Holiday Reading List

One of my favourite things about going on a beach vacation (besides, of course, the beach itself) is the amount of reading I get done. There's no better way to enjoy the sun and the surf than with a really good page turner. I'm low tech, so my bags are always bulging with books. I realize how much more efficient it would be to bring a kindle or e-reader but I just can't give up the weight and texture of a book in my hands. I love it too much, even the smell of it makes me happy. Anyway, since I just got back from Cuba, I thought it would be fun to share with you the best of the books I read while on vacation. I'm always looking for recommendations, so I try to make sure I share mine as well. Here we go!

A Short History of Tractors in Ukrainian by Marina Lewycka

Punchy, funny and so unique! The story of a pair of sisters with a very strained relationship, brought together when their eighty-four year old father marries a thirty-six year old blonde. I whizzed through this in a day, I just couldn't put it down.

The Sherlockian by Graham Moore

A mysterious murder with a Sherlock twist. Not only was this a great piece of fiction on its own, with great writing, characters and a "killer" story, it made me want to reread all the old Sherlock Holmes stories again. I also recommend you give Arthur Conan Doyle's biography a perusal as well. He was a very interesting man.

Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell by Susanna Clarke

This was one of the recommendations from Erin Morgernstern. It was whimsical, unique and entertaining. I loved everything about it. This was definitely a favourite. 

Alias Grace by Margaret Atwood

I've loved Margaret Atwood ever since I read The Edible Woman but I had yet to read Alias Grace. I couldn't think of a better time and I'm glad I did. It pulled me in from page one, as her work always does. Definitely a must read.

The Lucky Dog Matchmaking Service

One of the things I love most about being on vacation is the extra down time it gives me to catch up on my reading. For example, when I went to the Bahamas, I read eight books in ten days. Pure bliss. I didn't do quite so well this time (probably due to the enormous amount of shopping), but I did manage to get in enough down time to read three books and a collection of short stories. The first one I read was THE LUCKY DOG MATCHMAKING SERVICE by Beth Kendrick. And it was positively lovely.

I'm a dog person, but I don't usually pick up books that center around dogs. Why? Because there seems to be some sort of unwritten rule demanding that all dog stories must have a sad ending. And I just can't do it. When I was little, I started reading WHERE THE RED FERN GROWS and never finished it. I could tell what was going to happen so I just put it down and walked away. Not so with this one. It was lighthearted and fun, with a quirky and sympathetic main character. I found myself unable to put it down and devoured it in a single afternoon.

It was the perfect holiday read. I recommend it for anyone that enjoys a good book, likes dogs or just wants to read something with a happy ending.

What about you? Have you read this one? What did you think of it?