I know what “science” says, but I choose to believe that Leap Day is a gift given to me as a chance to read an extra book every four years. I put together a list of short and sweet books that you can absolutely get through in a day, leaving you with a warm glow going into March.
Heartstopper Vol. 5 by Alice Oseman
I assume you’ve all read Vols. 1-4, correct? If not, you should catch up and then read the newest installment (honestly since they’re graphic novels, you could probably tackle them all in a day), in which Charlie and Nick have to deal with a lot of changes in their lives and their relationship.
How You Lose the Time War by Amal El-Mohtar and Max Gladstone
Do you like sci-fi? Enemies-to-lovers romance stories? Action and adventure?! Epistolary relationship building? Then this is the book for you, all wrapped up in a tiny, tight little package.
Convenience Store Woman by Sayaka Murata, translated by Ginny Tapley Takemori
A lovely, heartwarming, and at times lonely little story about fitting in, and the societal rules we conform to in order to be seen as “normal,” for better or for worse.
A Psalm for the Wild Built by Becky Chambers
What if you wandered a post-apocalyptic utopia, searching for meaning in your life, and ran into a robot with some of the same musings? You’d get the first Monk and Robot book in the Monk. Hopeful, humorous and thought-provoking.
Red at the Bone by Jacqueline Woodson
A deeply intimate examination of motherhood — what it takes from us, how it sheds light on our families and how it affects our place in our communities.
The Old Man and the Sea by Ernest Hemingway
I’m a lot more likely to read a classic if I know it’s short, and this one, set as a man facing a great fish foe (it works really well as a metaphor) is worth your time.
Whew, you might want to prepare yourself for this one, as it does get grisly, but the story of KKK members turning into demons set to end the world is as gripping as it is imaginative.
The House on Mango Street by Sandra Cisneros
It was assigned reading in school for a reason! A beautifully told coming-of-age story that will teach you something and give you memories to relate to at the same time.
Dept. of Speculation by Jenny Offill
A tiny book that boils down all of the trials and intimacies of a marriage, and yet never feels lacking. Anyone who has been in a long-term romantic relationship will relate to this gorgeously written reflection.
Ellen Whitfield is senior publicist at Books Forward, an author publicity and book marketing firm committed to promoting voices from a diverse variety of communities. From book reviews and author events, to social media and digital marketing, we help authors find success and connect with readers.
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