You know what goes with sugar and spice? A tasty novel brimming with magic, romance, and a little bit of mystery. The days are getting dark, so the stories must get darker! In the spirit of the Autumnal season, here is a list of books that mix Nora-Ephron-sweater-weather feels with damp-cold-boarding-school vibes, perfect for reading while sipping on the season’s favorite beverage.
Is there anything more autumnal than a dark fairytale? If you’re looking for a book with big Labyrinth vibes, I introduce you to The Wicked Lies of Habren Faire! When Sabrina Parry’s sister goes missing, she must follow her into the woods and the land Eu Gwald – fairyland. Making a bargain with a charming, powerful fae prince, but knowing enough about fae promises and the power of names, she introduces herself as Habren. The question is will Habren’s wicked lies be enough to protect her from the the prince’s machinations? Will it be enough to protect her heart? I read this book in a single sitting, and I cried like a baby at the end. Need I say more? Go get yourself a cup of hot tea, and a copy of this book ASAP!
Dreams are dangerous things in this book, perfect for a dark stormy night in fall. A shadows-cursed girl, demons on her tail, and a prince of darkness she shouldn’t be falling for? Say less, I’m sold! The vibes of this one are immaculate, with big Beauty and the Beast and Phantom of the Opera energy. Curl up under a blanket, light some pumpkin spice candles, and fall into a dream world that will feel vibrant and alive while Esmer and the Shadow Bringer grow closer…
My dark academia girlies better be ready for this one! Murder and mayhem abound in this retelling of Sherlock Holmes – only this time with the enigmatic Irene Adler at its center! Irene is proving to the world that girls can do everything boys can do… by pretending to be one! Forced to pose as a man to be part Oxford’s All Souls cohort, Irene is top of the class. But when her fellow students start winding up dead, she’s determined to find the killer. Little does she know, her mysterious classmate Sherlock Holmes has the same idea. They will need to team up if they have any hope of finding the murderer… if the murderer doesn’t find them first! Rivals-to-lovers, Victorian Oxford, mistaken identities, say less!
For all my witches or the witch-adjacent, allow me to introduce you to the first witch, Hekate! This novel in verse retells the origin story of the goddess, from her war-torn childhood to her eventual discovery of her own power, and is full of female rage! Plus, Nikita Gill’s poetry is absolutely stunning! This novel is perfect for anyone looking to touch into the witchy side of the autumnal season. Be sure to read this one after lighting a candle and leaving a little sweet treat out as offering to the goddess herself!
Never judge a book by its cover, they say. Well, they are wrong. The cover of this ethereal story gives all the heartwarming Fall feelings, and the story does too! Set in Wales, water diviner Mer is on a mission to topple an evil prince. We’ve got magic and mystery and a plot that is perfect for a cozy Sunday read. Did I mention the cover with a beautiful gold tree that will look amazing on your bookshelf all year round?
If you love The Drowned Woods, there is more set in this same world and with the perfect autumnal vibes! Don’t miss The Bone Houses and The Wild Huntress!
And again, I must reiterate my previous statement: judge a book by its cover! It’s okay. We all do it. If the cover of Hollow Fires doesn’t scream Fall to you, then I don’t know what will. And on top of that, there’s a strong female lead, Safiya, who exposes a powerful story about hate and bigotry. This impactful novel will get your blood boiling in all the right ways.
Look, many moons ago, it was Fall, and I was in the 7th grade, and I skipped a day of school to read all of New Moon. There’s just something about the second book in the Twilight series that feels Autumnal. Maybe it’s all those nearly blank pages that list off the months of Fall and Winter. Or, maybe, it’s that it’s always rainy in Washington. Or is it that it reminds me of that Fall day in the 7th grade? Either way, this is the perfect book to curl up with on a cold, rainy day. Plus, it’s getting a gorgeous new deluxe collector’s edition, perfect for curling up with a hot pumpkin spice latten on a rainy day.
Fall is for magic. I don’t make the rules, but I do follow them! (Or this one at least). The amber and sienna leaves scattered on the ground, the smell of cinnamon in the air, the feeling of the warm sun hitting your arm as you sit on a park bench in the late afternoon: all magical things. A Season of Sinister Dreams is also majestic. Literally. (Well, not literally, but you know what I mean). Two magical women work towards saving a kingdom from the powerful men that rule it. There is secrets and romance and all those fuzzy things that keep you warm when the sun goes down, but you’re still sitting on that park bench, enchanted by the book in your hand.
If you think fall is synonymous with dark crime thrillers (me, hello, it’s me), The Naturals is for you! The Naturals follows a group of five gifted teens who are “naturals” in different areas of profiling who are recruited by the FBI to work on cold cases. Spoiler alert: the cases don’t stay cold for long! If you need a good serial killer thriller on your fall TBR, this is the one to dive into!
