Books to Read this Autumn - Cosy, Witchy, Cottagecore, and Spooky Reads for Autumn | Cup of Kee

With rainy, cold weather approaching, what more could you want than to cosy up with a blanket, hot drink, and a good book? With these Autumn-inspired book recommendations, you can do just that!

The Pumpkin Spice Cafe by Laurie Gilmore
This book is probably the epitome of a cosy Autumn Read. Set in the familiar-feeling small town of Dream Harbour, Jeanie is starting afresh, running her aunt’s cafe - the Pumpkin Spice Cafe. It’s there that she meets a grumpy farmer named Logan, and is ‘haunted’ by… a ghost, or perhaps terrorised by a noisy raccoon? Or maybe something else? You’ll have to find out!

If you’re a fan of Gilmore Girls, like a grumpy x sunshine dynamic, and small town vibes, and a hint of spice, this book should definitely be on your Autumn TBR list.
If you’ve already read this (I think most people have at this point, I’ve seen this book everywhere!) there’s also the sequel ‘The Cinnamon Bun Book Store’ which I also loved!

The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches by Sangu Mandanna
This cosy, witchy fantasy is another great Autumn read! Following Mika Moon, one of the few Witches in Britain, as she’s hired to train up three young witches in how to control their magic. At Nowhere House, she finds herself tangled up in the lives (and secrets) of an absent archaeologist, a retired actor, two long-suffering caretakers, and...Jamie, the handsome if not a little standoffish librarian.

Take a cauldron, add some found-family, witchy magic, and a touch of romance, and you’ve got yourself the perfect ‘Cosy Read’ potion.

Legends & Lattes by Travis Baldree

If you’re looking to add a touch of Dungeons & Dragons-like fantasy into your Autumn, then look no further than Legends & Lattes. You’ll meet Viv, an orc barbarian who is hanging up her sword and opening Thune’s first coffee shop - even if the locals aren’t too sure what coffee is.

This is a great, low-stakes Dungeons & Dragons inspired fantasy book with all your favourite cosy, found-family vibes, with a little bit of D&D chaos and some LGBTQ+ romance.

I’ve yet to read the second book, Bookshops and Bonedust, but I did pick it up recently so it is on my TBR!

September Love by Lang Leav
Although September has been and gone, I’d still recommend September Love by Lang Leav if you are a lover of poetry like me. Leav is one of my favourite poets, I have so many of her books in my collection, and this is one I read and especially loved.

September Love explores themes such as love, relationships, and self-empowerment as well as looking to the past and the present. I personally find Autumn to be a time where I retreat into myself in some ways, so if you’re prone to some self-isolation and self-reflection this season, this is a great book to accompany you.

Cackle by Rachel Harrison
This is one of my most recent reads, and perhaps one of my favourites from this year. Cackle follows Annie, recently broken up with, who moves from Manhattan to a small, picturesque town upstate. There, she meets Sophie - beautiful and charming and somehow interested in being Annie’s friend; but there’s something different about Sophie that Annie can’t quite put her finger on, and something about Annie is changing too…

This is a cosy, witchy, read, perfect for October. It’s enchanting, funny, empowering, and a little bit spooky. Rachel Harrison is a writer I will definitely be reading more from soon - so if you’re yet to read any of her work, Cackle is a great place to start!

The Sad Ghost Club by Lize Meddings
I haven’t read many graphic novels, but The Sad Ghost Club was one I just could not resist! Beautifully written and illustrated by Lize Meddings, The Sad Ghost Club tackles themes of loneliness, anxiety, and is perfect for anyone who feels like they don’t quite fit in. It also explores friendship, hope, and unity, so it’s an uplifting and comforting read - which is something I personally need for the Autumn season.

There are a few graphic novels in this series, so if you’ve read one, find the next one!

The Outsiders by S. E. Hinton
This is my favourite book of all time, and the movie adaptation is one of my favourite films. Although not specifically Autumnal, something about it fills me with nostalgia and cosy vibes - so it’s one I love to re-read late in the year.

The Outsiders follows protagonist Ponyboy Curtis, and explores themes of class, coming-of-age, family and found-family, violence, and injustice. It is such a moving read, and it’s one I’ll always come back to.

Once you’ve read it, watch the movie - the director’s cut if you can!

A Botanical Daughter by Noah Medlock
This was another favourite of mine from this year, and it’s one I’ve been recommending to everyone!

A Botanical Daughter is set in Victorian England and follows two Victorian gentlemen hiding their relationship from society, living in a botanical garden. One of the gentlemen is a taxidermist and the other a botanist who enjoys importing exotic plants and fungi, and together they embark on a Frankenstein-style experiment with unexpected consequences…

Touching on themes of family, isolation, revenge, and love - this horror debut is perfect for spooky season.

Bloom by Delilah S. Dawson
I was immediately captured by the cover and plot of this book - a sapphic, cottagecore horror novella by Delilah S. Dawson.

Bloom follows Rosemary, meets Ash at the farmers’ market and quickly becomes consumed by an obsession for her, but the closer she gets, the less clear it gets as to who exactly is doing the devouring…

This sweet, sapphic romance risks taking a dark, deadly turn, and the plot had me just as gripped as the cover did! What I expected was not at all what happened, so if you like a short, fast-paced read with a twist, this could be the book for you.

 

I hope some of these books make it to your Autumn TBR! If you've read any of these already, I'd love to hear your thoughts so feel free to message me on my socials if you want to talk about them. If you have any recommendations of your own, let me know!

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Stay cosy, happy reading
~ Kee