Must-Read Books Perfect for a Long Flight
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So many people say they want to read more, and what better time than on a long flight?
You have hours of time to fill and nothing competing for your attention. It feels a little frivolous and self-indulgent to just sit and read rather than thinking you need to be doing something productive. So kick back and enjoy a good page-turner!
On the other hand, perhaps you are an avid reader and looking for some alone time to just enjoy a new genre. Again, a flight is your perfect opportunity!
On a third hand, even if you aren’t on a plane but just looking for a book recommendation for your daily commute, here are your new friends.
The books below are some of my favorite fast-paced options (in other words, I am not recommending Moby Dick, which is painfully slow. Sorry, Melville, but it’s true). While all suck you in, they come in different flavors, so whether you like thrillers or comedy, you will likely find something that suits your taste. And maybe you’ll find a new author to add to your regular rotation!
So if you want to get in a little more reading this year AND keep yourself entertained in the air, pick up a few options!
Comedy Geared toward the Ladies:
Big Little Lies by Liane Moriarty.
You may have seen the miniseries on HBO, but I guarantee the book is better. I’ve always thought that a good author tends to either craft a great plot or be a talented writer (i.e. the prose is just really good). Moriarty happens to be the intersection of these two things because the plotline of this book hooks you immediately, and her style of writing is whimsical and flamboyant which makes the characters and stories come alive. This particular book is her at her best.
The story begins with a murder in suburban Sydney at an elementary school trivia night (with parents dressing up as Audrey Hepburn and Elvis as a theme). Yes, that is a delicious beginning to a novel. The story focuses on Madeline, Jane, and Celeste, their bond, and their different family scenarios. Through the book, you also meet various parents and hear their accounts about what happened that night, in addition to all the clique-y things they have to say about the other parents. It is written from multiple viewpoints, so you see the plot from every perspective. You do, in the end, find out who died and how it happened, and along the way you learn how intertwined many of these characters’ lives are. I would not be surprised if you finished this in one leg of the flight. In which case, also pick up the next recommendation!
Three Wishes by Liane Moriarty.
This is another book with the signature Moriarty style (and very openly my favorite of her works). It also takes place in Sydney - FYI, it’s where she lives, so all her books are set there - which, if you love the accent as much as I do, adds a nice touch to the voice in your head as you are reading. This story focuses on the Kettle triplets, three women who, in the first scene, are celebrating their 34th birthday dinner, including the pregnant triplet getting a fork thrown into her stomach.
Here again she draws you into the story immediately (you also don’t know which one is pregnant) and peppers in accounts from different diners that night and various strangers they have encountered in the mundane aspects of life throughout the novel. The story explores complicated family dynamics, the roles the sisters play, and how to learn how to deal with life’s setbacks and will both break your heart and make you laugh. You will have a favorite in Gemma, Cat, and Lyn, but I won’t tell you which one is mine.
Bitter Is the New Black by Jen Lancaster.
This is a quintessential memoir because it’s relatable and every shade of self-deprecation. Lancaster’s signature is her ability to laugh at herself and ask you to do the same. Here is the first in a long series of memoirs (thank you for that, by the way!) that details how she was let go from her company due to an unfortunate economy. But as scary as things get for her, she always makes you laugh, including things like drinking boxed wine in pajamas in the middle of the day because employment opportunities are scarce. And the keystone story in this book is that she takes a designer purse to the unemployment office. While she paints herself as an asshole, it’s just so that she (and you!) can laugh at herself. A great read because it is based on a story that many of us have experienced, but with a positive, humorous twist. It will definitely make the hours on that flight go quickly.
Bright Lights, Big Ass by Jen Lancaster.
A collection of her stories about weight loss attempts, you will actually laugh out loud (when you get to the part about winning a one-legged ass kicking competition, you will get it). This is probably my favorite of her memoirs, and if you want a light, funny read, this will have you coming back to her for more.
Mysteries:
The Wife Upstairs by Rachel Hawkins.
Woah, you don’t see a lot of things coming here.
Jane moves to Birmingham and becomes a dog walker, meaning she hears a lot of rich women gossip (and gets to “test drive” their jewelry), which is how she meets the widowed, gorgeous, perfect Eddie. They end up sparking up a romance, and when she moves in and gets engaged to him, the prior clients of hers are now her peers. The snarkiness is decadent. However, the book goes back and forth among perspectives from different characters as to what actually happened to the first wife. The ending is the ultimate WTF.
The Guest List by Lucy Foley.
This is one we can all relate to: having to travel somewhere for a wedding. However, this wedding is on an island just off the coast of Ireland. That means it inspires beautiful imagery pulled back to Earth because of logistics like spotty cell phone coverage…and a dead body.
You are going to hate the couple getting married and a whole slew of other people, but in a good way. Also, the crescendo in finding the killer’s identity is an utter delight.
Thrillers:
Sharp Objects by Gillian Flynn.
For anyone who was obsessed with Gone Girl (whether the book or the movie), you will like this one penned by the same author. In fact, you may have seen the miniseries already. If you haven’t, read the book first. It is my favorite of Flynn’s and will not disappoint if you want a gripping story.
A reporter, just released from a psychiatric hospital, goes back to her hometown (which includes her terrible mother and idolized young teenage sister) to cover the disappearance of a young girl and the unsolved murder of another. Staying in her childhood bedroom and dealing with mental trauma while attempting to solve these mysteries leads to many twists and turns that keep you turning the pages. Similar to Gone Girl, there is very unsatisfying yet so satisfying ending.
The Woman in the Window by AJ Finn.
I believe they just made a movie out of this one, and it is for good reason.
Anna is a recluse suffering from deep depression and spends her days drinking wine and watching the neighbors. Unfortunately, one day she sees something strange across the street, but no one will believe her because of her lifestyle and habits. Things begin to unravel from here, and it’s hard to separate reality from what is Anna’s perception. Then things get very real, very quickly. You won’t be able to put this down.
CIA/Spy Novels - the Mitch Rapp series:
Transfer of Power by Vince Flynn.
This is the first book in a series about Mitch Rapp, a fictional CIA operative. He is, unequivocally, a badass.
The books are fast-paced, gripping, and though fictional, you can’t help but think they are pretty true to how things actually work. Also, I love a series because if I like the characters, it’s nice to not have them end when I finish the book.
In this particular novel, the White House is taken by terrorists, and the President is sent to the underground bunker. Rapp is sent in thwart the attack and kick some serious you-know-what. Spoiler alert: he does precisely that using a variety of interesting techniques.
I recommend reading the entire series, but in order - each book has a main plot that is resolved within it and a subplot that is resolved in the next book. Once you start reading, you will want to keep going. I should mention that there are two prequels, but I don’t like them as much as the actual series. Therefore I recommend starting here. If you keep going, you will find Rapp in overseas missions in addition to getting tangled in domestic politics as Congressment and the FBI fight with the CIA over operation tactics.
Do you have any particular favorites I didn’t mention? I would love to hear what they are - I am always looking for new recommendations. (Email me here!)
Many of the authors I have discovered in the past few years have actually been through Book of the Month (have you tried it yet?).
It is a subscription service I actually use that allows you choose a new book from a short recommended list for around $15 per month. If you are old school like me, you will also appreciate that they send you actual, physical, hard cover books - when given the option, I will take holding a book over a tablet any day.
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And if HATE checking bags like I do, click below to get my ultimate carry on packing list, ensuring you won’t have to check these books into a bag!
