It’s officially October, so it’s time to break out the pumpkins, bulky sweaters, snickerdoodle cookies, and books to curl up with on a Saturday afternoon. My favorite way to find new stories is by browsing Barnes & Noble, a library, or Instagram, all of which have provided me hours of enjoyment through random books like the ones below.
“Jo & Laurie” by Melissa de la Cruz and Margaret Stohl
For anyone who was not satisfied with the ending of Louisa May Alcott’s “Little Women” (where childhood best friends Jo and Laurie marry different people instead of each other), “Jo & Laurie” will give you some closure. It’s sweet, witty, and heartbreaking with several unexpected moments. The authors also did a fantastic job writing in Louisa May Alcott’s 19th-century English while still making the book comprehensible, so I felt like I was reading a continuation of the classic original and not a modernized sequel. “Jo & Laurie” is one of my top five favorite books; it’s definitely worth the time.
“The Things We Leave Unfinished” by Rebecca Yarros
I’m not normally a fan of historical fiction, but this World War II love story converted me. I expected the flashbacks to WWII to be boring, but the amount of historical detail is perfect without being confusing. The present-day romance between the two characters Georgia and Noah mirrors that of Georgia’s great-grandparents, Scarlett and Jameson, who lived during the war. The surprising ending to Scarlett and Jameson’s story ends up affecting Georgia and Noah’s relationship as well. A couple parts of the book got a little too graphic for me, but the story is phenomenal overall and has mature characters. “The Things We Leave Unfinished” is perfect for autumn with its bittersweet plotline containing both death and love.
Vanessa Malagon ‘26 just finished reading “The Things We Leave Unfinished” and adored it: “The book is about healing from the past, the challenges of love, sisterhood, and the ending was too beautiful. I was constantly attached to the fearless characters. Additionally, the transitions between the characters’ perspectives and lives were seamless. This is the perfect book if you’re looking to snuggle up with a blanket under some warm yellow lights this season. I highly recommend it to anyone who is looking for a beautiful and enchanting book to read this cozy fall!”
“Conceal, Don’t Feel” by Jen Calonita
This is an easy, middle-school level read, but I enjoyed it nonetheless. The book is a spinoff of the movie “Frozen” and part of the “Twisted Tale” series where multiple authors rewrite classic fairy tales in a darker way. In “Conceal, Don’t Feel,” the characters Anna and Elsa never knew each other and lived completely separate lives. I was pleasantly surprised with the plot twist and with the backstories of characters who weren’t featured much in the movies, like Anna and Elsa’s parents. With Rosary Day having just passed, “Conceal, Don’t Feel” is a great way to relive all the nostalgic Disney magic.
“Trust the Wind” by Claire Crafts
A sophomore from Santa Margarita wrote this a few years ago, which is how I found out about it. “Trust the Wind” has a simple plot (a high school girl from California moves to Montana and struggles to find her niche), but the author still accurately captured teenagers’ experience with uncertain friendships, parental frustration, and feeling out of place. It starts in summer and progresses through the school year, so it’s definitely relatable—after all, a teen girl wrote it.
The “Burn for Burn” trilogy by Jenny Han and Siobhan Vivian
The author of “The Summer I Turned Pretty” series wowed me once again with these novels—three high school seniors become unlikely friends as they attempt to get revenge on all the people who wronged them throughout middle and high school. The chapters alternate between the three main characters’ perspectives, and I also loved the inclusion of classic tropes, like the homecoming queen and the football star. The story moves fast and grows intense; the complex schemes are never-ending, the characters have a ton of drama with each other, and no one is exactly who they appear to be. The “Burn for Burn” trilogy was absolutely fantastic; I can’t do the books justice without spoiling them.
If you’ve read any of these books, leave a comment and share your thoughts! If you haven’t read these and plan to, I hope you enjoy them as much as I did. Happy reading, Royals!
