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Do you love to read but can’t find time between work and your busy life to finish an entire book? Friends, we have the answer for you. Behold: the short story.

May is Short Story Month and to celebrate, we’ve put together a list of perfect scenarios for you to go on with your fabulous life while also fitting in essential reading. Below are some of our favorite ways to consume short stories. Whether you’re waiting for your clothes to finish drying or for your delayed train to come, check out our many suggestions for getting your daily dose of Riverhead reading.

While you wait for your blind date to show up, why don’t you travel across the globe with ZZ Packer’s enthralling collection, DRINKING COFFEE ELSEWHERE? You might get so wrapped up in the stories that you might actually try to avoid that cute stranger who’s now looking furiously around the room. Hey, are you meeting someone here? Who me? Naaaah.

While you wait for the train, extremely delayed due to weekend construction AND the fact that it’s pouring outside, why not get lost in Danielle Evans’ enchanting collection BEFORE YOU SUFFOCATE YOUR OWN FOOL SELF? Trains come and go, but these kind of stories stay with you forever. 

While you wait for that mother and her seven small children to finally come out of the Starbucks bathroom, why not get familiar with the short story collection that has everyone blushing, BARBARA THE SLUT by Lauren Holmes? We rate this book Number 1. 

While you wait for your clothes to dry at the Laundromat, why not immerse yourself in Junot Diaz’s clever and much acclaimed short story collection DROWN? Come up for air when you hear the beep. 

While you wait for your server to bring you your broccoli-cheddar quiche, why not enter a realm of fantasy and endless magic with WHAT IS NOT YOURS IS NOT YOURS by Helen Oyeyemi? Who needs lunch when you can feast on words? Just kidding—we recommend that you eat.

Our countdown to THE ROSE SOCIETY is in full swing, and what we’re most excited about is getting back into heroine-turning-villain Adelina’s head. Will she be redeemed?? Will she slide further down the slope of darkness?? Whatever the case, we’re officially on team evil. Read on for our top 6 reasons villains are better than heroes:

1. They’re complex.

Don’t you get tired of the shiny, golden, all-around good guy hero trope? How can anyone be that perfect? Our favorite villains have a back story as to why they’re evil, and it’s soooo much more interesting watching the decisions they make because of it.

2. Their outfits are better.

How many heads are you going to turn at your Halloween party in a basic Superman costume? Zero. That’s how many. Supervillains have way more edge when it comes to fashion choices. 

3. They’re unpredictable.

As we learned from Adelina, villains can change their mind in an instant – which makes things way more exciting. Instead of being predictable like superheroes, supervillains keep you on your toes.

4. Their monologues are the best.

Every good villain has an anger-filled, chills-inducing, ultimately awesome speech prepared for the moment they finally come face-to-face with a superhero, and we think they’re often Oscar-worthy.

5. They’re way more creative.

A superhero has pretty much one job: go stop the villain from doing whatever they’re doing by using your strength/power/overwhelming goodwill. Villains, on the other hand, NEVER cease to amaze us with their intricate, mind-bending plots. Sure, you know their ENDGOAL is always earthly destruction, but HOW are they going to get there??

6. Nobody’s perfect…

At the end of the day, perfection can be boring. It’s the antagonist that pushes the boundaries of a story and what’s even more awesome is when the main character is also a villain, like in THE YOUNG ELITES and THE ROSE SOCIETY.

Hungry for more evil-doing? Peek inside THE YOUNG ELITES and THE ROSE SOCIETY!