Rotten Fruit, Dead Flowers: Transition Books for Summer to Autumn
July is exciting.
August wishes it was September because it's too freaking hot out.
If you're like me, you enjoy all seasons but there is one that just speaks to your soul unlike all the others. Autumn is when I thrive. However, I have to survive the heat first even when I just want to wear cozy sweaters and drink Pumpkin Spice Lattes.
Just because it's 100° boiling doesn't mean you have to stay away from books that make you feel like a crunchy leaf in the wind. But it can be hard to find stories that fit the vibe both outside and in your heart. So that's why I'm here. For the past few years, I have been collecting YA titles that perfectly transition you from the fun beach scene of summer into the spooky woods of autumn.
You've felt it. The muggy heat beats down on your neck and you only wish for the relief of a cool breeze to sweep from the north. Bugs buzz loudly around your ears but as you try to find shade or some dilapidated mansion to rest in, you step on something crunchy. You lift up your shoe and peer in-between the dry grass: the bones of a dead bird rotting under a moldy mushroom. A centipede skitters past your toes, a sudden rush of wind, and then silence. The trees reach out their limbs. You are not alone.
That, my friend, is the book you need to get you through until fall. I have 6 suggestions that fit the vibe to a tee. And a little surprise at the end ;)
A human artist makes the mistake of painting the autumn faerie lord with mortal sorrow in his eyes. But that’s just the beginning of this gorgeous road-trip-esque journey through the world of faeries.
An orphan who cannot talk, a letter that speaks to her heart, and a house bordering parallel worlds. It is a dark book full of greys, pain, dead grass, and grief, but also a story full of summer warmth, family, vibrant gardens, and belonging.
A Treason of Thorns by Laura E. Weymouth
A girl is finally reunited with her magical House after her father commits treason. But she slowly learns that she can only choose between the dying House or her childhood friend she loves. Y’all the ANGST. Go read it!!!
A big spooky mansion perfect for throwing parties, acres of woods right by the sea, and a dead wife who just won't stay away. If you are looking for a classic that will haunt you in all the best ways, look no further than this classic. I am not a girl who loves classics but I couldn't put this one down.
Among the Beasts and Briars by Ashley Poston
Her best friend's coronation goes horribly wrong so the gardener's daughter with magic in her veins and an annoying fox who won't leave her alone, must face the forest and the mutated creatures within to find a way to save her entire home before time runs out.
Into the Heartless Wood by Joanna Ruth Meyer
An aspiring astronomer can't help but be drawn to the bloodthirsty wood outside his home and the dangerous tree nymph that lives there. This standalone novel is perfectly lush for this time of year!
BONUS: Feather or Bone by K.J. Haakenson
I wrote a short story a few years ago that perfectly fits the vibe of the books above. It's about a girl living in a dying world who must make an impossible choice. Think plague doctor masks, old autumn trails, and collecting little treasures. Read "Feather or Bone" here!
What types of books are you in the mood for this time of year? Let me know below and if any of my recommendations made it onto your TBR!
A girl is finally reunited with her magical House after her father commits treason. But she slowly learns that she can only choose between the dying House or her childhood friend she loves. Y’all the ANGST. Go read it!!!
Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier
A big spooky mansion perfect for throwing parties, acres of woods right by the sea, and a dead wife who just won't stay away. If you are looking for a classic that will haunt you in all the best ways, look no further than this classic. I am not a girl who loves classics but I couldn't put this one down.
Among the Beasts and Briars by Ashley Poston
Her best friend's coronation goes horribly wrong so the gardener's daughter with magic in her veins and an annoying fox who won't leave her alone, must face the forest and the mutated creatures within to find a way to save her entire home before time runs out.
Into the Heartless Wood by Joanna Ruth Meyer
An aspiring astronomer can't help but be drawn to the bloodthirsty wood outside his home and the dangerous tree nymph that lives there. This standalone novel is perfectly lush for this time of year!
BONUS: Feather or Bone by K.J. Haakenson
I wrote a short story a few years ago that perfectly fits the vibe of the books above. It's about a girl living in a dying world who must make an impossible choice. Think plague doctor masks, old autumn trails, and collecting little treasures. Read "Feather or Bone" here!
What types of books are you in the mood for this time of year? Let me know below and if any of my recommendations made it onto your TBR!
~ K.J. Haakenson
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