I’ve just got back from Türkiye and, as usual, my Kindle was well used, this time I got through seven new books. I read most of these poolside (and a couple on the plane, because let’s be honest, that’s prime reading time too), and finished the last one after landing back in the UK.
If you follow me on Goodreads you’ll know my taste is all over the place, and this trip was no exception. This lot has romance, sci-fi, a thriller, and even a dystopian future thrown in. As always, these aren’t high-brow reviews, just my honest thoughts on the books I couldn’t put down, and what I’d happily recommend to a friend. So grab a coffee (or a cocktail 😉) and let’s get into it.
P.S. There are a few of these which are soon to be or already have been adapted into movies or TV shows. I always prefer to read the book before seeing adaptations so this was perfect timing to cross a few off my list before watching them.
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First up is Verity by Colleen Hoover. I saw the trailer for the new movie coming out soon and immediately downloaded this as I loved reading It Ends With Us by the same author. I love Anne Hathaway too so can’t wait to see it in October.
The book was as hoped, a page-turning psychological thriller which had me gripped from the start but with an unexpected ending which I always love.
Next I read Tender Is The Flesh by Agustina Bazterrica (currently just 99p on Kindle). This one is an Argentinian novel which has been translated and it really is disturbing but also fascinating and the scary thing is, I could see it coming true!
It’s set in the future and the basic premise is that a virus has made all animal meat inedible so they have legalised eating human meat and breed people for food. Not for the faint-hearted, it’s a grim look at the future, but very intriguing to see how the story unfolds. Again, the ending was not what I expected.
Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir is another one I wanted to read before watching the Ryan Gosling movie on Prime. I’m SO glad I did – the movie was fab but I found I understood it much better having read the additional details the book brought to life.
I was pleasantly surprised by how well they did at bringing Rocky to life and the space set in general. And they didn’t lose the humour from the book either but there was a fair amount left out so if you can cope with all the science (I quite enjoyed it), it’s well worth reading the book.
Then it was time for something lighter – Say You’ll Remember Me by Anny Jimenez was the perfect easy holiday read. A love story about a vet, I enjoyed the change of pace and was rooting for the couple. I even got teary at one point.
It includes a storyline about dementia and how it affects the relatives living with the person which resonated with me as my Grandmother lived with us when I was a teenager due to her Alzheimer’s disease.
Again, looking for something more light-hearted, I knew I’d race through another Elle Kennedy hockey romance! I spotted one on sale from the Briar U spin off series so started with book 1, The Chase.
Having read all of the original Off Campus books since becoming obsessed with the Prime TV show, I knew this wouldn’t disappoint. Fun & frivolous, it was ideal for a joyful float around the pool all day.
Just after finishing The Chase, a friend happened to recommend a new movie coming out on the 23rd Sept, The Love Hypothesis by Ali Hazelwood. I immediately downloaded the book and finished it in a day!
Like The Deal in the Off Campus series, it’s based on a fake dating trope but this one is between scientists. Despite the predictable storyline, I thoroughly enjoyed it. I’ve arranged for some fellow book-loving friends to come over and watch the film together when it comes out and I can’t wait!
I was on a roll with the love stories by now and this was another one that popped up as it’s just been adapted for the screen with a series on Netflix. The Map Of Longing by Alice Kellen wasn’t quite as quick a read for me but I loved it all the same.
Not so much a full-on love story as a family drama/contemporary women’s fiction. I’d say it was a cross between P.S. I Love You, My Sister’s Keeper, and Voicemails For Isabelle. The latter being a wonderful movie – the other two, books I loved but the movie versions were VERY disappointing! Anyway, this one is worth reading, I’m struggling to concentrate on the series as it’s dubbed from Spanish.
So there you have it, the relaxing, bookish part of my holiday. We did have lots of adventures too which I’ll share in another post as we have some great recommendations if you’re heading to Belek! Let me know in the comments if you’ve read any of these. Have you added any to your list?
