It’s September 1st, which means fall is just around the corner. For some, this might be a sad time as the warm nights of summer begin to disappear. For others, like myself, it is an exciting time as we enter, arguably, the craziest but best time of the year. Images of pumpkins, cozy sweaters, baking, and smells of cinnamon dance in my head the minute I get my first whiff of a cool breeze (which, yes, has already happened thanks to the occasional cooler day we sometimes get in Wisconsin towards the end of August).

Fall is also the time of the year where I had some of my most anticipated books of the year. September and October are reserved for spooky reads and dark academia, and I am beyond ready for it this year. I’ve pulled together seven books that I’m hoping to read before the start of November and I’m here to share them with you.

What are you hoping to read this fall?

The Historian by Elizabeth Kostova – Have you ever come across a book that has seemingly been around for ages, has good reviews although you can’t recall seeing anyone ever read or talk about it in your every day life, an intriguing cover but for one reason or another you’ve never picked it up? For me, that’s been The Historian. Originally published in 2005, this has been around for sometime and yet, even though I’ve known of its existence for years, I’ve never picked it up. This year, I plan on changing that. I got myself a good copy at my last pilgrimage to Half Price Books and have ever intention on reading it this spooky season. The premise? A young woman inherits her father’s library and a cache of old letters, revealing a terrifying evil that goes back to the Vlad the Impaler.

The Hacienda by Isabel Canas – A Rebecca retelling set in post-War of Independence Mexico, The Hacienda is one of two horror novels on my TBR that is set in Mexico. This story follows Beatriz who impulsively marries a rich a man and moves into his sprawling mansion. When her husband is away on business, Beatriz begins to hear voices and see visions related to her husband’s first wife. Determined to discover the truth, Beatriz joins forces with a priest to discover the truth about her husband’s first wife, regardless of the cost. In addition to this book giving off heavy Rebecca vibes, this also seems like a great story to read before re-watching one of my favorite horror movies, Crimson Peak, an underrated gem from Guillermo Del Toro that I watch every fall.

Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte – This is a classic that I ironically did not read for the first time in the fall but in a stuffy classroom in the middle of spring. Not that it mattered. Charlotte Bronte is able to create an atmosphere that is transports the reader into a dark and cold world, regardless of the time of the year they decide to pick it up. I remember reading this for the first time and loving every page, which may explain why in the nearly six years since then I haven’t read it again. Have you ever been afraid to pick up a favorite book, nervous it won’t be as good as you remember it to be? That’s been my concern with Jane Eyre but given how much I loved it, I’m going into it with the belief I’ll still love it. I’ll make sure to keep you updated.

My Best Friend’s Exorcism by Grady Hendrix – It’s not secret (or maybe it is since I haven’t really mentioned it on this Blog) but I’m a HUGE Stranger Things fan. I’ve reached the four available seasons as least a dozen times and I eagerly read any updates on the fifth and final season. Yes, I know, I’m a nerd but what else did you expect? But while I anxiously wait for the next season, I’m picking up this horror novel that, according to many reviewers who have read it, will give me all the Stranger Things feels. Written by one of today’s best horror authors, this story follows two friends in the 80s. But as the girls enter high school one of them begins to act…strange and before long a dark, disturbing realization is made. Grab your bikes everyone, we’ve got a demon to take care of.

Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia – The second horror novel set in Mexico on my TBR, this book set the book community on fire when it was released four years ago and won Goodreads’ Best Horror novel in 2020. Despite it’s critical reception, it is one I haven’t been able to get to you and am hoping to rectify this year. All I know about this book is that it follows Noemi, who receives an odd but frantic letter from her recently married cousin, begging Noemi to come rescue her. But when Noemi arrives, her cousin seems perfectly fine though it does little to ease Noemi’s suspicions.

102 Minutes by Jim Dwyer and Kevin Flynn – The only non spooky, non-thriller on this list is also the one book from this TBR that is a non-fiction work. Recounting the harrowing and horrific 102 minutes of the Twin Towers on 9/11, this account has been on my list for sometime and therefore I wanted to make sure I read this one. I’m admittedly cheating with this one as I have already read it before this post goes up (five stars by the way) but this one I wanted to make sure I got to this year. My initial hope was to read it closer to the anniversary but I’ll be tied up with something else that week, hence my earlier than intended read date.

Home Before Dark by Riley Sager – The final book on my fall TBR is this classic from Riley Sager. I read my first Riley Sager book during Summerween, The Only One Left, which I gave a solid three stars to. However, my hopes are higher for this book as Home Before Dark is typical most readers’ favorite book from this author. The story follows Maggie who, as a child, lived on a sprawling Victorian estate until her family fled it in the middle of night, citing ghosts and evil entities haunting the house. Maggie has little memory of this so when she gets the opportunity to return to her childhood home she agrees. After all, ghosts don’t exist. Right?