Books Under 400 Pages by mood & spice. ranked by visible mood, spice, trope, page-count, and reader-fit signals. Missing series, format, and inventory facts are not guessed.
Follow these trope cues when you want the same emotional engine in a different book or guide.
Start with Circe if you want the top visible profile signal on this list. The point is not just a ranked list; it is a cleaner decision path by heat, trope, mood, and time commitment.
Trust note: this page does not invent standalone status, series order, audiobook availability, Kindle Unlimited status, live price, or live retailer inventory. Missing facts stay out of the copy.
These branches help readers avoid a mismatch before clicking away.
Circe is the first ranked profile in this guide. Open the profile before buying or borrowing.
Open CirceA Court of Frost and Starlight is the quickest visible commitment at 229 pages.
Open A Court of Frost and StarlightEntries are explained with visible local data: profile link, author, heat, page count, trope tags, and reader-fit notes where available.
A book is never described as standalone, same-series, or safe to read out of order unless a verified local source supports it.
Spice and content notes are treated as decision data, not decoration. If a rating is missing, it stays missing.
Every major list should lead to book profiles, related guides, the quiz, or email instead of becoming a dead end.
Open the profile before buying or borrowing when series context, content fit, or format availability matters.
Circe is included because its visible profile signals fit this books under 400 pages by mood & spice. list. Signals: 2/5 moderate heat and 393 pages, moderate commitment.
Reader-supported: as an Amazon Associate, Sort By Cravings earns from qualifying purchases at no extra cost to you.
Happy Place is included because its visible profile signals fit this books under 400 pages by mood & spice. list. Signals: 2/5 moderate heat and 400 pages, moderate commitment.
Just for the Summer is included because its visible profile signals fit this books under 400 pages by mood & spice. list. Signals: 3/5 open-door spice and 384 pages, moderate commitment.
Neon Gods is included because its visible profile signals fit this books under 400 pages by mood & spice. list. Signals: 5/5 highest heat and 384 pages, moderate commitment.
Reminders of Him is included because its visible profile signals fit this books under 400 pages by mood & spice. list. Signals: 3/5 open-door spice and 335 pages, moderate commitment.
The Cruel Prince is included because its visible profile signals fit this books under 400 pages by mood & spice. list. Signals: 2/5 moderate heat and 370 pages, moderate commitment.
Twisted Love is included because its visible profile signals fit this books under 400 pages by mood & spice. list. Signals: 4/5 high heat and 347 pages, moderate commitment.
A Court of Frost and Starlight is included because its visible profile signals fit this books under 400 pages by mood & spice. list. Signals: 3/5 open-door spice and 229 pages, quick commitment.
Beach Read is included because its visible profile signals fit this books under 400 pages by mood & spice. list. Signals: 3/5 open-door spice and 361 pages, moderate commitment.
Bride is included because its visible profile signals fit this books under 400 pages by mood & spice. list. Signals: 4/5 high heat and 400 pages, moderate commitment.
Butcher & Blackbird is included because its visible profile signals fit this books under 400 pages by mood & spice. list. Signals: 4/5 high heat and 310 pages, moderate commitment.
Funny Story is included because its visible profile signals fit this books under 400 pages by mood & spice. list. Signals: 3/5 open-door spice and 384 pages, moderate commitment.
Gothikana is included because its visible profile signals fit this books under 400 pages by mood & spice. list. Signals: 4/5 high heat and 324 pages, moderate commitment.
It Starts with Us is included because its visible profile signals fit this books under 400 pages by mood & spice. list. Signals: 3/5 open-door spice and 320 pages, moderate commitment.
King of Greed is included because its visible profile signals fit this books under 400 pages by mood & spice. list. Signals: 4/5 high heat and 400 pages, moderate commitment.
King of Wrath is included because its visible profile signals fit this books under 400 pages by mood & spice. list. Signals: 4/5 high heat and 396 pages, moderate commitment.
People We Meet on Vacation is included because its visible profile signals fit this books under 400 pages by mood & spice. list. Signals: 3/5 open-door spice and 369 pages, moderate commitment.
The Deal is included because its visible profile signals fit this books under 400 pages by mood & spice. list. Signals: 3/5 open-door spice and 366 pages, moderate commitment.
The Hating Game is included because its visible profile signals fit this books under 400 pages by mood & spice. list. Signals: 3/5 open-door spice and 376 pages, moderate commitment.
The Love Hypothesis is included because its visible profile signals fit this books under 400 pages by mood & spice. list. Signals: 3/5 open-door spice and 400 pages, moderate commitment.
| Rank | Book | Spice | Length | Fit signal |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Circe by Madeline Miller — 2/5 witch exile, 393 pages |
2/5 moderate heat | 393 pages | Profile signal only |
| #2 | Happy Place by Emily Henry — 2/5 fake-dating your ex |
2/5 moderate heat | 400 pages | Profile signal only |
| #3 | Just for the Summer by Abby Jimenez — 384-page curse + fake-dating 3/5 |
3/5 open-door spice | 384 pages | Profile signal only |
| #4 | Neon Gods by Katee Robert — Dark Olympus #1, 5/5 Hades/Persephone |
5/5 highest heat | 384 pages | Profile signal only |
| #5 | Reminders of Him by Colleen Hoover — 335-page 3/5 redemption, custody CW |
3/5 open-door spice | 335 pages | Profile signal only |
| #6 | The Cruel Prince by Holly Black — Folk of the Air #1, 2/5 YA |
2/5 moderate heat | 370 pages | Profile signal only |
| #7 | Twisted Love by Ana Huang — start Twisted here, 4/5 bodyguard ice |
4/5 high heat | 347 pages | Profile signal only |
| #8 | A Court of Frost and Starlight by Sarah J. Maas — ACOTAR #4, 229-page 3/5 Solstice |
3/5 open-door spice | 229 pages | Profile signal only |
| #9 | Beach Read by Emily Henry — 3/5 Moderate, small-town HEA |
3/5 open-door spice | 361 pages | Profile signal only |
| #10 | Bride by Ali Hazelwood — 4/5 werewolf contract, not the STEM lab |
4/5 high heat | 400 pages | Profile signal only |
| #11 | Butcher & Blackbird by Brynne Weaver — 310-page playful 4/5 standalone |
4/5 high heat | 310 pages | Profile signal only |
| #12 | Funny Story by Emily Henry — 384-page roommates 3/5 standalone |
3/5 open-door spice | 384 pages | Profile signal only |
| #13 | Gothikana by RuNyx — 4/5 gothic academia, 324 pages |
4/5 high heat | 324 pages | Profile signal only |
| #14 | It Starts with Us by Colleen Hoover — IEWU #2, 3/5 healing |
3/5 open-door spice | 320 pages | Profile signal only |
| #15 | King of Greed by Ana Huang — Kings of Sin #3, 400-page second chance, 4/5 |
4/5 high heat | 400 pages | Profile signal only |
| #16 | King of Wrath by Ana Huang — start Kings of Sin, 4/5 arranged marriage |
4/5 high heat | 396 pages | Profile signal only |
| #17 | People We Meet on Vacation by Emily Henry — 3/5 dual-timeline slow burn |
3/5 open-door spice | 369 pages | Profile signal only |
| #18 | The Deal by Elle Kennedy — start Off-Campus, 366-page hockey 3/5 |
3/5 open-door spice | 366 pages | Profile signal only |
| #19 | The Hating Game by Sally Thorne — 3/5 office enemies, late heat |
3/5 open-door spice | 376 pages | Profile signal only |
| #20 | The Love Hypothesis by Ali Hazelwood — 3/5 STEM fake-dating, one hotel scene |
3/5 open-door spice | 400 pages | Profile signal only |
Start with Circe if you want the top visible profile match on this list. The better choice still depends on spice comfort, time commitment, and your current mood.
The ranking uses visible local profile signals such as mood, trope, spice, page count, and available book profile links. Missing series, format, and inventory details are not guessed.
No. This page does not assume standalone status, series order, or companion-book logic. Open the linked profile or reading-order page when order matters.
The visible spice range is 2/5 to 5/5. Use the comparison table before choosing because heat level can change the whole reader-fit experience.
The visible page-count range is 229 pages to 400 pages. Use that to choose a quick read, a moderate commitment, or a longer immersion.
Some entries include outbound affiliate or retailer-search links when usable. Live price, inventory, narrator, Kindle Unlimited, and audiobook availability should be confirmed with the merchant.
One hand-picked match per week. Spice confirmed. Dealbreakers included.
No spoilers. No spam. Just books worth losing sleep over.
Disclosure: Some outbound links are affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, Sort By Cravings earns from qualifying purchases at no extra cost to you.
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