Get Ready to Celebrate August!

Schedule e-Gift Cards and peruse the month's best gift books

Got any August-born friends and family to celebrate this month? Treat your loved ones to a bookish birthday! (Or any other type of celebration, for that matter!) Choose something special for your August amigos from our roundup of some of the hottest titles this summer.

New August-specific e-Gift Card design!

If you'd prefer to go with ThriftBooks e-Gift Cards for your offerings, choose from an assortment of fun designs, including our new month-specific birthday e-gift cards to be delivered on the day of your choosing. Purchase now and schedule for delivery on your recipient's special day. The process is quick and easy. This is a great way to get all your monthly birthday shopping done in one fell swoop!   

August's best gifting books

Here are some of the reads that are currently getting rave reviews from a range of readers.

Fiction finds

• An Inside Job by Daniel Silva—The art world, the mob and the Vatican intersect when a Leonardo da Vinci painting goes missing in the 25th installment of the Gabriel Allon series.
• The Enchanted Greenhouse by Sarah Beth Durst—This cozy romantic fantasy set in the world of The Spellshop is available in a gorgeous hardcover edition.
• Rose in Chains by Julie Soto—After dark forces defeat her kingdom, a princess faces an uncertain future in this dark romantic fantasy.
• The Woman in Suite 11 by Ruth Ware—Three years after the birth of her youngest child, travel journalist Lo Blacklock returns to attend the opening of a luxury Swiss hotel and gets caught up in a dangerous pursuit across Europe.
• My Friends by Fredrik Backman—From the author of A Man Called Ove comes this funny, moving tale of four teenagers who form a bond so powerful that it changes a stranger's life twenty-five years later.

Nonfiction gems

• The Idaho Four by James Patterson and Vicky Ward—The horrifying 2022 murders of four University of Idaho students left many questions. This mesmerizing piece of investigative journalism provides answers.
• Algospeak by Adam Aleksic—A linguist and content creator known as @etymologynerd offers a captivating exploration of how internet algorithms are transforming language and communication.
• The Mission by Tim Weiner—The author of Legacy of Ashes chronicles a gripping and revelatory history of the 21st-century CIA from 9/11 through today.
• JFK: Public, Private, Secret by Randy Taraborrelli—From the author of Jackie: Public, Private, Secret comes the other side of the story—her husband's.
• A Marriage At Sea by Sophie Elmhirst—An instant bestseller, this is the electrifying true story of a young couple shipwrecked at sea: a mind-blowing tale of partnership stretched to its limits.

Winsome picture books

• The Rabbit Listened by Cori Doerrfeld—A moving and universal story about the power of listening and empathy as an antidote for heartaches big and small. (Ages 3–5)
• Dragons Love Tacos by Adam Rubin and Daniel Salmieri—Learn what to serve your dragon dinner guests. (Ages 3–5)
• See You Later Alligator! by Sally Hopgood and Emma Levey—A departing tortoise says goodbye to all his animal friends as he sets out on an adventure. (Ages 3–6)
• The Magical Yet by Angela Terlizzi and Lorena Alvarez Gómez—The Magical Yet helps readers imagine their future potential. (Ages 4–8)
• The Smart Cookie by Jory John and Pete Oswald—Cookie needs to learn how to build up her confidence. (Ages 4–8)

Middle-grade goodies

• Growing Home by Beth Ferry—An unlikely team of talkative plants, a curious spider, and a grumpy goldfish use their abilities to defend their family. (Ages 6–9)
• Another by Paul Tremblay—An acclaimed horror author delivers a bone-chilling tale for middle-grade readers about an unsettling, unbreakable friendship. (Ages 8–12)
• Refugee by Alan Gratz—This award-winning novel tells the timely, and timeless, tale of three different kids seeking refuge. (Ages 9–12)
• Blood in the Water by Tiffany D. Jackson—The award-winning YA author makes her middle-grade debut with this unputdownable murder mystery set on Martha’s Vineyard. (Ages 9–12)
• Snoop by Gordon Korman—Confined and bored at home after a skiing accident, a boy hacks into his town’s police cameras, uncovering town secrets . . . along with possible crimes. (Ages 9–12)

YA winners

• Nothing Bad Happens Here by Rachel Ekstrom Courage—a chilling summer adventure filled with murder and mystery set in beautiful Nantucket. (Ages 12 and up)
• Hour of the Pumpkin Queen by Megan Shepherd—Join Sally on a time-bending adventure to save Halloween Town in this sequel to Long Live the Pumpkin Queen. (Ages 12 and up)
• Avatar Legends: City of Echoes by Judy I. Lin—The first in a new YA series featuring the unsung heroes from the world of Avatar: The Last Airbender. (Ages 13–18).
• A Treachery of Swans by B. Poranek—This gothic fantasy based on Swan Lake follows Odile as her plan to restore magic to her kingdom gets disrupted by a murder. (Ages 14 and up)
• Bones at the Crossroads by LaDarrion Williams—In this spellbinding sequel to Blood at the Root, a teen with magical powers navigates secrets and dangers at his college. (Ages 14 and up)

Culinary keepers

• Potluck Desserts by Justin Burke—a collection of nostalgic and convivial recipes fit for any crowd. Treat your potluck pals to treats like Pull-Apart Strawberry Shortcake and Hummingbird Blondies.
• Braided Heritage by Jessica B. Harris—Discover how Indigenous, European, and African culinary traditions intertwined to form American cuisine, with over 90 recipes from Netflix star and author of High on the Hog.
• My Creole-Cali Kitchen by Ryan Rondeno—Elevate your home cooking with more than 100 recipes that feature the vibrant fusion of Creole flavors and California freshness from a renowned personal chef.
• Boustany by Sami Tanimi—Celebrate the diverse cuisine of Palestine with more than 100 plant-based and vegetarian recipes from the award-winning coauthor of Jerusalem and Ottolenghi.
• In For Dinner by Rosie Kellett—With recipes like Salt & Vinegar Potato Soup and Dark Chocolate Raspberry Cake, the dishes in this collection are built to share, large in portion size, and budget-friendly.

Special editions

• Three Shattered Souls by Mai Corland—Don't miss out on the stunning Limited Edition only available on the first print run of book #3 in the Broken Blades series.
• Quicksilver by Callie Hart—This gorgeous, limited edition of a bestselling romantasy includes a new cover with foil elements, silver metallic edges, designed endpapers, a stamped foil case, and an exclusive bonus chapter.
• Katabasis by F. Kuang—The Limited First Edition of this all-new dark academia fantasy from the author of Babel features stenciled edges, case effects, and more.
• Dream by the Shadows by Logan Karlie—Beauty and the Beast meets Labyrinth in this YA romantic fantasy. The gorgeous Deluxe Limited Edition comes with stenciled sprayed edges and exclusive design features.
• The Girl I Was by Jeneva Rose—The updated and expanded Deluxe Limited Edition of this bestselling fantasy thriller includes six brand-new chapters.

Happy, happy birthday to all the August babies! Whether you're celebrating a loved one or yourself, we hope you find something perfect here at ThriftBooks to bookify the occasion!

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Read more by Ashly Moore Sheldon