This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at Cincinnati chapter.
So far, 2020 has been chaotic to say the least. Between the current pandemic, the upcoming 2020 election, a civil rights movement, and the sudden change in all of our schedules- it’s safe to say that all of us need something to take our mind off things. In my opinion, nothing is cozier then curling up with a book on a crisp, fall day. Below is a list of perfect books to escape in this fall, just in time for spooky season.
If you’re interested in the classics…
Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë: A young woman navigates life as an orphan. When she falls in love with an unlikely man, she learns a dark secret about her newfound love that changes her life entirely.
Wuthering Heights by Emily Brontë: A man becomes obsessed with vengeance when his soulmate marries another man.
Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen: Pride and Prejudice follows the relationship between Elizabeth Bennet and Mr. Darcy, as they overcome the social obstacles in order to fall in love and marry.
Frankenstein by Marry Shelley: A classic horror novel- A scientist, Victor, creates a living human being- however, this creature is not as he expected. Instead, he comes face to face with a hideous monster who is rejected from mankind due to his looks.
Dracula by Bram Stoker: Another classic horror novel- Count Dracula, a 15th century prince is turned into a vampire. He attempts to move from Transylvania to England to spread the undead curse, but things don’t go as they are expected.
The Shining by Stephen King: When Jack Torrance and his family accept a position to be a caretaker of the Overlook Hotel in the mountains, his son begins having psychic premonitions and Jack slowly turns into a homicidal maniac.
The Silence of the Lambs by Thomas Harris: A student at an FBI training academy is set to interview Hannibal Lecter, a murderous psychopath serving life.
The Exorcist by William Peter Blatty: When a young woman starts acting odd, a priest investigates and believes that she may be possessed by the devil.
Basically any novel by Stephen King: Stephen King is famously known for his interesting and horrifying novels, so any novel by him is a wonderful read during the spooky season.
Books that will make you reflect on reality…
1984 by George Orwell: 1984 is a dystopian novel that follows Winston Smith, who is frustrated with the ominous ruler that controls everyone in their society.
Animal Farm by George Orwell: This book is mostly symbolic, but will get you thinking of how it applies to reality. It tells the story of farm animals who rebel against their human farmer, hoping to create a better environment for themselves.
Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury: In a dystopian society, books are burned in order to control dangerous and unhappy concepts.
The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood: We follow Offred, a handmaid within a dystopian society that holds Christian values and controls the birth rate, as she navigates her newfound life within the new society,
To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee: Told from the perspective of a young girl in 1930’s Alabama, a Black man is wrongly accused of raping a white woman, to which Atticus Finch, the girl’s father, tries to prove innocent.
MGM Television
Thrillers/Other Honorable Mentions…
Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn: On their fifth wedding anniversary, Nick Dunne’s wife Amy goes missing. Upon investigation, Nick learns that the truth is stranger than it seems. (One of the best plot twists in a book I’ve ever read, it’s also one of my favorite books!)
Sharp Objects by Gillian Flynn: Camille Preaker returns to her hometown of Wind Gap Missouri to write about the deaths of two young girls (another book with a great plot twist!)
