12 books to read on your travels in 2018

This is the third year that I dedicate a special post in January to recommend 12 books to read on your travels throughout the 12 months of the year. I’m always searching for book recommendations, that being from friends or from Goodreads, where I love to browse good rated books on my favourite genres: young adult fiction, romance, historical fiction and chick lit.

For 2018 I’ve already made a list on Goodreads with the books I’m expecting to read, and have set the target of 15 titles (not sure I will make it, considering now I have a baby and free time is something I’m always longing to have). In 2017 I’ve read some great books, some which even became favourites to me, and I’d like to share them with you, maybe they will serve as inspirations to you in the upcoming months. So here we go, 12 books to read on your travels in 2018, in no particular order:

 

The Nightingale

by Kristin Hannah

The nightingale

Goodreads

One of my favorites of the year. This is the story of two sisters at the time of the WWII, Isabelle and Vianne. Both see the war very differently, one prefers to play by the rules, the other, not so much. From the start their stories will catch your attention and will make you get really involved with their lives.

Genre: historical fiction
Where: France, Spain, USA

Get a copy here!

 

Tell me three things

by Julie Buxbaum

Tell me three things

Goodreads

Jessie is going through a very difficult time: her mother passed, her father married another woman and she had to move from Chicago to Los Angeles, and go to a new school filled with rich kids. The good thing about it all is that she makes friends with an anonym person online who seems to know everything she needs to know about surviving at her school. I loved the way the story turned out, and it was definitely fun to find out who S.N. is.

Genre: young adult fiction
Where: Chicago and Los Angeles

Get a copy here!

 

I’ll give you the sun

by Jandy Nelson

I'll give you the sun

Goodreads

A beautiful story about loss, the love between twins, art and true love. This book is so well written and deep that becoming involved is a must, not a maybe. It is told in the past by Noah, and in the present by Jude, and nothing is coincidence.

Genre: young adult fiction
Where: USA

Get a copy here!

 

A thousand boy kisses

by Tillie Cole

A thousand boy kisses

Goodreads

What a sad, happy, inspiring, lovely, moving and sweet story to read at the same time. This is the story of Poppy and Rune, a love at first sight from childhood and beyond. A girl who needs to fill the a 1,000 blank little hearts of her jar, and a boy from Norway who loved her ever since they first saw each other. I’m not gonna tell the rest, read it!

Genre: young adult fiction
Where: USA (Georgia) and Norway

Get a copy here!

 

My not so perfect life

by Sophie Kinsella

My not so perfect life

Goodreads

I can’t help but keep reading Sophie’s books, they always make me laugh and they are so light and easy to read, perfect for those days you just don’t want to think of anything but a fiction story that it’s not yours but which you identify yourself with it in some ways. It’s the story of Katie, who is crazy about social media and posting pictures of her (not so) perfect life. Of course, there is romance, and there is London.

Genre: chick lit
Where: England (London and Somerset)

Get a copy here!

 

Big little lies

by Liane Moriarty

Big little lies

Goodreads

Many of you might be familiar with this story by now, as it became a TV series at HBO played by Nicole Kidman and Reese Witherspoon. Of course, I preferred the book, as they changed quite a few things on the series, starting by where it happens. The story is about a murder, and the mystery of who killed who.

Genre: mystery, chick lit
Where: Australia

Get a copy here!

 

The horse dancer

by Jojo Moyes

The horse dancer

Goodreads

Whoever loves horses will fall in love with this story from the start, just like I did. This book turned out to be way more than I expected and became my favourite by Jojo Moyes so far. It’s the story of Sarah and her horse, her grandpa who taught her everything she knows about horses, and a couple whose lives will be changed by Sarah.

Genre: fiction, romance
Where: England and France

Get a copy here!

 

Girls who travel

by Nicole Trilivas

Girls who travel

Goodreads

Just like us, Nicole is a traveller at heart and this is her debut novel. It tells us the story of Kika, who loves to travel the world but needs to find a job to pay the bills. She’s offered a job in London and moves there from New York, a big change in her life that will help her discover who she is.

Genre: travel, chick lit
Where: USA and England

Get a copy here!

 

Murder on the Orient Express

by Agatha Christie

Murder on the Orient Express

Goodreads

A classic by the legend. The story happens on the luxurious train, the Orient Express, where a murder victim is found aboard. The detective Poirot has the mission of finding the murder among 13 suspects. Will he be able to find him/her?

Genre: classic, mystery, crime
Where: the Orient Express train (including Istanbul and Austria)

Get a copy here!

 

The last piece of my heart

by Paige Toon

The last piece of my heart

Goodreads

This was the first book from Paige Toon I read. It is the story of the travel writer Bridget, who dreams of writing her own novel. Destiny brings her the unfinished novel of Nicole, who passed leaving her husband and baby behind. Bridget then, accepts the challenge of finishing Nicole’s book, but this means getting closely involved with the family she left behind.

Genre: Chick Lit
Where: Australia and England

Get a copy here!

 

Last Christmas in Paris: a novel of World War I

by Hazel and Gaynor

Last Christmas in Paris

Goodreads

A lovely story told by letters. Yes, the entire book is an exchange of letters that happened during the Great War, between lovers, siblings, parents and sons/daughters, and friends. It’s sad, hopeful and romantic. The authors did an amazing job with the main characters, Evelyn and Thomas. Another historical fiction I fell in love with.

Genre: historical fiction
Where: England and France

Get a copy here!

 

Salt to the sea

by Ruta Sepetys

Salt to the sea

Goodreads

I saved my favourite for the end. This book captivated me in every possible way. It is such an amazing story of fours different people, four different stories that got connected amongst the terrors of the WWII. There is love, compassion, hope, pain, suffering, and the story of one of the biggest maritime tragedies ever, the sinking of the ship Wilhelm Gustloff. If you read and loved All the light we cannot see, by Anthony Doerr’s, you will love this one even more.

Genre: historical fiction
Where: East Prussia, Baltic Sea

Get a copy here!

 

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12 books to read in 2018

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About Allane

A Brazilian living in Germany. Married to Wolfi, mommy to Madu and Fitz, our Golden Retriever. Traveler, writer, photographer, diver, wine appreciator, dog Formula 1 fan. City girl, nature lover, believer of a better world one little change at a time.