Hi friends, happy Wednesday! It’s almost summer here in the Northern Hemisphere and, as you might know it, I’m ALL for summertime and warmth and all of the happy feelings that go with it, for me. Summer is also my favorite time of the year because I get the chance to travel a little bit and, if you know me a little bit, I LIVE for these kind of adventures.
Today, I thought I’d share some books that made me want to travel and explore the world. Whether they’re set in a specific place, are road-trips kind of books or just have some moments set in particular settings that made me all dreamy…. They’re all here and I hope they will make you want to travel, too.
I hope you’ll enjoy my recommendations!
You can click on the covers to get to the goodreads page of the book!
? YA Books To Make You Travel This Summer
Wanderlost, Jen Malone
Why I recommend it ? Wanderlost was such a sweet contemporary to read, filled with travelling, unexpected meetings, romance and all of the wanderlust you need!
Where will you travel to? ✈️ Europe: Amsterdam, Vienna, Prague, Monaco…
This Is How It Happened, Paula Stokes
Why I recommend it ? This is one of my favorite books EVER so obviously I have to recommend it. It deals with tough topics, but also made me travel a bit with all of the gorgeous landscapes and adventures in the national park.
Where will you travel to? ✈️ Zion National Park (USA)
? read my review
Amy & Roger’s Epic Detour, Morgan Matson
Why I recommend it ? I can’t have a list mentioning traveling and not mention this book, one of my favorites by Morgan Matson. It has a road trip and wonderful characters I loved.
Where will you travel to? ✈️ Road trip from California to Connecticut, USA.
Points of Departure, Emily O’Beirne
Why I recommend it ? This book isn’t too popular, but really it’s a really fun contemporary I’d recommend with a fun, diverse cast of characters. If the travelling was more of a background to their own development, I adored seeing them making such huge trips across the world and it’s an ideal book to make you want to hop on a plane!
Where will you travel to? ✈️ Australia, Portugal, Italy, Slovenia, England and Thailand.
The Astonishing Color of After, Emily X.R.Pan
Why I recommend it ? I loved this book SO much and therefore you should read it, that’s all, that’s my argument. The author’s writing is absolutely stunning and I traveled to Taiwan with the main character, saw the city through her eyes and the night markets and food and everything and this was a wonderful read.
Where will you travel to? ✈️ Taiwan.
? read my review
Small Town Hearts, Lillie Vale
Why I recommend it ? Okay so hear me out for a second. Small Town Hearts might have a fictional town at its heart, but… the little houses, the beach, the lighthouse, everything about it all just makes me want to travel there as soon as possible and…. this book is just too good for summertime okay READ THIS.
Where will you travel to? ✈️ Oar’s Rest, Maine, USA… okay, so any cute little small town by the sea you’re dreaming of.
? read my review
The sisterhood of the traveling pants, Ann Brashares
Why I recommend it ? An oldie but a goodie here, friends, I remember loving this book and the bonds the characters had, even halfway across the world. It’s a book to make you travel here and there, but worth reading for its awesome characters too for sure!
Where will you travel to? ✈️ Santorini (Greece), Mexico, South Carolina (USA).
13 Little Blue Envelopes, Maureen Johnson
Why I recommend it ? I read this one a long time ago, but I remember really loving it, following the main character as she travels all around Europe, following her aunt’s letters like a paper chase. A real fun read that makes me want to pick up my backpack and hop on a plane.
Where will you travel to? ✈️ All over Europe: England, Scotland, France, Italy, Denmark…
Isla and the Happily Ever After, Stephanie Perkins
Why I recommend it ? The Anna and the French Kiss has its problematic elements, most especially in its first book and its relationship there, but the third book in the series is really my favorite of them all, most likely because Isla is, well, me, and this book had plenty of wanderlust and swoony moments.
Where will you travel to? ✈️ New York City (USA), Paris (France), Barcelona (Spain).
The Geography of You And Me, Jennifer E. Smith
Why I recommend it ? Jennifer E. Smith writes wonderful contemporaries and I have fond memories of this one, as the two main characters are apart from each other, exploring different places in the world while still keeping in touch. Such a lovely read.
Where will you travel to? ✈️ New York City (USA), Edinburgh (Scotland), London (England), Rome (Italy), Portland (USA), Seattle (USA)….
☂️ You might also be interested in my contemporary summer reads recommendations.
Did you read any of these books? What are some books you’d recommend if I’m looking to get all of the wanderlust feels?
Let me know in comments!
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I haven’t read any of these, but Paper Towns made me want to go on an adventure. I love traveling and wish I had more time and money for it.
Ohh yes, me too, I just love a great road trip story 😀
Thank you so much!! <3 <3
Oh my god I love Amy and Rogers epic detour. These books bring me so much happiness and warmth ahhh. I’ve not read a lot of these but I’m esp excited for the astonishing colour of after ❤☀ thank you for your recommendations ?❤
Ahhh so happy you love it, it’s such a great read! <3
I hope you will get to read the astonishing color soon, I loved it with all my heart <3
Thank you so much for your sweet comment! <3
INCREDIBLE list, love!? We’re about to start winter here, where I live, but I’ll be writing down these books for summer anyway, they sound great ???
Ahhh thank you! Well if you still want to get away from winter and cold weather, these can work too 😀
Thank you so much!! <3
i haven’t read any of these books but some of them are currently sitting on my shelves! i love travelling and summer is the perfect season to do it, so i’ll try to read them. anyway, lovely post Marie <3
Ahh, I hope you’ll get to read some of these books soon, Tiffany, I can’t wait to hear what you think of them <3
Thank you so much!! 🙂
omggg i need to read all of those! ?
Ahh yes you should if you get the chance, they’re all so great! <3
Thank you so much for stopping by! 🙂
I love that you’ve included the places that you’ll get to see when reading these books! There are also some that I really want to get on with on here: Small Town Hearts (which I’ve added to my TBR fairly recently), The Sisterhood Of The Travelling Pants and The Geography Of Me And You (both of which I’ve been meaning to read for ages and 13 Little Blue Envelopes which I’ve owned a copy of for years :L I’ll have to try and get at least a few of them read over the summer as they sound like fantastic summer reads 😀
Ahhh thank you, I’m so happy you enjoyed them, took me a while to remember/find again where everyone went haha 😀
I hope you’ll be able to get to reading some of these books, they are perfect summer reads! Keep me updated!! 😀
It’s such a lovely detail to have included ? and I figured it must have taken some checking at times (:
I hope so too and they definitely sound like it (: Will do 😀
It did a little bit haha, thank you so, so much for your sweet words Charlotte <3 <3
Thank you for the book suggestions ❤
I really liked Isla, though it wasn’t my favorite in the series. Definitely some great travel books though. I also really loved Amy & Roger’s Epic Detour!!
-Lauren
http://www.shootingstarsmag.net
Ahhhh yes, I’m so happy you enjoyed them! I love a great book with lots of travel, we need more of them 🙂
Thank you Lauren! 🙂
I loved The Astonishing Color of After so much! I recommend it too!
It was such a great read! 🙂
Thank you so much for stopping by!
ohmigosshhhhhh thank you INFINITELY for this lovely post I love books about the wanderlust SO MUCH and I need these this summer… mmmm what a WONDERFUL IDEA !!
oh and if haven’t heard of this one, Small Damages is a wonderful one set in Spain ;)) even though there’s not that much travelling per se, it’s so immersive!!
Ohhh, I haven’t heard of that one before, thank you so much for the recommendation!! 😀
Oh you’re so welcome, I’m so happy you enjoyed it, thank YOU so much for your sweet comment!! <3
ooh I LOVED This Is How It Happened! It’s so good but so underrated compared to her other books. I also really liked WANDERLOST when I read it and keep meaning to read Changes in Latitude. Great list, Marie!
Right?? I feel like it’s such an underrated book, I loved it SO much! Ohhh and Changes in Latitude, this one’s on my TBR as well! 😀
Thank you so much, Mel! <3
I loved Points of Departure and it definitely made me want to travel more. These books are dangerous for me. We have a trip booked for October and I’m already looking for next spring. We generally can only afford to go on one trip per year, but this year was the exception. I hope to visit more places and my bucket list is huge.
Ahahah yes, these kind of books just make you wish you could pack your packs and travel right away haha 🙂 I’m certain you’ll cross places off your bucket list, one place at a time! 😀
Thank you so much for your comment! 😀
Thank you! I won’t go everywhere, but I want to do as much as I can before I get too old to enjoy the adventurous traveling.
Such a wonderful idea for a post! I love it when a book makes me travel… I’ve read a few of these myself including Wanderlost, The Geography Of Me And You and 13 Little Blue Envelopes. Love & Gelato is another read with that summer travel feel. 🙂
Ahh thank you, so happy you like it 😀
I have Love & Gelato on my TBR, I can’t wait to read it, it sounds lovely 😀
I haven’t read any books when characters go travelling but I love travelling so I really should and this was a lovely list!! The geography of me and you sounds like a good book and definitely covers lots of nice places– it will definitely make me want to travel!! ?
I really want to read Small Town Hearts too– I love small towns by the sea so I think I would be very happy in this book!! And I now have some great recommendations for books with travel!! ?
I recently read City of Ghosts which is set in Edinburgh on my way to Edinburgh and I loved that– the book explored the city a bit and had little bits of history so I’m so glad I read it when I did!! ?
Great post!! ?
Ahh, I hope you’ll give some of these books a try then, they’re perfect if you’re looking to travel a bit without really moving from your couch haha 😀
Ohhh that’s amazing! I love it when this happens and I can’t wait to read City of Ghosts someday 🙂
Thank you so much <3
I have heard good things about Morgan Matson but I really didn’t enjoy the one I picked up. I might be tempted to try again with a different book. In fact all of these books look amazing, added to the wishlist!
Oh no I’m sorry to hear that! I hope you’ll want to give it a try and that maybe you’ll find a book of hers you like 🙂
Thank you so much! 🙂
Yeah I am really sad about it because usually everyone raves about her – just haven’t found the book that clicks with me I suppose!
I hope that you will someday!! <3
OK I added THis is How it Happened to my wish list!
YAY! So happy to hear it, I hope you will love it 🙂
Those Anna and the French Kiss books DEFINITELY gave me that Wanderlust feeling! I read them all last summer and wanted to travel so bad … soon!! Great post!
Ahah I get that, and it’s the best feeling 😀
Thank you so much Jenna <3
Aahh I really need to read This is How It Happened, knowing how much you loved it! Unfortunately I don’t think I’ve read many of the books on this list — I’ve read part of Astonishing, but put it on hold and didn’t go back to it. I definitely am hoping to finish it by the end of the year though! Great post, and I love how you combined both books and travel, especially knowing how much you love those two things <3
Oh I hope you’ll get to finish the Astonishing Color, it’s an heavy read but it’s so so good, I loveed it so much <3
Thank you so, so much!! <3 <3
I love so many books on this list! Points of Departure is a new one to me and I love the countries that the book goes to one. New one for my TBR! 🙂
Ohh yay, my job here is done 😀
Thank you so much!! <3
Great list! I agree full heartedly with the Geography of you and me! That books gave me wanderlust for daysss! Funny thing is I read it while on vacation and all I wanted to do was go on more vacations while reading it! ?☺️
Thank you so much! I can understand that ? , this book just makes you want to travel everywhere haha 🙂
I love this post! Definitely giving me wanderlust! I absolutely adore Small Town Hearts and Amy & Roger, and most of all Astonishing Color of After because I traveled to Taiwan last summer and can’t wait to go again!!
Ahhh that’s amazing, I’d love to visit Taiwan someday!! 😀
Thank you so, so much, so happy you enjoyed the post <3
I wish I was traveling this summer. I guess I’ll do it through some of these!
Ahh yes, you can always travel thanks to a good book 🙂
This is such an awesome list, Marie! <3 I loved tons of books you mentioned here, and I agree that traveling in books is the best feeling. Of course I want to go to the places in real life, but when that's not possible I love that we can go there in books!
I can't wait to read Small Town Hearts (I think my library is getting it soon) and I recently purchased The Astonishing Color of After so I'll have to read it really soon. Lovely post as always! 🙂
Ah thank you Olivia! <3 I can't wait to hear what you think of Small Town Hearts, it was such a great read and I feel like you'd love it 🙂
Thank you!! <3
Hi Marie! I haven’t read a single one of the books although I’ve heard you rave about a couple of them in previous blog posts. I will say I love Jennifer E Smith’s writing. I’ve read two other books she’s written and have enjoyed them both! Thanks for all of the suggestions! I’m traveling to New York this summer so let me know if you read any new books that have that setting. I love reading a book set in the place I’m traveling in. Great post!
Hi Deb!! You’re so so welcome, I hope you’ll want to give some of these a try! 🙂
Oh New York, this is so exciting! I have to say, the only books coming to mind at the moment set in New York are the Gossip Girl series hahaha, filled with drama but well 😉
Thank you so much! 😀
Wonderful list, Marie!! Books + Traveling? YES please! <3 I've had so many of these on my tbr, and I honestly love reading these types of books in the summer months. It's so nice to envision myself in the lovely settings! My friend has actually been begging me to death to read Isla, so I'm hoping to get to it soon! Fingers crossed that it'll give me those sweet wanderlust feelings!
Ahh thank you so much Kelly! <3 I hope you'll get all of the feels with Isla, I really had a great time with it <3 <3
This is such an awesome post!! I want to travel just reading it. 🙂
Ahhh thank you so much, this makes me so happy <3
This list looks brilliant, Marie! I love a great book that allows me to travel without leaving my seat hahaha (although I love the real traveling as well :P)
The only one I’ve read thus far is Isla and I have to say it was really fun to explore all those places with Isla and her boyfriend. It’s actually the only one in the series I’ve read and I don’t plan to read the others… Happy to hear it’s your favourite! 🙂
I’ll have to check the others out – thanks so much for sharing! <3
Ahha yes books are perfect to get away even when you can’t for real 🙂
I get that, to be honest Isla was really my favorite of the lot so you’re not missing out 😀
Thank you so much for your sweet comment, Sophie <3
amy and roger’s epic detour!! I loved the detour and road trip aspect of that book so much. And i’ve never heard of Points of Departure or This Is How It Happened and now I’m definitely intrigued. I also can’t wait to read The Astonishing Color of After! and as for a book i would recommend with wanderlust feels, I loved Wanderlove by Kirsten Hubbard so much!! Ugh it’s so underhyped and more people need to read it or at least know about it. you also travel to South America, which i think is a country that isn’t really featured in a lot of books!
Ahh, thank you so much for the recommendation, I have to check out this book! I haven’t heard of it before, at all, but I’d love to travel to South America with it so I think it’s going to end up on my TBR haha 😀
Thank you so much!! <3
Love this! Totally agree with Small Town Hearts! Never has a book made me want to live in a small little seaside town as much as this one. I miss Oar’s Rest!
Right? I loved this small town so, SO much! <3 <3
Thank you for all those recommendations! I’ve only read The sisterhood of the traveling pants and so many of the books you’re speaking about sound interesting!
Ahh you’re so welcome, I hope you’ll find books you’ll love there 😀
I read 8 of these – good choices. I am reading Wanderlust soon along with Malone’s newest book, and I am very much looking forward to it. Amy & Roger is one of my all-time faves and my favorite Morgan Matson book. This Is How It Happened had me wanting to go to Utah, and The Astonishing Color of After was a wonderful immersive experience. I Love You So Mochi was similar to TACoA in that the author did such an incredible job surrounding me with the sights, sounds, and tastes of Japan.
Ahh I can’t wait for you to read Wanderlost, I hope you’ll love it 🙂
I need to read I Love You So Mochi, it sounds like such a sweet read and I’m ready for all the wanderlust feels 😀
Thank you so much! <3
I bought Wanderlost so long ago. I am happy to finally read it.
Can’t wait to hear what you think of it 🙂
The second I saw this post my mind immediately thought of Wanderlost. And then what do I see but Wanderlost as the very first book on this list! When I was reading your intro I thought of Amy & Roger and I’m so happy it made your list because it’s my favorite Morgan Matson book! I am really excited to read Love From A to Z since it takes place in Qatar, which I’ve never read about before! I’d love to travel myself this summer, but if it doesn’t work out at least I can read about the destinations I want to visit!
Ahah I couldn’t not mention it, it’s such a great book <3
Ohh, I have heard great things about Love from A to Z, I need to give it a try as well 🙂
Thank you so, so much Malka <3
I have only read Small Town Hearts from this list and definitely agree with you. Reading that book definitely made me want to travel to a town like that. Lovely list, Marie 🙂 Many of these are already on my TBR and I can’t wait to read them.
Thank you so, so much! I hope you’ll love these books if you decide to read them 😀
Thanks for these recommendations, Marie! I haven’t read any of them but they all sound good!
You’re so welcome, I hope you’ll give some of these a try 😀
Amy and Rogers definitely made me want to plan a road trip! I have Wanderlost as my summer TBR, I hope I’ll get to it! 😀
Ahh hope you will love Wanderlust, it’s a lovely read 🙂
Thank you so much <3
Wanderlust sounds so good! I love travel and the summer is the perfect time. I wish I loved The Astonishing Color of After as much as you did. But it sure is a great way to see Taiwan. ❤️
It was a lovely read if you’re looking to explore Europe ahah I had such a fun time with the characters 😀
Thank you so, so much for stopping by, Dani <3
THE HEATWAVE IS KILLING ME!
This being said, as I won’t be traveling this summer, I love your post, Sweechie! x
ME TOO MY SWEECHIE ahhh, I can’t wait for it to be over haha.
Thank you so much my sweechie! <3
Just got Amy & Roger 🙂 <3
I'm kind of on a thriller binge right now, but got that book cuz it does have some really nice summer vibes, and i might be in the mood for something like that soon.
Great list!
Ahh, I hope you’ll get to read Amy Roger soon, when you’re in the mood for it, it’s a wonderful read <3
thank you so much <3
(Late to the party) HOLY CRAP this post is amazing!! Not only did I learn about books I’d never heard of, but I love how you mentioned some books from my past that totally have travel vibes! Like The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants! Which I re-read last fall and it still lives up to my love from my teen years.
Thank you for sharing this list and inspiring me to travel, at least inside of books, this summer! <3 <3 <3
AHH Christine you’re too sweet, thank you so much! <3 I have fond memories of Sisterhood of The Traveling Pants as well, such a great read <3
Thank you so much! <3 <3 <3
Oh my! I remember when I read the 3 Perkin’s books. Definitely made me want to travel haha
I know right, they give you all the wanderlust feels haha 🙂
Thank you, Molly! 🙂
I haven’t read any of these, but thank you for putting together such a great list of books to help spark & sate my wanderlust, Marie!
Aww, you’re welcome, thank you so much for your sweet comment Kal <3
I’ve really wanted to read Amy & Roger’s Epic Detour and The Geography of You And Me. Loved Wanderlost!!
Ahh I hope you’ll get to read them soon 🙂
Thank you so much Nicole! <3
Love sisterhood of the travelling pants- it’s the perfect summer read 🙂 And Isla was my favourite from the anna series too! Really need to read astonishing colour of after!! And wanderlust sounds good!!
Agree, it is the perfect summer read! 😀
And YES I hope you’ll get to read the astonishing color, it is a beautiful read <3
Thank you so much! <3