Peak vacation season has arrived, so slather on that sunscreen and prepare to recharge — and have some fun along the way. Oh, and the other great thing about vacations? They’re the perfect time to tackle your TBR or explore buzzy new titles you haven’t had the chance to read yet.
The top books to read on vacation include breezy beach reads, page-turning mysteries, and fascinating memoirs. Other popular choices include feel-good contemporary fiction, engrossing fantasies, or even nonfiction to help you learn something new (just don’t work too hard; you’re on vacation, after all).
In the end, the best books to pack are ones you’ll like and are excited for. But if you’re looking for ideas about the great fiction and nonfiction books to read on vacation this year, look no further than this list, which includes all-time favorites like One Italian Summer by Rebecca Serle and brand new hits like The Ministry of Time by Kaliane Bradley.
Happy resting, relaxing, and reading!
1. The Paradise Problem by Christina Lauren
Anna thought her marriage of convenience ended in divorce, so she’s shocked when her supposed ex, Liam, reveals they’re still technically married. Even more astonishing, if Anna agrees to play the happy couple in front of his family, Liam will share his sizable inheritance. But as this platonic pair spend more time together, budding feelings and sizzling chemistry surprise them both.
With sweet and spice galore, this novel from our favorite dynamic duo (Christina Hobbs and Lauren Billings) is the perfect romance book to read on vacation (especially since it’s set on a tropical private island).
2. The Breakaway by Jennifer Weiner
Weiner’s books make for great beach reads, including favorites like The Summer Place and Good in Bed. The Breakaway is her latest novel featuring authentic characters filled with humor, hope, and insight.
After years of insecurity over her weight, Abby Stern is finally in a good place thanks to a passion for cycling. She jumps at an opportunity to lead a cycling tour across New York State (which will provide a great chance to rethink her tepid relationship with her boyfriend). But when her judgmental mother and a former fling join the tour, things get complicated.
3. One Italian Summer by Rebecca Serle
When Katy Silver takes a solo trip to Positano, Italy, while grieving the death of her mother, she inexplicably encounters her mother’s 30-year-old self (as well as a handsome hero, of course).
With its dreamy Italian setting and message about deep love, Serle’s time-bending, heartfelt story is appealing any time of the year, but especially on a relaxing summer vacation.
4. It Ends with Us by Colleen Hoover
Author Hoover has plenty of addictive bestsellers, but It Ends with Us is often considered her best and most popular release (so far). Plus, your upcoming vacation is the perfect time to read this, since the story is finally hitting the big screen in August 2024 in a film starring Blake Lively.
In many ways, this seems like your stereotypical sexy romance novel: Protagonist Lily Bloom must choose between a hot doctor named Ryle and her first love, Atlas. But the story shines above the rest for its very real and poignant portrayal of cycles of abuse.
5. Twelfth Knight by Alexene Farol Follmuth
Young adult novels are ideal vacation reads because they tend to be more lighthearted, breezy, and endearing, while still tackling important social issues.
This is a wonderfully nerdy take on Shakespeare’s romantic comedy. Weary of harassment in male-dominated spaces, high schooler Viola Reyes plays her favorite MMORPG, “Twelfth Knight,” under the masculine username Cesario. While under the protection of reverse gender stereotypes and anonymity, Vi is surprised by her budding connection with Jack Orsino, a popular (and annoying) classmate.
Twelfth Knight is the 2024 summer YA pick for Reese’s Book Club.
6. The Summer I Turned Pretty by Jenny Han
A love triangle blossoms at a shared beach house that friends Belly, Conrad, and Jeremiah visit every summer. Readers everywhere are continually charmed by this light YA read about childhood friends growing into something more, from the author of To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before. Stream the Prime Video series adaptation to round out your vacation bliss.
7. The Ministry of Time by Kaliane Bradley
Bradley’s debut just dropped in May 2024, and the BBC and A24 are already planning a six-part series adaptation.
A British Cambodian government worker must help a time traveler from the past orient himself in modern-day England. Hilarious situations — and unexpected romance — ensue between the unnamed narrator and Graham Gore, a real-life Royal Navy commander who, in this novel, is plucked from the 19th century before the disastrous end of his arctic expedition. You’ll undoubtedly be charmed by this witty and genre-blending novel.
8. A Psalm for the Wild-Built by Becky Chambers
Cozy and comforting, tranquil and refreshing — all words that describe both a great vacation and this Hugo Award-winning novella. It’s the first in Chambers’ beloved Monk & Robot series.
A tea monk finds themself struggling with feelings of dissatisfaction and restlessness, when one day, they connect with a friendly robot. Humans and self-aware robots parted ways centuries ago, but these two decide to embark on a journey together, seeking to make sense of one another’s existence and pondering their purpose in life.
9. The Ballad of Jacquotte Delahaye by Briony Cameron
Tap into your sense of adventure during vacation with this pulse-pounding and heartwarming novel inspired by legends of 17th-century female pirates in the Caribbean.
A sudden coup in Yáquimo, Santo Domingo, sends shipwright Jacquotte on the run and into a life of piracy. Aboard “The Marauder,” Jacquotte’s determination is tested by the ruthless Captain Blackhand, yet sustained by her newfound friendship (and maybe more) with fellow pirate Teresa.
Cameron’s swashbuckling debut abounds with strong women, found family, enduring friendships, sapphic romance, and more.
10. One Perfect Couple by Ruth Ware
A modern master of mystery often compared to Dame Agatha Christie, Ware delivers a locked-room thriller about a reality show turned deadly. With her career and relationship floundering, Lyla joins the cast of the reality TV show “One Perfect Couple” alongside her aspiring actor boyfriend. But, as it turns out, the show’s remote island setting is far from idyllic.
Mysteries go hand-in-hand with free time on vacation because they’re so riveting and unputdownable. Dive into the twists and turns of Ware’s gripping novel as you lounge by the pool or relax on the beach.
11. Never Lie by Freida McFadden
Another fan-favorite mystery and psychological thriller writer, McFadden writes bestselling novels that are known for jaw-dropping twists and unreliable narrators.
In this story, Tricia and Ethan’s house hunt leads them to a remote and stately mansion once inhabited by a psychologist, who vanished. When a snowstorm traps them overnight, Tricia passes the time by listening to old cassette tapes found in the house — transcripts that unravel the horrifying truth about the previous owner’s disappearance.
12. Long Island by Colm Tóibín
Hopefully you’ve already read Toibin’s bestselling novel, Brooklyn, or watched the Oscar-nominated film adaptation starring Saoirse Ronan. If not, be sure to add it to your TBR, along with this highly anticipated sequel.
In the first book, Eilis Lacey was torn between Ireland and America — and the love of two men.
Now, 20 years later, a devastating betrayal sparks Eilis’ return to Enniscorthy, Ireland, which is both strange and hauntingly familiar.
Quiet, powerful, and probing the effects of secrecy, Long Island is yet another stunning work by a masterful author. It’s also a great armchair travel book for those enjoying a relaxing staycation.
13. Shelter by Ada Limón
Sometimes the best vacation is one that brings us closer to nature, from hiking epic landscapes to camping in beautiful forests.
In that vein, take a leisurely walk through the woods and across the country in this homage to trees from U.S. poet laureate Limón. This Everand Original essay — told in brief and bittersweet vignettes — pays respect to the power, beauty, and mystery of our strong and silent companions. Shelter is perfect to read in the shade of a tree on a summer day.
14. Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer
Kimmerer has built several bridges with this book — between modern science and Potawatomi traditions, and between humankind and the natural world. It’s quiet yet powerful, brilliant and contemplative, while striking the ideal vacation-reading balance of soothing and thought-provoking.
Braiding Sweetgrass has been a mainstay on the New York Times bestseller list since its release over a decade ago.
15. The Summer of Fall by Laura Lippman
In this Everand Original memoir, award-winning writer Lippman recounts an especially hard summer of family illness, physical misadventure, and emotional upheavals. But with self-deprecating humor as both a sword and shield, she never stayed down for long. Now, in The Summer of Fall, she shares how she managed to thrive in spite of it all.
This is the perfect vacation read if you’re looking for some encouragement before you head back to the daily grind. And if you love a good mystery, all of Lippman’s books offer a thrilling escape.
16. Good Girls Don’t by Mara Wilson
Who doesn’t love reading a good celebrity memoir while taking some time away? Especially one that’s candid, humble, and above all, wonderfully relatable.
Good girls don’t talk back. Good girls don’t disobey their parents. Good girls don’t disappoint their fans. Writer and former child actor Wilson (you may remember her from Matilda or Mrs. Doubtfire) opens up about her struggle with the pressure to please other people while growing up in the spotlight on set and dealing with the turmoil of her mother’s death.
17. Hip-Hop Is History by Questlove
Perfect your vacation playlist and nod along to the rhythms of hip-hop as you unwind with this book — a blend of microhistory and memoir.
Questlove (DJ, drummer for The Roots, author of Creative Quest, and all-around artistic genius) traces the history of hip-hop across the last five decades. Displaying deep knowledge of and passion for the subject, Questlove shows that the history of hip-hop is also his own personal history, making this book an engaging exploration of a subject that’s both a genre and a culture.
18. Ikigai by Hector Garcia and Francesc Miralles
Along with having fun, vacations can also be the perfect time to reflect on your life — including reevaluating your priorities and considering new ways to achieve health and happiness (in mind, body, and spirit). Let this book be your guide.
Authors Garcia and Miralles travel to a small Japanese village and Blue Zone — areas that are home to some of the longest-living people on Earth — to find the secret to living a long life that’s also fulfilling. Their answer? Ikigai, the Japanese concept of finding meaning by staying busy doing what you love.
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