When coining the terms “college students” and “reading” together in a sentence, you typically assume the worst: $200 textbooks or fifty-page academic journals. Come August, students find their schedules filling up so rapidly, it’s almost unheard of for college-goers to read recreationally, unless you count glancing at your favorite actress’s latest tweet or a relative’s Facebook status. While it might seem impossible to find spare time, here are three quick novels to hold you over through the fall semester.

1. We Were Liars by E. Lockhart

Rounding in at 225 pages, Lockhart takes readers on a fast-paced journey filled with suspense and mystery. The main character, Cadence Sinclair, has spent every summer of her life on her family’s private island right off the coast of Massachusetts. That is, until an unknown accident occurs one summer that leaves her memory in damaged, fragmented pieces. Cadence is forced to navigate a world brimming with intense migraines, all the while trying to figure out the lies and hidden truths kept from her. From first loves and cherished summer vacations to the lies that hide beneath every surface, Lockhart doesn’t disappoint in her expeditious, nail-biting novel.

2. Between Shades of Grey by Ruta Sepetys

Based on real-life events during World War II, Sepetys creates a realistic narrative surrounding the life of a Lithuanian girl. At only 15 years old, Lina is swept into an endless series of dangerous, life-threatening situations after her and her family are arrested and taken away by Soviet soldiers. This heart-breaking narrative winds its way through labor camps, perilous diseases and the undying hope for survival. Sepetys wields vivid imagery and draws in a wide range of emotions that will leave readers both crying and screaming between its 338 captivating pages.

3. Lottery by Patricia Wood

At the top of my to-read list is NIU alumna Patricia Wood’s debut novel. Centering around a man with an IQ of 76, Perry L. Crandell has been taught to adjust to his way of life by writing down important notes and playing the lottery daily. One day, he finds himself winning a jackpot of $12 million, resulting in the influx of friends and family clamoring for his money. Navigating a life he never could have thought to become a reality, Perry goes from playing the lottery to entering the game of luck and trust. The concept of Wood’s 320 page novel leaves me avidly finding time in my frenzied college schedule to read into the curious life of Perry.