Crystal book cover Crystal, by Katie Price (£9.99)
If you're after something bright and breezy for your break, pick up a copy of Crystal at the departure lounge. Notorious glamour girl Katie Price (aka Jordan) makes a second foray into the world of novel writing which is set in a world of showbiz not a million miles from the one she herself inhabits. Crystal tells the heady tale of a beautiful young woman hungry for fame and celebrity as a singer. When she and her girl band Lost Angel reach the final of an X Factor-style reality TV show it looks like her dream is finally about to come true. But that's just the start of it. Crystal has a secret and it's one that could jeopardise her stab at fame.

I'm amazed young Ms Price has had time to crank out not one but two novels with all the photo shoots, celebrity parties, children and hubby Peter Andre keeping her busy, but I'm guessing it's exactly this lifestyle that provides the inspiration for her insider's view of the sordid side of showbiz. Whether she wrote it all by herself or not, Crystal is a surprisingly pacey read, bursting with all the glitz, glamour, sex, bitchiness and romance you could want for a week on a sun lounger.
Buy it now

Since I Don't Have You book cover Since I Don't Have You, by Louise Candlish (£6.99)
Louise Candlish's fourth novel Since I Don't Have You tackles a subject that strikes fear into the heart of every parent. When six-year-old Emma, Rachel's only daughter, is the only child fatality in a school bus crash her world is thrown into disarray. The friendships she once held so dear become difficult to sustain, she cannot bear to be around her husband anymore, and everything around her from the house in which she lives to the streets that she walks are a cruel reminder of her tragic loss. Needing to escape her daily torture she heads for the Greek Island of Santorini where she is slowly able to start rebuilding her life, form new bonds and even find a way to watch over the friends that she left behind.

A beautiful and engagingly told tale of friendship, love and hope that will have you reaching for your pocket pack of tissues.
Buy it now

The Night Watch book cover The Night Watch, by Sarah Waters (£7.99)
Shortlisted for The Man Booker and The Orange Prize, Sarah Waters turns the art of storytelling on its head in her fourth novel The Night Watch. Set in London during the Second World War, the narrative takes the unusual course of moving backwards rather than forward, sketching out the story of four lonely Londoners in reverse, from 1947 to 1944 and eventually 1941. Waters skilfully uses the backward timeframe to reveal the turn of events that led each of the characters to their current situation.

Even though the book and its characters are steeped in a completely different era, many of the predicaments and problems faced by the protagonists still resonate today, from abortion to infidelity and even suicide. Waters is a gifted writer who really brings war-torn London to life with epic descriptions of late night air raids, lover's trysts and prison life. But what she's especially good at is painting a portrait of human fragility.
Buy it now

Four Play book cover Four Play, by Fiona Walker (£6.99)
Chick-lit veteran Fiona Walker's latest offering Four Play isn't the just the fluffy romance that the shiny pink cover might lead you to expect. When broken-hearted Dilly Gently joins Magnus Olensesn's new band, it seems there's some serious chemistry at work. But far be it for the path of true love to run smoothly. Before Dilly and Magnus get a chance to go public about their mutual attraction Dilly's friend Nell confesses how much she fancies Magnus. Not wanting to step on her friend's toes, Dilly bows out of the race, taking up the role of cupid for Nell and Magnus instead. Nell, meanwhile, sets Dilly up with her dishy twin brother Flipper. Problem is, Flipper's a bit of a cad and harbours a dangerous secret that could leave Dilly broken-hearted once more.

A charming and witty read that touches on some very modern relationship issues.
Buy it now

The Inheritance of Loss book cover The Inheritance of Loss, by Kieran Desai (£7.99)
Dust the cobwebs from your brain and be a literary beach reader with last year's Man Booker prize winner in portable paperback. At the foot of Mount Kanchenjunga in the Himalayas, lives an embittered old judge whose plans for a peaceful retirement are scuppered when his orphaned granddaughter, Sai turns up. The judge's cook watches over her but is more concerned with his own son's problems with US immigration. When a Nepalese insurgency threatens Sai's blossoming romance with her handsome tutor they are all forced to consider their colliding interests.

Challenging, stimulating and deep without ever managing to be dry or weighty, The Inheritance of Loss ponders some interesting questions concerning nationalism, colonialism and class.
Buy it now