I can barely believe August is already here and that my favorite season is just around the corner. Autumn, as a lot of you know, is my favorite time of the year. As summer begins to fade into fall, and we ditch the unbearable heat, I often find myself with the desire to lounge around coffee shops with a hot drink, a warm treat, some good music and literature, and one too many Harry Potter references to count. Because I'm twenty-five going on nine, you know? It's okay. It happens. Roll with it. I have a genuine excuse in acting as such due to the release of Harry Potter and the Cursed Child.

As for the rest? I've complied a list of twelve novels that are perfect for the fall and will leave you feeling breathless and cozy. Each of the selected are from a few varying genres but feel like they are amongst the best to check out as the leaves fall and we pull our sweaters close. The list is in no particular order.

• The Invisible Life of Ivan Isaenko by Scott Stambach (August 9th 2016, St. Martin's Press): As compelling as it is exquisite, Scott Stambach crafts one of the best novels of the year and, in my opinion, the decade. The Invisible Life of Ivan Isaenko will leave you laughing and crying and appreciating literature more than ever. Described as The Fault in Our Stars meets One Flew Over the Cuckoos Nest, this novel is in a league of its own and sure to be a favorite. Excellent prose, excellent characters and a whole lot of heart and soul, it is the ultimate autumn read. If you're looking for one of those books that just moves you, look no further than The Invisible Life of Ivan Isaenko. 

• Academy Girls by Nora Carroll (September 15th 2015 by Lake Union Publishing): Academy Girls was one of my favorite releases of 2015 and is still at the top of my recommendation list. I have to say it again, but, Nora Carroll is completely under appreciated and her writing is so smooth and wonderful, she pulls you in from the start. It's a bit confusing that this book isn't getting the praise it deserves. Beautiful, dark and full of long lasting love, Academy Girls is intelligent and sticks with you for days after you put it down. Get your highlighters and tabs ready, kids. It's show time. 

• Harry Potter and the Cursed Child by J.K. Rowling, John Tiffany & Jack Thorne (July 31st 2016 by Arthur A. Levine Books): What's a list of good fall reads without Harry Potter? In all honesty, I wasn't going to include this despite it being one of my favorite releases this year. I debated not including it, due to the fact that it isn't a full length novel and instead the script to a play, but I've decided to include it for that very reason. The Cursed Child may not be the best installment to the Harry Potter series but it's still fun, dark, magical and heart warming. It only is a bonus that it's a script--it makes reading it quicker, which is a plus for those of us who spend a lot of their time working! 

• Mireille by Molly Cochran (June 9th 2015 by Lake Union Publishing):  I have said it once and I'll say it a million times; Molly Cochran is another incredibly underrated author. Mireille is one of those gripping novels that you hardly hear about but when you pick up, you just feel something. Her words and plots weave together smoothly and deliciously, leaving readers wondering what is possibly to happen next. Filled with luxury, tragedy and an inexplicable soul, this novel should have been on your radar a long time ago. 

• The Lake House by Kate Morton (October 20th 2015 by Atria Books): I can't begin to describe the emotions you'll get from reading this beautiful novel. Immensely satisfying and dramatic, The Lake House is the best of the best for autumn reading. While we're on it, Kate Morton's books are the best in general for any time of the year. With alternate narrations and timelines that span through the decades delectably and without confusion, there's no telling how captivated you will be with the story. Stir in secrets of one family and connections through the years and you've got the perfect formula for a must-read. 

• Bucky F*cking Dent by David Duchovny (April 5th 2016 by Farrar, Straus and Giroux): Another one of my favorite novels from 2016, David Duchovny shows us his writing chops with the fantastic Bucky F*cking Dent. Perhaps one of my most noted/highlighted books of the year, I can't even tell you how many pages I marked up, there isn't a chapter that goes by with Bucky that doesn't make you nod along with the prose. More than just an eye catching title, Duchovny's second release is a small novel with big thoughts and it captures the human spirit perfectly in all those hits and misses that come with living. 

• After the Crash by Michel Bussi (January 5th 2016 by Hachette Books): Originally published in French a few years back, Bussi saw his mysterious novel newly translated for Americans. After the Crash captures readers attention from the blurb alone and begs the question: who is the baby girl that was the sole survivor of a plane crash? It is a superb addition to any mystery lovers library. Satisfying, thrilling, highly detailed and enthralling, this novel is the best mystery to read as the weather gets cooler. Can you figure out the answers? I certainly didn't. Who doesn't love a good old fashioned mystery that throws readers on their asses? 

• Things I Can't Explain by Mitchell Kriegman (November 10th 2015 by Thomas Dunne Books): 90s kids, rejoice! Clarissa Darling is back in action as an adult living in NYC. Now a twenty-something year old, Clarissa is at a crossroads in her life and just trying to find her way through it. Just as quirky and creative as ever, Things I Can't Explain introduces us to a new Clarissa and is hilarious, fluffy and the perfect chill-out-novel for anyone who loved Clarissa Explains It All. Adult Clarissa will resonate with all of us who grew up with her and as an added bonus, we have some seriously cute graphics featured inside. Thoroughly delightful, our darling Clarissa is still questioning everything and rightfully so. I loved every moment of this release and would love to hear more adventures of an adult Clarissa in the future. 

• Everybody Rise by Stephanie Clifford (August 18th 2015 by St. Martin's Press): This one won't be for everyone but that's okay, because it's still a fun read that is full of luxurious satire and unlikable characters that have you captivated regardless of if you pick it up again. You can't take yourself or this novel too seriously and it's just a fun addition to your reading list in between books. Full of social climbing and an outsider who desperately wants to be an insider, Everybody Rise is the perfect novel for the now-adult fans of Gossip Girl. 

•  Between the World and Me by Ta-Nehisi Coates (July 14th 2015 by Spiegel & Grau): A thoughtful mix of essays that are so relevant in these times, Between the World and Me is what should be a mandatory read for everyone. Although it only ranks at 152 pages, it is packed with so much heart, intelligence and passion. Ta-Nehisi Coates gives us an intimate look at the struggles that come by the hand of racism and what needs to be changed in our world. Coates puts all of this into words, as letters to his son; full of raw emotion and truths. It's not a simple assessment, but can only be described as a one hundred percent necessary read. 

•  The Library at Mount Char by Scott Hawkins (Published June 16th 2015 by Crown): If you're looking for a chilling tale that will certainly creep you out, something to read throughout October, The Library at Mount Char is the ultimate when it comes to my list. Something about Hawkins' writing brought chills to my skin and was incredibly weird in all the right ways. I was on my seat nearly the entire time and found it to be impossible to put down. Frightening, well thought out and enjoyable, The Library at Mount Char is a can't miss thriller that will leave you jumping around. My tip? Dim the lights or read during a thunderstorm for a special and fitting vibe. 

• The Gracekeepers by Kirsty Logan (May 19th 2015 by Crown): There's just this incredibly dark and magical vibe to the world created by Kirsty Logan and The Gracekeepers is another one of those novels that doesn't get nearly half of the praise/hype it deserves. Unique and eye-catching, fans of The Night Circus will find themselves lost in Logan's tale that is vivid, smart and incredibly moving. There are many layers to this novel that will leave readers with their hearts pounding in intrigue at the futuristic setting and engaging fantasy tone. 

That's it for now, folks! Be sure to check out some of these hidden gems and get your read on. Do the kids still say that? Can I actually say "do the kids still say that?" without looking dumb? 

What are your favorite fall oriented reads? Leave me a comment or shoot an email in my general direction if you have any recommendations and remember to add the novels you find eye-catching to your to-read shelves on Goodreads!