8 Books to Read on your Swish Holiday in Marbella

Who doesn’t love to escape with a page-turner or two on holiday? We have chosen eight of the best pool-side reads that will take you to new places, literally.
These titles will transport your mind to foreign lands and help you embrace your sense of adventure, all from the comfort of a plush sun lounger.

“You can never get a cup of tea large enough or a book long enough to suit me.”
C.S. Lewis

Here’s 8 books which epitomise summer escapism for us:

1. The Alchemist: Paulo Coehlo 
2. 9 Perfect Strangers- Liane Moriarty
3. The Lost City of the Monkey God- Douglas Preston
4. Life of Pi- Yann Martel
5. The Henna Artist – Alka Joshi
6. The Queen of the South- Arturo Perez Reverte
7. Eat, Pray, Love – Elizabeth Gilbert
8. The Beach – Alex Garland

1. The Alchemist: Paulo Coehlo

   This book is a worldwide bestseller and will both entertain you and make you contemplate the meaning of life, all at once.  Follow the story of Andalusian Shepherd boy Santiago as he sets off on a journey and has to make many choices along the way.

   

2. 9 Perfect Strangers- Liane Moriarty

   A novel that was so good it was made into an Amazon Prime series.  Join a motley crew of participants at a new-age retreat who may not have much in common on the surface but who all struggle against the inner termoil of their subconscious minds. Follow their stories and in some cases, their unravellings! All this is set against a backstory of a rather sinister retreat owner. Totally engaging from the start, this book will be hard to put down.

   

3. The Lost City of the Monkey God- Douglas Preston

   For those who are craving a wild jungle adventure that will leave a lasting impression and possibly ignite some wanderlust, it doesn’t get much better than this. The Lost City of the Monkey God is the true story of author Doug Preston’s quest to find out about a lost city and civilization in the rainforest of Honduras. Expect fast-paced adventure and spine-chilling anecdotes to keep you gripped.

   

4. Life of Pi- Yann Martel

   A worldwide best seller and Booker prize winner. Life of Pi tells the story of Pi, a 16 year old boy who becomes effectively shipwrecked in the Indian ocean with a bunch of wild animals including a tiger.  After some time only the tiger (oddly named Richard Parker) and Pi remain.  This is a story of struggle, of resilience and inner strength and is moving in parts, funny in others. It will certainly be a refreshing read!

   

5. The Henna Artist – Alka Joshi

   Transport yourself to 1950s India, where the main character, Lakshmi makes a name for herself and strives for independence by becoming the city’s best loved Henna artist. After reading this book you will likely start dreaming about the colourful streets of the pink city of Jaipur. The Henna Artist is an exotic, touching story that offers something different and memorable.

   

6. The Queen of the South- Arturo Perez Reverte

   Warning! Queen of the South will have you obsessed with the perils of unlikely heroine, Tereza Mendoza from the word go. She’s a simple girl from Mexico whose life takes a dramatic twist when her drug-smuggler partner is executed and she has no choice but to flee to Spain. Once in Europe, she very quickly has to establish herself  and chooses to do this in the world of drugs and narcotics, yes, really! So it’s “do or die”, “eat or get eaten” with many suspenseful moments. As well as the exciting plot, there’s plenty of references to the local area with scenes in Malaga and Melilla. This book makes for perfect pool-side entertainment.

   

7. Eat, Pray, Love – Elizabeth Gilbert

   In this 2006 memoir by American author Elizabeth Gilbert, the main character is at a crossroads in her life and sets off on a year around the world.  You’ll be pleased to hear she does in many ways “find herself. ” (Well, she certainly finds herself in some fantastic places!)  The book takes the reader from New York to Italy, Indonesia and India. Choose Eat, Pray, Love for a  well-written and captivating story of travel with a high dose of self-discovery thrown in.

   

8. The Beach – Alex Garland

   If you didn’t read The Beach in the ’90s when it achieved a cult status and you fancy something that is not just another overly glossy story, then this could be for you. You will follow the main character on a quest to find a deserted beach in Thailand.  He crosses paths with a number of other backpackers and nomads and witnesses some rather sinister events. Be prepared as it gets quite dark!

   

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