My Final Straightforward Christmas Reward: 2024

It’s time. For the sixth 12 months working I convey you my final, simple, budget-adaptable Christmas reward. The one which feels considerate and private but takes seconds to purchase and is straightforward to wrap and low-cost to submit. Sure, expensive readers, it’s the most well-liked submit of the season: my Christmas Books ‘n Goodies!

Do you need to appear like probably the most fashionable and thought of gift-giver, one that basically has their life collectively, but expend just about no vitality? Then that is the submit for you. A rigorously curated collection of the best books, matched artistically and with nice aptitude to the daintiest, prettiest bars of chocolate. Or probably the most cool and graphic slabs. All wrapped up in plain brown paper, tied with striped string, the ultimate package deal by no means fails to please.

The purpose of this book-and-choc pairing is that the recipient feels as if they’re being given one thing just a little bit luxurious. So we’re speaking excessive finish books and fine quality candies however that’s not all: each the ebook cowl and the chocolate wrapping have to be aesthetically pleasing and in addition matched collectively in a manner that makes folks suppose, “wow, this individual has type”. These individuals are to not know that you simply ordered all the pieces on the web, sporting fleece polar bear pyjamas and a flammable dressing robe.

Earlier than I current you with this 12 months’s spectacular book-and-choc pairings, I ought to say that there’s a whole again catalogue of those annual posts. And so should you’d like to take a look at dozens and dozens extra examples then click on the hyperlinks on the backside of this web page.

Proper, with out additional ado: the Final 2024 Books and Goodies Spherical-Up!

[AD-info: this post contains affiliate links, marked *.]

Buy All Fours here*

Buy Charbonnel & Walker Sea Salt Truffles*

I’m going to speak extra about All Fours by Miranda July subsequent week. The story is completely mad. I get the sensation it could possibly be a kind of Marmite type of books, as a result of it’s so far-fetched and unhinged, however should you submit (ooh err) and permit your self to have an excellent sense of humour about all of it then it’s an absolute riot. I discovered myself laughing simply out of pure glee at how batshit loopy it was, in locations. And, on a extra severe observe, it tackles some huge midlife points head-on and utterly unapologetically. Not one to provide to Auntie Maud whereas she’s having her hip alternative, maybe, or anybody you don’t know moderately effectively, as a result of it’s fairly…intimate…in locations, however this could possibly be probably the greatest reads to reward a girlfriend that you simply’ll discover this 12 months. Or the worst. No matter, it’ll be a dialog starter…

Buy Blue Sisters by Coco Mellors*

Buy Ocelot Sea Salt Chocolate

4 sisters’ tales, one ebook. However there’s a tragic absence all through that binds the separate tales collectively. Poignant and touching however not too hair-clawingly depressing, it’s an excellent winter vacation learn. Particularly should you’re breaking right into a bar of the previous Ocelot Sea Salt on the similar time. Be nonetheless my chocolate-loving coronary heart.

(Ocelot’s very graphic packaging is ideal for my books and chocs pairings. You nearly can’t go fallacious, they give the impression of being good with all the pieces!)

Buy Long Island by Colm Toibin*

Buy Ocelot Sea Salt Chocolate

I wrote about Colm Toibin’s Lengthy Island here, however to avoid wasting you having to open a brand new window, in brief I referred to as it “scrumptious” and stated this about it:

“I love anybody who can take lives which can be identical to anybody else’s lives – seemingly pedestrian, with nothing that stunning or stunning happening – and make the shortage of something notably notable into the factor that’s fascinating. Not simply fascinating: treasured. Each little life and each a part of that life made so treasured, so price dissecting and giving thought to… it actually makes you cease and recognize how densely-packed every of us is with all of our reminiscences and feelings and hyperlinks to different folks.”

What a gorgeously slow-paced, delectable little treasure-chest of a ebook. Exhausting advocate.

Buy James by Percival Everett*

Buy Waitrose No1 Chocolate

Oooph. I hate the phrase “arduous advocate” however I’m making an attempt to be extra down with the children and so I’ll use it once more: Percival Everett’s James is totally excellent. Should you learn The Timber and have been blown away by that then undertake the brace place since you’re about to begin one other masterpiece that you simply received’t be capable to put down.

By no means have I wished a personality to outlive so badly – and never simply survive, I used to be prepared Jim (an escaped slave who is about on shopping for his spouse and little one’s freedom) to rewrite historical past. Highly effective, past unhappy and with the capability to make you are feeling determined, nauseating ranges of rage.

By the way in which, it’s possible you’ll discover (should you’ve seen earlier books-n-chocs posts) that I’ve slipped a brand new chocolate bar in right here. I wished to discover a easy, graphic bar that didn’t value an absolute fortune and by God I’ve completed it. Waitrose No1 vary – a great deal of totally different variations. Approx two quid, relying on if you fill up…

Buy Tony’s Chocolonely*

My different bargainous model of selection, as you already know, is Tony’s Chocolonely. I really like the large, daring graphics on these chunky slabs of choc. A great deal of colors, nice worth, I can’t think about a time after they received’t be included.

Buy Intermezzo here*

Buy Ocelot Violet Milk here

Intermezzo, one other tremendous learn for a slow-burn, wintery type of week. My first Sally Rooney ebook and I’ll most positively be going again for extra – I really like these detailed examinations of individuals’s character and inside turbulence.

Buy Rabbits by Hugo Rifkind*

Buy Pana Organic Peanut Caramel

Teen angst and darkish goings-on, Rabbits by Hugo Rifkind makes you need to rent a battered mini and relive your youth. Type of.

Buy Brotherless Night here*

The one ebook within the ebook pile that I’ve began however received’t end earlier than this submit goes reside. Disgrace on me! I used to be doing so effectively. Brotherless Night time by V.V. Ganeshananthan received this 12 months’s Girls’s Prize for Fiction which is the way it caught my eye, it’s superbly written up to now and with good consideration to historic element. I’ve a sense I’m in for a really emotional experience…

Buy I Who Have Never Known Men*

Buy Charbonnel Truffles*

What a ebook! I Who Have By no means Identified Males by Jacqueline Harpman isn’t a brand new launch however has had one thing of a resurgence this 12 months and I’m so happy that it has. It’s glorious. Completely mysterious but additionally bleak and barren. I don’t need to say an excessive amount of about it, but it surely’s a implausible choose. Correct dialog starter!

Buy Tacos here*

Buy Cherry Bomb chocolate

It doesn’t should at all times be about fiction relating to the Books ‘n Chocs reward. I do moderately like sending out cookbooks, too, particularly if I can pair them with a related spice or condiment or accent. Fairly partial – and stick with me right here – to pairing a cookbook with a pleasant tea towel. It packs flat, nonetheless, is light-weight and simply feels applicable and enjoyable. I like M&S cotton ones which are available in a pack of 4 (£8 here*) and add a grand complete of two kilos to the reward value should you break up the pack down.

I couldn’t resist including on this Cherry Bomb chocolate bar, although – I not too long ago found the net store Delli for area of interest and fascinating storecupboard buys and condiments and so forth. Went to city a bit on the previous confectionery..

Buy How Not to be a Supermodel here*

Buy Fatso Sweet Tart chocolate here

Indulge me, momentarily, if you’ll. As a result of I’ve waited many, a few years to get pleasure from this second: my very personal ebook featured in my very personal “books n chocs” submit. What an absolute thrill! I ask you in your consideration solely briefly, as a result of I’m coming again at you with a complete submit about How To not be a Supermodel subsequent week, when the hardback turns into broadly obtainable within the States, which is a HUGE factor to be occurring.

I even have some different chocolate pairings and a load to say about how a lot you’ll get pleasure from studying this ebook should you haven’t completed so already. It might be my “choose of the 12 months” if that was allowable, which clearly it isn’t as a result of I’d appear like a proper previous berk if I selected my very own ebook, however you get the gist. I adore it and I believe that you’ll adore it. It has been making folks snigger out loud at very inappropriate occasions and that’s the very best evaluation I may want for.

When you’ve got learn the ebook then you definately’ll recognize the selection of chocolate model…

I hope you’ve loved this 12 months’s providing – bear in mind to take a look at the hyperlink beneath for earlier editions and masses extra concepts!

My Ultimate Easy Christmas Gift: 2019-2023 Editions