We want you to relax and pass the time just the way you want on your journey across the Hauraki Gulf. So why not start and finish a book in the one crossing?

Here are 8 books that you can borrow from your local library, download on your favourite audiobook app or save it to your kindle.

1. The Old Man and the Sea by Ernest Hemingway

Of course, our first book is nautical themed but it is a classic that is under 150 pages. Follow the story of an old experienced fisherman, on a fishing drought of 84 days. He ventures far into the Gulf on the hunt for a Marlin he believes stole his bait. It’s a great journey of  struggling with self-belief and strength in this short novel. You’ll be rooting for this lead right from beginning to end. This is Hemingway’s shortest novel and is an easy introduction to the author of Moby Dick.

2. Tuck Everlasting by Natalie Babbitt,

This sweet novel is one for the young and young at heart. This novel has been taken to the big screen and transformed into a Broadway Musical as well. It’s a tale of immortality and love that is real and honest with its portrayal of these ideals. If you didn’t read it in school (or want to re-read it as it's that good), it’s a must read – and can be finished before the boat docks.

3. The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams 

A must read at any stage of your life, so why not on a journey to the unknown of Great Barrier Island. This is an interplanetary story that follows an Englishman’s ever evolving adventure that begins with Earth being demolished to build a bypass for a corrupt alien race. This story is so popular it has been adapted into radio broadcasts, stage shows, video games, comic books, television series and film. So if you fall in love with it, not only can you continue reading the series, you’ll also be able to experience it across the various available formats as well.

4. Animal Farm by George Orwell  

Another that may have been a high school required read but is well worth reading a second time for enjoyment. This book, written by the 1984 author Orwell, follows a farm that is likened to Russia's Bolshevik revolution and Stalin’s reign. The pigs rule and everyone or every animal in this world is ‘equal but some are more equal than others’. It has its humorous moments, but deep down it is a mirror of the time it was based on. 

5. The Fault in Our Stars by John Green

This is definitely not just one for the teens. This book has been very popular for not just its story arc, but also the very relatable characters. Narrated by a 16 year old cancer patient who is pushed to join a support group by her parents, we’re with her as she falls in love and battles with her own indecisions of what she can do with her life. An easy read for the sailing that you won’t want to put down. We recommend getting a coffee and toastie before sitting down with this one (and remember to have tissues on hand as well).

6. Convenience Store Woman by Sayaka Murata

An easy read that will have you hooked from the start. The lead isn’t interested in following the normal check points of life: getting married, having kids, settling dowm. She’s content with her job she’s kept for now 18 years. As you can expect, her friends and family are trying to help direct her to the next step in her life, what she really finds is herself. You can take this one slow as it is very short at 163 pages, so remember to enjoy the view of the Hauraki Gulf at the same time!

7. The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time by Mark Haddon 

This award-winning book should be on everyone’s must read book list. It actually has separate editions for adults and kids that could be a way to show it’s a book for all and for any age. The story follows a young boy, alluded to being on the autism spectrum, who finds his neighbours dog dead in his backyard. He decides to follow his own investigation of the death and it’s the interpretation of the world around him that brings out the beauty in this book. Don’t be thrown off by the chapter numbers, it cleverly follows prime numbers, highlighting this is a story about difference.

8. 'Annihilation' by Jeff VanderMeer

A book that was also taken to the big screen with Natalie Portman in the lead, Annihilation will have you on the edge of your seat from the first page. Area X has been a mystery to the best scientists out there, with mission teams rarely returning. If they do return, they are not the same as when they entered. Follow the twelfth expedition and their journey to discover the mysteries of Area X.

We also have a variety of books you can take from the book exchange onboard. Feel free to swap a book from home or drop the book back on your return journey.

Have a book recommendation that can be read on this journey across the Hauraki Gulf? Let us know at [email protected].