Egypt Vacation (and September) TBR

I’m going to be in Egypt for the first two weeks of September! I’m super excited; I haven’t been in about two years. I will get to relax and visit family and the beach and the old bazaar, Khan al-Khalili. This is also my first year traveling with a Kindle, which should surely encourage me to read more than I normally do when traveling!

I don’t know how much time I’ll have in Egypt to read; I don’t really know if we’ll be busy or not. But, there are still two 10-hour plane rides to think about! Oddly enough, I find it difficult to read on planes; I get weirdly distracted. Therefore, for the plane, I have specifically picked out books that I am almost certain I will love, books that have rave reviews and will surely suck me in. For my time on the beach, I’ve picked some books that I think will fit the ~aesthetic~ of being on the beach, not necessarily light or fluffy reads. And then I have a few autumnal books for the rest of the month!

Plane Reads

The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid: I don’t think I have heard a single negative thing said of this book. Nearly everyone I know has loved it, and Booktubers sing its praises. It’s said to be a beautiful love story, a tear-jerker, a page-turner, a kind-of thriller, a gorgeously spun tale that grips you from the first page and doesn’t let go. Sounds like exactly what I need for a lengthy plane ride!

Vicious by V.E. Schwab: I feel like I’m the last fantasy fan in existence who hasn’t read this book. You wanna talk about praise? People talk about this book like it’s God’s gift to literature. I’m always a tiny bit underwhelmed by Schwab’s novels, but not because they aren’t fantastic. It’s just that they are hyped so damn much that I always think I’m going to be reading something unimaginable and life-changing, and then it just turns out to be a really good book. So I’m trying to temper my expectations, but this seems to be one of the most beloved books she’s ever written. Also, I kind of waited this long to read it on purpose, so that the sequel would be nearly out by the time I finish, so that I don’t forget anything.

The Dark Descent of Elizabeth Frankenstein by Kiersten White: I am SO HYPE for this book. I read Frankenstein specifically so that I could read this. White is so good at historical fiction. I read the first page of this and I already love the writing style. One of my qualms with Frankenstein was that we didn’t really get to see much of the women, so I’m so excited to have a book from the perspective of Elizabeth Lavenza!

Beach Reads

Strange the Dreamer by Laini Taylor: I have also been purposely waiting to read this book until the sequel was near! I’ve been seeing so many fabulous reviews of it recently in particular, so I think it’s about time I get around to it. Plus I’m really in the mood for gorgeous writing and strange happenings.

The Lost Letter by Mimi Matthews: I stumbled upon this Victorian romance completely by chance, as I was googling Victorian women’s fashion. The author has her own website where she talks about fashion and she has a nonfiction book coming out all about Victorian fashion! She seems like someone who would write a decent book. I’ve been trying to expand my horizons and read more romance, plus I’ve been getting more and more obsessed with the Victorian era. It’s quite short, so hopefully it’ll be good!

We Were Liars by E. Lockhart: How old is this book? Am I the only person left who hasn’t read it? It’s hailed as the Thriller to End All Thrillers (in YA, at least), and I’m so curious to see what it’s about! I have somehow managed to avoid learning anything about this book, not even a cursory summary; I just know it’s a mind-twisting page-turner, which should be perfect for chilling in my hotel room at night.

Later That Month

The Raven Boys by Maggie Stiefvater: Yet another popular book I haven’t read! I’m planning on buddy reading this with Rachel, perhaps in late September? Again I know very little about this (something about a Welsh king??), but I’m looking forward to seeing what all the fuss is about.

The Strange Case of the Alchemist’s Daughter by Theodora Goss: This book is precisely why this month I have endeavored to read so many classics. It is because the major characters in this book are all the female relatives of the male characters in popular classics – so Jekyll’s daughter, Moreau’s daughter, etc. I like Goss’s short fiction and have heard great things about this book. Plus it’s a Victorian novel!

Miserere, an Autumn Tale by Teresa Frohock: I  can’t even tell you how I found this weird, obscure book. Like, it’s so weird. It’s some type of medieval tale about a dude who abandons his lover in Hell to bring his sister back, but his sister is evil and doesn’t want to leave Hell. I have literally no idea what to expect from this book, but as I said, I’ve been trying to expand my horizons. That includes reading books that aren’t so popular or that seem just a bit weird; you never know when you might stumble upon a hidden gem!