There is nothing quite like the start of fall. The air gets cooler, pumpkin-flavored everything returns and suddenly spending an entire evening curled up with a book feels completely justified. It is also the perfect time to bring your reading friends back together after a busy summer. Whether your book club loves cozy mysteries, magical stories or romances with a slightly spooky twist, a fall kickoff lets everyone reconnect, choose the season’s first read and celebrate the best parts of autumn. From September’s most exciting new books to a cozy menu and bookish activities, here is everything you need to begin another season of reading.
First Pick Your Fall Read
Hollow Bones by Jodi Picoult
When Molly lost her mother as an infant to the attacks on September 11th, it set the course for an adulthood where she is always prepared for an emergency. That’s her job in fact. As she builds a life with her husband while working in emergency preparedness, an unexpected tragedy befalls them, one she couldn’t plan for. Now she must confront the past, uncover secrets long buried and confront an unknown future.
Buy the book now: Bookshop.org | Amazon
The Witches of Cambridge by Alice Hoffman (9/8)
Set at Radcliffe College in 1950s Cambridge, Massachusetts, Alice Hoffman’s newest novel follows Ava and Lauren, two young women who become members of the Lilith Society—a secret community of witches. When members of the society begin disappearing, the women must unravel the dark history surrounding their magic. With witchcraft, friendship, secrets and a historic college setting, The Witches of Cambridge has everything needed for a magical fall book club night.
Buy the book now: Bookshop.org | Amazon
Wicked Endeavors by Kamilah Cole (9/8)
After the three powerful witch Houses of Coventry murder the royal family who raised her, Caya dedicates her life to revenge. She cons her way into the witches’ elite society, determined to destroy them from within, but her plans become complicated by her growing feelings for both an enemy prince and the childhood friend she left behind. Filled with dangerous magic, political intrigue and queer romance, this Jamaican-inspired fantasy is an atmospheric choice for kicking off the spooky season.
Buy the book now: Bookshop.org | Amazon
With All My Haunted Heart by Isabel Sterling (9/8)
Witch Pippa Ainsley is struggling to keep her magical business afloat when she is hired to inspect a newly purchased bed-and-breakfast for ghosts. Instead of removing its spirits, however, the B&B’s attractive co-owner, Elle, wants Pippa to create an ethical haunting that will help their business stand out. As Pippa experiments with increasingly unpredictable magic, she must also contend with her growing attraction to Elle and the painful secret her new client is hiding. This cozy sapphic romance blends found family, lingering ghosts and witchy mischief into an ideal book-club selection for spooky season.
Buy the book now: Bookshop.org | Amazon
Grim Tidings by B.K. Borison (9/15)
What happens when a Grim Reaper falls for a guardian angel? B.K. Borison’s cozy paranormal romance brings together two supernatural opposites for a story filled with humor, heart and an unexpected connection. The combination of romance and the supernatural makes Grim Tidings a fun choice for anyone who wants a slightly spooky book without sacrificing the warm, comforting feeling of a seasonal rom-com. It is exactly the kind of story to read beneath a blanket with a warm drink nearby.
Buy the book now: Bookshop.org | Amazon
Murder at the Grand Alpine Hotel by Lucy Foley (9/22)
For the mystery lovers, Lucy Foley is bringing Agatha Christie’s Miss Marple back for her first authorized novel in 50 years. Set at a secluded Swiss resort during the 1950s, the story begins when a guest is murdered and a snowstorm traps everyone inside the hotel. Luckily, Miss Marple is there to uncover which glamorous guest is hiding a deadly secret. A remote hotel, a suspicious collection of guests and a classic locked-room mystery make this an especially atmospheric book club selection.
Buy the book now: Bookshop.org | Amazon
The Vibe: Cozy Autumn Reading Retreat
Transform your meeting space into the reading corner everyone wishes they had at home. Use warm shades of burnt orange, burgundy, cream and forest green throughout the room. Add plaid blankets, oversized pillows and plenty of soft lighting to make the space feel comfortable and inviting.
Decorate the table with miniature pumpkins, old books, dried flowers and battery-operated candles. A strand of twinkle lights can make almost any room feel magical, while handwritten place cards featuring each guest’s favorite fictional character add a personal bookish touch.
Ask everyone to arrive in their coziest sweater, cardigan or fall pajamas, and new favorite fall book. The goal is less formal dinner party and more “we accidentally spent six hours talking about fictional people.”
Signature Drink: “The Plot Twist”
Every good book club needs a signature drink, and this sparkling apple-cider cocktail tastes like fall in a glass.
Combine apple cider, ginger beer, bourbon and a squeeze of lemon over ice. Garnish each glass with a thin apple slice and a cinnamon stick. For an alcohol-free version, leave out the bourbon and add a splash of cranberry juice. Set up the ingredients as a self-serve drink station and label it “The Plot Twist.” Guests can make their drink as sweet, spicy or dramatic as they prefer.
Coffee and tea can also be available for anyone fully committed to the cozy reading-night experience.
Create the Ultimate Fall Menu
A book club menu should be comforting, shareable and easy to eat while everyone debates which fictional love interest deserves better. Start with a fall grazing board filled with:
- Brie and sharp cheddar
- Apple and pear slices
- Crackers and sliced baguette
- Dried cranberries
- Candied pecans
- Fig or apple butter
- Dark chocolate
- Pumpkin-shaped cheese bites
For something warm, serve miniature grilled cheese sandwiches with tomato soup shooters. Butternut squash tartlets, maple-glazed meatballs or baked macaroni and cheese cups would also make cozy additions. Finish the menu with apple-cider doughnuts, pumpkin cheesecake bites or cinnamon-sugar cookies. If your group cannot decide between apple and pumpkin desserts, this is one situation where choosing both is absolutely the correct answer.
Plan Some Bookish Activities
Since this is the kickoff meeting, no one needs to arrive with a book already finished. Instead, use the night to reconnect, choose the club’s first read and get everyone excited about the new reading season.
Blind Date With a Book: Wrap the three potential selections in brown paper and write a few clues on the front without revealing the titles. Guests can read the clues, unwrap the books and vote for the one they would most like to read.
Pumpkin Patch Voting: Give every guest a miniature pumpkin and place the three books on the table. Everyone votes by putting their pumpkin beside their preferred selection. The book with the largest “pumpkin patch” becomes the group’s first fall read.
Fall Reading Bucket List: Have everyone write down three books they hope to read before the end of the season. Combine the recommendations into one shared list that members can return to whenever they need their next read.
Bring a Book, Take a Book: Ask each guest to bring one book they enjoyed but are ready to pass along. Arrange the books on a table and let everyone choose a new title to take home.
Decorate Fall Bookmarks: Set out cardstock bookmarks, ribbon, stickers, pressed flowers and metallic pens. Guests can create bookmarks inspired by the season or decorate one to match the book selected for the next meeting.
Don’t forget to tag @shereadsdotcom on any and all fall book club gatherings, so we can share the seasonal fun with our readers.
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