welcome to “devour deeper,” an occasional deep dive into a topic taking over my mind.
we've had a few days below seventy degrees in chicago recently. i live for this time of year. sweatshirts, blankets, thick socks ... sign me up.
as i was putting together this list, i realized my fall media habits might be a little ... all over the place? a mix of the nostalgic & childlike, the slightly weird, and yeah, some blood and guts.
i’m a big fan of the classics—hocus pocus, beetlejuice, gilmore girls—but i wanted to shoutout some of my favorite books, movies, shows, and even games that don’t appear on every fall list out there. some are probably familiar, others are hopefully new. that’s the fun of it, right?
let's dive in! (and if you have any recs of your own, i’d love to hear them.)
BOOKS
A DOWRY OF BLOOD
this is the vampire book to end all vampire books.
okay, i haven’t read a ton of vampire books, but this one really is excellent. it follows dracula's wives with gorgeous, immersive writing—perfect for that atmospheric fall mood.
THE AUTUMNAL
i’m drawn to graphic novels around this time of year. autumnal visuals really enhance a good story. the autumnal follows a mother and daughter as they move from chicago to a small town in new hampshire, where things may not be as idyllic as they seem.
oh, and leaves are the monster. come on! peak fall horror!
THE CRUCIBLE
a classic! i read this play in salem a couple years ago, but it'd be great anywhere. it’s a quick, historic dive into the salem witch trials. perfect read for an october night.
PUMPKINHEADS
another graphic novel, but cozier. two friends work together at “the patch,” which is sort of like a fall fair—a pumpkin patch with food tents and activities. the book takes place over the course of one day—halloween—so as you flip through, the sun sets and it gets progressively darker. gorgeous.
SMALL FAVORS
another atmospheric read. this one takes place in a remote mountain town, which is surrounded by woods that are dangerous to cross. the isolation of the town becomes almost claustrophobic as strange events start piling up and the behavior of the townspeople becomes more bizarre.
while it has some flaws, i couldn’t put this one down. the story is interesting and the atmosphere is even better.
FILMS
THE HAUNTING OF MOLLY HARTLEY / AMAZON PRIME
listen … this is not a good movie! it has 3% on rotten tomatoes!
but something about it nails that fall feel—woods, private school, the colors. plus, it was the first pg-13 movie i ever saw without an adult in theaters, so it holds a special place in my heart.
it follows molly, a teen girl who's about to turn 18, as she deals with some serious issues (like, "mom tried to stab her" issues). as she starts at a new school, she learns there might be some supernatural stuff tied to her upcoming birthday.
maybe the takeaway here is to either watch this movie … or any scary movie that takes you back to being 13.
MONSTER HOUSE / NETFLIX
yes, coraline is probably the scariest kids’ movie out there (also recommend!), but monster house has to be a close second. full disclosure: it's been years since i’ve seen this, but those fall colors stuck with me. halloween setting, living house, creepy old man. classic stuff.
PRACTICAL MAGIC / AMAZON PRIME (AVAILABLE TO RENT)
i know, i know … i’m breaking my own rule because this movie is usually recommended on lists like this, but i just watched it for the first time last year, and it was truly excellent as far as fall vibes go. it’s cozy and witchy and fun, and this is one of the rare instances where the movie is better than the book. (i didn’t love the book, but LOVED this movie.)
THE VILLAGE / AMAZON PRIME (AVAILABLE TO RENT)
this is an m. night shyamalan film .... i owned it on dvd in like 2006 and used to watch it during long drives on a portable dvd player.
it’s about a village stuck in time, surrounded by woods that nobody's allowed to enter because they house mysterious, terrifying creatures. there’s a twist, sure, but even knowing the twist, i love to rewatch it for the mood. plus, joaquin phoenix, bryce dallas howard, adrien brody? solid.
TV SHOWS
AMERICAN HORROR STORY: MURDER HOUSE / HULU & DISNEY+
i think most people are probably familiar with american horror story by now, but if not, it’s a horror anthology where each season is a completely different story with completely different characters. i’m an unapologetic fan, even if the later seasons are not up to the standard of the earlier seasons.
but my favorite season, and the one i think best captures the general fall ambiance, is the first: murder house. ghosts, victorian mansion, creepy neighbors, lydia deetz-esque teenage daughter, halloween episode … so good.
COURAGE THE COWARDLY DOG / MAX
i’ve been slowly making my way through courage the cowardly dog and rating each episode based on how scary it is. maybe i’ll share the results once i’m done, but for now, i’d recommend revisiting this show if it was a part of your childhood. it holds up!
OVER THE GARDEN WALL / HULU
this may be a popular recommendation in certain circles, but it’s gold-tier fall for me. if you’ve never seen it, make this the year you do!
while it’s technically a show, it’s made up of ten episodes that are each roughly ten minutes long, so it’s an easy watch for a single evening, if that’s what you prefer.
HALLOWEEN WARS & HALLOWEEN BAKING CHAMPIONSHIP / MAX (OR YOUTUBE TV)
look, the only way i watch these is if i’m flipping through youtube tv to see what’s on. i’ve never watched a season beginning to end, and i have no idea how the competition for either show is structured. i probably couldn’t even tell them apart if you put on a random episode and asked me if it was halloween wars or baking championship.
but you need some fall background noise while cleaning or cooking? here you go. i’m not usually into food competitions, but add halloween, and i'm all in.
OTHER!
THE LEFT RIGHT GAME (PODCAST)
one of my favorite things to do during the cooler months is wake up early, make myself a coffee, and go on a walk to admire my neighbors’ halloween decor. it’s especially fun if you have a seasonal podcast to listen to while you go.
this one is about a journalist, alice, who gets sucked into a game where you take alternating left and right turns while driving. if you do it enough, you supposedly enter another (more frightening) world.
i listened while walking and got genuinely nervous at intersections. 10/10 fall experience.
HOGWARTS LEGACY (VIDEO GAME / PLAYSTATION, XBOX, PC, NINTENDO SWITCH)
for harry potter fans, but i also don’t think you need to be a harry potter fan to enjoy this game? you play at hogwarts in the 1800s, which is almost two centuries before the books begin. the world is beautiful and captures the dark academia feel of the films.
THOUSAND YEAR OLD VAMPIRE (SINGLE PLAYER RPG)
okay, this one's a bit niche. you have to like history, and you have to enjoy writing at least a little bit, but you don't need to be an expert at either.
it's a solo roleplaying game where you're a vampire, and you follow prompts to create your life story, from ancient times to now. you might start in ancient rome and end up in the french revolution—totally up to you! perfect for moody fall evenings alongside a cup of tea.
have some fall recs of your own? please share … i’m always looking for more!
cheers to fall 2024!
Halloweentown, Twilight, Harry Potter!