It's Fall, y'all! My original plan for 2020 was to do quarterly TBR's. But then 2020 fell apart and so did my reading plans. So, I'm scrapping that to lessen the pressure and am instead doing a rough TBR list of all the books that I've hoping to get to during the autumnal season. There aren't any thrillers on this list as I've already posted a blog discussing all the backlist thrillers I want to hopefully read in the next few months. Check that out HERE. Without further ado, let's get onto the books.
Fledgling
by Octavia E. Butler
Goodreads Synopsis: This is the story of an apparently young, amnesiac girl whose alarmingly inhuman needs and abilities lead her to a startling conclusion: She is in fact a genetically modified, 53-year-old vampire. Forced to discover what she can about her stolen former life, she must at the same time learn who wanted - and still wants - to destroy her and those she cares for and how she can save herself.
Why haven't I already read more Octavia E. Butler? I adore Kindred, it's one of my all-time favourite fantasy books, so what could possibly be better than a vampire book written by the same author? I've been holding onto this all year wanting to read it around the Halloween season, so it's safe to say that I'm very excited.
Bridget Jones's Diary
by Helen Fielding
Goodreads Synopsis: A dazzling urban satire of modern human relations? An ironic, tragic insight into the demise of the nuclear family? Or the confused ramblings of a pissed thirty-something?
I've never read or watched anything from the Bridget Jones franchise. Am I even a 20-something British woman? My gut already tells me that this story really isn't going to age well, but I'm hoping to get at least a few laughs from it. I think it'll be the perfect light read while sitting near a fireplace and eating candy corn.
Frankenstein
by Mary Shelley
Goodreads Synopsis: The scientist Victor Frankenstein, obsessed with possessing the secrets of life, creates a new being from the bodies of the dead. But his creature is a twisted, gruesome parody of a man who, rejected for his monstrous appearance, sets out to destroy his maker.
Frankenstein has been on my October reading list for literal years. I always put it off for whatever reason, but not this year! If I do, I give you full permission to take away my library card. I've never read this beloved horror novel and have somehow survived my 24 years without ever being spoiled for the story. Let's not tempt fate any longer, ay?
Record Of A Spaceborn Few
by Becky Chambers
Goodreads Synopsis: Centuries after the last humans left Earth, the Exodus Fleet is a living relic, a place many are from but few outsiders have seen. Humanity has finally been accepted into the galactic community, but while this has opened doors for many, those who have not yet left for alien cities fear that their carefully cultivated way of life is under threat. When a disaster rocks this already fragile community, those Exodans who still call the Fleet their home can no longer avoid the inescapable question: What is the purpose of a ship that has reached its destination?
I've been enjoying The Wayfarers series. This is the third installment revolving around the sister of a character from the first book. In the same vain as The Wayward children, each book in this series can technically be read as standalones but I would highly recommend reading them in order for a full experience in the world. These books are inclusive, passionate, entertaining, and truly wonderful. I'd recommend them to literally anyone, which is saying something. Sci-fi in Fall just hits different, so this is high up on my reading list.
Wuthering Heights
by Emily Bronte
Goodreads Synopsis: Lockwood, the new tenant of Thrushcross Grange, situated on the bleak Yorkshire moors, is forced to seek shelter one night at Wuthering Heights, the home of his landlord. There he discovers the history of the tempestuous events that took place years before; of the intense relationship between the gypsy foundling Heathcliff and Catherine Earnshaw; and how Catherine, forced to choose between passionate, tortured Heathcliff and gentle, well-bred Edgar Linton, surrendered to the expectations of her class. As Heathcliff's bitterness and vengeance at his betrayal is visited upon the next generation, their innocent heirs must struggle to escape the legacy of the past.
I'm about to get my reader card revoked as... get ready for it... I've never read Wuthering Heights! I know, I know. I've completely failed at being Bella Swan. I did attempt to read this dark romance as a teen but had a hard time understanding what the heck was going on. Earlier this year I read Jane Eyre for the first time, and despite my dislike of Rochester I did enjoy the story way more than I thought I would. Classics are always a risk as so many haven't aged well, which makes for a cringy read. I'm hoping that Wuthering Heights will live up to my expectations.
A Discovery Of Witches
by Deborah Harkness
Goodreads Synopsis: Deep in the stacks of Oxford's Bodleian Library, young scholar Diana Bishop unwittingly calls up a bewitched alchemical manuscript in the course of her research. Descended from an old and distinguished line of witches, Diana wants nothing to do with sorcery; so after a furtive glance and a few notes, she banishes the book to the stacks. But her discovery sets a fantastical underworld stirring, and a horde of daemons, witches, and vampires soon descends upon the library. Diana has stumbled upon a coveted treasure lost for centuries-and she is the only creature who can break its spell.
Since I read Magic Lessons by Alice Hoffman last month I've been craving a good witchy read that has a subplot of romance. I read A Discovery Of Witches years ago when I was first starting to delve into the world of adult fiction, and I loved it. However, I then proceeded to DNF the remaining books in the All Souls trilogy as I wasn't a fan of the historical turn it took. Since then, I've grown rather fond of historical fiction as a genre so hopefully my change in taste will make a reread of the series more enjoyable..? I need some witchy goodness in my Fall reading life! Any suggestions?
Middlesex
by Jeffery Eugenides
Goodreads Synopsis: Middlesex tells the breathtaking story of Calliope Stephanides, and three generations of the Greek-American Stephanides family, who travel from a tiny village overlooking Mount Olympus in Asia Minor to Prohibition-era Detroit, witnessing its glory days as the Motor City and the race riots of 1967 before moving out to the tree-lined streets of suburban Grosse Pointe, Michigan. To understand why Calliope is not like other girls, she has to uncover a guilty family secret, and the astonishing genetic history that turns Callie into Cal, one of the most audacious and wondrous narrators in contemporary fiction.
Having this book on this list is a huge risk. I really didn't enjoy The Virgin Suicides, and the premise of Middlesex doesn't interest me. However, so many people adore this book so I really want to give it a try. It's always featured on lists of 'modern classics' and 'books you need to read before you die'. I'm giving myself full permission to DNF at the 30% mark if I'm not having a good time, but who knows? Maybe it'll be the standout book of the year for me! Plus I'm kinda tired of looking at it on my TBR shelf.
Faithful
by Alice Hoffman
Goodreads Synopsis: What happens when a life is turned inside out? When love is something so distant it may as well be a star in the sky? Faithful is the story of a survivor, filled with emotion—from dark suffering to true happiness—a moving portrait of a young woman finding her way in the modern world. A fan of Chinese food, dogs, bookstores, and men she should stay away from, Shelby has to fight her way back to her own future. In New York City she finds a circle of lost and found souls—including an angel who’s been watching over her ever since that fateful icy night.
Over the past year, Alice Hoffman's books have really grown on me. I enjoy her whimsical style of storytelling. I have no idea what I'm in for with Faithful, but the cover is beautiful and I just know that it'll read as pure comfort. Coupled with her quirky writing, Hoffman's books usual revolve around a strong-willed female protagonist who is flawed and yet loveable. When don't I want that in a book? At under 300 pages, this will also be a quick read. Perfect for a cosy Fall readathon!
What's at the top of your Fall TBR?
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