E! illustration/Courtesy of Getty ImagesTravel has been impossible, lately! While traveling during the holidays has always meant a crowded and overstimulating airport with potential delays (don't get us started on the weather), the government shutdown has made it a truly awful experience.
We're talking super-long security lines, delays that last days, and overcrowded planes. And it's not looking like it will let up with all that holiday travel. That's why we're looking for books and journals that'll keep us distracted while we wait for our flight. Let's face it, we can't expect our phones to entertain us 24/7. We need options! We need distractions!
That’s where a good book comes in. Not just any book, though! A book that pulls you in and keeps you hooked for hours. Because flights get delayed, road trips stretch on, and not every place you stop will have a power outlet waiting for you.
We’ve rounded up the best books to help those long travel hours fly by. Whether you want to solve puzzles like a spy, explore your astrology, unleash your creative side, or get lost in a fantasy world, we’ve got you covered. From swoon-worthy rom-coms to can’t-put-down memoirs, these picks will keep you turning the pages until you reach your destination.
Forget counting down the minutes until you land. Your next great read is below!
'Here for the Wrong Reasons' by Annabel Paulsen & Lydia Wang
A novel where our two protagonists fall in love while participating in a Bachelor-esque reality show? Yes, please! Forget the Bachelor, and swoon over your fellow contestant. This funny, rom-com novel is a light fun read for everyone—but especially for those who love dating reality shows.
'Vicious' by V. E. Schwab
Stuck in a reading slump? This thrilling novel got our commerce writer, Sofia Viera, right out of hers in a single night. You're better off not even knowing the full details of the plot for this story, and uncover the mystery as it unravels. You won't want to put it down, trust me!
'Little Book of Celine' by Frances Solá-Santiago
For the fashion obsessives (or for those curious and wanting to learn more) out there, the 'Little Book of Fashion' collection offers the history behind some of our favorite design houses, written by experts in the field. This one on Celine was written by Wirecutter fashion writer, and gives a full analysis on the brand's most iconic pieces and their respective creative directors.
'Written in Your Stars' by Narayana Montúfar
Have you always wanted to figure your birth chart out? No better time than when you're stuck waiting at the airport! Written by an astrologer, this book offers an easy-to-understand guide to your individual planetary cycles and how to navigate the life events and transitions associated with them. Yes, even the dreaded Saturn Return.
'The Vampire Lestat' by Anne Rice
For those of us who can't wait for the third season of AMC's Interview with the Vampire, why sit around for new trailers when you can read the book version? The second book of Anne Rice's iconic Vampire Chronicles series offers the story from The Vampire Lestat's perspective, his tragic past, and 80s rockstar present.
'Girl on Girl: How Pop Culture Turned a Generation of Women Against Themselves' by Sophie Gilbert
Fans of pop culture analysis need to add this non-fiction book on their TBR ASAP! Written by The Altantic critic Sophie Gilbert, 'Girl on Girl' takes a deep dive into the late '90s and the early 2000s when culture as a whole (but especially the press) hyper-objectified and sexualized female celebrities. It's an ultra fascinating read!
'Bordergrams'
Love The New York Times Connections? Meet your new favorite challenge. This must-have book turns wordplay into an undercover mission, where you’ll hunt down common threads across a grid of cleverly connected words.
'The Artist's Way': 30th Anniversary Edition
What better way to make use of a long layover or flight than with a workbook dedicated to unlocking your most creative self! You'll find prompts and exercises that will put you in touch with your inner artist.
'The New York Times Strictly Medium Crossword Puzzles'
If you crave the pun-filled wordplay that comes with the New York Times' tricky Wednesday and Thursday puzzles, you've met your match with this collection of 200 medium-level crosswords.
'Murdle': Volume 1
These humorous mini-mystery puzzles challenge you to find whodunit, how, where, and why. Examine the clues, interview the witnesses, and use the power of deduction to complete the grid and catch the culprit.
'Shadow Work Journal & Workbook'
You don't have to be the "woo-woo" type to do some deep emotional healing and transformation work. This all-in-one journal and workbook combines powerful therapeutic insights with practical exercises to help you explore your shadows, heal emotional wounds, and grow into your most authentic self.
'Wreck This Journal'
So you're not a game or a journal person. Let this bestselling fantasy story whisk you out of your airplane seat and into a magical realm filled with mythical creatures and tons of romance.
'A Court of Thorns and Roses' by Sarah J. Maas
So you're not a game or a journal person. Let this bestselling fantasy story whisk you out of your airplane seat and into a magical realm filled with mythical creatures and tons of romance.
'All the Way to the River' by Elizabeth Gilbert
Elizabeth Gilbert (author of Eat Pray Love) just dropped the memoir of the year. We've come a long way from "I'm having a relationship with my pizza." You won't be able to put down her story about love, loss, and liberation.
The Complete 'The Summer I Turned Pretty' Trilogy by Jenny Han
You've binged the TV series, now spend your layover/road trip/long plane ride reading all of the TSITP books in order.
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