The Her Campus National Editors write about products we love and think you’ll love too. Her Campus has affiliate partnerships, so we get a share of the revenue from your purchase. All products are in stock and all prices are accurate as of publication.
I frequently get stuck in reading slumps, especially during the semester. I can never seem to commit my time to reading long books, and am easily distracted by my course load or social life. Here are some books sorted shortest to longest that helped me get back into reading again.Â
- Circe – Madeline Miller, 333-337 pages Â
Genre: Mythology
Description: Circe, the daughter of Helios, is not as powerful as the rest of her family. She turns to the human world for friendship, where she discovers she is powerful, but in witchcraft. You may recognize Circe from the Odyssey. This book is a collection of Greek myths told from the perspective of Circe.
- This Will All Be Funny Someday – Katie Henry, 400 pages
Genre: Coming-of-age, Contemporary
Description: If you liked the Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, then you’re probably going to like this book. The main character accidentally finds her way into stand-up comedy. She uses it as a coping mechanism to manage her home and social life. With demanding parents, and high expectations, she accidentally performs her first show and finds it relieving.Â
- The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo – Taylor Jenkins Reid, 400 pages
Genre: Contemporary Historical Romance
Description: This novel tells the story of a fictional, old Hollywood star as she recounts her life to unknown reporter, Monique Grant. She narrates her life through her seven marriages and how being Cuban and bisexual affected her in a very repressive 1950’s Hollywood.Â
- Rebecca – Daphne du Maurier, 446 pages
Genre: Crime Fiction, Gothic Romance
Description: The unnamed main character marries a recent wealthy widower after a short time together in Monte Carlo, only to discover when she reaches his historical estate that the household, staff, and her husband himself are haunted by his late wife, Rebecca.
- Fifty Words For Rain – Asha Lemmie, 464 pages
Genre: Historical Fiction
Description: In 1948 Kyoto, Japan an illegitimate daughter of a Japanese aristocrat and her African American companion was shunned away from society. Nori struggles to find her place in the world with the help of her older half-brother Akira. This novel contains sensitive topics dealing with domestic abuse.Â
- Blood of Hercules – Jasmine Mas, 512 pages
Genre: Dark Fantasy, Fiction, Mythology
Description: This sarcastic fantasy novel debuts a world where Spartans (immortals) are superior and are forced to fight to survive a war academy. Alexis was raised as a human until a blood test reveals she’s not. Now she must navigate this horrible world she’s been thrown into with essentially no help. This book contains sensitive topics like child abuse, blood, gore, psychological torture, homelessness, murders, and bullying.
- Fourth Wing – Rebecca Yarros, 517-528 pages
Genre: Fantasy, Romance, Action
Description: Daughter of a General, Violet Sorrengail was expected to enter the scribes quadrant when a change of plans forces her into the riders quadrant in which many do not survive. Dragons do not bond with weak humans. The main character in this novel has EDS (Ehlers-Danlos syndrome) and many enemies thanks to her mother.Â
- The Poppy War – R. F. Kuang, 544 pages
Genre: Historical, Fantasy
Description: This military fantasy was inspired by the opium pandemic and China’s twentieth century, but filled with magic and betrayal. Rin, the main character, from a humble background aces the empire-wide exam and is accepted into the prestigious college, Sinegard. At Sinegard she is shunned for her race, gender, background, and mysterious talent. The empire is at war and winning it might just cause Rin her humanity.Â
I hope you try out some of these novels! Enjoy reading :).