Look, I know I am the library world's Horror expert. And I know ALL of you are following along with 31 Days of Horror over on the other blog, but even I know not EVERYONE wants to read a spooky book during the Fall.
Earlier this Fall, Goodreads noted that by having this list of 63 reading recs for every fall vibe.
I want to use this post to 1, remind you of these lists as a resource for readers who want a seasonal read that is not necessarily full on Horror and 2, and quite honestly more importantly, to talk to you about "vibes" as a RA Tool.
The word "vibes" is thrown around a lot these days and some of you may completely get it, but others have told me they are not sure how to use it to match books with readers. Here's the thing though, you do know, we just use different words for it.
Vibes is just another word for appeal factors. Vibes refers to the feel of the book, why someone likes it. It has nothing to do with the plot. And personally, I love this move towards readers discussing the vibes they want in their books. Why? Because for years I have been explaining that the plot does not matter and should not be what you share with someone about the book. Why they will like it is what is most important. And that why comes from how the story is relayed-- the appeal factors-- or more succinctly-- the vibes.
Why someone loves a book has nothing to do with what happens plot wise. Rather it all comes from the narrative choices the author makes in telling the story of that plot. I demonstrate this every single time I give my signature RA for All: Flip The Script and Think Like a Reader training program. I have people think of a book they love and I walk them through the categories of appeal to help them figure out how to articulate why they "love" that book.
And then, they give a book talk to their neighbor where they only talk about the appeal of the book-- inter words, it's a conversation that is all vibes.
This fact of how to best match books with readers is part of my 10 rules. That is how important I think it is. Click here to read my explanatory post -- Share Why Someone Would Enjoy a Book, Not The Plot. It is foundational to how I teach all of you to help your readers.
Back to the Goodreads "Fall Vibes" suggestions. Use their lists now, but think about leaning into the whole "vibes" conversation yourselves. Use the word to attract readers, with the understanding that this is the work you have been doing for years-- matching books with readers using appeal factors. It is the same thing, but now we not only have a new word for it, it is a word our readers have started using on their own. They are ready and willing to talk about the feel of the book, not the plot.
Our job just got a whole lot easier.
Use the Goodreads post below and here to start more vibes based conversations with your readers. And for sure use "What's Your Fall Vibes Book Suggestion" as part of your conversation starter to displays, interactive Readers' Advisory. (Details on how to do this here)
For reasons that are hard to rationally explain, autumn remains the best season for serious book reading. It’s a vibe thing. There’s just something about the fall season that makes you want to curl up with a big book.
In honor of this annual phenomenon, we’ve scoured the stacks to compile this list of 63 book recommendations for autumn reading vibes. It’s largely an intuitive process. Some books just feel autumnal—spooky classics like Practical Magic or The Haunting of Hill House. Some pivot off the back-to-the-school setting, like Donna Tartt’s The Secret History. And some just possess a kind of ambient October Gothic energy—think Daphne du Maurier’s immortal classic, Rebecca.
To further facilitate the vibe sorting, we’ve divided this collection into different reading moods: Witchy & Magic, Cozy Fantasies, Dark & Moody, Autumnal Academia, Uncanny & Strange, and Ghosts Galore. The books selected are a mix of older and newer titles, and feel free to make any additional recommendations in the comments section.
You can also use the Want to Read button beneath each cover image to save space on your own digital shelf. Have at it, Goodreaders.
Click here to see the categories and suggested books to begin helping your readers to match their book to their vibe.
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