5 Striking Novels That Will Ignite Your Fall Spirit Without Giving You Nightmares

You won't find any Stephen King on this list!

Spooky season is upon us, yes, but that doesn't mean us who scare easily should miss out!

Disney / Via giphy.com

Scary books especially can get, well, scary. But have no fear (literally), because these spooky season books are certified reads that will invoke the appropriate amount of the spook within you, while still being able to sleep at night!

1. The Dutch House by Ann Patchett

Harper

This book follows a family through the course of five decades; centered around the mysterious, yet lavish Dutch house. Though the house has enough mystical presence to be its own character, you will not find anything paranormal residing there. This book contains themes of loss and endings, forcing its characters to confront the things that really haunt us.

Martha Southgate puts it perfectly in her review of The Dutch House for the New York Times, “This novel takes a winding road through the forest and doesn’t rush to finish.” And a forest of Autumn leaves at that! Experience this dark and dreamy fairytale in your favorite cozy reading nook on a cloudy fall day.

You can purchase it here.

2. Midnight at the Blackbird Café by Heather Webber

Forge Books

This story is about Anna Kate, who returns to her mother’s hometown to look after her grandmother’s estate with no intention of staying long. Short upon arrival, she becomes enamored with her grandmother’s old café and the blackbirds that give it its name. You can feel fall in Webber’s writing from the changing of the season to the birds and pie.

The subgenre of magical realism brings unexplained mystical events and occurrences to the real world, which makes magic seem a little more plausible; aren’t we all a little hopeful that magic really does exist? Snuggle in as the mystery unfolds around some pie and other baked goods.

You can purchase it here.

3. Coraline by Neil Gaiman

HarperCollins

Many of us have already seen this film, but I promise this book gets better each time I read it. Accompany Coraline as she discovers a secret door that takes her to an alternative world. Coraline will bring you back to the childhood mystery of Halloween as its themes parallel those in Alice in Wonderland.

While this book is considered to have scarier themes, it is regarding its target audience: children. You will find this story enticing and addictive like your favorite candy, time and time again.

You can purchase it here.

4. Smoke Gets in Your Eyes: And Other Lessons from the Crematory by Caitlin Doughty

W. W. Norton & Company

Calling anyone with a dark sense of humor! This coming-of-age story is equipped with the perfect mix of comedy and macabre. Explore the realm of the dead with Caitlin Doughty as she makes her commonly feared topic approachable and engaging. This novel will take you through the history of undertaking, while also answering some questions you have always been too scared to ask. This book will forever change your perspective about our society's relationship with death and has the power to help us come to terms.

You can purchase it here.

5. And The Southern Book Club’s Guide to Slaying Vampires by Grady Hexton

Quirk Books

This might be the scariest book that you will find on my list, however, the horror elements are offset by Hexton’s sense of humor. Follow a group of Charleston women and their true-crime book club as they navigate motherhood and investigate local crime.

This book will let you indulge in all your favorite vampires, '90s, and southern tropes. Goodreads called it “Fried Green Tomatoes and Steel Magnolias meet Dracula” in one review. This book will truly get you to laugh through your fears of the supernatural and beyond — the perfect remedy for when you think there is something under your bed.

You can purchase it here.

So, set aside your fears and cozy up with these books instead!

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