For the last couple of years, I've shared the perfect books to travel the world from your own couch (check out my other Top Holidays Reads here) so today I am bringing you a brand new list with 10 stories set all around the world. Get ready to discover some amazing new places! 

If you also love travelling through books, don't miss our route. There's a book for everyone:

Somewhere Beyond the Sea: St Ives, Cornwall (UK).

Miranda Dickinson's latest book is a gorgeous story about love, family and hope. But it is also a love letter to St Ives and its beautiful beaches. This story really reminded me how to appreciate the little things and the joy they bring and let me discover a part of the UK that I haven't had the pleasure of visiting yet (stress on the YET). 

Read my 5 stars review here | Get it now!

The Temptation of Gracie: Tuscany, Italy.

Santa Montefiore's new book is set in a stunning castle in Tuscany. With its dual time line, you get to discover this magical place both nowadays and the sixties and it is impossible not to fall in love with it. The descriptions of the stunning scenery and delicious food are generous and detailed and you can easily picture the castle and the village next to it in your mind perfectly.

Read my 4 stars review here | Get it now!

You Me Everything: the South of France.

This story by Catherine Isaac is one of my favorite books of the year so far. I loved the plot, I loved the characters and I loved the setting. Well, I loved everything. The story is about single mum Jess and her ten-year-old son William and their summer in France, where William's father has renovated a castle as a holiday resort. It's easy get lost in the stunning scenery of Château de Roussignol. A beautiful story about love, about family, about friendship, about life...

Read my 5 stars review here | Get it now!

The Hideaway: Valencia, Spain.

In her latest book, Sheila O'Flanagan takes us to Spain. Main character, Juno, is grieving the loss of a very important person for her so she decides to take some time off and stay at the family villa of a friend in Valencia. Villa Naranja is not in the coast but a bit inland and has its own swimming pool and orange grove. The highlight of this story was the setting for me. Juno got to discover the local festivities and enjoy the Spanish way of live. 

Get it now! 

One Thousand Stars and You: Sri Lanka.

I couldn't do a holiday reads list without including one of Isabelle Broom's amazing stories. In her latest book, she takes us on a stunning tour of Sri Lanka. Full of magical moments, heart-melting romance and intense emotions, One Thousand Stars and You is unmissable. I felt completely in love with this story and its characters and I am now 100 % obsessed with Sri Lanka and its food. 

Read my 5 stars review here | Get it now!

Chasing the Sun: Great Ocean Road & Sydney, Australia

This is the fourth book in The Lonely Hearts Travel Club Series and after loving Georgia's adventures all around the globe, I was really looking forwards to joining her in her new trip down under. From the worst hostel ever and a certain big Willy in her road trip to the crazy wedding in Sydney, Georgia is definitely in for the adventure of a life time. 

Get it now!

The Summer of Impossible Things: New York

Rowan Coleman makes us believe that the impossible is possible and takes us in a journey like no other. We follow Luna and her sister to Brooklyn after their mother's death. For some inexplicable reason, Luna discovers that she is able to travel to 1977, the year that changed their mother's life forever. I loved discovering the seventies through her eyes. I could easily picture a disco obsessed Brooklyn getting ready for the release of Saturday Night Fever. A truly magical novel.

Still Me: New York

And if you enjoyed discovering Brooklyn with The Summer of Impossible Things, then you will love discovering Manhattan with Jojo Moyes' latest addition to the Me Before You Series. Louisa Clark arrives in New York ready to start a new life, thanks to her job with a superrich family, she begins to mix in New York high society. I loved discovering this more glamorous part of the city and the story was full of heart. Louisa is always there to remind us to live boldly.

Get it now!

The Wonder of Us: Eurotrip 

If you don't have time to read all the books above to do some couch-traveling, then I highly recommend you pick Kim Culbertson's new book. Riya and Abby travel all around Europe to discover its hidden wonder. With stops at Milan, Zurich, Berlin, Edinburgh, Reykjavik and London, The Wonder of Us is a fun coming of age tale that will make you want to pack your suitcases and join these two in their euroadventures. 

Get it now!

On her latest book, Isabelle Broom takes on an amazing tour around Sri Lanka. There are monkeys aplenty, wild elephants and stunning views all around. Are you ready for your next adventure? This is why you should read this amazing book:

Title: One Thousand Stars and You

Author: Isabelle Broom

Published: August 23rd 2018 by Michael Joseph

Amazon | Amazon UK

Blurb: One spark will light up both their lives

Alice is settling down. It might not be the adventurous life she once imagined, but more than anything she wants to make everyone happy - her steady boyfriend, her over-protective mother - even if it means a little part of her will always feel stifled.

Max is shaking things up. After a devastating injury, he is determined to prove himself. To find the man beyond the disability, to escape his smothering family and go on an adventure.

A trip to Sri Lanka is Alice's last hurrah - her chance to throw herself into the heat, chaos and colour of a place thousands of miles from home.

It's also the moment she meets Max.

Alice doesn't know it yet, but her whole life is about to change.

Max doesn't know it yet, but he's the one who's going to change it.

Review: Isabelle Broom is quickly becoming one of my favourite authors. Her stories are getting better and better with each new book and she always takes us readers to the most wonderful places. In her latest book, she takes us on a stunning tour of Sri Lanka. 

Full of magical moments, heart-melting romance and intense emotions, One Thousand Stars and You is unmissable. I fell completely in love with this story and its characters and I am now 100 % obsessed with Sri Lanka. I even cooked a Sri Lankan Chicken Curry this weekend and made Chicken Kottu Roti with the leftovers. I cannot wait to go there myself and try the real thing. 

Also, don't you just loved it when you get to a scene in a story and then boom! The title makes so much sense and is so perfect? This happened here and I loved it, so much. 

Alice is such and interesting and intriguing character. I really couldn't wait to discover all her secrets. I enjoyed it so much reading about her friendship with her two child-hood friends and how they interacted with each other. And then we had Max. He stole a tiny be of my heart and kept it to himself. 

This is one of those reads that makes you remember what is important in life and that there's always the possibility of an adventure around the corner if you are willing to turn the corner. Definitely a story that I will be re-reading soon to enjoy all the little details again. 

Bestselling author, Santa Montefiore, returns with an unforgettable tale of love lost and rediscovered, set across the beautiful landscape of Italy. 

Title: The Temptation of Gracie

Author: Santa Montefiore

Published: July 12th 2018 by Simon & Schuster

Amazon | Amazon UK

Blurb: Never give up on your dreams, no matter how long you hold on to them...

Gracie Burton is a grandmother, living quietly in Devon. She has rarely left the village over the past forty years. Her daughter, Carina, is immensely high-powered with her own fast-paced business in London. She has very little time for her 17-year-old daughter, Anastasia, away at boarding school, and even less time for her aging mother. In many ways, the three of them barely know each other. Then Gracie stumbles upon an advertisement for a weeklong cookery course in the heart of the Tuscan countryside. She cannot resist and ploughs her life savings into the trip. Carina and Anastasia accompany her. They have no idea why Gracie has been drawn to this venture. They have no sense of her past; she has never spoken about it. They have no idea that Gracie is harbouring the secret of an extraordinary life that preceded them...

Review: The Temptation of Gracie is a beautiful story set in a stunning location, a castle in Tuscany. It is also the first book I have ever read by Santa Montefiore, so I was really curious to discover why so many readers had fallen in love with her stories. 

I'll admit that at the beginning I was a bit in two minds about this story and its characters. We meet Gracie Burton in her quiet village in Devon, a village ruled by queen of gossip Flappy Scott-Booth, who wants to know and control everyone's business. Gracie is not close with her workaholic daughter Carina and spoilt grand-daughter Anastasia. For me, it all sounded a bit silly and felt unreal. But as soon as we arrived in Tuscany, my feelings changed completely.

In Castello Montefosco, we really got to know these characters and their secrets and I was surprised to discover that Gracie had such an intriguing and eventful life before moving to England. I had a great time following her younger self in her adventures under the Tuscan sun and I couldn't wait to find out all her secrets. Also, in the present day, I really enjoyed seeing the changes in both Carina and Anastasia. It was great that Gracie and Anastasia formed a really special bond during their stay in the Castelo and were able to confide in each other.

The descriptions of the stunning scenery and delicious food were generous and detailed and I felt like I could picture the castle and the village next to it in my mind perfectly. Italy is a beautiful country and this novel has definitely made me want to go back soon. I am now looking forward to discovering more stories by Santa Montefiore.

Rating: 4 stars

I would like to thank the publisher for sending me a copy of this book. This is my honest opinion.

Today I have a very special post to celebrate Don't Stop Thinking About Tomorrow by Siobhan Curham. Siobhan’s new book is all about empathy and seeing things from another person’s perspective and Walker Books has organised a blogswap in which they have invited bloggers to step into somebody else's shoes. 

Last week, Kirsty from Books, Occupation... Magic, shared my post on Acts of Kindness in her blog (read it here) and today I welcome Kirsty into my blog, with a very interesting post about women and fertility and how we need to talk more and be more open about it. Thank you Kirsty for sharing your experience with us, and sending you luck and lots of positive energy on your journey:

Empathic Conversations to Women about Children 

This is a PSA to approach conversations about having children with others sensitively and with an open mind, and try not to make assumptions. 

Not all women are broody. 

Some women don’t want children.

Some women have partners who don’t want children.

Some women can’t have children. 

Some women can’t relax and let it happen naturally. 

Some women have lost children. 

Adoption is not an easy process. 

Did you know that 1 in 4 pregnancies end in miscarriage? I was totally shocked it was that high a percentage. And yes women do grieve these losses. 

Here’s a really useful video on how to support (and not support) people through grief - http://www.refugeingrief.com/2018/07/19/help-a-friend-video/. 

Despite what we are led to believe, age is a limiting factor in having children. Women are born with all the eggs they will ever have and over time the quantity and quality of eggs diminishes. Supposedly this dips rapidly after the age of 35 but may affect people younger. Being aware of the age your mother went through the menopause (yet another thing we don’t talk enough about) may be a useful indicator for you. 

I am turning 40 in August and am still single. I have recently had a number of fertility tests that indicated that my fertility is not as good as I’d have hoped. I have been blogging about my experience in order to raise awareness including my recent round of IVF which sadly failed. 

If you’d like to read more of my journey search IVF on Books, Occupation... Magic! at https://kirstyes.co.uk/

About the Book:

Title: Don't Stop Thinking About Tomorrow

Author: Siobham Curham

Published: August 2nd 2018 by Walker Books

Amazon | Amazon UK

Like her bestselling debut, The Keeper of Lost Things, Ruth Hogan's second novel introduces a cast of wonderful characters, both ordinary and charmingly eccentric, who guide us through a moving exploration of the simple human connections that make life worth living.

Title: The Wisdom of Sally Red Shoes

Author: Ruth Hogan

Published: May 3rd 2018 by Hodder and Stoughton

Amazon | Amazon UK

Blurb: Masha is drowning.

Once a spirited, independent woman with a rebellious streak, her life has been forever changed by a tragic event twelve years ago.

Unable to let go of her grief, she finds solace in the silent company of the souls of her local Victorian cemetery and at the town's lido, where she seeks refuge underwater - safe from the noise and the pain.

But a chance encounter with two extraordinary women - the fabulous and wise Kitty Muriel, a convent girl-turned-magician's wife-turned-seventy-something-roller-disco-fanatic, and the mysterious Sally Red Shoes, a bag lady with a prodigious voice - opens up a new world of possibilities, and the chance to start living again.

Until the fateful day when the past comes roaring back...

Review: last year I read and thoroughly enjoyed Ruth Hogan's debut The Keeper of Lost Things, so I was really curious to see what the author had in store for us this time. The first thing I noticed is that The Wisdom of Sally Red Shoes is a darker and more serious story, but equally beautiful. The main character Masha lost someone very important more than ten years ago and is still struggling with her grief, unable to see the good in life and just barely surviving. 

Thanks to two quite unexpected new friendships though, her life is about to change. I really enjoyed how this story developed and how Masha's character evolved. It was a treat to follow her and her friends around and to get to know them and their secrets. The author balanced very sad and serious scenes with some light humor and kind scenes, which made the story very appealing and always interesting.

I really enjoy Ruth Hogan's gentle style and her complex and intriguing characters. Once again, she has created a beautiful and inspiring tale that celebrates friendship and love that I am pretty sure will touch many hearts, it definitely touched mine. 

It's both sad and hear-warming at the same time and it has a couple of unexpected revelations that took me quite by surprise. All in all, The Wisdom of Sally Red Shoes is a very well-crafted story with multiple voices that will capture the reader.

Rating: 4.5 stars

I would like to thank the publisher for sending me a copy of this book. This is my honest opinion.

Today is my stop on the blog tour for In Bloom, the darkly comic crime sequel to Sweetpea, following girl-next-door serial killer Rhiannon as she’s now caught between the urge to kill and her unborn baby stopping her.

Title: In Bloom (Sweetpea #2)

Author: CJ Skuse

Published: August 9th 2018 by HQ Stories

Amazon | Amazon UK

Blurb: If only they knew the real truth. It should be my face on those front pages. My headlines. I did those things, not him. I just want to stand on that doorstep and scream it: IT WAS ME. ME. ME. ME. ME!

Rhiannon Lewis has successfully fooled the world and framed her cheating fiancé Craig for the depraved and bloody killing spree she committed. She should be ecstatic that she’s free.

Except for one small problem. She’s pregnant with her ex-lover’s child. The ex-lover she only recently chopped up and buried in her in-laws' garden. And as much as Rhiannon wants to continue making her way through her kill lists, a small voice inside is trying to make her stop.

But can a killer’s urges ever really be curbed?

Review: last year I was completely shocked with Sweetpea, the brutally honest diary of Rhiannon, a serial killer that gets a thrill every time she harms and kills bad guys. It was something completely unique and darker than anything I have ever read. Now we have its sequel, In Bloom, so I was a bit worried at the beginning as this time around there was no surprise or shocking factor, we know already what Rhiannon is capable of. But somehow, she managed to surprise me once again.

Rhiannon as a mother to be is quite the character. She stills makes her (hilarious) kill lists every day and her need to kill hasn't disappeared at all but there is a small problem, her baby doesn't want her to kill. During the whole story you can feel her frustration and you really wonder if she will just explode one day and be done with everything. 

Another thing I really enjoyed in this story was Rhiannon's new friendship with Marnie. It's really interesting to read about her trying to be a "good" friend and how their friendship evolved. I think we got to see a new side of Rhiannon that made me even like her (sometimes). I also think the ending of this story was very good.

If you enjoyed Sweetpea, definitely pick up the sequel as you won't be disappointed with Rhiannon's new adventures. And if you haven't met her yet and you enjoy dark humor and are looking for something completely shocking and outrageous, definitely pick these two books. I would definitely recommend reading Sweetpea before reading In Bloom though, as you need to know these characters and what they did to really understand and enjoy In Bloom. 

Rating: 4 stars

I would like to thank the publisher for sending me a copy of this book. This is my honest opinion.

            

With no holidays planned until October, this month I am really looking forward to discovering new places through books, like California or Sri Lanka. Plus, some favorite authors of mine have novels out in the next few weeks, so August looks like is going to be a great reading month:

Don't Stop Thinking About Tomorrow by Siobhan Curham - August 2nd

An uplifting story of friendship, unity and hope that highlights the important and topical issues surrounding young carers and young refugees.

Fourteen-year-old Stevie lives in Lewes with her beloved vinyl collection, her mum ... and her mum's depression. When Stevie's mum's disability benefits are cut, Stevie and her mother are plunged into a life of poverty. But irrepressible Stevie is determined not to be beaten and she takes inspiration from the lyrics of her father's 1980s record collection and dreams of a life as a musician. Then she meets Hafiz, a talented footballer and a Syrian refugee. Hafiz's parents gave their life savings to buy Hafiz a safe passage to Europe; his journey has been anything but easy. Then he meets Stevie...

As Stevie and Hafiz's friendship grows, they encourage each other to believe in themselves and follow their dreams.

Why so excited: last year I read Siobhan Curham's The Moonlight Dreamers series and really loved those inspirational and heart-warming stories. Don't Stop Thinking About Tomorrow sounds just as special and I am already looking forward to meeting these new characters.

Order it now!

Only Love Can Break Your Heart by Katherine Webber - August 2nd

Reiko loves the endless sky and electric colours of the Californian desert. It is a refuge from an increasingly claustrophobic life of family pressures and her own secrets. Then she meets Seth, a boy who shares a love of the desert and her yearning for a different kind of life. But Reiko and Seth both want something the other can’t give them. As summer ends, things begin to fall apart. But the end of love can sometimes be the beginning of you...

From the author of the acclaimed Wing Jones comes a 'break-up' book about a Japanese-American teenager, set in the Palm Springs desert, California. Perfect for fans of Nicola Yoon's Everything, Everything and Sara Barnard's Beautiful Broken Things.

Why so excited: Katherine Webber is another author I discovered last year with the amazing Wing Jones and I've heard a lot about this story on Twitter, especially as Walker Books even organized a prom dance to celebrate it. I would have loved to attend it! 

Order it now!

In Bloom (Sweetpea 2) by CJ Skuse - August 9th

Makes Hannibal Lecter look like Mary Poppins… this is going to give me a serious book hangover’ John Marrs, author of The One

If only they knew the real truth. It should be my face on those front pages. My headlines. I did those things, not him. I just want to stand on that doorstep and scream it: IT WAS ME. ME. ME. ME. ME!

Rhiannon Lewis has successfully fooled the world and framed her cheating fiancé Craig for the depraved and bloody killing spree she committed. She should be ecstatic that she’s free.

Except for one small problem. She’s pregnant with her ex lover’s child. The ex-lover she only recently chopped up and buried in her in-laws garden. And as much as Rhiannon wants to continue making her way through her kill lists, a small voice inside is trying to make her stop.

But can a killer’s urges ever really be curbed?

Why so excited: Rhianon is back. I read Sweetpea last year and she is probably the most shocking and the darkest character I have ever met. But her dark humor and brutal honesty turned out to be highly entertaining. I am really looking forward to discovering her new life, now that she is with baby.

Order it now!

The Book Ninja by Ali Berg and Michelle Klaus - August 9th

**Could you find your perfect man by looking at his book shelf?** 

'Frankie, think about it. Literature is your life. You've been trawling Tinder looking for well-read intellectuals, but it's not working. Let's shake things up! Just use your favourite books to find a man.' 

Frankie Rose is desperate for love. Or a relationship. Or just a date with a semi-normal person. It’s not that she hasn’t tried – Frankie is the queen of online dating. But she has had enough.

With the help of her best friend and colleague Cat, Frankie decides to embark on the ultimate dating experiment. Inspired by her surroundings at The Little Brunswick Bookshop where she works, Frankie places her hope in her favourite books to find her the perfect man… Secretly planting copies on trains, trams and buses, Frankie hopes to find the man of her dreams through a mutual love of good books. The only flaw to the plan? That she may never get her books back! 

But that turns out to be the least of her worries... In between crazy dates and writing them up on her blog, Frankie stumbles upon her perfect man. There's just one problem...Frankie is strictly a Jane Austen kind of woman and Sunny is really into Young Adult. Seriously, obsessively into it...

Can Frankie overcome her book snobbery for the man of her dreams? Or will she be left searching the trains for her modern-day Mr Darcy forever?

Why so excited: this sounds like a bookworm's perfect story: literary references aplenty and finding love through books. I am really curious to see how the concepts translates to the page.

Order it now!

Are We All Lemmings and Snowflakes? By Holly Hebpurn - August 9th

Welcome to Camp Reset, a summer camp with a difference.

A place offering a shot at 'normality' for Olive, a girl on the edge, and for her new friends, who are all dealing with their own battles.

But as Olive settles in, she starts to wonder - maybe it's this messed up world that needs fixing, and not them. And so she comes up with a plan. Because together, snowflakes can form avalanches...

A trailblazing and painfully honest novel about mental health, friendship and making this crazy world a kinder place.

Why so excited: I only discovered Holly Bourne's YA books earlier this year, but I absolutely love them. I wish I could have read her stories, full of feminism discussions and great friendships, when I was a teenager myself. But no matter what age you are, hers are very important and special stories and this one sounds just as good.

Order it now!

The House of Birds and Butterflies by Cressida McLaughlin - August 9th

Abby Field loves every inch of Meadowsweet Nature Reserve on the idyllic Suffolk coast where she lives and works. Especially Swallowtail House, the rambling but empty country house that seems to look out at her each time she passes it’s shut-up windows.

When a TV wildlife programme choses a rival location for their new series, Meadowsweet is under threat – unless Abby can whip up a plan to keep the visitors flocking. But she finds herself distracted by the arrival of a brooding – and annoyingly handsome new neighbour… bad-boy novelist, Jack Westcoat.

With the pressure on, Abby and her cute rescue huskie, Raffle, must pull something special out of the bag. But with Jack in need of a good friend – and Abby feeling the pull of attraction, she can sense her resolve fluttering away…

Why so excited: Cressida Maclaughlin's stories are very feel-good and cosy and perfect to disconnect for a while from your busy life. I am definitely planning on reading this one by the pool and forgetting about everything else. 

Order it now!

My Sisters and Me by Lisa Dickenson - August 23rd

They're fixing up their childhood home. It's going to get messy.

When Willow Lake asks her daughters for help renovating the family home, each has a reason to hesitate about returning to Maplewood...

For quiet and bookish Emmy going back to the town that ridiculed her fills her with dread.

The youngest Noelle is perfectly comfortable in herself now, but once wanted to fit in so badly that she walked away from her first love. A first love who still lives in Maplewood.

And outspoken Rae is painfully aware of how much the townspeople hurt her little sisters growing up. She didn't protect them then, but there's no way she'll let history repeat itself.

The sisters agree to go home and make the best of it. After all if they've changed over the years, it's possible the townspeople have too . . . isn't it?

The BRAND NEW feel-good, kick-ass novel about sisterhood and second chances. Perfect for fans of Sophie Kinsella, Lindsey Kelk, Mhairi McFarlane and Anna Bell.

Why so excited: It's been too long since Lisa Dickenson published a story. I am so looking forward to her hilarious remarks and her strong and relatable characters! This will be such a treat. 

Order it now!

One Thousand Stars and You by Isabelle Broom - August 23rd

One spark will light up both their lives

Alice is settling down. It might not be the adventurous life she once imagined, but more than anything she wants to make everyone happy - her steady boyfriend, her over-protective mother - even if it means a little part of her will always feel stifled.

Max is shaking things up. After a devastating injury, he is determined to prove himself. To find the man beyond the disability, to escape his smothering family and go on an adventure.

A trip to Sri Lanka is Alice's last hurrah - her chance to throw herself into the heat, chaos and colour of a place thousands of miles from home.

It's also the moment she meets Max.

Alice doesn't know it yet, but her whole life is about to change.

Max doesn't know it yet, but he's the one who's going to change it.

Why so excited: Isabelle Broom is quickly becoming one of my favourite authors. Her stories are getting better and better with each new book and she always takes us readers to the most wonderful places. I cannot wait to discover our next destination, Sri Lanka.

Order it now!

While I Was Sleeping by Dani Atkins - August 23rd

A brand new and brilliant emotional family drama for fans of Jojo Moyes and Dorothy Koomson, from the bestselling author of Fractured.

I don't remember what happened or what has changed.

I can still hear your voices but you can't seem to hear me.

I was about to be married and had everything to look forward to.

Now I have to find a way back - to you, to our family, to us.

Why so excited: I've already read this one and wow. I ugly-cried, I laughed out loud and I am still missing these characters. A stunning story and highly recommended. I'll share my review this month, so don't miss it! 

Order it now!