The 15 Best Cozy Books for Fall (2024)
Admittedly my favorite season of the year is Summer, but Fall is definitely a very close second. I love that as the seasons change, the best and coziest clothes make a reappearance, the evenings get darker and I’m buying candles as if I’m preparing for the end of days.
It also happens to be one of the best times of the year for book publishing and a lot of the best cozy books for fall are released in preparation for Christmas.
The one thing I know is my TBR {To Be Read} pile doesn’t get any smaller in these particular months. Perhaps it’s the prospect of going back to school or wearing warmer clothing and sitting in cafes? Or even falling asleep when reading. I love finding myself on the couch with a book firmly planted on my face.
The Perfect Time Of The Year To Read
My favorite place to read has always been my bed. My perfect Sunday is one that is so wet and rainy outside that you daren’t even step foot outdoors, for fear of being washed away. Of course, the fridge and pantry are fully stocked with delicious goodies, which only leaves me with the duty of finding the perfect Sunday cozy book to read. Is this not one of the best problems in the world to have?
I’ve spent my entire adult life working with books, as a bookseller before moving into libraries. I’ve loved books for as long as I can remember, and have the Sweet Valley Twins, Elizabeth and Jessica to thank for turning me into an avid reader.
The Autumn months mean digging out some firm favorites that always remind me of chilly dark evenings and fantastic worlds and characters. This is the time of the year to pick up an old favorite cozy book or discover a new author.
I’ve curated a few of my favorite books that I’ve read over the years, that instill in me the feeling of falling in love, wrapping up in a cozy blanket cocoon, and being whisked away to far-away worlds. These are a few of the best cozy books for fall to read in 2023.
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15 of the Best Cozy Books for Fall
1. The Harry Potter Series by JK Rowling
The Harry Potter Series is easily one of the best cozy books for fall. Even if you’ve read them 100 times, there is no better series to start the fall months than a reread of the infamous boy wizard. Join Harry as he goes through his schooling years in Hogwarts battling the ultimate villain, Voldemort. Atmospheric, magical, and unmissable. The ultimate cozy autumn books.
2. A Man Called Ove by Fredrik Backman
It took me a number of years to get around to reading A Man Called Ove by Fredrik Backman. And what an absolutely delightful and beautiful book it is. Meet Ove who is easily one of the grumpiest characters you’ll ever meet. Yet as you spend time with him, you’ll begin to understand why this man whose heart is too big is such a curmudgeon.
Ove is one of those rare characters that once you close the final pages, you’ll start to think differently of all the bad-tempered men and women you’ve met. It’s a perfectly cozy book for Fall.
3. The Dutch House by Ann Patchett
There is so much to unpack with The Dutch House by Ann Patchett, but at its core, its a beautiful story about an incredible house that breaks a family apart, yet the resilient bond between siblings Danny and Maeve makes their relationship even stronger.
If you can, listen to Tom Hanks narrate the book, which elevates this cozy autumn book to another level.
4. The Last Thing He Told Me by Laura Dave
I absolutely love a thriller that gets straight into the story. There’s no faffing about or telling us the backstories of its characters. The Last Thing He Told Me by Laura Dave jumps straight into the plot and it is an absolutely cracking page-turner.
Hannah’s husband Owen has suddenly disappeared. Left in her charge is her teenage stepdaughter Bailey. Over the course of the book, Hannah tries to solve the mysteries of who she once believed her husband to be whilst also taking care of her reluctant stepdaughter. It’s a thrill-a-minute read and I gobbled it up.
5. The Push by Ashley Audrain
Blythe has an idyllic marriage and daughter. But something is deeply wrong with Violet. Or is something wrong with Blythe? As we witness Blythe’s breakdown, it becomes harder to discern whether what we’re witnessing is real or an unbelievable narrator.
I absolutely loved The Push by Ashley Audrain, this was a terrifying story and I spent much of the book trying to decide whether Blythe was really unhinged or had a truly evil child. It was so good that I gobbled it in one sitting and really couldn’t put it down.
6. Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt
If you loved A Man Called Ove, then you’ll love this story of the beautiful friendship of an Octopus named Marcellus and Tova, the recently widowed woman who mops the floors of the local aquarium. Tova’s son mysteriously disappeared 30 years ago and Marcellus the octopus sets out to discover what really happened.
Yes, Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt sounds completely bonkers, but you will be swept away with this truly remarkable story. Bring tissues. One of the best cozy books for fall that was released in 2022.
7. Malibu Rising by Taylor Jenkins Reid
Set over the course of a single day Nina Riva and her siblings host their annual end-of-summer party where anyone who is anyone in Hollywood is guaranteed to show up. Nina and her siblings are the children of the music icon, Mick Riva, a very absent superstar father.
As a teenager growing up I must have read every Judith Krantz, Danielle Steel, and Jilly Cooper and thirsted over bonkbuster I could get my hands on. They sure don’t write them like they used to! Having said that, Malibu Rising by Taylor Jenkins Reid gave me such 80s bonkbuster vibes with couples fornicating throughout the book, trays of cocaine being passed around, and general debauchery in every chapter. It makes for an excellent end-of-the-summer book read.
8. The Hearts Invisible Furies by John Boyne
The life of Cyril Avery is chronicled over 70 years in the Hearts Invisible Furies by John Boyne. A beautiful, hilarious, and heartbreaking story of a man trying to fit into society in Ireland, whilst trying to navigate his own personal demons of his identity and relationships.
You’ll laugh and cry as Cyril navigates the world, and is one of the most delightful cozy autumn books to read on this list. You’ll be swept away.
9. The Nothing Man by Catherine Howard Ryan
Nothing says ‘cozy autumn book’ quite like a serial killer! I love a good mystery and Catherine Howard Ryan is a master at writing seriously creepy books. To this date, I’ve never quite read anything like The Nothing Man. It’s such a unique way of storytelling and utterly gripping.
Follow the story of Jim, a supermarket security officer as he reads a survivor’s account of Ireland’s serial killer – The Nothing Man. The thing is, Jim is The Nothing Man.
From start to finish, this is one of the best cozy fall reads you’ll gobble up in a single session. Brilliant!
10. The Secret History by Donna Tartt
Set in a New England small college where you can smell the decaying leaves and a hint of a bonfire in the air, The Secret History by Donna Tartt is mesmerizing.
It’s a murder mystery (but also not?) and has small touches of the supernatural about it. Someone in a group of terrible friends is dead. But who? And why did this happen when they seemingly had it all?
A classic from the early 1990s, The Secret History is one of those books that you’ll pick up at some stage of your life and completely absorb it. It may not be the most cozy fall reads on the list, but it’s certainly beguiling.
If you liked ‘If We Were Villians by M.L Rio‘ you’ll thoroughly enjoy The Secret History.
The Best YA Cozy Books For Fall
11. Strange the Dreamer by Laini Taylor
Laini Taylor has created the most astounding world in Strange the Dreamer. She also happens to be one of the most talented fantasy YA writers out there that deserves a ton more recognition.
I’ve handed Strange the Dreamer to so many of my students and I’ve never received a single word of criticism. It’s that good.
Lazlo Strange is on a quest to discover if the mythical city of Weep has really been lost, and joins a group of misfitted warriors on a quest to uncover the truth.
Grab a blanket, and hot cocoa, and immerse yourself in the world of Lazlo Strange and the best cozy autumn book in 2023.
12. Sadie by Courtney Summers
Sadie is the gripping story told in podcast form by West McCray of a missing girl. We follow the tragic story of Sadie and her quest for revenge as she seeks the person who murdered her 14-year sister Mattie.
Switching between West McCray as he tries to locate Sadie, and that of Sadie as she hunts the man responsible for her little sister’s death. It’s a rollercoaster and you’ll be gripped from the start to its satisfying conclusion.
13. Truly Devious Series by Maureen Johnson
The Truly Devious series by Maureen Johnson are such fun cozy books for fall that you’ll fly through the four that are currently published. (Book 5 was released in December 2022).
Stevie Bell has a penchant for solving mysteries. Which brings her on a scholarship to Ellingham Academy, one of the most prestigious boarding schools in New England.
A terrible crime was committed in the 1930s that was never been solved. Will Stevie be able to figure out who ‘Truly Devious’ really was?
A modern Nancy Drew, the Truly Devious series will leave you guessing until the very end.
The Best Non-Fiction Cozy Books for Fall
14. The Radium Girls by Kate Moore
The Radium Girls by Kate Moore is one of the best non-fiction books I’ve read in the past 5 years. This remarkable story of hundreds of women in the early part of the 20th century who made an income working in factories painting watch dials with radium so they would glow. The effects of radium on the human body were slowly being discovered and then hidden as these women ‘lip-dabbed’ the paintbrushes with radium and over time would begin to glow {with literal radium}.
The research that Kate Moore spent writing and researching this topic is incredible. She tells the story of many of the women who eventually succumbed to their early deaths because of radium poisoning. A warning, some of the descriptions are quite hard to stomach. This is a truly incredible story and one that will stay with you for a very long time.
15. The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls
One of my all-time favorite books, The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls is one of the best memoirs I’ve ever read. Walls writes of her childhood growing up extraordinarily poor. Her parent’s selfish desires left Walls and her siblings struggling to break the poverty cycle.
It’s a story of epic and frustrating proportions. It’s impossible not to emphasize with Walls and their situation and even more remarkable to learn of her successes away from her toxic parents. Walls is a phenomenal writer.
Which Cozy Book For Fall Will You Read?
As the evenings sadly get shorter and darker, I love to light my candles and turn on the fireplace on YouTube to create a delicious reading ambiance. I find myself curling up on the couch and attempting to get through my never-ending TBR pile. Which book will you add to your TBR cozy books for fall?
If you’ve read any of the books mentioned above, as usual, do not hesitate to leave a comment and let me know your thoughts.
Looking for more cozy books to read?
Looking for more excellent book suggestions? Check out my following guides:
Meet Missy…
Missy spent the first 2 decades of her life living in her native Dublin, Ireland. Before a life living overseas called to her, and she spent the next decade living in China, Laos & Belgium. She now splits her time in Antwerp, Belgium, and wherever the sun is currently shining. You can follow Missy’s real-time travels on her Instagram.
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