Planes, Trains, and... Books


It's almost holiday time, and that means traveling for a lot of people. Since I'm leaving this weekend to go visit family for Thanksgiving, I thought I'd make a list of books for you guys that'll be perfect reads while you're flying, waiting in the airport, or hiding from relatives. If you're taking a car trip, check out the audiobook versions. Or, I guess, if you're fortunate enough to be able to read in the car, do that. I can't even look at Instagram without getting carsick.
So, without further ado, here's my list of perfect travel books that are lighthearted, page turning, or perfect escapes. I'll link to my reviews of each of the books so that you can read my full thoughts on each of the books.
by Lance Rubin
I picked a lot of funny books for this list because they're my favorites to read while traveling. Even when books cross into difficult subject matter, the tone can keep a book perfectly poised as a light read. I love the balance Rubin strikes here as aspiring comedian, Winnie, is always good to point out the humor in a moment even as she deals with intense family situations. 
by Katie Henry
This book is one of my favorites I've read recently because I could not put it down. The story centers around Ellis who is a doomsday prepper and deals with a lot of anxiety issues. She's convinced the world could end on a moment's notice. When she meets Hannah, who claims to know the exact time this disaster will happen, Ellis is given a goal to save everyone before the disaster sets in. The cool thing about this book is that you know that the world isn't going to end, but there's so many twists and turns at the end and the tension of living in Ellis's mind makes you wonder. 
It's an amazing exploration of anxiety, family, friendship. and fist love.
Interview with Katie: Here
by Sonia Hartl
This book is also perfect for a thought provoking laugh. Set at a Christian summer camp, the book follows CeCe and Paul who really shouldn't be there. CeCe is chasing her ex-boyfriend who has become a born again Christian after breaking up with her after they had sex. Paul is chasing his best friend who he knows will die at camp without him. With Paul's knowledge of Jesus camp from his since disappeared pastor father, CeCe infiltrates the camp, but, as time goes on, her mission shifts from winning back her loser boyfriend to helping the girls she befriends learn about sex ed and correct some of their harmful misconceptions. 
Hilarious missteps and sweet romance make this book a complete page turner.
Interview with Sonia: Here
by Erin Hahn
No list of anything is complete without a swooney, country music romance. Erin delivers on not just a musical love story but a deep exploration of two ordinary people thrown into extraordinary situations. The two perfectly executed points of view will keep you stuck in their world.
Interview with Erin: Here
by Leah Thomas
Family, small towns, murder. All of these elements are at play in this book. The plot revolves around the tweens born a generation after a murder that disrupted both their family's lives forever. Even though Kayln's dad is in prison for the murder of Gus's dad, there's an irresistible draw pulling them together. Despite their families' being enemies, they become good friends and work to get to the bottom of what really happened that night before either of them were even born. It's a unique take on the murder mystery, but it's also an amazing friendship story and has great representation. 
by Lori Goldstein
If you're looking for a book about badass girls in tech, look no further than Screen Queens. Set at a STEM camp at Stanford, three girls are thrown together in a team for the coding competition. Even though they don't start as best friends, the girls bond quickly when they uncover some sexist and dangerous activity running through the camp. Together, they work to both win the completion and win justice. 
by Jen Wilde
This book has all the markers of a perfect travel read. It's fast paced, it's adorable, and it's set on a Hollywood movie set. Wilde invites you to forget about the winter snow and imagine a summer spent interning in a writer's room while falling for the shows lead actress. Also, if you're looking for YA with olde characters, this is a great choice because it's set the summer after high school which is cool. but, content wise, it's still perfect for a younger reader. 

As Many Nows As I Can Get
by Shana Youngdahl 
You might want to pack some tissues for this one. Even though I don't love consuming emotional media in public, I had to include this one because the way it's written out of sequence and in short scenes makes it particularly all consuming. As Many Nows is an intense experience, and you won't want to put the book down. Another perk is that it's one of the longer books on the list which is great you can only take one with you.
Interview with Shana: Here
The Best Lies
by Sarah Lyu
If you want to pack a rollercoaster in your bag, this book is the way to go. It's a twisty murder mystery/thriller type story with a dual timeline and an unreliable narrator. It jumps into toxic friendships and what happens when games go too far. You'll wash into a world so disorienting and immediate that you won't want to close the book until you've discovered every detail. 
Interview with Sarah: Here

Ship It
by Britta Lundin
I'm a sucker for comic con books, and this one is my favorite in the genre. There's a cute love story where the fanfic writing Claire falls for another fan art making fan, but it also peals back a layer on TV and Hollywood as Claire's dream to hang out with her favorite cast on TV turns into an illusion breaking reality about the people behind her favorite characters. Also, for those interested in fandom, it has a really interesting conversation about shipping and where the line between loving something, wanting something for a show, and how it impacts the actors and writers on the show gets blurred. 
This book is a nonstop laugh. It's hilarious and heart wrenching, and for a lot of teens, set in the decade their parents were teens which is both kinda cool and kinda weird. It's another out of sequence story and perfect for those who love sarcasm with a side of heartbreak.
Interview with Don: Here

Red, White, and Royal Blue
by Casey McQuiston
This is actually an adult romance so better suited for those on the older end of YA, but who isn't going to love a romance between the prince of England and the first son. It pretty much sells itself right there, but the book is also wonderful for its dialogues on media scrutiny, siblings, and trying to find your own path as someone in your early 20s. 

As a bonus entry, I also want to recommend Elton John's new autobiography Me on audiobook. It's what I picked as my entertainment for my last trip, and it was a great choice. Elton narrates it himself and takes the book and the stories to another level. He's great at performing it, and it feels like some friend telling you crazy, old stories. I haven't heard many Elton John songs, and I didn't know anything about him before listening, but I found it to be the perfect travel companion. 
And you might be wondering what I'm taking on my trip this year. While my Kindle is loaded with a couple different books, first up will be Erin Hahn's More Than Maybe which is arriving at my house tomorrow. I'm beyond excited to dive into Erin's second book because I loved the little excerpt I got to read when I did Erin's cover reveal a little while back. If you missed that, you can find it here

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