5 Fascinating New Home and Gardening Books to Add to Your Reading List

Merry & Chic
by Kathryn O’Shea-Evans

O’Shea-Evans brings her eye for style and celebration into this holiday handbook. With help from designers and entertaining experts, she offers easy, approachable decorating schemes, thoughtful DIY gifts, recipe ideas (including Abraham Lincoln’s gingerbread and Jacqueline Kennedy’s Poulet à l’Estragon) and curated music playlists for different moods of gathering. $40 (gibbs-smith.com)

The Joy Bus Cookbook
by Jennifer Caraway

The founder of The Joy Bus, a local nonprofit that delivers meals to cancer patients and their families throughout the Valley, shares recipes and stories from her 14-year journey of serving the community. Rich in humanity, each dish speaks to the nourishment of both body and spirit. For those whose New Year’s resolution is giving back, this may be your guide—and go-to meal inspiration. $35 (joybus.org)

Boots, Buckles & Bolos
by Jim Arndt

Photographer Jim Arndt collects more than 200 images of boots, belt buckles and bolo ties—capturing the texture of leather, engraved silver, exotic materials and the wear of real life. It’s a celebration of Western aesthetics, making it a compelling coffee-table volume for lovers of desert style, Southwestern fashion or good old-fashioned Americana. $25 (gibbs-smith.com)

Seasons of the Desert
by Sonoran Rosie

Arizona readers will find a special resonance in this beautifully rendered guide to desert flora. Herbalist and forager Rosie Crocker (aka Sonoran Rosie) leads readers through all four seasons of the Sonoran Desert, profiling more than 75 plants with lush illustrations, identification tips and ideas for sustainable foraging, skincare and remedies. $25 (quarto.com)

Phoenix Eats + Drinks
by Christina Barrueta

Part city guide, part cookbook, this volume captures the tastemaking energy of the Valley. Barrueta shines a spotlight on local chefs, restaurants and flavor trends, while weaving in recipes and insider perspectives. It’s a love letter to Phoenix’s culinary scene (and a sourcebook for your next dinner out—or in). $40 (figure1publishing.com)