Autumn is officially here! For me that means it is time to sit outside and enjoy a good book. In the fall, I love a wide variety of genres to suit my mood and the weather. Here in SoCal, it is warm until November. In my town, our leaves don’t turn the way I envision they do on a beautiful New England day.
This fall, I’m not galivanting around the Scottish Highlands and being bathed in the red and oranges hues that seem to burst around you. I am in eternally green-let’s be real- brown because it never rains, Southern California.
At the slightest chill in the air, I take full advantage and run outside with a book. Autumn doesn’t look the same for everyone and that is okay. But books can help assist you to get that “autumn feeling”. Light a pumpkin spice candle and let’s dive in!
All my book lists will span genres. I am not and never will be a one-genre-only type of reader. Having 3-4 books on rotation allows me to switch back and forth with whatever suits my mood. Sometimes, I want a cozy book or a thriller. If it is nearly Halloween, I want to read horror. If it is a rainy day, I want to read the classics along with a cup of tea. Here are eight books that are perfect to read this fall!
The Green Mile
Genre: Fiction
Mood: Make me cry my eyes out. No seriously, can I stop crying now?
Synopsis:
The death row at Cold Mountain Penitentiary is called the green mile due to its green linoleum floor. Men walk down this hall toward their deaths in the electric chair dubbed “old sparky”. Paul Edgecomb recalls a year of his life when he oversaw the green mile. He had seen many convicted murderers in his life sit in that electric chair. But everything changed when he met John Coffey. The largest and quietest man he had ever seen whose endless tears baffled him.
John Coffey is awaiting the electric chair for the murder of two small girls. He is thought to be the devil but what if he is something entirely different than what has been said?
This novel is loaded with distinct and vivid characters. My heart raced in so many sections of this visceral story. I cried beyond what I thought was possible for a book. It left me feeling hollowed out on numerous occasions. Characters you may never root for in normal circumstances will have you feeling deeply for their souls. This novel is impactful, upsetting, entertaining, fast paced, anger inducing, deeply human, soul crushing and moving. It is Stephen King at his finest.
Reason to read in the fall:
Fall is a time when leaves are nearing their end. They turn colors and will soon fall from their branches. The men on the Green Mile are in the fall of their lives and are awaiting their deaths that are encroaching fast.
The Hunchback of Notre Dame
Genre: Classic Gothic Fiction
Mood: Devastate me with prose and give me an in-depth explanation of the architecture of this cathedral please.
The classic tale of Quasimodo, the hunchback bell ringer of Notre Dame. Kept away from the world by his cruel guardian, Claude Frollo. Set in medieval Paris when hangings were commonplace and cruelty was on display for those to ridicule. The story is centered around the gothic cathedral and the streets below. Esmerelda is a beautiful dancer and travels around but gets caught up in less than favorable situations. She catches the eye of the cruel Claude Frollo who will stop at nothing to ensure her destruction with an unrelenting and dangerous obsession.
This novel is haunting and poetic with an unforgettable ending that has lingered with me for years. Victor Hugo explores the politics of that time and the concepts of fate vs. free will. Victor Hugo is known for giving a lot of details and lengthy page counts, which I greatly enjoy. But if that scares you, don’t let that stop you from enjoying this incredible novel. Go for an abridged version which will condense the story for you. And if you think you know the story because of the Disney movie (which I love, no shade) then you are sorely mistaken.
Why Read in the Fall:
The medieval Paris setting has me envisioning hues of red and the large Notre Dame bells of gold. Stained glass, gargoyles and the dusty eaves of the gothic cathedral all inspire thoughts of autumn.
The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue
Genre: Fantasy/Magical Realism
Mood: Wistful, remorseful but with a nugget of hope and a dash of demon…who seems…hot?
Addie LaRue learns the hard way that you have to be careful what you wish for. Especially when making a deal with a demon. Addie’s life is changed forever in 1714 when she begs to get out of being married. She is now doomed to live an immortal life where no one will remember her.
Span decades and continents with Addie as she tries to leave her mark on the world. Everyone may forget her once she leaves their sight, but maybe there is more she can do to be remembered.
This novel is adventurous, sweeping, magical, hopeful, honest and beautifully written. This quickly became one of my all-time favorite fantasy novels.
Why read in the fall:
A deal with a demon who frequently checks in on his prey feels very spooky and Halloween appropriate. No horror here, it is mainly a novel of self-actualization, love and the human desire to be remembered.
And Then There Were None
Genre: Mystery
Mood: Knives Out Vibes. Someone grab me a sweater and some lakeside property, STAT.
Ten strangers are invited to a private island as weekend guests. Their host is a mysterious millionaire who nobody knows and who doesn’t turn up to the private weekend. Why would they be invited if their host didn’t even bother to show up? Speculation leads to talk amongst the ten strangers.
They share something in common but that is a secret no one would willingly divulge. A strange nursery rhyme is ever present in the property. It is framed and hung in every room. And when one by one each guest starts dying in the way that is described in the rhyme, suspicion mounts that this is not coincidental.
A classic whodunnit from the queen of this genre. A quick read thanks to the sharp pacing and a low page count, this book is so fun for those who want to solve a puzzle.
Why Read in the Fall:
The setting of a grand house on the water reminds me of fall. Fog drifting in over the water. Murder is in the air. A great Halloween read for those not wanting something overly gory or scary but thrilling.
It
Genre: Horror
Mood: Scare the heck out of me with a killer clown!
There is something bad happening in Derry. And it has been happening for years. Children are being killed. A group of childhood friends came face to face with the horror that is haunting Derry. Now, as adults, they are pulled by the force of evil resurfacing in their hometown. They come back together to face terror one final time as they try to pry the children of Derry from the demon’s grasp.
This book kept me up at night while I was reading in bed. It was the first Stephen King novel I read and was instantly drawn in through his writing and storytelling. This book is incredibly long but filled with the terror that King is known for.
Why Read in the Fall:
Pennywise the clown is my favorite horror villain. This book will fill you with terror this Halloween.
The Immoralists
Genre: Family Saga
Mood: Give me a realistic saga with a dash of mystical elements
In 1969, Four siblings come across a traveling fortune teller that can tell them the date of their deaths. Knowing the day they die alters the way they live their lives forever. Span decades and follow the siblings through their lives as they explore what life is like with the end date in mind. Can destiny be changed by the choices made or does it shape reality? Can a person outrun their fate?
This novel is loaded with exploring fate and freewill and how the choices we make in life are what colors our experience as humans. Love, ambition, the yearning for safety and isolation are just a drop in the bucket of emotional wells the story of these siblings draws from.
Why Read in the Fall:
The artwork of this novel is a stunning tree that reminds me of fall. Loaded with leaves of yellow, orange and red. The story feels cozy with it being about a family, but it expands beyond that reach into a greater expanse. The siblings scatter in the wind like falling leaves.
The Picture of Dorian Gray
Genre: Classic Gothic Horror
Mood: Beauty standards and obsession with youth have always been too high. Thank goodness people don’t commission portraits of themselves anymore.
Dorian Gray obsesses over his portrait. He even sells his soul to stay young and beautiful forever, just as the painting portrays him. Dorian begins living a sinful double life. Only the portrait mirrors how dark his soul has become.
This novel was incredibly controversial when it was first released and so many of its themes are still prevalent in society today. Given the opportunity to live life unchecked, would people lean toward the light? Or would darkness be the chosen path, knowing they can get away with anything they desire? How many people only live the way they do because that is what society expects of them? This novel is gripping, haunting and written with Oscar Wilde’s impeccable wit and social commentary.
Why Read in the Fall:
This book has a spooky portrait rotting away from the horrible deeds of its owner. If that doesn’t scream Halloween, I don’t know what does. If you watched The Substance recently, you’ll know that this type of story is spooky.
The Body
Genre: Short Form Fiction
Mood: Let me feel nostalgic for a childhood in an era I didn’t live in but somehow still reminds me of being a kid in the 90s.
Synopsis: It is 1960 in the small town of Castle Rock, Maine and four boys go on a journey along the railroad tracks to find the body of missing teen, Ray Brower. Through their journey, Gordie, Chris, Teddy and Vern learn the truth of growing up, growing apart, the lack of future their town holds for them and the harsh reality of death. A coming-of-age story that is brutally honest, bare, and poignant.
Many of you may know this story from its film adaptation, Stand By Me. This book will have you laugh and cry. Stephen King captures adolescence on the brink of adulthood with such accuracy that you will find yourself traveling back in time to when you were that age.
You can find this book as a standalone copy or in Stephen King’s novella collection, Different Seasons.
This book is on my novellas book list. Check that out if you want to read something short.
Why Read in the Fall:
This book is in the fall section of Stephen King’s novella collection Different Seasons. That section is titled “Fall from Innocence”. I believe that a lot of coming-of-age stories feel like fall due to life’s ever-changing ways.
[…] You will also find this novel on my autumn reading list. […]