Autumn is well and truly upon us, so I wanted to collect together five books I think are the perfect blend of cosy or gothic, autumnal vibes for this time of year. These books are all the perfect, cosy vibes to get snuggled under a blanket with and read the long, dark nights away.
Rebecca, Daphne du Maurier
This is the perfect gothic horror, the dark atmosphere is thoroughly captivating and the use of anonymity of the main character almost makes the reader feel alienated from our protagonist, which makes for an uncomfortable plot in the very best way. I really enjoyed the suggestion of fear and horror in this book, du Maurier has done a very clever job of telling and not showing and I think this is what makes her book a success within the genre. The Hitchcock film is also an excellent follow-up if you enjoy the book – the 2020 adaptation is also decent, but you can’t beat an OG Hitchcock.
Heartstopper, Alice Oseman
I know everyone has probably read these books by now, but they’re so cosy and autumnal to me! They’re not all set in the autumn, but book one kicks off at the start of school entering into the colder months. Despite this though, these books just have a real sense of cosiness to them and feel familiar and comforting. Each book has a beautiful moral story to it and reminds us it’s okay to be exactly who we are, unapologetically, and I think that’s a really beautiful message to have. I won’t stop recommending these books and the new Netflix show, I think they will do a lot of good for so many teens, and adults too.
White Smoke, Tiffany D Jackson
This book was the gripping horror/thriller read of the year for me last year, I adored it! It has a haunted house theme to it, a new, isolated town for our main character who suspects there’s more to their new home than meets the eye. This book is incredibly visual and gripping, the way the story unfolds will most likely creep you out, give you goosebumps and also guarantee you won’t be able to put the book down. I could think of no better time of year to read this book than the autumn when you can snuggle up and feel safe and protected in your blanket whilst this book scares the crap out of you.
Mooncakes, Wendy Xu and Suzanne Walker
Another super cute graphic novel that is literally made for autumn, this is a romance, fantasy, adventure story between a witch and a werewolf. It’s a beautiful LGBTQIA+ romance with deaf representation in too. I love the unity between the two main characters in this book, there is a real bond between them. Just from looking at the cover of this book you can see why I’m recommending it for an autumn read, it gives off all the cosy vibes and has the perfect fantasy storyline for this season!
Her Majesty’s Royal Coven, Juno Dawson
I finished this book recently and wow, it blew me away, this book felt like such a journey from page one till the end. I love the fantasy immersed in the real world and the way we see the balance of these interactions. There’s also a hugely important part of this plot that I won’t go into because of spoilers, but my god, it was incredibly emotional and powerful to read and I couldn’t stop. This book definitely fits the autumn vibe not only for the witchy plot but also for the cosy home settings we get to see too, it’s a brilliant autumn adventure.
Those are my five autumnal/fall book recommendations, I’d love to know yours in the comments!
