The Autumn Equinox is almost upon us, and that means that fall will officially have arrived. And really, is there a better time of year to add some spooky books to your TBR?
So for your autumnal enjoyment, here are six horror and dark fantasy books that are perfect to celebrate the coming Equinox!
The Spellbook of Katrina Van Tassel
Alyssa Palombo is a brilliant author who manages to write in virtually every genre while making it all look effortless. While you can’t go wrong picking up any of her books, for this Autumn Equinox, there’s one title that truly fits the bill: The Spellbook of Katrina Van Tassel.
A retelling of “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow” from Katrina’s point of view, this darkly fantastical romance is an absolutely spellbinding journey through early American life, and it’s such a perfect novel for anyone who loves this time of year.
Plus, this is one of the best retellings to come out of the horror and dark fantasy world in the last ten years, so if you haven’t checked it out yet, then be sure to put it at the top of your reading list this September.
We Have Always Lived in the Castle
Yes, I’ve featured this novel on my lists before. Yes, it’s also my favorite book of all-time. And yes, it’s also a great story to read this time of year.
It’s not a conventional fall book, especially since the bulk of the story takes place in the spring, but there’s something about Shirley Jackson’s prose that just feels ideal for the autumn season.
Merricat Blackwood lives happily with her sister Constance, their Uncle Julian, and Merricat’s feline friend Jonas in the house where their whole family was poisoned to death. But when a dubious cousin with ill intentions shows up at their doorstep, their tenuous equilibrium is about to be tested.
The setup is simple enough, but with its dreamlike prose and fabulously strange characters, We Have Always Lived in the Castle is one book that’s always worth the read.
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The Year of the Witching
An outcast all her life, Immanuelle lives in a deeply puritanical community where she does her best to blend in. That is, until she ventures into the nearby forest and learns not only of her family’s connection to witchcraft but also about the darkness lurking in her own religious community.
I’ve seen this one called The Handmaid’s Tale meets the Salem Witch trials, which is such an apt description for this lush and devastating novel.
Like We Have Always Lived in the Castle, this one is not strictly a fall book, but if you want the perfect kind of bewitching vibes for the season, then Henderson’s magnetic and lyrical debut will absolutely draw you in.
Also, if you’re celebrating the Autumn Equinox, there’s nothing like a book about witchcraft to make the season even more ethereal and spooky, so pick up a copy of The Year of the Witching if it’s not already on your bookshelf.
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Halloween Season
Anyone who knows me well also knows that I’m a huge fan of short stories and especially short story collections. Released in 2020 from Raw Dog Screaming Press, Halloween Season is for all of my fellow short fiction lovers.
Bram Stoker Award winner Lucy A. Snyder truly hits it out of the park with this collection that runs the gamut of everything you can want in a spooky season read, from witches and swamps to cosmic horror.
Plus, with that gorgeous cover that simply screams fall, you’ll feel the autumn vibes every time you pick it up.
There's No Way I'd Die First
This 2023 debut is on my fall reading list and for good reason: it sounds like an absolutely spooky fun time. Noelle Lane is a would-be Final Girl in the making; she loves horror movies with her whole heart.
She adores them so much, in fact, that she decides to throw a Halloween party for all the cool kids at her school, complete with a man dressed up like a creepy clown.
However, when that clown turns out to have actual murderous impulses, Noelle soon finds herself utilizing all her horror movie knowledge just to survive the night.
Needless to say, I’m looking very forward to my introduction to Lisa Springer’s work, and I have no doubt that There’s No Way I’d Die First is going to be one of my favorite reads of the season
The October Country
If there’s one book that’s responsible for me becoming a fiction writer, in particular a short fiction writer, then it’s The October Country by Ray Bradbury. I first read some of these stories when I was only in elementary school, and they left an indelible impression on me.
From the whimsy of “Homecoming” and “Uncle Einar” to the unsettling terror of “The Small Assassin” and “The Jar” to the nostalgic melancholy in “The Lake,” there’s a story for every mood in this book, and all of those moods point directly to fall.
Pick up this book anytime in September and October, and prepare to be wowed in all the best horror ways.
Feature Image: R W Goetting, Fine Art America
