Autumn Has Arrived: Books to Read to Embrace the Fall Season
Grace Schiff ‘26 / Emertainment Monthly Staff Writer
Fall is one of my favorite seasons for reading. Whether I’m sitting in the Boston Common with the changing leaves, or hiding from the chilly air in my dorm room, I love finding books that will bring me the cozy and spooky vibes that I am so desperate for in the months of October and November. Below are six books I have enjoyed that are perfect for this time of year.
Graveyard Shift by M.L. Rio
For lovers of M.L. Rio’s If We Were Villains, you should be excited to finally get your hands on her first solo project since her first novel released in 2014. The novella hit shelves at the end of September and centers on five characters who meet in a graveyard every night for a smoke break. However, this night is different in that there is an open grave that was not there before. This is the perfect book to read in one night, just as the book takes place in just one night. M.L. Rio achieves a perfect fall atmosphere and character-driven plot.
Lady Macbeth by Ava Reid
Author Ava Reid has written a slew of books perfect for the spooky season and her newest release is no exception. This novel transports you to eerie Scotland in the 900s and is inspired by Shakespeare’s Macbeth. However, do not go into this expecting a true retelling, as Reid diverges greatly from the source material. Beginning with Lady Macbeth’s arrival to her new husband’s castle, this is a tale of witchery with a feminist lens on this restrictive time period for women.
I Will Never Leave You by Kara A. Kennedy
Debut author Kara A. Kennedy has started out her career strong with this young adult horror book. Set in Los Angeles, the novel follows highschool senior Maya who has finally worked up the courage to break up with her long term, manipulative girlfriend, Alana. However, before the day ends, Alana goes missing and Maya fears that the blame may end up on her. But this is not an average missing girl story as the ghost of Alana is now haunting Maya. Kennedy explores toxic relationships, both platonic and romantic, in this bewitching novel.
The Warm Hands of Ghosts by Katherine Arden
Taking place in the years 1917 and 1918, The Warm Hands of Ghosts bring fantasy to the battlefield of World War I. Laura Iven, a wounded Canadian nurse, returns to war-ridden Belgium seeking answers about her missing older brother, Freddie. Simultaneously, we follow Freddie, months before, as he forms an alliance with an enemy German soldier to survive no man’s land. But there are stories of ghosts in the trenches and a mysterious man who can offer oblivion to those traumatized by the war. This hauntingly good book will have you turning pages compulsively to find out if Laura gets to her brother before it is too late.
Half Sick of Shadows by Laura Sebastian
Laura Sebastian’s only adult book as of yet is based on the Arthurian legend of Elaine of Shalott. As a seer, she is destined to know the fate of her friends and the tragedies that will occur. Inspired by Alfred Tennyson’s poem “The Lady of Shalott,” Sebastian has created a stronger version of Elaine who won’t sit idly by as her friends Gwen, Arthur, Lancelot, and Morgana fall to ruin. This book transports you to Camelot and has you begging along with her that the visions she sees won’t end up being true.
The Unmaking of June Farrow by Adrienne Young
Set in a small town in North Carolina, June has grown up hearing the whispers that the women in her family are cursed. She was raised by her grandmother ever since her mother’s disappearance, and now she has begun seeing things that aren’t really there. She fears that the so-called madness will take her, but she is also desperate to know what is really happening to her family. In this beautiful novel, Adrienne Young crafts a story of romance, time travel, and uncovering the truth.