14 Books that Feel Like Fall
It seems that Fall is the one season people can’t agree on when the “official” start is. The Fall Equinox is here so we have truly entered the Autumnal season, but I know for others it’s been here since Starbucks reintroduced the pumpkin spice latte. I’m an after Labor Day person myself. As I type, it’s the first day the weather won’t get over 68 degrees and i’m wrapped in a blanket watching Gilmore Girls. Doesn’t get more Fall like than that!
When it comes to Fall reads, I love anything that feels cozy and perfectly describes that first crisp day. Give me football, back to school vibes, and pumpkins (maybe a peak at Thanksgiving) and I’m all in.
The Simple Wild by KA Tucker
A favorite of mine. it takes place during the Summer but it’s an Alaskan summer so there’s a coziness to it. I also tend to reread it every Autumn so I associate it with this time.
If you don’t know, it’s about Calla, a 26 year old who grew up in Toronto and hasn’t seen her bush pilot father since she was 2 years old. Circumstances lead her to Alaska where they reunite and she begins to understand her father’s life out there and the many characters that make up his community, including one grumpy pilot.
The Ex Hex by Erin Sterling
When I read this last year, it felt like Gilmore Girls meets Halloweentown. It’s a little Hallmark After Dark but it’s not a wildly steamy Romance novel. It’s an lovers to enemies to lovers Rom Com with a small town witchy twist.
Payback’s a Witch by Lana Harper
Another fun witchy small town Romance but make it sapphic! It’s the movie John Tucker Must Die but with witches, who then fall for each other. It’s so fun and atmospheric!
The Great Alone by Kristin Hannah
Another of my all time favorites. It’s set during the homesteading era in the 1970s after Alaska became a state. It’s very sad and handles difficult topics like child and spousal abuse, but it’s sweeping descriptions of Alaska made me fall in love with the region. I want to visit so badly one day!
Cackle by Rach Harrison
This is a book I haven’t read but it’s supposed to capture similar vibes to Gilmore Girls and that small town deliciousness we love about Fall.
The House Across the Lake by Riley Sager
As someone who doesn’t read a lot of thrillers and mysteries, I am a fan of Sager’s books. I really enjoyed the campiness of The House Across the Lake and it’s Autumnal setting. I love summers on the lake but there is a particular coziness and eeriness to the lake in Fall and that is captured beautifully in this book.
A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder by Holly Jackson
I was probably the last person on earth to read this book, but if you’re like me and don’t dabble too much in the genre, you’ve got to try this one! It’s fast paced and set in New England. It’s about Pip, a high school senior with a podcast set out to solve an unsolved murder in her home town.
The Playbook Series by Alexa Martin
When football season is upon us, reading The Playbook series is a must! Alexa is a former NFL wife and her books are about more than the sport. My favorite is Blitzed, book 3, but they are all so so so good.
The Off Campus Series by Elle Kennedy
Head back to campus with the Briar U hockey boys! This romance series is definitely written from the male gaze, but honestly, it’s a fun and addicting series to get lost in if you enjoy the New Adult genre. I’m thinking I might reread it!
Hagseed by Margaret Atwood
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Atwood is one of the most masterful authors of our age and her retelling of Shakespeare’s The Tempest set in a prison is one of my favorites.
The Undertaking of Hart and Mercy by Megan Bannen
I read this book recently and was utterly charmed by it. It’s the perfect blend of Romance and Fantasy!
A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas
Fantasy Girl Fall is not something I subscribe to, but once the weather turns I always crave returning to Prythian. My favorites in the series are books 2 and 4 (ACOSF) and I also love the Crescent City series!
When No One is Watching by Alyssa Cole
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I love a thought provoking thriller and this book on gentrification in NYC fits the bill. I read it back in 2020 and it’s fantastic on audio!
A Ghost in Shining Armor by Therese Beharrie
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Another new favorite Fall read of mine! I loved Buffy the Vampire Slayer and The Mediator series by Meg Cabot and this felt very reminiscent of those moments in pop culture. It’s super fun and super sexy for Fall Romance!