🍂 What to Read This Fall: 10 Spooky, Romantic, and Unforgettable Books
- genredpodcast
- Oct 24
- 4 min read
Updated: Oct 28
Some stories are meant to be read under a blanket with something warm in your mug and something possibly haunted in the air. Fall is the season for books that hum with atmosphere — stories about ghosts, secret lovers, and magic that comes with a price. Whether you want cozy witches, doomed romantics, or dark academia vibes, these ten books capture the mood perfectly.
A few might sound familiar (hi, We Are All Guilty Here, The Knight and the Moth, and Rose in Chains 👋), so we’ve linked to our full podcast episodes and show notes for deeper dives. The rest are new recommendations that deserve a spot on your October/November TBR — all equally likely to break your heart, heal it, or raise the dead trying.
Our Favorite Fall Reads (with vibes)
We Are All Guilty Here — Karin Slaughter
🩸 Genre: Southern Gothic Thriller
🎧 Episode 08 | Show Notes
Quick Summary: A small-town Fourth of July celebration ends in tragedy, and every character is hiding something.
Vibes: Sweltering heat, damp secrets, fireworks and guilt.
Why read it in fall: It’s that perfect mix of Southern charm and slow-burn dread, like peeling back wallpaper to find rot underneath.
The Knight and the Moth — Rachel Gillig
🌕 Genre: Gothic Romantasy
🎧 Episode 07 | Show Notes
Quick Summary: A devout knight and a cursed woman cross paths amid relics, ruins, and heresy in a cathedral full of secrets.
Vibes: Candlelight, confession, stone altars, aching faith.
Why read it in fall: Moody and melancholic, this one feels made for gray skies and a cup of something too hot to sip right away.
The Atlas Six — Olivie Blake
🔮 Genre: Dark Academia / Fantasy
Quick Summary: Six brilliant magicians are invited to join a secret society, but only five will survive initiation.
Vibes: Dusty libraries, velvet blazers, philosophical seduction.
Why read it in fall: Dark academia season demands moral ambiguity, and this one delivers it in spades.
Belladonna — Adalyn Grace
💀Genre: Gothic Mystery / YA Romantasy
Quick Summary: When her guardians keep dying mysteriously, Signa must team up with Death himself to solve a murder.
Vibes: Poison gardens, lace gloves, spectral romance.
Why read it in fall: Haunted manors + flirty personification of Death = peak October energy.
The Dead Romantics — Ashley Poston
👻 Genre: Contemporary Paranormal Romance
Quick Summary: A ghostwriter who no longer believes in love meets an editor who’s both perfect… and dead.
Vibes: Funeral homes, rainy nights, soft hauntings.
Why read it in fall: Melancholy but comforting, it’s about grief, healing, and love that lingers past the veil.
Rose in Chains — Julie Soto
🌹 Genre: Dark Romantasy / Contemporary Fantasy
🎧 Episode 06 | Show Notes
Quick Summary: A cursed witch and the man bound to her by magic, memory, and betrayal, their love could save them both or tear their world apart.
Vibes: Blood-red roses, iron shackles, aching confessions, slow-burn redemption.
Why read it in fall: It’s gothic and devastating in the best way. Passion wrapped in darkness, made for candlelight and stormy nights.
The Foxglove King — Hannah Whitten
🌘 Genre: Dark Fantasy / Court Intrigue
Quick Summary: A woman who can raise the dead is forced into a world of politics, deceit, and forbidden devotion.
Vibes: Candle smoke, decaying cathedrals, forbidden glances.
Why read it in fall: Death magic and royal drama are even better when the nights get longer.
The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue — V.E. Schwab
🕯️ Genre: Historical Fantasy
Quick Summary: After making a deal with the devil, Addie is cursed to be forgotten by everyone she meets, until someone remembers.
Vibes: Paris rain, art studios, quiet heartbreak.
Why read it in fall: A meditation on love, memory, and time. Perfect for nights when everything feels fleeting.
The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches — Sangu Mandanna
🪄 Genre: Cozy Fantasy
Quick Summary: A solitary witch stumbles into a home full of chaotic magic and finds belonging she didn’t know she needed.
Vibes: Teapots, soft sweaters, spellbooks, warm laughter.
Why read it in fall: It’s the book equivalent of cinnamon tea and found family — gentle magic for crisp days.
The Once and Future Witches — Alix E. Harrow
🔥 Genre: Historical Fantasy
Quick Summary: Three sisters reclaim their power — and rewrite history — in a world that tried to burn them.
Vibes: Witch circles, candle smoke, sisterhood and rebellion.
Why read it in fall: The definition of fall witch energy: bold, political, and enchantingly fierce.
❓ Mini FAQ
Which one’s the scariest?
🌹 Rose in Chains: gothic, dark, and deliciously unsettling.
Which one’s the coziest?
🪄 The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches: all warmth, whimsy, and found family.
Which one made us cry?
🕯️ The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue: quiet devastation that lingers like perfume.
💬 Join the conversation:
If you pick one of these up this season, tell us what you think — we love hearing what you’re reading, crying over, or screaming about in your group chat.
💬 Share your fall reads on Instagram or TikTok and tag us @genredpodcast
Stay spooky, stay sentimental, and remember: love stories hit different when the air gets cold. 🍂
Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links, meaning we may earn a small commission if you purchase through them — at no extra cost to you. As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases. We only recommend books and products we truly love (and probably already own in multiple formats).
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