Hello, everyone! How’s everyone’s reading going? I’m doing my best to get it in during my tiny pockets of free time — I’ve been mostly reading Greywaren (Dreamer Trilogy, #3) by Maggie Stiefvater, and I’ve been reminded how wholly I love her work. It’s really helped reignite my reading for the year!
I made a post similar to this (“Short Books from My TBR […]”) a month or so ago but this time I’m going to feature books that I’ve already read and really enjoyed (they’ll probably be a bit longer, too, but should all be under 300 pages). Let me know if you’ve read any of these, and what your thoughts were!
Top Ten Tuesday was created by The Broke and the Bookish in June of 2010 and was moved to That Artsy Reader Girl in January of 2018. It was born of a love of lists, a love of books, and a desire to bring bookish friends together.
1. A Psalm for the Wild-Built by Becky Chambers (Monk & Robot, #1)
Both of the Monk & Robot books can hold this slot — they’re such heartwarming, cozy novellas. I’m not much of a sci-fi reader but I really enjoyed these!
2. We Are Okay by Nina LaCour
I read this a few years ago and was sort of mad at myself because if I’d picked it up a few years earlier, I know it would’ve rocketed to the top of my favorites list. I’ve been meaning to reread it because I still enjoyed it and am always happy to be smacked with the feels!
3. She Drives Me Crazy by Kelly Quindlen
I’ve never gravitated most to romance but after reading this, I totally get the appeal. This was such a fun read — thinking about it now almost makes me want to reread it!
4. Normal People by Sally Rooney
For whatever reason, whenever October/November comes around, I get the urge to pick up this book again. I was so busy and preoccupied this last fall that it was the first time I didn’t give in to that — instead, I ended up watching the show. I think I prefer the book but both are very good!
5. Animal Farm by George Orwell
On a list of novellas and short novels, this one seems a teensy bit like a cop-out because it’s sort of The Novella (at least it is to me) but I really loved it when I read it years ago. A very haunting and very good satire/allegory!
6. Black Sheep by Rachel Harrison
This was one of my top reads of 2023! It’s dark, engaging, atmospheric, and sardonic — what’s not to love? I’m a little surprised that I loved it so much but it’s a super solid, engaging horror novel!
7. Everything I Never Told You by Celeste Ng
When I read Everything I Never Told You, it hit me like a bus — in a good way. I loved this when I first read it, and I underlined and tabbed this book to my heart’s delight on a reread a year or so ago. Good stuff!
8. The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde
In an attempt to read more classics, I picked up The Picture of Dorian Gray a few years ago, and I’m so glad that I did. I found the prose and character’s conversations, decisions, and overall interactions so enthralling. This is another one with such a haunting–and, at once, darkly satisfying–ending. I’d love to reread and annotate it!
9. The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger
I read The Catcher in the Rye around the same time as The Picture of Dorian Gray (deep in my teenage pretentious era, I suppose), and really loved it. Coming of age stories will always hit for me, I think, no matter how old I get. There’s just something about them — the sheer tragedy of something so innate in the human condition. I love it!
10. The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky
Tying in with The Catcher in the Rye is, of course, The Perks of Being a Wallflower. I read this one first and I know that it’s basic but it changed my life a little bit as a teenager and at this point I don’t care if that’s a little cringy/basic/whatever. The whole point of art at all is for those kinds of experiences, and I find it so boring to dismiss or minimize someone’s attachment to a story. So, I’m glad to have the books I do on this list, even if one might find them a little bit overrated!
Have you read any of the books on this list? Did you like them? Why, or why not? What books did you mean to read/finish last year that you didn’t get to? I’d love to hear your thoughts below!
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Little Bit of All That 
The Monk & Robot series is so good!
Here is my <a href=”https://lydiaschoch.com/top-ten-tuesday-quick-reads/“>Top Ten Tuesday</a> post.
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Completely agree!
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The Monk and Robot series is one that keeps being recommended to me! You’ve got some absolute novella classics on here! Perks of a Wallflower!! 💚💚💚
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I’d say they’re worth the read! And, yes, The Perks of Being a Wallflower ❤ Love that one! 🙂
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Animal Farm has also made it to my list, such a good book. Happy reading. My TTT https://readwithstefani.com/top-10-short-books/
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Definitely a good one!
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I read Perks of Being a Wallflower a few years ago and it was definitely a quick read. I think I read a few others from your list but its been so long since then I can’t say for sure, but The Catcher in the Rye and Animal Farm are vaguely familiar to me, so I likely read them during high school.
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[…] actually just mentioned this one in my last TTT post–“Top 10 Quick Reads/Books to Read When Time is Short“–but this is a likely place for it to be. I’d say this book is actually the one […]
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