Fall Reading List- Books to Read During Autumn.
- Courtney Johnson
- Oct 2, 2022
- 7 min read
Updated: Sep 22, 2023
Autumn creates the perfect ambiance for curling up with a good book. Whether you're sipping on a warm cup of coffee or tea, or wrapped in a cozy blanket, there's something special about immersing yourself in a captivating story during this season.
FALL BOOK RECOMMENDATIONS
Autumn by Ali Smith
Autumn by Ali Smith is the first book in her seasonal quartet, each exploring different aspects of contemporary life. This novel focuses on the character dynamics between Elizabeth, an art lecturer, and Daniel, an elderly man as they form an unlikely friendship. Set against the backdrop of a post-Brexit Britain, the story delves into themes of memory, art, politics, and the passage of time.
The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield
Reclusive author Vida Winter invites biographer Margaret Lea to uncover the truth behind her lifelong web of fabricated life stories. Vida, now aged and ailing, desires to reveal her actual, tragic past after years of mythologizing her life. As Margaret delves into Vida's dark history, she becomes entranced by a gothic tale involving the enigmatic Angelfield family, a haunting ghost, a feral set of twins, and a devastating fire. Throughout their journey, both Vida and Margaret grapple with their own secrets and confront their ghosts, ultimately experiencing transformation through the power of truth.
Truly Devious by Maureen Johnson
Stevie Bell enrolls at Vermont's Ellingham Academy, a prestigious school founded by Albert Ellingham for brilliant minds and artists, but known for a haunting unsolved crime. In the early 20th century, Ellingham's wife and daughter were kidnapped, and the case remains a great mystery marked by a taunting riddle signed "Truly, Devious." Stevie is determined to solve this cold case, but as she navigates her new school life with various eccentric housemates, Truly Devious reemerges, and new deaths occur at Ellingham Academy. The novel brilliantly weaves together these two mysteries, promising further investigations in books two and three of the series.
Wuthering Heights by Emily Brontë
Wuthering Heights is a tumultuous tale of Catherine Earnshaw and Heathcliff's intense and almost obsessive love, complicated by social class and family dynamics. After being mistreated and believing Catherine does not reciprocate his love, Heathcliff leaves Wuthering Heights and returns as a wealthy man, seeking revenge against those who wronged him. Despite its chaotic and violent narrative, the novel's intricate structure, vivid moorland setting, and poetic vision elevate it to a masterpiece of English literature, depicting the destructive power of unfulfilled passion and social prejudices.
The Secret History by Donna Tart
In an elite New England college, a group of eccentric and intelligent students is captivated by their charismatic classics professor, who introduces them to a new way of thinking and living outside societal norms. However, as they push the boundaries of morality, they descend from obsession to corruption and betrayal, ultimately succumbing to the grip of evil in a gradual and inexorable transformation.
Frankenstein by Mary Shelley
Mary Shelley tells the story of Victor Frankenstein, a young scientist who becomes obsessed with creating life from dead body parts. He succeeds in bringing a creature to life but is horrified by his own creation.
The Yellow Wall-Paper by Charlotte Perkins Gilman
A woman and her husband rent a summer house, but what should be a restful getaway turns into a suffocating psychological battle. This chilling account of postpartum depression and a husband's controlling behavior in the guise of treatment will leave you breathless.
The Diviners by Libba Bray
In 1926 New York City, Evie O'Neill is thrilled to leave her dull hometown and move to the lively city filled with speakeasies and secrets. She's sent to live with her uncle Will, who is obsessed with the occult, and harbors a supernatural power she fears he'll discover. When a murder with a cryptic symbol occurs, Evie realizes her gift might help catch the serial killer, and she becomes entangled in a thrilling mystery involving various intriguing characters while something sinister stirs in the shadows.
Rebecca by Daphne Du Maurier
Manderley, a magnificent estate by the sea, remains haunted by the memory of Maxim de Winter's first wife, Rebecca, even a year after her death. The story follows Maxim's shy new bride as she grapples with the formidable presence and reputation of Rebecca, wondering if she can ever measure up or escape her shadow. As the story unfolds, the looming shadow of Rebecca intensifies, casting a dark and ominous presence that threatens to engulf Manderley and its inhabitants in a moment of climactic revelation.
Sherlock Holmes by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
What better way to spend the autumn reading these classic murder mystery stories set in 1800's England!
SPOOKY BOOKS FOR HALLOWEEN
Pet Sematary by Stephen King
The Creed family, consisting of a physician father, a beautiful wife, and their two young children, move into a picturesque rural home in Maine. At first, everything appears perfect, but they soon discover that the nearby woods hold a horrifying secret: a burial ground that possesses the supernatural ability to resurrect the dead. As they delve into the sinister mysteries of this place, the Creeds realize that sometimes, the consequences of bringing the dead back to life are far worse than death itself.
Imaginary Friend by Stephen Chbosky
Seven-year-old Christopher and his mother, Kate, escape an abusive relationship and settle in the quiet town of Mill Grove, Pennsylvania. Initially, it seems like a peaceful place to start anew. However, when Christopher disappears for six days and returns with an eerie voice in his head and a cryptic mission to build a treehouse in the woods, the town is thrown into a chilling supernatural ordeal. This literary horror novel, by the author of "The Perks of Being a Wallflower," takes readers on a suspenseful and emotionally charged journey that redefines the genre.
We Have Always Lived in the Castle by Shirley Jackson
We Have Always Lived in the Castle is a psychologically unsettling novel that immerses readers into the world of a peculiar and isolated family with possible homicidal tendencies. The story follows the family's eerie existence, marked by neurosis and paranoia, and their disrupted equilibrium when a cousin comes to visit their estate. This edition includes an introduction by Jonathan Lethem, offering readers a new perspective on this dark and atmospheric tale of familial dysfunction and mystery.
The Shining by Stephen king
Jack Torrance sees his new job as the winter caretaker of the Overlook Hotel as an opportunity for a fresh beginning. With the hope of reconnecting with his family and advancing his writing, he moves there during the off-season. However, as the isolation of the hotel intensifies with the harsh winter, it becomes increasingly eerie and malevolent. Only Jack's son, Danny, who possesses unique psychic abilities, can perceive the dark and supernatural forces that begin to gather within the Overlook, setting the stage for a chilling and suspenseful tale.
FANTASY BOOKS
The Priory of the Orange Tree by Samantha Shannon
The ancient House of Berethnet rules Inys and is in dire need of a royal heir to protect the queendom from an awakening ancient enemy. Queen Sabran the Ninth must conceive a daughter despite looming assassination threats. Ead Duryan, a court outsider, secretly uses forbidden magic to protect the queen. Meanwhile, Tané, a dragonrider, faces a life-altering choice, and political tensions threaten to disrupt the realm as chaotic forces stir.
Babel by R.F. Kuang
Set in 1828, Robin Swift, an orphan from Canton, is brought to London by Professor Lovell and trained extensively in languages in preparation for his enrollment at the prestigious Royal Institute of Translation, known as Babel. Babel is not only a hub for translation but also for silver-working, the art of imbuing enchanted silver bars with lost meaning to achieve magical effects. The British Empire's power, built on silver-working and translation, drives its quest for colonization. However, as a Chinese boy raised in Britain, Robin finds himself torn between serving Babel and supporting the shadowy Hermes Society, an organization dedicated to sabotaging imperial expansion. When Britain initiates an unjust war with China over silver and opium, Robin faces a momentous decision: Can he change powerful institutions from within, or does revolution require violence? The novel explores themes of student revolutions, colonial resistance, and the role of translation in empire-building.
The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss
This is a novel told by Kvothe himself, recounting his life's journey from a magically gifted young boy to the world's most notorious wizard. His story unfolds in stages: his early years with a troupe of traveling players, his time as a near-feral orphan in a crime-ridden city, his daring efforts to gain admission to a legendary school of magic, and his life on the run after being accused of regicide. This captivating tale is a gripping coming-of-age narrative filled with high-action sequences and poetic prose, making it a literary masterpiece that immerses readers into the heart and mind of a remarkable wizard.
The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman
Nobody Owens, or Bod, is anything but normal, as he grows up in a graveyard, raised and educated by ghosts. His solitary guardian, Silas, belongs to neither the world of the living nor the world of the dead. In the graveyard, Bod faces various dangers and adventures, from confronting the menacing Sleer to discovering a desert gateway leading to the city of ghouls and forming a friendship with a witch. However, the true danger lies in the land of the living, where a man named Jack, responsible for killing Bod's family, poses a looming threat. This dark and enchanting tale, with illustrations by Dave McKean, is a masterwork of suspense and fantasy by bestselling author Neil Gaiman.
Piranesi by Susanna Clarke
Piranesi resides in a remarkable house unlike any other, where infinite rooms, endless corridors, and countless statues create a labyrinthine world. The house is even home to a trapped ocean, with tides that Piranesi understands intimately. He thrives on exploring this enigmatic structure, even though he shares it with only one other person, The Other, who seeks assistance with a hidden knowledge. As Piranesi investigates further, he discovers evidence of another presence and begins unraveling a terrible truth that unveils a world beyond the confines of the house he's always known.
The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern
A mysterious and enchanting circus, Le Cirque des Rêves, materializes without warning, appearing only at night. Unbeknownst to the public, it becomes the battleground for a fierce competition between two young magicians, Celia and Marco, who have been groomed for this purpose since childhood by their mentors. As the competition unfolds, Celia and Marco unexpectedly fall deeply in love, and their love has magical consequences. Despite their love, the competition must continue, with the fate of the circus and its performers, as well as the patrons, hanging in the balance. This beautifully written novel weaves together a spellbinding tale of imagination, love, and the precarious balance between the extraordinary and the ordinary.
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