For some of us, books are our ultimate travel and vacation buddies, we can’t move an inch without having them by our side. Many travellers consider books to be an essential item in travel, especially for long haul travels. There is just something about reading books in an enclosed pressured airplane cabin. Not to mention the feeling one gets when reading a book against the backdrop of the clickety-clack of the train. As the holidays are knocking on our doors and we are ready to embark on our journeys, in this article, we will discuss the top 10 best books to read on long haul flights.
But if you are anything like us, choosing which book will accompany you on your journey will prove to be a difficult task, one involving a lot of planning and consideration. The first thing you need to do is take books with you that you are absolutely certain you will be able to complete before reaching your destination, as spending the entire holidays wondering what was going to happen next is absolutely torturous.
Therefore, follow our list of top 10 best books to read on long haul flights, to make this decision an easy one. From page-turning thrillers to contemporary swoon-worthy romances, you will appreciate flying the friendly skies as one of the books given below accompany you, keeping you entertained till the last second.
Top 10 Best Books to Read on Long Haul Flights – A Quick Glance
Top 10 Best Books to Read on Long Haul Flights – An Overview
1. The Summer Skies – Gloriously Romantic among the Top 10 Best Books to Read on Long Haul Flights
Author – Jenny Colgan
Where to Buy – Amazon
Price
| The Summer Skies Novel Versions | Price on Amazon |
| Kindle | $9.99 |
| Paperback | $13.59 |
| Hardback | $25.99 |
Plot
The Summer Skies by Jenny Colgan is one of the best books to read on long haul flights. This is the kind of book that will keep you entertained till the very end and is a real page-turner. The story starts with our protagonist Morag McGinty who is a Scottish lass and is native to the remote islands that make up the northernmost reaches of the United Kingdom.
Morag finds herself stuck in between some hard decisions as she tries to navigate her life. She is a third-generation pilot and the heir to an island plane service that she operates alongside her grandfather. The islands are nothing more than 500 dots of windswept lands that reach all the way to Norway and rely on their plane service that delivers packages, mail, medicine, tourists, and the occasional sheep to them.
Being the keeper of this vital lifeline, our protagonist is used to lading on tiny grass airstrips and pale golden beaches, regardless of the weather. Doesn’t matter if the sky is bright and blue or filled with grey clouds, Morag feels at one with the elements when she is flying. However, when her feet hit the ground, the situation is reversed. Morag constantly wonders if spending the rest of her life in the islands is worth it. On the other hand, her boyfriend Hayden who she met at flight school is insisting that she move to Dubai with him.
As Morag finds herself surrounded by huge life decisions, fate plays its hand and gives her story a little twist. When flying during a storm, Morag makes a bumping landing and finds herself marooned on Inchborn Island. Inchborn Island is gloriously off-grid housing an ancient abbey, a bird-watching station, and harbors a total population of one, Gregor. Gregor is a visiting ornithologist from Glasgow and is the key to helping Morag pilot her course.
The Summer Skies is the kind of book that will keep you wondering till the very end and help you endure the tediousness of long haul flights. Fly with Morag as she embarks on an epic journey of self-discovery, making a decision that will change the course of her life and those around her.
2. Can You Keep a Secret? – Deliciously Comedic among the Top 10 Best Books to Read on Long Haul Flights
Author – Sophie Kinsella
Where to Buy – Amazon
Price
| Can You Keep a Secret? Novel Versions | Price on Amazon |
| Kindle | $13.99 |
| Paperback | $12.76 |
| Hardback | $11.75 |
Plot
Can you keep a secret? Is where cliché meets romance and comedy. When you are done reading this novel you will be more wary of the kind of conversations you have with your airplane seatmates. This fun and flirty book by Sophie Kinsella became a bestseller soon after its release and is now a major motion picture. Can you keep a secret? is definately the most comedic one among the best books to read on long haul flights
This story follows Emma Corrigan, who is a young woman with a huge heart, one that houses an irrepressible spirit. Emma has a few secrets up her sleeve that she wouldn’t dare tell anyone. Our wonderfully delightful protagonist is hiding secrets from her boyfriend, and her mother, the kind of secrets that will wreck her life with humiliation. That is until she meets a handsome stranger on a plane and the secrets spill out of her like confetti.
The handsome stranger, however, is not a stranger, he is actually Jack Harper, her company’s CEO and the person who now knows every single humiliating thing about her. Can you keep a secret? is a deliciously fun and quirky novel one that has you anticipating the next wild shenanigan that our protagonists will engage in. Trust us, if you have this book in your hand, your long, tiresome flight will be over before you know it.
3. The Guest List – Most Thrilling among the Top 10 Best Books to Read on Long Haul Flights
Author – Lucy Foley
Where to Buy – Amazon
Price
| The Guest List Novel Versions | Price on Amazon |
| Kindle | $11.99 |
| Paperback | $11.99 |
| Hardback | $16.12 |
Plot
If reading something spellbinding and thrilling during your flight is more on the agenda, then picking up The Guest List by Lucy Foley is the right move. The Guest List is one best books to read on long haul flights and is the kind of book that will keep you hooked and guessing till the very end. Get ready to immerse in a story that weaves a tale of intrigue with elements of secrets and betrayal, set against the backdrop of an isolated island in West Ireland.
The Guest List is composed of many prospectives, with each chapter jumping from character to character, through various periods of time, from past to future. The story begins a few days before the wedding of Julia Kegan aka Jules with William Slater aka Will. Jules and Will are your ideal ‘it’ couple. Both are stunningly beautiful, successful, and wealthy, the ultimate picture-perfect couple. The bride works as an editor of an online magazine, whereas the groom is the celebrity host of a survival reality TV show.
A couple like that is sure to have some haters, no? As the story proceeds and the guests gather on the isolated island to celebrate with Jules and Will, many secrets from the past resurface, and on the night of the wedding, a storm rages that leaves the island in a blackout. However, after a while, the lights do come back, but when they do, a scream resonates as a waitress claims at the top of her lungs that she has found a dead body. A mere accident due to the dark or a planned murder? No one knows.
Pick this page-turner to accompany you on your flight during the merry time and immerse yourself in a world of betrayal and secrets, where demons lounge in the deepest darkest corners and trust becomes a foreign concept.
4. People We Meet on Vacation – The Most Delightful among the Top 10 Best Books to Read on Long Haul Flights
Author – Emily Henry
Where to Buy – Amazon
Price
| People We Mett on Vacation Novel Versions | Price on Amazon |
| Kindle | $9.99 |
| Paperback | $10.45 |
| Hardback | $32.99 |
Plot
In case you haven’t read this delightful New York Times bestseller, this is your reminder to pick it up and have it accompany you on your flight during the holidays, trust us, this is one of the best books to read on long haul flights. This light and airy novel is best for the merry season as it will fill you with utmost delight and joy. The story starts with the protagonists Alex and Poppy who used to be friends but have grown apart. Their story is told throughout the novel in a series of flashbacks.
The novel traces their friendship over the years while progressing into the present day as they try to reconnect with each other and repair their fragile relationship. Alex and Poppy’s friendship began the day the two shared a ride in college. Despite being stark opposites in almost every way, the two hit it off and their bond grows stronger with the turn of pages. Every year the two would embark on a vacation together to spend some quality time.
However, after a romantic encounter threatens to tear them apart, Poppy questions if one last weeklong vacation together will be enough to fix their relationship. Read the book to find out what fate has in stock for Poppy and Alex and will their friendship survive the test of time or will succumb under the weight of indecisiveness and bad decisions.
5. The Club – The Most Mysterious among the Top 10 Best Books to Read on Long Haul Flights
Author – Ellery Lloyd
Where to Buy – Amazon
Price
| The Club Novel Versions | Price on Amazon |
| Kindle | $14.99 |
| Paperback | $12.40 |
| Hardback | $14.49 |
Plot
So, travelers and readers are you ready for a roller coaster of emotions that will swarm you as you read The Club, from sadness to anger to confusion? The Club is a masterpiece of a novel written by Ellery Lloyd, a pseudonym for London-based husband and wife author couple, Collette Lyons, and Paul Vlitos and is one of the best books to read on long haul flights.
The novel is a best-selling psychological thriller that was selected by Reese’s Book Club, which goes to show how great of a book it is. The Club starts with Ned Groom who is the owner of Home Group. Home Group is a conglomerate of luxury membership clubs. Over the Halloween weekend, Ned Groom’s employees gear up for the launch of a new resort under the name Island Home, that will cater to celebrity creatives.
However, soon the merry launch party erupts in murder, leaving the guests wondering which among the visitors or staff has been pushed to the point of violence. Throughout the book, the secrets of the protagonists emerge and intersect with the clandestine affairs of the guests of Island Home. The Club is the most mysterious book among the best books to read on long haul flights and will leave you wanting for more.
6. Where’d You Go, Bernadette – Most Addictive among the Top 10 Best Books to Read on Long Haul Flights
Author – Maria Semple
Where to Buy – Amazon
Price
| Where’d You Go, Bernadette Novel Versions | Price on Amazon |
| Kindle | $7.99 |
| Paperback | $11.96 |
| Hardback | $20.91 |
Plot
To make your long haul flights entertaining, make sure to pick an immersive book like Where’d You Go, Bernadette. This book is a light read that is very well written and is one of the best books to read on long haul flights that you will find yourself having trouble putting the book down. The book stars Bernadette Fox and her family. Bernadette is a quirky and complex woman with a Microsoft-guru husband who believes her to be a fearlessly opinionated partner. To fellow private-school mothers in Seattle, Bernadette is nothing more than a disgrace. To design mavens, Bernadette is a revolutionary and talented architect. However, to her 15-year-old daughter Bee, Bernadette is a best friend and simply, Mom.
One day Bernadette vanishes, and it happens when Bee aces her report card and claims her promised reward which is a family trip to Antarctica. However, Bernadette has become agoraphobic to the point where a virtual assistant in India runs her most basic errands, Therefore, a trip to the end of the earth seems problematic to say the least.
The book follows the 15-year-old daughter on her quest to find her mother and what happened to her after she disappeared. Where’d You Go, Bernadette is a great read for a long travel day. And as the book, at its core, is all about planning a trip to one of the most unique destinations the world harbors, travelers will immensely appreciate this light read.
7. And Then There Were None – Most Coveted Thriller among the Top 10 Best Books to Read on Long Haul Flights
Author – Agatha Christie
Where to Buy – Amazon
Price
| And Then There Were None Novel Versions | Price on Amazon |
| Kindle | $9.99 |
| Paperback | $9.99 |
| Hardback | $18.18 |
Plot
From the Queen of thriller, Agatha Christie comes another amazing book, and one of the best books to read on long haul flights, And Then There Were None that will keep you on the edge of your seat. The book is engaging to the extent that you will want to keep reading it even when you are exhausted and sleep threatens to engulf you. On the other hand, the book is easy enough to read that you can seamlessly follow the plot in the chaos of air travel.
The novel kicks off with eight people, who all are strangers to each other getting invited to an Indian Island that lies off the English Coast. Each of the eight strangers thinks that they have been invited to the island for a reason.
Vera Claythorne, who used to be a governess thinks that she has been hired as a secretary, Philip Lombard, an adventurer, and William Blore who is an ex-detective think they have been hired in order to look out for trouble over the weekend. Dr. Armstrong believes that he was hired to look after the wife of the owner of the island. While Emily Brent, Tony Martson, Judge Wargrave, and General Macarthur think they are just going to visit some old friends.
When all of the eight strangers arrive at the island, it doesn’t take long for things to go astray and someone dies. The killing spree lasts until there were none. This book will keep you guessing till the very end who the murderer might be. You won’t be able to help but keep reading till the very end and before you know it, you will be hearing the announcement that the plane will be landing soon.
8. The Shadows Between Us – Best for Fantasy Lovers among the Top 10 Best Books to Read on Long Haul Flights
Author – Tricia Levenseller
Where to Buy – Amazon
Price
| The Shadows Between Us Novel Versions | Price on Amazon |
| Kindle | $10.99 |
| Paperback | $11.33 |
| Hardback | $10.07 |
Plot
If you are into morally grey characters and fantasy romance, then The Shadows Between US should be the book that you pick as your flight buddy. The book’s first line goes:
“They’ve never found the body of the first and only boy who broke my heart. And they never will.”
This mere line is more than enough to build up the intrigue and suspense, keeping you hooked till the very end. The Shadows Between US stars a morally grey protagonist, Alessandra who has always been overlooked as the second daughter of a lord and is determined to gain power. Her plan? Woo the Shadow King, marry him, and then kill him to take his kingdom.
Her plan sets off to a great start as she accomplishes catching the king’s eye at a palace ball and is asked to stay in court. As soon as she settles in, rumours about her run wild with many finding her problematic and outspoken. Not long after she moves, the Shadow Kings asks to court her, only as a ruse to appease his council, the offer which Alessandra accepts happily.
After the assassination of his parents, the mistrusting king spends his time in shadow form that offers protection from attempts on his life. The shadows that surround him don’t allow him to be close to anyone, both emotionally and physically. His shadows are one of the things that stand in the way of Alessandra and her dream, the other thing being her budding feelings for the king.
The Shadow King is an ultimate travel read, and is one of the best books to read on long haul flights that will keep you engaged till the very end. Join the two morally grey characters as they find their place and trust in each other.
9. The Taking of Annie Thorne – Most Spine-Tingling among the Top 10 Best Books to Read on Long Haul Flights
Author – C.J Tudor
Where to Buy – Amazon
Price
| The Taking of Annie Thorne Novel Versions | Price on Amazon |
| Kindle | – |
| Paperback | $15.73 |
| Hardback | $47.23 |
Plot
The Taking of Annie Thorne is a great read for the lovers of horror and Stephen King fans. C.J Tudor has been regarded as Britain’s female Stephan King, with her books telling stories that are equal parts engaging and spine-tingling. The Taking of Annie Thone is one of the best books written by the author and the plot twist at the end will leave you shambles as you question your intuition. The book begins with the missing of 8-year-old Annie Thorne, who returns home after two days but is a completely different person. She is unable or unwilling to say what happened to her or where she was all this time.
25 years after the incident her brother Joe who is a heavy gambler, drinker, and liar returns home to Arnhill Nottingham to take a job as a teacher at the local school. Upon returning home, he receives an email in which the mailer states that they know what happened to his sister and it is happening again
Arnhill is a strange little town harboring many dark secrets the darkest of them being the secret of the old mining pit. As Joe embarks on a journey to unveil the masteries shrouding the clandestine town and what happened to his sister, things take a dangerous turn and Joe finds himself in a situation that will change his perceptions about life, death and human nature.
All in all the Taking of Annie Thorn is a well-written thrilling novel, with a creepy undertone, and will keep you guessing till the very about about the truth of what happened to Annie and what role Joe had in her disappearance.
10. The Ten Thousand Doors of January – Most Awe-inspiring among the Top 10 Best Books to Read on Long Haul Flights
Author – Alix E. Harrow
Where to Buy – Amazon
Price
| The Ten Thousand Doors of January Novel Versions | Price on Amazon |
| Kindle | $9.99 |
| Paperback | $12.79 |
| Hardback | $15.99 |
Plot
Don’t we all want a book that will help us travel to a thousand foreign lands in the blink of an eye? The protagonist of The Thousand Doors of January, January Scaller, lives the dream of every travel enthusiast as she finds a book that leads her to certain locations that harbor doors to other worlds. The book is set in the early 1900s and starts with an introduction of our protagonist whose father traverses around the world, collecting unique finds for his wealthy employer, Mr. Locke, as January remains behind with Locke. Locke treats January like his own daughter feeding and clothing her in finery.
A day before her 17th birthday, January comes across a mysterious book that smells of sea and spices in one of the many rooms that the Locke house harbors. As she begins to read, she learns that the world harbors countless doors that are portals to other worlds, and her entire life is tied to those doors. With the help of her friends, January escapes Locke’s Manson and embarks on a journey to find these doors and the reality of her life.
The Ten Thousand Doors of January will take you to never-before-seen or heard worlds. The mesmerising pages of the book will refuse to let you go until you have read the very last sentence of the book and will keep you entertained on long haul flights.
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[…] If a piece of paper allows you to learn various new things and stimulates your mind to generate interesting ideas – it’s perfect for you. Besides, there is no specific rule about what time you should read, you can continue your book before sleeping, after completing your house chores, or while traveling for a vacation/business tour. Here are some interesting suggestions for hours flight Top 10 Best Books to Read on Long Haul Flights. […]