Fall is the moment for the world to slow down. Everything gets cooler and cozier, which makes it a great time to curl up with a good book. With the hope of autumn weather rolling in soon, here are some fall books to read, from romance, to classics, to dark academia; all different, but all adventures in their own right.
If We Were Villains
No one expects their senior year of college to end in a jail cell. After four years of studying at one of the most elite conservatories in the world, Oliver Marks assumed he’d be reciting Shakespeare to thousands, not a tried-worn out police officer. Near the end of his sentence, Oliver decides it’s time to tell the truth of what happened when he had to face his very own tragedy. “If We Were Villains” is a twisting murder mystery that channels the weird world of college and theatre while quoting Shakespeare like it’s second nature.
Dracula
Halloween is fast approaching, and “Dracula” by Bram Stoker is always a great book to read to get into the groove of the spooky season. Written as one of the first ever full-length vampire novels, the story follows Nina Harker and her husband Jonathan as they deal with the mysterious threat that is Count Dracula.
My Oxford Year
For many, going to Oxford University in England is a wild and almost impossible dream. Ella Durran promised herself at 13, she’d study there, and at 24 she finally made it. However, after meeting the intelligent and charming Jamie Davenport, everything she believes in changes. “My Oxford Year” is the perfect romance for anyone that loves poetry and complicated love or dreams of visiting England.
The Cemetery Boys
For a spookier vibe, there is the critically acclaimed “Cemetery Boys.” In an attempt to find his dead cousin, Yadriel ends up summoning the wrong ghost, Julian. Together, Yadriel, his cousin Maritza and Julian work together to find answers to their cousin’s and Julian’s deaths. A mystery book with Latin and Queer representation, “Cemetery Boys,” is a great read for the upcoming Halloween season.
The Ex Hex
Cursing ex-boyfriends seems like an easy task, right? After Vivienne Jones got her heart broken at 19, she placed a seemingly harmless hex on her ex. Nine years later, the hex returns with a vengeance, threatening not only her ex but the entire town. Vivienne and her ex must work together to save the down and break the curse.
The Westing Game
Another mystery for the fall season, “The Westing Game,” follows 16 strangers as they are invited to the will reading of the mysterious millionaire, Sam Westing. After his disappearance 13 years prior, no one has seen him, and yet these 16 are beneficiaries for a fortune they have no connection to. The situation becomes stranger than it already is when it is announced that one of the attendees is Westing’s murderer.
Dead Poets Society
The high school classic “Dead Poets Society” can never be passed up when it comes to the fall school experience. Set at the all boys’ school Welton Academy, the book follows a group of boys as they meet their new English teacher, Mr. Keating. Inspired by Keating, the boys create the Dead Poets Society, to understand the craft of poetry and grow as men.
The Secret History
Known as the blueprint for the Dark Academica genre, “The Secret History” is renowned author Donna Tart’s first book. It’s an inverted detective story of classics students as their picturesque time at their New England college turns into something much darker.
Frankenstein
An absolute classic, “Frankenstein” by Mary Shelly is great for anyone looking for a gothic story with an academic and moral twist to it. Victor Frankenstein, an incredibly intelligent scientist, sets out to create life. However, in his journey to do so, he unleashes a creature unlike anything the world has ever seen. As the creature tries to adjust to the real world, Frankenstein tries to adjust to the deadly consequences of his actions.
Katabasis
Combining her experience of writing fantasy and stories set in a university, R.F. Kuang writes a magical story set at Cambridge University that has people talking in its first few weeks after release. The book follows Alice Law, a Magick student who has to save her professor from hell in order to get the letter of recommendation that could change her life.
For those that are excited for fall and love reading, there are a plethora to choose from. The East Baton Rouge Library has physical, digital, and audiobook copies of each of these books, and some of them are public domain and free to access online.
