Autumn Retreat Day 2: Cosy Book Club

10 Books that Feel Like Autumn

Hello and welcome to day two of our Autumn Equinox Retreat! (If you missed yesterday’s welcome post, don’t worry, you can find it here.)

Today we’re curling up in a comfy armchair with a warm drink and some the very best Autumnal books. (Although, I should add we’re currently having a mini September heatwave here in the UK, so there is absolutely no judgement if you’d like to save this cosy book post until the weekend when the cooler weather is set to return.)

Now, there are two ways you can go when compiling an Autumn book list; you can either go cosy, or you can go scary. It won’t surprise you to learn I chose the cosy route. I’m not a fan of deeply spooky or scary books. Or of anything scary or spooky in real life either.

So each book on this list has been chosen to create a soothing, cosy feel, to calm your nervous system down a little and open a door to some Autumnal magic.

That said, there are a couple of slightly witchy books on the list, as it is the season of dreams, spells and magic after all. But nothing too unsettling. I want us all to sleep well this Autumn, our heads filled with stories of folklore, cosy worlds and woodsmoke-scented nostalgia.

Photo by Annie Spratt on Unsplash

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Several of these suggestions came from my note on Substack asking for recommendations for Autumnal books, so a big thank you to everyone who took the time to reply.

I’ve also added a bonus podcast at the end too, as I know that many of us prefer listening to a story on the go. And this podcast is a VERY Autumnal one.

Let’s dive in shall we?

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10 Books that Feel Like Autumn

1. Anne of Green Gables, by L.M. Montgomery

“I’m so glad I live in a world where there are Octobers” is one of the most-quoted lines from Anne of Green Gables, so this book had to be on this list. L.M. Montgomery’s beautiful descriptions of Autumn and the landscape are why this is such a cosy Equinox read.

Here’s another example: “It was November--the month of crimson sunsets, parting birds, deep, sad hymns of the sea, passionate wind-songs in the pines.” Sigh.

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2. Little Women, by Louisa May Alcott

Cottage-core at its best. This is the ultimate feel-good read for transporting you to gentler times and disappearing into a richly detailed world. Which feels especially welcome at this change of season.

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3. All Creatures Great and Small, by James Herriot

Cosiness itself. Gentle stories, funny characters and beautiful descriptive scenery. Perfect for fireside reading. And as was pointed out to me, the new series of the TV adaptation usually hits our screens this time of year too.

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4. The Lord of the Rings trilogy, by J.R.R Tolkein

This was an excellent suggestion from the Substack community. After a summer of light beach reading (or no reading at all), now is the time to revisit some seriously hefty books and disappear into cosy fantasy worlds. And this is the ultimate fantasy world. Plus, there are all the films to lose yourself in too if you want to really get into it.

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5. The Twilight saga books, by Stephenie Meyer

Another great recommendation from the Substack community, the Twilight saga novels are perfect for indulging the supernatural / spooky vibe of Autumn without getting too scared! Easy, rainy-day reading.

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6. Animal Folk Tales of Britain and Ireland, by Sharon Jacksties

This eerie and beautiful collection of animal folk tales is perfect to dip into this Autumn, filled as it is with stories of Selkies, hares and shape-shifters. Beautiful cover illustration too.

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7. Chasing Fog, by Laura Pashby

This new book by writer and fellow Substacker Laura Pashby is a dreamy, etherial ode to fog. Is there anything more Autumnal? It sounds like the perfect book to gently guide you into the misty romance of September and help you sink into cosy season.

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8. The Harry Potter series, by J.K Rowling

If you think the Harry Potter books are just for children I’ll allow you your opinion but will also choose to disagree with you. There’s something so comforting about reading these books whatever your age. It’s a classic back-to-school collection. Read them out loud to your children if that makes you feel better about it, but I bet you’ll enjoy them just as much as they do.

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9. The Little Book of Hygge, by Meik Wiking

If you need a little help getting into a cosy frame of mind, take the advice of the Danes who are well used to finding happiness in the dark half of the year, thanks to their now-famous concept of Hygge. This was the book that started the Hygge trend and it’s perfect for dipping into as the evenings get darker.

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10. Autumn; An Anthology for the Changing Seasons, edited by Melissa Harrison

This collection of nature writing compiled by Melissa Harrison for the Wildlife Trust looks like a beautiful way to gently drift into the season. Great cover too.

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Bonus podcast

Witch, by India Rakusen on BBC Radio 4

This does fall under the category of slightly spooky, but it’s also a brilliant, interesting, thought-provoking podcast about what it means to be a ‘witch’, so I have allowed it.

I really enjoyed it when it came out so will be giving it a re-listen this October. There are 13 episodes (of course there are!) so it should take you right through the cosy season.

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Ok, that’s all for now. If I’ve missed your favourite Autumn book please let me know in the Comments.

I’ll see you tomorrow for day three of our retreat where we will immerse ourselves in all the warm, spicy goodness of baking season.

Until then!

Vicky xx

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Missed a day? You can catch up with all our Retreat activities on the Seasonal Retreat tab on my homepage. Enjoy.