The ideal day to read a book is a chilly day, when you can wear your favorite sweater, cozy up with your favorite blanket, and sip on a pumpkin drink. What better season for that than the fall? From romance to fantasy to literary fiction, there are so many immersive reads to get lost in that encapsulate the essence of fall. I’ve read 127 books since 2022, and across all genres, these are the reads I think you should add to your fall TBR.
#1: Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros
If you liked Harry Potter or The Hunger Games series as a kid, then The Empyrean series is one you should definitely get into. Fourth Wing is the first book in the series, and it’s the perfect book to read if you’re looking for a high-stakes fantasy with a found-family trope, immersive and easy to understand world-building, and a once in a lifetime romance. The protagonist, Violet Sorrengail, is forced into Basgiath War College where she has to become an elite dragon rider, and fight for her country of Navarre. This book got me into fantasy and is one of my favorite books ever; it is the perfect book to binge on a nice cool fall day!
#2: The Dead Romantics by Ashley Poston
I have read so many romance books over the years, but the one that feels most fall to me is The Dead Romantics by Ashley Poston. Poston is known for writing romance novels with a bit of magical realism in them, and this one is perfect for the Halloween season. The novel follows Florence Day, who is a ghostwriter for a romance author, and no longer believes in love after a hard breakup. That is, until her world turns upside down when she meets a handsome ghost that only she can see. When I read this book, I just felt so warm and happy, which is why I think it’s the perfect fall romance read!
#3: John Proctor is the Villain by Kimberly Belflower
For the people who want to read a book but don’t have a lot of time, or those who want to tackle a whole book in one sitting, this play is for you. John Proctor is the Villain is a play about a high school class reading The Crucible, and how the students in the class navigate the scandals taking over their town in Appalachian Georgia. Reading this play was such an eye-opener for me about life in general, and I’m so glad to have read it. I could not recommend it more. Anyone who loves the song “Green Light” by Lorde will absolutely love this story!
#4: Daisy Jones & the Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid
Based on the trials and tribulations of Fleetwood Mac, Daisy Jones & the Six explores the changing group dynamics of a band over many years. The two main characters, Daisy and Billy, are both dealing with their own problems, but when they meet each other and start creating music together, sparks fly and neither of them are ever the same. An interesting aspect of this book that I loved is the unique format. Without giving any spoilers, the book is set up in an interview format, making it more engaging as it’s something new to read and gives perspectives from many different characters! If you like a messy but real and raw story that never stops being entertaining, Daisy Jones & the Six is a great book to pick up this fall. Besides, what is more fall than Rumours by Fleetwood Mac?
#5: The House Across the Lake by Riley Sager
During fall, Halloween is always on my mind. With Halloween comes scares and a chilling atmosphere, and what better way to soak it in than by reading a thriller novel? The House Across the Lake is about actress Casey Fletcher, who is looking for a quiet, relaxing reprieve after being painted in a bad light by the press. At her family’s lake house in Vermont, she meets her neighbors from across the lake, Tom and Katherine Royce, and she strikes up a friendship with Katherine. The closer Casey and Katherine grow, the more Casey realizes that her neighbors’ marriage isn’t as glamorous as it seems. This is the perfect story to read if you want a psychological thriller (with some horror elements) to get in the Halloween spirit this fall!
#6: Sunrise on the Reaping by Suzanne Collins
With the highly anticipated adaptation release on Nov. 20, 2026, Sunrise on the Reaping is an amazing book to read this fall. This story follows Haymitch Abernathy through his time in the 50th Hunger Games as he navigates the games with twice the amount of tributes as normal, making it 100% harder to prevail. This book may seem daunting because it is the fifth book released in the Hunger Games series, but it actually can be read as a standalone. Fans of every genre can read this book as it is jam packed with romance, action, and my personal favorite genre, dystopia. In fact, it was my favorite book that I read in 2025!
There are so many books to choose from that encapsulate the essence of fall, but these six right here are the absolute must-reads!