Insert Anne of Green Gables Quote here about Fall 😉
So, I’m not a pumpkin spice latte gal. I’m not a super spooky movie gal, either. When it comes to fall, I look forward to some basic necessities: some fall decor from Trader Jo’s, a festive candle, baked goods, and a great book to get cozy with on the couch!
The Summer Reading Guide was such a hit that I thought I’d make one for the Fall, too. Listed below are a good mix of historical fiction books, sci fi, fantasy, spooky mysteries, warm hearted literary fiction novels and light, fun and fluffy romances. I hope there will be at least one book that you’ll be encouraged to pick up!
Now, because I AM a photographer, I do need to mention this: I apologize for some of the poor iphone photos here! I have been renting more books from the library and forgetting to photograph them “professionally” before returning them. You’ll have to excuse that some of these photos don’t look as “pretty” as they could. I hope you’ll still give the books a chance 😉
He we go!
Let’s start with this series that I can’t stop talking about!!
The Cemetery of Forgotten Books Series by Carlos Ruiz Zafón and translated by Lucia Graves is a series I can’t stop talking about. If we’ve talked books together anytime recently, I’ve probably brought this up. This series is based in Barcelona, spanning years of time and lifetimes of characters. Though this series can be read out of order, I did follow the order in which they were published listed below:
This series follows Daniel, an antiquarian booksellers son, in Post Spanish Civil War Barcelona, after his mother dies. His father takes him to a mysterious labyrinthian, underground maze of books to give him an initiation of sorts. He allows him to choose one book to take from the “cemetery.” The book Daniel finds is by an author named Julian Carax. Enraptured by the book and the author’s life, Daniel begins a quest for the other books by the author, and discovers that someone has been intentionally destroying them. But why? Daniel uncovers an epic story of murder, passion, friendship and love that weaves itself in and out of the history of Barcelona and contains an amazing cast of characters. Each of the books are connected with the other, and can be described very much as “noir.” They all point back to this cemetery of underground books. This series will suck you in. The author’s descriptions of both his characters and setting are exquisite, and the settings he creates become characters in and of themselves. If you pick up these books, please tell me so we can talk about them together!
NEXT!
Let’s move on to a sci-fi thriller that was featured on my 2019 Best books of the year blog!
This is definitely a sci fi book but super good even even if you’re not a sci-fi fan. It follows a physics professor and scientific genius named Jason. He’s married with a wife and kid but often thinks about why his life might be life is he’d followed his pursuits outside of teaching. Jason is forced to face these questions after he’s abducted, wakes up in a mysterious place and time with the first words he hears being “welcome back.”
This books asks questions about fate and the choices we make and reeaaaaallly bends the possibilities of reality when it comes to quantum mechanics. Parts were hard for me to understand because I am definitely not a scientist but it was such a gripping story, it really didn’t matter! Like I said, I’d recommend this to sci fi lovers and those that wouldn’t touch that category with a 10 foot pole. It’s an engaging story and worth the read!
Next is The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern
This book is a magical and beautiful love story both about two “magicians” and this amazing circus that mysteriously shows up in cities around the world only at night. The two magicians are in a competition that is happening within the circus and is full of incredible detail and a cast of characters that all play such important roles in the circus and in the game. These two magicians come to find out that, that after this competition, only one can be left standing. They have fallen in love and are grappling with their fates, how their choices affect their beloved circus and family they’ve created within it and if one can survive without the other.
Last “spooky” book is Never Have I Ever by Joshilyn Jackson. Truthfully, I am not a huge thriller person. If it’s gonna cause me anxiety and give me nightmares, it’s not worth it for me.
This book was the right amount of spooky and thrilling without me needing to sleep with the light on. This story is based in an ordinary town, in an ordinary neighborhood filled with ordinary people. When Roux, an anything-but-ordinary woman crashes the neighborhood women book club one evening and bewitches the members with her charm and wit, the main character, Amy’s life is about to be turned upside down. A seemingly innocent game of “never have I ever” turns deadly for Amy and Roux as this mysterious newcomer threatens to unleash Amy’s best kept secret and change her life in a way that she would do anything to avoid.
Let’s move on to something a little lighter, shall we?! The next two books are in a series that is inspired by a royal romance. Some might say it’s inspired by Prince Charles and Kate Middleton and some might say it relates more to Harry and Meghan Markle. I’ll let you be the judge.
The Royal We is the first in the series and then…
Bex Porter is an American who goes to Oxford for a semester abroad. There she meets dreamy Nick, who happens to be in line for the British throne. Of course they fall in love, but it’s not light and breezy for long. Nick comes with the baggage of his royal family and Bex is now navigating the baggage that her twin sister, Lexi brings as she as made herself a part of Bex’s new life in England, too. This book is so fun, quick and witty. It’s full of so many British colloquialisms that I legit had to look up. The writers are two entertainment bloggers so they know how to write and engaging and juicy plot. These were both 5/5 stars for me and I definitely recommend picking them up this Fall if you’re interested in some cozy and fun reads.
A Place for Us by Farheen MIrza is one of the most beautiful books I’ve read all year. This story follows an American Family from India and the ways in which each member’s lives are affected by their Islamic religion, their culture and how those things play out living in California, USA. The book follows a long timeline, going through the early, middle and late stages of this family’s life, the choices they make, how each person is affected by those choices, and the heartache and warmth that results. Warning: this book did make me cry but it’s such a moving tale of two parents seeking to give their children better lives, and how the children rebel and conform with those desires. This book also allowed me a peek into Indian culture and I enjoyed learning more about their traditions and celebrations as well as the Islamic faith. One of my favorite books of the year so far.
This last book is another favorite of 2020 so far. The Giver of Stars by Jojo Moyes. This book is set in Depression-era Kentucky and follows a band of strong women who have become apart of Eleanor Roosevelt’s new initiative as “traveling librarians.” These women are dubbed packhorse librarians, traveling by horse throughout rural towns to deliver books to families and individuals who otherwise would not have access to them. The townspeople (namely the men) seek to find problems in their work and threaten to shut down their operation. These strong women band together to protect each other and to protect the project they so believe in. It was an incredibly moving story!
Sidenote: for those of you who have read “Me Before You” by this author and didn’t like it because of how sad it was, this book is INCREDIBLY far from that one, subject and content wise. I never read Me Before You but I’ve heard it’s incredibly different and I hope it doesn’t keep you from picking this one up!
Thank you so much for spending the time to peruse my fall reading guide! I really hope you find at least one book (or a series) here that you can enjoy and curl up with this season. Happy reading!!
