What 2 books should I take on holiday with me?

[chickensaresafehere]

Love reading & escaping in a book,but don't get much chance to read nowadays (have a dd with SN) but dh & I are off on our first kids free holiday in July & I want to take 2 books - a thriller type & an uplifting one (not chick lit!)

I'm a huge Stephen King fan & have read most of his,but not Revival,so was thinking of taking that,until I read some posts on here about it & a lot of the SK fans didn't like it.
I have quite a few unread thrillers on my shelves -
Cell - Stephen King,
The Twenty three - Linwood Barclay,
BirdBox - Josh Malerman
The last days of Jack Sparks - Jason Arnopp
The waiting room - F.G Cottam.
So was thinking of taking one of those.Which one would you recommend?
Would love your recommendations for uplifting books too.What did you think of -
The keeper of lost things,Eleanor Oliphant,How to be happy?
Would love some recommendations please

[LEMtheoriginal]

I enjoyed the keeper of lost things .

Really though this is a blatant place Mark as I too need something to read on holiday.

[theaveragewife]

I loved The Girl Before (for your psychological thriller) not sure on definition of chick lit but I also loved Eleanor Oliphant....although I definitely wouldn’t call it either uplifting or thriller.

My favourite uplifting book is A Man Called Ove

[madvixen]

Cell is brilliant and really ranks in my best books of all time.
For the something uplifting, I like The Courage Tree by Diane Chamberlain.

[chickensaresafehere]

theaveragewife A Man Called Ove looks good,my sort of book.
madvixen There's a lot of comparision on Amazon of Diane Chamberlain to Jodi Picoult - would you agree? And good to hear you loved Cell.
LEMtheoriginal also on Amazon people have said there is an SN edge to The keeper of lost things,is that right? I struggle with writers who have no experience of SN writing about it.

[ElizabethinherGermanGarden]

It's all about creating a mood... Where are you going on holiday? Don't choose a book with weather that completely contrasts eg holiday in the Caribbean reading Miss Smilla's Feeling got Snow - I have done this and it completely discombobulated me. Also, avoid psychologically realistic stories where people are miserable eg Lionel Shriver, or non-fiction about terrible times/situations.

It doesn't sound as though my reading tastes overlap with yours that much so won't suggest any but if you tend to lose yourself in a book the holiday-reading-rules (semi-match the climate, make sure any misery is short-lived and resolved satisfactorily) apply anyway. Have a lovely holiday

[chickensaresafehere]

Elizabeth Good point!! I definitely don't want to be miserable & it is somewhere hot.
I remember quite a few years ago on holiday (when dd was doing a lot of day napping) & I had taken 11.22.63 with me & I absolutely absorbed it & got lost in it! It was a brilliant holiday read & I always look at it on the shelf & link it to that holiday & all the happy memories that surround it.
It's funny how books can do that.

[JiltedJohnsJulie]

Totally agree about matching the weather, this is why I read Agatha Christie’s A Carribean Mystery whilst holidaying in Wales last year

I sped through Eleanor Oliphant but it’s far from uplifting and I did love a Man Called Ove and it does fit the bill but it’s not all uplifting.

[chickensaresafehere]

Jilted I take it it rained well it is Wales after all!
I don't mind some sad parts as long as it's not the bleakness of Cormac McCarthy's - The Road.

[TeaMeBasil]

I had A Man Called Ove as a holiday read and it was brilliant, still have a very soft spot for that book!

Recommend Birdbox, brilliant almost-spooky post apocalyptic read - I was gripped all the way through and it was an easy read so not too taxing for a relaxing holiday.

[TheEagle]

Eleanor Olliphant is brilliant but you’ll read it in jig time so you might need another 2 alongside it.

Have you read Bag of Bones by Stephen King? It’s got a holiday flavour (it’s also quite terrifying!)

I’m reading The Nightingale at the moment, I’m finding it tiresome and clichéd but I think if I were on holiday I’d enjoy it more.

Daughter by Jane Shemlit is a good read as well, interesting plot to keep your attention.

[TheEagle]

Oh and I read The Girl with All Gifts on holiday last year, it’s a good holiday read!

[ihatethecold]

I loved The snow child.
That book has stayed with me for years.

[chickensaresafehere]

TeaMeBasil A Man called Ove is looking like a favourite at the moment.
Looking forward to reading BirdBox,so that maybe a contender,as I do like an easy read on holiday

TheEagle I have read Bag of Bones & enjoyed it a lot.I thought Duma Key was a great one for a holiday read too.Love that book!
The girl with all the gifts I saw on a post on here about apocalyptic books & instantly thought I would like it.

[ElizabethinherGermanGarden]

I think this might not be one you'd like but my all-time favourite holiday read is The Enchanted April, which is about the transforming effect of being on holiday in Italy. It's 1920s and is written in a naively simple style but completely lures you in as the characters get happier. Makes me absolutely lovely company as it cheers me up so much. On the other hand, if I accidentally pick a miserable book I can be really tiresome until I'm finished.

[LEMtheoriginal]

The 100year old man that climbed out the window is fantastic

[madvixen]

Chickensaresafehere. She is smilies to Jodi Piccoult in the subjects she chooses to handle. I came to her books via Jodi Piccoult and, in all honesty, I now prefer hers

[chickensaresafehere]

Elizabeth

[chickensaresafehere]

Sorry posted too soon!!
The enchanted April looks lovely. I will definitely put it on my Amazon wish list. I do like a feel good book that leaves you feeling happy.
I've heard different things about the 100 year old man,but I think I'll like it.
Mad vixen I used to read a lot of Picoult in my younger years

[AnyFucker]

.

[theaveragewife]

Let us know what you decide! If you are going anywhere in Greece and have not read The Magus - I really recommend it!

[Thirtyrock39]

I've read Tin Man by Sarah winman this weekend would be a brilliant book for a holiday as lots of lovely bits set in France . It's a truly lovely read about friendship, loss, first love, illness and Van Gogh.

[Toomanytealights]

Keeper of Lost Thibgs is shite. I loved Elinor Oliphant.

I'm reading Enchanted April at the moment and loving it.

Where you going?

[Toomanytealights]

Just love the cover,does make you want to get on the next flight to Italy though.

[AbsintheFriends]

I hated The Keeper of Lost Things. There is an SN angle in that one of the characters has Downs Syndrome but you couldn't exactly call it a nuanced portrayal - more a tick list of stereotypes. It was one of the aspects of the book that peed me off most.

I loved Eleanor Oliphant. That gets my vote!

[chickensaresafehere]

Toomanytealights
We're going to Key West in the Florida Keys. We have been before but always with kids and parents,so just the two of us will be heaven
A man called Ove & Cell are looking favourites. But would really love to read The girl with all the gifts too,it's got really good reviews.
If you could choose Eleanor Oliphant or the 100 year old man,which one would you pick?