The perfect books to give this Valentine’s

[dropcap]I[/dropcap]t’s that time of the year again where people exchange heart-shaped gifts and cheap chocolate to declare their undying love. Instead of being cliché and following this sickly societal norm of expressing ones heartfelt emotions, why not buy a book for your other half?

After scouring Waterstones I stumbled upon two perfect gifts I’d buy my other half. The first is Love Sick by Jessie Cave (also known as Lavender from Harry Potter!) She recently published a comically illustrated book which is a perfect gift for Valentine’s Day. Instead of conforming to the traditional form of a book, it is a collection of drawings which are annotated with witty quotes.

The satirical illustrations present the awkward part of love that sometimes arise with relationships, future children, obsessive stalkers and the universal topic of unrequited love. Pretty much summing up the majority of people’s love lives, the book illustrates the difficulties of love for individuals who don’t necessarily like people but consider one person very special to them.

The satirical illustrations present the awkward part of love

With this gift, I would be able to show my significant other that I do love them without having to follow the uncomfortable conventions society proposes. I think that the greatest expression of love is the ability to make your other half smile and laugh, and that’s exactly what this book does.

For those of you who want something more cheesy but less cliché, I’d recommend Me without you … is like a sky without blue by Lisa Swerling and Ralph Lazar. It contains lots of cute phrases in describing relationships, my favourite being: “Me without you… is like a hair without do, a restaurant without food”. Comparing the absence of you other half with the absence of food is the perfect metaphor for me!

This combination of soppiness and humour is the perfect gift for Valentine’s Day. It tells your love that you are emotionally unavailable half the time, but I can be a sweetheart when you want to be.

Both of the books are perfect to let your other half know you love them, even if you hate Valentine’s Day and soppy romance.

Image Credits: wewiorka_wagner / Flickr (Header)