5 Short Books You Can Read in One Day

Hey! I hope everyone’s having a great day. Today I wanted to share with you some of my favorite books that are under 250 pages. These are books that you can read really quickly and most likely in one day if you’d like. This list can be helpful if you’re falling behind on your reading goal, would just like something quick to read, or are in a reading slump. (I find reading short books helps me get out of slumps.) Here are 5 books that I 100% recommend that also happen to be under 250 pages.

Note: As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky

The Perks of Being a Wallflower follows Charlie as he navigates high school for the first time. He enters freshman year without his friend, Michael, who died by suicide the previous year. He makes friends with seniors Patrick and Sam and they bond over mixtapes, the Rocky Horror Picture Show, and the drama that is high school. Although still grieving and struggling with his mental health, Charlie eventually learns the importance of these relationships he’s forming and what it means to truly “feel infinite”.

“We accept the love we think we deserve.”

-Stephen Chbosky, The Perks of Being a Wallflower

This book is emotional, heartfelt, and doesn’t shy away from sensitive topics. And yet, it manages to do all of this in just over 200 pages. The whole book is told in a series of letters to an unknown recipient which is an odd format but it made the book even more intriguing. This is a very quick read, but one you will not soon forget. It’s one of those books that sticks with you long after you finished it.

I Am Princess X by Cherie Priest

Libby and May imagined up the character Princess X when they were kids. May would write stories about her while Libby drew the pictures. They were best friends. Until Libby died in a car crash a few years later. Now May’s 16 and she hasn’t written about Princess X since Libby passed away. When she sees sticker of Princess X on a car window, she immediately has questions. The only person that could have designed that sticker is dead. So is the only person that could have made the graffiti, patches, and webcomic that are suddenly everywhere.

“We need him dead or in jail, and I’m probably a crappy murderer.”

Cherie Priest, I Am Princess X

I read this book in middle school and loved it so much. Libby and May remind me so much of my childhood friends and the descriptions of them as kids were so cute. There are also sections told in the form of comics which I think added a lot to the story. It was more focused on mystery and suspense than I’d originally anticipated, but I ended up really liking it. I didn’t see any of the twists coming and it was a really fun read.

Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson

Speak tells the story of Melinda, who was raped at a party by an upperclassman the summer before entering high school. She called the police afterwards, which led to the party being busted. Now no one will talk to her, let alone believe what she has to say. Her only comfort is art class and through her art she is able to begin healing. Melinda struggles to find the bravery to speak up about what happens but doing so soon becomes vital as her rapist attends the same school as her and is still a threat.

“You have to know what you stand for, not just what you stand against.”

-Laurie Halse Anderson, Speak

This book is emotional, honest, and times engagingly frustrating. In other words, it’s clear that Laurie Halse Anderson is a very talented author. There’s also a graphic novel version of Speak and both it and the traditional novel are extremely powerful. I think this book is such an important read and one I would highly recommend.

Looking for Alaska by John Green

In Looking for Alaska, Miles “Pudge” Halter decides to go to Culver Creek Boarding School because he craves something new and crazy in his life. His life so far has been nothing notable and his obsession with people’s last words has made him desperate for something more. He definitely gets something more when he meets Alaska Young. She’s smart, funny, a bit dangerous, and Pudge is definitely in love with her. But that was all before.

“It always shocked me when I realized that I wasn’t the only person in the world who thought and felt such strange and awful things.”

John Green, Looking for Alaska

This book had such a strong impact on me. I love John Green’s writing style and this book has so much beautiful symbolism and themes in it. Alaska and Pudge’s friend group have such good banter and they were really fun to read about. If you would like to hear more of my thoughts on this book, I recommend listening to the podcast Bella’s Bookish Banter where I had the opportunity to talk about Looking for Alaska a couple months ago.

Enola Holmes Series by Nancy Springer

This series follows Enola, younger sister of Sherlock and Mycroft Holmes. After her mother disappears on her 14th birthday, her brothers decide she must go to a finishing school to learn how to be a proper lady and wife. Instead, she runs away to London and hides right under her brothers noses. She’s incredibly intelligent and eager to prove to her brothers that she does not need them or a husband to take care of her.

“If any decent woman’s calling consisted of taking her proper place in society (husband and house, plus voice lessons and a piano in the drawing-room), then this particular woman-to-be prefers to remain indecent.” 

Nancy Springer, The Case of the Left-Handed Lady

I love this series. I’ve talked about it a lot on this blog, but it’s just so good! Every time I read a book in this series I get so enthralled in the plot and mystery. Also I love Enola so much. Like, if she was a real person we’d totally be best friends. Somehow all but books #7 and #9 in this series are under 250 pages. I seriously have no clue how Nancy Springer fits that much awesomeness into such small packages but I know we should all be applauding her for it.

---

I hope you found some books you’d like to read. If you’ve read any of these books before, let me know what you thought down below. I’d love to hear from you! As always, I hope this post finds you well and you’re having a great day!