Holiday Gift Guide 2023: Unapologetic Self-Care

Take a moment for yourself and plan some unapologetic self-care. Or gift this book to a friend or loved one who would enjoy one of these reads!

The Darcy Myth: Jane Austen, Literary Heartthrobs, and the Monsters They Taught Us to Love

by Rachel Feder

“A wildly entertaining read.”—The Washington Post

What if we’ve been reading Jane Austen and romantic classics all wrong? A literary scholar offers a funny, brainy, eye-opening take on how our contemporary love stories are actually terrifying.

Covering cultural touchstones ranging from Normal People to Taylor Swift and from Lord Byron to The Bachelor, The Darcy Myth is a book for anyone who loves thinking deeply about literature and culture—whether it’s Jane Austen or not.

You already know Mr. Darcy—at least you think you do! The brooding, rude, standoffish romantic hero of Pride and Prejudice, Darcy initially insults and ignores the witty heroine, but eventually succumbs to her charms. It’s a classic enemies-to-lovers plot, and one that has profoundly influenced our cultural ideas about courtship. But what if this classic isn’t just a grand romance, but a horror novel about how scary love and marriage can be for women?

In The Darcy Myth, literature scholar Rachel Feder unpacks Austen’s Gothic influences and how they’ve led us to a romantic ideal that’s halfway to being a monster story. Why is our culture so obsessed with cruel, indifferent romantic heroes (and sometimes heroines)? How much of that is Darcy’s fault? And, now that we know, what do we do about it?

Looking for more resources? Check out The Darcy Myth reading group guide.

Goblin Mode: How to Get Cozy, Embrace Imperfection, and Thrive in the Muck

by McKayla Coyle

Embrace your inner goblin! Learn to decorate, dress, craft, forage, and live according to the goblin principles of community, diversity, and joyful mess.

Do you ever feel strange, gross, chaotic, underappreciated, or like you don’t quite fit in? Great news: you might be a goblin! That means your imperfections and idiosyncrasies are the most awesome things about you, and you can build a more harmonious life by accepting and honoring them—taking inspiration from the frogs, fungi, moss, rocks, and dirt that goblins love.

Goblin Mode includes life advice for celebrating physical and mental diversity, rejecting prejudice, and generally hanging on to a little joy. Can a mushroom give you fashion tips? Can a snail teach you to be a happier person? You bet they can.

Featuring 25 whimsical illustrations by Marian Churchland, Goblin Mode will help you rethink your relationship with your self, your home, your community, and the earth.

Read author McKayla Coyle’s blog post, Top 10 Goblin Mode Things You Can’t Live Without.

The Astrology of You and Me: How to Understand and Improve Every Relationship in Your Life

by Gary Goldschneider

This astrological relationship guide is indispensable for dealing with everyone from friends and family to bosses and coworkers.

Steer your life by the stars and make all your interpersonal relationships shine. This beautifully designed, horoscope-driven handbook will teach you to bring energy to your relationships and divine the true nature of personalities using the power of astrology. Do you know how to live peacefully with a Taurus? Discuss money issues with a Cancer? Improve your sex life with a Scorpio? With chapters arranged by astrological sign, The Astrology of You and Me will give you help and guidance for every imaginable star-crossed situation, and the beautiful design features astrology-inspired illustrations throughout.

Basic Witches: How to Summon Success, Banish Drama, and Raise Hell with Your Coven

by Jaya Saxena and Jess Zimmerman

to banishing terrible Tinder dates

Want to feel terrifyingly beautiful? Wear the right color of eye shadow to project otherworldly glamour. Need to exorcise a toxic friendship? Repeat the proper incantation and make it disappear. Want to increase your energy? Whip up a tasty herbal “potion” to rev up your stamina. DIY projects, rituals, and spells—along with fun historical sidebars—summon the best trends of the modern witchy lifestyle and the time-trusted traditions of the hell-raising women of the past. With humor, heart, and a hip sensibility, Jaya Saxena and Jess Zimmerman dispense witchy wisdom for the curious, the cynical, and anyone who could use a magical boost.

Take me back to the full holiday gift guide!