I am a cold weather creature. Knit sweaters. Wool socks. The scent of woodsmoke and cinnamon. Apples and pumpkin spice everywhere. I’m not happy unless it’s a little bit chilly. Every year I spend most of the summer waiting for fall. And every year I curate a list of fall books. If a book sounds like it has serious autumn vibes, I’ll wait until October or November to read it. I take my fall reading very seriously.
Some books make the list because they take place during the fall, like The Scorpio Races. Others dobecause they sound spooky, like Mexican Gothic. Or they’re about witches, like We Ride Upon Sticks. Others have that elusive fall feeling. You know what I mean. Some books just have autumn vibes. Anything that sounds particularly suited for Halloween goes on my October reading list. The rest are for November.
This list is to help you put together your own stack of fall books to get in the mood for autumn. Steep a cup of tea, don your coziest sweater, and light your favourite scented candle. Then snuggle up with one of these autumnal reads.
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I Put a Spell on You — Fall Books About Witches
What says autumn vibes more than magic and witchcraft? These four fall books cover all your witchy bases from Manhattan to high school.
Magic Lessons by Alice Hoffman
In this prequel to Practical Magic, Alice Hoffman traces back through the Owens bloodline to the origin of the curse. This is the story of Maria Owens. In England in the 1600s, the man she loves abandons her. She follows him to Salem, Massachusetts. There she invokes the curse that will follow her family for generations. Fans of Practical Magic and The Rules of Magic won’t want to miss this tale of the Owens woman that started it all.
Buy it: Indigo
Listen to Episode 3: The Rules of Magic by Alice Hoffman
We Ride Upon Sticks by Quan Barry
Set in Danvers, Massachusetts in 1989, We Ride Upon Sticks follow the Danvers High School Falcons field hockey team. These girls will do anything to make it to the state finals. Even tapping into the forces of darkness to secure themselves victory. If you want your witchy autumn vibes with a side of ‘80s nostalgia and a heavy helping of friendship, this one’s for you.
Buy it: Indigo
The Year of the Witching by Alexis Henderson
Immanuel Moore does her best to follow the protocols of the rigid, puritanical society in which she lives. Until she stumbles into the forbidden woods surrounding the lands of Bethel and makes a startling discovery. Her dead mother’s journal, bestowed upon her by the spirits of four powerful witches. And she begins to uncover Bethel’s dark secrets. If you want your witchy story with a good dose of spookiness, add The Year of the Witching to your list.
Buy it: Indigo
The Witches of New York by Ami McKay
1880. New York. Adelaide Thom and Eleanor St. Clair cater to the high society ladies of Manhattan. Through their tea shop they dole out herbal cures, palmistry, and potions. Then Beatrice Dunn arrives, bringing with her visions of ghosts no one else can see. Blending Victorian occultism and the Gilded Age of New York, The Witches of New York delivers a story of magic, intrigue, and strong female friendships.
Buy it: Indigo
Sleep With the Lights On — Fall Horror Books
No autumn reading list is complete without a dash of horror. These fall books are for readers who are seeking a delicious thrill of terror.
The Only Good Indians by Stephen Graham Jones
This blend of classic horror and social commentary follows four American Indian men. A traumatic event from their childhood puts them in the path of an entity bent on revenge. They are helpless as the culture and traditions they’ve left behind catch up to them. Violently. If a solid dose of horror is what you want this fall, put The Only Good Indians on your list.
Buy it: Indigo
Taaqtumi: An Anthology of Arctic Horror Stories
Taaqtumi gets its title from the Inuktitut word that means “in the dark.” That’s probably not where you want to read these stories. Zombie viruses, post-apocalyptic communities, and terrors lurking behind doors that beckon. You’ll find all this and more in these chilling stories that will remind you of all the reasons to be afraid of the dark.
Buy it: Indigo
Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia
In 1950s Mexico, Noemi Taboada receives a pleading letter from her newlywed cousin. Noemi makes her way to High Place, a mansion in the countryside. But the house has secrets in its walls, stories of violence and madness. Glamorous socialites and creeping dread collide in this tale of gothic suspense. If you love gothic horror and haunted houses, you won’t want to miss Mexican Gothic.
Buy it: Indigo
We Have Always Lived in the Castle by Shirley Jackson
Speaking of creepy houses, is any list of autumn books complete without some Shirley Jackson? We Have Always Lived in the Castle is the story of our narrator, Merricat Blackwood, her sister, and her uncle. They are the only remaining Blackwoods, survivors of a tragedy that left the rest of the Blackwood family dead. Jackson’s story uncoils slowly, remaining unsettling and ominous right to the very end.
Buy it: Indigo
Listen to Episode 29: Haunted by Horror
Creature Feature — Supernatural Tales
Vampires. Killer water horses. Deals with the devil. If the above fall books don’t scratch that fall book itch, these ones will.
Sunshine by Robin McKinley
Sunshine lives in a world where supernatural Others roam amongst people. But the darkest of the Others are vampires. One night, Sunshine makes a fateful trip out to the lake that entangles her fate with that of a vampire. And changes her future forever. Robin McKinley weaves an alternate world of magic wielders and demons that strikes a perfect balance between cozy and horrific. If you like your vampires monstrous, but with a side of cinnamon buns, this one’s for you.
Buy it: Indigo
The Scorpio Races by Maggie Stiefvater
Every November the island of Thisby holds the deadly Scorpio Races. Riders try to stay astride the vicious water horses, the capaill uisce, long enough to make it to the finish line. This year Sean Kendrick enters as a returning champion. Puck Connolly enters in a last desperate attempt to keep her family together. The first and only girl in the race. For those who love Celtic mythology, rugged islands, and fierce characters, The Scorpio Races is a must-read.
Buy it: Indigo
The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue by V.E.Schwab
Addie LaRue makes a desperate deal with a devil. The bargain: she will live forever, but everyone she ever meets will forget her. Spanning centuries and continents, Addie tries to make her mark on history. Until 300 years after her deal, she meets a man who remembers her name. V.E. Schwab’s latest book releases October 6, but it’s already receiving rave reviews. You won’t want to miss this sweeping tale of love, loss, history, and art.
Buy it: Indigo
Son of A Trickster by Eden Robinson
Sixteen-year-old Jared Martin smokes too much and drinks too much and spends more time dealing pot cookies than doing homework. But he has a lot of compassion for the people around him. Even the parents he can’t rely on. Now he’s starting to have blackouts and ravens are talking to him even when he’s sober. Coupled with his maternal grandmother’s suspicion that he’s not human, Jared is starting to wonder if he really is the son of a trickster. Eden Robinson has an incredible talent for weaving the mythical with mundane and delivers a story that is perfect for an autumn evening.
Buy it: Indigo
It’s Alive! — Autumnal Science Fiction
If you’re the kind of reader who wants a bit of mad science in your fall books, these ones are for you.
The Strange Case of the Alchemist’s Daughter by Theodora Goss
Mary Jekyll, daughter of Dr. Jekyll (yes, that Dr. Jekyll), stumbles upon a mystery after the death of her father. During her investigation, Mary meets her sister, Diana Hyde; the giantess, Justine Frankenstein; Beatrice, the poisonous girl; and Catherine, a panther-woman who escaped from Dr. Moreau’s island. Each of them has been the subject of strange, illegal experiments. With the help of Sherlock Holmes, they’re going to get to the bottom of it. If you’re looking for some lighter fare this fall, look no further than this fun romp through the classics of Victorian science fiction. Follow it up with European Travel for the Monstrous Gentlewoman and The Sinister Mystery of the Mesmerizing Girl.
Buy it: Indigo
Wilder Girls by Rory Power
Eighteen months ago the Tox broke out, killing teachers and students alike. The Raxter School for Girls has been under quarantine ever since. When Hetty’s best friend Byatt goes missing, she’ll stop at nothing to find her. But there’s more going on at Raxter than Hetty realizes. Wilder Girls is Lord of the Flies meets Annihilation at an isolated girls’ boarding school. It’s set during that period in mid-fall when the frost starts to take hold, making it perfect for a cold November night.
Buy it: Indigo
Frankenstein by Mary Shelley
Truly there is no better time to read Mary Shelley’s classic than in the fall. Victor Frankenstein becomes the victim of his own hubris in his attempts to defy death. He brings to life a being of his own creation. A hideous, hulking creature of parts stitched together. A creature that only wants love and acceptance, but is met with fear and rejection. This iconic piece of fiction has influenced popular culture and genre fiction alike, more than earning its place among the canon on English literature.
Buy it: Indigo
Related Reading: “For the Love of Science Fiction”
What’s on your fall reading list? We’d love to know your favourite fall books. Tell us in the comments below or e-mail us at hello@anotherbookontheshelf.com
