(Let’s pretend this is a normal year and it’s Fall, like real fall) It’s Fall! Pumpkin spice and everything nice is just around the corner, and although it doesn’t feel like it, leaves are falling all around us. Unfortunately, we live in California where it’s pretty much summer year-round and everything is on fire all the time. But still, that shouldn’t stop us from enjoying autumn and what’s a better way than to find a good read. In this article, we talked to Mt. SAC ECA’s very own book club to hear their thoughts and recommendations. Here are the top 5 books you should read this season.

At number one we’ve got, Dracula by Bram Stoker. We all know the story of Dracula, the blood-sucking vampire, based off of that charming guy from history known as Vlad the Impaler. The book tells the story of Count Dracula, a vampire obsessed with spreading the disease of the undead. On Goodreads, Dracula received 4 stars out of 5 and claims the number one spot for “October Reads Books” Our only warning for Dracula is that it’s written in the traditional English of 1897, but if that’s your thing, go for it!

Our second recommendation comes from Book Club President Natalie Hijazi, it isn’t horror, but rather action and YA fiction. Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo is a novel full of entertaining protagonists and a multitude of personalities. The story follows our main protagonist, Kaz Brekker as he navigates (and rules) the underground world of the Amsterdam-inspired city of Ketterdam. It’s a Mission:Impossible type story with twists and turns like you’d never believe it; if you want a book to keep you entertained for hours, this is the one for you.

Third, on the list we’ve got is The Haunting of Hill House by Shirley Jackson, the same woman who wrote “The Lottery” short story that many Mt. SAC ECA students read last year in Ms. Bell’s class. You may have heard this title before; In 2018, Netflix released a TV adaptation of the book which sparked excitement among horror fans across the world. The TV show was rated 8.7/10 on IMDb and the actual book is ranked fifth on Goodreads “October Reads Books”. The story follows the experiences of Dr. Montague and his crew who are looking for an actual haunting at Hill House. The stay starts out fine, until unexplained phenomena start occurring all around them. The TV show and book contain different characters but are equally scary.

Fourth, as recommended by junior and ASB President Angelina Martinez, is The Seven Habits of Highly Effective Teens. If you weren’t assigned to read this book in middle school like some of us were, it’s a self help book that teaches teens how to be not only productive, but how to pace themselves as busy students. Ms.Martinez stated, “I would recommend these as essential books for anyone of any age because the authors write about life skills that are so important for a successful lifestyle.” As we get closer to finals (and some of us our senior year!), it becomes more and more important to learn how to get our work done effectively and right. If you’d like a read that makes you think and want to improve your work ethic, this is the one for you.

Last, we’ve got Coraline by Neil Gaiman, author of Good Omens. Most of us remember Coraline as the movie that struck a fear of buttons into our hearts. It’s a spooky tale with twists and turns. This is the story of the girl who almost gets buttons sewn in for eyes! In her new house, she discovers a new parallel world with some evil counterparts. It’s a story of friendship and family, and creepy tendrils that wraps you in the book. Junior Natalie Hijazi gave her opinion on the book stating, “ I thought the book was truly amazing, it keeps that scary, eerie setting while still making you amazed by the world it’s in. I was surprised that this was categorized as a children’s horror book, it even spooked me out. I also found the protagonist so endearing and wonderful and I believe that the moral behind this story is awesome! It was a five-star read for me!”

Hopefully, these recommendations provided a little bit of inspiration for you to pick up a book and start reading. If you’d like to discuss more books and talk about great ones to read, the Book Club meets every Tues. and Thurs. at lunch.