As a theme park lover who also reads and writes books, I’m often talking about literature with my theme park friends. I’ve put together a list of books that I think every theme park lover would enjoy. So pick a genre (or multiple) and enjoy this mini book fair! Hopefully you exit this page with a new novel or two to add to your ‘to be read’ list.
Fantasy
First up, we have the world’s hottest genre. Fantasy has seen a massive resurgence lately due to monster hits like the Fourth Wing and Throne of Glass series. This genre goes fairly well with theme parks, as carnivals and amusement parks have always been a place of wonder and escape.
My recommendation for this genre is The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern.
In this national best-selling novel, you’re pulled into Victorian London to tail a wandering, magical circus that only operates at night, and which seemingly disappears by dawn. Called The Circus of Dreamers, this carnival is full of illusionists, fortune-tellers and attractions that defy the laws of history and reality. Oh, and did I mention that a heart-breaking competition between two magicians is underway? It’s a phenomenal read and one I highly recommend.
Non-Fiction
Next, I’m highlighting the true history and true stories of those affected by the industry.
Kings Island: A Ride Through Time by Evan Ponstingle is a book full of personal recollections and first-hand accounts from park officials and guests detailing the history of this fantastic midwest theme park. Written by a fan for the fans, this book has been celebrated by the park itself. Make sure you grab a copy next time you visit Kings Island.
Okay, the next title is definitely a mouthful: The Amusement Park: 900 Years of Thrills and Spills, and the Dreamers and Schemers Who Built Them by Stephen M. Silverman is exactly what the title entails.
This book invites you to experience never-before-told stories of amusement parks. It details theme park history from the middle ages to present day (2019), and explains the back stories of some of the industry’s most inspiring — and sometimes most villainous — characters.
Romance
Romance is vast and variable genre, and so I have three recommendations for you. They range on how intense the romance elements are.
Starting on the sweet side of the romance scale, we have the upcoming Thrill Ride by Amy Ratcliffe. A member of the theme park community, Ratcliffe’s newest novel is a departure from her work on Star Wars and Marvel projects and a turn towards her love for theme parks.Thrill Ride follows Charlotte Gates, a thrill ride designer, and her life while working at her aunt and uncle’s theme park, Lands of Legend. Set in Ohio, this love letter to theme park design is a rom com perfect for any theme park lover looking for a cozy read.
Stepping up the romance in the next novel we have, With Love, From Cold World by Alicia Thompson. This is perfect for the Orlando, Florida park fans.I love the book blurb for this one, so rather than bore you with my own synopsis, from Goodreads.com:
“Lauren Fox is the bookkeeper for Cold World, a tourist destination that’s always a winter wonderland despite being located in humid Orlando, Florida. Sure, it’s ranked way below any of the trademarked amusement parks and maybe foot traffic could be better. But it’s a fun place to work, even if “fun” isn’t exactly Lauren’s middle name…”
This novel is meant for older audiences as it includes explicit scenes.
Finally, I have a wonderful series set in the fictional theme park of Honeywood theme park. The author, Julie Olivia, was inspired by her childhood visits to Dollywood and classic rom-com movies to create her own world complete with original theme park characters, rides, and park layout. There are four novels in this series. Again, these are meant for an older audience, so reader discretion is advised.
- All Downhill With You is an enemies-to-lovers romance centered around Honeywood’s public relations manager and a roller coaster manufacturer lead engineer who’s been contracted to fix a malfunctioning coaster.
- The Fiction Between Us follows Honeywood’s two lead character actors as they fight their feelings while also navigating the pitfalls of putting on a fake dating performance.
- Our Ride to Forever is the perfect small town romance featuring the marriage of convenience trope.
- Their Freefall At Last is the perfect finale to the Honeywood series. This book showcases a great childhood best friends to lovers trope and is a phenomenal look at young love and how theme parks have always been a place of nostalgia and blossoming adulthood.
Horror & Mystery
These two genres can oftentimes go hand in hand and that is definitely true for the next two recommendations.
The Island by Natasha Preston is a modern Jurassic Park of sorts, but instead of dinosaurs, the monsters are the rich and influential. This thrilling novel follows six teen influencers who have been invited to Jagged Island: a private amusement park for the very rich. At first, it’s a stunning experience, but slowly, as the group spends more time on the island, they realize that all is not as it seems.
Dreamland by Nancy Bileyeau is set at Coney Island in 1911. What starts a standard historical fiction novel develops into a dark and intoxicating murder mystery. This isn’t a colorful and uplifting narrative of New York City, but a story of corruption, class, and obsession. It’s one of my favorites!
Historical Fiction
We’ve made it to our final genre! It’s my personal favorite so I saved it for last. I’ve included three novels here, one of which briefly touches on a theme park, two with a narrative driven by one.
The Star of Camp Greene: A Novel of WWI by Joy Callaway highlights how influential a theme park can be even with the smallest presence.
I had the privilege of reading this one before its May release and really enjoyed it. At its heart this is a novel about entertainment during WWI. While it focuses a lot on Broadway and music of the time, it also takes its time highlighting a Charlotte, Carolina amusement park that actually existed and may have been forgotten about.
I reached out to the author after reading and she informed me that Lakewood Park was a real place and that soldiers often visited during their stay at Camp Greene. It’s a great look at what soldiers did while training to be sent overseas and offers a lot of light in the darkness of the time.
The Magic Kingdom by Russell Banks might sound as though it’s a thorough history of the Disney World park, but it’s actually about a child moving to the Florida swamplands, mere miles from what would become Disney World. The novel recounts a family’s journey and how the creation of Disney World affected and shaped the land and lives of those around it.
My final recommendation on this list could be the best of the bunch.
The Light of Luna Park by Addison Armstrong takes place in 1926 and showcases the almost unbelievable history of how an incubators exhibit at Luna Park, Coney Island, saved many infants’ lives. This jaw dropping story is told from the perspective of a nurse who finds herself fighting to get the technology showcased at Luna Park into hospitals despite everyone else’s reluctance. I mean this book is INSANE and I highly recommend it!
You can find more information, including links to purchase these novels in my Book Recs for Theme Park Fans GoodReads’ list. And if you’ve got any favorites, let us know what they are in the comments!
About the Author:
Elora Maxwell is a writer based out of Missouri. She writes mostly fiction novels, but also loves to write about her travel experiences in her free time. She enjoys parks that provide great food and even greater roller coasters. Her dream is to one day be on a social media team for a theme park.
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