'I finished it in 3 days.' 5 of the best books, based on how fast I read them.

Before you roll your eyes, I want to say that I don't classify myself as a "fast reader". Yes, I can read fairly quickly, but it isn't by choice – it's an addiction. 

The minute a book grasps my attention whether it's light or heavy, frivolous or deep, my eyes can't help themselves from darting across the pages moving faster and faster until my brain can barely keep up. 

I've come to the conclusion that the faster (read: chaotic) pace of my reading usually means I'm so engrossed in a book that I can't stop until it's complete. 

Because of this I usually have to read these books at least twice to make sure I've fully grasped the themes and concepts (yes, book clubs hate me).

So yes, based on this reading method the following list contains books I've read at least twice this year and I've ranked them according to how fast I got through them (and liked them, of course). 

Heartbake: A Bittersweet Memoir by Charlotte Ree

Time to read: 9 days.

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This is one of the most wholesome memoirs I've read with gorgeous themes of cooking and baking layered throughout. Memoirs usually take me at least two weeks to get through, but this one had a very warm and calming element that was felt throughout – including the sections that explored darker themes. 

It also ended with some of Charlotte's recipes that she mentions throughout the book and although I'm a horrible cook, I ingested every single recipe she listed.

The Vanishing Half by Brit Bennett

Time to read: 1 week.

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I was surprised by how quickly I got through this book, mainly because there were many parts that read heavy and some sections that I had to let sit for a while. There's a big revelation that I physically had to put the book down and go for a walk.

It's a historical fiction set in the US between the 1950s to 1990s and tells the story of identical twins growing up to choose to live two completely separate lives. Themes of family ties and racial identity are explored brilliantly. I've shared it with almost every person in my life. 

Cleopatra and Frankenstein by Coco Mellors

Time to read: Twice in two weeks.

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We've all been a Cleo who has dated a Frank, which was one of the main reasons why I had to immediately re-read this book the second I had finished it. I honestly thought that Coco Mellors grabbed some of the scenes straight from my 24-year-old self's diary.

It's a very realistic take on romance in New York and I'm warning you right now that there is one specific scene that will make you gasp out loud. 

Yellowface by Rebecca F. Kuang 

Time to read: 3 days.

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I finished reading this book a few weeks ago and yet I think about it every single day. It's made it so hard to pick up a new book because I feel like I'm very much in the world of Yellowface (the book, not the highly offensive act). 

What happens when a successful Asian author suddenly dies? Her white friend steals her unfinished work of course. I had to remind myself that this book was fiction multiple times throughout. It's captivating from beginning to end. 

Dear Dolly by Dolly Alderton 

Time to read: 7 hours.

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I feel like this one shouldn't count because it's technically a collection. Dolly Alderton published her favourite advice columns from her Dear Dolly series with The Times. I received it as a Christmas Gift from my sister and started it on New Year's Eve in my childhood bedroom after I tested positive for COVID (for the second time) and finished it that same day. I'm pretty sure it would've taken me much less time to get through, but I was floating in and out of fever dreams between chapters. I loved this book. I pick it up at least once a month as I have bookmarked so many of the columns that I feel can be directly related to my life.

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 Feature Image: Supplied / @emilyvernem