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The best books to hunker down with this autumn

The best books to hunker down with this autumn

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Autumn is the season for book lovers. The longer nights and colder days invite you to grab your softest blanket and hunker down with a good book – bonus points if it’s a suitably seasonal read.

Readers are often divided in what they want from an autumnal read, however: some think it’s the best season for cosy books that feel like a warm hug – think autumn romances, immersive fantasy, or classic novels. Others, meanwhile, look for Gothic fiction, dark academia or horror stories to get them in the mood for Halloween.

Whether you’re in the cosy or spooky camp, we’ve rounded up the best books to read this autumn.

The best autumnal books

- For an autumnal classic: Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte
- For an autumnal romance: Cozy Girl Fall by Willow Hurst
- For a book set during autumn: Lolly Willowes by Sylvia Townsend Warner
- For dark academia: The Secret History by Donna Tartt
- For a spooky read: We Have Always Lived in the Castle by Shirley Jackson

What are the best classic books to read in autumn?

As our social calendars begin to calm down, autumn is the ideal time to finally get around to reading (or re-reading) the classics. The following are our picks of the must-read classics that have particularly autumnal themes or settings.

Persuasion by Jane Austen (1817)

Autumn can be a time for reflection, as the year winds down before the sparkle and busyness of Christmas become a distraction. That’s why Persuasion feels like such an autumnal read: it’s nostalgic, contemplative, and rather melancholic, as it centres around a heroine who regrets a decision she made in her youth.

Eight years ago, Anne Elliot was persuaded not to marry naval officer Frederick Wentworth because he was below her station. Now he’s back in town – as a captain in the forces and in high demand – and Anne must process her feelings of regret as she watches him get close to another woman.

Read it if you like: love stories full of yearning, contemplative heroines, second-chance romances, a happily-ever-after.

Autumnal setting: 🍁🍁

Cosy vibes: 🍁🍁🍁🍁🍁

Wuthering Heights by Emily Brontë (1847)

It’s moody, it’s Gothic and it’s macabre: in other words, Wuthering Heights is perfectly suited to the long, chilly nights of autumn. We particularly enjoy the descriptions of the foggy scenery and the icy winds of the Yorkshire Moors that serve as a prophetic backdrop to Cathy and Heathcliff’s doomed love story.

While the themes of the novel are undeniably dark, and it’s certainly not a cosy read, fans of Emily Brontë’s complex classic novel would argue that it becomes a comfort read the more times you revisit and lose yourself in its pages.

Read it if you like: immersive classics with an autumnal setting and moody atmosphere.

Autumnal setting: 🍁🍁🍁🍁

Cosy vibes: 🍁

Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte (1847)

Jane Eyre is another love story interwoven with Gothic themes of melancholy and madness. It is also a coming-of-age novel, with the changing seasons reflecting the different periods of Jane’s life: she experiences harsh winters during her bleak childhood; she enjoys summer evenings with Mr Rochester as they fall in love, and, following his betrayal, she finds independence in the brisk autumn months.

While the book is set across all four seasons, its moody atmosphere and Gothic allusions (a large house with strange noises, and a heroine in the wilderness) make it feel like a quintessentially autumnal book.

Read it if you like: moody atmospheres, Gothic literature, heroines that go on a journey of self-discovery.

Autumnal setting: 🍁🍁🍁

Cosy vibes: 🍁🍁

The Woman in White by Wilkie Collins (1860)

If you’re looking for a book that’s more chilling than cosy, we recommend The Woman in White. It’s one of the earliest mystery novels and its allusions to the supernatural make it a particularly suitable pre-Halloween read. Walter Hartright meets a young woman dressed all in white walking down a London road, and later learns that she escaped from the local asylum. This chance encounter, combined with his increasing fondness for a local heiress, sets a chain of events in motion that challenges his notions of class, sanity, and female independence.

Read it if you like: a chilling mystery with a Gothic atmosphere.

Autumnal setting: 🍁🍁🍁🍁

Cosy vibes: 🍁

Which are the best autumn romance books?

There has long been a trend in Christmas romances, but in recent years there’s been a growing appetite for love stories set during autumn, too (think When Harry Met Sally but in book form). The following comfort reads are our favourite romance books set during the autumn months, where leaves fall from the trees as the characters fall in love.

A Pack for Autumn by Emilia Emerson (2024)

If you need proof that this cosy romance book is an ideal autumn read, look no further than its heroine’s name: Olive Autumn Harvest. In A Pack for Autumn, Olive moves to a small town and takes a job as a lighthouse keeper, hoping for a fresh start. She’s in charge of the lighthouse’s restoration, and hires three contractors: Easton, Lars, and Finn. They’re three very different men, but each wants to protect her and win her over. Expect crisp seaside air, freshly fallen leaves, and plenty of spicy scenes.

Read it if you like: small-town romances, seasides during the colder months, spicy scenes.

Autumnal setting: 🍁🍁🍁🍁🍁

Cosy vibes: 🍁🍁🍁🍁

Falling for You by Emily Maple (2025)

Falling for You kicks off with a meet-cute at a Halloween party. Annie meets Nate and they spend the whole night talking – until Nate gets an emergency phone call and abruptly leaves. Convinced he could be The One, but with no way of contacting him, Annie makes it her mission to track him down. It’s a fun premise and heavy on the cosy escapism: descriptions of crisp leaves and roaring fires make this read feel more autumnal than a pumpkin spice latte.

Read it if you like: heart-warming romances, The Pumpkin Spice Cafe series, autumnal scenery.

Autumnal setting: 🍁🍁🍁🍁🍁

Cosy vibes: 🍁🍁🍁🍁🍁

Cozy Girl Fall by Willow Hurst (2025)

As you can probably tell from the title and the book cover, Cozy Girl Fall combines the cosiest elements of autumn: harvest season in a small town, apple trees, and late nights with the one that got away. City girl Penny Larkin returns to her small hometown Magnolia Springs to help out on her parents’ apple orchard during the autumn months. But she’s not the only helper: Ethan Blake, her first love from over a decade ago, has reappeared and, in his flannel shirt and sturdy boots, he looks better than ever. But has too much time passed for them to rekindle their romance?

Read it if you like: Carley Fortune’s novels, the-one-that-got-away trope, small-town romances set in gorgeous rural landscapes.

Autumnal setting: 🍁🍁🍁🍁🍁

Cosy vibes: 🍁🍁🍁🍁🍁

Best Hex Ever by Nadia El-Fassi

Some of the best autumnal romances are heavy on Halloween; we’re talking cosy paranormal romances involving star-crossed witches or charming (but unthreatening) vampires. Best Hex Ever is one of our favourite fantasy romances for autumn because it combines cottagecore with witchcraft, making it deliciously cosy.

Dina Whitlock is a kitchen witch who enjoys professional success at her cafe in London, but her love life is in tatters: she’s under a hex that means that any time she falls in love, her partner is plagued by bad luck. When her friend gets married, Dina meets best man Scott Mason, and sparks fly between the two – but can their love survive the hex?

Read it if you like: rewatching Practical Magic every September, The Ex Hex by Erin Sterling, books that feel like a warm hug.

Autumnal setting: 🍁🍁🍁🍁🍁

Cosy vibes: 🍁🍁🍁🍁🍁

What books are set in autumn?

The following stories transport you to fantastical realms, from the Scottish Highlands in the 18th Century to a night circus, and most are set during the colder autumnal months, making them a perfect read for this time of year.

The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern (2016)

With Halloween fast approaching, autumn is the unofficial season of magic and fantasy, which is why The Night Circus is so autumn-coded. This immersive, dreamlike novel opens on a brisk night in October 1886, when several tents mysteriously appear in a town, encircled by iron gates bearing the sign: “Opens at Nightfall. Closes at Dawn”. This is no ordinary circus: it’s full of splendour and magic. It’s also the backdrop for the fierce competition between rival magicians Celia and Marco, who fall headfirst in love, unaware that the fate of the circus rests in their hands.

Read it if you like: escapist stories of magic and fantasy, lyrical prose, coming-of-age tales.

Autumnal setting: 🍁🍁🍁

Cosy vibes: 🍁🍁🍁🍁

Lolly Willowes by Sylvia Townsend Warner (1926)

As you can probably tell from the cover of this Clothbound edition, Lolly Willowes feels like autumn in a book. It’s full of descriptions of falling leaves and the smell of the woodland, but at its heart this is a story about finding peace in solitude – a pleasure that feels uniquely autumnal. Lolly Willowes, a middle-aged woman living in London, suddenly announces to her overbearing family that she is moving, alone, to the countryside. Nobody can understand why she is moving, but Lolly enjoys freedom for the first time in her life, and finds herself drawn to a new purpose: witchcraft.

Read it if you like: beautiful descriptions of the countryside during autumn, feminist classics, short reads you’ll devour in one evening.

Autumnal setting: 🍁🍁🍁🍁🍁

Cosy vibes/comfort read: 🍁🍁🍁🍁

Little Clothbound Classics Autumn Collection

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Autumn by Ali Smith (2016)

The plot and themes of Autumn by Ali Smith revolve around the season itself, making it arguably the most autumnal book on our list. Set in the aftermath of the 2016 Brexit referendum, this poignant story focuses on the lifelong friendship between Elisabeth and her 100-year-old neighbour David. It’s a lyrical, uniquely experimental work of literary fiction about art, identity, and getting older, as well as an incisive political meditation on a divided world and the uneasy co-existence of hope and hopelessness. The reflective tone, and the sense of things ending and changing, makes Autumn feel even more, well, autumnal.

Read it if you like: meditative prose, lyrical writing, thought-provoking fiction.

Autumnal setting: 🍁🍁🍁🍁🍁

Cosy vibes: 🍁🍁

Outlander by Diana Gabaldon (1991)

If you’re looking for fiction that mirrors the chilly, darker months of autumn, look no further than Outlander. This atmospheric fantasy transports you to the biting winds of the Scottish Highlands – and another time period altogether. Claire Randall is on a second honeymoon with her husband Frank when she is transported back to the year 1743. While fleeing from a brutal British army officer, she falls in with a gang of Scottish outlaws and meets Jamie Fraser, a Scots warrior who becomes her protector. Soon, Claire’s heart is torn between two very different men – and two wildly different lives.

Read it if you like: historical fantasy, immersive books set in Scotland, a longer read to lose yourself in.

Autumnal setting: 🍁🍁

Cosy vibes: 🍁🍁

What You Are Looking for Is In The Library by Michiko Aoyama (2020)

The setting of Michiko Aoyama’s international bestseller might not be explicitly autumnal, but its subject matter certainly fits the bill. Librarian Sayuri Komachi has a unique gift for recommending books that transform the lives of those who visit her Tokyo library, from the retail assistant looking for a new purpose to the talented artist who has lost her confidence. This is a contemplative story that feels like a love letter to reading (that most autumnal of activities) and it’s the epitome of a cosy read.

Autumnal setting: 🍁🍁

Cosy vibes: 🍁🍁🍁🍁🍁

What are the best dark academia books for autumn?

If you’re looking for a darker, moodier read for this darker, moodier season, we recommend a dark academia novel for autumn. These books, which have been heavily influenced by Gothic literature, explore the shady goings-on at elite institutions, each with a chilling atmosphere that will get you in the mood for Halloween.

The Secret History by Donna Tartt (1992)

Much has been said about The Secret History being the inspiration behind the ever-growing dark academia subgenre, but few have mentioned that this book is best enjoyed in autumn. Donna Tartt imbues her story with vivid descriptions of crisp autumn air and falling leaves, transporting you to an idyllic college campus in Vermont.

For those unfamiliar with the story, The Secret History follows a group of Classics students in a New England university who fall under the spell of their charismatic professor and try to recreate the rituals of the Ancient Greeks – with brutal consequences. It’s moody, dark, and the perfect read for autumn.

Read it if you like: moody autumnal settings, dark academia, campus novels.

Autumnal setting: 🍁🍁🍁🍁🍁

Cosy vibes: 🍁🍁

Nocticadia by Keri Lake (2025)

Nocticadia takes the moody and Gothic atmosphere of dark academia and crosses it with the angsty forbidden-love dynamics you might find in a dark romance. The result is a chilling read for the colder months.

Lilia Vespertine accepts a place at Dracadia University, an elite institution on a remote island off the coast of Maine. She hopes to investigate the mysterious illness that consumed her mother, but instead uncovers the institution’s dark secrets – and falls for her brooding professor, Devryck Bramwell.

Read it if you like: angsty love stories, Gothic fiction, a foggy island setting.

Autumnal setting: 🍁🍁🍁

Cosy vibes: 🍁

A Deadly Education by Naomi Novik (2020)

Combining the whimsy of a magical school with the high-stakes danger of dark academia, A Deadly Education is a great read for the moodier months of autumn. El Higgins enrolls at The Scholomance, a school for those with magical powers, where friendships are purely strategic and if you fail, you die. But El is not intimidated: she has a unique power that could bring the school to its knees. A Deadly Education is the first in the Scholomance trilogy, and feels like a grown-up version of the Harry Potter series.

Read it if you like: fantasy books about magical schools, Wednesday on Netflix, books like Fourth Wing.

Autumnal setting: 🍁🍁🍁

Cosy vibes: 🍁

What are the best spooky books to read in autumn?

With Halloween around the corner, September and October are also popular months to delve into spine-chilling reads by the likes of Shirley Jackson and Edgar Allan Poe. Whether you’re in the mood for a ghost story or psychological suspense, these are the spookiest Gothic reads we recommend for autumn. If you’re looking for even more of a fright, however, we recommend our guide to the best horror books.

We Have Always Lived in the Castle by Shirley Jackson (1962)

We Have Always Lived in the Castle stands out for its pervasive sense of unease – it’s the epitome of eerie, unnerving Gothic suspense. Eighteen-year-old Merricat Blackwood and her sister Constance live a peaceful and solitary existence in their family home, six years after the rest of their family were mysteriously poisoned to death. Merricat delights in their isolation until the arrival of a distant cousin throws her world into disorder, leading her to take extreme precautions to protect her home.

While We Have Always Lived in the Castle is arguably her best and most unnerving work, plenty of Shirley Jackson’s novels feel quintessentially autumnal; for more inspiration, take a look at our guide on where to start with Shirley Jackson.

Read it if you like: psychological suspense, chilling main characters, the works of Donna Tartt.

Autumnal setting: 🍁🍁🍁🍁

Cosy vibes: 🍁

The Turn of the Screw by Henry James (1898)

In this classic example of psychological suspense, the reader is faced with two chilling possibilities: sinister spirits are floating around the grounds, or the narrator’s sanity is slowly unravelling. On the surface, this is a ghost story about a young governess who, upon moving to an isolated country mansion, is convinced two phantoms are trying to corrupt the children. But as the story takes unexpected and spine-tingling turns, you’re forced to question the governess – and your own mind.

Read it if you like: psychological suspense, ghost stories, unreliable narrators.

Autumnal setting: 🍁🍁🍁🍁

Cosy vibes: 🍁

Dracula by Bram Stoker (1897)

With its spine-chilling atmosphere and one of the creepiest (yet oddly charming) anti-heroes in English literature, Dracula is a horror masterpiece – making it an ideal read to get you in the mood for Halloween. You might think you know the story of the elusive Count Dracula, but the novel’s mounting unease, taking you from a Gothic castle in Transylvania to a shipwreck in Whitby, makes it far creepier and more compulsive than any TV or film adaptation.

Read it if you like: paranormal monsters, horror classics, going to sleep with the lights on.

Autumnal setting: 🍁🍁🍁🍁

Cosy vibes:🍁

The Fall of the House of Usher by Edgar Allan Poe (1839)

Edgar Allan Poe is known for his macabre stories and poems (see: The Raven), but The Fall of the House of Usher is the most autumnal of his works because it predominantly deals with death and decay. The story’s unnamed narrator receives a letter from his old friend Roderick Usher, asking him to visit his mansion as a strange sickness has taken hold of him and his sister Madeline. On arrival, the narrator immediately feels a sense of gloom inside the house, and this uneasiness builds until it becomes full-blown terror.

Read it if you like: Gothic settings, books that make you feel uneasy, psychological horror.

Autumnal setting: 🍁🍁🍁🍁🍁

Cosy vibes: 🍁

Autumnal setting rating explained:

🍁: The book isn’t set in autumn whatsoever.
🍁🍁: The majority of the book isn’t set in autumn.
🍁🍁🍁: The book has some key scenes in autumn, but the action also takes place across other seasons.
🍁🍁🍁🍁: The book is either set in autumn, or the setting is suitably chilly or cosy.
🍁🍁🍁🍁🍁: The book is explicitly set during autumn.

Cosy vibes rating explained:

🍁: The book is not cosy whatsoever; it’s more spooky or spine-chilling.
🍁🍁: The book isn’t stereotypically cosy, but there is some comfort to be found within its pages – especially on a re-read.
🍁🍁🍁: The book has some cosy elements, but these are balanced against heavier subject matter.
🍁🍁🍁🍁: This book is overall cosy, and probably has a happily-ever-after.
🍁🍁🍁🍁🍁: This is the book equivalent of a warm hug.

Frequently asked questions

What are the best cosy autumn books?

The cosiest autumn books include Persuasion by Jane Austen, a nostalgic classic, as well as autumn romance books: Falling for You by Emily Maple, Cozy Girl Fall by Willow Hurst and Best Hex Ever by Nadia El-Fassi. If you’re not a fan of romance, we recommend What You Are Looking for is in the Library by Michiko Aoyama, which is the ultimate comfort read.

What are the best autumn books to read at Halloween?

If you’re looking for a spooky read, we recommend these spine-chilling Gothic stories for the run-up to Halloween: We Have Always Lived in the Castle by Shirley Jackson, The Turn of the Screw by Henry James, Dracula by Bram Stoker, and The Fall of the House of Usher by Edgar Allan Poe.

What books are set in autumn?

Lolly Willowes by Sylvia Townsend Warner, Autumn by Ali Smith, The Secret History by Donna Tartt, and The Fall of the House of Usher by Edgar Allan Poe are all explicitly set during the autumn months. If you’re looking for a cosier book set during the same season, we also recommend the autumn romances: A Pack for Autumn by Emilia Emerson, Falling for You by Emily Maple, Cozy Girl Fall by Willow Hurst and Best Hex Ever by Nadia El-Fassi.

Why are autumn books so popular?

Whether you’re looking for a cosy or spooky read, autumn books are popular because they help you to romanticise the season: you are better able to embrace the colder, darker nights if you’re taking comfort (or chills) from your current read. Autumn is also when a lot of us spend more time reading as it can feel too cold and dark outside to socialise in the evenings, meaning we’re more open to a longer, more immersive read to curl up with under a blanket.

The best books to hunker down with this autumn

The best autumnal books

What are the best classic books to read in autumn?

Which are the best autumn romance books?

Books that feel like a warm hug

Best romance books for ultimate escapism

A beginner’s guide to romantasy

What books are set in autumn?

Little Clothbound Classics Autumn Collection

What are the best dark academia books for autumn?

What are the best spooky books to read in autumn?

Autumnal setting rating explained:

Cosy vibes rating explained:

The best dark academia books

The best horror books to read this spooky season

A guide to Gothic literature

Frequently asked questions

The best horror books to read this spooky season

The best dark academia books

Cosy fantasy books for spooky season

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