So, you want a quick read? You have made it to the promised land. Maybe you’re in a slump and need a fast-paced book to devour, or maybe you’re looking to start AND finish a book during an upcoming flight OR maybe you’re simply a busy person looking to fit in more reading… Whatever the case may be, hi, hello, I’m so glad to have you here. While I love a long book you can sink your teeth into, sometimes the vibe is something a little more digestible. Lucky for youuuuu I know just the books you need. See below for novels so good you will finish them in an hour (or what feels like an hour, time isn’t real when you are invested in a novel;))
The companion novel to How the Other Half Kill, this steamy fast-paced absolute thrill of a book is a prime example of an hour (or so) read. I am obsessed with this roller coaster ride of a story. The ultra-wealthy summertime island vibes set amongst schemes, scandals, and… murder??! But don’t worry the fun in the sun and tropical setting keep the vibes high and the stakes higher in this intense, exciting, thriller!
Killer escape room. That’s my pitch. No, but seriously, this book is CRAZY! A not-so-friendly friend group is forced to come together on the anniversary of the tragic loss of their friend Matt, after receiving ominous invitations in the mail to try a new escape room across town. The friends seize this opportunity to find answers about their friend, but soon enough are being picked off one by one. SOOO many secrets, games and drama this is a can’t miss read you won’t be able to put down.
Moving away from thrillers—clearly, I have a special place in my heart for them–we have the funniest book I have read this year. I do not say that lightly. Nathanael Lessore is an absolute genius and this book just further proves that point. A hilarious and heartwarming comedy about an unlikely connection between two VERY different teen boys as they grapple with crushes, toxic friendships, and the true meaning of masculinity.
Warning this book is heartbreaking, but SOOOO beautiful and hopeful. The tears you will be flooded with are well worth the pain. After a terrible accident Skylar loses the one person who has been by her side her whole life: her dad. As she grieves the loss of him, she learns a huge secret… her mother is still alive! She is of course FURIOUS at the mom who not only abandoned her but is now uprooting her to the other side of the country. She begins baking as an escape, and enters a local competition where she finds healing, friendship and possibly love in the most unexpected places.
This novel is adorable and SO fast paced I swear it will have you hooked after the first chapter. You fall in love with the characters so quickly, especially Fancy, who we watch navigate high school, friendships, and crushes. After she finds out her BFF received a coveted invite to Imani Parks b-day AND has a secret boyfriend (the betrayal!) she sets out to make her own dreams come true… making a deal with the devil that guarantees her an invite to the party! Enter: voodoo potions, fake boyfriends, her parents threats of sending her back to Haiti, and balancing friendship this book is impossible to put down.
I know, I know, another thriller, but C’MON it is physically impossible NOT to binge anything the April Henry releases. I have done the research and failed at not reading them in more than one sitting because HOW am I expected to put down these masterpieces. Every page keeps me dying know more and this story specifically sent me spiralingggg. A true-crime-style mystery where our incredible leading lady, Willow, is determined to save a missing girl she sees in a disturbing photo after she finds an SD card filled with photos of girls who have gone missing… including one of her!