Books to take on your Cruise Holiday

Jewel of the Seas

There really is no better time to whip out the latest novel, than on a cruise holiday. There are plenty of comfortable spaces around a ship that you can settle down to a few chapters before dinner. 

One on my fondest memories of cruising was a 4 day jaunt across to Amsterdam on board the Jewel of Seas - they have the most fantastic solarium with a roof. The weather was pretty poor during our day at sea but the solarium more than made up for it. The décor was delightfully Asian/tropical. the temperature was warm and the loungers were almost too comfortable. I could only ever read a few chapters at a time before I found myself dozing again. 

Anyway back to the point of this post! I wanted to give you the heads up on the top books to take away with you in the coming months. Here are a few of my personal recommendations:

1. The first paperback on my list is The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas by John Boyne. This story is told from the eyes of a young boy in Germany, the son of a Nazi Officer. Its difficult for me to give you a full synopsis without spoiling the story. I can assure you this book is light hearted in places, shocking in others but most of all its an eye opener. Keep the tissues at hand, you might just need them!
2. I have to add The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson to my list as it is definitely the best book I've read in a few months.
   I would probably class this as crime fiction. It fairly stereotypical with its characters but the plot is complicated and yet totally believable. Hopefully you won't have seen the movie to put you off a very good read.
3. Another crime fiction novel I thoroughly enjoyed was Dan Brown's latest offering, The Lost Symbol.
   Yes, I am a Dan Brown fan so I eagerly awaited the arrival of this book. This time Robert Langdon's adventures are set in America. I admit, this book isn't a masterpiece on its own but as part of a collection it fairs well.
4. If you enjoy a good spiritual read then My Whispering Angels by Francesca Brown is just the book for you. Its basically a true story of how the author was diagnosed and ill with ME for over 2 years. In her fight to come to terms with her illness, she meets her angel, Anne. This book is half autobiography and the rest is more instructional on how you too can connect with your angel. I'm sure I don't need to say that this book isn't for non believers.
5. Ok I haven't strictly read this yet myself, I've just borrowed it through a friend who claims it to be the most poignant, wonderful, witty book you'll read this year - The Fry Chronicles: A Memoir by Stephen Fry. The book follows on from a previous autobiography 13 years previous. Since then Fry has become quite a household name as a comedian, author, presenter and of course, Tweeter. 

Let me know your thoughts - whether you agree or disagree!