent her life studying, obsessing over, and writing romantic comedies―good ones! That win contests! But she’s also been the sole caretaker for her kind-hearted dad, who needs full-time care. Now, when she gets a chance to re-write a script for famous screenwriter Charlie Yates―The Charlie Yates! Her personal writing god!―it’s a break too big to pass up.
Emma’s younger sister steps in for caretaking duties, and Emma moves to L.A. for six weeks for the writing gig of a lifetime. But what is it they say? Don’t meet your heroes? Charlie Yates doesn’t want to write with anyone―much less “a failed, nobody screenwriter.” Worse, the romantic comedy he’s written is so terrible it might actually bring on the apocalypse. Plus! He doesn’t even care about the script―it’s just a means to get a different one green-lit. Oh, and he thinks love is an emotional Ponzi scheme.
But Emma’s not going down without a fight. She will stand up for herself, and for rom-coms, and for love itself. She will convince him that love stories matter―even if she has to kiss him senseless to do it. But… what if that kiss is accidentally amazing? What if real life turns out to be so much… more real than fiction? What if the love story they’re writing breaks all Emma’s rules―and comes true?”

7. Kimi Ni Todoke, Vol. 1 by Karuho Shiina

Oh, I would be so happy to find this beauty under the Xmas tree! I’m so obsessed with this story that I devoured both of the series on Netflix – the manga version and the live-action action! This is a manga series I definitely want to read in the future, so I’m reading this regardless I have a physical copy or not. Very excited to dive into it in the future!

Synopsis

“Sawako Kuronuma is the perfect heroine…for a horror movie. With striking similarities to a haunting movie character–jet-black hair, sinister smile and silent demeanor–she’s mistakenly called Sadako by those around her. But behind her scary façade is a very misunderstood teenager. Too shy to fit in, all she wants to do is make some friends. But when the most popular boy in class befriends her, she’s sure to make more than just that–she’s about to make some enemies too!”

8. Borrow my Heart by Kasie West

If you have been following my blog for a while, you already know I’m a huge Kasie West fan! I’ve read almost all of her books by now, and this book is one of the exceptions that I haven’t gotten into yet. So for that reason, I would be thrilled to find this book under the Xmas tree! Kasie writes the cutest and most fluffy contemporary YA romance you’ll ever read, so I will always recommend her books to readers of the same genre.

Synopsis

“When a girl overhears a guy getting verbally destroyed by his friends for being catfished, she jumps in to save the day—and pretends to be his online crush.
Wren is used to being called a control freak. She doesn’t care; sticking to the list of rules she created for herself helps her navigate life. But when a cute guy named Asher walks through the door of her neighborhood coffee shop, the rulebook goes out the window.
Asher is cute, charming… and being catfished by his online crush. So Wren makes an uncharacteristically impulsive decision—she pretends to be the girl he’s waiting for to save him from embarrassment. Suddenly she’s fake-dating a boy she knows nothing about. And it’s… amazing.
It’s not long before Asher has her breaking even more of her own rules. But will he forgive her when he finds out she’s not who she says she is? Wren’s not so sure… After all, rules exist for a reason.”

Cool selection, right? Whether I find these in my Christmas tree or not, I still really want to read them in the future. Oh, dear Santa, I’ve been good(ish) this year! I’ll take my reward in books, thank you very much!

What about you, friends? What books do you hope to get this Christmas? Do you have a book list for Santa ready? Have you read any of these? Let me know in the comments!

Thank you for reading, aaaand I’ll see you in the next one!