There’s nothing like being on vacation with a good book in your hands and it’s a well-known fact that reading while on vacation is the uttermost relaxing part of travelling! We’ve found 10 books to cram into your suitcase before your next departure, or perhaps when you’re perusing the shelves in your fabulous holiday location!
These books are not only small and easy to tackle between activities and sightseeing, but are also fast paced to help keep you engaged with every page you turn. In between plane rides, Instagram posts and sightseeing, these books are the perfect companion to keep you hooked on your relaxing adventure.
Read on to discover our picks and tell us in the comments below if you will be checking any of these out!
The False Prince by Jennifer A. Nielsen | Goodreads
A kingdom under threat of civil upheaval. Conner, a nobleman of the court devises a plan to have a child impersonate the king’s long-lost son. His mission is to install the impersonator as a puppet prince, to work for Conner’s wishes. Sage, an orphan is looking for any way to better his life, and Conner’s plan is all too enticing. However, Sage is not the only boy fighting for the throne, three other orphans are competing alongside him. Those who are not picked to play the prince will face certain death in this middle grade fantasy filled with politics and plot twists.
Because You Love to Hate Me: 13 Tales of Villainy Anthology | Goodreads
This YA anthology is filled with such great authors that readers are bound to find a story they love. Each story follows an infamous villain with authors such as Victoria Schwab, Renee Ahdieh, Marissa Meyer and many more, pairing up with Booktubers. There’s nothing better than a short book that allows you to read mini stories making it perfect for short train rides or before bed. This little wonder gives you the taste of many fantasy book in one convenient paperback.
Roman Crazy by Alice Clayton and Nina Bocci | Goodreads
Avery Bardot is a soon-to-be divorcee. After catching her “perfect” husband cheating on her, she decides to take a sporadic trip to Rome to get her mind off things. When her expat best friend throws her a welcoming party, Avery sees a man she thought she would never lay eyes on again, Marcello. Her past colliding with her present, Avery is stuck between wanting a new life and experiencing her past again. Clayton and Bocci are at it again with an adult romance filled with wanderlust, sightseeing and descriptions that make you feel like you’re in Rome right beside Avery! A fast swoon worthy romance that has you wishing for a summer romance as well.
Carry On by Rainbow Rowell | Goodreads
Based off the ever-cherished Harry Potter series, Carry On follows the life of Simon, the worst Chosen One ever. When he’s not being abducted, saving the world or studying at Watford School of Magicks, he’s plotting the demise of his roommate and nemesis, Baz, who just happens to be a vampire. A darkness is looming, the Humdrum is impersonating Simon and attacking the school and all the wizards surrounding it. Simon, his friends, and an unlikely Baz set out to find and destroy the Humdrum, saving the world of wizardry once and for all.. or so they think. Spells, action, male romances and Harry Potter nostalgia, Rainbow Rowell hit the nail on the head in this #1 New York Times bestseller.
Ingo by Helen Dunmore | Goodreads
A middle grade fantasy with mermaids… need I say more? Sapphire’s life is turned upside down when her father mysteriously disappears in the sea off the Cornwall coast and Sapphire is left with many questions. Rumours spread that her father ran off with another woman or that he travelled to Ingo, the wold of Mer, a place her father used to mention in tales to her before bed. Now, Ingo is calling her, is she in for the adventure of a life time or will she meet the same fate as her father?
The Cruel Prince by Holly Black | Goodreads
Holly Black delivers again with a story of politics, betrayal and most importantly—fae. Jude was only a young girl when her parents were murdered and she and her sisters were swept away by the killer to the High Court of Faerie. Living as a human, she is a visible minority amongst the world of fae and she wants to be like them—beautiful, strong and immortal. Prince Cardan is one of the many heirs to the fae throne, and when he’s not attending royal parties, he is tormenting Jude and her sisters. Jude wishes to show him and all the other fae that she is worthy of immortality, and she can fight just as well as any other faerie. When a threat to the throne is presented, Jude finds herself in the middle of keeping her family and the throne safe from harm. The Cruel Prince is everything a faerie story needs, political intrigue, fierce heroines and a love-to-hate relationship.
The Royals series by Erin Watt | Goodreads
The only reason I recommend the entire series is because there’s no way you’ll be able to read just one! Instantly hooked with one sentence, Erin Watt never fails to please. Ella Harper is a survivor, after her mother’s death she is left to fend for herself, stripping at the local club in order to have a roof over her head. Everything is fine until Callum Royal enters the scene, sweeping her off her feet into his massive mansion, claiming to be paying a debt to Ella’s long-lost and dead father. Ella seems to enjoy her new life, chefs, maids and fast cars, however, Callum’s five sons are making it their number one objective to ruin Ella’s life. Deception, lies, wealth and drama, this series is one you won’t be able to live without. Plus there’s even two new spin-off books, Fallen Heir and Cracked Kingdom, which were just released this month!
All Fall Down by Ally Carter | Goodreads
The first in the Embassy Row series, Ally Carter continues to amaze. Grace Blakely has been through it all, after her mother’s murder, she seeks revenge, however, no one believes her about her mother’s death. She is sent off to live with her grandfather, a powerful ambassador living on Embassy Row, a line of the most powerful ambassadors and diplomats from all countries. Everybody wants Grace to put on a dress, a smile and pretend like nothing ever happened. As Grace fights to find out the truth about her mother’s demise, she starts to realise Embassy Row is not as it seems, and they just might have something to do with her painful past.
My Not So Perfect Life by Sophie Kinsella | Goodreads
Your life is only as good as your Insta posts and for Katie Brenner, she seems to have the perfect life: a flat in downtown London, a fancy admin job, and thousands of Instagram followers. Little do her followers know that she has a long sweaty commute on the metro every day during rush hour and she can’t afford to pay her bills, forcing her to go without electricity. When Katie loses her job, all hope is lost. She has to move back in with her parents in the middle of nowhere and help with their glamping business. But when her diva ex-boss shows up, Katie finds out she wasn’t the only one lying about her life. A perfect read in between your famous Insta posts, this book is perfect for travel and every social media fiend.
Let’s Pretend This Never Happened: A Mostly True Memoir by Jenny Lawson | Goodreads
Internet star Jenny Lawson aka The Bloggess, makes her literary debut. She chronicles the good, the bad and the dirty. This short read will have you LOLing with every page. From her bizarre upbringing in rural Texas, wearing a meat suit, and her relationship with her long-suffering husband, Lawson writes it all. With chapters that include: “Stanley the Magical Talking Squirrel” , “My Vagina is Fine” and “And Then I Snuck a Dead Cuban Alligator on the Airplane” humour is Lawson’s forte and she executes it so well.
