If there ever was a time of year to embrace seasonal reading it’s fall! I’ve mentioned in the past that fall is my favorite season. Curating a fall tbr list is just one more way to fully immerse myself in this time of year!
When I think about seasonal reading, it’s usually choosing books with a genre or mood that matches what I’m trying to experience from the season. Since I get the majority of my books from the library, I’m often searching through back list reads for my tbr. Those are more easily available to get my hands on when the mood strikes!
However I do pay attention to new releases thanks to several of my bookish sources. Occasionally I get lucky with a wait list that isn’t too long on a recent publication. I was amazed this year by how many summer releases I managed to get my hands on!
What Makes a Great Fall Read?
The answer to what makes a great fall read will be different for every reader. I tend to lean into atmospheric novels set in areas of the country where you can truly experience the best things about fall, like crisp cool weather and the leaves changing colors. New England settings always make me think of fall!
Some readers may want a horror novel, a mind-bending thriller, or something a little spooky to get in the mood for Halloween. Others embrace all things fantasy or paranormal during this magical time of year. Sometimes I’m in the mood for a cozy mystery series especially if it involves baking or a bookstore.
No matter how long it’s been since I was a student, when the weather changes from summer to fall it reminds me of going back to school. Some years I’m really in the mood for a campus novel whether set at a creepy boarding school or a contemporary college campus.
While it’s always subject to change as a mood reader, this September I’m craving witchy tales, mystery thrillers, something cozy, and at least one spooky choice that’s not too high on the horror level to celebrate Halloween.
Sources for Fall Reading Recommendations
I went down a massive rabbit hole this year looking for seasonal reading recommendations and I feel like I hit the motherlode!
If you’re looking for new releases:
- Sarah’s Bookshelves offers both blog posts and podcast episodes with recommendations for upcoming releases.
- Modern Mrs Darcy features so many fall book lists from her 10+ years of blogging! She also has a fall reading guide exclusively for patreon supporters or book club members.
Some new blog posts I’ve stumbled on:
- Best Fall Books to Read from The Literary Life by Jules Buono
- The Ultimate Fall Reading Life from Perpetual Page Turner
- Bibliolifestyle has a large collection of book lists featuring anticipated fall releases as well as fall themed reading selections.
If you’re into podcasts:
- Currently Reading has several episodes that focus on fall atmosphere. Be sure to check out their backlist episodes from past years too!
- Novel Pairings is a great one if you’re into classics
- Literally Reading with last year’s fall edition and spine tingling reads episodes. I hope they have new ones coming for this year too!
I recently discovered the world of booktube with all of it’s amazing fall vibes:
- Bookables has an entire playlist devoted to seasonal reading recommendations including fall!
- Darling Desi is all about slow seasonal living with atmospheric videos and a cottagecore aesthetic. She features seasonal book hauls and an awesome Gilmore Girls themed readathon.
- Liv’s Library offers further seasonal reading recommendations and I think I’m going to participate in the sweater weather readathon this October as my first ever readathon. It looks so fun!
Fall Reads I’ve Already Enjoyed in September
This year I jumped into fall reading as soon as September began! In my September Quick Lit, I shared two early fall reads – Magic Lessons by Alice Hoffman and Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia. Since then I’ve read two more magical books!
The Rules of Magic by Alice Hoffman
Rating: 4 stars
This the second prequel in Alice Hoffman’s Practical Magic series. After much internal debate I started the series in chronological order of the story rather than publication order.
The Rules of Magic takes place in New York City during the 1960s. Susanna Owens has tried her best to raise her three children, Franny, Jet, and Vincent without any knowledge of their family legacy. She doesn’t allow them to walk in the moonlight, wear black, have animals, or read books about magic. Her most important rule is that they never fall in love.
After the children spend a summer in a small Massachusetts town with their Aunt Isabelle, they learn there’s a lot more to the Owens heritage and begin to uncover family secrets. Each sibling takes their own path through life trying to escape the family curse.
I devoured this story on audio and absolutely loved it! Although it deals with love and loss, I didn’t find it nearly as depressing as Magic Lessons. The setting in the 60s was fun and I really enjoyed getting to know new branches and members of the Owens family.
Magic for Liars by Sarah Gailey
Rating: 3 stars
Ivy Gamble is a private investigator with a slight drinking problem. She’s aware that magic exists after growing up with her gifted sister Tabitha, now a professor at a magical academy.
When a teacher is gruesomely murdered at the school, the headmaster turns to Ivy to solve the case. The sisters have been estranged for years but when Ivy accepts the case they find their paths frequently crossing and their baggage can’t stay in the past.
Magic for Liars was a quick read. I listened to the audiobook. It was an interesting mix of fantasy, mystery and family drama. I didn’t feel that any of those elements were particularly strong in the story. The characters weren’t very likeable. I wish there had been a bit more magic, world building, or a better mystery.
My Fall Reading 2021 TBR
This list is very ambitious but I had such a hard time trying to narrow down my picks.
New Releases
- Apples Never Fall by Liane Moriarty
- The Ex Hex by Erin Sterling
- The Book of Magic by Alice Hoffman
Fantasy
- The Nature of Witches by Rachel Griffin
- The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield
- Practical Magic by Alice Hoffman
Mystery/Thriller
- A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder by Holly Jackson
- The Brutal Telling by Louise Penny
- Ten by Gretchen McNeil
Something Cozy
- The Bakeshop at Pumpkin and Spice by Donna Kauffman, Kate Angell, and Allyson Charles
- The City Baker’s Guide to Country Living by Louise Miller
For Halloween
- Into the Drowning Deep by Mira Grant
- Fangs by Sarah Andersen
- Mooncakes by Suzanne Walker
What genres do you look forward to reading in the fall? What books are on your seasonal TBR?
