This year I am going on holiday for the first time in 10 years, and provided I survive what will probably be a panic-stricken flight I plan to spend two weeks on the beach with a book in my hands. Despite family and friend’s continued insistence that I buy a Kindle, I am sticking with good old hardbacks and paperbacks. Let’s face it, nothing can beat the smell.

1. Girls on Fire by Robin Wasserman

Genre: Contemporary

Plot: In the wake of a fellow student’s suicide, Hannah and new girl Lacey become best friends and soon they are inseparable. Together the two girls will wreak unforeseen havoc on their local community. But Lacey has a secret that could change everything.

Why? Billed as a vivid and intense exploration of childhood friendships, this sounds like a great book to dive into and lose yourself in.

2. Every Heart A Doorway by Seanan McGuire

Genre: Fantasy

Plot: Children disappear on a regular basis. Slipping into the shadows at the back of a wardrobe, tumbling down a rabbit hole, and emerging somewhere… else. Nancy was once one of those children, but now she’s back in the real world, trying to find a way to cope with the things she saw on the other side.

Why? I loved the sound of this plot and think that this short novel (under 200 pages) will be a great book to spend an afternoon with.

3. The Silvered Heart by Katherine Clements

Genre: Historical

Plot: Based on the true story of Katherine Ferrers, lady turned highwaywoman, this book concerns a woman who refuses to be bound by the strict confines of life in the seventeenth century. As civil war grips the country, she will find herself walking a dangerous path.

Why? I do enjoy simple, entertaining historical fiction now and then, and this sounds like an easy, enjoyable read.

4. Attachments by Rainbow Rowell

Genre: Contemporary

Plot: In 1999, with the internet still a novelty, lonely IT guy Lincoln reads the emails exchanged between co-workers Beth and Jennifer. At first nothing more than a welcome diversion, Lincoln quickly realises just how head-over-heels he really is.

Why? I never read romance, but this seems like a good chance to try something different. Plus, I’ve heard fantastic things about Rowell.

5. Ship of Magic by Robin Hobb

Genre: Fantasy

Plot: Liveships are prized possessions but they are rare; they quicken only when three family members from successive generations have died upon their deck. Althea is waiting for her beloved ship to awaken, but her dream of taking her father’s place at the helm is not to be, for her family have other plans.

Why? Hobb is an amazing fantasy writer and anyone who hasn’t read her FitzChivalry Farseer trilogy must do so immediately. This is a thick book to really sink your teeth into.

6. Indiscretion by Charles Dubow

Genre: Contemporary

Plot: The marriage between Harry and Madeleine is envied and admired by all their friends who spend summers at their East Hampton haven. When a holiday fling goes wrong, Claire finds herself becoming close friends with the couple, whose love seems too perfect to be real.

Why? I hadn’t heard of this book before I stumbled across it online, but when I saw it described as a cross between The Secret History and The Great Gatsby, I knew I had to have it.

7. The Silkworm by Robert Galbraith

Genre: Crime

Plot: The second Cormoran Strike novel finds the detective investigating a case about a missing author whose latest novel features unflattering depictions of almost everyone he knows, so there is no shortage of suspects.

Why? I read the first in this series of books not long ago and really enjoyed it, so I’m keen to revisit the world of Strike and his whip-smart assistant Robin.

8. The Shadow Year by Hannah Richell

Genre: Thriller

Plot: In 1980 on a hot summer’s day, five friends stumble across an abandoned cottage in the middle of the countryside and decide to stay. But as the seasons change, tensions begin to rise. Three decades later, Lila arrives at the cottage. Renovating the house gives her a much-needed sense of purpose. But why did the previous inhabitants leave all their belongings behind?

Why? Another book that is billed as being similar to The Secret History, this sounds like an interesting thriller that will hopefully be entertaining without being too taxing.

9. Tender is the Night by F. Scott Fitzgerald

Genre: Classic

Plot: Set on the French Riviera in the 1920s, husband and wife Dick and Nicole live a glamorous lifestyle. When young film star Rosemary becomes entranced by the couple, it isn’t long before she discovers the dark secrets lurking at the heart of their marriage.

Why? I’ve only read one book by Fitzgerald before, The Great Gatsby, but it is one of my favourite books of all time, so it seems only right that I try out more from this classic author.