This will come as no surprise, but I love fall. For a few blissful weeks out of the year, I am comfortable. Allergens start to go away and the weather is cool, but not cold. You can layer clothing and drink hot drinks and get cozy. After a long, hot summer, it's nice to take a moment for myself. These are the nights where you can curl up on the couch, light a candle or two, and read something that takes you to another world, like these titles.
An Absolutely Remarkable Thing
Who the heck is Hank? Hank Green of Vlogbrothers fame is the brother of John Green. Yes, that John Green who wrote The Fault in Our Stars, Looking For Alaska, and other excellent titles. Although Hank helps write and produce materials for various YouTube projects, this is his first novel. And from what I've read, he's done an excellent job. The book follows heroine April May on a journey concerning aliens and Internet stardom. Critics are loving it, and I'm not surprised. I can't wait to read it when it comes out at the end of this month.
Northanger Abbey
In college I took a whole course on Jane Austen by mistake. It was originally advertised as a Women's Lit course, and when our professor decided to go full Austen, I'll admit I wasn't too happy. "What's so great about Jane Austen?" I thought. But I soon learned that everything is great about Jane Austen. Her writing is whip-smart, and she has a keen eye for detail. Her books are playful, and her heroines are strong. We read all of her books, but I missed out on finishing Northanger Abbey (sorry, Dr. Hochwender), and I think this fall is the perfect time to revisit the world of Austen and particularly Northanger Abbey.
European Travel for the Monstrous Gentlewoman
A couple of months ago I picked up The Strange Case of the Alchemist's Daughter, and I was completely immersed in this fun world of Victorian monsters and Sherlockian mysteries. We meet the daughters of Dr. Jekyll, Mr. Hyde, Dr. Frankenstein, and a few other famous mad scientists. Without giving too much away, the young women band together to form the Athena Club, and they help to solve a horrible crime spree happening in London. This sequel promises to be just as much fun as the first, and a new spin on classic horror monsters is exactly what I want to read this Halloween season.
Above all, I'm going to carve out a little time for me to do something nice for myself, whether it's reading one of these books, drinking some tea, or taking a stroll to see how the leaves are changing. It has been a terribly hot summer—I'm ready to chill out.
