lou's library

It’s almost autumn!! Well, if you live in the Northern hemisphere, that is. And I’m pretty sure that if you’re in Greece or Italy, summer still has a tight grip on the weather. But I swear I can feel the slightest chill in the air early in the mornings, and to me, autumn starts on the first of September anyway, so it’s time to think about autumnal reading!! Best to be prepared, if you ask me! So, here are some books that I think make for perfect reading at this time of year.

Autumn by Ali Smith

A bit of a no-brainer, isn’t it? Autumn is the first book in Ali Smith’s literary quartet, and if I am honest, I only read it because it was on my university syllabus. And while we’re making confessions: I didn’t like it the first time around. Autumn (like the rest of the quartet, if my friend is to be believed), is not for the impatient. It reveals its meaning to the reader slowly (if at all), and draws heavily on the events leading up to Brexit, so reading up on that traumatic moment in time might help you make sense of this book. There’s a lot of surrealism in this story about friendship and that usually isn’t really my cup of tea, but it is worth perservering with it, believe me. There’s no doubt Ali Smith is a greatly skilled storyteller and although her prose is unusual, it is also beautiful. The story revolves a lot around the fleetingsness of life, so autumn is a great time to read it. Autumn is no easy read, but a rewarding one, and one that holds a mirror up to British society, and I will always be here for that sort of book.

Don’t Let The Forest In by C. G. Drews

Don’t Let The Forest In by C. G. Drews patiently waits to lull you into its arms with its lovable characters, only to then horrify the hell out of you and make you want to cover your eyes while reading (if you’re a scaredy-cat like me, that is). Oh, and it will do so while dishing out the most stunningly lyrical prose you’ve ever read like it’s nothing. Honestly, Don’t Let The Forest In blew me away and I’m so glad I read it at this time of year, because with its dark forest, dark academia vibes and fairy tales, it simply screams autumn. The story is quite intense, though, and there are trigger warnings for body horror, death, eating disorders, bullying and homophobia. So, it’s not a light read by any stretch of the imagination. But it’s such a rewarding story because while there is lots of darkness, there is also so much light and love and characters you will never forget again. I loved this book and think it deserves so much more attention. If you want my detailed thoughts on it, I wrote a review that you can read here.

If We Were Villains by M. L. Rio

I know, I know. It’s impossible to escape If We Were Villains. It’s all over Booktok and Booktube and Bookstagram. But that’s for good reason! If We Were Villains has it all. A gripping murder mystery plot, a friendship group slowly falling apart, a moody boarding school setting, beautiful writing featuring lots and lots of Shakespeare quotes and the sort of protagonist you can’t help falling in love with, all his flaws be damned. Can you tell I am slightly obsessed with this book? And honestly, autumn is the only right season to read it! It’s dark academia at its best, it’s sinister and gripping, yet lyrical and poetic. There are a lot of parallels between Don’t Let The Forest In and If We Were Villains, so if you’ve read one and then feel like you have the book hangover of the century (been there, honestly), delve straight into the other to cure yourself! As this is quite a dark book, there are trigger warnings for it, too: Domestic violence and abuse, drug overuse, disordered eating, murder, blood and gore (gosh, that truly makes it sound dark but I promise it isn’t that bad! Just look out for yourself and decide whether or not you’re in the right headspace for it before reading it <3).

Wintering by Katherine May

I know what you’re thinking: This book literally has winter in its title, so surely it would be a good idea to read it in December and January? Well, I do think Wintering would be a great read in the dark season too, but honestly, a little preparation for that time of year can’t hurt. And believe me, Katherine May has put a treasure trove full of wisdom into this non-fiction account of a difficult time in her own life that made her hunker down and winter. She writes a lot about how capitalism makes us feel guilty for slowing down, resting and accepting that sometimes, we are not capable of giving our best. But then again, sometimes life forces you to do just that and Katherine May is a big advocate for embracing those moments. It’s such a refreshing perspective and I do think autumn, when the days are getting shorter again, is a great time of year to remind ourselves to be gentle with our souls, and to get ready to feel all the things we may have pushed away doing our busy summers. If you feel like you are in need of a hug in the form of a book, Wintering is the book for you. It’s written with so much love and compassion and I already know I will come back to it again and again.

There you go, friends! Some autumnal book recommendations for you. In case you need even more of them, here is my blog post from last year featuring the best books for autumn (I still stand by those recommendations). Happy reading ❤