My favourite books to read during autumn

Dear reader,

If you don’t know, Autumn is by far my favourite season. I adore Winter but there is something about Autumn that always makes me feel good, that makes me feel at home even. I spent my summer creating a Pinterest board for it and only seeing pictures of the rain, the orange leaves on the ground and pumpkins warmed something my chest. I know that Autumn is not officially here, but for me it is: the air is cooler, the sky is grey and I can wear jumpers again.

I am sure that many of you will understand as it is a lot of readers’ favourite season, and that’s why I decided to present you all the books I adore to read and re-read during Autumn.

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❥ CONTEMPORARY NOVELS

Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell

Fangirl is one of my top three favourite books of all time. I re-read it tons of time, just did it actually and am planning on doing it again. It’s the only book I keep away from my shelves: It’s forever on my desk, and it’s only because it makes me feel good. This book makes me feel what Autumn makes me feel. I feel at home when I read it. I can see myself in Levi’s Starbucks while it’s raining outside and I’m just there writing, studying, reading while everything around me smells like Pumpkin Spice Lattes.

This book talks about university and that’s something I adore in novels, and I am still looking for more like this one. For me, going back to school means Autumn and I believe that Fangirl pictures it perfectly. While I read it I always imagine Cath walking around the campus which is covered with dead leaves and which smells like smoke and rain. Can you imagine, going to study at the library while it’s like that out there? Only thinking of it makes me happy.

The Secret History by Donna Tartt

The Secret History is another book that takes place at university, so this is partly why it has been added to the list. It’s also an incredible and dark novel that deserves to be read around Halloween. It talks about mythology, murder, friendship (or kind of) and more. It’s the kind of book you want to read curled up in a blanket with a latte in your hand while it’s pouring outside. It’s mysterious, strange, dark, but oh so beautiful.

❥ CLASSICS

Dracula by Bram Stoker

Dracula may be one of the most recommended books around Halloween. However, if I added it to that list it’s mostly because it is one of my favourite books in the whole world. I  have quite a funny story with this book as I read a short version of it when I was 12 and didn’t like it: I didn’t understand any of it, and that’s mostly because important parts were cut from it. Three years ago I took a class about vampires at university and had to read the full version of it- that’s when I fell in love. I then re-read it last year for Halloween and it only confirmed what I knew, that this book is incredible and that I love gothic literature with all my heart.

Of course it still is the perfect book to read during Autumn. It’s scary and you can see yourself trapped in this castle lost in Romania with Jonathan Harker. So just grab a cup of tea, hide yourself behind tons of blankets and enjoy this monstrous trip to Count Dracula’s castle. (If you end up loving it as much as I do, plan yourself a night to watch Bram Stoker’s Dracula by Francis Ford Coppola. This movie starring Gary Oldman, Winona Ryder and Keanu Reeves is incredible.)

Frankenstein by Mary Shelley

I first read Frankenstein last year and fell in love with it. This book is brilliant and definitely perfect for the season. I am sure that almost everyone knows what this book is about, but reading it is so different from what you may have heard about it. Plus, Mary Shelley’s writing style is breathtaking and definitely worth it. Trust me, you want to read it this Autumn.

The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde

When I started reading The Picture of Dorian Gray last year, I was shocked because of how beautifully written the whole book was. This novel is like a very long quote – every words are beautiful and deserves to be remembered. I immediatelly fell in love with it as soon as I started it and have been meaning to re-read it ever since. I believe that it is best to read it during Autumn as there is something dark and mysterious to this story. It is a short book that you can easily read in one setting on a dark Autumn day.

❥ FANTASY AND SCI-FI NOVELS

This Monstrous Thing by Mackenzi Lee

I may add this book to any list I start, but it’s worth it. This Monstrous Thing has been gifted to me by my friend Lucie for my birthday last year and it became one of my favourite reads of 2017, and ever. This book is a retelling of Frankenstein, hence why it’s so perfect for Autumn, but it also is the best retelling I have ever read. It is brilliant, dark and mysterious. While reading it I felt as if I was in Geneva on a rainy day with all our characters, and it was the best experience ever. It definitely is the best book to pick up when it’s pouring outside.

Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo

Is Ketterdam immersed in Autumn forever? Because Six of Crows definitely screams Autumn. While reading it I always imagine the streets covered with dead leaves and puddles of water. It always feels cold, foggy and rainy. That’s the definition of Autumn, right? Plus I can easily see myself eating waffles with the whole gang in a pub on a windy November night. Six of Crows truly is one of the best books to read during this season.

Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone by J.K. Rowling

Of course, I had to add this time. I’m sure I’m not the only one who re-reads it every September. I actually just finished my re-read for this year, and it was amazing. This first book in the Harry Potter series really feels like Autumn for me: it feels like going back to school and there is an important scene taking place during Halloween. Of cours witches and wizards are very Halloween-y as well, so there’s that.

The Raven Boys by Maggie Stiefvater

I know that a lot of people feel the same when I say that the Raven Cycle series is one of the weirdest I have ever read. The first time I read the first book I wasn’t sure I understood it all- all of those books are filled with metaphors, the writing style is strange and the characters are somehow more important than the story. However it’s an excellent series and I’m sure that it’s amazing to read during Autum, because of all this weirdness. The Raven Boys talks about magic, a dead king, friendship, powers and more. It’s perfect to read next to a fire place with a big sweater on.

Clockwork Angel by Cassandra Clare

Even though I already read the Infernal Devices series during Summer (twice, actually), I am sure that they are the perfect books to read during Autumn. They take place in London and the fact that it takes place in 1878 makes it so nostalgic. Reading it I imagined everything to be grey and that it was always raining. I really wanted to jump into the pages to curl up in the London Institute’s library and to read there all day with some scones made by Sophie. It also talks about magic and somehow steampunk books always remind me of colder days.

Vicious by V.E. Schwab

And here we are again with one of my favourite books in the whole world. Vicious talks about two college roommates who team up together to work on a very special projet: how make someone develop extraordinary abilities. We also have another point of view, talking place years after this whole story, and we find out that they are now both ennemies. It truly is the most amazing book to read during Autumn as, again, it talks about university but also about science, research, super powers. I felt as if it was close to Frankenstein in some ways, which made me love it more. Vicious really should be read on a cold October day.

❥ PLAYS

 

The Tragedy of McBeth by Shakespeare

If you don’t know, I’m a huge fan of Shakespeare’s plays and even though I could recommend a lot of his work to read during Autumn, I feel as if McBeth is the best one to start with. Taking place in Scotland, it talks about paranoia, witches and kings. It also delivesr the most Halloween-y quote of all time: “Something wicked this way comes.”

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Well, here we are! Here are all the books that I believe to be perfect to read as soon as your days will be colder. Most of those books are my favourites and it really shows how I am attracted to gothic literature and anything paranormal.

What about you? Have you read some of them? What would you recommend to read during Autumn?

Ps: The blog is now wearing its autumnal clothes, I hope that you like it!

Love always,

Clara