Five books to ramp up your fall aesthetic this year

If you’re anything like me, you’ve been yearning for the fall season — big sweaters, pumpkin spice, cozy nights in and it finally being acceptable to watch Halloween movies. Thankfully, it’s almost upon us.

Even after you’ve rewatched “Gilmore Girls" and all the “Harry Potter” movies, it’s still important to consume as much fall media as you possibly can (it’s vital to your health). The best way to pass the time on a fall night and succumb to the academia aesthetic is reading.

Here are five books to read with a fall vibe that will immerse you in the season.

‘Truly Devious’ — Maureen Johnson

If you are a sucker for crime and thrillers, this is the first book you want to pick up. A smart, empowered, ’80s-obsessed female main character uncovers some slimy secrets at the eccentric private school she attends in Vermont. What she finds sends her down a rabbit hole nobody can predict. It has found family, dark academia, anxiety representation and mystery.

Even better, if you like it, there are four more books in the series.

‘The Secret History’ — Donna Tartt

This is my all-time favorite book. With darker themes, it can definitely be a heavier read. This book encapsulates the feeling of studying alone on a cold, dark night in King Library.

Richard Papen transfers to a small university in Vermont (is this the official fall state?), and becomes friends with a group of bizarre students. They study closely under one professor and obsess over their work. This obsession quickly turns to madness, and the students must suffer the consequences.

If you like Ancient Greece, extremely chaotic characters and being really pretentious, you’ll enjoy this one.

‘Before the Coffee Gets Cold’ — Toshikazu Kawaguchi

While this one doesn’t necessarily have a fall vibe, it gives the same warm feeling of the classic fall movie or book.

Enjoy what you're reading?
Signup for our newsletter

Four people visit a cafe in a Tokyo alley, but this coffee shop has a unique aspect: Visitors may get the chance to travel back in time. This beautiful book follows four different stories and explores the risk and reward of changing your past.

It’s a quick read, but perfect for a night in this season.

‘House of Salt and Sorrows’ — Erin A. Craig

This novel has a dark aesthetic without turning into horror (as much as I want it to be; it’s not Halloween yet).

Set by the sea, 12 sisters are seemingly cursed. Four have died mysterious deaths, and one sister, Annaleigh, grows more suspicious by the day. After meeting a stranger, she begins to uncover the dark secrets surrounding her and her family.

This incredibly atmospheric book immerses you in a spooky, Gothic world. You will never want to put it down.

‘Pride and Prejudice and Zombies’ — Seth Grahame-Smith

Not quite the Jane Austen classic we know and love — the author added zombies. Grahame-Smith turns “Pride and Prejudice,” already a fall classic, into an apocalyptic survival story. It still has its charming romance, but adds the chaos of fighting off zombies.

Some may dislike the mark it leaves upon Austen’s original work, but personally, I think this book is satirical genius. It’s incredibly entertaining and has the perfect mix of every fall vibe.

There are countless books out there to read this fall, one for every aesthetic. A book can be cozy, spooky, thrilling, funny — as long as it puts you in the fall spirit, it’s perfect. Take this as a starter guide to get you into all your autumnal endeavors.

norrisl3@miamioh.edu

Layla Norris is a sophomore double majoring in political science and professional writing, with minors in history and human capital management and leadership. Alongside writing for The Miami Student, she is involved with Kappa Alpha Pi and RedHawk Radio.