Did you feel that chill in the air this morning? I know I did. Something about fall weather always makes me want to curl up with a cup of coffee and a good book.
Whether you’re desperately hunting for your next read or your to-be-read (TBR) list is absolutely overflowing (I won’t tell), here are 5 books (some of my favorite reads) for your fall reading list!
- The Secret History – Donna Tartt
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Donna Tartt’s The Secret History is the blueprint for the dark academia aesthetic we all know and love. If you’ve somehow managed not to pick it up yet, consider this your reminder that you absolutely should!
The Secret History follows Richard, an undergraduate student who transfers to an elite college in Vermont. He quickly gets sucked into a small, mysterious group of Classics students obsessed with Greek, Latin, and their equally mysterious professor.
What begins as Richard’s desire to be liked and fit in quickly spirals into an all-consuming world of secrets that blurs the lines of morality.
- Wuthering Heights – Emily Brontë
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You’ve probably seen or at least heard about all the craze surrounding Emerald Fennell’s “adaptation” of Wuthering Heights. I’m a firm believer in book-before-movie, but in this case, the two versions are entirely different stories.
This revolutionary gothic romance follows the obsessive and destructive relationship between Catherine and Heathcliff. Spanning two generations, Brontë crafts a story of grudges and tangled relationships, all set against the brooding Yorkshire moors.
The atmosphere in this book is almost tangible, but I won’t judge if you need to picture Jacob Elordi to make it through this 19th-century classic. Even if you’ve already seen the movie, you haven’t experienced half of it when it comes to reading Wuthering Heights.
- One Dark Window – Rachel Gillig
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The first book in Rachel Gillig’s Shepherd King duology, One Dark Window, is a lush tale set against an eerie forest with forbidden magic and a dash of delectable romance.
The protagonist, Elspeth, gets pulled into a dangerous mission after meeting a mysterious highwayman on a forest road. In a kingdom plagued by a mysterious illness, Elspeth and her allies set out to save her kingdom from the dark magic bent on destroying it.
Centered around a deck of cards that each grants a different ability, the unique magic system is unlike anything I’ve read before. It is easily my favorite part of this series, making One Dark Window an exceptionally fun read.
- Babel – R.F. Kuang
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I could and probably will write article after article about R.F. Kuang and her absolutely stacked bibliography. Babel is set in an alternate 1830s Oxford with a unique magic system centered around silver bars and meanings lost in translation between languages.
Babel isn’t just another dark academia novel. Kuang uses the metaphor of translation to address serious topics such as colonialism, imperialism, and the uncomfortable link between prestigious institutions and the systems of power they uphold.
Side note: Kuang truly writes banger after banger, and I recommend absolutely all her work, especially her latest novel, Taipei Story, which was just released this September.
- Twilight – Stephenie Meyer
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What’s a fall reading list without an obligatory vampire novel? I’d genuinely be surprised if you haven’t at least seen the Twilight movies, but it’s never too late to join Team Edward!
Stephenie Meyer tells the dramatic love story between Bella Swan, the new girl in the perpetually rainy Forks, Washington, and the elusive Edward Cullen, her mysterious lab partner who can’t seem to get farther away from her. Between the gloomy, dramatic atmosphere, forests, and vampires, this book practically screams fall.
And there’s an entire series to experience, complete with four main books, five movies, an Edward-perspective retelling, and another novel that expands on the Twilight universe even further. You’ve basically got your fall covered with these alone.
Whether you prefer a dramatic classic, an angsty vampire novel, or anything in between, there are plenty of cozy books to add to your fall TBR. Happy reading!
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