It’s finally fall! To me, there’s nothing quite like lighting a candle and cozying up with an atmospheric fall read, a soft blanket, and a warm beverage. No matter which fall vibe you prefer—cozy, spooky, witchy, or academic—I threw together a list of my favorite reads that are sure to give you that autumnal feeling!
The Pumpkin Spice Café by Laurie Gilmore. The title speaks for itself.
Legends & Lattes by Travis Baldree. A cozy fantasy where an orc fulfills her dream of opening a coffee shop.
The Academy by Elin Hilderbrand. The queen of summer reads teamed up with her daughter to create a book that feels just like the first day of high school.
The Wishing Game by Meg Shaffer. This is the perfect introduction to Meg Shaffer’s books and reminds me of The Westing Game in the best way possible (although I don’t believe there’s a bad way to be reminiscent of The Westing Game).
Happy Medium by Sarah Adler. The quintessential fall romance about a “fake” spirit medium and a goat farmer.
The Unmaking of June Farrow by Adrienne Young. A curse. A flower farm. A mysterious door that appears out of nowhere. A star-crossed love. Need I say more?
The Secret History by Donna Tartt. The original dark academia novel.
Ninth House by Leigh Bardugo. Secret magical societies at Yale, of all places. The third book releases this month—September 2026!
If We Were Villains by M.L. Rio. Even if you detest Shakespeare, you’ll be at least intrigued by his works by the end of this book.
Babel by R.F. Kuang. I’ve already sung R.F. Kuang’s praises once before on this blog, but this was the first book that made me aware of just how brilliant she is. She draws on her multiple advanced degrees to write an academic fantasy about colonization.
The Will of the Many by James Islington. This fantasy books takes place mostly at a place called The Academy, so I’d say it fits the dark academia vibe.
Spells for Forgetting by Adrienne Young. This literally takes place on a misty island in autumn.
The Ex Hex by Lana Harper. A silly little witchy romance.
Belladonna by Adalyn Grace. A murder mystery where our protagonist has to team up with Death himself.
The Scarlet Veil by Shelby Mahurin. It’s not fall without reading at least one vampire book!
House of Salt and Sorrows by Erin A. Craig. An eerie retelling of The Twelve Dancing Princesses, this will definitely scratch the spooky-season itch.
All of Us Villains by Amanda Foody and C.L. Herman. This is one of my favorite duologies in the world. It’s your classic “teens have to fight to the death in a tournament to gain control of the town’s magic source” tale.
Dracula by Bram Stoker. The original fall vampire book.
Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier. Imagine marrying a man only to have everyone compare you to his first wife to your face the entire time while living in a house that definitely feels like it’s haunted by her ghost.
Daisy Darker by Alice Feeney. Reminiscent of the best psychological thriller of the 20th century (in my opinion), And Then There Were None, the Darker family returns to an isolated island for Nana’s birthday, where they start to be picked off one by one.
The Only One Left by Riley Sager. Heavily inspired by the Lizzie Borden case, The Only One Left will hit you with twist after twist until you don’t know which way is up or who’s telling the truth.
The 7½ Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle by Stuart Turton. It’s kind of like Groundhog Day if Bill Murray spent each repeated day in a different person’s body trying to solve a murder.
Hopefully, this list gives you plenty of books to add to your fall TBR! Whether you’re looking for a cozy small-town romance, a creepy gothic mystery, a witchy fantasy, or an unhinged psychological thriller, there’s something here for every kind of autumn reader. Now light that candle, grab your favorite blanket, and settle in—it’s officially spooky reading season.
Sequels and Scribbles 