Written in the Stars: A zodiac-inspired gift-giving guide for book lovers

The art of book-gifting is easily lost in the haze of frantic last-minute shopping and mass consumption. While books can serve as meaningful, heartfelt gifts, we have all been the theatrically grateful recipient of a book that we have absolutely no intention of reading. In fact, receiving a book that bears no connection to our personal lives can feel like evidence of disconnect, rather than a symbol of love and appreciation that gifts are meant to embody. However, when done with attention to your giftee’s inner-workings, self-image, and subconscious desires, the humble book stands out amongst the crowd of material items that are typically advertised during this season. With this in mind, we invite you to use this zodiac-inspired book list to guide you on your gifting journey this year:

ARIES – RESERVOIR BITCHES BY DAHLIA DE LA CERDA

In the linked stories of Reservoir Bitches, thirteen Mexican women prod the bitch that is Life and become her. From the all-powerful daughter of a cartel boss to the victim of transfemicide; from a houseful of spinster seamstresses to a socialite who supports her politician husband by faking Indigenous roots, these women spit on their own reduction and invent new ways to endure, telling their own stories in bold, unapologetic voices. Ruled by the planet of action and combat, the Aries reader will be enthralled by the bold and gritty women that star in this compilation of short stories. This trailblazing fire sign is the perfect audience to follow each protagonist in their fight for unapologetic authenticity, and they may even find a moment for self-reflection in the process.

TAURUS – BLACK BELL: POEMS BY ALISON C. ROLLINS

Inspired by the nineteenth-century image of an enslaved woman wearing iron horns and bells, integrating performance art practices, metalwork, and sonics, Black Bell becomes a multimedia meditation on freedom seeking; furthering the possibilities of the canvas of the page as well as the poet’s body. As the creators and nurturers of the zodiac, the Taurus readers will appreciate this innovative compilation of poetry, sound, and illustration to tell a story about the most basic human desire – freedom. Often feeling stuck in the mundane ruts of adult life, this Venus-ruled Earth sign will jump at the opportunity to pull this book in and shut the world out. Delving into this literary piece of artwork will allow the grounded Tauran to channel society’s potential from the comfort of their home.

GEMINI – MYSTERY LIGHTS BY LENA VALENCIA

From the all-too-real horror of a sexual predator on a college campus, to a lost sister transformed by cave-dwelling creatures, Lena Valencia’s debut story collection grapples with terrors both familiar and fantastic. Although many interpret Gemini’s versatility as a symptom of their trickster tendencies, this air sign’s inquisitive nature makes them comfortable with paradox and contradiction. As they traverse the pages of each surreal horror story, they will use their flexible wit and mutable energy to deconstruct the ideas that haunt us most. Themes of love, sex, and fear will have your Gemini reader talking endlessly about their thoughts on this piece of speculative fiction.

CANCER – BANAL NIGHTMARE BY HALLE BUTLER

Sadistically precise and hilarious, Banal Nightmare follows Moddie as she abruptly ends her long-term relationship and moves back to her hometown, throwing herself at the mercy of her old friends as they, all suddenly tipping toward middle age, go to parties, size each other up, obsess over past slights, dream of wild triumphs, and indulge in elaborate revenge fantasies. Known as the emotional glue that holds our world together, Cancer will appreciate the nostalgia of this main character’s trip down memory lane as she reconnects with her roots. The story’s balanced mixture of grief, anger, and reminiscence make it the perfect gift for this stereotypically moody water sign.

LEO – MY NEMESIS BY CHARMAINE CRAIG

Wah’s traditional femininity and subservience to her husband strike Tessa as weaknesses, and she scoffs at the sacrifices Wah makes as adoptive mother to a Burmese girl, Htet. But Wah has a kind of power too, and the conflict between the two women leads to a martini-fueled declaration that Wah is “an insult to womankind.” As Tessa is forced to deal with the consequences of her outburst, she wonders if Wah is really as weak as she has seemed, or if she might have a different kind of strength altogether. Self-expression and leadership are what give this sign the fearless lion as their mascot, but when their confidence turns into an elaborate disguise, they may often find themselves in combat with a nemesis of their own. Having felt the need to live up to their own high standards, this strong fire sign will find comfort in witnessing Tessa’s missteps as she seeks to understand the different ways that love and strength can present themselves. Leo may even learn to extend themselves the very grace that this misguided protagonist is lacking.

VIRGO – UNDER THE EYE OF THE BIG BIRD BY HIROMI KAWAKAMI

In the distant future, humans are on the verge of extinction and have settled in small tribes across the planet under the observation and care of “Mothers.” Some children are made in factories, from cells of rabbits and dolphins; some live by getting nutrients from water and light, like plants. The survival of the race depends on the interbreeding of these and other alien Beings – but it is far from certain that connection, love, reproduction, and evolution will persist among the inhabitants of this faltering new world. The analytical qualities of the Virgo reader will have them furrowing their brows as they attempt to diagnose the underlying issues of this apocalyptic world. Marked for their desire to cleanse physical, emotional, and intellectual systems, this Earth sign will stop at nothing to discover the fate of this nearly extinct society. Your Virgo giftee will sooth their nerves as they take a break from criticizing their own reality and turn their perfecting attention over to this dystopian fiction masterpiece.

LIBRA – DEAR DICKHEAD BY VIRGINIE DESPENTES

Oscar is a B-list novelist in his forties. He used to be an alcoholic and a cokehead, but now he keeps himself busy by ranting on social media. When Rebecca, an actress whose looks he insulted, sends him an angry email, they strike up a combative correspondence. What ensues is a no-holds-barred conversation about life under the patriarchy, and above all about addiction — to drugs, to alcohol, to the internet, to rage. Ruled by Venus, the planet of harmony, Libra will find great satisfaction in the unlikely friendship that develops over a conversation about the vices that trouble us most. Most concerned with fairness and justice, this air sign is destined to appreciate how feminism, sexism, and addiction come together to balance the scales in this piece of realistic fiction.

SCORPIO – PLEASURE PRINCIPLE POEMS BY MADELEINE CRAVENS

Pleasure and pain are inextricable in these carefully observed poems, capturing a young woman on the threshold of adulthood as she seeks to understand herself. With a hard-edged vulnerability and singularly bold style, Cravens is unsparing about the struggle to make sense of one’s longings. Given that Scorpio is known to embrace the throes of death and rebirth, they will appreciate the complex themes that comprise this poetic coming-of-age story. This fixed sign is distinguished by a fierce focus that can teeter on obsession, making them concentrated students of the sensations that drive longing and pleasure. The Scorpio reader will find comfort in this mysterious body of poetry that harbors secrets within its pages.

SAGITTARIUS – LIARS BY SARAH MANGUSO

When Jane, an aspiring writer, meets filmmaker John Bridges, they both want the same things: to be in love, to live a successful, creative life, and to be happy. However, as Jane’s career flourishes, their marriage starts to falter. Throughout the upheavals of family life, Jane tries to hold it all together. That is, until John leaves her. Liars is a tour de force of wit and rage, telling the blistering story of a marriage as it burns to the ground, and of a woman rising inexorably from its ashes. Sagittarians, the explorers of the zodiac, tend to pride themselves on their incessant pursuit of knowledge and freedom. The ever-expanding Sagittarius will relate to Jane’s frustration with domestic life, and her progress towards independence, prosperity, and wisdom will spark the sign’s inner fire as they page through this hero’s journey.

CAPRICORN – THE ANTHROPOLOGISTS BY AYSEGÜL SAVAS

Asya and Manu are looking at apartments, envisioning their future in a foreign city. What should their life here look like? What rituals will structure their days? Whom can they consider family? Back in their home countries, parents age, grandparents get sick, nieces and nephews grow up – all just slightly out of reach. But Asya and Manu’s new world is growing, too, they hope. As they open the horizons of their lives, what and whom will they hold onto, and what will they need to release? Capricorn’s strength relies on their willingness to commit and their ability to focus on a practical pathway to the life they’ve always wanted. Capricorn’s need to explore its vulnerabilities in solitude will give them a meaningful connection to the protagonists and their growth. As Asya and Manu consider their lives, their losses, and their legacy, the Capricorn reader will reflect on their own reality, challenging themselves and finding great satisfaction in the process.

AQUARIUS – TWO-STEP DEVIL BY JAMIE QUATRO

In 2014, in Lookout Mountain, Alabama, the Prophet — a seventy-year-old man who paints his visions — lives off the grid in a cabin near the Georgia border. While scrounging for materials at the local scrapyard, the Prophet sees a car pull up to an abandoned gas station. In the back seat is a teenage girl with zip ties on her wrists, a girl he realizes he must rescue from her current life. Ruled by Saturn, the planet of boundaries, this intellectual air sign will appreciate any book as an opportunity to introspect. This offbeat story’s philosophical examination of fate will connect with the Aquarian ability to transform humanity, and they will benefit from witnessing an unlikely relationship between the two protagonists, who rely on vulnerability and intimacy to reach salvation.

PISCES – YR DEAD BY SAM SAX

In between the space of time when Ezra lights themself on fire, and when Ezra dies, the world of this book flashes before their eyes. Everyone Ezra’s ever loved, every place they’ve felt queer and at home, or queer and out of place, reveals itself in an instant. Unfolding in fragments of memory, Ezra dissolves into the family, religion, desire, losses, pains and joys that made them into the person that’s decided on this final act of protest. As the healer of the zodiac, Pisces is adored for a sensitivity and empathy that, unfortunately, can often lead them down the path of martyrdom. This quality can be their detriment at times, but it also makes them the perfect audience for this lyrical, non-linear narrative. Pisces will find great inspiration in Ezra’s final moments of life as they recuperate their own energy to prevent a similar fate. •

All twelve of these titles are available at Twenty Stories, the PVD book-mobile,and their monthly-curated collection of titles takes away the stress of book shopping and ensures a transformative reading experience with every purchase. Check out their website or follow their Instagram @ twentystoriesla to support an indie bookstore this holiday season.