December is well underway, and that means the end of the year, and your looming reading goal, is rushing toward you. Usually by this point, I am scrambling to cram whatever reading I can to reach the goal I set for myself at the beginning of the year. However this year, surprisingly, I made great progress (especially during the later months) and reached my goal early.
That’s not most people though. I have seen some BookTok influencers with goals of 100 books or more (that’s a book finished every three and a half days). While that’s achievable for some people (how), for most people that’s too daunting a task.
However, if you are determined to make it, no matter what your goal is, the question is this: how could you ever catch up in time?
It’s not going to happen by reading 300+ page books, that’s for sure. So…what about short books? And no, that’s not cheating (work smarter not harder), it’s just making use of the time you have left.
Just because a book is short doesn’t mean it doesn’t have substance. Most of the time, shorter books have a lot to say, usually more intensely and direct than a longer one. Authors of short books don’t draw out the plot just to fill space, they give it to you right there, in front of your face.
So here I have gathered some great short books to help you complete your reading goal, and make you feel accomplished.
“Night” – Elie Wiesel
Not going to lie, this one is extremely heavy. This tells the story of the author’s experience with the Holocaust, and being forced into Auschwitz and further concentration camps.
While this might not be for everyone, if you are interested in WWII narratives, this is a first-person account of the horror of the war.
“All Systems Red” – Martha Wells
This one is quite short, falling below 200 pages, but not without substance. This story follows a robot programmed for murder, but when he is placed with a certain crew, he begins to grow a reluctant conscience.
I have only read the first in the series, but it was action packed and fast paced. It deals with unknown planetary terrain and mysterious murders, so something for everyone.
If you’re looking for a quick snack, and I mean brief, this one will entertain you.
“Heartstopper” Series – Alice Oseman
I had been eyeing this series for a while and finally got to it this year. As graphic novels, they are quick to get through (probably within a day) and give you a visual story with a lovely color palette. I quickly got behind Charlie and Nick’s charming and sweet relationship.
It’s an easy read, but not without heavy content. This series addresses bullying, homophobia, mental illness, suicide and eating disorders so beware of these trigger warnings. That being said, I wouldn’t throw aside these books just because.
Usually I’m not a graphic novel reader, but I adore this series more than I thought I would. I even started watching the TV series on Netflix (which I never watch book-to-movie adaptations because blah).
While most of these books do fall over the 300 page ceiling, they make for fast flip throughs.
There you have it, some quick reads to cross the finish line with. Happy Reading!
