Temps are beginning to drop which means indoor activities are ramping up but book on the bright side, we have a fall reading list to keep things cozy.
Because You Need to Get in the Spirit:
The Absinthe Forger by Evan Rail
Spirits and true crime mix for a dangerous cocktail in this tale straight from the black market. We didn’t know much about Absinthe prior to this book, other than it came in pretty bottles and was sure to cause a hangover. We thought it was once hallucinogenic, but apparently that was just a rumor that led to it being banned in several countries. As you can imagine, 100-year-old bottles go for a lot of money. The question is, how do you prove they’re real? Follow the story from prohibition to modern day with a mysterious green drink as the main character.
For When You Want Something Swoon-Worthy:
The Seven Year Slip by Ashley Poston
What if you met someone amazing but — ope — you exist in different timelines? Clementine was at a crossroads in her life and grieving for her aunt, whose quirky apartment she just inherited. Her aunt always had stories about the apartment being magical, like a slip in time. It’s not until a handsome stranger (a stranger we’d be happy calling our new book boyfriend, BTW) shows up in it that Clementine believes her. What happens in the apartment stays in the apartment, but only because it exists seven years in the past. But wait, wouldn’t that affect the future? You’ll have to read to find out.
For When You Need to Open Up:
The Simple Wild by K.A. Tucker
Calla Fletcher was just two years old when her mother had a classic “I-can’t-handle-this” meltdown and bolted from the Alaskan wilderness, leaving Calla’s father, Wren Fletcher, in the dust. Calla grew up a city girl in Toronto, never to return to Alaska or have a relationship with her father. Then she finds out her dad’s days are numbered and knows that it’s time to make the long trip back to the remote frontier town where she was born. While trying to navigate getting to know her father, she’s also navigating Jonah — the quiet, brooding, and proud Alaskan pilot who keeps her father’s charter plane company operational. He thinks she doesn’t belong here and although she doesn’t disagree, she’s also determined to prove him wrong. As wrapped up in technology as we are in our daily lives, walking in Calla’s shoes and disconnecting sounds like a good time to us.
For When you Crave Suspense:
The Last Thing He Told Me by Laura Dave
Before Owen Michaels pulls a disappearing act, he sneaks a note to his wife of just one year: “Protect her.” Cue the confusion and panic. But let’s be real—Hannah Hall knows exactly who he means: his sullen 16-year-old daughter, Bailey. This girl’s got a history, having lost her mother young, and she’s not exactly rolling out the welcome mat for her new stepmom. What follows is a whirlwind of secrets, including Owen’s jaw-dropping true identity. Imagine your whole life imploding in just two days because your husband turned out to be a total stranger. No, thank you.
For Sassy Foodies:
Kitchens of the Great Midwest by J. Ryan Stradal
It may be a work of fiction but our stomach really growled while reading it. Featuring multiple characters, each with their own dish, this easy read is almost a collection of short stories. Humor is sprinkled in, comparing midwestern food to foodie culture you might expect from a large city. Don’t worry, you won’t have to endure any painfully long midwestern goodbyes.
For a Book that Feels like Running Through a Magic Forest:
The Unmaking of June Farrow by Adrienne Young
If you were a fan of the Invisible Life of Addie LaRue, this book somehow strikes a similar chord. Residents of a small North Carolina mountain town experience mysterious disappearances, and a centuries-old curse plagues the women of the Farrow family. June’s grandmother and her mother both went mad and June is afraid she is next but the more she tries to understand, more questions are unlocked making her wonder if she even knows herself. Add in a bit of romance and familial bonds, this one is best paired with a warm cup of tea in a vintage cup.
