There is nothing quite like getting comfortable under a blanket with a cup of tea and a good book in autumn – the leaves are falling, the weather is getting gradually worse and university is back in session. If you plan to de-stress with a nice, cosy seasonal read in the coming months, you should consider adding the following five books to your reading list.
The Ex Hex by Erin Sterling
If you fancy some autumnal, witchy romance, The Ex Hex is a great place to start. Set over the Halloween period in a cosy town with a secret witch population, this enemies-to-lovers book really captures the essence of the season with a Founders’ Day festival, magic gone rogue, a ghost in a library and not one but two creepy mansions.
Dracula by Bram Stoker
It would feel incomplete to write an autumn reading list without including some horror, and there is nothing cosier than curling up with a classic. Not only is Dracula the ideal piece of gothic fiction for Halloween, but the spooky Transylvania castle sets the mood perfectly for reading by the fire on a rainy autumn day.
Babel by R. F. Kuang
Babel is the perfect dark academia novel – it’s got secret societies, the relentless pursuit of knowledge, a beautiful (and mysterious) school and a little bit of magic thrown in for good measure. It is powerful and harrowing, yet perfect to read snuggled up under blankets with a cup of coffee.
The Dead Romantics by Ashley Poston
The new romance novel The Dead Romantics is a rom-com about a writer struggling with finishing her novel with a spooky twist: the protagonist can talk to ghosts. This paranormal romance is a great addition to any autumn reading list. The book is weird and spooky – the best kind of romance to dive into over the Halloween season.
The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde
Another autumnal classic is the gothic masterpiece The Picture of Dorian Gray. This is one of the most sinister and dark classics I have ever read, and it fits so well with the idea of drinking tea in a velvet armchair that I can’t not include it on this list. It is a short and yet brilliantly written novel that is great for fitting around university work when you need a break from it all.
Happy reading!
