With Thanksgiving and Christmas breaks back to back for college students, those that must travel from their university to home are spending extended amounts of time on planes, in cars, on trains, etc. All of this time spent traveling means more time to catch up on homework, listen to a podcast, or my favorite option: read a good book. I’ve compiled a list of some of my most entertaining book recommendations to consider picking up before your next trip.
- How High We Go in the Dark by Sequoia Nagamatsu
This is one of my top three favorite books I have ever read. Combining a dystopian world destroyed by a plague that only attacks children with the bittersweetness of a coming of age, this story, told from many perspectives, explores what it means to be human. You’ll laugh and cry your eyes out with this one. It is extremely sad at many points but also rewards readers with reassurance and hope.
- The Body in Question by Jill Ciment
I am not one for sappy romance, and I loved this book because it is the opposite of that. This novel is a shorter read, so it is perfect for traveling. It is the tale of a jury on a murder trial of a teenager who has been accused of murdering her baby brother, and two of the jurors find themselves in an unlikely relationship. Think courtroom romance, but that romance is super dry.
- The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
A cult favorite, I recommend THG because the final installment of its movie franchise is being released right now. In honor of that, I am rereading this dystopian classic and its sequels, and traveling is the perfect opportunity for a reread. If this wouldn’t be a reread for you, it’s an essential read over all of my other suggestions, because you’re missing out on so much.
- The Passengers by John Marrs
A psychological thriller, this book questions the ethics and morality of the human psyche as the lives of eight people are put in the hands of YOU. I won’t say much more so as to not disturb your reading of this highly innovative and creative reading experience. John Marrs is a genius.
Those are a few of my traveling book recommendations! All of these are essential reads in my mind, so I hope you’ll add them to your “To Be Read” list either way. Happy reading!