I recently had a dreamy three weeks in Bali (read all about that HERE) and the first thing I did when I was holiday planning was compile a reading list. That’s honestly one of the best things about going on holiday, reading, it’s such a luxury to be able to get lost in a good book. To be honest at home I just don’t have the time, and if I do crack open a good book in bed I’ll be fast asleep before I’ve even turned a page. So yeah, holidays are my chance to devour a few good novels. These are the five I managed to get through this time around and I was so pleased that I loved all of them – it’s great when you pick winners though not always the case. Anyway… read on to see what I’ve been reading and to add them to your list.

The Regulars by Georgia Clark

You know how they say ‘don’t judge a book by it’s cover’? Well, I did, I bought this book because I liked the millennial pink cover. This is even weirder considering I got the Kindle version… Anyway, The Regulars is the perfect holiday read, and poses the question ‘what would you do if you were more beautiful?’. I don’t want to give anything away but this is a tale of three girlfriends navigating careers and relationships in NYC with a magical twist. I was hooked from page one and it’s a really interesting subject that plays on every girl’s deepest, darkest desires.

The Muse by Jessie Burton

I loved Jesse Burton’s first novel The Miniaturist and The Muse is, dare I say, even better. It’s set in the ‘30s and the ‘60s and follows two female protagonists connected via a mysterious painting. There’s a genuine sense of mystery as to the origins of the painting and why it was lost to history and you’ll be guessing how the plot fits together until the very end. I really liked that the main character was a black female in London – I can identify, haha.

The Power by Naomi Alderman

The Power is a book that scared me a little, and I don’t scare easily. The premise is this: what would happen if women ruled the world? In the near future teenage girls start developing a power, where they can shoot lightening out of their hands. This novel flips traditional gender roles on their heads and shines a light on some of the inequalities and stereotypes both men and women face. A real page-turner that makes you think.

A Little Life by Hanya Yanagihara

Okay, warning, this book made me cry – no, weep. It is the saddest book in the history of all the world and just amazing. This isn’t actually a new book for me, I first read it a couple of years ago and knew that I’d have to revisit it. The book is a beast, it’s so long, but unsurprising when the writer lovingly chronicles almost the entire lives of the four main characters. Jude is the star of the book and you’ll keep reading to find out just what happened in his past. Read once and you’ll never forget this amazing book.

The Nest by Cynthia D’Aprix Sweeney

The Nest is a bloody good debut novel that I really hope gets made into a TV series – it would be so great. It follows the Plumb family, a wealthy New York brood of four adult kids with one hell of a dysfunctional family dynamic. The characters and the relationships between each of them are all so true to life that I was instantly hooked. Each sibling is so humanly written, with elements of good and bad, that you’re not sure whether you like them or not but you definitely relate.