It might be 84 degrees here today, but it’s fall dammit! By the time October rolls around, it should start feeling nicely fallish in the American west. To prepare for this, I’m putting together a fall reading list and putting books on hold at my local library.
I always love to read, but there’s something extra special about reading in the fall. Cozy weather, falling leaves and an atmospheric novel are a brilliant combination.
Every autumn for the last few years, I’ve chosen a Halloween classic to read. Last year it was The Haunting of Hill House. The year before it was Frankenstein and The Shining. This year I’m picking a vampire classic along with some newer books. This list has a bit of everything you want for fall, from spooky to cozy.
Please note that I have not yet read these books, so this list is based on the information that made me want to read them. (I’ll update this post with star ratings after I’ve read them.)
Carmilla by Sheridan Le Fanu
Nineteen-year-old Laura leads a lonely life until her father agrees to care for the victim of a nearby carriage accident. The injured young woman, Carmilla, is beautiful and enchanting, and she and Laura are soon infatuated with each other. Not long after Carmilla’s arrival, Laura and several other women in the area fall ill, and some begin to suspect that a vampire is at work.
Published in 1872, this vampire classic predates Bram Stoker’s Dracula by twenty-six years. Besides influencing that work, it may also have influenced Henry James’ gothic novel, The Turn of the Screw (1898). It’s also inspired countless modern reimaginings in various forms, including television, literature and music. Anne Rice even cited it as an inspiration for her Vampire Chronicles.
From the descriptions I’ve read, this book focuses a lot on the two women’s relationship and isn’t just a monster story. I think it’ll make a great Halloween read.
Weyward by Emilia Hart
Weyward follows three women in different time periods, linked by family connection and a deep love of nature. In 2019, Kate flees an abusive relationship for her great aunt’s cottage and begins to suspect that the house hides a secret hidden since the 17th century. In 1619, Altha is awaiting her trial for witchcraft and murder. And in 1942 Violet, trapped by social convention and a raging war, seeks for information about the mother she never knew.
According to reviews, this book is unusual, captivating and features green magic (one of my favorite kinds). Witch hunts, nature magic and creepy houses sound like the fall vibes I’m looking for.
The Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafón
I love books that immerse me in another time and place. The Shadow of the Wind is billed as an immersive tale of literary mystery, madness and love set in post-war Barcelona. Yes, please!
Based on the reviews I’ve read, this book stands out for its lush prose (even in translation). It looks like it sits near the cozy end of the fall book spectrum. A perfect book to curl up with by a window with a cup of tea.
The Bone Houses by Emily Lloyd-Jones
Seventeen-year-old Ryn and her siblings tend to a graveyard to scrape out a living. But the dearly departed don’t always stay dead. The ones who rise are called bone houses, and legend says they’re the result of a decades old curse. When apprentice mapmaker Ellis arrives in town just in time for a bone house attack, he and Ryn must go on an adventure to find out more about the curse and how to break it.
Even though this book is classed as horror, and apparently has some gory descriptions, a lot of reviewers use the word “enchanting” to describe it. I’ve also seen many people say that they don’t usually like zombies but they loved this book. As someone who also usually doesn’t like zombies, but does like a book with lots of layers, this sounds like a perfect October read.
Perfume: The Story of a Murderer by Patrick Süskind
Perfume is described as “a hauntingly powerful tale of murder and sensual depravity.” Sounds perfect for spooky season. The story follows Jean-Baptiste Grenouille, who’s raised an orphan in 18th century France. Despite his poor circumstances, he has a valuable gift, his incredibly sensitive sense of smell. He becomes a perfumer, but his obsession with scent leads him to murder.
According to reviews, this is a bizarre story that immerses the reader in the world of the senses.
Have you read any of these books? What did you think?
Also, I can’t get enough book recs so leave them in the comments.
The Written World 