Five Happy Things
Quick Reads for a Short Month
February is the shortest month, but it somehow manages to feel like the longest.
This week I’m sharing five quick and fun reads to make the month fly by.
This is a mostly sci fi/fantasy list, because that’s really the only genre out there currently publishing novellas as anything but e-books.
Full Speed to a Crash Landing by Beth Revis - I read this book in one insanely happy gulp - and then I ran out and bought book two in the series right away. And you can bet I’ll be at the bookstore on April 8 when the final book in the trilogy comes out. I put it on my calendar! These books are SO MUCH FUN! Zingy banter, loads of humor, great romance, clever plot twist - this little book has it all. If you read just one book on this list, make it this one. (Bookshop link, Amazon link)
All Systems Red by Martha Wells - This is the first book in the Murderbot series about an introverted android who has hacked their safety governor and is trying to figure out who they are and what kind of life they want. I loved it and now I’m working my way through the rest of the series. There’s also a show on Apple TV, but I haven’t watched it yet. (Bookshop link, Amazon link)
A Psalm for the Wild-Built by Becky Chambers - I love this author’s Wayfarer series. (Start with The Long Way to a Small Angry Planet.) This book isn’t that. It’s shorter and… thinkier. It doesn’t have the space opera plot, but it does have a rather lovely vision of what our world could look like, and it raises really interesting questions about what gives our lives meaning. (Bookshop link, Amazon link)
The Empress of Salt and Fortune by Nghi Vo - Like A Psalm for the Wild-Built, this is a slower read. It feels like a group of barely connected stories, but they all come together at the end to reveal an intricately-planned, long-game revenge. Highly satisfying. (Bookshop link, Amazon link)
Three Witnesses by Nero Wolfe - If you want something short, but science fiction and fantasy aren’t your cup of tea, maybe you’d like a mystery? I recommend just about any of the Nero Wolfe novellas. I’m mentioning Three Witnesses here because I particularly liked Die Like a Dog (the third novella in this collection) but they’re all fun. (Bookshop link, Amazon link)
If you need more, here are 50 Great Classic Novels Under 200 Pages.
Other suggestions I would have included here, if I hadn’t already recommended them fairly recently. . .
The Spenser mysteries by Robert Parker (read about them here)
The Harper Hall of Pern trilogy by Anne McCaffrey (read about them here)
What are your favorite novellas? Tell us in the comments!
You can find past newsletters with book recommendations here.
Enjoy!
Best,
Wendi
❤️
A note about links. . .
Both the Bookshop and Amazon links are affiliate links. That means I earn a small commission if you purchase from those links, at no extra cost to you. Bookshop’s profits are shared among a large group of independent bookstores. If you have an indie bookstore in your area, please shop from them. They’re awesome!
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The Murderbot series by Martha Wells is great--funny, exciting, science-y, fun to read. I was happy to see your recommendation.
May I recommend a fun little space opera novella written by my brother, Aiya Seven, Meredith Ryan Taylor. He is a composer and had planned on turning it into an actual Space Opera but hasn't as of yet.