These 15 books are sure to help you dive into the autumn mood. From light hearted romance to dark vampiric love, these are the perfect books to light a candle and cozy up with. Please check trigger and content warnings before reading.

“Alchemised” – SenLinYu

This spellbinding dark fantasy debut, set in a war-torn world, follows a once-promising alchemist who has lost her memories. Imprisoned and sent to the High Reeve, one of the most powerful necromancers, the woman must fight to preserve the remnants of her identity, while tasked in unearthing her deepest secrets.

“Bunny” – Mona Awad

Samantha finds a clique of rich girls, who call each other Bunny, unbearable until receiving an invitation to the fabled Smut Salon. She finds herself drawn to their front door, falling into the Bunnies’ sinister world of monstrous creations and a blurred reality.

“Bury Our Bones in the Midnight Soil” – V. E. Schwab

Following three different women in different centuries, this vampiric horror thriller explores intertwining stories of love, power and struggles for freedom. This book flawlessly weaves Gothic themes, concepts of identity and the cycle of oppression that has been seemingly inescapable in human history.

“Carmilla” – Sheridan Le Fanu

Slip back in time with this 1872 Gothic novella. In an isolated castle deep in the forest, Laura lives a lonely life. One moonlit night, a horse-drawn carriage carries an unexpected guest into her life: the beautiful Carmilla. A feverish friendship begins between the two, but Laura soon finds herself tormented by nightmares, growing weaker by the day.

“The Ex Hex” – Rachel Hawkins

This light romance follows a small-town witch who is obligated to make magic with the man that left her heartbroken. She soon realizes a series of supernatural disasters are set in motion upon his return.

“Heartless” – Marissa Meyer

Long before being the terror of Wonderland, the infamous Queen of Hearts was merely a girl who desired love. Despite her dreams, her mother insists that marriage should be her only priority. Catherine experiences her first feelings of attraction after meeting a mysterious court joker. Despite her determination to define her own destiny and find true love, the wicked land holds other plans.

“If We Were Villains” – M. L. Rio

Oliver Marks has just completed a decade in jail for a murder that he may or may not have committed. Upon his release, he is interrogated by a retiring detective searching for answers to what truly happened ten years prior. Oliver was one of seven actors studying at an elite arts college, and when the events of a play and reality slipped together, one student was found dead.

“The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue” – V. E. Schwab

A French woman born in the Early Modern Period makes a naive bargain to live forever. Her wish is granted, but with a price – she is equally cursed to be forgotten by everyone she meets. Addie comes to terms with this curse, until 300 years later, when she stumbles upon a young man in a hidden bookstore who remembers her name.

“Masters of Death” – Olivie Blake

Viola, a vampire and struggling real estate agent, faces a huge problem. The house she is tasked to sell is haunted by a ghost who was murdered. Until he solves the mystery of his murder, he refuses to leave his estate behind. Viola seeks out Fox D’Mora, a medium, to help her with the ghost-infested mansion. But upon this quest, Fox gets entangled in a quest that neither he nor Viola anticipated.

“Mexican Gothic” – Silvia Moreno-Garcia

Set in 1950s Mexico, socialite Noemí travels to the High Palace mansion, which belongs to her cousin, after receiving a disturbing letter claiming that her husband is poisoning her and that the house is haunted. Noemí must confront the seemingly alive mansion and face dark family secrets in order to free the family from an ancient curse.

“Ninth House” – Leigh Bardugo

This story follows Alex who explores New Haven, monitoring the activities of Yale’s secret society. Eight “tombs” are known to be haunted by the future rich and powerful, and their occult activities are revealed to be more sinister and more extraordinary than Alex could have ever imagined.

“Scythe” – Neal Shusterman

A world where hunger, disease, war and death have all been conquered may sound perfect. However, to keep population size under control, scythes are the only ones who can end life and are commanded to do so. Two teenagers are chosen to apprentice to a scythe, though neither wants to. The pair must master the craft of taking life because failure could result in losing their own.

“The Secret History” – Donna Tartt

A group of preppy Classics students at an elite New England college find themselves entangled in murder cover up. When they exceed the boundaries of normal mortality, they slip into obsessions with betrayal, corruption and evil. This is a dark academic thriller that will leave you thinking about it for weeks.

“Tender is the Flesh” – Agustina Bazterrica

Due to initial reports that an infectious virus has made animal meat poisonous to humans, the government legalizes the consumption of human meat. Marcos is in the business of slaughtering humans, though they are not regarded as such. Despite his attempts to adhere to his duties, Marcos begins to treat one of the specimens as human and is tortured by what has been lost.

“These Violent Delights” – Chloe Gong

This retelling of “Romeo & Juliet” is set in 1920s Shanghai and follows Roma, the White Flower’s heir, and Juliette, a member of the Scarlets and a former flapper, on their path of first love and betrayal. A blood feud between two gangs has overtaken the city. To reinstate peace, Roma and Juliette must set their grudges aside and work together or there may be no city left to rule.