It’s 1 November and that can only mean one thing – it’s time for our inaugural Novellas in November reading event, hosted by myself and Rebecca at Bookish Beck.

Over the next four weeks we can going to celebrate the short novel in all its forms. The definition of a novella is loose – it’s based on word count rather than number of pages – but we suggest aiming for 150 pages or under, with a firm upper limit of 200 pages.

Each Monday we’ll be introducing a theme:

2–8 November: Contemporary fiction (Cathy)

9–15 November: Nonfiction novellas (Rebecca)

16–22 November: Literature in translation (Cathy)

23–29 November: Short classics (Rebecca)

Remember when you post a review to tag myself or Rebecca on Twitter (@cathy746books & @bookishbeck) or Instagram ( @bookishbeck & @cathy_746books) and use the hashtag #NovNov

Add the links to your novella-related reviews on this post, or Rebecca’s main post and we’ll keep them updated throughout the month!

Novellas in November posts so far:

Mrs Caliban by Rachel Ingalls reviewed by Cathy at 746books

The Spare Room by Helen Garner reviewed by Cathy at 746books

Train Dreams by Denis Johnson reviewed by Hopewell’s Library of Life

Three Novellas – Bythell, Carey and Diop reviewed by Rebecca at Bookish Beck

Dark Wave by Lana Guineay reviewed by Lisa at ANZ LitLovers

Train Dreams by Denis Johnson reviewed by Cathy at 746books

The Man From London by George Simenon reviewed by Helen at She Reads Novels

The Swallowed Man by Edward Carey reviewed by Susan at A Life in Books

Cyclone by Vance Palmer reviewed by Lisa at ANZ LitLovers

Red At The Bone by Jacqueline Woodson reviewed by Kim at Reading Matters

Short Fiction from Steinbeck and Triolet reviewed by Carol at cas d’intere

Contemporary Novellas reviewed by Monika at Lovely Bookshelf

Wendy McGrath’s Trilogy reviewed by Marcie at Buried in Print

The Guest Cat by Takashi Hiraida reviewed by Margaret at Books Please

A selection of favourite Non-Fiction Novellas from Rebecca at Bookish Beck

Three Novellas – Simenon, Greg & Moss reviewed by Annabel at Annabookbel

Surfacing by Margaret Atwood reviewed by Ali at HeavenAli

300 Arguments by Sarah Manguso reviewed by Cathy at 746books

The Poisoning by Maria Lazar reviewed by Juliana at The Black Garden

The Invisible Land by Hubert Mingarelli reviewed by Susan at A Life In Books

Summerwater by Sarah Moss reviewed by Lisa at ANZ LitLovers

Two novellas for Nonfiction Week (Riley & Despentes) reviewed by Cathy at 746books

The Moon is Down by John Steinbeck reviewed by Lisa at ANZ LitLovers

A Month in Siena by Hisham Matar reviewed by Imogen at Reading and Viewing the World

Our Nig by Harriet E. Wilson reviewed by Juliana at The Blanck Garden

Four Short Nonfiction Books reviewed by Rebecca at Bookish Beck

Novellas in Translation a post by Grant at 1streading

The Days of Abandonment by Elena Ferrante reviewed by Radhika’s Reading Retreat

The Man Behind Narnia by AN Wilson reviewed by Margaret at Books Please

Fall On Me by Nigel Featherstone reviewed by Nancy at NancyElin

Bill Bailey’s Guide to Happiness reviewed by Annabel at Annabookbel

Chess by Stefan Zweig reviewed by Cathy at 746 Books

The Transmigration of Bodies by Yuri Herrera reviewed by Imogen at Reading and Watching the World

An interview with Cath Barton, author of novella The Plankton Collector by Kathryn at Nut Press

Popcorn by Cornelia Otis Skinner reviewed by Ali at HeavenAli

The Legend of the Holy Drinker by Joseph Roth reviewed by Kaggsy’s Bookish Ramblings

The Great Escape Girl by Emma Gingerich reviewed by Hopewell’s Public Library of Life

Black Water by Joyce Carol Oates reviewed by Kim at Reading Matters

An interview with Cath Barton, author of novella The Plankton Collector, by Kathryn at Nut Press

Three Novellas reviewed by Laura Tisdall

Happiness, As Such by Natalia Ginzberg reviewed by Jacqui at JacquiWine’s Journal

The Taiga Syndrome by Cristina Garza Rivera reviewed by Cathy at 746 Books

Dolores by Lauren Aimee Curtis reviewed by Nancy at NancyElin

A Meal in Winter by Hubert Mingarelli reviewed by Karen at Booker Talk

The Hidden Life of Trees by Peter Wohlleben reviewed by Hopewell’s Public Library of Life

Novellas in Translation by Grant at 1st Reading

The Pigeon by Patrick Suskind reviewed by Cathy at 746 Books

A Girl Returned by Donatella Di Pietrantonio reviewed by Ali at HeavenAli

The Provincial Lady Goes Further by EM Delafield reviewed by Hopewell’s Public Library of Life

Sweet Days of Discipline by Fleur Jaeggy reviewed by Cathy at 746books

Icefall by Stephanie Gunn reviewed by Nancy at NancyElin

Maigret and the Reluctant Witnesses by Georges Simenon reviewed by Margaret at Books Please

The Silence by Don DeLillo reviewed by Kim at Reading Matters

Five Novellas in Translation reviewed by Rebecca at Bookish Beck

10 Favourite Classic Novellas posted by Rebecca at Bookish Beck

The Spare Room by Helen Garner reviewed by Brona at Brona’s Books

My favourite Classic Novellas posted by Cathy at 746 Books

Good Morning Midnight by Jean Rhys reviewed by Imogen at Reading and Viewing the World

What Are You Going Through by Sigrid Nunez reviewed by Kim at Reading Matters

The Jew’s Beech Tree by Annette von Droste-Hulshoff reviewed by Juliana at The Blank Garden

The Hound of the Baskervilles by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle reviewed by Cathy at 746 Books

Cheerful Weather for the Wedding by Julia Strachey reviewed by Radhika’s Reading Retreat

In the Sweep of the Bay by Cath Barton reviewed by Chris at Calmgrove

Novellas in November: Short Classics reviewed by Monika at Lovely Bookshelf

Daughters by Lucy Frike reviewed by Lizzy at Lizzy’s Literary Life

The Weight of Things by Marianne Fritz reviewed by J. C. Greenway at 10 million hardbacks

The Mystery of the Enchanted Crypt by Eduardo Mendoza reviewed by Reese Warner at Typings

Short Classics for Novellas in November reviewed by Margaret at Books Please

The Lifted Veil & Silly Novels by Lady Novelists by George Eliot reviewed by Helen at She Reads Novels

Girl Reporter by Tansy Roberts reviewed by Nancy at NancyElin

Follies by Rory Fraser and The Power of Privilege by June Sarpong reviewed by Liz Dexter

Elizabeth and her German Garden by Elizabeth Von Armin reviewed by Brona at Brona’s Books

Maud Martha by Gwendolyn Brooks reviewed by Juliana at The Black Garden

The Strange Bird by Jeff Vandermeer reviewed by Annabel at Annabookbel

Writers on Writers: Josephine Rowe on Beverley Farmer reviewed by Brona at Brona’s Books

Three Short Classics from the 746 reviewed by Cathy at 746books

Miscellaneous Novellas reviewed by Rebecca at Bookish Beck

The House of Dolls by Barbara Comyns reviewed by Ali at HeavenAli

Simpson Returns by Wayne Macauley reviewed by Nancy at NancyElin

Novellas in November posted by Market Garden Reader

Three Novellas by Turgenev reviewed by Emma at Book Around the Corner

Theo: A Novella by Paul Torday reviewed by Davida at The Chocolate Lady’s Book Review Blog

Utz by Bruce Chatwin reviewed by Chris at Calmgrove

Novellas in November: Featuring Bog People, Insomnia and the Disappearance of the Moon reviewed by Naomi at Consumed by Ink

Brona at Brona’s Books has put together a great list of Australian novellas to celebrate Aus Literature Reading Month!

Jacqui at JacquiWine’s Journal is tweeting a novella recommendation every day during November for #NovNov

We do hope you can take part throughout the month and look forward to all your novella recommendations!

Happy (short) reading!

Novellas in November Reading Challenge #NovNov novellas Novellas in November reading challenge