If I’m not reading blogs, I’ve got my head stuck in a book, so when some of my favourite bloggers starting releasing novels I couldn’t wait to get my hands on them.
For anyone else looking for a good story to get stuck into, check out this list of memoirs, fiction and thrillers written by some of my favourite travel bloggers.
This post contains affiliate links. Please read this disclosure for further information.
Best Books Written By Bloggers
1.All Over the Place, Adventures in travel, true love and petty theft by Geraldine DeRuiter
This travel memoir by Geraldine (aka The Everywhereist) is a little bit different, mainly because the destinations she covers verge on the edge of boring (sorry Munich!) but it’s the characters she writes of (herself included) that truly dazzle.
Covering Geraldine’s life from redundancy to travel blogging success, her heartfelt thoughts on love and a brain tumour called Steve are interwoven with laugh-so-hard-you-wee-a-little moments that I’m dying to discuss with someone else. (Please call me when you get to the poo bit!)
Far from self-indulgent, this a travel memoir that makes Geraldine’s friends and family the heroes of the story, and I had a ball hanging out with all of them.
2. Shy Feet: Short Stories Inspired by Travel
Frankie (from As The Bird Flies) is single-handedly responsible for my appreciation and love of short stories, which I came to late in life after reading Shy Feet.
Through a cast of complex and unique characters, Shy Feet will take you around the world, from Thai massage parlours to Gatwick Airport.
Short stories like Frankie’s are amazing for dipping into when you need a burst of escapism, especially when characters and plots are as cleverly crafted as hers. I was so taken by the journey of one character that I almost whooped with joy when they popped up in a later story.
3. Chasing The Sun by Katy Colins
Chasing The Sun is Katy’s 4th novel but it’s the one I feel most attached to as it’s based in Oz and I got to meet the bubbly author when she was in Sydney researching it.
Continuing the semi-autobiographical story of Georgia Green (a jilted bride who swaps her wedding dress for a backpack), Chasing the Sun is linked to Katy’s Lonely Hearts Travel Club Series but can equally be read on its own.
If you’ve ever travelled in Australia, you’ll totally relate to Georgia’s experience of epic-long road trips and remote hostels, but the true charm of this book, for me, is the way fictional character Georgia’s life overlaps with Katy’s.
For anyone who reads Katy’s blog, Not Wed Or Dead, the parallels are sweetly spooky. You’ll have to read the book to find out what I mean though.
4. Love With A Chance Of Drowning by Torre deRoche
Torre’s book is one of my all-time favourite novels written by a travel blogger.
I hadn’t followed Torre’s blog for long before she released her memoir but everyone in the travel blogging community was so full of praise for her work that I just had to get involved.
Based on Torre’s experience of sailing from California to Australia with a man she met in a bar, it’s a true life tale that was just begging to be written, and Torre has certainly written it well. For more of a teaser you can find my full review here.
5. How Not To Travel The World by Lauren Juliff
I’m a huge fan of Lauren’s blog, Never Ending Footsteps, which mixes sage, budget travel advice with candid stories about when her trips went tits up.
Her novel, How Not To Travel The World, divulges Lauren’s travel disasters, but also reveals how continuing to travel despite the misadventures helped Lauren overcome anxiety.
I’ve only just started this book but if Lauren’s blog is anything to go by I’m going to be in for some laugh-out-loud travel tales and a long list of new places to visit.
6. The Guilty Wife by Elle Croft
Elle Croft is a travel blogger turned thriller author, who now has 3 suspense-filled novels to her name.
Her debut novel, The Guilty Wife, was a top 10 Kindle bestseller but, from the reviews coming in, it looks like her latest novel, Like Mother Like Daughter, is her best yet. I’ve just downloaded a copy to my Kindle now so if I don’t get back to anyone for a few days you know it’s because I’m gripped to this!
7. Home Is Where You Make It by Geneva Vanderzeil
I became obsessed with the DIY and styling tricks on Geneva’s blog when living in Australia and was so excited when she released a coffee-table book full of her secrets for the home.
Aside from lusting over the pictures of Geneva’s Brisbane home, this book is great for both renters and home owner’s who want to dabble in a bit of upstyling and repurposing.
Styling tips for every room of the house are inter-mixed with DIY projects that even I, who is not exactly au fait with a tool kit, feel like I can have a go at.
Pin for later:
Have you read any of the above? Which were your favourites?
With images thanks to David Lezcano and John-Mark Smith on Unsplash
Read also:
10 Travel TV Shows To Binge-Watch Now
I didn’t even know so many travel bloggers wrote books! Will have to add these to my list 🙂 Thanks, Jayne!
My pleasure! Let me know how you get on 😀
I had no idea that travel bloggers wrote books. I just added all of these books to my summer reading list thanks to your recommendation. I love Lauren’s blog and am so excited to dive into her book! Thank you for sharing.
You’re welcome Tracy! Happy reading.
Thank you so much!
I was just looking for some good interesting and exciting books. I like to read different blogs and I think it will be interesting!