Her Campus Logo Her Campus Logo
The opinions expressed in this article are the writer’s own and do not reflect the views of Her Campus.
This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at Texas chapter.

In recent years I’ve struggled to find something good to read during those weeks right before fall. I could never find anything that fit the mold of ‘not quite summer’ and ‘not yet fall’. No matter how much the first day of September feels like the first day of fall, there are always those lingering feelings of summer. Here is a list of books that I feel are perfect for that seasonal shift.

caraval by Stephanie Garber

If whimsical and fantastical is more your speed, Stephanie Garber has the perfect story for you. This series is a great balance of summer feels with magical elements that make you crave the extraordinary, and hints of a fall season with mysteries and traitorous games. Caraval is a week-long game hosted by Master legend, with many deceptive twists that will leave you questioning what is real. This book is a magical circus you won’t want to miss out on during your summer to fall transition.

The Inheritance games by Jennifer Lynn Barnes

Mysteries upon mysteries, this series will have you spinning in the best way possible. Barnes manages to bring readers along for the game of a lifetime with thrills and plot twists the readers might never see coming. A compelling story of rags to riches with a twist, love triangles, and murder mysteries, there is nothing quite like this series to usher in the fall season.

When We Were bright and beautiful by jillian medoff

With fall comes the spooky season and the thrillers/horror reads that help usher in the cold. While horror and thrillers can be fun for the fall, those pre-fall days require something that will ease you into the spooky spirit of it all. “When We Were Bright and Beautiful”, tells the story of a sexual assault case from the perspective of the sister of the accused offender. Comparable to Thirteen Reasons Why the author handles a sensitive topic in a very fresh and unique way.

The summer I turned pretty by jenny han

If you’re looking for a book that will make you relive an entire summer in one sitting, look no further. “The Summer I Turned Pretty” is the perfect end-of-summer read that takes you on a journey of love, self-discovery, and the complexities of adolescence. Han’s beautifully crafted story portrays the main character, Isabella Conklin (Belly for short), as she spends the summer with her mother, brother, and their close family friends Susannah and her two sons. Filled with fan favorite tropes, timeless themes and an ending that will have you craving those colder months of the year, this book will make you fall in love with summer and everything it can be.

Ilyanna Santos is an aspiring writer and journalist from Austin, Texas. She is currently studying journalism at the University of Texas at Austin and is the Marketing and Social Media Director for Shamari Realty. In her free time, she enjoys reading, writing, and having a good cup of tea.