Please help me find a book to fall back in love with reading (on my holiday)

Young Mungo by Douglas Stuart

Recently I've found books written in the last few years that there's so many (frequently hyped) that are a huge disappointment/absolute bilge.

So I read books written in the 20th century and before. But scrolling about on my phone and the general faster pace of media takes me a while to get back into the rhythm of books published when there were far fewer distractions.

I second The Summer She Vanished! Great if you like something dark and thrillery (definitely didn't see the twist at the end coming!). Also agree with FindingTheFox about The Paper Palace. Only about a quarter of the way through, but loving it so far and beautifully written.

I've just enjoyed Kate Griffin's 'Fyneshade' and Jessica Irena Smith's 'The Summer She Vanished', both psychological thrillers but very different from each other.

If you want an easy but really interesting read, I’m on holiday and have just read this book in two days (haven’t read anything for months) - “The writing on the wall” Jenny Eclair
particularly interesting if you remember the 70s!

Uncle Paul

I second the Song of Achilles - couldn't put it down

@Loveys

Yes I got the Vampire book on audible and do agree. I really enjoyed the characters although when one went to the man's house and would not give up until she found him I wanted to smack her!!

'Miss Pettigrew lives for a day' was a lovely film, would be interesting to see the character development in the book.

Similarly 'Mrs Harris goes to Paris'.

Loved Crawdads , Seven Sisters is also great , different book about each sister ❤️

Have you tried audio-books, you could even follow the text at the same time to focus your attention span.

I loved 'memoirs of a geisha' for the different world as much as the characters, I found the characters in 'les liasons dangereuses' fascinating (though not in a sympathetic way!) (another book with a man narrating a woman's motivations.)

Laurie Graham's books were an easy read with warm characters.
The 'travelling cat chronicles' ( hiro arikawa) ,was beautiful for me.

Or ...I've been listening to books about geography and history and it helps to google maps etc of what I'm hearing about, it's quite a nice immersive experience.

I picked this up as an impulse buy when I needed to kill some time. I spent £3 on it in The Works.
I found it a really easy, pleasant read, I had finished it with in three days, and it has kick started my love of murder mystery books. I’m currently working my way through Agatha Christie’s epic output.

https://www.abebooks.co.uk/servlet/BookDetailsPL?bi=31402963028

Also, I’ve loved everything from Lucy Clarke & Zoe Follbigg.

Yacht Party & the two follow up books by Tasmina Perry, are fab.

My attention span is woeful now and I have to be enthralled almost immediately, otherwise I just give up! Recently I’ve enjoyed:

I’m sorry you feel that way - Rebecca Wait
Our wives under the sea - Julia Armfield
Small pleasures - Clare Chambers (I’ve read a couple of her books and I love her writing style, always get through them quickly).

The Poisonwood Bible, Barbara Kingsolver. Great read, got me back reading after a dry spell

Demon Copperhead is brilliant, definitely recommend this.

Excellent read. Along with Tipping The Velvet

I really enjoyed The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller, which was recommended on a thread a while ago. And then read her novel Circe, also good.
I do enjoy Greek Myths and have just started the Percy Jackson series - kids’ books but they’ve kept me reading and not as distracted by my phone (although I read them on a library app, so am technically still on my phone 😂)

I loved ' The Elegance of the Hedgehog' by Muriel Barbery
'Before the Coffee Gets Cold' by Toshikazu Kawaguchi and the Lessons in Chemistry and the Eleanor Oliphant book.

I completely get you though OP. I used to be a voracious reader, and very rarely failed to complete a book. Now I struggle if I'm not entranced by the first few pages!

Those Who Are Loved by Victoria Hislop (I see that you mentioned The Island).
I picked it up in one of those hotel libraries when I was on holiday in Crete in May. It was the perfect holiday read! And you will really care about the characters.

The seven sisters series?

I was you.
Only read on holiday despite technically loving reading.
Another fan of Lessons in Chemistry - last summer holiday.

I've recently started leaving my phone in the living room at night, and got back in to reading a bit each night. Needs to be light reading though.
The Me before You series is easy reading.
The Break was good (once my brain fog brain got used to who was who).
The Help
Lion - awesome true story
Normal People (previous summer)

Another vote for Lisa Jewell Family Upstairs/Family Remains.

Others have posted but Demon Copperhead is brilliant.

I second Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow.

Yellowface is great fun.

Others from the Women's Prize Longlist:
The Bandit Queens
Trespasses

An older one but the writing is really clever and is essentially intertwined short stories: A Visit from the Goon Squad