The end of the year is nearly here and I know a lot of people are trying to accomplish their Goodreads challenge or in general their reading goals for the year, so I thought it would be a good idea to recommend some of the short books I read this year and that I really enjoyed.
Happening by Annie Ernaux: This book is so powerful and beautifully written. It’s a testament to the power of descriptive writing, Ernaux manages to convey what she was seeing, hearing, feeling, and thinking during a time of her life when she got an abortion in France in the 60s when it was illegal to do so. Her descriptions were accompanied by poignant commentary that makes her experience relatable and resonates with women.
What Moves the Dead by T. Kingfisher: A really short and quick read, which is a retelling of Edgar Allan Poe’s “The Fall of the House of Usher”. This is engaging from beginning to end and has a really satisfying ending, which is hard to do in short horror books. This wasn’t scary, but there were a few unnerving moments.
The Houseguest and Other Stories by Amparo Davila: This short story collection is full of disturbing and fascinating tales that convey feelings of dread and desperation very well. This has a lot of vague or open-ended stories, often there are no answers to what was happening in these stories, and there is no way of knowing if things were real or not or if the narrators were reliable or not, which added to the unnerving feeling of the stories, which was the strength of the collection.
Goddess of Filth by V. Castro: This novella is a very different take on a possession story, and it’s filled with creepy and gross moments. It did a great job of discussing the stereotypes around and the dangers of being a young Latina, as well as the roles that religion, sexuality, and female friendships play in the lives of young Latinas, particularly in the States.
The Secret Lives of Church Ladies by Deesha Philyaw: This short story collection is captivating, messy, and realistic. It talks mainly about queerness, womanhood, complicated mother/daughter relationships and the intersections of these things with religion and faith. Also, the writing is fantastic.
Bookish Wanderess 
Ive already beated my goal by 6books, so I should be fine 🥰
The only short books ive read this year was nothing but blackened teeth, swimming lessons & 12 mois sans interet (which this last one wasnt great).
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congratulations of beating your goal! I have heard good things about nothing but blackened teeth and it’s seems like a book I would enjoy.
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It wasnt a hit for me.. but it was higher than what I could understand too- so i mustve missed some details
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Great recs! I set my goal low this year so I reached it a while ago 🙂
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Thank you! I’m glad you reached your goal, I always set mine low because I feel less pressure that way.
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Love this list! That cover for The Houseguest is intriguing me, and The Secret Lives of Church Ladies has been on my list for awhile now! Will definitely have to get to it soon!(:
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Thank you! if you like unsettling books, I think The Houseguest is a great choice. I hope you enjoy The Secret Lives of Church Ladies!
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