TBR
13 Cozy Fall Books If You Love Practical Magic & Pumpkin Spice Everything
From knitting vampires to witches with hot flashes, there’s something for everyone.
by Katie McPherson
Scary Mommy/Books Courtesy of Publisher
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It’s that time of year again — when summer is still hanging in there, but you can just barely hear a crisp fall breeze blowing and colorful leaves crunching underfoot. As August drags on and you do your best not to put up Halloween decorations “too early” (there’s no such thing), you should consider picking up some cozy fall books to read in the coming months. Yes, scary books and dark academia books both also feel right for October, but maybe you’re more of a PSL, fuzzy blanket kind of gal. If you’d rather browse HomeGoods than Spirit Halloween, these titles are for you.
Listen, the younger generations can say what they want about our chunky sweaters and flannel shirts, our pumpkin spice obsession, and how cheugy our preoccupation with fall is. That, I’m sorry to say, is their loss. There are few greater joys than snuggling up with a good book and losing yourself in a fictional small town — ideally one with magical beings and potion shops on every corner, since it’s nearly fall. And if you have a pumpkin spice latte to sip on while you’re at it, good for you. These titles will whisk you away to other worlds where witches, werewolves, and vampires do the unexpected: They knit, go to class, and drink PSLs, too.
01A Cozy Fall Book Whose Main Character Isn’t 20 Years Old
Are you also tired of reading about 23-year-olds fumbling through their lives? In this novel, a witch lives in an old college town, heads back to grad school after the death of her husband, and is also dealing with hot flashes. There’s a sultry young professor, a murder mystery element, and dark academia vibes galore. Sounds like a winning premise to me.
Is it on Kindle Unlimited? Yes.
02A Uniquely Magical Book About Love & Loss
Main character Sadie has magical abilities, but they come at a cost: She’s cursed to endure four heartbreaks, and after the final one, she’ll lose her magic. So, she puts up quite a few walls. Those walls begin to crumble when her first heartbreak, Jake, returns to town, as does her estranged twin brother because their beloved grandmother is growing sicker and sicker. This book gets extra cozy points for the little recipes included at the end of each chapter.
Is it on Kindle Unlimited? No.
03The Perfect Cozy Book If You Love Luke & Lorelai
The coziest books have coffeehouse scenes, and there are more than enough in The Pumpkin Spice Café. Jeanie takes the little coffee spot over from her aunt and moves to the tiny town of Dream Harbor (it’s giving Stars Hollow but in the Pacific Northwest). Her arrival catches the attention of Logan, a local farmer who usually avoids people and town in general. Will her vivacious personality drive him away or draw him in? If it doesn’t, her delicious lattes will.
Is it on Kindle Unlimited? No.
04The Hallmark Version Of A Fantasy Book
Kiela has been a librarian at the Great Library of Alyssium for years, where she catalogs spellbooks and maintains their information for the city’s elite. But a revolution is happening, and when the library is set ablaze, Kiela must flee to her remote island home. Soon, her nosy neighbor starts poking around in her business, and she takes up a jam-making business and uses some unsanctioned spells to open a spell shop.
This book is described as a Hallmark rom-com fantasy tale “full of mythical creatures and fueled by cinnamon rolls and magic.” There’s also a sentient spider plant sidekick. The hardcover version has lavender-sprayed edges for extra whimsy, but you can snag the paperback for a little cheaper ($17.99).
Is it on Kindle Unlimited? No.
05A Cozy Romance Set In An Adorable Small Town
Witty and witchy? Sign us up. When Vivienne’s heart was broken, she went through the usual breakup blues, but because she’s a witch, she may or may not have thrown a harmless little hex on her ex — just enough to mildly inconvenience him for a few days. But when he returns to town after years away and it seems like disaster is always befalling him, Vivienne realizes her hex may have been a little more potent than she intended.
You’ll get maximum cozy vibes from the setting: the little town of Graves Glen, tucked into the base of a mountain in Georgia, where streets are lined with businesses like Something Wicked and The Coffee Cauldron.
Is it on Kindle Unlimited? No.
06It’s… A Vampire Knitting Club
Between the title and the teaser — “Who killed Gran, and is she really dead?” — you should need no convincing to pick up this book. In this series, Lucy Swift lands in Oxford to run Cardinal Woolsey’s, her Gran’s knitting shop. Gran was murdered and left her the knitting shop in her will, but Lucy still sees her, because now she’s undead. Enter a smoking-hot 600-year-old vampire and an equally intriguing detective, and you can see why this is a must-read.
This is book one of 15, so if you like to really invest time in characters and worlds once you’re in them, you’ll love this universe.
Is it on Kindle Unlimited? Yes.
07A Dark Academia Jane Eyre Retelling
The protagonist’s name is literally Jane Aire, so you see where this is going. It’s October, she attends Thornfield Hall (an all-girls school), and she’s hired by the unsavory headmaster — though the more time she spends with him, the more she finds him intriguing. Mysterious forces begin plaguing the school, and the two will have to work together to keep them at bay.
Is it on Kindle Unlimited? Yes.
08A Cozy Fall Read About A Magical Small Town
Autumn, a witch in the enchanted small town of Avening, is looking for her replacement. She has been promoted to a higher coven and will be relocating, but Avening needs a town witch to keep everything in order. So, she makes a list of 13 candidates and sets about interviewing them all. Kirkus Reviews calls this story “a charming debut in the tradition of Practical Magic and The Witches of Eastwick.”
Is it on Kindle Unlimited? No.
09A Fairytale With Witchy Vibes & Romance
This story follows Sasha Pierce as she takes a substitute teaching position in Old Middleton, a charming, enchanting (wink wink) old village. It’s all fine and dandy until she stumbles upon an ancient portal, is flung into a fairytale realm, and unwittingly finds herself sitting on the throne betrothed to their king. Disclaimer: This series is still in the works, so you’ll have to wait for the next installment.
Is it on Kindle Unlimited? Yes.
10A Spooky Fantasy Tale
This story — the first in a trilogy — is set in the depths of winter, so you’ll get the unique joy of reading about freezing winds and heaps of snow while snuggled under a cozy blanket with a candle lit. Vasya and her siblings are careful to always honor the spirits that protect their home from evil in the remote Russian wilderness. But her devout new stepmother forbids the practice, and before long, devious forces start creeping in from the forest.
Is it on Kindle Unlimited? No.
11A Cozy Fall Book About Witches & Found Family
Mika Moon is one of the last remaining witches in Britain, where she isolates herself from others, lest she happen upon another witch and their powers intermingle and draw attention. She doesn’t really have a family, either. She connects with others by posting videos online “pretending” to be a witch — but someone sees through her ruse. She receives a strange letter asking her to come to Nowhere House, a boarding school of sorts, to teach three students how to wield their magic.
Is it on Kindle Unlimited? No.
12A Cozy Book With Practical Magic Vibes
If you loved making “potions” as a kid and running a magical apothecary sounds like your dream life, this book’s for you. The Waverley family has some peculiar gifts, as do the plants and produce in their garden. Claire Waverley is a caterer, and her dishes have been known to have strange and wonderful effects on people. She and her cousin live a simple life until her sister, Sydney, returns — and Sydney has a daughter. As they navigate life together again in their childhood home, they’ll have to face their own childhood demons to move forward. The magical house and sisterhood themes feel very Practical Magic, no?
Is it on Kindle Unlimited? No.
13A Slow-Burn Romance With Witches & Werewolves
Mateo Cruz is a werewolf, but he hasn’t been able to shift into his animal form for months. His inner wolf is basically driving him insane with intrusive thoughts, so he seeks out a powerful witch to help him break his curse. Enter witch and renowned hex breaker Evie Savoie — whose coven rules include avoiding dealings with werewolves at all costs — who caves and agrees to help him. And Mateo’s inner wolf becomes determined to make Evie his.
Is it on Kindle Unlimited? Yes.
These titles range from super low stakes and sweet to a little spooky and atmospheric, but all of them will get you in the spirit of fall.
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