Today I am so happy to welcome Charlotte Foreman from Best Chick Lit with her Books and Holidays Guest Post.
What Is The Perfect Holiday Read?
When embarking on a summer holiday, a good book is sure to be found in the majority of people’s suitcases. Some are chronic bookworms and will shoehorn acollection of the latest must-reads into their bag, while others display heroic levels of self-control by saving anovel they’ve been dying to read all year just for their trip.
Whatever the motivation, a holiday is universally known as a time to kick back, relax and, if you’re that way inclined, read bucket loads– whether you’re sunbathing on a mile-long stretch of white sand or slumming it in the wilderness. But, and for me this is a big but, is there a perfect genre of book to take with you? I realiseeveryone’s reading tastes differ massively but should holiday-goers forgo their day-to-day favourites in thequest for R and R reading perfection?
I’d say the most obvious choice of holiday reading material for most would be the big author summerbonkbuster. Filled with love, laughter and plenty of sex, the bonkbuster is pretty much guaranteed to give you, or your imagination at least, a good time while whittling away the hours. I’d also say, the same applies to romance reads and all the subgenres i.e. paranormal romance, historical romance, etc.
How about a good old-fashioned thriller or horror? These genres wouldn’t be my personal choice to unwind with (I am a total wimp, btw) but I know lots of people who consider an emotionally flawed detective on the trail of a twisted serial killer to be a good time. Could it be that slipping into a world so far away from the norm, even if it is rather gruesome, is what helps people let go of their everyday stresses and strains and thus makes for the perfect getaway genre?
Grouping together the Classics, I think these would also rank rather highly. Jane Eyre, Little Women, Wuthering Heights, Pride and Prejudice, Romeo and Juliet, everyone has read a classic piece of literature, no matter if by choice or through school/uni. People love to reminisce on past reads, especially if it helped them discover of love of reading, so why wouldn’t they use some free time to indulge in an old favourite?
I don’t know, I may be talking a load of old rubbish here, but I’ve always wondered what makes the perfect holiday read. Is it simply down to the traveller’s mood, location and companions? Is there a scientific formula that could answer my question? Or it is just the book? If it’s the latter, I know more than a few people who will take longer to decide which book(s) to pack than where to actually go on holiday!
Twitter: @BestChickLit
I agree, especially about the classics! I've read some books so many times over, I almost know them by heart! For me it's the Angelique series by Sergeanne Golon. But my Kindle is packed with modern reads that transport me too - now all I need is a holiday to read them!
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