Mariella Hunt

As I type this, my feet are feeling the chill from a draft creeping in from the outside. Our days are warm and sunny; nights and early mornings bring chill, nature’s routine promise of rest for the earth and all creatures that live on it.

I’ve always been quick to admit that autumn is my favorite season, with the laid-back atmosphere and the spooky stories that crop up due to Halloween, autumn’s grand finale. We are entering pre-autumn, so I’m looking to build a season-appropriate reading list that will allow me to immerse myself in the season, the way small creatures immerse themselves in piles of fallen leaves.

This year I began toying with the idea of writing a story about a wood witch—and I did. The very first draft is available on Vella, and it is called The Looking-Glass. It’s unfinished as a Vella, but the first draft of the novel was completed at over 100k and I hope to share it soon.

As a novel and series, this story will be different. It will have longer chapters, and several characters will be tidied or cleared out—but I digress.

In order to write about a wood witch, I sought to read books about witches who are unafraid of what they are or who are only just discovering it. I will soon make a blog post about the witchy books I’ve already read.

Recently, I discovered that this series exists; I was drawn in by the beautiful cover of the third book. I think I might spend the autumn devouring literature by Paula Brackston (as well as other witchy/spooky books, as I find them; do share your suggestions!)

How could I not have become hooked by a cover as beautiful as this?

Have you read this book? Do you have any recommendations for my autumn/spooky reading list?

Please comment with your suggestions, and tell me your plans for the crisper weather!