Some Autumn Favorites

The weather is suddenly cooler, blankets are back on our beds, and I am thinking of books about Autumn:

Autumn Term by Antonia Forest (1948). Twins Nicola and Lawrie are heading to Kingscote School, determined to be as impressive as their elder sisters, but things start badly on the train when Nicola pulls the emergency cord and never seem to recover . . . This is one of my very favorite school stories and children's book. Do not despair: if you don’t own a copy of this book, you will soon be able to order it from Girls Gone By Publishers.

Forty Autumns: A Family's Story of Courage and Survival on Both Sides of the Berlin Wall by Nina Willner (2016). This is a fascinating memoir about three generations of women and a family that is separated by the Berlin Wall, as the writer describes her life in America. My review.

Autumn in April by Essie Summers (1981). When Gaspard MacQueen invites Rosamond to travel to New Zealand to work in his department store, she accepts, not realizing his grandson actually manages the store and thinks she is a gold digger.

Violins of Autumn by Amy McAuley (2012). In this well-done YA historical set during WWII by a Canadian author, Betty lies about her age so she can do her bit and soon is parachuting into German-occupied France to help with the Resistance.

Drums of Autumn by Diana Gabaldon (1996). In the fourth Outlander novel, Claire and Jamie are living in North Carolina prior to the American Revolution, dealing with all sorts of 18th century problems: poverty, slavery, rebellion, pirates, rape. Plus ça change, plus c'est la même chose. Perhaps the books just became too meandering for me but sometimes I wish Diana had stopped after three books and moved on to other characters.

White House Autumn by Ellen Emerson White (1985). In the second of The President’s Daughter series, teenage Meg is resentfully getting used to being in the spotlight and adhering to the behavior required of someone whose mother is the first female president. When her mother is attacked, Meg’s worried family comes together for the first time since President Powers was elected.

Autumn of the Witch by Anne Mather (1972). Stephanie entered into a marriage of convenience to save her father, then finds her debonair husband and his estate in Sicily are more than she bargained for. I suspect this book is unremarkable except that it was the first Harlequin Romance I ever read! I was about 13, visiting my pen pal Jennifer Kavanaugh on Cape Cod and she had a stash of books from her grandmother. Initially, I turned up my nose but Jennifer companionably handed me one and I became quite addicted. Don’t judge! To this day, I am still very fond of Mary Burchell and Essie Summers, although I will admit the latter’s books are extremely predictable.   Still, if I ever visit New Zealand, it will be because of Essie!

What are your favorite fall reads?