Fall Reading List: 10 Fall Books to Get Cozy With

Updated on September 12, 2024

A woman's hands holding a coffee with a book on a table decorated for fall with ceramic pumpkins.

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Looking for some great books to read this fall? We’ve rounded up a variety of books with fall vibes in the list below.

When you think of fall, some things that probably come to mind are colorful leaves, back to school, apple picking, nights sitting around the fire pit, spooky stories, Halloween, sweater weather, and curling up with a cozy blanket to read a good book. If you’re in need of fall books to read to fit with your surroundings, we’ve put together this list of great books to read during the fall season.

Fall is a great time to dive into a book. It’s getting colder outside, so you’re likely sitting on your porch with a cup of tea, wearing a warm sweatshirt, listening to the wind blow leaves around your yard, which is the perfect environment to enjoy a new book… or you’re curled up on the couch with your first fire of the season in the fireplace, making for a perfect reading atmosphere… or maybe you’re cozy in bed under layers of blankets with your bedside light turned on, and as you’re engrossed in your book you wonder if you really heard a creek in the hall or if it’s just your imagination playing tricks on you since it’s almost Halloween…

This list is full of great fall books to read that will get you in that cozy autumn mood. Whether you enjoy reading suspenseful fall books that are hard to put down, or fall books about romance, or scary fall books to get you in the Halloween spirit, this list has something for you.


1 of 10 Fall Books to Read

The Apple Orchard by Susan Wiggs

the apple orchard book cover

In The Apple Orchard, Tess Delaney grew up not knowing her father, so she didn’t have a relationship with her extended family. Now an adult, she’s living and working in San Francisco when a man arrives on her doorstep informing her that the grandfather she never knew is currently in a coma. Not only that, but she’s set to inherit half of his apple orchard called Bella Vista, with the other half going to her half-sister that she never knew she had. What follows is a story of Tess finding herself, and her family, in the setting of a beautiful apple orchard alongside lots of delicious food, a historical mystery, and romance.

Genres: Fiction, Romance, Contemporary

Why it’s a good book for fall: Apple picking and visiting apple orchards are a quintessential fall activity, so the setting of Bella Vista apple orchard fits perfectly with this time of year.


2 of 10 Fall Books to Read

Home Before Dark by Riley Sager

home before dark book cover

In Home Before Dark, Maggie Hall’s family fled Baneberry Hall, their estate in the woods of Vermont, 25 years ago, after only living there for three weeks. Maggie’s father recounted the ordeal, which involved ghostly happenings and malevolent spirits, in a famous book named House of Horrors. But Maggie was too young to remember any of the events in her father’s book and doesn’t believe a word of it, or in ghosts. So when she inherits Baneberry Hall after her father’s death, she returns there to prepare it to be sold. Except now that she’s back, she’s starting to experience strange occurrences, making her question if whether what her father wrote was more fact than fiction.

Genres: Fiction, Horror, Thriller, Mystery

Why it’s a good book for fall: You can’t have a list of fall books without a horror option, and this reader favorite and New York Times bestseller will be even scarier when read around spooky Halloween time.


3 of 10 Fall Books to Read

November 9 by Colleen Hoover

november 9 fall books cover

In November 9, the day before Fallon is set to move cross-country, she meets Ben, an aspiring novelist. There’s an immediate attraction and they end up spending Fallon’s last day together. Ben is intrigued by Fallon, which becomes the creative inspiration he’s been looking for with his novel. They decide that every year they’ll meet each other on the same date, and continue on with their separate lives. That is, until one day when Fallon starts to wonder if Ben has been truthful with her all this time, or if he’s setting them up for the ultimate plot twist?

Genres: Fiction, Romance, New Adult, Contemporary

Why it’s a good book for fall: This novel revolves around the fall date of November 9th, with it first being the date that Fallon and Ben meet, and then returning to meet with each other on this same date every year. What better season to read this novel?


If you’re enjoying this list of fall books, check out: Create Your Perfect Fall Bucket List With These 32 Awesome Ideas


4 of 10 Fall Books to Read

Meet Me on Love Lane by Nina Bocci

Meet Me on Love Lane fall book cover.

In Meet Me on Love Lane, Charlotte Bishop is fired from her job in New York City and is forced to return home to Hope Lake, PA, until she can earn enough money to move back to New York. She doesn’t plan on staying long or making friends. But she soon finds that Hope Lake has a lot to offer, including a great job, the opportunity to reconnect with her grandmother, prospective love interests, and a feeling of community. As Charlotte discovers the things she never knew she was missing, she also begins to discover herself, and has to decide where she really belongs. This is the second book in a series that can be read as a standalone.

Genres: Fiction, Romance, Contemporary

Why it’s a good book for fall: A feel-good romantic comedy is great to curl up with by a the fire with a cup of tea. And who can resist this fall book cover?!


5 of 10 Fall Books to Read

The Lighthouse Witches by C. J. Cooke

The Lighthouse Witches book cover.

In The Lighthouse Witches, Liv is a struggling single mother. When she’s asked to paint a mural in a lighthouse on a remote Scottish island, she accepts the job and takes along her three daughters. But then two of her daughters go missing, and in searching to find them, Liv learns of the island folklore and that the cave beneath the lighthouse was formerly a prison for women accused of witchcraft. Two decades go by, and the third daughter receives a call that one of her missing sisters has been found, but she’s still the same age she was when she disappeared. Only by returning to the island will she find out the truth about what happened to her family.

Genres: Fiction, Fantasy, Horror, Mystery

Why it’s a good book for fall: Witches, unexplained creepy events, superstitions, and an ominous and suspenseful story make this a great read for fall or Halloween time.


6 of 10 Fall Books to Read

October Kiss by Kristen Ethridge

October Kiss book cover.

If you’re a fan of Hallmark Channel Original Movies, October Kiss is based on one. Ryan is a widower who has thrown himself into his work ever since his wife’s death. Spending most of his time focusing on business ventures, he hires a nanny for his children. Poppy lives her life with enthusiasm even though she hasn’t been able to figure out what she wants to do with her life, or commit to anything. She’s tried many jobs, like being a yoga instructor, making pizzas, and is now a nanny. But it turns out that having her fun personality and positive outlook in their lives is much-needed for Ryan’s children. And maybe she’s starting to realize she needs them, too.

Genres: Fiction, Romance, Contemporary

Why it’s a good book for fall: Besides the beautiful fall cover, this book takes place during fall and around Halloween, with many references to autumn activities.


7 of 10 Fall Books to Read

The Broken Girls by Simone St. James

The Broken Girls book cover.

In The Broken Girls, Idlewild Hall is a boarding school for troubled girls in Vermont, 1950. There are rumors around town that it’s haunted, and then one day, one of the girls disappears. Years later, in 2014, journalist Fiona Sheridan can’t stop thinking about the mysterious events surrounding her sister’s death 20 years ago. She was found murdered on the abandoned grounds of Idlewild Hall, and her boyfriend went to prison for the murder, but something just isn’t adding up. So when Fiona discovers that Idlewild Hall is being restored, she decides to write a story about it. What she uncovers is much more than she bargained for.

Genres: Fiction, Mystery, Thriller, Horror

Why it’s a good book for fall: If you want a good ghost story around Halloween time, this book is spooky, atmospheric, and a perfect read for the fall.


8 of 10 Fall Books to Read

Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier

rebecca book cover

If you haven’t read this classic, fall is a perfect time. In Rebecca, an insecure young woman is working as a companion to an overbearing wealthy woman, when during their travels she meets a handsome and wealthy widower named Max de Winter. He takes an interest in the young woman and they are soon married, and go to live at his estate, Manderley. However, nothing is turning out to be what the new Mrs. de Winter expected. It feels like the deceased first Mrs. de Winter, Rebecca, is still everywhere, and the sinister housekeeper seems determined to keep it that way. Soon she finds herself wondering, what really happened to Rebecca?

Genres: Fiction, Classics, Mystery, Gothic, Thriller

Why it’s a good book for fall: This eerie story with a gothic atmosphere delivers spookiness well-matched with the Halloween season without being too scary. It’s the perfect curl-up-by-the-fire suspense book.


Don’t miss this free download: 10 Cool Free Phone Wallpapers for Fall


9 of 10 Fall Books to Read

15 Minutes of Flame by Christin Brecher

15 Minutes of Flame book cover.

In 15 Minutes of Flame, Stella Wright owns her own candle shop on the island of Nantucket called Wick and Flame. Stella’s friend has inherited a creaky, abandoned home, and they decide it will be the perfect setting for the town’s annual Halloween fundraiser. But as Stella explores the property, she discovers something terrible — the 100-year-old skeleton of a woman. As the police investigate, Stella starts her own investigation to learn more about the woman. And when one of the investigators is murdered, Stella is even more determined to solve the mystery. This is the third book in a series that can be read as a standalone.

Genres: Fiction, Cozy Mystery, Contemporary

Why it’s a good book for fall: This mystery takes place in the fall around Halloween, making for a perfect cozy autumn read.


10 of 10 Fall Books to Read

The Secret History by Donna Tartt

the secret history book cover

In The Secret History, Richard has worked hard to get accepted to an elite college in New England. Once there, he becomes interested in an exclusive group consisting of five classics majors and a professor. He determines that he will do anything to join this group, and he manages to be accepted. But they end up down a dangerous path and their lives are changed forever, with not all of them making it out alive.

Genres: Fiction, Mystery, Contemporary, Classics, Thriller

Why it’s a good book for fall: The back-to-school theme is perfect for fall, and the mystery and thriller aspects of this novel pair nicely with spooky season.


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A graphic showing the 10 fall book covers that were listed in the article, and text that says, "10 fall books to get cozy with."

These are some of the best books to read this fall to fit with your cozy autumn aesthetic.

If you like to read fall books that are creepy and suspenseful, or if you prefer reading fall books centered around a cozy romance, or if you like getting a good scare around Halloween with a horror selection of fall books, you’ll find great fall books to read on this list.

Which book from this list sounds the most interesting to you? What are your favorite kind of fall books to read? Share your thoughts in the comments.

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