For me, traveling requires a lot of preparation: closet-cleaning, shopping, list-making, and of course, stocking up on books to read.
I often think about what makes a good travel read. For me, there’s no one definition of a good travel read. Some like to read about the place they’re going to, some prefer really light page-turners. I prefer books that are meaningful (memorable, well-written, with something to say) because I may forever associate that place with that book. But I also don’t want books that are too dark or too dense. That said, I’ve read Thomas Hardy on the beach and I can read just about anything on a plane, depending on the distractions around me. I can’t sleep on a plane but I can read.
As I’m getting psyched for my trip (for some of us, getting psyched is half the fun), I’ve been checking out new releases and wondering if there’s anything I should add to my Kindle suitcase. I already have my 20 Books of Summer list, but here’s what I’m thinking about. Anything here you can recommend, or not recommend?
Vinegar Girl by Anne Tyler: a take on The Taming of the Shrew, what’s not to like?
The Girls by Emma Cline: recommended by many and I find the Manson story fascinating.
Sweetbitter by Stephanie Danler. A novel about working in a restaurant. I’m not sure why I’m intrigued by this one but the reviews are good.
The Smell of Other People’s Houses by Bonnie-Sue Hitchcock. I’d read this for the title alone, plus it’s about Alaska, a place I visited and loved.
Pierced by the Sun by Laura Esquivel. She wrote Like Water for Chocolate. Enough said.
Everyone Brave is Forgiven by Chris Cleave. A World War II novel set in London.
Any thoughts?
The Book Stop 
These all sound like great summer reads – can you fit them all in your Kindle suitcase?
I’m pretty intrigued by both ‘The Girls’ and ‘Vinegar Girl’ 🙂
I really enjoyed The Girls. I also have a copy of Vinegar Girl but haven’t read it yet – I’m hopeful that Tyler won’t disappoint!
I hear very good things about The Girls, and only a couple of people said it didn’t meet expectations. Thanks for the input!
The Smell of Other People’s Houses is excellent! I gave it 5 stars! It’s a quicker read because it’s YA and it deals will a lot of tough issues while still being witty and funny and most importantly, hopeful! The different narrators all weave together by the end, it’s awesome. I’ve had my eye on Vinegar Girl, too, but I haven’t read it yet, nor have I read any of the others.
Thanks for the recommendation! I’m really interested in this one. I don’t read much YA unless I hear something is really good.