Get into this season’s spirit with these atmospheric fall reads! Guaranteed to make you want to light a candle and curl up with a hot drink under a million blankets. Ranging from romance to horror to contemporary fiction, there’s something for everyone and every mood!
1. Wuthering Heights – Emily Bronte
A gothic classic filled with betrayals, love, revenge, and yearning. Unlike typical romance books, this one doesn’t give you a likeable hero, Heathcliff is an unlikeable selfish man, as is Catherine, the love interest. If you’re a big fan of anti-heros, this is the book for you!
Get it here: Wuthering Heights
2. The Secret History – Donna Tartt
A story told from an unreliable narator about snobby rich kids studying classics. If you like cults, mystery, unreliablilty, and murder; this is the book for you. How far would you go to fit in with the cool crowd?
Get it here: The Secret History
3. Twilight – Stephanie Meyer
Classically nostalgic, Twilight is the blueprint for all things Vampiric in the late 2000’s early 2010’s. I read them every fall (this year is extra special as I am going on a roadtrip with my mum down to Seattle and I’m dragging her to Forks and La Push for one of the days haha). Filled with longing, mystery, and cheesy dialog, how could you not love it?!
Get it here: Twilight
4. Harry Potter – JK Rowling
Note: I do not support JK Rowling, please borrow from the library or buy second hand!
Magical, witty, and full of friendships you’ll be jealous of, Harry Potter is the perfect read for a cool Autumn day. I re-read the series last fall for the first time in 5 years and fell in love all over again. The world is so well built, you will look up and be surprised you’re not in an ancient castle in the English countryside!
5. House of Leaves – Mark Z Danielewski
Creepy, obsessive, disturbing, and complex, this is a book unlike any you’ve ever read before. I don’t know how to explain it other than advising you to flip through a copy on your next book store trip (I don’t recommend reading digitally as annotating is almost required). A book about a book about a movie about a house that never existed, told by multiple unreliable narrators, this book is truly unique.
Get it here: House of Leaves
6. We Have Always Lived in the Castle – Shirley Jackson
A sinister cousin, an unsolved murder, and a town who wants them dead, Merricat struggles to keep her sister Constance safe. This book is sure to make you feel isolated and on guard. It’s a short read too, only 160 pages!
Get it here: We Have Always Lived in the Castle
7. Coraline – Neil Gaiman
I’m sure you’ve seen the incredible Laika Studios adaptation of this chilling story, but have you sat down and read the book? Another short one I was able to blast through in an evening. The book is even more sinister than the movie, can you believe it was meant to be a childrens story? Short and thrillingly chilling, this one will have you on edge for the rest of the night.
Get it here: Coraline
8. Pretty Little Liars – Sara Shepard
On a less scary note we have the Pretty Little Liars book series. I haven’t read them since middle school but I do remember ripping through them faster than the library could supply them! The show is incredibly nostalgic for me and I always watch it in September. The opening scene can’t be beat! The books are much more detailed and the show is quite different, even if you’re a pll super fan, the books will give you even more secrets and mysteries to unravel.
Get it here: Pretty Little Liars
9. My Dark Vanessa – Kate Elizabeth Russell
Heartbreaking and dark, this book tells the story of Vanessa, flipping between her at 13 and her at 32. 32 year old Vanessa is trying to get by and reconcile her past; 13 year old Vanessa is being groomed by her english teacher. An experience too many women can relate to. Please check the trigger warnings before you read this book, it is Vanessas whole truth and hence very detailed.
Get it here: My Dark Vanessa
10. A Lonely Broadcast – Kel Byron
Isolated and stationed at a radio broadcast station in the middle of the appelachain forest Evelyn finds herself with a lot more responsibilty than she bargained for. Taunted by a bird and driven crazy by her co-host, Evelyn unweaves the web of mystery that is the town of Pinehaven. Though this horror story is gruesome, the characters are loveable and the black humour is sure to break the tension!
(If you’ve heard of Fears to Fathom: Ironbark Lookout, this book gives a similar vibe!)
Get it here: A Lonely Broadcast: Book One
Notes:
If you crochet and want some fall projects to work on while you listen to the audiobook of one of these, check out my post on the Top 10 Must Make Crochet Patterns This Fall
I hope you enjoyed this post! Please consider sharing with a friend, it’s my second post ever so every interaction counts! Thank you so much for reading this far, wishing you the coziest of days! <3
– Jasmin
All link are amazon affiliate links, I will earn a small commission if you use my links to make your purchase. All proceeds go towards helping me quit my 9-5 and blog full time. Thank you if you decide to use them!