Looking for Fall Books to read? Here are the 25 best Fall Books to read that’ll make you feel warm & cozy.
Scented Candles, Warm blankets, and pumpkin spice. Autumn is the best season! Fall evokes warmth & coziness. And nothing makes me happier in Autumn than curling up on the sofa in my PJs with a good book. Whether you’re looking for murder mystery books, scary books or fantasy books to read in the Fall – I got you! Grab your cozy blanket – here are 25 cozy fall books to read that give serious autumnal vibes. These books are the perfect start to bring the best of the fall feeling into your life.
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Here are 25 Fall books to read
Insanely Cozy fall books to read this autumn
Scary Books to read in fall
Sawkill Girls
If you’re looking for a dark, moody and atmospheric read about sapphic girls with magic powers
Sawkill island has never been safe for young girls. There is a local legend about a paranormal beast who hunts young girls.
We are introduced to three girls: Zoey, Val and Marion. They have the power to save the island. If they are willing to come together and try.
Sawkill Girls is a really dark fantasy book. And it’s definitely not for everyone. The world-building is dark, moody and atmospheric. But I love the idea of sapphic girls coming together and using magical powers to conquer evil.
Buy SawKill Girls
Good reads
Coraline
If you’re looking for a dark, atmospheric book with a spooky plot
Coraline is a classic. And it really delivers on creepiness. Neil Gaiman writes the most atmospheric books. And they always have autumnal vibes.
Coraline is fed up with the lack of attention from her parents. She discovers a family from a parallel universe. And they give her everything she wants.
But is everything as it seems?
The sassy cat is the best. Especially when Coraline tries to befriend the cat. And it responds with “We COULD be rare specimens of an exotic breed of dancing African elephants, but we’re not. At least, I’M not.”
Good Reads
Buy on book depository
YA Fall Books to Read
These Witches Don’t Burn
If you love Hocus Pocus – Sapphic Witches in Salem
It’s a YA Fantasy book about witches featuring a f/f romance. Plus it’s set in Salem.
These Witches Don’t Burn follows Hannah. She is a witch living in Salem.
A dark blood ritual interrupts her end of school bonfire. And so, she investigates with her ex-girlfriend Veronica.
She also meets Morgan. But trying to date in the middle of a supernatural crisis is not easy. And it will test Hannah’s limits.
This is one of my favourite duologies! The magical, fantastical elements are developed really well. And pacing of the plot will keep you hooked.
Good Reads
Buy These Witches Don’t Burn
Cemetary Boys
If you love YA Contemporary books with LGBTQ+ characters
Cemetery Boys follows Yadriel whose traditional Latinx family has problems accepting his true gender.
To prove himself, he performs a ritual. And sets out to find the ghost of his murdered cousin.
How perfect is that plot for Halloween? The cover, the plot and the intrigue all scream autumnal Halloween vibes.
Good Reads
Buy Cemetery Boys here
Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children
If you’re looking for a book with Dark Academia vibes
Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children follows Jacob. His grandfather escaped the Holocaust and grew up at an orphanage for children with strange powers. He even has photographic evidence.
As he grows up, he stops believing the stories. But one day a horrible tragedy occurs. And Jacob starts to wonder – could it have been real?
I love the way antique photographs were woven into the plot. The story is gripping. And the book has a very dark and mysterious element to it.
Read the Good Reads Summary here
Buy Ms Peregrine’s home for Peculiar Children
Goosebumps
If you’re looking for a childhood throwback
The goosebumps books were some of the first books I read. And they made me love reading.
Goosebumps are children’s horror stories. They were originally written and released in the nineties. They follow child characters who find themselves in scary situations.
They’re not necessarily particularly scary. Stine actually characterizes them as books that are ‘Scary but also funny’.
But the imagery and the plots are fantastic and very original. There is something so comforting about reading a childhood favourite. Plus the series has over 60 books. So plenty to get stuck into.
Good Reads
Buy on Book Depository
Classic Fall Books to read
Rebecca
If you’re looking for an easy-to-read classic with lots of twists
Rebecca is raved about by its fans. It sold 2.8 million copies between 1938 and 1965. And it has never gone out of print. Also in 2017, English bookworms voted it their favourite book of the past 225 years.
The novel opens in Monte Carlo. The young protagonist is a companion for an American woman Mrs Van Hopper. She meets Maxim De Winter who completely sweeps her off her feet. And he proposes.
But when they arrive at Manderley country estate she realises how large a shadow his late wife will cast over their lives.
Rebecca truly deserves to be a classic. The complex characters, slow build tension and gothic atmosphere really hook you in. I would particularly recommend this for fans of Jane Eyre.
Read the Good Reads Summary
Buy Rebecca on Book Depository
The Adventures of Sherlock
If you’re looking for a classic detective story
Sherlock Holmes instantly reminds me warm, cozy autumn evenings next to the fire.
The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes features 12 short stories. It follows detective Sherlock Holmes. He solves a number of different cases.
The detective is at the height of his powers. And this collection features some of the most famous stories.
This collection of short stories about Sherlock Holmes is incredible. And they are satisfyingly easy to read!
If you’re new to classics or in a reading slump – then I highly recommend these! The short stories can be easily read in one sitting. These were first published in Strand magazine. And they were incredibly successful.
Buy Sherlock here
Good Reads
Dracula
If you’re looking for a classic horror story
Dracula is a classic horror story. It’s also a great starting point if you want to read more gothic literature.
Jonathon Harker is a young English lawyer. He travels to Castle Dracula in Transylvania to conclude a real estate deal with Count Dracula. However, the local peasants warn him about evil.
If you’re looking for a dark, gothic read then you should pick this one up. It’s a timeless horror story and set the tone for vampire fiction.
Buy Dracula on Book Depository
See Good Reads Summary
Murder on The Orient Express
If you’re looking for an easy-to-read classic detective story
Agatha Christie was an incredible writer. And she has so many amazing detective stories. ‘Murder on The Orient Express’ is an excellent starting point.
It follows Poirot. He is on a train journey when there is a murder. And he has to investigate who the murderer is.
The characters in Christie’s books were often based on real people. And so they feel very relatable – even today. The plot has some good twists in it. I love reading Poirot’s thought process when solving the murder.
Christie’s books are the ultimate cosy fall reading.
Good Reads
Buy Murder on the Orient Express
Frankenstein
If you’re looking for a classic horror story
Frankenstein is another classic. The book is very interesting to read as it’s very different from many of the adaptations.
Many people are familiar with the basic story but the novel is different from what you will be expecting.
It’s the classic story of a scientist who decides to create a new being. He plunders graveyards for parts and brings it to life using electricity.
Mary Shelley was a super talented author. And this book is much more emotionally powerful than you realise.
Good Reads
Buy Frankenstein here
Northanger Abbey
If you’re looking for a dark gothic romance
Northanger Abbey is one of my favourite Jane Austen novels. It has a dark, gothic tone which makes it stand out when compared to her other works. And the dark, moody atmosphere makes it a perfect fall book to read.
Catherine Morland moves to Bath to stay with the childless Allen family.
Introduced to society, she attracts the attention of two men. But her overzealous imagination begins to jeopardize her social position.
The imagery is full of shadowy mansions and decrepit castles. The plot is also full of twists and turns. While these novels were written years ago – Jane Austen writes excellent characters. The themes are timeless and they are still relevant today.
Good Reads
Buy on Book Depository
Murder Mystery Books – Fall Books to Read
Sadie
If you’re looking for an Autumnal audiobook with a dark plot
There is something very atmospheric about audiobooks. In particular, the Sadie audiobook is incredible. It features a fall cast of narrators and sound effects. It truly sounds like you’re listening to a true-crime podcast. And it brings the story to life.
Sadie tells the story of a missing girl on a mission for revenge. It also features a podcast that tracks down the clues she’s left behind.
Wow! This will take you on a roller coaster journey of emotions. If you love thrillers or revenge plots then you have to read this one.
Buy Sadie here
Sadie audiobook on Audible
Read the Good Reads Summary
The Seven Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle
If you’re looking for a mystery with a unique concept
The Seven Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle follows Aiden Bishop. He has to solve the murder of Evelyn Hardcastle.
Evelyn Hardcastle will die every day until he can identify her killer. But every time the day begins again, Aiden wakes up in the body of a different guest. Each character has slightly different information he needs to solve the murder.
The plot is really gripping. And the premise is very unique. The twists were also excellent. The plot was sufficiently dark. And I was transported to a world free of technology.
Get The Seven Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle
Good Reads Summary
The Appeal
If you’re a seasoned crime reader searching for a unique mystery thriller.
The Appeal is unlike any other mystery thriller I have read. And the unique format will appeal to crime fiction fans.
It gives you the chance to turn investigator. There is a tragic death in an amateur dramatics group. A member of the drama group is in prison for the crime. But they suspect they are innocent.
Roderick Tanner QC, of Tanner and Dewey LLP, gives law students a bundle of emails, documents and messages to read through. The real killer can be found in the bundle of papers. And the reader has the chance to identify the killer too.
The narrative is made up of email conversations and papers. The epistolary format lends itself perfectly to the mystery-thriller genre. And there are many unexpected twists and turns.
Good Reads
Buy on Book Depository
Thursday Murder Club
If you like a cozy murder mystery with quirky characters
Thursday Murder Club follows four unlikely friends living in a luxury retirement village. Every Thursday, they meet to discuss unsolved crimes. They call themselves the Thursday Murder Club.
But when a murder takes place on their doorstep, they suddenly find themselves in the middle of a live case.
The quirky cast of lovable characters made me laugh out loud on several occasions. And the dialogue was also hilarious.
The residents in the retirement home were constantly underestimated. And it led to some really funny moments in the plot.
Good Reads
Buy on Book Depository
The Guest List
If you’re looking for a fast-paced thriller
I really enjoy Lucy Foley’s writing style. Her books are fast-paced with lots of twists. This will definitely be a book you’ll want to binge read.
On an island off the coast of Ireland, guests gather to celebrate two people joining their lives together as one. But then someone turns up dead.
Good Reads
Buy The Guest List
The Good Girls
If you’re looking for a Sapphic Murder Mystery
Emma Baines, a student, is murdered. And three girls become suspects. But what really happened to Emma Baines?
The writing style has a very autumnal tone! Lot’s of dark, moody imagery in a school. If you like the dark academia aesthetic you might enjoy this one.
The multiple POV works very well. And I really enjoyed how the girls work together in the book. It contains a Sapphic relationship. But it’s definitely not a romance.
Good Reads
Buy Good Girls
Fantasy books to read in Fall
A Dark and Hollow Star
For fans of YA Fantasy and Crescent City
A Dark and Hollow Star is an urban fantasy, with fae, queer main characters and a wlw romance.
A series of gruesome murders threatens to expose the faerie world to humans. Four queer teens – Nausicaä, Arlo, Vehan, and Aurelian – each hold a piece of the truth. And they must track down the mysterious killer.
Shuttleworth’s writing was perfect. And it really bought the urban fantasy world to life.
But the characters are what makes this one of the best fantasy books. Nausicaä is a very sarcastic and chaotic lesbian. And I loved her instantly.
Good Reads
Buy A Dark and Hollow Star
The Raven Cycle
If you’re looking for a paranormal fantasy with unforgettable characters
Each year in the churchyard, Blue watches her psychic mother see those who are going to die that year. Blue never actually sees them herself. Until this year. When she speaks directly to a boy.
He is called Gansey and is a student at Aglionby school. The students there are known locally as Raven Boys.
I had so many recommendations to read this and for good reason. The characters and the relationships are what make this one of the best fantasy books.
Good Reads
Buy The Raven Boys here
A Curse So Dark and Lonely
If you love A Court of Thorns and Roses
A Curse So Dark and Lonely is an incredible YA fantasy book featuring a badass heroine with Cerebral Palsy
A Curse So Dark And Lonely is a retelling of Beauty and the Beast. There is a curse on Emberfall. And Prince Rhen, Heir of Emberfall, needs to make a girl fall in love with him to break the curse.
Harper has cerebral palsy. And she struggles to look after her dying mother. She tries to save a stranger. But she is pulled into the world of Emberfall.
A Curse so Dark and Lonely includes an adorable romance. And it’s an excellent retelling that puts a modern spin on the original fairytale.
Read the Good Reads Summary here
Buy A Curse So Dark and Lonely here
An Enchantment of Ravens
If you’re a Sarah J Maas fan
An Enchantment of Ravens is a recent discovery of mine. And it would also be a great pick for Sarah J Maas fans.
It follows Isobel who is a painter. And she creates stunning portraits for the dangerous fair folk. She paints a portrait of the Autumn Prince. But she paints humanity in his eyes. And that’s a deadly mistake.
The imagery in this book is stunning. The world is incredibly beautifully described with whimsical imagery. And I love the focus on art and craft in the book.
This book is full of forest imagery which is really beautiful. And because it follows the Autumn Prince – it’s full of autumnal imagery in the writing.
Get An Enchantment of Ravens
See the Good Reads Synopsis
The Night Circus
If you’re looking for a fantasy historical fiction
The circus arrives without warning. No announcements precede it. It is simply there when yesterday it was not. But it’s only open at night.
And behind the scenes a fierce competition is underway between two rival magicians.
This book has everything I want in a fall read. The writing and prose is incredible. I love all books about magic and circuses.
Good Reads
Buy The Night Circus
Silver in the Wood
If you’re looking for an LGBTQ+ story with magical forest imagery
I saw this book recommended on Riley Marie’s Youtube Channel. And I’m so glad she recommended it.
This book follows a forest guardian. He is tasked to look after the forest. A man moves into the house in the forest. And they fall in love.
From the very start, the writing was beautiful. And the imagery in the forest is whimsical and enchanting.
If you like the cottagecore aesthetic you’ll probably really enjoy this book. I listened to the audiobook. And the duology is only 5 hours so it’s a really quick listen.
Good reads
Listen to Silver in the Woods on Audible
Contempory fall books to read
The Bakeshop at Pumpkin and Spice
If you’re looking for a book with serious autumnal food imagery
I’m not ashamed to admit that this was a complete cover buy. I saw Darling Desi mention this book. And I instantly had to buy it! Just look at that cover.
It’s set in a bakeshop at Halloween. Three residents are looking for love and they find out how magical romance can suddenly be.
This isn’t going to be the most groundbreaking plot or read. But it’s an adorable fall read filled with autumnal imagery. It will make you seriously hungry because the food imagery is incredible.
Good Reads
Buy on Book depository
Those were my Fall Books To Read
I hope this list gave you some good Fall Books to add to your reading list! And also make you feel more cozy this Fall.
If you have any questions please ask in the comments! I would also love to hear your suggestions. Happy Fall!
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