10 Books to Cozy Up with This Fall

Cozying up with a book where the leaves are crunchy and have that delicious decaying smell is probably one of my favorite things in life. I absolutely love it!!! I even took one with me to Asheville a few weeks ago! As excited as we are to share what we did in Asheville, we may have been more excited about the downtime. It was desperately needed this crazy year? So here are the books I’ll be cuddled up with this fall next to a big pile of crunchy leaves!

Perfect Books to Read this Fall

These books range from mysteries, to romances to thrillers! I like to read a little bit of everything so there’s something for everyone on this list. I even included one of my favorite classics: Little Women!

How to Be Parisian Wherever You Are: Love, Style, and Bad Habits – By Anne Berest, Audrey Diwan, Caroline de Maigret, and Sophie Mas

This book has gotten so many mixed reviews – I’m dying to read it. Following the tales of 4 friends and their satirical takes on Parisian culture – this one is in the ‘good for a laugh’ category. (Perfect for sitting by the leaves in the last days of fall!) They cover everything from fashion, entertainment, and behavior. I plan to come out of quarantine a new woman so in the cart it goes.

Bronte’s mistress: A novel – by Finola Austin

As an avid reader of all things Pride & Prejudice, Jane Eyre, and Wuthering Heights, one could hardly expect me to pass this one by. I love the subtle romance and deep character builds that surround any period drama whether it be a novel or a movie. This tale surrounds the actual existence of the Bronte sisters’ brother and his long lost love! Chucking it into my Amazon cart as fast as my fingers can click.

Little Women – By Louisa May Alcott

One of my favorite actresses of all time, Emma Watson, starred in the Little Women movie. I’m really not sure if I need to say much more than this movie has Emma Watson in it but as an endearing American classic, I’m going to love curling up with this book this fall. It’s the perfect escape into a book that I’m looking for these days. The dramas aren’t heavy and the characters are enigmatic. Hot apple cider and a sweet read.. **insert sigh**

Fable: A novel – by Adrienne Young

A young girl on pirate ravaged seas trying to make a name for herself? Count. Me. In. Something about someone having to come up in the world by their bootstraps, combined with an adventurous tale through the Narrows? This one combines a little romance as well. Sometimes I like the silly romances because they’re a total escape!

The Cipher – By Isabella Maldonado

When an FBI agent is the target of the same serial killer who kidnapped her at 16 – you know it’s about to get in-tents. Unraveling clues one at a time – Agent Guerrera finds herself partnered with a ‘mind hunter.’ For some reason, I absolutely love the idea of reading anything with a ‘mind-hunter’ criminologist because they truly take you into the mind of a character.

The Guest List – by Lucy Foley

The guest list is basically surrounding the intrigue of who gets murdered at a wedding. There are old friends, a fancy wedding and lots of petty drama. The main reason for reading this is to watch the crumbling empire that is petty high school drama. Regardless of where you grew up, where you went to high school, college, or even now in your daily life – there’s bound to be some drama? It’s the same level of intrigue that Gossip Girl or any of the other silly shows we watched have, and I’m here for it. I will cuddle up with this book in the leaves this fall and revel in fictional peoples’ drama for a bit! (Better than having drama in real life!)

The Da Vinci Code – Dan Brown

This movie is solid and the book really is even better. Any kind of historical mystery keeps me on the edge of my seat? But the really good ones are the ones that weave in a little bit of the truth along the way! Surrounding the mystery behind the Holy Grail and the secrets of the Catholic Church’s long history – I read this one in a solid 3 days and I’m really not even kidding. I will definitely be reading it again this fall!

The Giver Of the Stars – JoJo Moyes

Set in Kentucky about a group of women librarians! Of all the books to read this fall – I really can’t wait to read this because its backdrop is our beloved Kentucky! The novel’s main characters are women tasking with delivering books for Eleanor Roosevelt’s new traveling library. First things first: who doesn’t love Eleanor? She’s beauty, she’s grace… She’s the OG Miss United States.

The Secrets We Kept – by Lara Prescott

This is another historical mystery on my list that makes me want to drop everything! Two secretaries are tasked by the CIA to get Doctor Zhivago out of Russia/USSR during the cold war? Basically, anything surrounding Russia just sounds like it will be cold, so I’m excited to add this to my list of books to read this fall. The best part of all the intrigue? It’s based on a true story!!

Something in the Water – By Catherine Steadman

Just a little something for when it’s chilly? A perfect thriller set with a backdrop of tropical Bora Bora? Pretending I’m warm on a beach and wrapped up into a psychological thriller is something I can’t WAIT to read. I’ll be saving this one for when it’s frigid out. We aren’t there yet but someday soon! The plot surrounds a couple that has everything going for them until they spot something in the water. It could derail their entire lives if they tell…

THe Best Place to Buy Books

As always – Try to buy the E-Book!!!! There are so many reasons to get the E-book: saves trees, saves you money, and helps keep your home minimalist! As much as I know that it’s good to buy the E-books when possible sometimes you can’t replace the feel of a real book. If you’re deciding what books to read this fall and you need a physical copy – there are eco-friendly ways to find a few!

Local bookstores and second-hand bookstores are both great options as well. Shopping at local bookstores means supporting local businesses and reducing shipping costs/our carbon footprint. Buying from second-hand bookstores does much the same thing! You’ll be buying a book that doesn’t require another tree to be cut down! Make your notes and pass it on to the next brave reader!

Why You SHould curl up With A Book This fall

Taking a mental break while the world is so crazy is not a crime. You might think to yourself that you can’t possibly tear away from the news because you’re not sure what crazy thing is coming next.. but the truth is: you absolutely need to pull back.

Heavy subjects like faith, identity, racism, and more politics than we can listen to are swirling around our brains and creating a perpetual heavy rain cloud. Sometimes it’s good to look into those things and figure out where you stand. Sometimes you need mental relief. That’s all books are for. They take you somewhere else and allow your body a chance to filter out some of those stress hormones!

***Looks at cortisol with a disapproving glare***

Escapism is the tendency to seek distraction and relief from unpleasant realities. There is even science behind why people like to travel so much – travel in itself is another form of escapism. Between reading and traveling – people have been ‘escaping’ for hundreds of years!

All I’m saying is – get your fuzzy socks, blankets, hot apple cider, and curl up with a good book this fall. Let go of a little of the stress and recharge your batteries. Come back to the ‘real world’ refreshed and ready to go.

Thanks for sharing!