r/suggestmeabook • • Aug 18 '26

Spooky Season [Megathread] Spooky Season, Halloween, or Autumn (cozy or not) Vibes šŸ‘»šŸŽƒā˜•ļøšŸ‚

77 Upvotes

Hi wonderful readers,

We are heading into fall in the northern hemisphere (aka spooky season and/or cozy season!) and we are already seeing a very large uptick of very general requests for this time of year that lean very ā€œlow effortā€ (see rule 3) or are ā€œbook discussionsā€ rather than requests (see rule 1.)

We are posting this thread to hopefully give some of our readers a place to start and titles to try, *if they don’t have anything specific in mind to ask for in this realm and just want ā€œanything!ā€

So, please tell us some books you recommend for ā€œspooky seasonā€ or that give you the ā€œautumn cozy vibesā€:

Any favorites?

Any hidden gems?

Anything specifically ā€œHalloweenā€ holiday related?

Anything especially autumn and cozy?

Anything you plan to read/have on your TBR?

Looking forward to your replies!

Happy reading, all!

*We of course want everyone to continue posting your spooky and cozy autumn requests on the sub if have some (very minimal) specifics that are more customized to you as readers, or what you are in the mood to read!

**Feel free to also scroll the ā€œSpooky Seasonā€ post flair for other posts and recs. too! Doing this may help you articulate your own post for further suggestions too!


r/suggestmeabook • • 14d ago

Reading Roundup September Reading Roundup

3 Upvotes

Hey all, last month’s August Reading Roundup went great!Ā So we are back to do it for the books you finished this past month.Ā 

Tell us what you read this September! What books did you finish that you would especially recommend?

*We hope this will help people find book suggestions when they don’t know what to even ask for or what they want to read. :)

Looking forward to your replies! Happy Reading!


r/suggestmeabook • • 1h ago

Looking For Adult Survival Fiction

• Upvotes

As a kid I was all about those survival books: Hatchet (really anything Gary Paulsen,) My Side of the Mountain, Julie of the Wolves, Island of the Blue Dolphins... you get the idea. It felt like this magical, robust genre.

I recently got a hankering to read something like that again, and while I have nothing against rereading kids books, I was hoping to find something more adult. I haven't been able to find anything that's really recapturing that feeling.

So, give me your best survival stories. I'm talking woods, islands, deserts, whatever you've got. I want the protagonist struggling to build a fire and trying to figure out which berries are edible.

Thanks for any help you can offer!


r/suggestmeabook • • 10h ago

Books that are fun to read! Non pretentious light fantasy/sci-fi not entirely removed from humanity or any other genre of fun

74 Upvotes

I used to finish a book every other day, now I think I haven’t finished anything in months and I can’t remember what it was.

I’m looking for books that are enjoyable to read.

Aren’t all books enjoyable? I hear you ask.
To clarify, I’m not looking for sad, historical fiction, heavy dramas or Ā«great works.Ā» I can’t get into any deliberately pretentious writing.

I want fun! I would love series. I was on a romance kick for a while but it got a bit formulaic and I need something more.

A hint of fantasy or science fiction would be great but I don’t want something completely removed from humanity. By that I mean I’d prefer something human or humanlike in terms of characters.

It doesn’t have to be dumbed down, it just doesn’t need to take itself so seriously.

Looking for the burger and fries of literature.


r/suggestmeabook • • 7h ago

Ex-Evangelical/Megachurch

19 Upvotes

I grew up in a Megachurch. I left when I turned 18. Briefly went back in my 20s and haven’t been back since. I’m 37 now. Anyway - the majority of my family (including parents) still subscribe to that belief system except one aunt and my sister. I consider myself agnostic, though I don’t think it matters for the purpose of the recommendation.

I would love to read a book where the main character diverges from their childhood/familial belief system and the difficulties that come from it. It doesn’t have to be religion specifically just something that might resonate. Thanks in advance!!


r/suggestmeabook • • 9h ago

Historical Fiction Books set over a long period of time

25 Upvotes

hello! i've recently been getting into more historical fiction, and I was wondering if anyone had recommendations for books (set in history) that cover a long period of time or multiple generations, and explore the change and transformation that happens in that time

books in this category I've enjoyed:

We, the Drowned by Carsten Jensen (my gold standard for this type of story)

A Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles

All The Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr (though less so, it captures a similar atmosphere)

I assume something like Dune would be similar, though I haven't read it yet (and I would prefer if it wasn't sci-fi, though fantasy is welcomed)

thank you!!


r/suggestmeabook • • 30m ago

Lighthearted but still memorable literature-book club

• Upvotes

Been in a very long term book club (7+ years), and have had a string of dark books lately. So looking for something GREAT but less dark.

We're a diverse, but highly educated group that loves books that start a good conversation. Group likes literature, sci fi, fantasy, pretty much anything except non fiction and romance.

Triggers-no animal death, no extreme violence (although we did read McCarthy and lost a few members on that one).

Rules-no one can have read it already and it should be under 450 pages. Prefer no series

Favorites include

A Gentleman in Moscow

Klara and the Sun

Ubik

Read

Project Hail Mary

Dungeon crawler carl

This is how you lose the time war

Scalzi (all)


r/suggestmeabook • • 7h ago

LGTBQ+ authors/books Historical literature that is set in or features the secret gay social clubs of the past

10 Upvotes

Looking for a novel that features the underground gay scene in the past, between 1700s ish - early 1900s. Doesn’t have to be a romance or super serious book, I would welcome a fun read too. Just looking for something that features that setting please.


r/suggestmeabook • • 12h ago

Book recommendations set in Central Europe (Hungary, Austria, Slovakia, Czechia) with historical elements?

22 Upvotes

Hi everyone!

I’m planning a trip to Central Europe soon, specifically visiting Hungary, Austria, Slovakia, and the Czech Republic. Whenever I travel, I love reading a book that is closely connected to the destination to enrich my experience.

I am looking for fiction or narrative non-fiction recommendations that take place in these countries and include strong historical elements (it can be historical fiction, classics, or contemporary books with deep historical context).

It would be awesome if the books capture the atmosphere, culture, or history of these places.

Any suggestions? Thanks


r/suggestmeabook • • 3h ago

Any genre! Books where main character(s) are going through major life crises, crashing out, dealing with brutal philosophical realities?

3 Upvotes

Looking for a gripping, brutal look into the psyche of a character crashing out


r/suggestmeabook • • 5h ago

Books about the Paris Catacombs

6 Upvotes

I read Skylark earlier this year and I can't stop thinking about it. I'd love to read more about the Catacombs of Paris-- fiction or nonfiction, any era.


r/suggestmeabook • • 11h ago

Trigger Warning Looking for gripping books with morally horrific protagonists NSFW

15 Upvotes

Looking for morally vile protagonists

Please recommend me books or series where the main narrator is a despicable person but very fun to read. I like fast pace, twists, thrillers, dark fantasy. Bonus points if they are LGBTQ or women but doesn’t have to be!

For example I enjoyed fruit fly recently but want something darker and with a more vile protagonist. I don’t mind a slower pace if it isn’t boring or pages of nothing.


r/suggestmeabook • • 11h ago

Children’s Books Illustrated chapter books to read to 3yo

14 Upvotes

My 3yo loves books and being read to. I've found the Winnie the Pooh, House at Pooh Corner and the Catwings books by Ursula K Le Guin have the perfect illustration to word ratio: enough pictures to maintain interest and break up the text, but with 1-2 page stretches without pictures. I feel like these books build up her stamina for listening and visualising the story herself.

I'm looking for books with a similar picture to text ratio as the books mentioned above that are toddler friendly.

Thank you!


r/suggestmeabook • • 4h ago

More than making it thru

4 Upvotes

Suggest me a book where the main character not only survives, but thrives thru and after a divorce. Lesbian/queer rep is a bonus. (No Eat Pray Love)!


r/suggestmeabook • • 6h ago

Seeking read-alikes Over the Garden Wall-esq Recs

5 Upvotes

I’m looking for a book whose aesthetics are saturated in a vintage autumn style. Something fairytale and sinister!! Any ideas would be great


r/suggestmeabook • • 14h ago

Historical Fiction Historical Fiction Set In Chicago

25 Upvotes

I’m wrapping up my first trip to Chicago. Did the architecture boat tour and during it, realized I haven’t read many books with Chicago settings!

Any historical fiction recs?

I did read Devil in the White City — which was fantastic non fiction, but I’m looking for something a little less dense (I got a little glossy eyed on the architect’s chapters). Hope that makes sense.

UPDATE: Thank you everyone for your suggestions!!! I’m sitting at ORD waiting for my flight home and my TBR list is growing! A number of the suggestions were already ones I’d been interested in (not even realizing they had connections to Chicago), so I’ll probably start there. Thanks again, this is wonderful.


r/suggestmeabook • • 6h ago

Self-help Books on overcoming bullying, shame and social exclusion

5 Upvotes

Hello

I have endured a severe level of bullying in my workplace and need books to help me hec me as self sufficient as possible in a sense where I follow through with the complaint I have filed.

There were rumours of me being desperate and thirsty for my male coworkers, being dirty, unhygienic and mentally I’ll even. I have been off work for a while and recently decided to face my fear head on and file a formal complaint against these people.

How we, despite focussing in myself, reopening this wound is making it difficult for me to live life again.

Any suggestions would be great.


r/suggestmeabook • • 9h ago

Winter / ā€œHoliday Seasonā€ Books with depth to make NYC winter tolerable

9 Upvotes

I love living in NYC but I find the winter so depressing, especially that January to March stretch that feels endless. It can be hard to love this city in the depth of winter when everything is gray and dead, and going outside feels like punishment. I've lived in NY for most of my life and still hate the winter.

I'm currently reading The Lovers by Paolo Cognetti and I really love the atmosphere it's built; this loving depiction of the alps and the people who find refuge there. There's a bittersweetness to it that is really resonating with me. I'm looking for books that ruminate on both the sentimentality and the harshness of NYC winter, and/or focus on the quirks and lives of it's residents during that season.

I'm looking for books of any genre that leave you feeling a bit wistful but I'm not looking for stuff that's too cutesy and no YA, please. Thanks!


r/suggestmeabook • • 16h ago

Warm but feminist books

30 Upvotes

So I started reading Terry Pratchett's Discworld novels, and really liked Equal Rites and want to read all the witch novels now!

However, fearing that I will read them rather fast, I was hoping someone could recommend me some similar books. I like that they feel warm, like the author cares for the characters, and the feminist aspects.


r/suggestmeabook • • 5h ago

Any genre! Books set in the UK and 2000s vibes

3 Upvotes

I want a book which just gives ā€œBritish 2000sā€ vibes, not just a book with a British Author published in the 2000s. I like gay (MM) romances, horrors, memoirs and gothic literature books usually, but I’m open-minded :)


r/suggestmeabook • • 22h ago

Children’s Books AI-Free Children's Books

57 Upvotes

Hey folks,

My wife and I are looking to expand our daughter's library for Christmas. She will be 9 months old by then. We have the tradition of getting each other a book for Christmas Eve, and want to continue that with her. With the onslaught of AI children's books on Amazon, I'm looking for recommendations. Stories that touched your heart, stories your kids loved, or stories with just beautiful art.

I'd love to avoid Amazon, but we live in a small community with no local book store, so sometimes it's unavoidable.

Looking forward to your recommendations!


r/suggestmeabook • • 16h ago

Self-help Suggest me books to understand my anxiety, overthinking, and communication patterns NSFW

21 Upvotes

I’ve recently started reading self-help books and have been enjoying how they’re changing the way I think and approach everyday situations. So far, I’ve finished Atomic Habits and Don’t Believe Everything You Think, along with a few fiction books.

Lately, I’ve been trying to understand some patterns in my everyday life, particularly anxiety and overthinking, and how they affect the way I communicate with people. Sometimes, I find myself overanalyzing situations, getting caught up in my own thoughts, or struggling to communicate as clearly and confidently as I’d like to. I want to understand why I respond this way, become more aware of my thought patterns, and learn how to communicate in a healthier, calmer way, especially in relationships.

I’m interested in books that go beyond surface-level advice and help explain the psychology behind these patterns, whether through attachment theory, emotional regulation, cognitive psychology, or other approaches to understanding ourselves.

For those who have explored these subjects through reading, what books helped you better understand your anxiety and how it influences your communication, relationships, and everyday decisions? I’d particularly appreciate books that offer practical insights alongside a deeper understanding of the underlying psychology.
I’m also planning to start therapy soon, so I see reading as a way to complement that process rather than replace it.
I’d love to hear about books that genuinely changed the way you understood yourself, your thought patterns, or the way you interact with others.
Thanks in advance!


r/suggestmeabook • • 7h ago

Book breather in between intense sci-fi/thriller/existential reads

3 Upvotes

I found out this year that I really enjoy speculative science fiction after discovering Blake Crouch and Emily St John Mandel! I read and loved Dark Matter, Recursion, Station Eleven and Sea of Tranquility. I just finished The Gone World by Tom Sweterlitsch and also loved it, but it was definitely very heavy and dark. I don't want to burn myself out because I genuinely really love these kinds of stories. I just need a breather, it could be a totally different genre, something light but I don't like "cozy" fiction or romance. For reference, some of my favourite books of all time are Ender's Game, East of Eden, Jurassic Park, Pilgrim's Progress and The Machine Stops. Any recs for me? I've read the Mistborn and the Red Rising series and I'm not interested in DCC. I have no books on my TBR so I'm open to anything! Thank you šŸ™‚


r/suggestmeabook • • 4h ago

Romance Novel with unrequited love - male lead

2 Upvotes

I enjoyed white nights by Dostoevsky


r/suggestmeabook • • 37m ago

Litfic/Historical Fic Recs?ā€¼ļø

• Upvotes

Hi! Obviously here looking for some recommendations… I’ve really been into literary fiction, sometimes historical fiction, deep, character driven stories. I love sad, emotional stories that make you feel and think deeply about yourself & the world! I’m not super into romance, especially heterosexual romance but I can and do tolerate it for a good plot! Mostly interested in stories centering women!!!

Some all time favorites that fit a vibe I’m looking for:
1. All Kristin Hannah, but especially The Nightingale, Firefly Lane, and The Great Alone
2. The Bright Years (omg…. This one)
3. Almost Life
4. The Neopolitan Novels
5. My Friends & the Beartown Trilogy by Fredrick Backman
6. The God of the Woods
7. Sunburn
8. Atmosphere
9. The Frozen River !! Incredible
10. The Things We Cannot Say

Lastly, I’m currently 200 pages into A Thousand Splendid Suns and LOVING it btw! Okay go crazy