Hi friends,
Looking at Instagram today I realized that …Fall was two days ago! So Shanah @bionicbookworm asking us to post about our top 5 Fall reading recommendations makes sense! Duh!
But what would be “Fall” recommendations?
Well Fall has shorter days, a lower golden sun and vibrant colors. It’s becoming chilly and time to curl up on the sofa to read a book while drinking hot cocoa. I know for my US friends it’s also time for Halloween but here in Europe when I was young, we never celebrated Halloween. No, my memories are from long walk in the woods surrounded by the scent of damp earth and fallen leaves. Some mushroom and pine scents too.
So to me, a book that would give a “Fall” vibe is either a sweet book but with a little melancholy or either a “vintage” book giving an “old fashion” feel.
First book to come to mind is: An Enchantment of Raven by Margaret Rogerson
Not only is the cover screaming fall with its brown and rusty colors but also because reading this felt bitter-sweet. And because Fall is an enchanting season with mist in the fields and this book is about enchantments!
“One raven for uncertain peril. Six for danger sure to arrive. A dozen for death, if not avoided. The enchantment is sealed.”
― An Enchantment of Ravens

“You can’t turn love on and off like a light switch, no matter how hard you try. All you can do is wall it off, one brick at a time, until you’ve created an impenetrable fortress around your emotions. And once that fortress is built, you camouflage it so well that even you can’t see it anymore.”
― The Sweet Gum Tree

This was my first book by Amy Harmon and the beginning of a long love story! This is a story of unexpected friendship and blossoming love. It’s also a tale of wisdom, the journey of two kindred spirits to find their own path, to grow up. All of this happening in rural America, in a tiny city among farmers and a close community.
It shows you how some encounters are life altering helping you to discover your potential, your dreams and to blossom into your true self.
“What softened your heart?” I asked softly.
“Good music and a friend.”
I felt my eyes burn a little and turned from him, blinking quickly to lap up the sting of tears. “Music has incredible power”
“So does friendship,” he supplied frankly.”
― Running Barefoot

“I never know what people are thinking. It’s like visiting a country where you don’t speak the language and you’re trying so hard to understand but no matter how many times you ask for juice, they keep bringing you milk. And I hate it.”

“This should never have happened, Brishen. We were unimportant, you and I. We weren’t supposed to mean anything to anyone.”
“Woman of day,” he said slowly. “You mean everything to me.”
― Radiance

”We can’t seem to talk without fighting.” “It’s strange that we can be friends. I hope that you do consider me a friend, and not a burden. I don’t want these walks to be something you dread.” “I look forward to walking with you. I think I even look forward to the arguments. You understand what my life is, even if we disagree. So yes, I consider you a friend. And I would miss this, if we stopped.”

“Listen… it’s okay if you want to sunshine your way through life and look on the bright side of things. And it’s also okay if you get scared and think the world is falling in on you. You can have both. You can have moments of great confidence in yourself, and then moments where you’re so low you don’t think you can make it another day. But the one thing you can never do is give up the belief that it will all be okay. And you’ll know it will all be okay because regardless if you’re up or down, I’ll be with you through it all.”
I definitely agree about An Enchantment of Ravens having an autumn vibe! And the cover to Radiance definitely gives off that vibe as well ^.^
I still need to read most of these, but The Girl He Used to Know is such a beautiful story. Great pick!
Thank you Suzanne!!
An Enchantment of Ravens is one on my TBR Sophie! I’m not sure about it now after reading Sorcery of Thorns and finding it terribly predictable. Do you think I’d like it?! ❤️
Ha Dani! Difficult to tell you. Maybe yes as it is very different from Sorcery of Thorns and has more bitter than sweet in it really.
I love these that you listed….Radiance is such a beautiful love story, I LOVE it so much.
Me too! It’s the epitome of “don’t judge a book by its cover” 😉
Lovely post, Sophie. And some very nice books too. A few of these will be finding their way to my reading list.
Yess! And thanks 🙂
I’ve had both Sweet Gum Tree and The Hard Truth About Sunshine sitting on my Kindle for so long. Someone recommended Sweet Gum Tree to me several years ago, I bought it, and then promptly forgot about it. I *adored* The Girl He Used to Know. One of my favorites of the year!
Well Tanya I think the Sweet Gum Tree might be your kryptonite 😉
I have several of these on my tbr. For the ones I’ve read – I LOVED the first half of The Sweet Gum Tree, but sadly it fell apart for me in the second half. 🙁 I can see why it reminds you of fall, though. And The Girl He Used to Know – yes! Especially at the beginning of the school year when they meet over chess.
Thanks for sharing! 🙂
Oh I am sorry the Sweet Gum Tree disappointed you in its second part!!!!
I was surprised when I first learned that my European friends didn’t have Halloween, thinking it was a universal thing as a kid hahah I love your choices and am definitely curious about The Golem and the Jinni! Great list, Sophie! 😀
Well yes Lashaan! It exists here since my kids were born take or add some years! So i’d say around 20 to 22 years!
Sweet Gum Tree sounds absolutely lovely! Your descriptions of fall are so incredible. I love how romantic it seems! 🙂
The Sweet Gum Tree is one of the most moving and romantic books that I have read!
Enchantment of Ravens does give off a fall feel! I think part of the book goes to the winter as well, or am I remembering correctly? I just remember getting chilly vibes from that book 😀
Yes you are correct! There are several seasons in the book but the vibes were chilly indeed as fae’s world was a cruel world!
I loved The Girl He Used to know. So many feels! I put off The Hard Truth About Sunshine, though I love Bennett, but you saying it’s hopeful makes me a little less scared of it.
Yes it is bittersweet but not depressive Sam!
I haven’t read An Enchantment of Ravens yet, but the cover is quintessentially fall to me <3 Great choice!
And you loved Sorcery of Thorns so …what are you waiting for Brittany ? 😉
I love that all the covers scream fall to me.
Oh yes! And the inside matches the outside 😉
Perfect!