Whether you are spending the last days of summer working or going on a vacation/staycation it’s a great time to escape with a good book. Do you prefer romances, cozy mysteries, action-thrillers, science fiction, fantasy, non-fiction, or the classics? Who are your favorite authors? Who will be your next favorite author?
Whatever you prefer, we’ve selected a mixture of genres with travel or vacations in their plots. Enjoy!
Death in Daylesford (Phryne Fisher Mysteries Book 21) by Kerry Greenwood. Phryne Fisher is back and this time she’s been invited to go on a spa vacation at a resort dedicated to helping shell-shocked veterans of World War 1 – a cause near and dear to her heart. Far from having an idyllic vacation, Phryne and her faithful servant Dot are thrust into a mystery that only she can solve. Meanwhile at home, Phryne’s three wards are trying to solve the mysterious death of a classmate found floating in the river.
Destinations of a Lifetime: 225 of the World’s Most Amazing Places by National Geographic – This is the perfect book for any staycation. Travel the world without leaving the comfort of your home. Enjoy the incredible photos National Geographic is known for plus complete guides for each destination detailing what to eat, where to stay, and what you should see.
The Seven Day Switch by Kelly Harms – It’s a vacation of a different sort. Celeste and Wendy are moms, neighbors, and complete opposites. Celeste is a stay-at-home mom with a perfect house, perfect children, and a Pinterest perfect life. Wendy is a successful career woman who makes juggling work and family look easy. Celeste and Wendy often clash about who is the better parent. After a neighborhood potluck and too much Sangria, they wake up in each other’s bodies and spend a week experiencing each other’s lives. It’s a fun take on the “Freaky Friday” theme as Wendy and Celeste learn their lives aren’t so different.
Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir – Speaking of trips gone wrong, Astronaut Ryland Grace leaves Earth on an emergency mission with two other astronauts. He wakes up as the lone survivor on his ship millions of miles away and fuzzy about the details of his mission. What happened to his crewmates and how long has he been asleep? What was his mission? As his memories begin to return, Grace realizes he is on a mission to conquer an extinction-level threat to all humans. What will he do?
Leave the World Behind by Rumaan Alam – Amanda and Clay and their two teenaged children leave the city for a vacation in a luxurious cabin in a remote area of Long Island - no cell phones, TVs, or computers – just peace and quiet. Their dreams of rest and relaxation are threatened when the owners of the cabin arrive in the middle of the night claiming a disastrous blackout has struck the city and they’ve fled the chaos for the safety of the cabin. With no way to verify their claims, Amanda and Clay aren’t sure who to trust or what to believe.
In Five Years by Rebecca Serle – Unlike her wild and spontaneous best friend, Bella, Dannie is a plotter and planner who knows what she wants – or does she? After nailing an interview for her dream job and accepting a marriage proposal complete with the perfect engagement ring, Dannie drifts happily off to sleep only to wake up five years in the future in a different apartment wearing a different ring and with a different man. She spends exactly one hour in this new life before waking in her own bed and her own time. Was this a dream or did she really travel in time? Though it was only an hour, Dannie can’t get it out of her mind. One hour can change everything, but not in the ways you might expect.
Something’s Fishy in Italy: A Travel Adventure and Unorthodox Guide for the Curious Traveler by Steven Tencati – Tencati writes about his adventures traveling in Italy with his wife, Anouch. Tencati is not a travel writer. He writes about his experiences sharing the magic of the Italian countryside with the love of his life. Sometimes things do not go… to plan, but that’s part of the wonder of sharing an adventure.
People We Meet on Vacation by Emily Henry – Poppy and Alex were opposites. She was wild and adventurous, and he always played it safe. They weren’t friends in high school and despite attending the same university, they didn’t socialize. Strangely, they bonded on a ride share home for the holidays and became inseparable friends. After graduation, Alex returned to their small hometown, but Poppy landed her dream job in the Big Apple. For ten years, they stayed in touch and took a yearly vacation together until a misunderstanding ruined their friendship. Two years later, Poppy realizes she hasn’t been happy since the incident, and she persuades Alex to give their friendship one more try on a special vacation for two. Poppy has one week to fix this or risk losing the most special person in her life, but is the elephant in the room too big to ignore?
Travels with My Aunt by Graham Greene – Henry, a retired London bank manager settles into retirement content to putter about in his garden until his mother’s death brings Aunt Augusta roaring back into his life. Augusta insists Henry give up his garden to travel the world as her companion. With stops in Paris, Istanbul, and Paraguay is mild-mannered Henry ready for the dodgy characters, and secrets from his favorite aunt’s past?
Travels with Charley: In Search of America by John Steinbeck – In 1960, acclaimed author John Steinbeck set out in a camper he named Rocinante after Don Quixote’s horse with his dog Charley to make one last trip across America. Steinbeck had a serious heart condition and wanted to make the trip while he was still physically able. He kept a journal which was part travelogue and part the musings of a brilliant storyteller.