It’s finally fall, which is my favourite season, and it’s been a while since I’ve done a tag, so I thought this would be the perfect opportunity to talk all about autumnal bookish things!
This tag was originally created by Lucy from the channel The Book Belle on YouTube .
What book always reminds you of fall/autumn?
For me, it’s one of my favourite books of all time: If We Were Villains by M.L. Rio. This book is about a group of university students who study Shakespeare, and the dark and contentious relationship dynamics that evolve between them (in a very Shakespearean manner). It has major dark academia vibes, and the story has this constant underlying sense of tension that makes it a good fall read. If you’ve never picked this one up before, I would highly recommend it!
What is you favourite autumnal book cover?
I’m going to share three, just because they all give me autumn vibes. The books themselves also definitely have those vibes, but it’s more so the covers that feel cozy or spooky or just somehow generally autumnal. I can’t explain it!
The books are Through the Woods by Emily Carroll (gorgeous art and definite spookiness), Uprooted by Naomi Novik (something about fantasy books and magical forests feels very autumnal to me), and Ninth House by Leigh Bardugo (not a huge fan of this book, but I LOVE the cover design and it fits with the dark academia vibes of the story).
These covers may not be typically autumnal (not a lot of oranges, reds, yellows, or falling leaves), but to me they somehow still represent the feeling of fall, especially the more Halloween-y aspects of it.
What is your favourite autumnal drink to read with?
This one is specifically for my fellow Canadians, but there’s no hot drink that I love more than a French Vanilla from Tim Hortons. It really doesn’t feel like fall until I’ve had one, and I drink…way more of them than I should over the fall and winter. It’s sweet, but not too sweet, and I don’t think that it has much caffeine in it, which is perfect for my anxious brain. I’ve never found a drink quite like it anywhere else! Honestly, I think it’s unfortunate for my international friends that you guys don’t get to experience the glory of a Tim’s French Vanilla (I might be hyping it up a little too much but this is truly one of my all-time favourite beverages).
I’m also a fan of apple cider (both hot and cold), and to be fair, that drink feels more pointedly autumnal, but it’s still pretty much French Vanillas all the way for me.
Halloween is coming! What is your favourite spooky read?
This one was a little hard, as I don’t tend to read a lot of horror, and I’ve only recently gotten into thrillers. In the end, I decided to mention a few books quickly.
The first is Wilder Girls by Rory Power, which I’m categorizing as “spooky” because it has a weird and creepy vibe. It definitely has a few (minor) horror elements, but it’s also fundamentally about female friendships, which is always a plus. Next is Misery by Stephen King, which is the only Stephen King book I’ve read. This one is pretty famous so I don’t think I need to dwell on it for too long, but it was definitely a creepy read, especially if you’re not a fan of supernatural types of horror and want something a bit more…human.
Lastly, I wanted to mention Slasher Girls and Monster Boys edited by April Genevieve Tucholke, which is a collection of scary short stories by various authors. There’s a mix of content in here, some stories containing more horror elements than others, but I feel like there’s something in here that can appeal to everyone. I would definitely recommend as a Halloween read!
What is the ultimate comfort read for you?
For me, it’s comforting to read something that I’ve read many, many times, and that I first read when I was in middle school or a young teenager. There’s a bunch of books and series that fall into this, including Harry Potter, The Lunar Chronicles, The Hunger Games, and Percy Jackson. All of those are go-tos when I’m feeling nostalgic or like I need something familiar and comforting in my life.
My other comfort reads fall into the category of just being some of my all-time faves that bring me joy to go back to on a somewhat-yearly basis. For me this is the Six of Crows series and Anne of Green Gables. I know, I know, those are two very different kinds of books, but they both bring me comfort and happiness in different ways. Anne of Green Gables especially always puts me in a good mood, because of how the story itself is just warm and kind.
On that note, there’s currently a podcast being put on by the actress Mary Kate Wiles (who you might know from The Lizzie Bennet Diaries or Shipwrecked) where each week, she reads a chapter of Anne of Green Gables. She does the narration and voices Anne, and has a full cast for the rest of the characters (and if you’re a fan of Shipwrecked or Starkid, you’ll probably recognize a lot of them), and it’s just a really well-done podcast that feels like listening to an Anne of Green Gables audiobook. I would highly recommend if you’re into that sort of thing! I find it very relaxing to listen to an episode while taking a walk outside. Here’s the link if you’re interested (of course, it can also be found on most major podcast apps, I’m sure).
What is your favourite autumnal reading snack?
To be honest, I don’t really eat much while I read, normally (I do a lot of my eating while watching movies or TV shows). Regardless, some of my favourite autumnal foods include caramel corn, apple crisp, and squash soup (I’m not a fan of squash on its own, but nothing feels more autumnal to me than a bright orange squash soup). I also associate churros with fall, because I rarely ever get to eat them (no one around where I live sells them), but once a year during a local fall craft fair, there’s a vendor who sells them, and I always look forward to it.
What is your favourite autumnal candle to burn whilst reading?
I’m a BIG fan of candles, and I am especially passionate about warm autumn scents. My favourites are “Autumn” and “Marshmallow Fireside” (which I feel is good for both fall and winter) from Bath and Body Works and “Autumn Leaves”, “Autumn in the Park”, “Apple Pumpkin”, and “Macintosh” (which pretty much works as an all-year-round candle because it’s just a gorgeous fresh apple scent) from Yankee Candle. I’m a big fan of apples, as you might be able to tell by this point.
When you’re not reading, what is your favourite autumnal activity?
I love pumpkin patches and family farms where they have little activities and corn mazes and pretty areas for pictures. Nothing gets me in the fall mood quite like a place like that! I also really like just taking walks when the weather is nice and looking at the leaves, whether it’s just a walk down the road or an actual hike on a trail.
And for days when I’m not feeling quite as outdoorsy, I love gathering up some snacks, burning a candle, and watching autumnal or Halloween-y movies!
What is on your autumn/fall reading list?
As I mentioned in my ‘Most Anticipated Fall Reads’ post, there are a few new releases that I’m excited to read, such as A Deadly Education by Naomi Novik, The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue by V.E. Schwab, Leave the World Behind by Rumaan Alam, and Plain Bad Heroines by Emily M. Danforth. I also recently heard about The Inheritance Games by Jennifer Lynn Barnes, which is being marketed as “A Cinderella story with deadly stakes and thrilling twists, perfect for fans of One of Us is Lying and Knives Out“. So basically, it’s right up my alley.
Some other books that I want to read this fall that aren’t new releases (and have actually been on my list for a while) include Smoke Gets In Your Eyes by Caitlin Doughty, Vicious by V.E. Schwab, and The Lying Game by Ruth Ware.
So, that’s it for the tag! Just writing this post has gotten me into a fall mood, and now I just want to go drink some apple cider and walk around in the leaves!
Let me know what your favourite autumnal activities are, and what book recommendations you have for the season! I’m always open to new suggestions!
To see more photos like the ones I used throughout this post, follow my Bookstagram account (@/redhead.readings).
“I’m so glad I live in a world where there are Octobers.”
-L.M. Montgomery, ‘Anne of Green Gables’
Redhead Readings 