Weddingbee Blog

Our recent trip to the Philippines was 10 days long - half that time was spent traveling to and from El Nido.  And other than one scuba diving excursion, the only thing we did was hang out, eat, and read - just what the doctor ordered!

We didn’t buy any beach reads ahead of time, and just picked up a bunch of books at the airport before boarding the plane.  I thought I’d share some of them with you in case you’re looking for some good honeymoon beach reads!

Are You There, Vodka? It’s Me, Chelsea by Chelsea Handler

This collection of anecdotes by comedienne Chelsea Handler is hilarious!  I’ve even started watching her talk show on E! as a result of reading this book.  Chelsea is a brutally honest, smart writer - if you like dark humor, you’ll definitely enjoy this book!

Remember Me? by Sophie Kinsella

I’ve read one of the Shopaholic books, but didn’t really like it that much (am I the only one?).  But I found this to be a fun, easy read, and you’ll probably enjoy it if you’re a fan of Sophie Kinsella or chick lit.

Goodnight Nobody by Jennifer Weiner

I’m a big Jennifer Weiner fan.  I loved Good in Bed, and very much enjoyed In Her Shoes and Little Earthquakes, but Goodnight Nobody just didn’t live up to the first three books.

Ten Days in the Hills by Jane Smiley

Jane Smiley is a Pulitzer Prize winning novelist, so I had high expectations for this book based on the glowing reviews on the back cover.  I don’t know if it was because I was tired, but I kept falling asleep and couldn’t get past the first 50 pages.

The Street Lawyer by John Grisham

Are John Grisham books any good now?  I think The Firm was his best novel to date.  I found The Street Lawyer to be too heavy handed and unbelievable.  I don’t think I’ll be purchasing another Grisham book from now on.

Rage and Compulsion by Jonathan Kellerman

Mr. Bee’s dad had Rage on his bookshelf.  It was a fun read, so Mr. Bee picked up Compulsion at the airport on our way back to the states.  Compulsion wasn’t as good as Rage, but Kellerman is a fun read for those into the thriller genre.

Lonely Planet Story by Maureen and Tony Wheeler

Mr. Bee picked this book up in Manila because he thought I’d enjoy it (I think it’s only available in Asia for some reason).  It’s an autobiography of the founders of the Lonely Planet travel guidebooks.  I love adventure and travel, so it was interesting to see how the Wheelers turned their passion into profit.  They traveled around the world for a year and ended up at their final destination, Australia, with 26 cents in their pocket!   And that was how Lonely Planet got started.

Twilight by Stephenie Meyer

And I’ve saved the best for last.  I received the Twilight audiobook for my birthday.  It really came in handy because I was sick as a dog for two days, and this kept me endlessly entertained.  As soon as I got back to the States, I purchased the other three books in the Twilight series.  A bunch of friends and I are going to see the premiere of the movie this Friday with our teeny bopper selves, and we absolutely cannot wait!

Though this was written as a teen novel, I promise that you will be completely sucked in!  This is an awesome beach read, but please don’t blame me if you find yourself reading instead of hanging out with your new husband!

For more honeymoon beach read recommendations, check out Mrs. Penguin and Mrs. Jasmine’s post!

What are some of your favorite beach reads or beach read authors?