Whether you’re roaming the streets of Paris or exploring the seashore, everyone has a little down time on vacations. There are bound to be a few hours spent in a car or plane, and you’ll want (and need) some breaks during your summer adventures. Grabbing a book is an easy way to relax and escape for a while. Even if you can’t take a trip, the right book can take you on a journey to any location. Settle onto your beach towel or run into the nearest coffee shop, and enjoy some of these addicting vacation reads.
We Were Liars by E. Lockhart
Cadence Sinclair spent the summers on her family’s private island off the coast of Cape Cod, until a tragic accident leaves her with amnesia and intense headaches. When she finally returns two summers later, the secrets and lies of the wealthy Sinclair family plague the island and Cadence’s faded memory. This young adult mystery provides the right amount of drama you’ll want to read about on your vacation.
The Vacationers by Emma Straub
The sunny Balearic island of Mallorca seems like the perfect respite for the Posts, a family from Manhattan. But when couple Franny and Jim and their teenage daughter, Sylvia, arrive at Balearic, they face conflicts and old grudges rather than beaches and tennis courts. Pick this book up on a trip when you need to empathize with family struggles.
Where’d You Go, Bernadette? by Maria Semple
Fifteen-year-old Bee can’t wait to reap the benefits of her perfect report card, which has won her a family trip to Antarctica. However, a combination of distaste for Seattle and its people pushes Bee’s mother, Bernadette Fox, into an agoraphobic existence that makes and Antarctica trip impossible when she disappears. Bee attempts to find her mother by collecting emails, documents and secret correspondence. Semple’s comedic novel will make you laugh whether you’re cradling it on a plane or at the beach.
The Martian by Andy Weir
Astronaut Mark Watney quickly learns how hostile Mars can be when a dust storm separates him from his crew. Six days later, Mark is trapped on the red planet alone with no contact. Facing the threat of starvation, dehydration, and other unforeseen dangers, Mark refuses to give up on life. Using his engineering skills, botany talents, and humor, Mark attempts to survive despite the odds. If Mark Watney can find small comforts on Mars, even the most homesick travelers can discover a silver lining.
The 100-Year-Old Man Who Climbed Out the Window and Disappeared by Jonas Jonasson
Nursing home resident Allan Karlsson escapes the night before his hundredth birthday to go on an adventure of ridiculous proportions. Additionally, in a Forrest Gump-like fashion, Allan played major roles in twentieth century events—adding stories of his life throughout the narrative. This book will inspire readers to do great things and live every day to it’s fullest.
All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr
A blind French girl and an orphaned German boy’s lives are thrown together when they meet during World War II in occupied France. The girl, Marie-Laure is forced to escape to the citadel of Saint-Malo when the Nazis occupy Paris. The boy, Werner, has grown skilled at repairing and building radios, landing him in the academy for Hitler Youth. The two character’s lives intertwine when Werner travels to Saint-Malo. Big cities have rich history and stories waiting to be told around every corner, so grab books like this if you want to take a journey to the past.
A Hundred Summers by Beatriz Williams
It’s 1938 and Lily Dane seeks refuge from New York and heartbreak at her family’s usual summer gathering in Seaview, Rhode Island. However, Lily is forced to confront her pain when her ex-best friend and ex-fiancé show up. Emotions build as more secrets are revealed. Williams’ novel is a captivating beach read for any vacationer and stays smart for its audience.
The Rocks by Peter Nichols
The popular seaside resort club, The Rocks, has a community rich with history, mystery, and secrets. Beginning with the mystery behind an event that forced apart two honeymooners in 1948, the novel moves backward in time to unveil the truth behind the incident and the effects it’s had on the couple’s (unrelated) children years later. The novel is full of surprise and drama—which the Mediterranean background serving as the perfect setting.
Eight Hundred Grapes by Laura Dave
Georgia Ford was accustomed to secrets while growing up on her family’s Sonoma vineyard. However, she never imagined that her fiancé could hide something so life changing. Georgia flees to the family vineyard after her discovery only to encounter more secrets. Dave’s thought-provoking and funny book will jumpstart your brain after a day of vacationing.
Summer House with Swimming Pool by Herman Koch
Dr. Marc Schlosser faces the aftereffects of the previous summer when famous actor Ralph Meier died after a medical procedure that Schlosser performed. Marc digs into the events of last summer when he and his family spent a week at the Meier’s summer home on the Mediterranean. The week began fine, but after violence erupted, their perfect summer warped into a nightmare. If the days of quaint vacationing become too tame for you, venture into the Koch’s dark world of secrets and ulterior motives.
The Hypnotist’s Love Story by Liane Moriarty
Hypnotherapist Ellen O’Farrell meets an attractive man, Patrick, while working in her inherited beachfront home. Ellen is ecstatic about their budding romance until Patrick reveals that he has a stalker. What Ellen doesn’t know is that she’s already met her. If you’re looking for something a bit lighter on your vacation, try this book out and be ready for plenty of humor, love, and a dash of suspense.
I’ll Give You the Sun by Jandy Nelson
Jude and her twin brother Noah live in their California hometown in relative harmony until something happens to drive them apart. When they’re 13, Noah is obsessed with drawing and falling in love with the new boy in town. Jude is a daredevil who loves cliff-diving. Three years later, the two rarely interact and appear to be completely different people. The past is in Noah’s perspective while the later years are in Jude’s. Reclaim your youth with thiws loving and dramatic read while being encompassed in the California atmosphere.
The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins
Rachel sits on the train each morning, waiting for a moment of bliss when she gets to see the same couple enact their daily breakfast routines. Dubbed “Jess and Jason,” Rachel has small fantasies of what their perfect lives could be like. One day, Rachel sees something that shocks her, and the next, Jess is missing. Confused and scared, Rachel goes to the police, but she isn’t sure if the information will help. Hawkins’ novel is a thriller that will keep your heart thumping no matter where you are.
Take Me With You by Catherine Ryan Hyde
A teacher with a sad past travels to Yellowstone, picking up two half-orphans along the way. The journey transforms them, showing just how much power a trip has to change people. You’ll find a classic, heartwarming story perfect for the ride back home in the pages of Hyde’s novel.