Fall is just around the corner, and I've got crisp, cozy reading days on the brain. And while most of my summer reads are currently in moving boxes, I can't help but collect more and more new books for fall already. From cutesy rom-com books with a hint of spice to spine-tingling horror picks that make me want to snuggle under a weighted blanket, these 22 reads are sure to fill up those chilly fall evenings this year.
Late Summer Reads That Are The Perfect Introduction To Fall
Amazon
Bad Witches by H.B. Akumiah
From more witches giving birth to typics (born without powers) to a sudden surge of power between three strangers, there's turbulence in the Sphere. One witch, Nadia, is trying to help keep things stabilized, but the political strength of her family is making things increasingly hard for everyone.
And the three strangers who discovered the dormant magic that courses through their veins — Maya, Gabbie, and Delali? They share a birthday and a bond that's unexplainable along with understanding they may be witches.
As confused as they are, they start receiving help from a mysterious figure. But, Nadia's learning there's more displays of magic that may exist outside of the Sphere. She just can't tell if there's a darker plot to the disturbances in the Sphere or not.
Amazon
Wisteria by Adalyn Grace
All Blythe Hawthorne cares about is making life difficult for her father and the man she's been sworn to. As beautiful as she is, she'd rather be a prickly pear than to succumb to anyone's expectations of her. But, there's more to Blythe than even she realized. The past of the man she can't stand is somehow connected to this new part of herself and it starts making her question if she's been committed to misunderstanding their greater story all along.
The Most-Anticipated New Fall Books
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The Fallen Fruit by Shawntelle Madison (September 3, 2024)
History Professor Cecily Bridge-Davis is on a mission to discover more about her family after she inherits 65 acres of land. At first she doesn't think much about it, but soon discovers that she's been chosen to time travel. It's something that's been in place long before she was born and it's her time to answer the call for her generation.
This form of travel is dangerous because she's a Black woman and she's been tasked with following certain rules that are meant to protect her. With nothing more than her family's Bible and a special map, Cecily tries to find the root of why her family is plagued with time traveling.
She encounters her ancestors and begins to see how their actions afforded her the opportunities she has in the '60s.
Amazon
Blue Sisters by Coco Mellors (September 3, 2024)
The Blue sisters — Avery, Bonnie, and Lucky — are struggling. They've each experienced traumatic events that have caused them to change the paths they were headed down, but nothing hurt them more than their death of their sister Nicky.
The sisters have navigating life without her, but soon have to return home to lay claim on the apartment that houses most of their childhood memories. This forces them to come to terms with things they've been running from so they can truly begin healing.
Amazon
Fall With Me by Becka Mack (September 3, 2024)
Jaxon Riley is allergic to romantic commitments and only has room for his love of hockey...and his cat. He's the kind of man newly single Lenoon Hayes thinks she could never get along with. That is, until they end up tangled in each other's limbs after a night out at a bar.
Thinking she can quickly forget it, Lennon starts her new job as The Vancouver Vipers' photographer. She's excited until she discovers Mr. One Night Stand is on the team.
She thinks he's scowling at her because he's surly, but he knows he's falling for her hard and this is one game he's not prepared to lose.
Amazon
Immortal Dark by Tigest Girma (September 3, 2024)
Kidan Adane is fighting against two things — the darkness within her and the disappearance of her sister June. Unfortunately, she thinks she knows where her sister is and WHO took her.
The sisters are heiresses to an arcane society filled with vampires, but were whisked away when they were young. However, Kidan has to enter what she feels is enemy territory to get her sister back. Sadly, she has to live with the vampire she thinks is responsible for her sister — Susenyos Sagad.
He makes her skin crawl and she'd love to have the chance to kill him, but spending time at Uxlay University unveils larger threats than him. The truth is that he's the least of her concerns.
Amazon
The Gods Below by Andrea Stewart (September 3, 2024)
Humanity's only hope after a devastating war is Kluehnn, a trickster god. He's quite capable of resetting the world for humans' comfort, but he also places a debt over them that they'll never be able to repay in this lifetime.
Hakara decides she doesn't want to herself or her sister Rasha to be affected by this debt, but their escape results in them being separated. Finding herself alone, Hakara realizes she's able to wield magic and see that Rasha is still alive.
To change things for good, Hakara must join forces with the rebels to wage war against the very god that supposedly helped humanity — Kluehnn.
Amazon
Madwoman by Chelsea Bieker (September 3, 2024)
Clove has been hiding secrets about her past, but only she knows that. To her husband and kids, she's an amazing woman who's been a positive fixture in their lives. It's almost as if wellness resources hate to see her coming because she's been focused on her family's wellbeing. But, a mysterious letter from prison arrives and threatens to crumble her perfectly curated world.
She's pulled back into the past she worked so hard to forget and it begins toying with her sanity. The only way she'll survive is to go through the memories and choose to make decisions that differ from her childhood.
Amazon
Casket Case by Laura Evans (September 10, 2024)
Nora's back in Rabbittown, Alabama to help keep her family's casket business running and it's the last thing she wants to be doing. However, life's not always fair. She's single, in her thirties, and feel like her life's over before it can truly begin. But, her morbid thoughts are halted when an attractive man stops by the shop.
Garrett Bishop is as ideal as it gets, and Nora leaps at the chance to get to know him better. They naturally hit it off even if he does log in weird hours for the mysterious job he has.
Things really take a turn when more of Rabbittown's residents start dying and Garrett is noticed at the scene of them. Suddenly, Nora has the sense that Garrett's job isn't so mysterious anymore and it's the very thing that makes her question if there's a such thing as an ideal man.
Amazon
Zetas Till We Die by Amber and Danielle Brown (September 10, 2024)
Sorority sisters are meant to have a bond that stands the test of time, but one group is about to watch everything unravel.
10 years ago they dealt with the death of their line sister Lupé and got the guy they claimed did it locked away. The sisters of the Zeta Phi Zeta sorority haven't gathered since then, but Priscilla decides it's still worth it to have their reunion party. Sadly, things get complicated when Lupé's killer is set free and there's clear tension among the Zeta Phi Zeta sisters.
When one of them disappears, Priscilla starts panicking because she believes someone is out to get them. The horrific part about it is that she's right, but the truth of what really happened the night Lupé died will make her question everything she thought she knew about her line sisters.
Amazon
Ida, in Love and in Trouble by Veronica Chambers (September 10, 2024)
Ida B. Wells is known for being one of the greatest investigative journalists, but Ida, in Love and in Trouble details her journey prior to that.
She lived a post-Civil War life as the child of parents who were no longer slaves and was afforded many opportunities. The only things she had to worry about were her younger sister, her future teaching career, and how to be a free-thinking woman.
Her dreams of being a teacher are soon replaced with her desire to talk about the injustice against Black people. She courageously talked about issues that women were supposed to be silent about and never backed down even when things were against her.
It's a moving novel that introduces readers to the woman who's name still has a powerful legacy decades later.
Amazon
Tiger's Tale by Colleen Houck (September 10, 2024)
Anastasia and Verusha Stepanov are the tsar's children, and are set to inherit the Kievian Empire. They don't really care for it or their father's duty as a ruler though.
When he dies and their mother starts succumbing to the illness that's plaguing her, the sisters know all eyes are on them to take their father's place. But all they want to do is train with the Royal Guard instead of getting married and having kids to ensure the future of their bloodline.
Unfortunately the sisters put everyone at peril when they turn away someone who claims to know how to help their mother get better. Now they'll have to find a way to stop his curse from spreading and destroying the place they call home.
Amazon
The Scarlet Throne by Amy Leow (September 10, 2024)
Binsa serves as a living goddess where she grants mercy and punishment based on the situation. On the surface she appears to be a deity worthy of sitting on the Scarlet Throne, but her wisdom comes from a demon.
When her seat is replaced by a younger girl named Medha, Binsa realizes she's been serving faithfully only to be tossed to the side like leftover trash. This makes her form a partnership with her demon. In exchange for becoming powerful, she'll present him with living sacrifices so he too can become strong.
But, what is the true price of being ambitious?
Amazon
So Thirsty by Rachel Harrison (September 10, 2024)
Sloane Parker isn't thrilled about her birthday, but her husband surprises her with a getaway trip that features her best friend Naomi. Unlike Sloane, Naomi is the type of woman to grab life by the horns and do a ton of impulsive things. All Sloane can think about is how much this getaway will help her continue ignoring her husband's affairs.
But Naomi introduces her to a group of strangers who shake up what's supposed to be a fun birthday weekend. Soon, they're faced with the idea of immortality and potential bloodlust.
Amazon
What We Wish For by Melody Maysonet (September 17, 2024)
Layla Freeman lives with her mom in a homeless shelter, but she does everything she can to look at the bright side. She doesn't want to let her mom's past addiction determine their future so she doesn't say anything about her situation at school. After all, she's the carefree girl who doesn't let things get under her skin.
But, it's all a facade and it forces Layla to reach out to her rich aunt and uncle. All this does is create more stress that leads to her mom's overdose. However, Layla is eventually allowed to live with Uncle Scott and Aunt Tanya in their sprawling mansion.
Things start to get better as Layla adjusts to living with them, but the shocking discovery of secrets will turn her perfect paradise upside down.
Amazon
The Night We Lost Him by Laura Dave (September 17, 2024)
Liam Noone's death has shocked his family, but the police doesn't suspect any foul play. He was known as the hotel magnate whose past wasn't something he was fond of, but his family still loved him despite the separate lives they lived. It's the reason why his two children Nora and Sam are convinced something terrible happened to him.
Even though they're not close, the two siblings form a partnership to solve the mystery of their father's death and stumble across questionable things from his past.
Amazon
An Academy for Liars by Alexis Henderson (September 17, 2024)
Just when it seems like things are truly getting worse for Lennon Carter, she's invited to take the entrance exam for Drayton College. It's a place where magic resides and they recognize she's incredibly gifted with the power to bend people to her will.
After passing the exam, Lennon learns how to control the power swirling inside of her even if it's incredibly draining. She loves being at Drayon, but she's even more captivated by her adviser, Dante.
Drayton's past isn't all that it seems, however and it begins unsettling Lennon. Moreover, she's concerned that she'll eventually stop seeing what's so wrong with using your power in all ways.
Amazon
Gaslight by Miles Joris-Peyrafitte and Sara Shepard (September 17, 2024)
Rebecca and her husband live a charming life in Nevada with their young children. She hardly ever talks about the past because she doesn't want to be remind of the horrors she escaped. But, the arrival of an old friend, Danny, makes it incredibly hard. Plus, Rebecca knows nothing good can come from seeing Danny.
Long ago, Rebecca used to be a part of the ISB cult with Danny, but managed to escape and never look back. Seeing Danny again either means she's trying to recruit her former friend or find a way to escape too.
Mind games ensue and the very life Rebecca has worked to built gets threatened when the one man she swore to never return to finds her.
Amazon
The Slowest Burn by Sarah Chamberlain (September 24, 2024)
Ellie Wasserman lives life by a set of rules because it's the only control she feels she has after the death of her husband. She's a successful ghostwriter for celebrity cookbooks and that's all she thinks she needs to survive.
Her plans are mixed up when she meets the flighty and unorganized Kieran O'Neill. He won a reality TV competition and is lauded as a chef to watch, but he can't sit still long enough to form cohesive thoughts about the cookbook Ellie is supposed to be writing.
Their first couple of meetings are disastrous, but one fateful week helps them understand each other a lot more. The more they cook together, the more they let their guard down and decide the tense feeling between them is attraction.
But can Ellie let go of her rules long enough to fall in love and start doing what she wants?
Amazon
Zodiac Rising by Katie Zhao (October 8, 2024)
The Descendants of the Chinese zodiac are a former shell of themselves after a horrible curse befell them. The only things that can right any wrongs committed by the fae are lost statues that are at the center of their resurrection.
To figure out why one of the top students at an elite boarding school was killed, four students will have to form an uneasy alliance. Evangeline (Vampire), Nicholas (Shapeshifter), Tristan (Werewolf), and Alice (Mortal) have every reason not to work with each other, but have no choice if they want to save the world they know.
Amazon
This Cursed Houseby Del Sandeen (October 8, 2024)
Jemma Barker is in her late twenties when she decides to needs a change of pace from living in Chicago. Mainly, she's tired of all the ghosts she's been seeing. Without a second thought, she jumps at the chance to work for the Duchons in New Orleans because it's a chance for her to do something new.
However, the Duchons are colorists who believe Jemma's brown skin puts her beneath them. It makes her feel like she's living in a nightmare, but that only scratches the surface of the terror waiting for her.
Once she realizes the Duchons are cursed, she beings wondering how her ability to see the dead will work in her favor. But, one wrong move will bind her to the Duchons and it's the last thing she wants.
Amazon
Alter Ego by Alex Segura (December 3, 2024)
Annie Bustamante is celebrated in the creative culture as a filmmaker, author, and comic book artist. The only thorn in her side is that the rights of one of her favorite superheroes hasn't been available until recently.
Instead of being excited about the news, Annie feels wary because the son of the owner of Triumph Comics has always insisted the superhero belongs to him. On top of that, she's been getting cryptic messages about who she should trust.
In order for her to reclaim the superhero's story, she'll have to go down a dark path and it may change her.
Do you need a larger dose of spooky reads? Visit our summer thriller books for more spine-tingling plots!
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This post has been updated.
Header images via Amazon
