Books to bring on vacation......?

[senrab]

I always wait for the first sea day and then there is a virtual library around the pool and you can sample each book until you find one that interests you. Lots of chairs even have a towel for you to use. Cruising is great with all of the amenities that they come up with:D

 

I love your style. The amenities are amazing, aren't they?

 

Seriously though, I find myself reading The Back of My Eyelids series. It's an easy read, and I don't foresee an end to the series. Cheap too!

[Beach710]

I agree about the Stephanie Plum novels by Janet Evanovich (but you'll get strange looks from people who will be looking at you as you're laughing into your book) They are numbered "One for the Money", "Two for the Dough", etc. etc. Very sexy and funny books. I wish I hadn't read all 14 because now I have to wait for the next one to come out.

 

 

Have you read the "between the numbers"? I always ready the Stephanie Plum novels as soon as I they come out. I just found and read "Plum Lucky". It is listed as between the numbers book. I think there is a new one out too.

 

Anybody know of similar books - that make you laugh out loud?

[negc]

Carl Hiassen writes some good, humorous tales and is a quick read. If you catch your husband reading "Skinny Dip", however, you might want to be careful especially when out on deck with him. LOL:rolleyes:

[delacruz]

I agree that Carl Hiassen's Skinny Dip was the perfect cruise read. I usually enjoy lighter reading as I do much of my reading sitting out above the pool deck on sea days, and don't want something so heavy that I can't get back to it after watching the belly flop contest or some other sillyness.

 

In that vein, Jimmy Buffett books, and the Shopaholic series also fit that bill.

[Beach710]

Carl Hiassen writes some good, humorous tales and is a quick read. If you catch your husband reading "Skinny Dip", however, you might want to be careful especially when out on deck with him. LOL:rolleyes:

 

One of my favorite reads of all time is Carl Hiassen's book "Double Whammy". I stopped reading his books after not being able to get through "Strip Tease". Maybe I should try again.

[pcur]

Anyone reading anything good they can suggest to bring on the cruise???

 

I just got back last Saturday and read a bunch, because we had 9 or 10 sea days:

 

Robert B. Parker: Thin Air, Sea Change

Balducci: Simple Truth, Saving Faith

The German Bride

The Russian Concubine

[Cruising89143]

Yep, "Skinny Dip" is a good one. Also "Devils on the Deep Blue Sea".

[jandj082008]

I also agree with the Stephanie Plum series!

 

However, one of my absolute favorite vacation books is "Valley of the Dolls" by Jacqueline Susann. It's dramatic and trashy and long and keeps me occupied and scandalized when I'm sunning. :D

 

Also, David Sedaris is a genius - I recommend anything by him!

[frozenice12]

If you ever read NIcholas Sparks, I just found " Three Weeks with My Brother"

read it last week while at an all inclusive in Mexico, it was really one of his best !

[kabux]

I love Jennifer Cruise - romantic comedy with some mystery too -- my favorites are Welcome to Temptation, Faking It and Bet Me.

 

Also love many of Nora Roberts' books - Northern Exposure was great, Baltimore series - Inner Harbor, etc - was also great!

[Jadai]

If you enjoy historical fiction (English history to be exact) try anything by Phillipa Gregory. Perhaps her most well-known book is "The Other Boleyn Girl" which was made into a movie. I have read several others and loved them all.

 

Also, "Pillars of the Earth" and sequel "World Without End" by Ken Follet (these two books are a complete departure from his usual spy genre). One word of caution...they are both very long books (900 plus pages so maybe no the best for traveling, but well worth reading.) These books tell of the building of one of the cathedrals (Kingbridge) in England during medievil times. The story and all the characters are well-drawn as is the accurate description of life during those times.

 

 

 

I was going to say The Other Boleyn Girl so 2 votes there. Also, anything by James Patterson is great and a nice, easy read.

[Shanafan]

This was left open as to what kind of books the OP likes.....so here is my suggestion and what I brought on my last cruise........

 

Chelsea Handler......My Horizontal Life

 

Very funny, very crude but a quick read that just makes you laugh! I have bought it for about six friends.....all who have loved it!

 

Her other book is good, (Are you there Vodka, its me Chelsea) but I liked the other better.

 

I need something on a cruise that I can stop and people watch or grab a snack.....something that is upbeat and keeps my good relaxing mood going.

[DanieleBelle]

If you are interested in a nonfiction book, An Embarrassment of Mangoes by Ann Vanderhoff is awesome. It's about a middle aged couple from Toronto, who take 2 years off to sail on their 42 ft sailboat all around the Caribbean. Great stories from all the islands we love!

[fungirl28]

Dan Brown is good, I picked up Angels & Demons on a cruise and could not put it down. I also like Vince Flynn and Patricia Cornwell.

[zantedeschia]

I don't know if you are male or female, that would influence my suggestions, but here is my list for women.

The Time Traveler's Wife

This was an excellent book.

 

The ultimate woman's book would have to be White Oleander.

[ma080448]

Has anyone read Fern Michaels series The Sisterhood. Really good and look forward to each book of the series.

 

Also Debbie Macomber has a series. They go in order with the address of each book.!

 

Stuart Woods has some really great books out also

 

Marilyn

[NautiqueBelle]

If you enjoy historical fiction (English history to be exact) try anything by Phillipa Gregory. Perhaps her most well-known book is "The Other Boleyn Girl" which was made into a movie. I have read several others and loved them all.

 

Also, "Pillars of the Earth" and sequel "World Without End" by Ken Follet (these two books are a complete departure from his usual spy genre). One word of caution...they are both very long books (900 plus pages so maybe no the best for traveling, but well worth reading.) These books tell of the building of one of the cathedrals (Kingbridge) in England during medievil times. The story and all the characters are well-drawn as is the accurate description of life during those times.

 

May I second, third, and fourth these choices?? Fabulous books, especially the Ken Follett epics.

For those of you going to Barcelona this year (or next, or in your lifetime)...I suggest: Barcelona of the Sea by Ildefonso Falcones. This book is my favorite of the 26 books I've read in 2008. It is a story based on the building of the Santa Maria del Mar Cathedral. Amazing story and such a great read. Of interest to me, and perhaps to others...Ken Follett actually based the building plans of the Cathedral in Pillars of the Earth on the actual cathedral Santa Maria del Mar in Barcelona.

 

Heck...even if you aren't going to Barcelona, give this book a try.

[JordanFam]

I recently read "Lone Survivor" by Marcus Luttrell and it was one of the best books I have ever read. It is a true story, and a really amazing book. I highly recommend for men or women.

[NautiqueBelle]

May I second, third, and fourth these choices?? Fabulous books, especially the Ken Follett epics.

For those of you going to Barcelona this year (or next, or in your lifetime)...I suggest: Barcelona of the Sea by Ildefonso Falcones. CORRECTION: Cathedral of the Sea !!

 

This book is my favorite of the 26 books I've read in 2008. It is a story based on the building of the Santa Maria del Mar Cathedral. Amazing story and such a great read. Of interest to me, and perhaps to others...Ken Follett actually based the building plans of the Cathedral in Pillars of the Earth on the actual cathedral Santa Maria del Mar in Barcelona.

 

Heck...even if you aren't going to Barcelona, give this book a try.

 

See my error above...corrected in RED. :o

[IBookHePays]

Not to be redundant, but I enjoyed Stephanie Plum on the ship in the second half of "Eleven on top" then "Twelve Sharp" and then came home to finish the very end of "Lean Mean Thirteen"

 

One of my favorite books is The Saving Graces...bought one for each of my best girlfriends!

[S_cruiser]

On the first cruise we took, we both took books but never opened them as we discovered the library and found that they had books of interest to us. Since then, we never a book with us (saves weight and room) and hit the library early in the cruise to pick out books to get us through the cruise.

 

We never have had a problem in finding a book to read.

[Nothin' But Sun]

The Reef, by Nora Roberts. It's about hidden treasures in the Caribbean, with a little romance mixed in (of course). Great pre-cruise read aswell:)

[DonnaK]

Nora Roberts' In the Garden series (Blue Dahlia, Black Rose, Red Lily) is very good.

 

For good woman's fiction: A Necessary Woman by Helen Van Slyke, about a female reporter who wins an around-the-world cruise and sends a travelogue of it back to her employer.

 

Harlequin has a series called Mediterranean Nights, which are 12 books set on cruise ships. I picked up the entire set on ebay for $5.

 

Lastly, if you are going to use the book exchange shelf in the ship's library, where you can leave or take a paperback, look into the bookcrossing website. You can label the book so that you can track its journey as new people pick it up. Bookcrossing is my second favorite hobby after cruising.

[kyriecat]

For romantic suspense, Tami Hoag, Iris Johanssen, Beverly Barton, and Karen Harper are fairly addictive. I've read several of James Patterson's books but they are very quick reading so I can usually finish one in 2-3 hours. It doesn't keep me occupied for long. I don't like Dan Brown because I always see the end coming about halfway through the book - very predictable! Dave Barry's (yes, the Miami Herald columnist) novels are good for a laugh - Big Trouble and Tricky Business. Tricky Business is staged on a gambling ship off Florida so it ties nicely into the cruise experience. Dean Koontz is a great read if you are looking for "the average joe gets stuck in a weird situation not of his doing but makes good". The Good Guy, Velocity, The Husband, and False Memories kept me entertained. Everything depends on what genre you like.

[T&Tmom]

For those of you who have finished all of the Stephanie Plum novels, you might want to pick up Metro Girl and Motor Mouth from Janet Evanovich. Different characters but in the same style.

 

I second the Iris Johansen recommendation. Also the mystery/romance novels from Sandra Brown and Linda Howard are good.