Books To Read This Fall | Recommendations

11/08/2019


It's officially Fall! It's that time of year when we cosy under fluffy blankets, keep our fireplaces burning, and digest far too much tea, flavoured coffees, and mulled wine. Spices fill our nostrils and cardigans cover our arms. It's magical, and truly warming for the heart. I personally choose to curl up with a good book as I do all the things, as the atmosphere is just right. If that's also your thing, here are some book recommendations that I think go perfectly with this season. There's a romance, sci-i, retelling, thriller, and Gothic tale. Something for everyone!

Side-note: Many find the lack of sunshine difficult this time of year, if that's you, I apologise and hope that you find something comforting to throw yourself into until Spring. You can do this. If you ever need someone to talk to, I'm here. Sometimes a stranger can offer what others in your life cannot - a blank slate.


One True Loves
by Taylor Jenkins Reid
When Emma Blair's high school sweetheart/husband goes missing in a helicopter accident and is presumed dead, her entire life falls apart. The grief is unmanageable, she wants out of the life they built together in the city and chooses to move back home to a small town in  Massachusetts. There over a lengthy time period, she falls for a guy from her past - her 'could've been' if you will - and learns to love again. Just when her life is becoming bearable again, the unimaginable happens. Jesse is alive, and he's coming home.

We all know how I feel about Taylor Jenkins Reid books, she's my newly favourite author, as her stories are all so well done. This is no different. Though the synopsis may make this book seem categorised as romance, I think it's more a book on the different paths our lives can take. How a change can happen in an instant and has the ability to change our entire life. But what makes this a good book for Fall? Most definitely the town setting - think Stars Hollow. Emma's parents run the local bookstore and that alone gives you the warm and fuzzies when reading. That combined with the time periods this book covers, hence having Thanksgiving and Christmas makes One True Loves a great pick for October.


The Long Way To A Small Angry Planet
by Becky Chambers
When Rosemarie comes abroad The Wayfarer as their new bookkeeper, she doesn't expect much. All she knows is that it's a tunnelling ship and they didn't notice that her documentation is fake. It's a job. As she comes to know the mixed bag of weird crew members, both human and non-human, she slowly comes to see it as home. But when they take on their biggest job yet, everything is at risk. Will they make it?

For whatever reason, Sci-fi and fantasy books appeal to me more during Fall. This is a heavily character-driven book, which I absolutely devoured. It's had a lot of hype over the past few years, and  it is incredibly justified. This is a story about a crew who will all take up residence in your heart, and you'll be on the edge of seat until you turn that final page. I couldn't think of anything better than reading this during a chilly night, a big cup of peppermint tea, and a desire to read about a unlikely family.


And The Ocean Was Our Sky
by Patrick Ness
This is a beautifully illustrated retelling of the classic novel Moby Dick, told from the whale's point-of-view. The whales of Bathsheba's pod live for the hunt. Led by the formidable Captain Alexandra, they fight a never-ending war against men. Then the whales attack a man ship, and instead of easy prey they find the trail of a myth, a monster, perhaps even the devil himself. With their relentless Captain leading the chase, they embark on the final hunt, one that will forever change the worlds of whales and men.

Patrick Ness has a wonderful knack for mixing the horrors that we have in life with a story that captures the heart. I absolutely adored A Monster Calls, but I didn't want to push that read here as I think it's far more popular than this new addition to Ness's work. This is a dark and twisted story with gorgeous artwork that really glows with this time of year. It's moody, well written, and easy to devour in one sitting. Perfect for Fall.


What She Left
by T.R. Richmond
Alice Salmon is young, smart, and ambitious young girl who should have her whole life ahead of her. But sadly, that is no longer the case. One morning, she's found dead. The cause of death? A mysterious drowning. Nobody knows how she ended up floating in the water. But Alice left a few clues: her diary, texts, emails, and her presence on social media. Alice is gone but fragments of the life she led remain - and in them might lie the answer to what really happened to her.

Fall is the season for thrillers, everywhere I look online people are pushing them. To go a little outside the box, I'm going to recommend this thriller that I really don't see people talk about online. A mix between Into The Water by Paula Hawkins and Reconstructing Amelia
by Kimberly McCreight. I loved this fast-paced mystery, and the added pieces of 'evidence' was such a cool addition to a book of this genre. It made it a lot more fun to piece together. If you'd like to read a longer more in depth review, click HERE.


Rosemary's Baby
by Ira Levin
Rosemary and her struggling actor husband Guy move to their dream New York City apartment building only to be greeted with a supposed suicide, overbearing neighbours, and a home with a reputation for evil. When Rosemary becomes pregnant she becomes increasingly isolated, and soon finds herself not knowing who to trust.

Though this may seem like a more Halloween read, I think November is secretly the perfect time to pick it up. It isn't as creepy as I was expecting, but definitely gave off a vibe of claustrophobia and an almost Gothic atmosphere (Think Carrie by Stephen King). The book most definitely pairs well with a lit fireplace and a big glass of wine.

What book do you reach for this time of year? Let me know in the comments!


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