Warm or Dark? | Autumn Recommendations

Autumn has definitely set in with its cold breeze and falling leaves all around. It is the perfect season to go for a walk to a nearby park and maybe taking a book along with you. Or make a tea and cozy up in your balcony with your pet and a book. And with the spooky season right around the corner next month, we are all getting excited for Halloween.

So I decided to bring you a list of books covering all genres that you should definitely check out this season.

Vibes: dark, spooky, warm, cozy, mysterious, eerie, deep, melancholy

1. The Shining – Stephen King (Horror)

October is going to start within a few weeks and what better time is it to stack up on some horror books? I am sure everyone has heard a lot about this book or at least the movie. If you have watched the movie then I would DEFINITELY recommend you to pick this up since the story is drastically different with a different ending as well. The book has a supernatural element rather than being a psychological thriller as depicted in the movie.

The story follows the Torrance family living in the Overlook hotel around the winter season when no one visits. But as the harsh winter sets in, the hotel seems to have a life of its own and becomes more sinister. All sorts of weird things start happening around the hotel and the only one who notices all this is Danny Torrance, a gifted 5 year old.

Having watched the movie before reading the book, I thought I would know all the plot twists and jump scares. BOY WAS I WRONG. It still managed to scare the hell out of me. So if you are someone who thinks the book would be same as the movie then I’d suggest you to give this a try!

2. Jane Eyre – Charlotte Bronte, (Classic Literature)

Honestly, I can’t think of a more perfect book for Autumn than this beauty of a book. Having finished this book just a few weeks ago, I can strongly attest that it is one amazing story.

With the perfect blend of warmth, coziness, darkness and melancholic tone, this book takes you through the life of Jane Eyre from her childhood to her adulthood. It explores her relationship with every person she meets at different stages of her life, how she grew as a women from an angry and temperamental orphan. The book is beautifully written and gives you so much hope and happiness while being realistic as well.

3. And Then There Were None – Agatha Christie (Mystery)

Were you looking for a book with a mysterious and eerie setting followed by unexplained murders which you could try and solve? Then you MUST read this one.

A group of ten strangers are called to a little private island under false pretenses by an unknown millionaire. All the guests have a past that they are unwilling to reveal and a secret that they must hide. But soon each guest dies as mentioned in the rhyme that is framed and hung on a wall. They must find out who is killing everyone before its too late…

I can guarantee you that no matter what, you won’t see the ending coming at all. So strap yourself with a cozy blanket and stay up overnight to read this book!

4. Ghachar Ghochar – Vivek Shanbhag (Fiction)

Being a short yet enthralling read, this book has the perfect vibe of homeliness, warmth while being mysterious and eerie.

This story follows an Indian family who experience sudden richness after struggling with poverty for a long time. We get to see how the different family members functioned together before being rich and how the money changed each of their attitude.

I am going to be posting a review for this book soon so stay tuned for that. But let me tell you something, the story is SO MUCH MORE than the blurb. The ending will blow your mind out of the water. And that’s all I am going to be saying about this book.

5. The Hobbit – J R R Tolkien (Fantasy)

Did you want a book all about adventure, friendship, magic, treasure, battle followed by dwarves and dragons? This is the perfect pick for you then.

Bilbo, a hobbit who has been living in his hole for a long time, embarks on a journey with Gandalf the Wizard and other dwarves to retrieve the treasure from Smaug the dragon. The book is a timeless classic where Bilbo encounters Gollum, finds the golden ring (which forms the base of the Lord of the Rings) and travels across the Middle Earth meeting other new characters. It is a jolly good read which people of all age group can enjoy and appreciate.

6. The Perks of Being a Wallflower – Stephen Chbosky (Young Adult)

This book might be a hit and miss for a few people but overall it is definitely going to be a hit. The first time I picked this book up I was like “eh it was okay” but after giving it a re-read I utterly fell in love with the book and appreciated it so much more.

Stephen Chbosky does an amazing job of telling a coming-of-age story of Charlie through a series of letters written to an unnamed person, as he tries to tread the muddy waters of high school with new friends and experiences.

This book is hilarious, heart warming, devastating, hopeful and unique that everyone must read at least once. And once you are done, you can go watch the movie to get a second dose of the story!

Let me know your autumn recommendations for the season in the comments!