We’re heading down to South Carolina next week, and this is what I’ve packed so far, even though bringing hardcover books on a trip seems like a very poor decision packing-wise! Reading a new hardcover feels so luxurious and like a vacation treat to me, so I do it anyway-it’s totally worth once you survive lugging the suitcase around.

Each of these three books has a strong female character, ranging from a pioneering feminist to a gifted landscape architect, to a woman trying to figure out the truth behind the stories in her marriage. After some disappointing beach reads-I did not love That Summer by Jennifer Weiner or Where the Grass is Green by Lauren Weisberger-I’m hoping these books bring me better luck and a few peaceful hours under an umbrella.