Book Recs

Catherine Johnson

I don’t know about you, but I spend a lot of time on Instagram. Even more so during autumn because I’m a sucker for some good cozy, spooky, autumnal aesthetics. Do you know what pairs well with a cozy, spooky, autumnal aesthetics? That’s right, BOOKS. So, if you’ve been looking for the perfect spooky book to read as you get cozy under your kotatsu then you’re in luck! Here’s some seasonal reading suggestions for ya!

Her Body and Other Parties by Carmen Maria Machado 248 pgs.

A spooky read

This book is a collection of short stories centered around women’s lives and the violence targeted at their bodies. An experimental work that bends horror, fantasy, legend, magical realism, and one you should definitely research before reading if violence or ED are triggering for you.The most famous story from the collection is The Husband Stitch, a retelling of the classic The Green Ribbon, which is about a woman who finally unties a ribbon around her neck after years of her husband asking to see underneath, only to reveal that the ribbon was what was keeping her severed head attached to her body all along. Couldn’t put the book down as I was completely enraptured by how it was both surreal and mythical yet a reflection of very real fears, traumas, and anxieties. If you want more Carmen Maria Machado, I recommend her memoir about an abusive same-sex relationship titled In the Dream House also written in a similar haunting voice.

I don’t know about you, but I spend a lot of time on Instagram. Even more so during autumn because I’m a sucker for some good cozy, spooky, autumnal aesthetics. Do you know what pairs well with a cozy, spooky, autumnal aesthetics? That’s right, BOOKS. So, if you’ve been looking for the perfect spooky book to read as you get cozy under your kotatsu then you’re in luck! Here’s some

Dearly by Margaret Atwood 124 pgs.

A cozy read

Ok, I say cozy because it’s a poetry book that can be read in one setting, and there are some really sweet pieces in there, but of course it is by THE Margaret Atwood - author of The Handmaid’s Tale, The Testaments, and many more - so there is some spooky, apocalyptic, dystopian, sci-fi going on as well. In these poems you’ll come across aliens and zombies; themes such as memory, love, loss, the environment, and more. Told in a melancholic voice that is still hopeful in the end. I found these poems quite accessible, enjoyable for anyone whether they are avid poetry readers or not.

Ok, I say cozy because it’s a poetry book that can be read in one setting, and are some really sweet pieces in there, but of course it is by THE Margaret Atwood - author of The Handmaid’s Tale, The Testaments, and many more - so there is some spooky, apocalyptic, dystopian, sci-fi going on as well. In these poems you’ll come across aliens and zombies; themes such as memory, love, loss, the environment, and more. Told in a melancholic voice that is still hopeful in the end. I found these poems quite accessible, enjoyable for anyone whether

Bunny by Mona Awad 307 pgs.

Definitely and absolutely NOT cozy

This book gets creepy.. and gorey.. which makes a great spooky read in my opinion! Samantha is in a prestigious MFA program, but can’t seem to get along with her cohort - The Bunnies, at least at first. As she gets deeper into the saccharine yet cult-like sisterhood of the Bunnies, things get weirder and weirder. Ritualistic off-campus ‘workshops’, monstrous creations, surreal parties all juxtaposed with The Bunnies’ picture perfect looks and overly sweet attitudes making every moment of this book incredibly eerie. I’m still in the middle of this one and I can not wait to see what happens in the end.

Future home of the Living God by Louise Erdrich 263 pgs.

A spooky read indeed, but a cozy moment or two.

Hot take: this book is often compared to The Handmaid’s Tale, which is another book I lov Future Home of the Living God is wayyy better imo, and that’s NOT just because it takes place in my home state of Minnesota. Society is crumbling into a religious totalitarian dystopia as newborns are discovered with unusual characteristics, hinting that evolution is starting to reverse. Cedar, who is pregnant, has to navigate a world that has a target on her and her unborn baby’s backs. If that wasn’t chaotic enough, Cedar has also just come in contact with her Ojibwe birth mother in hopes of understanding more about her and her baby’s origins. This book is labeled as speculative fiction for a reason. Personally I loved the vagueness in the background because it added to the mystery and intensity, though I understand that’s not for everyone!

Lincoln in the Bardo by George Saunders 343 pgs. Heckin’ depressing spooky read.

I remember hearing so much hype about this book when it came out! But.. this is definitely a book that needs your whole attention so mayyybe don’t listen to the audiobook while multitasking... That being said, what I was able to follow was so wildly sad. This book of historical fiction takes place during the American Civil War when Lincoln is president, but is centered around his son Willie’s death and his afterlife. The plot comes and goes between worlds and characters making the reader feel like they too are in a transitional state, or bardo, just like the ghosts in this story. As I was finishing this one, it reminded me of Jean-Paul Sartre’s Huis Clos (No Exit).

Hot take: this book is often compared to The Handmaid’s Tale, which is another book I love, but Future Home of the Living God is wayyy better imo, and that’s NOT just because it takes place in my home state of Minnesota. Society is crumbling into a religious totalitarian dystopia as newborns are discovered with unusual characteristics, hinting that evolution is starting to reverse. Cedar, who is pregnant, has to navigate a world that has a target on her and her unborn baby’s backs. If that wasn’t chaotic enough, Cedar has also just come in contact with her Ojibwe birth mother in hopes of understanding more about her and her baby’s origins. This book is labeled as speculative fiction for a reason. Personally I loved the vagueness in the background because it added to the mystery

I remember hearing so much hype about this book when it came out! But.. this is definitely a book that needs your whole attention so mayyybe don’t listen to the audiobook while multitasking... That being said, what I was able to follow was so wildly sad. This book of historical fiction takes place during the American Civil War when Lincoln is president, but is centered around his son Willie’s death and his afterlife. The plot comes and goes between worlds and characters making the reader feel like they too are in a transitional state, or bardo, just like the ghosts in this story. As I was finishing this one, it reminded me of Jean-Paul Sartre’s Huis Clos (No Exit).

Journey (Journey Trilogy #1) by Aaron Becker 40 pgs.

Beautiful illustrations with no words. Readers use their imaginations to guess what’ll happen next on this adventure of a lonely girl and her magic piece of red chalk.

There’s a Monster In Your Book (Who’s In Your Book Series) by Tom Fletcher 32 pgs.

Oh no! There’s a Monster in Your Book! How are you going to get him out? This is a super fun one to make interactive.

The Little Kitten (Ollie #3) by Nicola Killen (24 pgs.)

Cute little Halloween story about Ollie and her cat named Pumpkin who befriend and help a little kitten they find shivering in a pile of leaves. Loved the twist at the end!

Hardly Haunted by Jessie Sima (42 pgs.)

A house is worried that… it might be… HAUNTED! A journey of self-love and acceptance as the house comes to appreciate it’s creaky doors, squeaky stairs, rattling pipes.

Curious George’s First Day of School by Margaret & H. A. Ray (24 pgs.)

Curious George goes to school to be a special helper, but… is he actually going to help or will he make a BIG MESS!?

Beautiful illustrations with no words. Readers use their imaginations to guess what’ll happen next

Cute little Halloween story about Ollie and her cat named Pumpkin who befriend and help a little

A house is worried that… it might be… HAUNTED! A journey of self-love and acceptance as the

Curious George goes to school to be a special helper, but… is he actually going to help or will he

Where the wild ladies are by Aoka Matsuda 288 pgs.

Feminist retellings of Japanese Folktales?! Sign me up!

Nothing but Blackened Teeth by Cassandra Khaw 128 pgs.

More Japanese folklore, a wedding, a haunted house, and a lonely ghost bride with a black smile.

How Beautiful We Were by Imbolo Mbue 384 pgs.

Nothing is scarier than when fiction reflects the realities of environmental degradation, colonialism, and greed.

The Only Good Indians by Stephen Graham Jones 336 pgs.

Native American representation and an entity seeking revenge? What’s not to like?

Hood Feminism Notes from the Women That a Movement Forgot Mikki Kendall 288 pgs.

Essays on intersectional feminism, I’ve had my eye on this one for a while

Feel free to reach out to me if you read any of the books on this list or just want to talk about bookish things. Better yet, if you think there’s a book that suits my reading tastes I’d love to know! (Especially if you know of some new, POC, translated to English, etc. authors and books, I’m always looking for more of those!)

Happy reading everyone~