Who here is a vacation reader or consistently on the lookout for a good book to read for vacation? :RAISES HAND: Admittedly, I read all the time, but finding the perfect vacation book is always a priority! I talked to some of my very favorite bloggers and fellow creatives about their favorite vacation reads and shared their insight today. For everything from girls getaways to beach trips, sitting poolside and road trips — they’ve got you covered! So, if you like to read, are on the hunt for a new book or trying to find that *perfect* vacation book, today’s post is for YOU! I’m sharing the best books to pack for a vacation. Let’s get going…!
The Best Books To Pack For Vacation
For the record, I stand in the psychological thriller camp for vacation reads. They draw me in every single time, no matter where I am! My ultimate list of 50+ psychological thriller reads is a good place to start if you’re new to the genre 🙂 Now, let’s see what everyone else is reading and recommending for vacation!
Jane from Typically Jane recommends The Cuckoo’s Calling by Robert Galbraith (aka JK Rowling):
“For murder mystery lovers, The Cuckoo’s Calling is the perfect vacation book. The writing is superb, as we would expect from the great JK Rowling herself, and has you guessing who done it the entire time. Murder and socialites, what could be better for a vacation read? You get swept away in the story, with the gruff sleuth, Cormoran Strike, ex-army, son of an absent rockstar and dead groupie, along with his side kick Robin Ellacott, who may be new to detecting but a natural. It’s a quick read that will have you hanging on to every word. The only thing you won’t like is that it ends, but don’t worry, there is a whole series.”
Sarah Shaneyfelt from Meet The Shaneyfelts recommends Where The Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens:
“I am choosing Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens for many reasons. Once I read a quarter of the book, it became a page turner and I couldn’t put it down.  I empathized with the main character, Kya, and when her heart hurt, my heart literally hurt!  The language was beautiful, and the description of the setting was magical!”
“For travel I love something that is fairly light (but not overly so), well-paced, has characters I can warm up to, and ideally has a little element of mystery – something along the Big Little Lies or One of Us Is Lying kind of wavelength – because vacation is usually the time when I have a chance to just sit and read a book cover to cover, so I want one I can just get totally immersed in and enjoy. Since a lot of people have already read Big Little Lies, I thought I’d share a few somewhat comparable titles that may not be as widely known!”
Ashten from Ashten O’Malley recommends Yes Please by Amy Poehler:
“I have so many but I will say “Yes Please” by Amy Poehler. It’s an easy read but it’s so well written, so funny and so inspiring. Amy Poehler can do no wrong!”
“I have so many but I will say “Yes Please” by Amy Poehler. It’s an easy read but it’s so well written, so funny and so inspiring. Amy Poehler can do no wrong!”
Skye from Skye McLain recommends Behind Closed Doors by B. A. Paris:
“I flew through this book last year on Christmas vacation with family! It is written in such an interesting manner (it goes from the past to the present seamlessly and reveals little bits of information at a time) and I was hooked from page one.”
Andrea from Salty Canary (and author of the Ultimate Guide to Palm Springs) recommends Sundowners by Lesley Lokko:
“I read this book while living in Paris. I bought it at one of the few English language bookstores int he city at the time. To be honest, I bought it because the pink cover was beautiful and I needed a new book. I’ve since read almost every single one of Leslie Lokko’s books! I would say all her books are filled with soapy drama revolving around smart, strong characters and current events.”
Andrea also recommends roadtrippers read Travels With Charley.
“I read this book while traveling solo/living in Melbourne, Australia and I fell in love with it. It’s a travelogue by Steinbeck as he road trips the United States in a camper van with Charley, his standard poodle. Although written as a non-fiction memoir, its facts have been largely disputed, but I don’t believe that changes the worth of the book.”
Katie from Life With A Dash Of Whimsy recommends any book by Mary Kay Andrews:
“Her books all take place in the Southeast, most of the time near the ocean too. They’re lighthearted, fun chick-lit, but often have a murder or some sort of mystery too. The plots typically revolve around decorating, beach houses, blogging or small businesses, and of course there is always romance involved too.”
Bailey from BecomingBailey recommends The Wedding Dress by Rachel Hauck:
“Eek — it’s so tough picking just one favorite vacation book! I’d have to say The Wedding Dress by Rachel Hauck. It’s faith-based romantic fiction with a touch of historical fiction. This book had the romance I was looking for without the smut!”
Karen from “Are Elin Hilderbrand’s novels considered up there with the works of Jonathan Franzen, Cormac McCarthy, and Virginia Woolf? No. Are they fun to read? Yes! Set against the dreamy backdrop of Nantucket, Elin’s novels often center around women, relationships, and secrets. The Perfect Couple has a great mix of intrigue, quirky small town personalities, and differing points of view centered around a murder mystery.”
Is your favorite book on the list? A book that you love not listed? Let me know!
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9 New Psychological Thrillers For 2020