Fall Reading Recommendations
As the air turns crisp and the days grow shorter, there’s nothing better than curling up with a good book, a warm blanket, and a steaming cup of tea. Fall has a way of making us slow down, and it’s the perfect season to dive into stories that feel atmospheric, magical, or just a little bit haunting. Whether you’re looking for something whimsical, mysterious, or heartwarming, this list has a little something for every kind of reader.
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Want to explore even more fall favorites? Many of these titles and more are included with Kindle Unlimited or available on Audible.
Cozy Books
Legends & Lattes by Travis Baldree
If cozy fantasy had a book mascot, this would be it. Instead of swinging swords and chasing monsters, Viv the orc decides she’s ready for something different: opening the first coffee shop her fantasy world has ever seen. What follows is a heartwarming tale of new beginnings, unlikely friendships, and the quiet magic of building a life you love. As a low-stakes fantasy read, this book shows the heartwarming discovery of the wonders of a coffee shop.
Book cover image courtesy of Tor Books, ©2022
Howl’s Moving Castle by Diana Wynne Jones
This whimsical classic is the perfect fall escape. Sophie, a young woman cursed into the body of an old woman, stumbles into the moving castle of the mysterious wizard, Howl, a dramatic, vain, and surprisingly lovable mess of a sorcerer. Between enchanted doors that open to different places, fire demons with plenty of attitude, and a romance that sneaks up on you, this story is equal parts magical chaos and heart. It’s playful, cozy, and brimming with autumn charm, perfect for fans of fairy tales and Studio Ghibli vibes. Included with Kindle Unlimited!
Book cover image courtesy of Greenwillow Books, ©1986
A Psalm For the Wild Built by Becky Chambers
If you’re looking for a book that feels like a deep breath of fresh autumn air, this is it. In a gentle, hopeful future where humans live in balance with nature, a tea monk named Dex crosses paths with a curious robot named Mosscap—the first robot to return to human society in centuries. Together, they set out on a quiet journey full of big questions: What do people need to feel fulfilled? What does it mean to live a good life? With warm tea, forest paths, and soul-soothing conversations, this short book is as cozy as it is thought-provoking—perfect for readers who want something tender, reflective, and full of heart. Included with Kindle Unlimited!
Book cover image courtesy of Tor.com, ©2021
The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches by Sangu Mandanna
This book feels like curling up with a blanket on a cozy fall day. Mika Moon is a lonely witch who’s spent her life hiding her magic—until an unexpected invitation leads her to a mysterious house filled with three young witches who need guidance, a grumpy librarian, and a whole lot of found family waiting to happen. With its mix of warmth, romance, and a touch of magic, this story is equal parts heart-melting and enchanting. It’s the kind of book that reminds you that home isn’t a place—it’s the people you find along the way. Perfect for fans of witchy vibes and cozy love stories.
Book cover image courtesy of Berkley, ©2022
Vera Wong’s Unsolicited Advice for Murderers by Jesse Q Sutanto
Part cozy mystery, part heartwarming found-family tale, this book is a delight from start to finish. Vera Wong is a lonely, sharp-tongued tea shop owner who one day discovers a dead body in her shop. Instead of being rattled, Vera sees it as her chance to outsmart the police and solve the case herself—armed with nothing but wit, tea, and plenty of unsolicited advice. As suspects wander into her life, they quickly become more like family than criminals. Warm, funny, and full of charm, this story has just the right amount of mystery to keep you hooked while still feeling like a cozy hug. Perfect for readers who want their murder mysteries served with humor, heart, and a hot cup of coffee.
Book cover image courtesy of Berkley, ©2023
Mystery Books
Mexican Gothic by Sylvia Moreno-Garcia
If you want a fall read that’s equal parts eerie and elegant, this gothic horror is a must. Set in 1950s Mexico, the story follows glamorous socialite Noemí Taboada, who is sent to see her cousin at a crumbling estate called High Place. But the mansion is full of secrets: sinister whispers in the walls, unsettling visions, and a family with a dark past that refuses to stay buried. With its lush atmosphere, creeping dread, and strong heroine, Mexican Gothic feels like a modern take on the classic haunted house tale.
Book cover image courtesy of Del Rey, ©2020
The 7 1/2 Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle by Stuart Turton
If Agatha Christie met Groundhog Day with a dash of the gothic, you’d get this dazzling mystery. We suggest going into this book without knowing too much (it’s more fun that way!), but trust us that this book is twisty and intriguing every step of the way. Intricate, mind-bending, and utterly addictive, this book is a puzzle-box of secrets that’s perfect for crisp autumn nights. It’s the kind of story that makes you want to grab a blanket, light a candle, and lose yourself in its labyrinth of clues. Included with Kindle Unlimited!
Book cover image courtesy of Sourcebooks Landmark, ©2018
I Have Some Questions for You by Rebecca Makkai
Part literary mystery, part true-crime reflection, this novel is the perfect pick for readers who love podcasts and puzzles. Bodie Kane, a successful podcaster and film professor, returns to teach at the New Hampshire boarding school where she spent her teenage years. But when questions resurface about the murder of her former roommate, Bodie finds herself drawn back into the shadows of her past. Blending campus drama, courtroom suspense, and a sharp critique of our obsession with true crime, this story is as thought-provoking as it is haunting. It’s an atmospheric, slow-burning mystery best read with a candle flickering on a chilly night.
Book cover image courtesy of Viking, ©2023
And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie
No fall mystery list would be complete without Agatha Christie’s most chilling classic. Ten strangers are invited to a secluded island mansion, each harboring their own dark secrets. But when they start dying one by one, it becomes clear that the killer is among them. No one can be trusted. Tense, atmospheric, and brilliantly constructed, this closed-door mystery is a masterclass in suspense. It’s the perfect book to curl up with on a stormy evening, when you want something eerie, clever, and impossible to put down.
Book cover image courtesy of Collins Crime Club, ©1939
Sisters of the Lost Nation by Nick Medina
This haunting story blends mystery, folklore, and contemporary horror in a way that feels made for fall. Anna Horn, a young woman, lives in a small town where Indigenous girls have been going missing, but no one seems to care. As she searches for answers, Anna is forced to confront both real-world dangers and the ghostly legends of her tribe, blurring the line between myth and reality. With its chilling atmosphere and powerful themes of justice, survival, and community, this novel is as gripping as it is necessary.
Book cover image courtesy of Berkley, ©2023
Looking for more books with page-turning suspense, check out our Mystery Favorites post.
Horror Books
The Troop by Nick Cutter
This haunting, disgusting horror novel is not for the faint of heart. A group of Boy Scouts and their scoutmaster set off on a camping trip to a remote island off the coast of Canada. But when a sick, emaciated stranger stumbles into their camp, the boys quickly realize they’re trapped with something far more terrifying than the wilderness itself. Brutal, suspenseful, and deeply unsettling, this survival-horror novel combines body horror with the claustrophobic tension of isolation. It’s a fast-paced, stomach-turning read best saved for when you’re ready to be thoroughly spooked.
Book cover image courtesy of Gallery Books, ©2014
Dracula by Bram Stoker
When the nights grow long and the air turns crisp, there’s no better time to revisit this ultimate gothic classic. Told through journals, letters, and diary entries, Dracula follows Jonathan Harker, Mina Murray, and a band of unlikely allies as they confront the mysterious Count Dracula, whose shadowy presence stretches from Transylvania to Victorian England. With eerie castles, creeping fog, and themes of fear, desire, and superstition, this novel defined vampire lore as we know it. It’s dark, dramatic, and dripping with atmosphere and perfect for reading by candlelight on a chilly fall night.
Book cover image courtesy of Archibald Constable and Company, ©1897
What Moves the Dead by T. Kingfisher
Creepy, atmospheric, and just the right length for a chilly autumn evening, this novella is a reimagining of Edgar Allan Poe’s The Fall of the House of Usher. Retired soldier Alex Easton travels to the crumbling Usher estate after hearing that their childhood friend Madeline is gravely ill. But what awaits inside the decaying manor is far stranger and more terrifying than sickness alone—fungal growths that shouldn’t exist, strange animal behavior, and a house that seems to pulse with its own dark life. Equal parts gothic and grotesque, T. Kingfisher blends creeping dread with sharp wit, making this the perfect pick for fans of unsettling tales with a modern twist. Included with Kindle Unlimited!
Book cover image courtesy of Tor Nightfire, ©2022
The Only Good Indians by Stephen Graham Jones
This chilling novel is part horror, part social commentary, and perfectly spooky. It follows four Native American men who, years after a haunting event on a hunting trip, find themselves stalked by a mysterious, vengeful presence. What begins as a story about guilt and survival turns into a terrifying exploration of identity, tradition, and the weight of the past. Jones masterfully blends supernatural horror with real-world themes, creating a book that is as thought-provoking as it is unsettling. Included with Kindle Unlimited!
Book cover image courtesy of Saga Press, ©2020