Since 2013, May has been known by book-lovers by another name: Short Story Month. If you're ready to kick off this year's celebration the right way, make sure to pick up a short story collection to read over the weekend.

Modern life moves more than a mile a minute, so it never surprises me when I hear someone say things like they "don't have time" to read. Our schedules are jam-packed with so many hours of work, chores, family commitments, and social obligations, that there is barely any downtime to sit and relax with a long book. Without free time, how can anyone ever finish a whole novel?

One of the greatest things about short story collections is how easy they are to read. The very structure of the short story makes them ideal for reading in between all of your to-do list items. Even if your day is booked solid with appointments, meetings, classes, and errands, there is more than enough time to enjoy at least one piece of short fiction. Trust me, I've been there, and whenever I'm too busy to read a whole book, short stories always come to the rescue.

Are you too swamped to enjoy a novel this weekend, or just looking for a fun way to kick off May's Short Story Month? Then here are five short story collections under 300 pages you can finish before Monday comes.

'You Think It, I'll Say It' by Curtis Sittenfeld Hardcover Page Count: 240 In one of the most talked about collections of the year, bestselling author of Prep Curtis Sittenfeld presents a mesmerizing array of short fiction about modern life. Featuring sharp and pointed stories about class, gender, relationships, and identity, all told with her signature wit and insight, You Think It, I'll Say It will leave you hungry for more from this master storyteller. Click here to buy.

'Heads of the Colored People' by Nafissa Thompson-Spires Hardcover Page Count: 224 In this searing work of short fiction about black identity in modern America's middle class, author Nafissa Thompson-Spires gives readers a collection of dazzling vignettes with unique characters you won't be able to stop thinking about. At turns humorous and affecting, Heads of the Colored People is a timely work that gets to the heart of race and identity politics, and the many ways the black body is still under attack today. Click here to buy.

'The Merry Spinster' by Daniel Mallory Ortberg Paperback Page Count: 208 Based on the popular "Children's Stories Made Horrific" series, Daniel Mallory Ortberg's The Merry Spinster is a collection of dark, twisty, and wholly imaginative fairy tales like you've never before. Featuring a narrative about a Beauty who is herself a kind of beast, a haunting reimagining of The Velveteen Rabbit, and a IT-infused Bible retelling, this spectacular work of short fiction will change the way you see your favorite bedtime stories. Click here to buy.

'Bring Out the Dog' by Will Mackin Hardcover Page Count: 192 Drawing from his many deployments with a special operations task force in Iraq and Afghanistan, debut author Will Mackin gives readers with a gut-wrenching glimpse into modern warfare. Featuring stories from his life at home and his unbelievable experiences abroad as a member of the U.S. Navy, Bring Our the Dog is a remarkable book about life, death, war, violence, heroism, and home. Click here to buy.