BEST BOOKS TO READ WHILE TRAVELING

Ever since I got my very grown up tablet contraption (Galaxy Note) last month, I have been addicted to reading. It's just like my days of youth when I would read a book a day. Granted, they were mostly fluff books like The Babysitter's Club...

Nowadays, I love checking out digital books from our local library and have read 13 since December. I did a lot of traveling so the books I chose were speedy ones that take very little effort to breeze through. So if you're into a little YA fantasy, some really terrible romances, and a series about a teen girl who transforms into a cougar (classy, right?), read on:

Totally Worth Reading: The books below were legit, fabulous, thought-provoking, and/or worthy of future re-readings.
1. Wonder - One of the best young adult books I've read in a long time. Woven narrative told by a boy with "jarring facial anomalies" and several people in his life (sister, friends, etc.). At the end of the day, this is a meditation on kindness. Beautifully written. Put this at the top of your list.
2. The Happiness Project - Little late to this party, but I liked this book. I want to clean all my closest now, too.
3. The Wednesday Wars - A teenage boy has to stay after school every Wednesday afternoon with a teacher who, like, totally hates him. Shakespeare plays a big role in his after school lessons. An interesting perspective, as the story takes place during the Vietnam War.
4. Omnivore's Dilemma - Again, late to the party. Definite food for thought.
5. The Giver - Yep, still one of my favorites. This book has aged well and moved me to tears in a way I wasn't expecting. I loved reading this from an adult's perspective.

Magic + History YA: I kind of love this Michael Scott series about brother/sister twins who discover they are super powerful. Weaves in historical figures with mythical figures (such as The Morrigan, sphinx, centaurs, etc.) which turn out to be real. Tagline: "Some legends are true." Wonderfully quick and addictive.
6. The Alchemyst: The Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flammel
7. The Magician

Paranormal Teen: The first two books are part of Kelley Armstrong's terrible (by which I mean awesome) Darkness Rising trilogy. While the name of the trilogy should be enough to get you reading, here's a one sentence recap: Group of teens discover they have paranormal abilities; main girl turns into a mountain lion; dramatic love triangles and escapes ensue. Exit Strategy is pretty bad - aimed for adult audiences, it's about a cop-turned-assassin and her adventures with other assassins. Oh My Gods is about about a girl who has to attend school on a Greek island. The catch: all the students are decedents of Greek gods.
8. The Gathering
9. The Calling
10. Exit Strategy
11. Oh My Gods

Romance: There is a special spot in my heart for British romances about neurotic 20-somethings. Case in point, I will repeatedly read anything by Sophie Kinsella (Shopaholic fame) or Helen Fielding (Bridget Jones).  But I have to admit my first foray into non-British romances was a complete let down. Nora Roberts' Bridal Quartet series was really, really awful. And yes, I actually read 2 out of the 4. Don't judge. Let that be enough. I beg you, please don't subject yourself to these books. Seriously. Terrible.

All of this begs the question: what have you been reading? Any recommendations? Spill!

Currently Reading
Moon Over Manifest
Where the Mountain Meets the Moon
The Phantom Tollbooth
Happier At Home (sequel to The Happiness Project)