nut free nerd

This fall I’ve been making a conscious effort to read seasonally, leaning into the moody, spooky, witchy vibes that these cooler months bring. And I’ve loved it.

I’ve always been a mood reader, someone who reads based on whatever feelings I’m experiencing or craving. Yet for some reason, I’ve only occasionally synched up what I’m reading directly and intentionally with the moods of the current season. However, this purposeful curation of autumnal books has not only made reading that much more enjoyable, but has also made me feel more connected to autumn in general. The spooky reading atmosphere has inspired me to watch more Halloween movies, bake apple crisp with with freshly picked apples, and savor strolls on sidewalks lined with red-orange trees.

I’ve also found myself actually making an effort to squeeze in more reading time. Instead of listening to a podcast or watching something while eating breakfast, I’ve been drawn to my spooky autumnal reads. I keep a stack of the books I’m most looking forward to getting to this fall on my desk and love the feeling of slipping one back into the pile and taking a new one out. In sight, in mind.

And there’s nothing better than lighting a candle, cozying up with a blanket under my lamp, and spending half an hour–or an hour, or two–on a rainy Sunday afternoon reading. I can’t get enough of that feeling. Pen in hand, I’ve annotated and underlined my way through The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne, The Turn of the Screw by Henry James, and Frankenstein by Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley. These are all books I first read a few years ago and have meant to return to when the mood struck. Reading them amidst the falling leaves, colder mornings, and darker nights has been so, so satisfying.

Reading seasonally this fall has been such a game changer for me. I’m excited to set out some books for winter, whenever it arrives.

Have you been reading seasonally this year? I’d love to hear about it.

Take care,

Holly