5 Books for Autumn

There are always books that present or feel like a certain season to us. The reason for that is either because they explicitly state that this is the season the book is set in, or that this is the season the book is about. But the other reason that this may be is because of the way the book feels. Certain books feel like autumn, certain books feel like winter and certain books feel like they could be great for every season at any time and whatever the whether is like. For example, I bet that you have a book or two that you call your rainy-day reads, or books that you like to read at Christmas. It's the same basic concept but with autumn.

Autumn has some brilliant books, such as Ali Smith's book Autumn, and I've always thought that The Cider House Rules by John Irving is a great Autumn-feeling read. But what I have done here is compiled a list of five books that I think feel like Autumn. They aren't necessarily set in Autumn nor do they have to be about Autumn, but they really feel very Autumn-y. The warmth turning to cold and the oranges, browns and greens that make up the season really do contribute to the way these books have been chosen.

The reason why I chose to make a list of Autumnal books is because I really love the Autumn season. Autumn and Winter are my two favourite seasons ever, and I think that even though they contain important holidays, the seasons themselves need some recognition as well. Autumn seriously doesn't get enough credit and people almost forget that winter exists because Christmas is coming up (Also, for those of you who live in England like me, be prepared, for they're going to start playing that George Michael song on the radio again in about a month's time. If you are ever passing me whilst this is on, you'll probably hear my mum and I singing along to it very, very loudly... I apologise immediately).

Here are my top five Autumn reads and why I have chosen them for this short list:

5. The Cider House Rules by John Irving

The Cider House Rules by John Irving is one of the best books for Autumn to read because it is set in Autumn and it feels like a very Autumnal book. There's a lot of description of natural surroundings and there are people coming together and creating this intense drama around children. I think the most important Autumnal aspect of this book though is the warmth of human kindness.

4. The Mothers by Brit Bennett

This is pretty much the same deal as the one above. I only recently read this novel but it was very, very good. Again, we've got that same thing about human kindness and how warm it can be, but we also have this sense of family and the gathering of families that normally precedes Christmas. Autumn is obviously before winter and thus, there's this feeling that families are supposed to help each other throughout the book and this book is quite possibly one of my favourite reads this year, so we have that aspect too.

3. Salem's Lot by Stephen King

Salem's Lot by Stephen King has always felt like Autumn to me because of the fact that not only is it set in Autumn but Stephen King is known for his incredible creation of atmosphere. In this book you get some intense descriptions, but also they do include the fact that it is autumn and the idea that autumn is one of those very important things in the reasoning for whatever is going on (no spoilers if you haven't read it). Fun fact: Salem's Lot also happens to be my favourite Stephen King novel. Sorry, Green Mile fans, I am very, very sorry.

2. Autumn by Ali Smith

I remember putting off reading this book for ages even though I owned a copy of it. I bought it from a festival I went to and it was a hardback copy with a nice sleeve depicting Autumn scenery on it. I had it on my bedside TBR for probably a month before I finally gave up and read it. The only reason I waited so long is because Autumn had already passed and I felt like I wasn't reading it at the right time (for all of you who know why I waited so long to read 100 Years of Solitude, it's the same basic thing). But this book is one incredible Autumn read that even though I read it once, I had to read it again in Autumn because of the fact it was Autumn.

1. Anne of Green Gables by LM Montgomery

What would Autumn reading be without Anne of Green Gables? Probably very, very boring. Just by writing this little anecdote I already want to read it again. This book is such a magical Autumn read because it transports you to such an incredible Autumnal setting filled with classic season tropes. The gardens, the settings and the characters all present to the reader the spirit of the season. The colours, the atmosphere and even the way the book is written and worded give such an incredible feeling of Autumn that I couldn't imagine an Autumn without this book anymore. Not only is it a classic, but it also shows the spirit of the season like no other novel ever written.