TBR Picks: Atmospheric Reads to Match the Season

A Flicker in the Dark by Stacy Willingham

At just twelve years old, Chloe Davis’s world was shattered when sixteen teenage girls went missing in her small Louisiana town — and her father was arrested for the crimes. Her family was left to deal with the unthinkable, and Chloe has spent the last two decades trying to move forward.

Now, twenty years later, Chloe is a psychologist in Baton Rouge, on the brink of marrying the man she loves. She’s worked hard to build a stable life, but beneath the surface, her grip on happiness feels as fragile as some of her patients’. Sometimes, she wonders if she’s truly healed — or just pretending.

When a new wave of teenage girls begins to vanish, the past crashes into the present. Is it a copycat? A coincidence? Or has a new predator emerged from the shadows?

To uncover the truth, Chloe must confront everything she thought she left behind — including the darkest parts of herself.

Perfect for fans of Gillian Flynn and Karin Slaughter, this gripping psychological thriller explores memory, trauma, and the haunting legacy of violence.

The Ex Hex by Erin Sterling

Rhys Penhallow is a devastatingly handsome heartbreaker — and oh yeah, he’s also a witch. As a descendant of the founding family of Graves Glen, Georgia, he returns for a quick trip to recharge the town’s ley lines. All he wants is to do his duty and make a quick appearance at the annual fall festival. Easy, right?

Not quite.

Nine years ago, Rhys broke Vivienne Jones’s heart. In response, young Viv — a witch nursing a fresh breakup — turned to vodka, a bubble bath, sad music, and a little impulsive spellwork. With the flicker of a candle labeled “Orchard Hayride,” she placed a harmless-sounding curse on her ex.

Fast forward to the present, and chaos is erupting all over Graves Glen. Murderous wind-up toys? Check. An angry ghost with a centuries-old grudge? Yep. A talking cat with serious attitude? Naturally.

Now, Rhys and Vivienne must team up to undo the curse and save the town — all while trying to ignore the undeniable spark that still crackles between them.

Full of fall vibes, flirty banter, and magical mishaps, The Ex Hex is a cozy romantic comedy with a supernatural twist.

The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches by Sangu Mandanna

There are very few witches left in Britain — and they’ve learned to keep their distance. Too much magic in one place draws attention, and attention is dangerous. Mika Moon knows the rules: hide your magic, keep your head down, stay alone.

Orphaned young and raised by strangers, Mika is used to being on her own. But in her spare time, she breaks the rules just a little — posting lighthearted videos online where she pretends to be a witch. After all, who would ever believe they’re real? Someone does.

When a mysterious message invites her to Nowhere House, Mika is stunned to discover three young witches in need of guidance — and a motley household desperate to protect them. Against her better judgment, Mika agrees to help, stepping into a life she never expected.

But not everyone is thrilled. Jamie, the house’s grumpy (and annoyingly handsome) librarian, doesn’t trust Mika one bit. He’ll do anything to protect the girls — and that includes keeping Mika at arm’s length.

As Mika becomes more entangled in their lives, she starts to feel something she’s never known before: belonging. But when a new threat looms, Mika must decide — is she willing to risk everything for the family she’s finally found?

Angelfall by Susan Ee

Six weeks ago, the angels came to Earth — and brought the apocalypse with them.

Now, daylight is ruled by street gangs, and superstition controls the night. Seventeen-year-old Penryn has only one priority: protecting her little sister. But when an angel snatches her sister away, Penryn will do whatever it takes to get her back.

Even if it means making a deal with the enemy.

Raffe, a warrior angel with torn wings and a wounded pride, is Penryn’s only hope of navigating the chaos. Reluctantly, they set off across a crumbling Northern California, heading toward the angels' stronghold in San Francisco.

As Penryn risks everything for her sister, Raffe must face his own enemies — and lay himself bare to the very beings who betrayed him — for a chance to become whole again.

The Hazel Wood by Melissa Albert

Seventeen-year-old Alice has only ever known life on the run — just her and her mother, always a step ahead of the uncanny streak of bad luck that seems to follow them wherever they go.

Then her grandmother, the reclusive author of a cult-classic book of pitch-dark fairy tales, dies at her mysterious estate known as the Hazel Wood — and everything unravels.

When Alice’s mother is suddenly kidnapped by a figure claiming to be from the Hinterland — the brutal, otherworldly realm where her grandmother’s stories are set — Alice realizes just how real those tales might be. The only clue left behind? A chilling message: “Stay away from the Hazel Wood.”

Desperate for answers, Alice reluctantly teams up with her classmate Ellery Finch, a Hinterland superfan with secrets of his own. Together, they must journey deep into the Hazel Wood — and beyond — into a world of dark magic, twisted stories, and unsettling truths.

There, Alice will confront the legacy her grandmother left behind — and discover that her own story may have begun long before she was born.