Purple Prose: Part 2

Kindle or the real thing? Chick lit or serious non-fiction, a book or e-book is one of *the* handiest things to throw into your suitcase. Whether you’re killing time waiting at the airport, you love long, lazy days soaking up the sunshine or you have to wait ages for your friends to beautify before hitting the town, a good book is the perfect travel companion.

But what to choose? Read our suggestions below and if you’re just back from a holiday and really enjoyed reading something, let us know in the comments below.

(Photo credit: Pesky Library)

Thrill-seekers: The Hypnotist by Lars Kepler. The rise and rise of Scandinavian crime writers has been astonishing. From the Millenium trilogy to Jo Nesbo, your collection is not complete without at least a few of these. You could try The Savage Altar by Asa Larsson or the Man who went Up in Smoke by Martin Beck. Our latest favourite is The Hypnotist by Lars Kepler which has been recommended by Richard and Judy so you know it’s good. It tells the tale of a killer on the run after the murder of a family. It’s up to Detective Inspector Joona Linna to pour over the grisly details and find the truth.

Sex on the beach: Ok, because we just couldn’t leave out the most talked about book of the moment, here it is, 50 Shades of Grey by EL James. The so called mummy porn is topping the charts all over the world, so if you read it for nothing other than to see what all the fuss is about, we think it’s worth it.

Romantic ideas: The Lucky One by Nicholas Sparks. You might think this author sounds a bit familiar and you’d be right. He wrote the novel The Notebook – yes, the one that film is based on. The Lucky One centres on a young US Marine serving in Iraq. While there he finds a photo of a smiling woman and carries it with him for three years as a good luck charm. When he arrives home, he decides to go looking for her. Logan Thibault believes that destiny or fate is bringing him to her – but will she feel the same?

True page turner: The Beach by Alex Garland is an oldie but a goodie. Set in stunning Thailand, it’s about a young Englishman who goes in search of the perfect, untouched beach. Does he find it? You probably know the answer by now, especially if you’ve seen the Leonardo DiCaprio film. The Beach is really fast paced and is perfect for chucking in your case as you head out the door.

Get the tissues out: The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini is a tear jerker. Set in the turbulent surrounds of Kabul, it follows the story of Amir and Hassan – an unlikely friendship between a wealth boy and the son of his dad’s servant. A really beautiful read, it will leave you reaching for a box of tissues poolside, but you’ll find it totally gripping and rewarding.

And now for something completely different: When God was a Rabbit by Sarah Winman. I’ll admit, I was completely sceptical about this when a friend gave it to me for holiday reading last year, but I loved it. It’s the story of Elly who see the world a little different. She’s best friends really with her brother Joe until an earth shattering moment changes everything. I won’t say anything else about it, except its well worth a read.

For more information, check out part 1 of this series.