25+ Short Books for a Quick Read
These short books are quick to get through – perfect for when you have a short time or want to keep up your reading momentum. Pop in your email address below and I’ll send the printable list right to your inbox!
Sometimes, as a reader, there is nothing more delightful than a SHORT book – one you can blow through in a single sitting!
These are some of my favorite quick reads that are perfect when you don’t want to spend weeks with the same book.
I’ve included my picks below and then there is a section of other recommendations for short books to read from my Instagram community that I haven’t read (I added a bunch of them to my own to-read list!).
25+ Short Books to Check Out if You Want a Quick Read
Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck
81 pages
This is one of those classic pieces of literature that many of us read in high school. George and Lennie, are two unlikely friends, who share a dream of a better life while struggling with the harsh realities of Depression-era America.
The Fall Risk by Abby Jimenez
82 pages
Cute and quick read! This one about two trapped neighbors finding love really has all I need in a romance. I read it on Kindle Unlimited, but if you can get it on audio, it’s narrated by Julia Whalen – one of my favorites!
A Longtime (And At One Point Illegal) Crush by Janette Rallison
84 pages
Janette Rallison writes the best banter and clean romance (both for teens and adults). This one about a girl who falls in love with her older brother’s hot friend is only about 100 pages, but to say I laughed and swooned my face off is an understatement! I love ALL of her books!
The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupery
96 pages
I don’t know if I could have this list without this classic making the cut. When an aviator’s plane is downed in the Sahara Desert, he encounters a little prince from a small planet. (Fun fact: when I was in high school, my school put on this play and I was the Little Prince, complete with hideous wig!)
Daddy Long Legs by Jean Webster
100 pages
In this delightful novel, eighteen-year-old Jerusha, “Judy”, grows up in an orphanage. When a mysterious millionaire begins to pay for her college education, she cannot believe her luck! Who was this mysterious gentleman and would Jerusha ever get to meet him?
The Exception to the Rule by Cristina Lauren
101 pages
This novella, and the entire series, is included on Kindle Unlimited and I blew through it in one morning! After a mistyped Valentine’s email sparks a once-a-year tradition between two strangers, they start to wonder if their accidental love story should be play out in real life. This one is adorable, slow burn, and I loved reading the emails between the two main characters.
The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald
110 pages
The Great Gatsby is a classic and if you didn’t read it as part of reading assignment in school, it’s definitely worth reading now, especially with Jake Gyllenhaal reading it to you! It would especially be great to read before watching the movie that came out several years ago.
What Does It Feel Like? by Sophie Kinsella
122 pages
I read this one last fall and it was a quick and heartbreaking read. It follows a novelist as she receives some devastating news. It is also one of Kinsella’s most autobiographical pieces of writing as it touches on her own recent personal experiences.
The Unselected Journals of Emma M. Lion by Beth Brower
125 pages
This was one of the titles on my personal summer reading list – I’d read maybe 30% of the first book then stalled out but after so many people told me to plow through the first one (because it is a bit slow), I finally restarted it and proceeded to finish all 8 books in the series! And boy am I invested! So much so, that I have reread all of them again!
Animal Farm by George Orwell
140 pages
I re-read this one for my bookclub (I last read it in high school, I think), and it was just as engaging as I remember. Maybe even more so now that I’m an actual adult. It’s about a group of animals rebelling against their owner in the hopes of being equal and free!
How to Keep House While Drowning by KC Davis, LPC
160 pages
This book is very short – you can read the whole thing in an hour or two – but I’ve been thinking about it endlessly since I read it. If you feel overwhelmed by keeping up your house for whatever reason, this book is for you. I’ve never read a cleaning/organizing/housework book like this one.
Before the Ever After by Jacqueline Woodson
175 pages (in verse)
This one is TERRIFIC – it follows a young boy who’s father is a professional football player and hugely beloved. And now he’s starting to act strangely with angry outbursts followed by long periods of silence. I won’t lie – I sobbed through the end of this one.
Secrets of Adulthood by Gretchen Rubin
176 pages
This one is packed with clever, bite-sized truths that somehow say exactly what you need to hear, right when you need to hear it. Whether you’re stuck in indecision, navigating change, or just trying to make it through the day, this little book delivers b
My Name is Lucy Barton by Elizabeth Strout
208 pages
I listened to this one years ago! It’s the tender story about the power of family relationships. Lucy Barton is recovering from an operation in her hospital room when her mother, whom she hasn’t seen in years, comes to see her. It’s definitely more character driven than plot driven, so if you’re looking for something fast paced, this one might not be for you.
Ghost by Jason Reynolds
208 pages
Ghost is a very fast runner – starting with a run from his dangerous father when he was a little boy. Now, he mostly runs away from his problems until an Olympic-runner-turned-coach sees Ghost’s incredible raw talent and wants to help him harness it for the Junior Olympics. But Ghost will have to stop running from his past in order for that to happen and that might be the hardest thing he’s ever done.
Orbiting Jupiter by Gary D. Schmidt
192 pages
I read this book a decade ago and thought it was amazing. Incredibly sad, but amazing. If you want more by Gary D. Schmidt, try one of my favorites, The Wednesday Wars.
Textbook Amy Krouse Rosenthal by Amy Krouse Rosenthal
320 pages
I’m still pretty broken-hearted over her death, and this book, written before her diagnosis with terminal cancer, was a little hard to read when you know (but she didn’t) that her life was almost at its end. It was so sweet, full of life and happiness, and so different from anything else I’ve ever read. It’s a quick read – you could probably get through it in a few hours or less, but it’s delightful. (Her first memoir Encyclopedia of an Ordinary Life (240 pages) is another truly unique book).
The Poet X by Elizabeth Acevedo
384 pages (in verse)
I know seeing almost 400 pages does not seem short – but this book is written in verse, so you can get through it rather quickly. Ximoara Batista wants to say a lot of things, but not only does she feel unheard, she feels like she can’t say the things she wants. She pours all her feelings and frustrations out onto the pages of a leather notebook, but can’t let her Mami find out and keeps her thoughts to herself. When she is invited to join her school’s slam poetry club, she tries to find a way to attend without her Mami finding out.
Other recommendations from readers:
Night by Elie Wiesel
120 pages
Although this book might be short, the words of a Holocaust survivor are unforgettable. In this harrowing memoir Elie Wiesel shares his experiences as a teenager in the Nazi concentration camps, where he endured unimaginable suffering and the loss of his family and faith.
The Gift by Freida McFadden
47 pages
If you are familiar with the classic holiday tale, The Gift of the Magi, this is a whole new thriller take on it, in classic Freida McFadden style!
84 Charing Cross Road by Helen Hanff
56 pages
Helene Hanff unintentionally begins a 20-year love affair with Frank Doel when she sends off an innocent inquiry about purchasing hard-to-find books through Marks and Co. Booksellers. She is a cranky Jewish New Yorker living in a messy apartment and he is a courteous middle-class Englishman in London. They are very unlikely correspondents, but their letters written from 1949 – 1969 capture their unlikely love story.
Signal Moon by Kate Quinn
57 pages
Kate Quinn always comes highly recommended for historical fiction novels. Embarrassingly, I haven’t yet gotten around to reading any of them yet – this short one about a WWII radio operator connecting with a soldier from 2023 might be a great way to dip my toe in the water.
The Wood at Midwinter by Susanna Clarke
62 pages
This would be a perfect winter short story to add to your holiday reading list. Nineteen-year-old Merowdis Scott, who finds joy only in nature and can speak to animals and trees, lives a quiet life in the woods. But one snowy afternoon, a mysterious encounter with a blackbird, a fox, and a shadowy figure sets her on a path that will change her life forever.
Cruel Winter with You by Ali Hazelwood
73 pages
Ali Hazelwood is known for her friends to enemies novels and this short story follows suit! Jamie needs to borrow a roasting pan for Christmas dinner, but that requires interacting with the “one that got away”. Naturally they get stuck in a snowstorm together and I’m guessing you can guess the rest!
Christmas at Falstone Castle by Sarah M. Eden
81 pages
I read Healing Hearts by Sarah Eden last year and blew through it!! So I was thrilled to see this short Christmas book that will probably be making it into my seasonal rotation this year!
Franny and Zooey by JD Salinger
84 pages
You’ve probably heard about JD Salinger’s incredibly famous book, The Catcher in the Rye. This one isn’t nearly as famous, but plenty of people have read it. It follows two college students on the cusp of adulthood and how difficult and emotional that period of life can be.
Summer Frost by Blake Crouch
85 pages
This short book is part of the Forward collection – a series of six stories that explore the futures that aren’t so far away, all by different authors. This collection is wonderful because all of the stories are made to read/listen to in one sitting and are stand alone if you don’t want to get through all of them.
Evidence of the Affair by Taylor Jenkins Reid
88 pages
If you’ve been around for awhile, you know I love a good TJR book. I was surprised I haven’t picked this one up, especially because it’s such a fast read! Carrie has never met the man she is writing letters to, yet she continues to correspond with him and it forever changes her life.
The Hangman (Three Pines Mysteries) by Louise Penny
92 pages
This is one of the books in this traditional mystery series. Inspector Gamache investigates various murders that occur in the small village of Three Pines. But while investigating, he learns that this small town has many dark secrets. Although this is part of a series – each book can stand alone. (The other books in this series come in at around 300-400 pages each, so this is a quick read to see if you want to dive into the rest.)
Address Unknown by Kathrine Kressmann Taylor
96 pages
This story was first published in 1938, quickly became an international sensation and also banned in Nazi Germany a year after publication. This book follows a series of fictional letters between two business partners. Max, a Jewish art dealer living in San Francisco and Martin, who has just returned to Germany as Hitler is coming into full power. This one sounds fascinating!
And Every Morning the Way Home Gets Longer and Longer by Fredrik Backman
97 pages
Fredrik Backman is probably most known for his book A Man Called Ove or Anxious People. In this short story, an elderly man is doing everything he can to hold on to his most prized memories and his family is doing all they can to care for him and realize he won’t be around for forever.
Chess Story by Stefan Zweig
104 pages
Traveling by boat from New York to Buenos Aires, the passengers find that one among them is a world champion chess player. They try everything they can to beat him, without success – until a mysterious passenger finds a way to advise them into possible victory!
Agnes Grey by Anne Brontë
108 pages
In this Victorian era novel, Agnes Grey, a governess, faces the challenges and social constraints of the time. It’s another one of those classics!
The Fred Factor by Mark Sanborn
112 pages
This book tells the story of Fred, an ordinary mail carrier, who actually isn’t so ordinary at all. Fred went above and beyond for his job and turned the mundane into something he and all of his package receivers loved. This book focuses on four basic principles anyone can use to bring fresh energy and creativity to not only our work, but our life as well!
The Stranger by Albert Camus
123 pages
This one has been around for a long time! Published back in 1942, it’s now considered a classic of the 20th century. This one is a short thriller that any true crime junky would love!
Shawshank Redemption by Stephen King
124 pages
This book is the basis for the incredibly popular film, Shawshank Redemption and for good reason. A story about a banker who was falsely accused of murder and sent to prison. This book is full of friendship, sorrow and suspense!
Parnassus on Wheels by Christopher Morley
125 pages
I always love finding books about books and reading and this one definitely falls into that category. Helen McGill is offered a chance to leave her mundane life and join the mobile bookstore that travels across the countryside. With each stop, someone’s life is impacted by the literature the mobile bookstore beholds.
The Uncommon Reader by Alan Bennett
128 pages
If you love books and the Royal family, you don’t want to miss this one. When the Queen of England’s corgis wanders into a mobile library outside of Buckingham Palace, the Queen feels obligated to borrow a book. She soon discovers her love for reading and how her view of the world is starting to change.
Stranded Ranch by Cindy Steel
128 pages
I’ve read Faking Christmas and The One With the Kiss Cam by Cindy Steel and thought they were both delightful! Stranded Ranch fall into the same rom com book category and it sounds just as light, fluffy and enjoyable as the others I’ve read of hers.
Darcy Swipes Left by Courtney Carbone
128 pages
Mr. Darcy and Lizzy Bennett have cell phones. Complete with texting, dating apps and hashtags. This adaptation of Pride and Prejudice sounds fun and is geared for teens!
Small Things Like These by Claire Keegan
128 pages
If you are looking for a quick read, this novella comes in around 125 pages. In an economically depressed Irish town set in the winter of 1985, an ordinary man discovers a horrible secret about his community. Will he risk his family’s security to do what he knows is right?
The River Has Roots by Amal El-Mohtar
130 pages
Most well-known for her novel, This Is How You Lose the Time War, (another short novel clocking in at 223 pages), this one sounds like the perfect read for fantasy lovers! In the border town of Thistleford, sisters Esther and Ysabel Hawthorn lovingly tend the magical willows that bind their world to Faerie…but when Esther chooses a forbidden Faerie lover over a powerful suitor, their bond and their lives are thrown into peril.
Elena Knows by Claudia Piñeiro
143 pages
I have not read too many internationally translated books, but this one came highly recommended. When Rita is found dead in her old church and the case is hastily closed, her ailing mother sets out on a relentless search for the truth – uncovering buried secrets, old debts, and the quiet rot of hypocrisy beneath society’s surface.
All Systems Red by Martha Wells
156 pages
If you are short on time this might be a good one to get into – since most the books in the 7 book series are under 175 pages! In a future run by corporations, a self-aware security robot called Murderbot (who secretly hacked its own controls) must protect a team of scientists and help solve the mystery of a missing mission.
The Four Agreements by Don Miguel Ruiz
160 pages
A quick read based on ancient Toltec wisdom which reveals four principles to personal freedom, true happiness, and love. Being on the New York Times bestseller list for more than 7 years, this one has to be good.
Breakfast at Tiffany’s by Truman Capote
160 pages
I don’t think this one needs too much of an introduction. This novella was the basis of the classic movie we all know and love! (A Christmas Memory by Truman Capote also came highly recommended!)
Water by John Boyne
176 pages
On a remote island, Vanessa Carvin sheds her past and takes a new name, desperate to put as much distance between herself and Dublin as possible. But scandals follow, and haunting questions about her role in her ex-husband’s crimes won’t let her escape. Alone with her thoughts, she must confront her past to find out if peace is truly within her reach.
Upright Women Wanted by Sarah Gailey
176 pages
In a gritty, futuristic Southwest full of bandits, rebels, and horseback librarian spies, Esther hides in a book wagon to escape an arranged marriage. The award list for this book is endless! It sounds like a good one.
A Man’s Search for Meaning by Viktor E. Frankl
184 pages
A fabulous memoir of psychiatrist, Viktor Frankl, who survived a Nazi death camp. Full of lessons on spiritual survival and coping with it, regardless of our circumstances. Although it’s short, this book has so many impactful, meaningful messages.
Lord of the Flies by William Golding
189 pages
This is one of those classics I can’t believe I haven’t read…I know it graces A LOT of high school reading lists. An airplane full of school boys, a deserted island, no adult supervision…what could go wrong!?
The Emperor’s Soul by Brandon Sanderson
192 pages
I have several Brandon Sanderson super fans in my household! Wan ShaiLu, a magical forger of art, is captured and put under sentence of death for her crimes. But she is given a second chance at life if she can magically forge a new soul for the kingdom’s assassinated emperor in 100 days!
The American Spirit by David McCullough
192 pages
Nobody does American History like David McCullough, and I was shocked to see how short this one (a collection of speeches) by him is, especially since he is typically known for very LONG nonfiction books.
Tuesdays With Morrie by Mitch Albom
192 pages
Mitch Albom had the opportunity to reconnect, after many years, with his college professor, and mentor, Morrie Schwartz in the last few months of Morrie’s life. They visited in his study every Tuesday during those months, even they both knew Morrie’s death was imminent. Morrie imparted all his wisdom and life lessons to Mitch who collected them into this very impactful book. (His book The Five People You Meet in Heaven also comes highly recommended.)
The Ocean at the End of the Lane by Neil Gaiman
192 pages
I have only ever read Gaiman’s middle grade books (Coraline and The Graveyard Book), but this YA novel about a man returning to his childhood home for a funeral, sounds like it has all the spook and darkness that Gaiman is known for.
Ella Minnow Pea by Mark Dunn
204 pages
Ella Minnow Pea lives in the same town as Nevin Nollop, the creator of the pangram “The quick brown fox jumped over the lazy dog.”. When letters start falling off the statue of Nevin Nollop, the letters are also cut from the book you are reading, making it harder and harder to read. Such an interesting concept and fun story.
Infinite Country by Patricia Engel
205 pages
Talia is stuck in a girls’ correctional facility in the Colombian mountains after one impulsive act changes everything. She has to escape fast – her father and a plane ticket to the U.S. are waiting, and missing that flight could mean losing her family all over again.
Love and Saffron by Kim Fay
206 pages
This epistolary novel (all written in letters) is set in the 1960s about two women who connect over a shared interest in cooking. They become fast friends after exchanging letters about food, troubles, and triumphs in their personal lives.
The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho
208 pages
This is one of those classics that millions of readers rave about. Santiago, an Andalusian shepherd, sets off on a quest for treasure but discovers riches far deeper than gold—lessons about following his heart, reading life’s signs, and chasing his dreams.
The Happiest Man on Earth by Eddie Jaku
208 pages
Whew, this one may be short – but it has some deep messages! As a teenager, Eddie Jaku endured unthinkable horrors in Nazi concentration camps after being arrested during Kristallnacht. Yet against all odds, he survived – and made a promise to smile every day in gratitude for the life he still had.
The Vegetarian by Han Kang
208 pages
Yeong-hye’s life seems perfectly ordinary, until a series of disturbing dreams push her to give up meat completely. What starts as a simple choice quickly turns her world upside down and unraveling her family. This one has landed on tons of “best of the year” lists, and it’s easy to see why…it’s one you won’t stop thinking about.
Orbital by Samantha Harvey
212 pages
Winner of the 2024 Booker Prize, Orbital follows six astronauts from around the world through one remarkable day aboard a space station. It might sound like nonfiction, but it’s actually a beautifully written novel. As they circle Earth sixteen times, we get a glimpse into their memories, their friendships, and the small, human moments that connect them to home.
And if you’d like a printable copy of this list of short books that you can take to your library or screenshot on your phone for easy access, just pop in your email address below and it’ll come right to your inbox!
An excellent resource for those of us who have fallen woefully behind in our annual Goodreads reading challenge!
There is now a sequel to Orbiting Jupiter, Jupiter Rising. It’s really well done!