In honour of the fall equinox, ImaginAtlas’s editors humbly offer you a shortlist of some of our coziest book recommendations!
The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern
Catherine Hall
Erin Morgenstern’s 2011 novel The Night Circus is a whimsical, historical tale of magic and a mysterious circus that arrives, unannounced, during the night. Behind the spectacle of the circus, two talented magicians, Celia and Marco, are opponents in a strange competition that only one of them can survive, but their confrontations turn to camaraderie as, against all odds, they fall in love with each other. The story is spellbinding, but it is Morgenstern’s prose that makes this story unforgettable. Lush descriptions of cold nights around the carnival make this the perfect autumn read.
Mooncakes by Wendy Xu and Suzanne Walker
Magdalena Nitchi
Mooncakes is a collaborative graphic novel that was originally the brainchild of Wendy Xu and Suzanne Walker. This excellent fantasy tale is just as good as the delicacy its title is based on. The story follows Nova Huang, a teen witch, and her werewolf best friend, Tam Lang, with whom she has just been reunited. They must defeat a demon living in the woods near Nova’s town, all the while navigating their budding romance and some family issues. The entire story takes place from late August to October, and the atmosphere of the forest, as well as the cozy bookshop run by Nova’s grandmothers, show off the best aspects of fall. I also enjoyed how time was measured not by calendars, but by cultural events like the Mid-Autumn Festival. This was a light, fun read, perfect for a free afternoon.
The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss
Olivia Shan
A true modern classic of high fantasy, no other book in the genre deserves a reread more than the first instalment in Patrick Rothfuss’s (yet still) unfinished Kingkiller Chronicle trilogy, The Name of the Wind. We follow Kvothe’s tumultuous coming-of-age from his feral childhood to his school days as a pupil in one the most elite magic academies. A unique take on the wizard school trope, Rothfuss’s world-building involves an impressively innovative blend of science and magic. Full of both thrilling action sequences and moments of moving sincerity, It isn’t hard to see why The Name of the Wind has been working on readers for well over a decade now. Fall is the perfect time to fall back in love with Kvothe’s mesmerizing narrative cadence. With a signature poetic lyricism, Rothless’s prose turns the epic into the sublime.