The June theme for our "Read with The Snail" Reading Challenge is a book set in a place you want to visit. Summer is the perfect time to be transported to a far-flung locale, so let your wanderlust lead you this month.
We asked Erin Burke, who writes a book/travel blog called Flying off the Bookshelf, for some of her recommendations. You'll find them below, along with her reasons for reading. We think you'll love her suggestions!
We can't wait to see what you share this month; make sure to share on social media and use the hashtag #ReadwithTheSnail.
Click HERE to return to our Reading Challenge, and find all the categories and reading lists.
Years ago, Rachel had an affair with Alistair, who was twenty years older than her. Now, Rachel still feels obsessed with that affair. But was everything as it seemed at the time? Or are there troubling details about it she may have forgotten? This is for fans of psychological suspense. —Erin, Flying off the Bookshelf
After her husband dies unexpectedly, Ellie cashes in his life insurance policy and escapes to the French Riviera with her best friend. At first, it’s the perfect distraction, but eventually she has the face the truth of what her life is. —Erin, Flying off the Bookshelf
In this family saga set in Hilo, Hawaii, Hi’i is aiming to win the Miss Aloha Hula competition. Meanwhile, her mother and grandmother have secrets they have never shared with her and there are growing tensions in her community that somehow connect back to her family. Perfect for readers who love a multi-generational family story. —Erin, Flying off the Bookshelf
After Lindsey’s husband dies, she and her kids need a change. So she decides to buy an old motel in Hawaii to fix up, and she and her three kids move there in search of a new life. For readers who love contemporary family stories with a bit a romance. —Erin, Flying off the Bookshelf
In this memoir, Blythe Roberson examines the idea of the road trip as she sets off on her own to explore the US National Parks. This is a memoir filled with both humor and reflection, as she thinks about what it really means to escape your problems by traveling. —Erin, Flying off the Bookshelf
Carla loves traveling the world and never stopping for long in one spot. But then she goes to Dublin for her friend’s wedding and is driven by Eamon, a mapmaker whose life has gone off course. For readers who love romance. —Erin, Flying off the Bookshelf
When a movie star in the 1960s shows up to a little Italian Riviera village with a secret, a local man hopes it might be the big break his town needs to attract tourists. Fifty years later, in Hollywood, the ramifications of that encounter resurface. Perfect for readers who want to escape to Italy and enjoy books with multiple timelines. — Erin, Flying Off the Bookshelf
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Family dysfunction is at its finest when the Wright family travels to Greece for vacation. Sue Ellen Wright is a Classics professor who is excited to return to the island where she first fell in love with Greece. But the rest of her family is keeping all kinds of secrets that threaten their peace. For fans of contemporary fiction and family stories. — Erin, Flying off the Bookshelf
In this memoir, William Finnegan writes about his obsession with surfing, from his childhood in Hawaii to seeking out waves no one had ever ridden in the South Pacific. You might think you aren’t interested in surfing, but this is one of those non-fiction titles that will pull you in and make you care deeply about something you thought you had no interest in. — Erin, Flying off the Bookshelf
This non-fiction title about the history of Hawaii tackles the subjects of colonialism and the overthrowing of Hawaii’s government with both the seriousness it deserves and the dry humor that Vowell brings to all her writing. If you’re planning a trip to Hawaii, this is a perfect book to read to understand the history of where you’re going. —Erin, Flying off the Bookshelf
The recent hurricanes that have devastated Puerto Rico have made it a prime target for capitalists to swoop in and develop a vacation paradise. But how does this impact the people of Puerto Rico? And how can we travel to Puerto Rico responsibly? This is a short book that helps us be more thoughtful about the impact we have on the places we travel to. —Erin, Flying off the Bookshelf
This novel takes place over the course of one wedding weekend in New England, as family members behave badly, lobsters escape, and a whale washes up on the beach. For fans of literary fiction and dysfunctional family stories. —Erin, Flying off the Bookshelf
Harriet and Wyn are taking one last summer vacation with their friends, escaping to the Maine cottage they’ve been going to for years. The only problem? Their friends don’t know they broke up months ago. —Erin, Flying off the Bookshelf
Ruth Reichl was maybe an unexpected choice to be the editor for Gourmet when she was offered the job, but she took it anyway and transformed the magazine. This is a very New York book as she dines around the city having meetings and tries to live in the fast-paced magazine world without losing herself. Perfect for readers who love food memoirs. —Erin, Flying off the Bookshelf
Want to look at the Most Magical Place on Earth a little differently? This book dives into the history of the Disney company and the women who helped animate the movies and yet hardly ever got the credit. You’ll really never watch a Disney movie the same way again. —Erin, Flying off the Bookshelf
After a breakup, Conor Knighton, a journalist, decides to spend a year traveling to every major US National Park. This memoir about his journey is filled with both humor and thought-provoking reflections. You’ll learn so much about our National Parks and never look at them the same way again. —Erin, Flying off the Bookshelf
