Please recommend me some holiday reading!

[anyquestions]

Anyone care to recommend me some books to take on holiday? I prefer realistic storylines rather than fantasy and prefer stuff set in the second half of the 20th century or later. (Don't ask me why! For some reason that's just what I prefer.) I get irritated by books where the characters clearly divide into "good guys" and "bad guys". I prefer books where the characters are more complex than that. Examples of books I have enjoyed are The Universe versus Alex Woods by Gavin Extence and Black Swan Green by David Mitchell.

TIA

I've just finished Gone Girl which I enjoyed. If you're going to Greece or Cyprus The Sunrise by Victoria Hislop would work, and on my last hols I read The Lives of Harry August which was unusual but a great holiday read. Probably doesn't entirely fit your 'realistic' brief though. Have a good one!

I've just finished Still Alice and was blown away by it. I wasn't sure about I but bought it in the Kindle Summer sale and I've read it in 2 days.

The Northern Clemency by Philip Hensher - literary family sage based in Sheffield at the time of the miners' strike. Excellent.

Bel Canto by Ann Patchett. Explores the developing relationships between terrorists and hostages during a siege in an embassy in South America.. subtly interesting exploration of a dramatic situation written in an understated style.

What a Carve Up by Jonathan Coe - anyone interested in politics during the 80s must read this entertaining and thought-provoking novel.

Perfect by Rachel Fry is nice easy holiday reading and quite a good book actually.

Thanks for the suggestions. I'll look into them.

Isabella, I have already ready Perfect and enjoyed it a lot (though was a bit disappointed by the ending) so you were obviously thinking on the right lines!

Have seen the film of Gone Girl, so probably a bit late for me to read the book now, though I did enjoy the film.

Anything by Jane Green is really easy holiday reading. Enjoy, lucky thing!

I'm reading Still Alice. It's very thought provoking.

The girl on the train.

I loved Still Alice but Gone Girl is a bit marmite, I hated it.

just read "man called ove" was brilliantly funny and well observed.
also Cecelia Ahern The year I met you. an unusual book but I enjoyed it v much.

I'm a big fan of Liane Moriarty - The Husband's Secret and currently reading Little Lies. Easy reading but still compelling. Enjoy!

The line of beauty - 80's politics and gay storyline. Really excllleent

I am enjoying the new David Mitchell - the bone clocks

What about a bit of Le carre - the perfect spy is great holiday reading