Vacations provide the perfect opportunity to catch up on your reading. When spending your time off at home you might find it most enjoyable to snuggle up in front of the fire with an actual book. But what if you're going away on a holiday and taking multiple books with you isn't an option? In that case, it's worth considering other ways of reading.

Why Kindle?

Want to carry a full year's worth of books on a week-long trip? Then buying an Amazon Kindle might be your best option. It's lightweight, can hold thousands of books at a time, and you get access to an amazing ebook ecosystem.

With how advanced the e-readers have become some people might even opt out of reading physical books for good. If you're still not convinced, check out our summary of the benefits of using a Kindle.

Let the Search Begin

When you work hard for weeks, months, or maybe even years, you, of course, want your vacation to be flawless. Some might even approach the book search as seriously as they would the search for a flight or accommodation.

New to Amazon Kindle and don't know where to start? The MakeUseOf guide to Kindle content will help you find the unlimited free books, articles, magazines, and much more on offer.

Things to Consider

man in a maze
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While browsing through websites for Kindle books might be enough to satisfy your reading needs on a normal day, finding the book(s) that will enhance your trip and make your vacation even more memorable can be a little trickier.

What genre is best for vacation reading? Where can you find the "hot right now" books? How can you know for sure you'll enjoy the book before buying it? We gathered a few tips together to help you find the perfect Kindle book for your next vacation.

1. Sort by Genre

Choosing the right genre is a good starting point. You'll find plenty of the recommendation lists online populated by romance and crime novels. Easy reads like that won't rack your brain too much, letting you relax and enjoy your downtime. However, if you like your books to make sense and trigger something deep inside you, you'll have to dig a little deeper.

I sometimes find it overwhelming to name my favorite book genre. If you're also struggling with this one, here is how to narrow down the choice in three easy steps:

  1. Answer one simple question: fiction or non-fiction?
  2. Give yourself a little pat on the head for choosing fiction.
  3. Now pick the right fantasy book and you're good to go!

On a more serious note, much like myself and my obsession with fantasy novels, you probably have one of your own. If you can't think of any, websites like Bookstr, LibraryThing, ManyBooks, or Goodreads will help you find the right book by offering different search tools, including the ability to sorting books by genre.

2. The Wanderlust Factor

goodreads categories

With romantic novels and detective stories out of the way, there's only one obvious holiday reading genre left. Call it banal or ordinary, but some of the most popular things to read while on vacation are about... travel itself. And although some might enjoy taking their mind off the road when they're on the road, reading about travel can inspire some serious wanderlust and give you fresh ideas for your next trip!

Besides, travel books differ from one another, so don't give up on the genre even if Eat, Pray, Love isn't your cup of tea. After all, even if books about traditional travel don't appeal, there's always time travel.

tripfiction trends

When it comes to reading while on vacation, one of the coolest trends is the "set in location" books. Choose a set in location novel to get a unique experience of seeing the world in your book through the author's eyes. Bonus points if you match the book's location with your destination.

You can do the research yourself, or use the help of sites such as TripFiction. They offer a collection of holiday reading that will "help you get under the skin of a place in a way that is quite different to a conventional travel guide". For those spending the time off on an exotic island, Goodreads offers a list of books set in tropical locations.

4. The Ultimate Holiday Reading Experience

blame it on the mistletoe book cover

Another way to enhance both your reading and holiday experience is by choosing books about a holiday season. They will help evoke the holiday spirit and create the right mood prior to your trip.

Does your vacation time match one of the public holidays? Look for a book set in the same holiday period as your trip for the ultimate holiday reading experience. This is easier when the holiday you're searching for is Christmas. Searching for tags like "mistletoe" and "winter wonderland" will bring you tons of results.

For books about other holidays, you'll have to work a little harder. Thus, one of the first novels you'll find under the tag "Easter" is Easter 1916: The Irish Rebellion. There's surely nothing like the history of British - Irish relations to get into the spirit of Easter. Not.

5. Search by Recommendations and Reviews

five star rating
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Even when you have a clear idea of the book you're looking for, finding the right title that you'll enjoy from start to finish can still be very challenging. You might find the first few chapters of a book gripping and exciting and still get disappointed with the ending.

One way to prevent the frustration is to rely on other people's opinion (and learn from their mistakes). Before choosing your book always scour recommendations and reviews.

A less time-consuming option is to see which books are selling well right now by visiting the Best Books of the Month section on Goodreads.

6. Get Your Friends to Help

goodreads site
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How often do you find yourself enjoying something that your friends recommended to you? With Goodreads being both a social network and the planet's coolest book club, you can connect with people who share similar tastes in reading.

This mean you can get your reading recommendations from your friends on the network or get inspired by something you find on their reading lists.

7. MatchBook

Do you own any physical books that you regret spending money on when you could buy a cheaper Kindle edition? If you purchased them online through Amazon, their MatchBook service could be the way to take those books with you on holiday.

Kindle Matchbook looks into your past purchases through Amazon and lets you purchase the Kindle edition of your print books for as little as $2.99 (or less).

Bonus: Share Your Books

mother daughter reading ebook
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So you have done the research, have a few excellent books in mind, and are looking forward to some long hours of relaxed reading on vacation. But what's the point if you can't share this experience with others? The Kindle Family Library exists to help you share your book collection with your friends and family.

You can create an Amazon Household for up to two adults and four children to enjoy the access to all the members' books, audiobooks, apps, games, and much more.

To set up your own little book club go to "Manage Your Content and Devices" on Amazon and sign in with your account. Here, go to the "Settings" tab, select "Invite Adult" under the "Households and Family Library" and get your friends or family members to sign in with their account. That's it, now you can enjoy your vacation reading together with your loved ones.

How Do You Decide What to Read on Vacation?

We hope the tips listed above will go some way to helping you find the right book(s) to read on vacation. However, we're sure there are loads of other options we missed. So now it's time for you to share your experience of creating a vacation reading list.

How do you choose which books to read on vacation? Do you have a particular favorite book you've read multiple times? Do you prefer the Kindle version or printed edition? Especially when you go on vacation? Please share you thoughts with us in the comments below!

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