Top 5 Vacation Reads

Since summer vacation is finally here, I thought it would be appropriate to list the top five books I’m looking forward to reading on my trip to Asheville, North Carolina this summer. Let’s be real, I’m probably going to be exploring the city and the forests around the area and not getting any work done, but I always make it a priority to bring at least a few books with me…. I also always end up taking a trip to one of my favorite indie bookstores, Malaprops, located in downtown Asheville. Like last time, I’m going to include the book I’m currently reading. This time, however, I thought it would be fun to also include the one book I purchased from Malaprops, plus five of the books I think would make great vacation reads, or would like to read myself on vacation!

Currently Reading: Wayfarer by Alexandra Bracken

            This is the second and final book in her Passenger series. All you really need to know is that it’s time travel and has really great characters. Passenger, the first book in the series, was a really fun National Treasure-esque treasure hunt through time. It’s taking me awhile to read this, but only because I’m on vacation in the city.

Bought from Malaprops Bookstore: A Conjuring of Light by V.E. Schwab

            This is the third book in her A Darker Shade of Magic series, which follows Kell as he traverses through four different versions of London. The catch with this series is that all of these versions have varying levels of magic. I haven’t actually read them, but I saw that Malaprops had autographed copies, and I tend to read trilogies all in one go, so I bought it so I wouldn’t have to wait to get a copy from my library or wait for it to come in the mail.

Top Five Vacation Books:

Human Acts by Han Kang:

            This author might sound familiar if you read their debut novel, The Vegetarian. This follows a student uprising in South Korea, and the consequences of what happens when a young boy is murdered in the midst of it. This noel is super slim, so if you’re a fast reader you could probably read it in one or two sittings at your hotel or on the beach.

My Not So Perfect Life by Sophie Kinsella

            Sophie Kinsella is the author of many light, fluffy romance reads. If you’re looking for something refreshing, any of her books are perfect for this. My Not So Perfect Life follows the main character Katie Brenner as she has an Instagram account that may not be as perfect as her followers thinks her life is. I’m super excited to get my hands on a copy and tear through this novel.

Big Little Lies by Liane Moriarty

            I’m not much for thrillers, but I read The Husband’s Secret by her a year or so ago. I flew through this in one or two days. All I really know about Big Little Lies is that there is now an HBO series based off of it. I tend to like to go into thrillers knowing as little as possible, because the summaries on the book tend to give away spoilers.

When Dimple Met Rishi by Sandhya Menon

            This seems like a really cute contemporary about an Indian-American girl who is ready to make her own future, separate from what her parents want. But then she meets Rishi, who is all for arranged marriages and thinks that they are the best way to honor his culture and his parents. This seems like a super fun read that I’m excited to get my hands on. Many of the reviews I’ve read have been positive, so that makes it top priority in my book.

Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda by Becky Albertalli

            This is such a great book. I recommend anything by Becky Albertalli because I read both her books in a few hours. You can pack this in your beach bag and have it read by the end of the day, or take it with you camping. It’s about a boy named Simon who is blackmailed at the beginning of the book by one of his classmates who wants to get closer to one of the girls in their school. The catch is, Simon isn’t out yet and he’s navigating being blackmailed, while at the same time desperately trying to keep his emailing pen pal’s identity a secret. This book is full of shenanigans, and is being turned into a movie very soon, so I’m excited to see that when it comes out in theaters.

These are my current reads/purchases/vacation recommendations! I hope you find something on this list to pick up on vacation, or just in your every day life. If you’ve read any of these, or decide to read them because of this post, let me know why in the comments!