The leaves are turning and you can buy pumpkin spice flavored everything and anything which means, fall is here. These are 10 book recommendations to make you fall in love with autumn or to give you a good spook for October. 

“Dracula” By Bram Stoker 

Starting this list with a classic is Bram Stoker’s “Dracula.” The story is told through a series of letters and diary entries from Jonathan Harker, who takes a business trip to stay at Count Dracula’s castle in Transylvania. 

Dracula is one of those books you just have to read for yourself, the drama and unsettling nature of it all is so eerie that you can’t put it down. This is the perfect book to read when the leaves turn colors and start crunching underneath your feet. 

“The Final Girl Support Group” By Grady Hendrix 

“The Final Girl Support Group” is a book for all the slasher movie fans out there. An ode to all our favorite final girls, the book answers the question of what happens after the last girl is left standing at the end of the horror movie. 

“The Final Girl Support Group” is a book that once you pick it up, you won’t be able to put it back down. It has all the wittiness of “Scream” and all the terror of the “Texas Chainsaw Massacre.”

This book had a lot to say about the horror gene’s treatment of women both good and bad. This book is a horror movie printed out on paper and it is perfect to get you in the mood for Halloween. 

“Hallowe’en Party” By Agatha Christie

Hallowe’en Party is a classic whodunit mystery where a teenager is murdered at a Halloween party and Hercule Poirot must solve the crime. This was my first Agatha Christie book I had ever read and it made me want to read the rest of her work.

The writing shines and the plot will have you gasping a couple of times. The atmosphere is sinister while still being fun.

This is the perfect read for the ones who aren’t down with horror but still want that feeling of a spooky Halloween. 

“The Ex Hex” By Erin Sterling

Are you a “Hocus Pocus” lover? What about “Practical magic?” Or maybe “Sabrina the Teenage Witch?” If you said yes to any of those then this is the book for you. A witchy rom-com where the main character hex’s her ex and it has some unforeseen consequences.

This book is the most light-hearted on this list but it has one of the most captivating plots. The characters have so much chemistry it makes the book such a fun read.

 It is funny and heartwarming while managing to have the perfect fall vibes. 

“Twilight” By Stephenie Meyer 

Love it or hate it, you cannot deny that Twilight is the perfect book for fall. The story follows Bella Swan, who moves back to her small home town in Washington where she falls in love with Edward Cullen and discovers there is something more to him than meets the eye. 

This book is not perfect but if you have never read it then you should give it a shot. There is a certain charm to it, and Stephenie Myer adds so many lively details that make the characters and the universe feel lived in.

Twilight is the perfect book for a moody and rainy fall afternoon. 

“Coraline” By Neil Gaiman

If you love “Coraline” the movie then you will love the book it was based on! The premise is the same. A young girl named Coraline goes through a secret door in her new house and on the other side is her house but… different. 

“Coraline” the movie scared me when I was a kid and “Coraline” the book scared me as an adult. The book is so haunting but almost enchanting in its imagery. It has funny moments to ease the tension and then it slams the tension back into the forefront. 

The book is beautiful and spooky which is perfect for those who just want a little more spook in their lives. 

“The Secret History”  By Donna Tartt

“The Secret History” is filled with a sense of New England dreariness that is nothing but fall vibes. It tells the story of six classic literature students who are involved in a murder mystery.

Tartt is an excellent writer as she makes all the characters feel so vivid and real; all of these characters are so believable. The setting describes in great detail the perfect backdrop for the plot that unfolds. 

 This is a perfect book to read in a library on a nice autumn day. 

“Salem’s Lot” By Stephen King 

The book follows a writer who goes back to his hometown, which is slowly becoming abandoned, only to find the townspeople turning into something strange. This is my favorite Stephen King book and one of his shorter novels. 

“Salem’s Lot” is also one of King’s less scary novels but it is still terrifying as the plot builds major suspense. You truly get to live in the main character’s shoes and feel the full brunt of his experiences. 

Once the story really takes off, it refuses to slow down. “Salem’s Lot” is a slow burn that will stay with you long after October has come and gone.

“The Amityville Horror” By Jay Anson

Based on a “true story,” Jay Anson’s novel “The Amityville Horror” is about the Lutz family who move into a house with a dark past that quickly comes to haunt them. This book is a little more intense than the rest on this list, but I think it’s  amazing if you are in a paranormal mood. 

This book has spawned many films and T.V. adaptations and out of all the ones I have seen, none of them have lived up to the book in terms of horror elements. 

True or not, this book is a perfect scary read for Halloween night. 

“Wuthering Heights” By Emily Brontë

“Wuthering Heights” is a haunting and melancholy classic that takes you on a journey. 

I understand why a lot of people don’t like this book. The characters are unlikable and oftentimes bad people. However, the premise of the book is simple and there is a huge emotional journey that both the reader and the characters go through. 

The writing is provoking and dark, but reading “Wuthering Heights” is like experiencing a dark tunnel. No matter how dark the tunnel is, there is always light at the end of it.

In the end, this gothic novel is perfect for a cozy autumn night.