After yesterday’s blog post all about reading slumps, I thought I would recommend some books that I flew through. Okay, I am cheating a little bit because I couldn’t pick only 5 books so instead I have chosen 5 different categories of books then I will recommend books within that category. However, there is one thing these books all have in common: they are super fast to read! These quick reads are great from getting out of reading slumps or for boosting your yearly reading target.
- Books in verse
If anyone knows me, they would know I am a sucker for books in verse or told in a poetry format. Beautiful writing paired with emotional and meaningful storylines makes the perfect book!
My all-time favourite book in verse is Long Way Down by Jason Reynolds (306 pages). I re-read this in September for the second time and loved it even more if that is possible?! This book is essentially about the cycle of violence in the black community as “Will is ready to exact vengeance on the person who murdered his older brother, Shawn. As Will rides the elevator down from his 8th floor apartment, at each floor a new person, who is dead, gets on and tells a story about their life.” The whole book takes place in less than a minute yet the author is able to deliver such an emotional and powerful impact. This book is phenomenal and super fast paced so I couldn’t recommend it enough!
Another book in verse I read this year which I thought was out of this world was The Black Flamingo by Dean Atta (360 pages). A beautiful coming of age story about self-identity and self-acceptance uses verse and poetry to display an emotional journey. “Michael waits in the stage wings, wearing a pink wig, pink fluffy coat and black heels. He has been on a journey of bravery to get here, and he is almost ready to show himself to the world in bold colours… Can he emerge as The Black Flamingo?” You get so invested and attached to Michael and his story making this an emotional yet fast paced book!
2. Graphic Novels
The Heartstopper graphic novels by Alice Oseman (278 pages) has taken to whole bookstagram community by storm with the sweet and adorable relationship between Nick and Charlie. I read the first volume in July and flew through it! Obviously, the graphic novel format of this book makes it a super quick read but also the amazing storyline keeps you engaged and interested. I sadly haven’t read the rest of the volumes of this graphic novel series but I am dying to get my hands on them because I need my next fix of Nick and Charlie very soon!
This is the only graphic novel I have read this year, but after loving it so much, I definitely want to read more of them in 2021!
3. The cute little Penguin Moderns
These tiny 50 page long books by various different authors are the perfect collector books to boost your yearly reading goal as they are so short and fast to read. Not only are they quick reads but they are super interesting reads too, covering so many different topics. My favourite so far has been Dr Martin Luther King Junior’s Letter from Birmingham Jail. What makes these short reads even better is that they are only £1! YES you read that correctly, these little blue books of goodness are super cheap! I currently have 7 penguin moderns but I would love to someday collect all 50 books in the collection.
4. Books written in diary or letter format
Personally, I find books in these formats super engaging and so they are fast to read.
One of my all-time favourites in this category is The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky (213 pages). “This is the story of what it’s like to grow up in high school. More intimate than a diary, Charlie’s letters are singular and unique, hilarious and devastating. We may not know where he lives. We may not know to whom he is writing. All we know is the world he shares. Caught between trying to live his life and trying to run from it puts him on a strange course through uncharted territory. The world of first dates and mixtapes, family dramas and new friends. The world of sex, drugs and The Rocky Horror Picture Show, when all one requires is that perfect song on that perfect drive to feel infinite.” Wowee that synopsis brought back so much nostalgia as I haven’t read this book in years. The letters in this book allows you to feel connected to Charlie and his journey keeping you invested and engaged.
I recently read Diary of a Confused Feminist by Kate Weston (384 pages) and thought it was so relatable and funny! “Kat wants to do good feminism, although she’s not always sure what that means. She also wants to be a writer, get together with Hot Josh (is this a feminist ambition?), win at her coursework and not make a total embarrassment of herself at all times. But the path to true feminism is filled with mortifying incidents and when everything at school starts to get a bit too much, Kat knows she’s lost her way, and the only way forward is to ask for help.” The diary format makes this book so relatable and so addicting. I read it in less than 48hrs!
5. Thrilling and fascinating books.
The first book that comes to mind when I think of a fast paced, engaging, thrilling and fascinating book that kept me on the edge of my seat the entire time is The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid (391 pages). “Reclusive Hollywood icon Evelyn Hugo is finally ready to tell the truth about her glamorous and scandalous life. But when she chooses unknown magazine reporter Monique Grant to write her story, no one is more astounded than Monique herself. Determined to use this opportunity to jump start her career, Monique listens in fascination. From making her way to Los Angeles in the 1950s to leaving show business in the 80s – and, of course, the seven husbands along the way – Evelyn unspools a tale of ruthless ambition, unexpected friendship, and a great forbidden love. But as Evelyn’s story nears its conclusion, it becomes clear that her life intersects with Monique’s own in tragic and irreversible ways.” Doesn’t that sound fascinating?! This is another book that I read in less than 48hrs as the characters feel so real and the story is incredibly engaging.
There are at least 7 different books under 5 categories that you are sure to fly through! Whether its for boosting your yearly reading goal or for getting out of a reading slump, short face-books are brilliant. I can’t believe I am already one week in to my daily december blog challenge! Thank you to everyone who has supported me so far and I hope you enjoy the content I have planned for the rest of the month.
Ro x
Read With Ro 