4 Quick Reads Perfect for Readathons

Right now I unofficially participate in readathons whenever I can. Usually this means in audiobook format so I can keep listening for most of the day. If you love readathons you might want to try one of these fantastic books that are short enough to finish within the readathon time limit…

Please Ignore Vera Dietz, A.S. King

Vera’s spent her whole life secretly in love with her best friend, Charlie Kahn. And over the years she’s kept a lot of his secrets. Even after he betrayed her. Even after he ruined everything. So when Charlie dies in dark circumstances, Vera knows a lot more than anyone—the kids at school, his family, even the police. But will she emerge to clear his name?

I sped through this so quickly. The book tells you right off the back that Charlie is dead and then it follows Vera through the months that follow as she tries to put the pieces back together. She flashes back to significant moments in their relationship and sometimes feels as if Charlie is sending her messages. It’s a good book with a lot of feels.

Shanghai Girls, Lisa See

In 1937 Shanghai—the Paris of Asia—twenty-one-year-old Pearl Chin and her younger sister, May, are having the time of their lives. Both are beautiful, modern, and carefree—until the day their father tells them that he has gambled away their wealth. To repay his debts, he must sell the girls as wives to suitors who have traveled from Los Angeles to find Chinese brides.

The story follows the sisters as they begin their new lives in America. Right as they are leaving Shanghai, war is beginning. They avoid the fighting but can’t avoid the trials they will suffer as Chinese brides. This book is brutally honest about the horrible realities these girls face.

Still Life, Louise Penny

Chief Inspector Armand Gamache of the Sûreté du Québec and his team of investigators are called in to the scene of a suspicious death in a rural village south of Montréal and yet a world away. Jane Neal, a long-time resident of Three Pines, has been found dead in the woods. The locals are certain it’s a tragic hunting accident and nothing more but Gamache smells something foul this holiday season…and is soon certain that Jane died at the hands of someone much more sinister than a careless bowhunter.

Do yourself a favor and fall into the world of Chief Inspector Armand Gamache. Technically, these are cozy mysteries, but there’s nothing cozy about them- except maybe the quaint little town they’re set in. This is the first in the series but you don’t have to start there.

We Were Liars, E. Lockhart

A beautiful and distinguished family. A private island. A brilliant, damaged girl; a passionate, political boy. A group of four friends—the Liars—whose friendship turns destructive. A revolution. An accident. A secret. Lies upon lies.

Beautiful and sad. You’ll have to pull yourself together after this one. It’s not an action packed book. It’s more about digging into the characters and figuring out what makes them tick.

Have you been able to participate in any readathons lately?

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