Just as certain shows give off a fall vibe (i.e. Gilmore Girls), there are books perfectly fit for the fall season. It’s the best time to cozy up with a book, embrace new authors, and expand your literary horizon. Here are some of my favorite books that are great reads for this fall:
1.The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah. A story of two sisters living in France during World War II detailing love, loss, courage, and resilience. The younger sister, Isabelle Rossignol, makes it her mission to transport prisoners of war to their home country while the older sister, Vianne, attempts to protect her young children from soldiers billeting in her home. It’s a phenomenal story if you want a good cry at the end. It is also one of the most powerful books I have ever read.
2. Alias Grace by Margaret Atwood. I read this book last spring, but the vibes were giving a total fall mystery. A young Irish immigrant named Grace Marks is the servant of Thomas Kinnear. Kinnear and his maid Nancy Montgomery (whom he is suspected of having an affair with) is murdered, and Grace Marks is convicted. But the mystery of it all is that Grace has no recollection of what happened on that day and her doctor, Simon Jordan has to figure it all out. No one knows whether Grace is innocent or guilty, and it’s a chilling book with a surprising twist at the end.
3. Little Women by Louisa May Alcott. A classic coming-of-age novel of four sisters, Meg, Jo, Beth, and Amy. The four girls transition from girlhood to adulthood and leave you entrenched in their heart-warming adventures and individual stories.
4. Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen. This book just gives fall. If you’ve never read this classic romance novel front to end, I’d suggest picking it up. Elizabeth Bennet, one of five daughters, is independent, rebellious, and strong-willed. She meets the arrogant Mr. Darcy, whom she cannot stand at first. The two end up falling in love and marrying – a perfect ending!
5. The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood or The Testaments by Margaret Atwood. If you haven’t read the original Handmaid’s Tale, read that one first. But if you have read this modern classic, the sequel, The Testaments, is just as thrilling as the first. It is narrated by three different characters, Aunt Lydia, Agnes, and Daisy, all of whom share their perspectives in their efforts to destroy the oppressive, dystopian rule of Gilead. This book will leave you at the edge of your seat throughout, and gives the readers the ending they wished for in The Handmaid’s Tale.
6. The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides. Very similar to Alias Grace, this mystery book details the story of Alicia Berenson, who is caught killing her husband and criminal psychoanalyst, Theo Faber, who studies Alicia at the psychiatric hospital she has been placed in. The two have an unexpected history, which will leave you tirelessly guessing until the ending. This thriller is great to read around Hallowween on a chilly, fall evening.