Books You Can Read in One Sitting (Lit Lovers Link Party)

These days, I like to find books to read based on how much time I have to allot to reading. I usually don’t have time to spend weeks on a single book, so I’ve turned to shorter books in recent months.

Previous editions of this series have included lists of books you can read in one hour and books you can read in two hours. Today, I’m sharing a list of books you can read in one sitting.

As with all of the other posts, this list assumes you can read about 50-70 pages in an hour. One sitting could be anywhere from 3 to 5 hours.

14+ Books You can Read in One Sitting

To qualify for this list, all of the books not only have around 300 pages, but they also have engaging plots. I find I am much more likely to read a book in a single day if the plot is engaging. Most “beach reads” fit into this category of books. I’ve included some of my favorites below:

The Graveyard Book

The Graveyard Book is a fun book written by Neil Gaiman based on a short story he wrote earlier in life. It tells the tale of a living boy raised by ghosts in a graveyard. It’s fast-paced and fun.

Attachments

I love all Rainbow Rowell books, but Attachments was one of the easiest and fastest to read. I loved the exchange of notes between the co-workers and the man who was reading them. It was cute!

What Alice Forgot

What Alice Forgot is my favorite “amnesia” story. This story tells the tale of a woman who wakes up 40 but her last memory is of being 29. I wasn’t the biggest fan of the ending, but I really enjoyed the journey and the story’s pace.

The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry

The Storied Life of A. J. Fikry is a mystery and it’s about a book lover, so it is easy to read quickly if you are also a book lover/mystery lover. The plot reminded me slightly of Inkheart, which is one of my favorite stories.

If I Stay

If I Stay is a book that makes you want to cry on every page, but it is really fast-paced and draws you in. I still have yet to see the movie, though. I think in film it would be too sad.

The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy

There is so much funny in The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy it is a must-read for everyone even if you don’t typically enjoy science fiction novels. It is both short and fast-paced, which makes it easy to consume in one sitting.

The Hunger Games

The Hunger Games is definitely my favorite dystopian YA novel. The story is interesting, it has just enough romance to be present but not annoying, and the plot progression makes sense.

Stardust

Stardust is another Neil Gaiman favorite of mine. I love the slightly sarcastic twist on old-style fairy tales.

Go Set a Watchman

I thought Go Set a Watchman would be difficult to read, but I breezed through it. Although it doesn’t have quite the same social idealism that the first book has, I thought it had a more realistic view on race relations for the time (1950s, I believe), as hideous as we know that view to be now.

The Invisible Man

If you want a classic book that has a compelling plot, The Invisible Man is one of my favorites.

Around the World in 80 Days

Around the World in 80 Days was one of my favorite stories as a child. I loved the travel stories and the question of whether he would make it around the world in time. I was quite invested in his journey the first time I read it.

The Great Gatsby

I don’t know if a reading of The Great Gatsby should be rushed, but it technically does qualify for the list of books you can read in one sitting as it is pretty short.

The First Four Harry Potter Books

Harry Potter books are typically fast reads until they start getting really long. It is definitely possible to read them in a single sitting. I read just about all of them in a single sitting until book 6.

Nearly All Middle Grade Books

I put this in here because I enjoy middle grade books (you can find some of my favorites on this list). Sometimes a middle grade book is the perfect thing to read to get out of a reading slump or to have something to read that isn’t all about romance or depressing events.

What are your favorite books to read in one sitting?

Lit Lovers Link Party

Now it is time for YOU!  All posts linked up will be shared and pinned by me! Link your neglected book and quote posts for some extra juice! We’re here every Thursday.

Remember, you can link up as many book or quote-related posts as you want! 

As always, I will feature my favorite link-up in next week’s Lit Lover’s edition. When you share your post with me, you agree to for me to use one image from your post in next week’s LL. I will also pin all link-ups to the new Lit Lover’s Pinterest board and send you weekly link-up reminders so you can keep joining in.

If you want to be added as a contributor to the Lit Lover’s group board, just send me an e-mail at Brenda at dailymayo.com with your Pinterest user name.

Follow the Lit Lovers Group Board on Pinterest!

This Weeks Lit Lover Features

Elizabeth stole my heart this week with her list of book gifts under $10. And Natalie is sharing some of her favorite book quotes, which are all amazing. 

More Book Lists

Meet Brenda

Writer, Editor, Blogger, Book Nerd

I'm Brenda. I'm a writer and a reader.
Daily Mayo is all about having fun while reading, without rules! If you love books as much as I do, join the DM Book Lover's Club to keep up with the latest in the book world and get the DM Book Club Reading List.
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