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If you crave the feeling of jumping at every creak and moan and thinking you’re being watched every time you fall asleep, me too! As an avid bookworm, I just had to compile a list of books from some of my favorite genres to tell ya’ll about because I wouldn’t be doing my bestie job if I didn’t recommend some books for the fall season.
When I think about what to read during the fall season, I want a few things: ghosties, witchiness, and to be questioning my sanity wondering if that dude I just walked past is a serial killer or maybe a “pillar of the community” (iykyk). Because I’m such a mood reader, I’ll often read two books at once from two different genres. This is why I like to toss in some cozy fantasy or mystery as well – a book that could scare my pants off and a book to settle my nerves when I need it! So here it is…a list of books I’ve read that I would recommend for the fall season!
As always, check out my description and the synopsis on Amazon or Goodreads (or on the book itself!) before committing to ensure it’s a book you’re interested in reading.
Thrillers
The Stillwater Girls by Minka Kent
Raised all their lives cut off from civilization and modern conveniences without knowing, two sisters are left alone when their mother takes their youngest sister into town to seek medical attention. But when they go months without hearing back from their mother they start to question if she’s even coming back for them. It’s when a strange man shows up at their remote cabin that they feel the need to act before the stranger takes them from their cabin against their wills.
This one had me at the edge of my seat! There were so many unknowns and secrets being kept. The spooky wooded setting is perfect for fall, and what better genre to read than Thriller this time of year?
The Society for Soulless Girls by Laura Steven
When a school reopens 10 years after the horrific, unsolved deaths of four students everyone is keenly aware of the history of the place. The administration is strict on one rule: no one is allowed in the North Tower – the location of the deaths 10 years ago. Could they be hiding something in the tower that could finally solve the deaths? Two students – newly roommates – get sucked into the mystery and intrigue of Carvell College of the Arts. Will they meet the same fate as those four students 10 years ago…?
OMG. Honestly, this one kept throwing me for a loop every single chapter. To be honest, I wasn’t expecting a fantasy/paranormal aspect when starting this book, but holy moly is it perfection. It’s the perfect fall read with equal parts creepy, mysterious, and paranormal.
The Inmate by Freida McFadden
When Brooke Sullivan starts working at a max-security prison, no one knows that one of the inmates in her care is someone she put there many years ago. But can Brooke’s testimony be trusted? Learn alongside her to discover if her memory is accurate, or if she’s missing key pieces that could implicate someone else.
Something I like about Freida McFadden’s books is that she inserts equal parts believable and “would that really happen?” events. I feel like this makes it just scary enough to give you the heebie jeebies, but the unbelievable bits give you a sense of “okay, this couldn’t possibly happen in real life, so I’m safe”. And boy does this book give exactly that! A murder shrouded with questions on a dark, stormy night – what better setting for a fall read?
The Escape Room by Megan Goldin
When a group of colleagues crowd into an elevator in an abandoned high-rise building, they’re all under the assumption that it’s an escape room for a team building exercise. However, things quickly take a turn, and they must work together to solve clues and break free. Deep, dark secrets are exposed, and the game turns deadly. Who will make it out alive?
I feel like this book perfectly exposes our fear of escape rooms – that they’re not actually fun puzzles to solve and it’s actually being orchestrated by a random person who wants to expose your secrets, or worse, hurt you. Or am I the only one with that fear of escape rooms? This book might be the reason why I have yet to partake in one, no matter how much I love puzzles. The action and thrill of this book make it perfect for a gloomy fall day.
The Shuddering by Ania Ahiborn
When two siblings bring their closest friends to enjoy their childhood cabin for one last hurrah before it’s sold, things quickly go from fun ski trip to deadly horror when a blizzard leaves the group stranded. Being stranded in a remote cabin with no easy way back into town makes the group easy pickings for the creatures of the forest.
Have you ever been in a house with big windows overlooking a wooded area and there are no curtains, so you’re not really sure who (or what) is watching you at night? Yeah, that’s what this book does to you. It’s so incredibly creepy and scary – and I don’t scare easily. The author does an amazing job of giving you a false sense of security. Think this person is making it out alive? THINK AGAIN. This one would even be a good read in the winter months if you live in a snowy winter climate like I do. It made me not want to leave the house when it was snowing.
You’re Not Supposed to Die Tonight by Kalynn Bayron
While playing the “final girl” in a terror game at a notorious camp, real life starts to imitate film when Charity’s coworkers – and friends – start to disappear one by one. When one shows up dead, everything becomes a little too real and Charity’s focus shifts to being the real-life final girl. Mystery builds and a curse unravels while fighting for her life and attempting to outwit a mysterious killer.
When the setting is straight out of a horror flick camp, it’s an obvious must-read for spooky season! I will never be sick of the final girl trope when books play into it with the characters acknowledging that they’re a final girl. As someone who loves the Jason Voorhees and Michael Myers movies, this was an obvious pick for this list!
Fantasy & Mystical
The Once and Future Witches by Alix E. Harrow
In the late 1800s, three sisters rediscover the magic that was lost after the burning of witches while on their quest to change the course of history. When the sisters join the suffragist movement, they must heal their relationships and form new bonds while digging into the deepest, forgotten magic to help themselves and all of New Salem.
This book takes witchcraft and the history of Salem to new levels with the addition of one of the most important parts of witches – sisterhood. It’s more than just a story about witches. I loved rooting for the sisters and urging them to work together to help the suffragist movement. It’s the perfect fall read that pulls together witches and the importance of women supporting women.
The Lost Apothecary by Sarah Penner
When historian, Caroline, runs into a clue about unsolved apothecary murders from over 200 years ago in London, she works to uncover more secrets and finds herself somehow involved in the historic happenings.
Yet another book that thrives on the telling of sisterhood, I fell in love with the historical aspects of tricks and apothecary magic. It’s different from wand and spell magic in that it’s so believable you almost want to try it yourself. I adored this book and the secrets it unfolded.
Keeper of Enchanted Rooms by Charlie N. Holmberg
When Merritt inherits a remote estate only accessibly by boat, he decides to inhabit the home there – the first one to do so for more than a century. Although a bit wild, he’s sure he can make it a place to call home and continue his writing. That is, until he discovers the house is enchanted. His new (and somewhat volatile) home is assigned Hulda, who uses her magic and skills to tame the home and discover what is making it act out against its new master. The Whimbrel House contains secrets that have been buried for over a century, and Merritt and Hulda are there to uncover them.
I would consider this a cozy fantasy; the stakes aren’t super high and there aren’t massive battle scenes. I love the cozy quality of the setting – a remote island (honestly, what a dream) with trails and wooded areas to explore. I also love that magic is just a known and accepted thing in this world. It’s a nice contrast to what we usually find where magic-users are shunned or treated differently. Also, this book is part of a series! The entire Whimbrel House series is a must-read this fall!
A Fellowship of Bakers & Magic by J. Penner
Arleta, a human baker living in a world of magical creatures, must work twice as hard as her competition when baking. When a neighbor and good friend signs her up for a baking competition, Arleta decides to compete, but doesn’t know if she has the skill to win against beings who have magic on their side. We travel with Arleta through the competition where she discovers confidence, friendships, and maybe something a bit more special.
If you haven’t already thought about what a magical Great British Bakeoff would be like, you are now! And this book delivers! It’s so cozy and low stakes, it’s a perfect palette cleanser for between thrillers. Or do what I do and read them at the same time so when you need to take a break from getting creeped out you can jump into the world of friendship and baked goods. Plus, this is another series! The Adenashire cozy fantasy series is one you will definitely want to check out.
And that wraps up this round of book recs! Honestly, I could go on and on about how many books I recommend, but we all have places to be (like the bookstore to buy all of these books).
Comment below and let me know what you’re reading this fall, whether it’s on this list or not. I could always use more books to add to my never-ending TBR!
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