Fall is officially here — It’s the season of colorful leaves, brisk evenings, and pumpkin cream cold brew! When the weather gets colder, I love to cuddle up with a good book after a long day. For some reason, I always feel most excited about books during autumn. There’s just something magical about this season! Recently, I found several books I want to add to my fall reading list.
Fantasy books have always held a special place in my heart. When I was younger, some of my favorite books were Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater, Fallen by Lauren Kate, and any books featuring fairies. Lately, I’ve also read a lot of romance, drama, and thriller novels!
Grab a cup of hot chocolate and cuddle up with any of these magical books! āØ
15 Magical Books to Cuddle Up With This Fall
1. Olive, Again by Elizabeth Strout
Check it out here!
Genre: Fiction, Saga, Short Story Collection
In this long awaited sequel, we meet the hilariously blunt and lovable OliveĀ Kitteridge again. Time has passed and Olive is getting older and dealing with loss. She tries to understand herself and those around her in the small town of Crosby, Maine. Get lost in Strout’s beautiful and poignant collection of interwoven short stories.
This book is a follow-up to Strout’s first novel, Olive Kitteridge.Ā It looks like such a fantastic read and now I want to read both novels! š
2. Pumpkinheads by Rainbow Rowell
Check it out here!
Genre: Graphic Novel, YA
Deja and Josiah are “seasonal best friends.”
They work together at a pumpkin patch in Omaha every autumn. Life gets busy and the two tend to lose touch throughout the school year. This year is different though. Deja and Josiah are seniors now and this will be their last fall at the pumpkin patch. Instead of sulking, the pair decide to turn their last shift into an adventure!
It’s time to grab a pumpkin spiced coffee and get into the fall spirit!Ā
Rowell’s graphic novel would be an awesome book to read at a coffee shop! Also, Deja and Josiah work at a pumpkin patch, so it’s perfect for fall! šš
3. The Ten Thousand Doors of January by Alix E Harrow
Check it out here!
Genre: Fantasy, Fiction
This magical novel centers around January Scaller as she embarks on an unforgettable journey. It is the turn of the 20th century and January lives with her guardian, the wealthy Mr. Locke in his estate. Her father is employed by Locke and travels the world searching for lost treasures and artifacts.
January feels isolated and alone until she finds a mysterious book called The Ten Thousand Doors. Life won’t be the same when she learns about secret doors, other worlds, and danger.
Little does January know she will uncover a story that’s closely connected to her own.
The Ten Thousand Doors of January gives me magical fall vibes! A definite “cuddle up on a chilly fall afternoon” read. I think it’s so cool that Harrow’s book features portals and other worlds! āØ
4. Grand Union by Zadie SmithĀ
Check it out here!
Genre: Fiction, Collection
In her first short story collection, Smith delves into the complexities of our modern day world. Grand Union brilliantly discusses time, identity, rebirth, and legacies. This collection will truly make you think because she experiments with various writing styles and each individual story is unique.
Smith is an amazing writer. I read her debut novel, White Teeth during college. I’m so glad I discovered her and look forward to reading her short story collection! š
5. Dracula by Bram Stoker
Check it out here!
Genre: Horror Fiction
Young English lawyer, Jonathan Harker heads to Transylvania for a business trip. He is going to settle a property deal with Count Dracula, but finds himself in a series of terrifying events.Ā
A true Halloween classic to cuddle up with — there are also so many adaptations of this book! Dracula is the epitome of spooky! š»
6. Ninth House by Leigh Bardugo
Check it out here!
Genre: Fantasy, Fiction
Alex Stern cannot believe she’ll soon be a member of Yale’s freshman class. Raised in Los Angeles by a “hippie” mom, she dropped out of school early and faced a lot of hurdles in her life. At twenty, Alex is the only survivor of a chilling, unsolved multiple homicide. At the hospital, she’s offered a second chance and is given a free ride to the prestigious university.
Later, her benefactors ask that she monitors Yale’s most top secret societies. Little does she know that their activities are much more sinister than she could have ever imagined.
Oh my gosh, this book sounds intense. It reminds me of a book called Lock Every Door by Riley Sager that I talked about in my summer reading list post! Ninth House comes out on October 8th — needless to say, I already preordered!
7. Mooncakes by Suzanne Walker & Wendy XuĀ
Check it out here!
Genre: Graphic Novel, Fantasy, YA
Nova Huang is not your typical teenage witch. In her small New England town, she investigates supernatural instances and works at her grandmothers’ unique bookstore.
One night, she gets notified that there is a white wolf in the woods. It is there that she finds her childhood crush, Tam battling a horse demon! She learns that Tam is running away from dark forces and needs her help!
This sounds like a truly magical story and I love that it’s very inclusive! Plus, the artwork is GORGEOUS! If you’re a fan of graphic novels and want to feel festive, I’d 100% recommend picking up this book!
8. Gods of Jade and Shadow by Silvia Moreno-GarciaĀ
Check it out here!
Genre: Fantasy Fiction
It’s the Jazz Age, but Casiopea Tun is too busy tending to her wealthy grandfather’s house. She doesn’t have time for any tunes. However, Casiopea always dreams of getting away from her small town in southern Mexico.
One day, she finds a wooden box in her grandfather’s room. Once she opens it, Casiopea accidentally frees the spirit of the Mayan god of death. Alarmingly, he requests that she help him in getting his throne back from his brother. If Casiopea fails, she will die. If she succeeds, her biggest dreams will come true!
Another incredible fall read! When I was compiling this list, I was most excited to read this book because of its fairy tale vibe!Ā So excited to cuddle up with this book and get lost in Casiopea’s story. š
9. The Family Upstairs by Lisa Jewell
Check it out here!
Ā
Genre: Thriller, Mystery
One day after work, twenty-five-year-old Libby Jones finds a letter she’s been waiting for in the mail. She can’t stop thinking about how this letter will finally help her find out who she really is. As Libby reads the letter, she discovers the identity of her birth parents. To her surprise, she also learns that she is the sole inheritor of an abandoned mansion in Chelsea.
The thing is, Libby isn’t the only one who’s waiting for this day…
Who doesn’t love a good thriller? I keep hearing a lot about this book and am super interested in Libby’s story! Side note — the cover is beautiful! š¹
10. Red at the Bone by Jacqueline Woodson
Check it out here!
Genre: Fiction
It’s 2001 on the evening of sixteen-year-old Melody’s birthday celebration. Her family and friends are watching Melody with love in their eyes as she enters to a Prince song. She is wearing her mother’s red dress. It was custom made for her own coming of age party, which never took place.
Woodson’s novel is told from various points of view — first Melody’s, then her parents and grandparents. It ultimately tells the story of two families and how they come together in this moment to celebrate Melody. A truly powerful and poetic read!
When I read the synopsis for this novel, I thought it was so beautiful and heartfelt. The book is already out, so definitely make sure to pick up a copy! š
11. Harry Potter series by JK Rowling
Check it out here!
Ā
Genre: Fantasy, Mystery
Rowling’s iconic series centers around a young boy named Harry. His parents mysteriously died when he was little, so he lives with his cruel aunt and uncle. They do not want him to discover the truth about his identity. Much to their dismay, Harry finds out he’s a wizard on his eleventh birthday.
He travels to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. It is there that he can finally figure out what happened to his parents and go on a path of epic self discovery!
Autumn is the perfect time to cuddle up with this timeless story. You can also find the complete series boxed set
on Target and Barnes and Noble’s site. It would be a great gift for any Harry Potter fan! š
12. The Royal Holiday by Jasmine GuilloryĀ
Check it out here!
Genre: Fiction, Romance
Vivian Forest has only traveled out of the country one time. Her daughter Maddie invites her to tag along on a work trip in England to style a royal family member. Vivian is excited to take in the sights during the holiday season, but she could never have guessed her budding romance with the Queen’s secretary, Malcolm Hudson!
The plot of Guillory’s book is just so adorable. I’d love to cuddle up with this book sometime in November, right before Christmas! It’s fun that the story is set during the holiday season. Also, Vivian and Malcom’s romance sounds super sweet! š
13. The Starless Sea by Erin Morgenstern
Check it out here!
Genre: Fantasy
Graduate student, Zachary Ezra Rawlins finds a mysterious book hidden at his university’s stacks. As he turns the pages, Zachary is mystified by what he reads — among all the fanciful stories, he finds his own story from childhood. He can’t stop thinking about the book and wants to make sense of this discovery.
Zachary uncovers clues that lead him to a party in New York. At the secret club, he discovers a doorway to an ancient library below the earth’s surface!
Ooh okay — so, this book is about a love story set in a hidden underground world. So far, it reminds me of Atlantis, which I love! Can’t wait to read Morgenstern’s story! š
14. Sal and Gabi Break the Universe by Carlos HernandezĀ
Check it out here!
Genre: Fantasy, Adventure
Sal Vidon and Gabi Real meet each other for the first time at the principal’s office. Gabi believes that Sal planted a raw chicken in her friend’s locker, despite the fact that no one saw him do it and the chicken disappeared.
She later learns that he can conjure up more things than chicken. That makes them wonder — what would happen if you can go back in time and change anything?Ā
There’s just one little issue. As the two manipulate time and space, they could potentially break the universe!
The book’s front cover illustrations are so cute! The characters also sound hilarious — it’d be a fun, lighthearted novel to read in October! š
15. House of Salt and Sorrows by Erin E. Craig
Check it out here!
Ā
Genre: YA, Fantasy
Annaleigh and her sisters have always lived a sheltered life. However, the townspeople speculate that her family is cursed by the gods. This is because Annaleigh’s mother and four sisters passed away, all in tragic ways. Annaleigh then begins to have visions about her sisters’ deaths and learns that they are not accidents.
Now, she must discover some dark secrets about her family’s past before it’s too late.
Craig’s novel is a retelling of “The Twelve Dancing Princesses” by the Brothers Grimm. A lovely book to cuddle up with — don’t forget your blanket and coziest PJs! ā
Which book on this list was your favorite? Also, what are some books you’d like to cuddle up with this fall?
Reading is the best fall activity! Thanks for sharing this list š
Thank you, Caroline!! š And reading on a fall day is awesome & so cozy hehe!! š
I loved this post, Nunzia! I’ve already got Pumpkinheads on my list, it looks & sounds so cute. The Ten Thousand Doors book sounds really good, too. I’ll have to add that one & the Lisa Jewell one to my TBR. I am in a thriller mood this month! š
Aww thank you so much Hunida!! I’m happy you liked the post!! ššSo funny that Pumpkinheads is on your list too — it seriously does sound so adorable!!! I love feel good and festive reads like that! šI’m feeling the same way about thrillers this month lol Alejandro has been reading a few thrillers for his book club at work and they all looked so good!! When I saw Lisa Jewell’s book, I was like “oh yeah, this is definitely going to be a spooky read!” lol!!
Pumpkinheads just looks too cute!! I wanted to read it but, there’s a 6 week waitlist at my library so I prob won’t be able to get to it before Halloween. š That’s so cool Alejandro is in a book club!!
Oh I was actually looking which books I might read next, so thank you so much for posting this. Will definitely check out these books. Lovely post. xx
Yay, so glad this post came at the perfect time then!! š If you get a chance to read any of the books, I hope you enjoy!!! x
Yay!! This makes me so excited to read again! I was so busy this past month that I could barely read 10 pages, now I miss reading so much and I can’t wait to make it my main autumn activity š
Aww, your comment made my day, Juliette!! So happy this got you excited for fall reading!! šš Funny enough, September was hectic for me too!! But it’s finally starting to slow down, thankfully! Autumn is the perfect season to make a hot cup of tea & read a book you can’t put down! Happy reading, hon!! x
Such a great list! This is the perfect time of year to start re-reading Harry Potter, I’m on book 5 again!
Thanks so much, Cleia!! š Wow, that’s really awesome!!! I still have yet to finish the series, but I’m working on it very slowly hehe!! It’s the perfect series to read on a cozy fall night — absolutely had to include it on this list!! JK Rowling is such a fantastic and detail oriented writer! And there’s something nostalgic about Harry Potter too! āØ
It’s so long, it’s hard to read all at once! I’ve heard the audio books are good, I’ve been loving my audible membership books lately for when I’m cooking or cleaning. It’s nice to be able to listen and work at the same time š
Fall is the best time for cuddling up and reading!
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It really is cause fall is just so cozy! š Gotta love the sweater weather & all the fun autumn themed books!
Thanks for stopping by and reading, Caitlin!! x
Pumpkin heads looks so good! I love Rainbow Rowell so I’ll have to try and get it. Thank you for the recommendations ššā¤ļø
The book is really festive and fun — I love that it’s a graphic novel and set in a pumpkin patch. š Such a cute concept! Also, Rainbow Rowell is definitely an amazing author!! I loved Eleanor and Park from her!
Hope you’re having a good day! Enjoy your weekend, Elsie!! x