This post was originally published in September 2020. It has been revised and republished to reflect an updated list of cozy books to read this fall.
During the autumn season, I feel an intense desire to curl up with cozy books nearly every day.
There’s something about blustery afternoons, chilly rain showers, and the rapid cool-down that makes me want to dive into old favorites. I often find myself re-reading and I thoroughly enjoy a “comfort read” (you know, those books that feel like a giant hug). The books and series I’m sharing in this post are the epitome of comfort.
I’m not one for scary stories – even during spooky season – so rather than picking out truly terrifying reads, I went with cozy options and a couple of fantasy books that are sure to indulge that need for an adventure.
related posts
The Best Stand-Alone Fantasy Books// Magical Realism Books That’ll Mess With Your Mind // 10 Books to Listen to Rather Than Read
Here are the 30 stand-alone books and series that I love to read (and read again) during the fall.
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A Darker Shade of Magic | The Nature of Witches | coconut wax bookish candles (ESPRESSO10) | mug & saucer | single-serve French press | wooden cake tray | faux pine cones | cinnamon sticks | similar pillow | similar hand mirror | similar birdcage | sweater
Which cozy books do you enjoy reading when autumn rolls around?
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Your blog is so beautiful – quickly becoming one of my faves! I’ve read HP, Twilight and The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe and they’re definitely all cosy Autumnal reads. I really love the sound of The Switch! Thank you for these recommendations 🙂
You certainly know how to make my day! Thank you so much for the encouragement 🙂 Those are definitely some classic fantasies. Have you read any of the other Chronicles of Narnia? My favorite is either The Horse and His Boy or The Voyage of the Dawn Treader. They’re so excellent. And YES – definitely check out The Switch. It was seriously adorable.
I haven’t read ANY of these. Such a shame! The one about the baker seems like such a cute story. I may have to pick that one up. I really need to renew my library card. I’m such a cheapie when it comes to books – I usually get titles at yard sales, but then it’s a big hunt for the right ones, lol.
The City Baker’s Guide to Country Living was adorable. I highly recommend reading The Late Bloomers’ Club first – since it introduces you to the characters – but it’s not totally necessary if you just want a sweet story set in the autumn and winter (primarily). I utilize the library almost exclusively (and audiobooks from Audible) and then I only buy books if I’ve read and loved them and want to read them again. My bookshelf is small but intentional 🙂
Thanks for the book summaries. Gives me ideas for the bibliophiles in my life.
Absolutely! These books really are ideal for autumn because they’re just such comfort reads. I hope you – and your bibliophile friends – are able to benefit from the list 🙂
These all sound amazing! I wish it would rain more here! That’s the best reading weather. It’s been so dry!
Lizzie
http://www.izzieinlace.com
Come visit Virginia – or really anywhere on the East Coast, and you’ll get plenty of that cozy, chilly, rainy weather in the autumn. Also known as my *favorite* weather… for reading or just relaxing!
yes! so many great books + series starters here and so many that I need to add to my list, too. thanks for sharing, as always Steph!
xx rebecca // thecrystalpress.com/blog
I think autumn makes me want to read more than any other season. Probably just because autumn = happiness, and reading is equivalent to happiness for me! 🙂
Thank you for the suggestions! I used to curl up with wonderful books and wrap myself in quiet, undisturbed evenings. Then I had kids…HAHA! I know I will also miss these days when they become a thing of the past, so I will soak in them until my fingers wrinkle. But I look forward to being immersed in a great book again soon! And I will be coming back to you for suggestions! Thank you!
I will say that one of my top recommendations for busy mamas when it comes to reading is getting an Audible subscription (or utilizing any audiobook app). You can listen on-the-go! It’s not quite the same as curling up with a cozy read, but who knows.. soon enough your kiddos might want to join you for those comfy reading times!
Beth O’Leary’s books are two of the best books I’ve read this year, especially The Flat Share, it’s just such a good feel book! There are also some other lovely choices here too! x
Lucy | http://www.lucymary.co.uk
I absolutely ADORE The Flatshare. It’s one of my favorite contemporary books of all time. I wasn’t sure how The Switch would compare, but I did truly love it. I appreciated how it wasn’t *so* based around the romantic aspect, and really touched on the different women living their lives at different ages. It was such a comforting read!
I love the array of book choices you shared with us. There are several on this list that has piqued my interest. Thank you for sharing your cozy book suggestions with us.
I’m so glad to hear that! I really hope you get a chance to read some of them yourself. And if you do, let me know what you think!
Great list! The Starless Sea and The Flatshare are two cosy reads I absolutely love. Perfect to curl up with 🙂
Anika | chaptersofmay.com
Oh yes, I agree! Ah, obviously I agree because I have them on this list haha! But I’m glad YOU agree! 🙂 I’ve been craving a reread of both of those lately. They’re comfort reads for sure.
Nice post. All the stories seem intriguing but I haven’t read any. I love your page aesthetics.
I hope you get a chance to read some of these. A lot of them I would consider my favorite books of all time. I guess you could say they come highly recommended!
So many awesome and cute books here! These are books that I could read over and over again for sure! We’re definitely heading into the sweater and book season for sure!
Autumn always makes me want to cozy up with a good book, a soft throw, and a hot mug of coffee or spiced mocha! It just makes me so happy to dive into my comfort reads 🙂
I’ve never read any of the harry potter books! I always say I’ll get around to them one day.
They’re a great place to start if you want to dive into fantasy! But I didn’t read them until my 20’s, so don’t feel bad!
There are so many things I love to do especially around Autumn and. Reading a book is definitely one of them. After reading through your list I have to say the book ” I was told it would get easier” is one that I would read.
Abbi Waxman is one of my all-time favorite authors! She wrote The Bookish Life of Nina Hill, which is probably my favorite book of all time, and I Was Told It Would Get Easier was just as enjoyable and cute. I hope you get a chance to read it too 🙂
Oooooh! The Folconer looks great and wasn’t on my rador. We have similar taste in free-time reads. Definitely gonna check this trilogy out 🙂
I’ll admit that I don’t have many people who I connect with about my love for fantasy books, so it’s fun to see your interest in The Falconer. It’s a great trilogy. The finale book had me crying my eyes out (my husband can attest)!
I’m dying to read The Flat Share – I keep seeing it getting good reviews everywhere and it sounds like something I’d really like. Thank you for sharing this great list! I now have a few more books to add to my TBR 😊
🌿 Marissa Belle × marsybun.com 🌿
Oh my gracious, The Flatshare is one of my all-time favorite reads. It’s certainly one of the sweetest romcoms I’ve ever read, and the plot is so unique. I hope you get to give it a go sometime soon!
Other than Harry Potter, Twilight, Narnia, I haven’t read the rest of the books you have here! I’m curious about the story of Freddie and Lydia. I’ll See You In Paris, Our Stop, and I absolutely love all the recommendations here <3 I'm adding them to my reading list! Thank you so much!
Those are some of the “classics” haha! I think you’d really enjoy The Two Lives of Lydia Bird. It garnered a LOT of attention this summer, for good reason. The author wrote another book that I adored, and I just couldn’t resist her latest release.
I love how pretty your blog is! Thanks for sharing these recommendations for autumnal reading. For me, it’s all about ghosts, witches and magic this time of year. 🙂
Oh, that’s so kind of you! Thank you for the encouragement 🙂 I totally get that. It’s why I wanted to include some of my favorite fantasies, like HP, Chronicles of Narnia, and A Darker Shade of Magic. Of course, I have some vampires and faeries in there too because… why not? It’s all about the adventure!
Your book posts are always so great and your photographs are also the epitome of cozy. 🙂
I’ve somehow always thought of the whole Harry Potter series as a December book, but I can totally see it fitting into an autumnal vibe. I really enjoyed reading The City Baker’s Guide to Country Living, and you know how much I love The Flatshare. I think I am gonna add A Darker Shade of Magic to my reading list – it sounds like the perfect escape with just the right hint of darkness.
I still haven’t gotten around to reading The Starless Sea though – just going through a very non-reading phase right now. 🙁
That’s so kind of you! Thank you so much, Shirsha. How interesting that you’d say that about Harry Potter. I suppose the wintery themes are strong as well, but I just think about the start of school, Halloween and witches, etc. as being so autumnal! I can’t help it hehe. I don’t know anyone else who has read The City Baker’s Guide to Country Living, so that makes me SUPER happy! Did you read The Late Bloomers’ Club as well? I think I preferred that one, to be honest, but they’re both so cute.
This is such a great collection of books. This rainy weather calls for books you can get lost in. I’ll definitely check out a a few, thank you for recommending !
Absolutely! I definitely agree with you. I love reading when it’s rainy and dreary outside. It’s so comforting!
I’m not entirely sure why, but HP and the Twilight books remind me of fall/ winter! Great recs!
Well, that’s why I included them in this post, of course! There’s something kinda cozy about both of those series.
Looks like lots of great options. Love the Narnia series when I was younger…would be fun to revisit! xoxo, Sarah
The Chronicles of Narnia has been on my favorites list since I was a little girl. My box set is so worn out and disheveled, but I still adore it. It’s really special to me!
Ooooo I’m saving this post! I love reading and want to read even more during the fall. I love curling up with a good book and a cup of coffee, especially once it gets cold out. Thanks for these reccs! Xx.
There’s something about autumn that just pushes everyone to want to read more. I’m not 100% sure why, but I know that I LOVE it. Reading is my favorite hobby (or really my only hobby) so I just dive into it!
First, your photos are so cute! They make me feel so cozy. Also I couldn’t agree more. Harry Potter is like the perfect book for fall! Also, The Falconer sounds like a super interesting book!
Thank you so much for your encouragement. Coziness is what I’m going for at all times – and my bookstagram basically has autumn vibes all year 🙂 The Falconer is an amazing trilogy. I hope you get a chance to read them at some point!
YES! I loved these recommendations as I’m always up for a good book rec! The Two Lives of Lydia Bird has been on my list of books to read for a minute, so I am looking forward to checking that out! I’ll have to look more into some of the others you suggested as well! Thank you for sharing!
Oh, I’m so glad to hear it, Ro! I hope you do read The Two Lives of Lydia Bird at some point. Josie Silver is an excellent author and I really love everything she writes!
So many great suggestions! I am adding The Two Lives of Lydia Bird and In Five Years. They sound like something I’d love!
Those are definitely some seriously sweet contemporaries. I think you’ll love them if you give them a read – and they’re both excellent audiobooks if that’s more your style!
I’ve read a lot of thes and I just loved our stop and lydia bird! Both were two of my favorites this year.
Our Stop was performed by my favorite narrator on Audible, which made me love it even more, I think! And of course, The Two Lives of Lydia Bird was so melancholy and precious. Such a phenomenal and unique story. I couldn’t get enough!
As always you’ve given me so many “add to my list” books! I definitely want to read that Lauren graham novel, I had no idea she was moving into writing and I’m excited to check that out!
Oh, that novel is quite old! Haha! That came out in 2013 when she was still in Parenthood. Since then, she’s written her memoir and an inspirational/self-help book 🙂 She’s pretty talented all the way around if you ask me. And the best part is that all her books are narrated by her in audiobook form, which makes them 10x more fun to listen to!
These are great, I never think to read certain books during this season. I have only read Harry Potter from that list, but they all sound so great, especially in 5 years!
Brittany
BNBstyling.com
In Five Years was an excellent book. I listened to the audiobook and it made me actually cry multiple times, which is super rare! I hope you get a chance to read it 🙂
I never know what to read so this is a perfect guide! Definitely going to check out some of these books!
Well, you’ve come to the right place if you’re looking for book suggestions haha! I have way too many for my own good.
I put off starting the Harry Potter books for SO long because I was afraid I wouldn’t like them, but they (well, the first three anyway, as that’s all I’ve read so far!) really ARE such lovely, cozy books! I’m guessing they get a bit more intense – as the movies sure do – but they’re still great to get lost in ☺️
I didn’t read them until I was in my 20’s (right before my wedding, actually) so I totally understand. I’d seen the movies a trillion times over, but it was fun to read all the missing elements in the books. I especially enjoyed the Prisoner of Azkaban and Goblet of Fire!
I haven’t read the Chronicles of Narnia books for years. I definitely want to read it again this autumn. Lovely War sounds like an interesting book to read.
They’re just the most phenomenal books, really. So well-written and meaningful. They’ve taught me a lot in my life. And I JUST finished Lovely War and can easily say it’s one of my favorite books now – and that’s saying something considering I don’t usually enjoy historical fiction. It was so unique and well-done. The performance on Audible was to die for. Full cast and so many brilliant narrators!
It was chilly when I woke up this morning and all I could think about was how nice it would be to stay curled in bed reading a book instead of going to work! Autumn is definitely the perfect time to read. I’m still waiting for my copy of Midnight Sun from the library! Twilight is kind of a “guilty pleasure” read for me and sometimes you just need something silly and dramatic!
Eeek I love curling up to read in bed on a chilly day, with the windows open and a candle lit.. hot coffee or spiced mocha nearby. Mmmm now I wanna do that today haha! I hope you end up enjoying Midnight Sun. I’m definitely a Twihard and adored all the books and movies (they’re some of my most-read/watched) and I really feel like Stephenie did a phenomenal job with Edward’s perspective. I can easily say I liked it better than the original telling!
I definitely don’t have time to read this many books in one season, but so so many of these are jumping out at me! I feel like the city baker moving to the country is exactly my style! But I am also really intrigued by the two lives of Lydia Bird, because it sounds like such a compelling concept. I am so ready to curl up with some coffee and start reading something!
Haha! Well, I’m certainly not forcing anyone to read all of them right now, that’s for sure.. though I do suggest reading them all over time 😉 If you end up wanting to read The City Baker’s Guide to Country Living, I suggest checking out The Late Bloomers’ Club first because it does an excellent job introducing the characters (it’s just set in the summertime). Also, I absolutely adored The Two Lives of Lydia Bird. It made me cry.. multiple times.. which is a rarity when I’m reading!
I really need to get back to reading! I miss it so much and will definitely have to check these out
Great recommendations! I’m so glad to see a couple of familiar books on this list!
Such a great list of books! I love to buy more books at this time of year, it’s one of the goals on my autumn bucket list actually so will definitely try and give a few of these a go! Also, your blog is beautiful!
Eliza | http://www.elizadarlings.com
Such a great list! I’m so excited to do some more reading this fall – perfect time to curl up with a book and warm drink. I recently finished listening to Lauren Graham’s memoir so would love to try her fiction book. “I Was Told It Would Get Easier” sounds super fun too – love the mother/daughter relationship and East Coast travel. I read The Flatshare last year and it was great!
Great post! These all sound like wonderful reads!
You’ve inspired me to read ‘Someday, Someday Maybe’! It’s just the book I was looking for.
The Falconer looks SO good. I love stories about Scotland and anything historical. I just ordered through your link and it’ll be here Sunday. So I have my day planned, tea, cozy blanket outside and this book. Thanks for the great reviews!
Harry Potter hands down will always be my favorite book series. I can read them over and over again. I need to download audible (busy gal over here) so I can check out your other recs!
I I have to read the Josie Silver one! It sounds great! I have a book club at the office so I’ll share this post as so many good ones are on here. Thank you!
I’ve read Harry Potter, Twilight, Narnia and Someday Someday Maybe. Nice collections you’ve got there. Though I’m not a fan of twilight but I’d like to read other books from your list. 🙂
I was told it will get easier sounds like a good read! So many things I think about very differently now. I need to pick it up
Wow! I consider myself a reader and I havnt heard of most of these.
So excited to dive into this list! Definitely getting bookmarked 😍
Lauren Graham wrote a book? Im going to have to order that. I love her and NY. We recently watch all the HP movies, but I think it’s time to read the books. Thank you for sharing your recommendations.
Just bought the Narnia and Harry Potter sets for our daughter, looking forward to rereading them with her and seeing all the magic through her eyes xo Jaimie
Truthfully I don’t have any of these books on my list – I shall have to add them!
So many great recommendations here! I’m actually going to re-read Rebecca this fall so I can be ready when the movie comes to Netflix in October!
I love this list! I actually just got a library copy of The Flatshare and I am sooo excited to finally get to read it! I’ve seen lots of hype for it and it sounds so cute.