Beth Felker Jones's Christmas list

To give

Lev Grossman has written The Magi­cian’s Land, the conclusion to his Magicians trilogy. Grossman’s take on fantasy and schools of magic is dark, smart, and atheistic in a heartbreaking way. Give the trilogy to someone who wants to hope but has lost that Narnia magic.

In Conversion, Katherine Howe has rewritten The Crucible for young adult readers, and the book has crossover appeal for adult readers. It’s about persuasion and pressure and mean girls, and it’s a fast, fun read.