Autumn Equinox at SGS LRC – Books With An Autumn Vibe

Today – Tuesday the 22nd of September, 2020 – marks the official beginning of Autumn! The season of pumpkin spice, Halloween, woolly scarves, and never knowing whether or not you need to take your coat and umbrella out with you.

Why, I hear you ask, does today of all days mark the beginning of Autumn? I’m glad you asked!

The answer is that today, at 2:30pm to be specific, is the Autumn Equinox!

The word “equinox” comes from the Latin “aequus”, meaning “equal”, and “noctes” meaning night. The Spring and Autumn Equinoxes mark the two points in the year where Day and Night are exactly the same length. After the Autumn Equinox, the balance of daylight to night hours tilts in favour of darkness. That means that from this point until Spring Equinox (Saturday the 20th of March, 2021, in case you were interested) we will have more hours of night-time than we do of darkness.

To celebrate (hooray!), we’ve put together a list of books which can be borrowed from the SGS LRCs which have what I like to call An Autumn Vibe. We’ve got some that are set in Autumn, some that will get you spooky-fied and ready for Halloween, and some that are perfect for getting cosy with alongside a cup of tea and your favourite blanket! Whatever you like, we’ve got something Autumn-tastic for you!

The Trees, by Ali Shaw
What if trees suddenly began taking over the world!? The Irish Times described this book as “doing for trees what Hitchcock did for Birds”, and we reckon that is a pretty apt summary! Plus, the cover is deliciously Autumnal-looking, and just perfect to get you into that eerie autumn spirit!

Anne of Green Gables, by L. M. Montgomery
“I’m so glad I live in a world where there are Octobers.”
So says red-haired orphan Anne Shirley, and we are inclined to agree! The Anne stories capture the everyday magic of life, and have such a cosy, autumnal vibe that they almost demand that you curl up with a cup of cocoa (or blackcurrant cordial…!) to read them!

Seed, by Lisa Heathfield
Following the story of a fifteen-year old girl raised in a Nature-worshipping cult, Seed is a romantic thriller which will keep you gripped from start to end! With themes of darkness, nature, and transformation what better book to read as the days grow shorter and the seasons change!

Dracula, by Bram Stoker
A thrilling horror classic, Bram Stoker’s Dracula is certain to get you in the mood for all things spooky, scary, and downright dastardly! I have been listening to an audiobook version of Dracula this month, and I can confirm that this book truly is terrifying…! Perfect for Halloween season!

The Night Circus, by Erin Morgenstern
“The circus looks abandoned and empty. But you think perhaps you can smell caramel wafting through the evening breeze, beneath the crisp scent of the autumn leaves. A subtle sweetness at the edges of the cold.”
Oof. Big Autumn Mood, right there. The Night Circus is an atmospheric, phantasmagorical (good word) fairy tale set in an alternate version of London, and is just perfect for those crisp, autumnal evenings.

Selected Poems of John Keats, and Selected Poems of Christina Rossetti
What can beat reading poetry on a cold Autumn’s day, a hot cup of tea in your hands, golden leaves falling outside your window… –sigh-…! John Keats and Christina Rossetti are the poets of choice for our Autumn Vibe Book List because they both have written spectacular poems on the theme of Autumn! …Well, that and the fact that I personally love Keats and Rossetti, couldn’t pick just one, and am invoking my Blog Post Writer’s Privileges.