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The Goods

Gifts for Your Bookish Valentine (Especially If It’s You)

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Alex Luppens-Dale

Contributor

Alex Luppens-Dale won the “Enthusiastic Reader Award” all four years of high school. She is a graduate of Sarah Lawrence College and received her MFA in Creative Writing from The New School. Her favorite genres are memoir, witches, and anything with cults. She lives in New Jersey. You can keep up with Alex's latest work at her website.

Like a lot of people, I was not a huge fan of Valentine’s Day growing up. I never had any kind of secret admirer, and nothing ever worked out like it did in the young adult romances I consumed. To be fair, most teenage boys could never live up to my beloved Michael Moscovitz, am I right?

As an adult, I’ve come around to Valentine’s Day for a variety of reasons and not only because it has improved from when I was one of the kids not being sent a dyed carnation in the 7th grade. Seriously, whose brilliant idea was that fundraiser? (In retrospect, that was one of my most memorable Valentine’s Days because my mother ended up getting me Truly, Madly, Deeply on DVD, which was better than anything my fellow young teens could have offered me anyway.) Nowadays, I enjoy celebrating the love I have for my partner, my kid, and my friends in a variety of ways. No one gets to tell me that all of those loves aren’t equally important and worth celebrating.

I have scoured Etsy for the most fun, sparkly, and bookish gifts for your book-loving Valentine, Galentine, or any other special person in your life. Even—or especially—if you’re your own special person this year.  

Sticker featuring a floral design, classic and contemporary titles, and the text 'All Booked for Valentines'

This sticker will proudly adorn your laptop or water bottle and proclaim your true Valentine: your TBR pile. $2+

Pink long-sleeve shirt with a design of a pink book with differently colored pink hearts and skeleton hands making a heart shape.

If your beloved or BFF is both cute and a little bit creepy, this sweatshirt is perfect for them. $18+

A customizable comic book featuring a picture of two people on the cover.

Your bookish partner would probably love to celebrate your one-of-a-kind love story with a custom comic book. $30+

A white t-shirt featuring multicolored conversation hearts that all say "BOOKS."

Make sure everyone knows exactly where you stand with this striking and specific conversation heart T-shirt. $17+

A sample book entitled Reasons Why We Love Katie! The book includes multicolored hearts with faces on the cover.

This personalized children’s book will remind the kids in your life all year round that they are loved for who they are. $27

Multicolored conversation heart stickers featuring popular romance trips including "Morally Grey," "One Bed," and "Secret Royalty."

Know your BFF’s favorite romance trope(s)? There’s probably a sticker for that. $7

A bookmark made of loose glitter between see-through panels. Includes a to/from heart band and pink tassel.

I can confidently say that glitter knows no age and that I would have loved this glitter bookmark as a kid exactly as much as I love it right now (and that is a whole lot). $6

Paper roses made out of vintage book pages.

I may no longer be bitter about those middle school carnations, but I am suddenly sad that no one has ever gotten me book flowers. Real flowers die, but vintage book roses are forever. $25

A pink book sleeve with a pattern of red, purple, and pink lollipops that say things like "LOVE," "SWEET," and "XOXO."

Your beloved will appreciate that you know them well enough to know how much they hate getting their favorite books scuffed up in their bag when you gift them this on-theme book sleeve. $25

A white mug with pink handle and interior that includes a stack of books that list out popular romance trips including fake dating, friends to lovers, and slow burn.

This is the perfect mug to give the romance fan in your life. It is sturdy and ready to keep them company through many a HEA. $27

A wrapped mystery book that comes with accessories including stickers, hair clips, and other trinkets.

Finally, why not treat your BFF to a truly luxurious blind date with a book? $10, with more goodies included at higher price points.