Easy Reads that Don't Waste Trees | My Short-ish Book Recs

Now that my first year of university is officially behind me, I've got plenty of time to read something that isn't scholarly and doesn't contain the words "et al". To ease myself back into the fun-loving world of fiction, I've looked to some reliable and short enough reads, and I thought I'd share them here for anyone who, like me, has neglected their reading for Life Stuff and needs to start in the shallow end.

1. My Sister the Serial Killer by Oyinkan Braithwaite

I am in the middle of this book at the moment, and it's definitely not the shortest on this list, but the writing style is so direct and accessible that it's been fairly easy to read through. It's about a woman whose sister is - you guessed it - a serial killer, and it explores themes such as domestic violence and family loyalty. 

I honestly have never read a book like this and the way in which the author tells the story without getting bogged down by details or purple prose is really great - it starts sort of in media res, which I love because you just immediately get thrown into the story and the details come later.

2. The First Phone Call from Heaven by Mitch Albom

This is a book I've read a couple of times now - in the small town of Coldwater, Michigan, residents start receiving phone calls from dead relatives and Sully, a single father and ex-convict, tries to get to the bottom of it. This book is such a beautiful exploration of grief and I've always loved Albom's philosophical way of writing without being patronizing or preachy. 

Simply written and all the better for it, if I had to push one book into the hands of every human being, it would be this one.

3. Breakfast at Tiffany's by Truman Capote

There is a reason I fought with my English teacher until he allowed me to write about this book for my coursework. It follows Holly Golightly, an elite escort and socialite, and is told from the perspective of her neighbour who is fascinated and puzzled by her. It's iconic for a reason, and I was shocked by how short it actually is - about 200-ish pages in total. 

However, the story is told so succinctly that you don't even notice how quickly it goes by. You could easily finish this in one sitting, and if you're like me, the moment you finish you're going to want to take a highlighter to all your favourite moments. 

4. The Black Flamingo by Dean Atta

Written in an almost poetic style, this book looks long in terms of how many pages it has, but because of the writing style it's incredibly short - for reference, I was given it on Christmas Day and finished it by dinner. It chronicles the life of Michael and explores how joining a drag society gives him the confidence to confront his own issues surrounding race and sexuality. 

It's a perfect read for those that don't have a lot of time on their hands yet want to read something thoughtful and sensitively written. Atta has a talent from sticking with a singular image and using it to say more than is written on the page, which makes the time fly by when reading this. Highly recommended.

5. Goodnight Stories for Rebel Girls by Elena Favilli and Francesca Cavallo

Yes, this is technically meant for children, but my mother gave me it a while ago and I still flick through it every now and then. Every page chronicles the extraordinary lives of different women that history tends to overlook and granted, it is all very child-friendly, but it gives a good introduction for anyone that wishes to look closer at the lives of women such as Hypatia of Alexandria, Irena Sendlerowa, Nancy Wake and many more from across the world and ages.

If anyone has any other reading recommendations for those of us in a reading slump, sound off below!