I have a toddler so I am way off track my reading goal for the year (that’s my excuse anyway). I’m looking for some quick reads (~250-350 pages) to get out my slump and catch back up.
My favorite books I’ve read in the past few years are Ninth House, Project Hail Mary, Black Water Sister, The Once and Future Witches, and The Guest List.
I like magical realism, humor (dark or not), and mystery. Love to be gooped and gagged by twists. Open to any time period or setting!
Thank you!
by MorrisLerpiss
2 Comments
How about some novellas? Here are a few I’ve really enjoyed lately.
*The English Understand Wool* by Helen DeWitt (~70 pages) — fascinating characters and twists
*A Short Stay in Hell* by Steven L. Peck (~100 pages) — spooky fascinating story about a man who goes to an interesting library version of hell
*Comfort Me With Apples* by Catherynne M. Valente (~100 pages) — sort of a psychological thriller / small-scale fantasy; try not to read much about this book before you read it (to avoid spoilers that people sometimes throw around casually with this one)
*Elena Knows* by Claudia Piñeiro (~150 pages) — pretty dark mystery about a mother and her adult daughter
I think we might have overlapping taste – I really enjoyed Black Water Sister & The Once and Future Witches. So..I’ve got several recs for you! I’ll try to stick with books I don’t see recommended here much.
To start, if you want something on the lighter end, I really enjoy A. Lee Martinez’s books. They’re not groundbreaking but they are still fun and he makes some interesting narrative choices. There’s usually some humor as well as fantasy elements. *Constance Verity Saves the World,* is one of my faves (she’s a superhero but the focus is on the challenges of finding a work-life balance. I love her non-superpowered BFF too!). In a similar vein is Muir Lafferty’s *Shambling Guide* series, starting with *A Shambling Guide To New York City*.
**additional recs – mostly fantasy and or magical realism**
***Upright Women Wanted*****, by Sarah Gailey** – this is quite short, almost a novella. Futuristic dystopian Western, with renegade librarians, so good. Funny but fairly dark
***When Women Were Dragons,*** **by Kelly Barnhill**. Set in the US in the 1940s/50s, with one specific fantasy twist that shows up early in the book.
***The Women Could Fly*****, by Megan Giddings** – contemporary setting, literary fantasy. the MC’s world initially seems like ours but there are some important differences that become apparent throughout the book. There is a lot of fun snark throughout the book and a central mystery that the MC works to solve – what happened to her mother who disappeared 14 years ago?
***The Fairy Stepmother, Inc.*****, by Maggie Hoyt**. Witty Cinderella retelling that pushes against “evil stepmother” trope. I really enjoyed this, there was a surprising depth to the story.
***Florida Woman*****, by Deb Rogers**. Bad choices, unhappy circumstances, Floridian summers and a quasi-cult. What’s not to love?
***Karen Memory***, by Elizabeth Bear (lesbian romance in gold-rush era Pacific Northwest with some steampunk). I feel like it had some humorous moments, good balance of tone.
***My Sister the Serial Killer*****, by Oyinkan Braithwaite** (set in Nigeria, author is Nigerian. deals with murder, death, dark themes. compelling). Contemporary fiction, dark humor.