Ever since the Fourth of July has passed my IG feed has been nothing but the cozy girlies getting read for fall, and I’m here for it! I wanted to join in and share my Fall reading list a little early!
Okay, hear me out: there is nothing like curling up under a soft blanket, hot drink in hand, rain (or crunchy leaves) outside your window, and cracking open a book that makes you feel.
Fall is the reading season. No arguments. Whether it’s small-town romance or messy dark academia energy, I want the vibes immaculate. I want spice and softness and sadness and serotonin. So today I’m sharing my fall reading list for 2025, the books that feel like they belong next to a pumpkin-scented candle.
Some of these I’ve read (and fully obsessed over), and others are on my TBR stack just waiting for that perfect autumn afternoon. So whether you’re a cozy girl, a sad girl, or just trying to read your way through the seasons, there’s something in here for you.
I will be posting full reviews of these books on my Goodreads account, so if you don’t follow me over there, please add me as a friend to see my thoughtful book reviews!
Honey and Spice by Bolu Babalola
This one was an absolute highlight of my summer reads and it still lives rent-free in my head. If you love a good academic setting with all the witty, clever banter, you need to read this.
The main characters? Iconic. Their dynamic? Sensation. I listened to it on audiobook, and hearing the accents, the slang, and the cultural nuances come to life was just chef’s kiss. I laughed out loud, I smiled like a fool, and I even replayed a few scenes just because they were that good. It reminded me how much I adore campus romances that actually feel real and full of heart.
Even though I read it in the summer, the fall vibes are definitely there. There’s something about the setting, a college campus buzzing with intellect, passion, and community, that feels like autumn.
The romance itself is soft but compelling, and the cultural commentary is done in a way that feels fresh and smart without ever taking away from the emotional core. This one is for the girls who want substance and spice. It’s already been rated five out of five in my world, and I truly think it belongs on everyone’s fall reading list for 2025.
And if you missed it, I created a Summer Romance Reading List: 12 Must-Read Books for 2025 post with some of the best summer books to read this summer.
The Dating Playbook by Farrah Rochon
Okay, I haven’t read this one yet, but it’s been sitting in my cart, wishlist, and TBR for the longest.
First of all, I love a Black romance, especially one that blends ambition, chemistry, and a cozy seasonal backdrop. This one is set during football season, which honestly just screams soft hoodies, game day snacks, and falling in love when you least expect it. It’s about a personal trainer and an ex-NFL player working together, and I can already feel the tension simmering from page one.
What really excites me about this one is that it feels like a comfort read. The kind you curl up with on a lazy Sunday and finish in one weekend flat. I’m picturing it as my “read this while sipping a pumpkin cream cold brew and avoiding real-life responsibilities” type of book. The energy it gives me is determined Black girl chasing her joy, her bag, and maybe a little unexpected love along the way, and I am always here for that narrative. I’ll definitely report back once I get into it this fall over on my social media.
Which is you aren’t following me, you should be! My IG is my artistic and highly curated short-form content, and my TikTok is my off-the-cuff content where I blab!
Fall of Ruin and Wrath by Jennifer L. Armentrout
This book has been haunting my bookshelf for what feels like forever and I already know it’s going to consume me once I finally start.
From everything I’ve seen and read, it’s peak romantasy. We’re talking end-of-the-world tension, a dangerous prophecy, and an enemies-to-lovers arc that makes my entire soul light up. Like, if you give me longing glances and mutual destruction with a side of kissing? I’m in. Fully. Without question.
The aesthetic alone is enough to make it perfect for fall. The cover is moody and mysterious, and I’ve heard the world-building is just rich and layered. There’s something about fall that makes me crave those stories that are a little darker, a little more intense, and this one checks every box.
I feel like I’m going to start it on a cold, rainy afternoon and not stop reading until I’ve fully unraveled the plot and emotionally bonded with characters I can’t let go of.
Sword Catcher by Cassandra Clare
I’ve been waiting to read this one for so long. If you were a Mortal Instruments fan like I was, then you already know Cassandra Clare knows how to build fantasy worlds that are layered, character-driven, and always a little messy in the best way. I loved her writing when I was a teen, and I’m really curious to see how her adult fantasy hits now that I’m… grown-ish.
From what I’ve seen, Sword Catcher is rich in lore, full of secret identities and forbidden love, and just complex enough to sink your teeth into. It sounds like the perfect long read for a chilly weekend when I want to do nothing but get lost in a world that feels both familiar and fresh.
I just know the emotional stakes are going to get me, because Clare always goes for the heart in her character arcs. I’m ready to cry, yell, and immediately preorder book two.
If you are a fan of romantasy check out my blog post, Best Romantasy Books That Will Ruin You (In the Best Way).
Demon’s Dream by Elle Kayson
Okay, the girlies on Black BookTok have been raving about this one, and I trust them with my life. I haven’t started it yet, but the premise alone gives me butterflies. Urban fantasy, a dark and emotionally unavailable male lead, and a MMF who cracks through his walls?
It’s giving bad boy x good girl. I’m expecting late-night arguments, internal turmoil, and a slow burn so intense I’ll be screaming into a pillow.
This isn’t one I plan to rush through. It feels like the kind of read you sit with. One that builds slowly and makes you think and feel deeply. From what I’ve gathered, there’s an entire atmosphere of darkness, intimacy, and longing, and that’s exactly the kind of emotional rollercoaster I want this fall. Light a woodsy candle, put on a moody playlist, and let this one fully wreck you, in the best way.
The Games That Gods Play by Abigail Owen
This is another TBR pick I’m going into with very little info, and I kind of love that. All I know is that it involves immortals, high stakes, and some type of divine drama that feels deeply fall-coded.
I get the sense that it’s going to be one of those books that pulls you into a mythological, slightly chaotic world and makes you question everything.
Even though I haven’t read it yet, I’m really drawn to books that explore power, legacy, and desire in a dramatic way. Something about divine beings being a little too human and messy? Delicious. And fall is the perfect time to read stories that feel a little heavier and more epic. I’ll definitely be taking my time with this one, maybe with a candle burning and my phone on do-not-disturb.
Also, if you are enjoying this reading list, you should check out my post, Books That Feel Like a Studio Ghibli Movie, and Top 6 Books Like ‘Fourth Wing’ to Read While Awaiting the Next Installment! I love filling up people’s TBRs with amazing reads!
The Secret World of Maggie Grey by Drew Collins
This book is another Black BookTok fave, and I have to admit, I’m intrigued.
It’s available on Kindle Unlimited, so if you’re trying to stick to a book budget this fall, this one might be a solid pick. From the outside, it looks like your standard dark fantasy, but every review I’ve seen says it hits way deeper. There’s an edge of mystery, a feeling of isolation, and that broody, introspective tone that just works so well for this time of year. I had to put it on my fall reading list.
I haven’t read it yet, but it feels like the kind of story that unravels slowly and leaves you sitting with the emotions after you close the book.
There’s also a subtle academia vibe woven into it-like, not “classrooms and professors” academia, but more like secret knowledge and powerful, hidden histories. I love that kind of energy. This is definitely one I’m saving for a weekend when I want to feel completely absorbed.
The Pumpkin Spice Café by Laurie Gilmore
Okay, yes, I know this book blew up on BookTok last fall and everyone and their cousin had an opinion on it. Some said it was basic, others said it was the best cozy romance they’d read in years. And me? I just want to find out for myself. I picked it up recently, and it’s now sitting on my shelf, waiting for me to finally break it open the second the temperature dips below 70.
What draws me to it is that it seems like the literary version of a warm hug. Small-town vibes, slow burn romance, a literal café, it just sounds like fall wrapped in a flannel blanket. I plan to read this one with a hot chocolate in hand, probably in one sitting, and let it wash over me like the Hallmark movie energy I know it’s going to bring. Not every fall book has to be heavy or angsty, sometimes soft is the mood.
Always Mine by Laura Pavlov
This one is from the Honeymoon Series, and while I haven’t started it yet, the vibes are already giving cozy cuteness. We’ve got small-town romance, best friends to lovers, and a slow-burning connection that seems sweet in all the right ways. I haven’t read any of the other books in the series, but this one stood out to me because it feels like such a Saturday afternoon in fall.
I imagine this is the book you grab when you want a book full of warm feels and maybe a few sigh-out-loud moments. It gives me that “reading under a blanket while ignoring your phone” energy, which is exactly what I want this season. If you like clean-but-charming romances that feel like watching the leaves turn, this one should be on your fall reading list for 2025.
Most of All You by Mia Sheridan
This one’s going to be emotional, and I am absolutely bracing myself. It’s not a cute rom-com, it’s a romance rooted in trauma and healing, which is something I actually really crave in fall when I’m in my reflective era. I haven’t cracked it open yet, but I already know it’s going to hit hard.
Two broken people slowly coming together and trying to build something beautiful out of their pain? Yeah. That’s the kind of story that stays with you.
I’m setting aside quiet time for this read. Like, candles lit, journal nearby, maybe a sad girl playlist on in the background. It won’t be a quick read, and I’m okay with that. Sometimes the best books are the ones that feel like therapy. If you’re in a place where you want something that challenges you emotionally and gives you a deeper, more raw version of love, I’d definitely keep this one in your rotation for your fall reading list.
Can’t Help Falling in Love by Sophie Sullivan
I don’t know what it is, but this one just screams fall to me. The cover, the title, the energy, it’s giving fun, flirty, and just a little chaotic in that classic rom-com way. I haven’t read it yet, but it feels like one of those stories where everything goes wrong in the cutest way possible, and by the end, you’re rooting for the characters like they’re your friends.
I’m saving this one for when I need a mental break. Sometimes I want something lighthearted and easy, something that’ll make me laugh and feel good and not rip my heart out.
This is the book I’ll read when I’m overwhelmed, overstimulated, and just want to escape into a soft, colorful world full of awkward meet-cutes and accidental confessions.
The Seven Year Slip by Ashley Poston
I’ve heard nothing but glowing reviews about this one, and I’m honestly so excited to dive in. It’s supposed to be magical realism with a time-slip twist, and everyone says the emotional payoff is so worth it. I love a romance that plays with time, memory, or fate, it gives it this nostalgic, slightly bittersweet vibe that’s perfect for fall.
This feels like a story I’ll want to savor, not speed through. I can already imagine reading it late at night while everything’s quiet and the world feels just a little softer.
People are calling it a 5-star read, and I’m ready to find out why. It’s definitely one of the more unique titles on my fall reading list , and I have high hopes for it.
Final Thoughts
So that’s my fall reading list , expanded and stacked and fully ready to romanticize this season in the coziest way possible.
Whether you’re craving a spicy campus romance, a soft small-town love story, or a dark fantasy with emotionally tortured characters, there’s something in here for every type of reader. Fall is about slowing down, tuning in, and reading books that speak to where you are and maybe where you’re going next.
If any of these are on your list too, let me know in the comments. And if you’ve already read a few, I want to know your thoughts! Also, if you’re building out your own fall aesthetic, you might like
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