Buying presents for the opposite sex can be a difficult task for anyone. With the Christmas battlefield plagued with cheap-smelling perfume bombs and the light infantry of misguided underwear and make-up, finding that perfect gift could seem impossible. That is, of course, unless you consider buying books.
Now, we've already looked at great books for the males of the species as well as some top titles available for kids but what about the ladies in your life? It may come as a shock to some but women do read more than gossip magazines and shopping lists. So, to make sure you get the perfect gift this year take a look at these fantastic book titles:

For the Romantic

A large number of women will have been dubbed "hopelessly romantic" at some point during their lives and, as much as some of them may try to deny it, most girls love a good romance novel now and again.

For classical connoisseurs, anything by Austen will be sure to appeal to their tastes. Avoid buying Pride and Prejudice (the most popular and perhaps overrated) and show some thought by purchasing a lesser-known title such as Northanger Abbey or Mansfield Park.

Alternatively, books by Louis De Bernieres are great for ladies who don't want a novel filled to the brim with sentimental mush. These great books combine a bit of romance with some historical and political action with a bit of fighting thrown in for good measure. Captain Corelli's Mandolin is a popular favourite but Birds Without Wings would also make a good present for any De Bernieres fans.

For the romantic who enjoys a bit of mystery, books by either Allison Brennan or Lisa Gardner would be a good choice, especially as both authors tend to write series of books so if she enjoys one she can go on to collect the rest. Both authors mix the romance genre with the thriller genre, offering a whodunnit with a bit of love.

For the philosophical

There are plenty of new age books available which claim to give you a better life and, for whatever reason, are particularly popular with women. The Secret by Rhonda Byrne is a self-help book that claims to have changed the life of thousands of people globally while Paolo Cohelo's The Alchemist has sold over 65 million copies worldwide and is one of the best selling books of all time, making it a must for any woman who enjoys a light, philosophical read.

For the Political

Some women may pooh-pooh philosophy whilst finding the purchase of a romance novel somewhat clichéd so why not surprise them with something different? Consider investing in anything by George Orwell or perhaps A Brave New World by Aldous Huxley

Alternatively, Catch 22 by Joseph Heller is another great novel which combines political sentiment
with war and intrigue. However, be warned that this book is not an easy read and should only be
given to women prepared to follow a rather incoherent ramble concerning crab-apples.

For the Easy Going

Of course, not all women will want something so intellectually heavy to read over the festive period. You could consider buying a more easy-going read such as the crime novels of Kathy Reichs or even an autobiography of one of their idols, as an alternative.

And the obvious...like it or not, the Twilight Series of books by Stephenie Meyer is loved by women of all ages. Even if the movies didn't rock her boat, the books are a light, entertaining and easy read and, with their dark covers, look pretty impressive too. If she already has (and loved) the Twilight series, then an obvious second choice would be the very good Vampire Diaries by L. J. Smith. In fact, thanks primarily to the success of both these books hitting the big and small screens, vampire books in general are a popular choice.

Whatever genre you think the woman in your life would enjoy, buying her favourite online could not only earn you brownie points but also save you some money too. Waterstones offer free delivery whilst The Book People is encouraging the gift of books over Christmas with a 5% voucher code.