Vacation Reads

I love to read, and one of my favorite things to do on vacation is lie on the beach with a good book. We were in Aruba for eight full days and had two five-hour flights, so I had plenty of time for reading! I wanted vacation reads that weren’t too heavy in subject matter, but weren’t so fluffy that I felt like I was losing brain cells reading them. It’s sometimes a difficult balance to strike, but I think I managed! There were a couple of books that I started to read…and then ended up putting down because I just wasn’t into them, but these five had me hooked. They’re great for vacation or wherever you read. What have you read lately? Leave a comment with recos and be sure to friend me on Goodreads!

Cruel Beautiful World: A Novel by Caroline Leavitt: The story of 16-year-old Lucy and her older sister Charlotte, set in the 1970s. When Lucy makes a rash decision to follow the man she loves, neither of their lives will ever be the same. Although I thought this book started off a little slow, it definitely got better as it went along and the characters developed.

The Sun Is Also a Star by Nicola Yoon: A story of unexpected teenage love that is both beautiful and tragic. Powerful perspective on how one person and one day can actually change your life. I read Nicola’s first novel Everything, Everything (also YA) and was totally impressed by her writing style and complex characterizations. I couldn’t wait to read this one and it did not disappoint.

Lies and Other Acts of Love by Kristey Woodson Harvey: After sixty years of marriage and five daughters, Lynn “Lovey” White knows that all of us, from time to time, need to tell a few little white lies. This is a lesson her granddaughter Annabelle learns as she confronts some major life changes. Lovey also finds out if her lies were really worth it. It’s a fascinating look at love in its many forms and what people are willing to do to show it, get it and keep it.

The Royal We by Heather Cocks: What if an American fell in love with a British prince? This is basically a version of Will and Kate if Kate was an American college student from the Midwest. Don’t hate me, but I actually don’t care much about the royals and I wasn’t one of those people who counted down to the Royal Wedding. So, it’s especially notable that I absolutely LOVED this book. It’s so well-written and surprisingly relatable. I also felt like I learned a lot about what it’s really like to be in the spotlight and it made me appreciate “real” people who fall in love with celebrities. A must-read!

The After Party: A Novel by Anton DiSclafani: This one follows a group of 1950s Texas socialites and their complicated, often imbalanced friendships. Although it was kind of entertaining, I felt like the story lacked something and some of the relationships just frustrated me. But, if you’re curious about how the rich and famous lived in the 50s, it’s worth a read.