short books to get you out of a reading slump 🐌

[@molasses3850]

Sometimes you just need tiny books for temporarily tiny mental capacity.

[@caricanread]

exactly :')

[@Booksnbiscuits]

This. 😂❤

[@StashaA.]

I'm starting to feel this, especially with fantasy series. I absolutely love long, epic series, but sometimes it looks like the whole book is just a filler before the last book or the last book is just so weak in comparison to the whole series. Thank you for another great recommendation video. 💖

Really enjoyed this video - thank you! I love a slim literary fiction volume. I enjoy fantasy books, but agree they are generally too long. It's nice to read a tightly edited work. If you liked The English Understand Wool, you may enjoy the author's longer work The Last Samurai (not the same as the movie) - religion, philosophy, art, science, growing up - it's one of my favorites!

[@caricanread]

i have heard such great things about the last samurai!!

@@caricanread So excited you replied! I get so many good book recommendations from you and have enjoyed them all! More short lit fic recs (all under 200 pages - a.k.a. an afternoon well spent): - Yuri Herrera - The Transmigration of Bodies (noir tragedy with similarities to Romeo & Juliet set in contemporary Mexico), Signs Preceding the End of the World - Amelie Nothomb - anything she writes, but favorites include Tokyo Fiancee, Fear and Trembling, First Blood - Alexander Lernet-Holenia - Count Luna, Baron Bagge (both have magical realism) - Fleur Jaeggy - Sweet Days of Discipline - Ron Hansen - Mariette in Ecstasy

[@sarahsemporium]

What moves the dead was awesome. I listened to it and they did a great job reading it out. Creepy but satisfying 😌

[@Lara_Ameen]

Would definitely recommend THE SINGING HILLS CYCLE by Nghi Vo! Short fantasy novellas with a nonbinary protagonist! I also love FINNA and its sequel DEFUNKT by Nino Cipri. Two short sci-fi novellas about capitalism with queer characters. Some of my favorites! Right now, I’m reading a series of three gothic horror novellas by Freydis Moon starting with HEART, HAUNT, HAVOC. I love novellas, so I read a lot of them! 😍 As a writer myself, I understand what you mean about long fantasy books! I’m trying to keep mine shorter for that reason and I’m also an underwriter. 😂

[@Kottmark]

Dear! You have a very pleasant voice😊

[@suestrano1452]

I love Claire Keegan. Have you read Foster?

[@jessfinacrass]

YES I NEEDED THIS

[@benjaminbrelje2289]

How are mushrooms related to Syfy or otherwise I am just very curious granted forgive me I do smoke weed so maybe I'll just missed it

[@rowanohes1496]

Is The Six Death of the Saint available as a physical release??

[@madison2939]

Watches a Caricanread video: *goes straight to Goodreads to update my longgggg tbr*

[@caricanread]

[@tessavio]

My one issue with fantasy books is what you just mentioned! Authors who can write short stories books that still manage to bring a whole story together deserves recognition :) On the other hand with some of those books, I also wish they were longer because I want to know more haha

[@caricanread]

exactly!

[@hermanphunter_theloreforge]

My first book was a novella. The one complaint I had was that many of the readers didn't want it to end.

[@mariakara2419]

yesss so true!! also, that's what im afraid would happened if I read a short book 😣😂

[@skyeoak3]

In terms of short fantasy, the singing hills saga by Nghi Vo is absolutely sensational. Each book is a standalone following the same archivist-cleric, and each manages to have a full discussion of a topic, and world build, and tell a story in 100-200 pages. Highly recommend

[@ravent3016]

I also read that the reading order isn't important in the series.

[@skyeoak3]

⁠@@ravent3016it’s not super important! I read them in order because they were all available from the library but the author does a good job of telling a complete story in each

[@groofay]

Apparently Nghi Vo has a new novella coming out later this year (not part of Singing Hills)! She is feeding us of low attention span. (edit: it's called The City in Glass)

[@successfulbaddie]

I loved The Empress of Salt and Fortune

[@orpheousreads]

To comeback for Literary Fiction: 1. The English Understand Wool - Helen DeWitt 4:25 2. Giovanni’s Room - James Baldwin 6:00 3. Lemon - Kwon Yeo-sun 7:26 4. Lie With Me - Philippe Besson ⭐️ 8:45 5. Small Things Like These - Claire Keegan ⭐️ 9:28 Science Fiction: 1. All Systems Red - Martha Wells ⭐️ 10:48 2. This is How You Lose The Time War - Amal El-Mohtar and Max Gladstone ⭐️ 12:55 3. What Moves the Dead - T Kingfisher ⭐️ 14:32 Fantasy: 1. Mysteries of Thorn Manor - Margaret Rogerson 18:09 2. That Time I Got Drunk and Saved a Demon - Kimberly Lemming ⭐️ 19:53 3. ThornHedge - T Kingfisher 21:45 4. When Among Crows - Veronica Roth 23:42 5. The Six Deaths of The Saints - Alix E Harrow 25:36

[@KS-lf6gj]

❤❤❤

[@ella-hope-222]

Giovanni's Room, Drunk & saved a Demon, Time War, and MurderBot are all my go-to quick read recs. Knowing we have such similar taste means I HAVE to read the rest of these!

[@caricanread]

😍😍😍

[@stingandbite4034]

I dont see Murderbot getting NEARLY enough love!!!

[@stephaniepasero3843]

Becky Chambers monk and robot duology-A Psalm for the Wild Built and A Prayer for the Crown Shy. Loved them! Also a fun Sci fi-The Sourge Between Stars. All short books. Pack a punch!

[@BexsBoxofConfusion]

Yes! And The Scourge Between Stars is so amazing for being Brown's first book. If you haven't read To Be Taught, If Fortunate by Becky Chambers I really really recommend reading it, it's like something between TSBS and APFTWB... which sounds impossible but I definitely think it suits

[@HaveSomePlaid]

I loved All Systems Red. Murderbot is so relatable and I wish I had a helmet to hide my face behind all the time. Sunglasses unfortunately accentuate my 24/7 pissed off look

[@caricanread]

LOL!

[@weronikalinda4917]

Fun fact about 'When Among Crows': in Polish, there's a saying that literally translates to "when among crows, you must caw just like they do" (which means that when you step into a group of people you don't belong with, you should behave the way they behave). I think the English equivalent is "when in Rome, do as the Romans do"? If the book has a lot of Polish references, I guess the title might be one as well :)

[@alexiasp]

Cari girrllll u were on right on TIME. Dune Messiah just put me in a slump...ahhh so much dread. I needed this!

[@caricanread]

LOL i had kurt read the whole dune series so if im ever curious i just ask him to tell me the story again hahha

[@alexiasp]

@@caricanread THE WHOLE?? all 6?? Ya man has been THROUGH IT, it gets hella weird

[@pendragon2012]

I found the new Brandon Sanderson--"The Frugal Wizard's Guide to Surviving Medieval England." It's really funny, really sad, and really profound all rolled into one. Always a pleasure, Cari!

[@caricanread]

im saving all those secret project books for a rainy day! i read Tress and loved it!!

[@rudainareaz8762]

@@caricanreadwait just so u know i think the sunlit man has cosmere spoilers! but you should be good w the other two :-)

[@marysnyder9405]

It's an oldie, but have you read The Ocean at the End of the Lane by Neil Gaiman? I remember really loving it when it came out and it's very short

[@Vaughany335]

Days at the Morisaki Bookshop was a great, quick read! Mostly vibes, gentle on plot tbh- but it’s so sweet! Very family focused, and mostly driven by the main character’s desire to better themselves and grow after a devastating breakup… I definitely recommend for a rainy day when you wanna drink tea and enjoy peaceful vibes. 💛 I’m trying so hard to dip my toes into new genres outside of fantasy! This was my first book in lit-fic in a veeerrry long time! Also, currently reading Other Birds! It’s another shortie but I love it so far!

[@TiffReadsBooks]

The Six Deaths of the Saint is part of a collection called "Into Shadow" and I would highly recommend Nghi Vo's story, What the Dead Know, which is very vibey and a little spooky. Tamsyn Muir's from that collection, Undercover, was also a favorite, very visual weird.

[@ExLibris-Alys]

I loved Six Deaths but can’t find any reference to “Into Shadow”. Do you know whether the whole collection is by Alix E Harrow or a mix of authors?

[@Melissa-sx9vh]

@@ExLibris-AlysIt's by a mix of authors, the first book is The Garden by Tomi Adeyemi, the second is Persephone by Lev Grossman, then comes the one mentioned by Cari, then four other books. There seems to be seven books in this collection.

[@giovannabetancourt3064]

Agreed regarding fantasy! There are so many books/series that I just absolutely refuse to start because of their length!

[@caricanread]

some books can be long and be amazing but nowadays i really feel like authors are not being edited down enough :/

[@lovemexicanfood]

I've been so stressed with work, stress where you kinda loose yourself. So this last week that things have calmed down, I've been coming back little by little. Watching and enjoying your videos Cari is an important part of that process, thank you

[@hollym7878]

I felt pure joy when you recommended Murderbot and Time War! I love both of them!

[@maggieprice357]

Not gonna lie, SJ Maas does this to me. I find that her books tend to captivate me for the first 3/4 and by the end I’m like, “come on girl, let’s land this plane already!” 😂 Especially when a lot of what’s going to happen is pretty easy to see coming beforehand. Still enjoy them for what they are, but they do tend to dwindle.

[@cellotag]

For super short fantasy and scifi, I highly recommend Binti, The Cybernetic Tea Shop, Finna, Silver in the Wood, and The Singing Hills Cycle. All have helped jumpstart my reading at various points. Great video as always Cari!

[@LunaLongbottomLove]

This is How You Lose The Time War is an incredible book. Reading it made me twice as insane and at least 25% more queer

[@Paige-bj3ho]

Reco for you: Sea of Tranquility by Emily St. John Mandel. I think you would really love it 🩵

[@catherinemackay9143]

if you liked small things like these, you should read foster by claire keegan!! pretty sure it's less than 100 pages and had me crying. also different for boys by patrick ness is a GREAT young adult pick. and this is kind of cheating because it's just slightly over 200 pages, but ace: what asexuality reveals by angela chen is the best non-fiction i read last year, changed my life.

[@snhreader7765]

I loved Foster as well. I wasn't expecting that story to have me crying so hard. Definitely one of my favorite reads last year.

[@SeairraAnn]

Ring Shout by P. Djelil Clark and The Deep by Rivers Solomon are both shorter books that hit hard for me

[@tanakayyy4]

CARI I FRICKIN LOVE YOUUU. I was rewatching many of your book videos yesterday and some other channels too, trying to find short books to read and I couldn't find what I wanted. This video was great timing, and I love your taste in books since it's pretty similar to mine.

[@tattooedkittykat]

I just realized The Six Deaths of the Saint sounds exactly like an anime I'm watching right now called 7th Time Loop. It's about a Duke's daughter who has been reincarnated six times already. On her 7th life she actually gets engaged to the prince who has killed her in her previous life 😂 Super fun! Highly recommend 💖

[@wizard-lizard]

For a really cute short fantasy rec (definitely under 400 pages), I highly recommend Legends and Lattes because it's just very well written and the perfect little romance coffee shop AU for a nice cup of cocoa on a cold day, which is exactly how I read it! (also queer which is a plus) 😊

[@mxry_kat]

i love watching your videos with storygraph open in another tab to add each book that sounds interesting to my tbr lol. i'm currently reading The Song of Achilles (i read Circe by the same author earlier this year and really liked it) and The Mountain In the Sea, which have both been very good so far

[@fallsbacktogether]

Madeline Miller also has a short novel called Galatea and I highly recommend it!!

[@UmmERomanChandio]

You will absolutely love the crap out of song of Achilles

[@MelpoReads]

The Original co-written by Brandon Sanderson and narrated by Julia Whelan!! It only exists via audible audio unfortunately but it is INCREDIBLE!! It’s a sci-fi t really packs a punch.

[@so-meichi]

If your looking for a short sci-fi story, I can recommend To be Taught, if Fortunate by Becky Chambers! It is more of a novella, but explores some fascinating concepts if you're willing to give it a go!

[@Tay-Tay12]

The short storied life of Aj Firky is another short but fantastic read. You’ll feel every type of emotion and you’ll never forgot it !🤩🙌🏻

[@negoteator]

seconding this!!!

[@thattinyfox]

Foster by Claire Keegan is also a great short read!

[@bro.that.is.adorable.2633]

It feels like you've been battling with construction sounds in your videos for years 😭😭 The struggle is never ending

[@alice-elizabeth]

Same with me, I lived in Germany for 4 years and my neighbours did drilling and hammering for 4 year straight 🙃

[@timetraveler878]

Your shirt is 🔥🔥 love your vids as always

[@caricanread]

❤❤❤

[@sevenyob1925]

This is right on time, since I’ve just read a short book and was not able to put it down!! It’s ‘A Psalm for the Wild-Built’ by Becky Chambers. Lovely short sci-fi about a monk looking for their purpose and their traveling companion, a robot who has only lived in the wild. I might have highlighted 20% of the book 😂

[@maryr329]

I loved this one, too!

[@dij357]

OMG IM SO EARLYYYYY Hi cariiii thank you so much for your videos, when I was having a rough couple of weeks a big thin that kept me from just sleeping the days away were your videos🫶🫶 so thank you lmao

[@bmoforever5562]

For your consideration; In The House In The Dark Of The Woods by Laird Hunt and Melmoth by Sarah Perry (both short but no less wonderful)

[@caricanread]

thank you!!

[@LavenderLydia]

Could you start adding a list of the books and authors? By the end of the video I always have forgotten lol

[@jenborucki1929]

"There are mushrooms. Does that count as Sci-Fi?" 😂

[@pleasedtoreadyou]

one short book i keep going back to a lot a lot is All My Friends Are Superheroes

[@tstockto]

Omg, when I saw the title of this video I KNEW there was going to be at least one Claire Keegan book on the list. I also loved Foster and her short stories are amazing as well. I devoured everything she wrote in January to get out of my own terrible reading slump!

[@jasposaurus2274]

this book doesnt fit into the 200 pages or less (it's 379 pages) but bright star by erin swan is one of the best fantasy books ive ever read. its along the lines of your classic dragon rider story, you can bond with a dragon and you become an unstoppable team, etc. There's magic, elves, a suspicious kingdom, a nice little romance, it's got it all. the plot flows so nicely and the characters are easy to connect with and love. i wish this book was longer and that it was a part of a series, but i will forever love how long the story feels for being in a shorter book. 11/10 i recommend this book so strongly to everyone. ✨

[@fabianaromani8062]

Hi Cari! Have you read Piranesi? I've just finished it and I loved this book

[@starsandbeyond8947]

Rifqa and a minor detail 🍉

[@eshitasahu]

Cari please I’m begging you, the last book of the crescent city series is out, you can’t leave us high and dry….you have to do the final book !!!

[@caricanread]

Is it confirmed the final book? Or is there one more?

[@asavagegarden]

the most recent book i read was giovanni's room and i LOVED it. baldwin has an amazing way to put you in the story. i felt like **I** was giovanni walking in those last pages. it was insane! also i loved this is how you lose the time war (i read it last year) and it was a bit difficult to me because i'm a spanish speaker who taught himself english, so the narration was a bit hard to understand at first but around half i was IN THE ZONE.

[@cowboylikelea]

lol I love having notifications on for your videos ❤ Anyway, three things: first this video is perfect for me rn bc I just got out of a six month reading slump, second you really inspired me to make book content and I love your channel, and third, I might be little late to the dune conversation, but I personally liked part two better than part one

[@caricanread]

omg thank you :') hope one of these nudges you out of the slump!!

[@merveilleux0110]

I was JUST about to search for book recs and then I see this! Cari saves my day again

[@okout6587]

The mortal instruments pleaseeee

[@ariaojou]

The Prison Healer trilogy got me into a BAAAAAAD reading slump (cause it was SOOOOO GOOOOOOD) so I needed this. THANK YOU

[@janeslibrary]

What moves the dead is fantastic! I read both that and the fall of the house of usher and i really like the direction she took it

[@camryns.4693]

Just finished “Notes on an Execution” from your recommendation. WONDERFUL READ, had the most productive two days with that book. I was starting to give up on crime fiction or thrillers in all til this book… *chefs kiss

[@chacharealsmoove]

Sometimes I just can’t be bothered to to read long books

[@caricanread]

and sometimes books shouldnt be as long as they are!! ahahha

[@spaceohfour7759]

normally don't comment but this is my first time checking out your book channel bc i wanted to get back into reading and magically you had just uploaded the exact video i needed. i also lowkey got chills in the beginning bc i loved every book you recommended and i can't wait to read them! thank you for this!!!!

[@mongoljinbadmaa5255]

AHHHH PERFECT VIDEO i was just searching up good short books 🤍✨

[@kathleen.l]

Adding a few of these to my tbr! Binti trilogy by Nnedi Okorafor is one of my faves. Very short books but great story!

[@BexsBoxofConfusion]

Two short books I will ALWAYS recommend is The Prosper's Demon by K.J Parker (99 pages!) and White is for Wicthing (around 200 IIRC?). Amazing atmospheric horror books. I'm currently reading Frankenstein in Bagdhad by Ahmed Saadawi (but might be a DNF bc it's due back to the library soon) and Moon of the Turning Leaves by Waubgeshig Rice. I'm about to start The Jasad Heir by Sara Hashem tonight :)

[@CL-gu9xv]

If you loved Giovanni’s room you’ll love "Paris-Austerlitz" by Rafael Chirbes

[@nospoonfulofmayonnaiseforme]

Thornhedge!!!! 6/5 stars!!!

[@pamloanzon3668]

Pls make some more videos on short stories. Thriller 😀

[@roibenr]

Opens Cari's video, opens Libby, gets ready to update my "wishlist"

[@ThatDurre]

I love this video for its suggestions and I’ve literally added the ones I haven’t read yet to my list, but honestly, Cari, you’ve kind of got me back into reading all lengths of books! 🌻

[@caricanread]

:'''''''')

[@leadesousa6276]

I'd recommend Ghost Wall by Sarah Moss if you're looking for vibey short lit fic! Horror, deep in the woods, rural Northumberland, feminism vibes, spooky, no regrets.

[@NotFishyOverHere]

I really recommend the Monk and the robot duology by Becky Chambers (A Psalm for the Wild-Built and A Prayer for the Crown-Shy). Both are around 150 pages and have immaculate vibes. It is science fiction, set in post dystopian world but seen through a positive lens with the solar punk idea. + The main character is non-binary which is amazing!

[@SamiaZouirech-s1g]

I just started reading Swimming in the Dark by Tomasz Jedrowski. The only thing I know about it is that the main characters bond over Giovanni's Room and it's the same length

[@dufremde]

a recommendation: open throat by henry hoke, it's 176 pages and came out last year. the writing is kind of stream-of-consciousness prose, from the perspective of a mountain lion living in the hills surrounding los angeles (based on a real story, iirc). it's so funnysad and deals with stuff like ecological disaster, identity, and belonging.

[@maryr329]

You should check out The New Yorker: Fiction podcast. Amazing authors reading other amazing authors' short stories with a little discussion. There's at least one Claire Keegan, a few Haruki Murakami, etc, etc. I loved the Keegan one--read and discussed by George Saunders.

[@jcucumbera8066]

Do you have any recommendation for fantasy short story collection book?I’m preparing for my mid term exam and I need a book hat can give me a temporary rest

[@Nana-hx3dx]

my recommendation: -Novecento by Alessandro Baricco (only 60pgs play but made me feel things!!) - I who have never known men, less than 200pgs but the author managed to weave a world and a story so unforgettable

[@WatermelonSugar1209]

I have like both of these books from Claire Keegan. Both are short and so deep. I LOVE short story collections by jhumpa Lahiri like interpreter of maladies and unaccustomed earth.

[@JLA0219]

I’m currently reading lord of shadows. 👀 Love a Cassandra Clare book.

[@chelseyh.3691]

A short book I just finished is Glaciers by Alexis M. Smith. If you haven't read it yet, I think you would like it. I'm going to just steal a line from the blurb and say it "tells the story of a young woman's love of the past and a hope to make something new and all her own." That makes it sound more Hallmark movie than it actually is--its much more quiet and subtle. No flower farms involved, I swear.

[@laceyapril2620]

I’m about 3 hours away from finishing the third book of A Daughter of Smoke and Bone. And just…omg. I don’t know what to jump into next because this has been so incredible. Has it ruined all other books for me!?? 😩

[@imeebee3491]

Needed this. I started the year so strong reading 14 books in January, and I haven’t read a single book since

[@mariaeulaliadejuangil1712]

I don't know if it was because it was a mandatory reading for a literature class, but I just couldn't with Giovanni's Room 😭 I really don't get the hype unfortunately

[@zvjezdanaborozan6870]

You should try All The Crooked Saints by Maggie Stiefvater. It is really cleverly written and it feels very similar to The Raven Boys.

[@meeptasticable]

I think "Sunshine" is really perfect and short but a quick Google informed me that it's actually 400 pages 😢 still, a fast read for anyone looking!

[@AliciaAnnReads]

I’m not scared of long fantasy books, but I’m terrified of long romance books 😅🧐

[@Anne-ChristineFenner]

You are such a sweetheart 😊i just discover your channel. What do you do with books you ‚ve already read ?Do you keep them?or giving them to friends…etc 🫶much love from germany

[@bedlambelle]

I know you focus more on fantasy/ book tok stuff but I love love rosalind james. She writes romances that are sexy And have healthy relationships. So well written imo. They're average length stand alones though. They can be a palette cleanser.

[@marissacarroll]

Nettle and Bone by T. Kingfisher was the book that got me excited to read again!! Also very short but very enticing. A Psalm For The Wild-Built by Becky Chambers (and the sequel) were fantastic little books in that sci-fi realism tone. Currently reading through the Locked Tomb series and can confirm all your suggestions sound fantastic as a Gideon fan 🖤

[@yvonneandbeyond]

Informed by your list here, I can highly HIGHLY recommend The Space Between Worlds by Micaiah Johnson. It’s sci-fi/fantasy and it was such an absorbing and quick read for me! Also, the sequel is out this month.

[@successfulbaddie]

Alix E Harrow is the author of Starling House, right. I loved the atmosphere.

[@miriam8376]

I’d also mention Binti, by Nnedi Okorafor. Half fantasy, half literary fiction, all breathtaking, and I read it in about three hours.

[@annedeputter8020]

i’d really recommend the history of my sexuality by tobi lakmaker it’s good fun!!

[@andrewchelton6710]

I’m wondering who can read the Cambridge Creek series, and do a review because it wild, weirdly sweet , and hilarious. Also watching someone trying to describe the plot 😂😂😂, I think it would be a struggle or real short

[@fatmatota-jf2yt]

There is a beautiful book called The Color of My Word and it is very small, about 60 pages, but I can assure you that it will stick with you for a while.

[@martham496]

My favorite weird little short book from last year was Dwellers by Eliza Victoria! There is nothing better than a well executed shorter book

[@linn4343]

Claire Keegan is literally soooo good

[@ella-hope-222]

Giovanni's Room is my favorite Baldwin! It's honest and real and FUNNY. I read the whole thing on a plane and found myself chuckling out loud multiple times

[@ella-hope-222]

like its humour is not the first trait I would name but it added another layer that really, really sold it for me

[@caricanread]

so many things were funny and sad at the same time like when he didnt want to sit in the taxi talking about his feelings so he wanted to jump out of the car, but then he realized jumping out of the car would REALLY be sharing his feelings LOL

[@imani_iguana]

Arch-Conspirator by: Veronica Roth is one I really enjoyed

[@francescakyanda9182]

one of my biggest bookish pet peeves is long ass fantasy novels in long ass series; you can either have a 500+ book or 6 books in a series, not BOTH