There's nothing like devouring a good book on vacation. Luckily this spring there is no shortage of entertaining reads to carry you away. We've picked 7 new and recent favourites to download now and finish before the plane lands on your flight home.
Listen To the Squawking Chicken: When Mother Knows Best, What’s a Daughter to Do? A Memoir (Sort Of)
Author: Elaine Lui
Why You Should Read It: For those of you who don't know Elaine Lui, she's established herself as one of the most refreshing reads of celebrity gossip out there with her site LaineyGossip. In addition to her site, Lui is an eTalk reporter and a co-host on the new CTV show The Social. Her website is her most personal platform and where she introduced us readers to the "squawking chicken," a nickname she uses for her mother in a slightly endearing way. This (sort of) memoir recounts her upbringing and what it was like to be raised by a tough Chinese mother. Written with both humour and honesty, at the core is strong relationship between a mother and daughter.
Available at amazon.ca and chapters.indigo.ca
Paris Letters
Author: Janice MacLeod
Why You Should Read It: Dreaming of making your vacation a little more permanent? At the centre of the book is Janice, overworked and dreaming of a different life, so she cuts back and saves enough money to get her two years of freedom in Europe. During a stop in Paris she meets Christophe, a butcher who doesn't speak English. As time goes on and her money begins to dwindle, Janice realizes she can't leave her new loves.
Available at amazon.ca and chapters.indigo.ca
Psychos
Author: Babe Walker
Why You Should Read It: A follow-up to the bestselling book White Girl Problems, Babe Walker is back and fresh out of rehab for her shopping addiction with a new sense of inner peace, however this is short-lived as many outside forces -- from an anonymous stalker to a re-kindled romance -- are derailing her positive changes. Don't expect to be smarter after reading this book, but you'll no doubt be very entertained.
Available April 29, at amazon.ca and chapters.indigo.ca
The Goldfinch
Author: Donna Tartt
Why You Should Read It: Released late last year, The Goldfinch is the story of a 13-year-old boy Theo who ends up living with a wealthy family after he miraculously survives an accident that kills his mother and has been abandoned by his father. In his new Park Avenue home Theo gets drawn to a mysteriously captivating painting that leads him into the underworld of art. As Theo grows up he gets caught between the drawing rooms of the rich and the antiques store where he works, eventually being pulled into a dangerous circle.
Available at amazon.ca and chapters.indigo.ca
Astonish Me
Author: Maggie Shipstead
Why You Should Read It: Part-homage and part-expose, Astonish Me is fierce glimpse into the punishing world of professional ballet. At the centre of the plot is Joan, a young ballet dancer who after helping a male ballet star, Arslan, realizes she will never be a prima ballerina or posses him the way she wants to romantically. Leaving ballet for good, Joan moves to California and gets married, and has a son, Harry. Realizing Harry is a prodigy, Joan finds herself pulled back to a world she thought she'd left behind.
Available April 8 at amazon.ca and chapters.indigo.ca
Living In Style: Inspiration And Advice For Everyday Glamour
Author: Rachel Zoe
Why You Should Read It: Travelling in itself is inspirational, but we can never get enough of Rachel Zoe's effortless glamour. For the beach reader who would rather have a little lighter reading (translation: a lot of visuals), this book is for you. Beyond just her fashion advice, Zoe shares how to incorporate glamour into every aspect of your life, from your home to your next dinner party.
Available at amazon.ca and chapters.indigo.ca
Z: A Novel of Zelda Fitzgerald
Author: Therese Anne Fowler
Why You Should Read It: Out for nearly a year now, Fitzgerald never gets old, especially when it's a re-imagining of the Mrs. -- Zelda Fitzgerald. An iconic couple that is part of a wild, glamorous and even doomed generation of the twenties, this novel follows Zelda's life from the time she meets F. Scott and how she may have told it.
Available at amazon.ca and chapters.indigo.ca
