Autumn Reads

Autumn is pretty much my favorite.

The cooling temperatures, the cloudy, drizzly days, the bursting, vibrant colors as the trees turn crimson, gold, and orange, sweaters and jeans, hot cocoa and hot apple cider, the swishing sound my feet make as I tromp through fallen leaves… yes. Autumn is my favorite.

And there is nothing so nice as curling up with a good book on a cold autumn day. A cozy blanket, a warm beverage, and the rain pattering against your window.

Now, I am a bit of a mood reader.

So my moods don’t always line up well with the weather or the season. I might happen to be in the mood for a good ice and snow read in July. Or a summery beach read in January. But there are some books out there that just say, “Autumn.” And I thought I’d share MY list of good autumnal reads with you today.

Dracula by Bram Stoker

I mean, you can’t really go wrong with this classic. It’s got everything. A mysterious, misty sort of haunted castle setting out in the country. Spooky vibes. A quest. And of course, vampires.

This is a perfect read for curling up with a blanket and giving yourself some chills running down your spine. It’s definitely on the creepier end of the spectrum for me as far as what I’m willing to read. It was a bit difficult for me to turn the light off and cross the room in the dark while reading it, but it didn’t give me nightmares.

The Oath by Frank Peretti

Probably my favorite Frank Peretti novel, The Oath is also up there in the realm of “scariest” book I’ve ever read. A more contemporary fantasy novel, this book follows a town that has made a deal with the devil, and is now having to deal with the consequences.

This one has some adult themes, but is handled well, and those adult themes are not portrayed as a good thing. Themes of salvation and turning from one’s sins are also present, as the story shows the beauty of redemption, forgiveness, and faithfulness.

Ghostlight/Ghoulfire by Rabia Gale

These have been two of my favorite October reads in the last couple of years. I can't think of any words to describe these stories better than "charmingly chilling." This is a ghost story, with plenty of intrigue and spooky flare, and a villain who sticks close to the shadows and is just present enough to add an "edge of your seat" factor. This is the kind of story that will give you a delightful little shiver down your spine as you read it, but also won't keep you up at night with the covers clutched around your throat debating whether or not it's safe to cross the room in the dark to get to the bathroom.

If you like a good ghost story where the veil between the mortal and spirit realms is thin. If you like spunky heroines who step up to the plate when the need calls, and moody heroes who are crusty on the outside but are really dear and have sweet, soft hearts on the inside… then you’ll probably enjoy this series.

And book 3 just came out earlier this year, so now I know what I’m reading next!

The City Between by W.R. Gingell

These are great autumnal reads. I have to warn you, they are rather on the disturbing side. They are what you might get if you crossed NCIS with the fae. (And I’m not talking about Tinker Bell fairies, here, I mean the FAE. Dark, tall, powerful, moody, and totally in control and without human emotions).

The books tend to begin with some sort of violent murder that’s just been committed, and yes, they are every bit as disturbing as the morgue scenes in NCIS. Maybe more.

However, the majority of the story in each book does not dwell there, but follows the adventures of Pet and her fae and vampire “owners” as they investigate the crimes and try to solve them before anyone else gets hurt.

I just finished book 4 and am loving this series. It can be pretty dark, though. Fair warning.

The Girl Who Drank the Moon by Kelly Barnhill

And now for something completely different and not at all spooky… I think this sweet MG book is a perfect Fall Day read. It’s got just about everything you might want: an old woman everyone thinks is a witch (she is, but she’s the good kind), a tiny dragon who thinks he’s huge and fierce, ancient forest creatures, a village of people who are being terrorized by their own fears into doing the unthinkable, and a young girl who is accidentally fed too much moonlight and might be able to bring about a happily ever after… if she can stop being an angsty pre-teen long enough to do so.

It’s adorable and cute and sweet… with threads of deep and poignant woven throughout.

The Hobbit / The Lord of the Rings

I mean, does this go without saying? While these books take you through a variety of seasons in Middle Earth, something about them always just feels like autumn to me.

You could do worse than read (or re-read) these epic fantasy books in the Fall!

Harry Potter

I really am feeling the urge to re-read this series. It’s been a while since I read them last, and they’re another series that just always makes me feel all autumnal. Probably because each book starts at the beginning of the school term, which is autumn. And yes, they take you through the whole school year… so there are multiple seasons represented… but still… robes and butterbeer and school starting and professors and ancient castle-dormitories inhabited by ghosts?

Autumn.

When Ravens Fall by Savannah Jezowski

When Ravens Fall is a beautiful tale of love, forgiveness, and courage. This delightful Beauty and the Beast retelling with a Nordic twist will delight readers of all ages. Not a single word is wasted in this short novella, as Ms. Jezowski has packed the story with a massive amount of character development and an intricate plot complete with an ominous prophecy, a willing sacrifice, a puzzle to solve, and a dragon to fight, all wound around a beautiful love story.

The Neverway Chronicles by Savannah Jezowski

The Neverway Chronicles are another fabulous spooky read (but not TOO spooky) that I absolutely love.

A gothic fantasy world, complete with “creepers” (which are basically zombies) and ghouls and living gargoyles that guard the world against other horrifying creatures trying to get through cracks between realms… if you want something that is full of heart and will chill you just a little… you can’t do much better than these!

Do you read books based on the season or weather? Are you more of a mood reader? Have you read any of the books I mentioned above? What are some of YOUR favorite Fall Reads?