The bugs have finally ceased their infernal buzzing, there’s a chill in the air that dispels the summer’s oppressive humidity and jolly plastic pumpkins spill candy eternal: it’s finally autumn! Fall is New England’s most atmospheric, ostentatious season, and curling up on one of our scenic campuses with a good book is an experience that can’t be missed. Check out our list of slightly spooky autumnal reads to start the upcoming season the right way!
"A Study in Drowning" by Ava Reid
Goodreads summary: Effy Sayre has always believed in fairy tales. Haunted by visions of the Fairy King since childhood, she’s had no choice. Her tattered copy of Angharad—Emrys Myrddin’s epic about a mortal girl who falls in love with the Fairy King, then destroys him—is the only thing keeping her afloat. So when Myrddin’s family announces a contest to redesign the late author’s estate, Effy feels certain it’s her destiny.
But musty, decrepit Hiraeth Manor is an impossible task, and its residents are far from welcoming, including Preston Héloury, a stodgy young literature scholar determined to expose Myrddin as a fraud. As the two rivals piece together clues about Myrddin’s legacy, dark forces, both mortal and magical, conspire against them—and the truth may bring them both to ruin.
Rivals to lovers? Check. Rich, atmospheric writing that directly transports you to the gloomy crevices of historic universities and ancient, magical castles? Check. A game of academic cat and mouse with impossibly high stakes? Check. Ava Reid masterfully constructs a universe full of labyrinthine mysteries and captivating conundrums in "A Study in Drowning," all while including commentary on important issues like xenophobia and misogyny in academia. The psychological twist at the end—which asks the reader to consider their own construction of illusion and reality—will keep you guessing until the last page, and looking over your shoulder for wayward Fairy Kings!
Optional listening to enhance reading experience: “Cosmic Love” by Florence and the Machine
"Payback’s a Witch" by Lana Harper
Goodreads summary: Emmy Harlow is a witch, but not a very powerful one—in part because she hasn't been home to the magical town of Thistle Grove in years. Her self-imposed exile has a lot to do with a complicated family history and a desire to forge her own way in the world, and only the very tiniest bit to do with Gareth Blackmoore, heir to the most powerful magical family in town and casual breaker of hearts and destroyer of dreams.
But when a spellcasting tournament that her family serves as arbiters for approaches, it turns out the pull of tradition (or the truly impressive parental guilt trip that comes with it) is strong enough to bring Emmy back. She's determined to do her familial duty; spend some quality time with her best friend, Linden Thorn; and get back to her real life in Chicago.
On her first night home, Emmy runs into Talia Avramov—an all-around badass adept in the darker magical arts—who is fresh off a bad breakup . . . with Gareth Blackmoore. Talia had let herself be charmed, only to discover that Gareth was also seeing Linden—unbeknownst to either of them. And now she and Linden want revenge. Only one question stands: Is Emmy in?
Perfect for fans of "Halloweentown" and "John Tucker Must Die," "Payback’s a Witch" is a cozy romance with an originally structured magic system to immerse readers in the charming world of Thistle Grove. If Hallmark made Halloween movies, this book would be a definite adaptation—our students enjoyed the love interests’ unique meet cute, themes of belonging and homecoming and lovable ensemble cast. "Payback’s a Witch" is also the first book in a five-part series, so there’s always more of Thistle Grove to explore once you’re done reading about Emmy and Talia!
Optional listening to enhance reading experience: “Season of the Witch” by Lana del Rey
"The Familiar" by Leigh Bardugo
Goodreads summary: In a shabby house, on a shabby street, in the new capital of Madrid, Luzia Cotado uses scraps of magic to get through her days of endless toil as a scullion. But when her scheming mistress discovers the lump of a servant cowering in the kitchen is actually hiding a talent for little miracles, she demands Luzia use those gifts to better the family's social position.
What begins as simple amusement for the bored nobility takes a perilous turn when Luzia garners the notice of Antonio Pérez, the disgraced secretary to Spain's king. Still reeling from the defeat of his armada, the king is desperate for any advantage in the war against England's heretic queen—and Pérez will stop at nothing to regain the king's favor.
Determined to seize this one chance to better her fortunes, Luzia plunges into a world of seers and alchemists, holy men and hucksters, where the line between magic, science, and fraud is never certain.
You may recognize Leigh Bardugo’s name from her other standout works, including "Six of Crows" and "The Language of Thorns." "The Familiar" is a standalone novel, taking place outside her famed Grishaverse. Rich with insight into ancient Spanish culture, the book examines issues of classism and religious hegemony through the eyes of Luzia, a mistreated scullion thrust into notoriety by her command of Jewish ancestral magic. The Familiar’s intimate accounts of historical events combined with a love interest that’s equal parts fascinating and frightening cement it as a can’t miss fall fable—pick up your copy at the Bookery today!
Optional listening to enhance reading experience: “Who’s Afraid of Little Old Me?” by Taylor Swift
"Babel" by R.F. Kuang
Goodreads summary: 1828. Robin Swift, orphaned by cholera in Canton, is brought to London by the mysterious Professor Lovell. There, he trains for years in Latin, Ancient Greek, and Chinese, all in preparation for the day he’ll enroll in Oxford University’s prestigious Royal Institute of Translation—also known as Babel. The tower and its students are the world's center for translation and, more importantly, magic. Silver-working—the art of manifesting the meaning lost in translation using enchanted silver bars—has made the British unparalleled in power, as the arcane craft serves the Empire's quest for colonization.
For Robin, Oxford is a utopia dedicated to the pursuit of knowledge. But knowledge obeys power, and as a Chinese boy raised in Britain, Robin realizes serving Babel means betraying his motherland. As his studies progress, Robin finds himself caught between Babel and the shadowy Hermes Society, an organization dedicated to stopping imperial expansion. When Britain pursues an unjust war with China over silver and opium, Robin must decide . . . Can powerful institutions be changed from within, or does revolution always require violence?
There’s no shortage of spooky scenarios to place characters in, but colonization is something that’s seriously scary. "Babel" is equal parts bildungsroman, cultural excavation, linguistic reclamation and commentary on the insidious prevalence of imperialism. Readers will find it difficult not to sympathize with Robin as he grapples with reconciling his passion for language with the evils of institutional racism, taking place against a darkly autumnal British university. A heartbreakingly endearing cohort of fellow scholars accompany him on his journey, all lending themselves to asking the essential question: Can powerful institutions be changed from within, or does revolution always require violence?
Optional listening to enhance reading experience: “Yellow Flicker Beat” by Lorde
"The Unmaking of June Farrow" by Adrienne Young
Goodreads summary: In the small mountain town of Jasper, North Carolina, June Farrow is waiting for fate to find her. The Farrow women are known for their thriving flower farm—and the mysterious curse that has plagued their family line. The whole town remembers the madness that led to Susanna Farrow’s disappearance, leaving June to be raised by her grandmother and haunted by rumors.
It’s been a year since June started seeing and hearing things that weren’t there. Faint wind chimes, a voice calling her name, and a mysterious door appearing out of nowhere—the signs of what June always knew was coming. But June is determined to end the curse once and for all, even if she must sacrifice finding love and having a family of her own.
Emotionally compelling, tantalizingly time twisting and thriller-esque in the mystery at its heart, "The Unmaking of June Farrow" is a can’t-miss for fans of "Practical Magic" and Kristin Hannah. The intergenerational bonds between the women of the Farrow family are the center of the novels, and Young’s distinct characterization makes every member of the large cast stand out in the reader’s mind. The Farrow flower stand is a location that’s as memorable as it is ethereal, too, placing the reader right in the middle of a star-crossed tangle of fateful threads of love and family. Make sure to have a tissue box ready for the ending!
Optional listening to enhance reading experience: “Timeless” by Taylor Swift
"An Enchantment of Ravens" by Margaret Rogerson
Goodreads summary: With a flick of her paintbrush, Isobel creates stunning portraits for a dangerous set of clients: the fair folk. These immortal creatures cannot bake bread or put a pen to paper without crumbling to dust. They crave human Craft with a terrible thirst, and they trade valuable enchantments for Isobel’s paintings. But when she receives her first royal patron—Rook, the autumn prince—Isobel makes a deadly mistake. She paints mortal sorrow in his eyes, a weakness that could cost him his throne, and even his life.
Furious, Rook spirits Isobel away to his kingdom to stand trial for her crime. But something is seriously amiss in his world, and they are attacked from every side. With Isobel and Rook depending upon each other for survival, their alliance blossoms into trust, perhaps even love . . . a forbidden emotion that would violate the fair folks’ ruthless laws, rendering both their lives forfeit. What force could Isobel's paintings conjure that is powerful enough to defy the ancient malice of the fairy courts?
Isobel and Rook journey along a knife-edge in a lush world where beauty masks corruption and the cost of survival might be more frightening than death itself.
Margaret Rogerson’s impressive catalog includes "A Sorcery of Thorns" and "Vespertine," both lush, fantastical meditations on art and relationships. "An Enchantment of Ravens" is her debut novel. Against a vivid backdrop of a perpetually autumnal fairy forest, Rogerson comments on the importance of art to humanity through dreamlike prose and romantic scenery; she honors fairy tale archetypes while adding unique elements—like Isobel’s painterly flare and Rook’s ravenesque shapeshifting abilities—that set the novel apart from other, more traditional fairy fare. Not to mention all the inspiration for Halloween costumes that can be found within its pages!
Optional listening to enhance reading experience: “ivy” by Taylor Swift
