Autumn – leaves fall, temperatures drop, days shorten. There may be no better time of year to curl up with a good book. If you’re looking for what to read next, here are 10 books with just the right vibe for fall. Keep up with what I’m currently reading by following me on Goodreads!
1. The Secret History by Donna Tartt – Top Recommend! Professor Julian Marrow is an eccentric academic who collects a unique group of students to intensively study the classics each year. Set at an elite New England college, this novel is the perfect blend of the cozy, scholastic, and macabre for fall time. If you’re looking for more by the author of The Goldfinch, now released as a movie, you won’t go wrong with The Secret History.
- The Nix by Nathan Hill – Top Recommend! Samuel had success early in his writing career but hasn’t produced much of merit for years. His mother left when he was a child, but one day she pops back into his life. He decides her story might be just what his career needs to get back on track, so he sets off to better understand her. This journey takes us to the 1960s, but the challenges explored are certainly relevant in today’s America. It has a great narrative style full of hilarious and insightful gems like this one: “There is no place less communal in America – no place less cooperative and brotherly, no place with fewer feelings of shared sacrifice – than a rush-hour freeway in Chicago.”
3. If the Creek Don’t Rise by Leah Weiss – Top Recommend! Growing up in a poor Appalachian town, Sadie is a young girl who doesn’t see a future any different from her mother’s or grandmother’s until a new teacher tries to change her path. The story is revealed through vignettes about different members of the community. Weiss’s deep understanding of each character’s motivation instills each scene with compelling emotion. So good!
- The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern – For fans of magic and fantasy, this is not your typical circus with clowns and such. It’s enchanting and mysterious and serves as the backdrop for a sweet romance between two young magicians. This is a debut novel that would benefit from deeper character development, but nonetheless, I loved it for the strikingly beautiful world Morgenstern creates. The visual aesthetic is uniquely impressive. In fact, it inspired my Halloween costume a couple of years ago.
5. Celine by Peter Heller – Celine is an unconventional private investigator with flair and a talent for finding people. One day she is hired by a young woman named Gabriela who has been searching for her missing father, a renowned photographer. Check out my full review here.
- Gentlemen & Players by Joanne Harris – Ray Straightley teaches at a traditional New England prep school called St. Oswald’s. As the school year unfolds, he gets pulled into a game of wits against a new up-and-coming faculty member who seems to have a personal vendetta against the school. You can read my full review here.
7. Forty Autumns: A Family’s Story of Courage and Survival on Both Sides of the Berlin Wall by Nina Willner – Willner deftly blends a heartwarming family story with historical background of the Cold War in this fascinating portrait of Berlin.
- In Cold Blood by Truman Capote – For those of you who like true crime, this is the perfect time of year for this classic. When the brutal murder of a family in Kansas captured his imagination, Capote dedicated himself to recording the events of the murder through capture and trial of the perpetrators. Fun fact: Truman Capote and Harper Lee (author of To Kill a Mockingbird) were great friends. Lee even helped Capote with research for this book.
9. Jamaica Inn by Daphne du Maurier – Published in the 1930s, this is a lesser known classic. Mary Yellan moves to the ominous Jamaica Inn to live with her aunt after her mother passes away. She soon realizes unsavory people, including her threatening uncle, are up to no good, so she is forced to decide whom to trust. There’s even a Hitchcock film adaptation if you’re interested.
- The Institute by Stephen King – King’s most recent novel (released September 9, 2019) promises paranormal horrors and endearing child protagonists. Those of you who don’t appreciate Stephen King the way I do might be tired of my recommending his titles. But a fall reading list would be otherwise incomplete. Halloween is right around the corner, and this sounds like the perfect accompaniment. Full review coming soon!
