Following on from our “Top reads for downtime during an active sun holiday!” blog, I’ve compiled a new list of Top reads for your activity holiday. For a lot of people, no holiday is complete without a good page-turner. Whether it be a distraction during flights and transfers, or just a method of relaxation after a busy day of activities. For myself, I like to bring two or three books away for a week holiday and it’s a rare occasion I don’t get them finished. I don’t really have time during my everyday schedule to read, so I really revel getting the chance to get stuck in when on holiday. So here we have it, my Top 5 recommendations:
Memoirs of an Imaginary Friend – Matthew Green
This book was given to me a friend and initially I was a little sceptical when I read the blurb, but it sucked me in and I found I couldn’t put it down. The book is narrated by Budo, the Imaginary friend of a nine-year old boy called Max, who has Asperger’s. It takes you on a rollercoaster of emotion through the bizarre world of imaginary friends. Budo can’t interact with the world around him but when Max gets into trouble, he finds that he’s the only one that can help. It’s the perfect length for a short activity holiday, but it’s so fast-paced you won’t want to put it down.
The Light Between Oceans – M.L. Stedman
Now a major motion picture, this book focuses on the life of an ex-soldier and his new wife as they begin a life together on an isolated Lighthouse island. Years later, after two miscarriages and one stillbirth, the grieving couple’s life is thrown upside down when they hear a baby’s cries on the wind. This book had a strong start, I found that it slowed down a little in the middle, but it is worth persevering with as it suddenly takes an abrupt turn and everything happens at once. Stedman’s writing style really appealed to me, and I found her descriptive rhetoric brought her world to life!
The Girl in the Photograph – Kate Riordan
This one is ideal for all the history lovers out there. This book focuses on the stories of two women from different generations whose lives are entwined through their association with a certain house. It follows the story of a young woman called Alice, who is sent away in disgrace after she falls pregnant outside wedlock in the summer of 1933. The book explores her experience of living in an old manor house in the country, and takes a dark turn as she discovers an old picture of a lady in a photograph whom no one will talk about. Full of mystery and intrigue these book had me hooked.
The Steel Kiss – Jeffery Deaver
Written by the author of the Bone Collector and the Skin Collector, this book tells the story of detectives Amelia Sachs and Lincoln Rhyme as they track a serial killer across Brooklyn. I only started reading this book as I love the other books by Jeffrey Deaver, and this one hasn’t disappointed yet. I say yet, because I’m still in the process of reading it. So far so good though, as I’m desperately squeezing in chapters whenever I can as I can’t put the book down for long! Told from the point of view of Sachs, Rhyme and also the killer, this book keeps you guessing.
Remember Me – Sophie Kinsella
I know she featured in the last blog, but Sophie Kinsella is a crowd pleaser and I enjoy her books; they’re easy reading. This book is about a lady, Lexi, who has short term memory loss following a severe road traffic accident. She wakes up having forgot the last few years of her life… which just so happened to include her getting a promotion, getting married and moving into a swanky new apartment. When she gets released from hospital and she starts to piece her life back together, she starts to realise her life wasn’t as perfect as it seemed. I gobbled this book up in a couple of hours on the beach and it’s still a firm favourite on my book shelf – worth the read if you want something light-hearted on your activity holiday!
So there you have it, my Top 5 (at the moment) recommendations for a good read. Hopefully you've found something of interest to invest in and bring along on holiday with you.