The leaves are turning (well, not in California), the air is crisp (well, not in Austin either), and pumpkin spice is everywhere. This can only mean one thing: it's time for a new set of book horoscopes! Read on to predict what books will haunt you throughout the fall.
Aries, you always march to the beat of your own drum, but sometimes, that independent streak can make you feel suffocated by the people around you. When the world seems hell-bent on stifling your spirit, spend some time with D.J. Schwenk in Dairy Queen and Willowdean Dickson in Dumplin'. These two gals refuse to be caged by small town judgement, and their stories serve as a reminder that your true colors will never fade. - Posh
Taurus, you've got your eye on someone new, and naturally you can't help but be a little...obsessive. Try to keep your stalking (or "research," as we call it) to strictly legal forms, like the way two artists find each other's names -- and portfolios -- in the upcoming The Anatomical Shape of a Heart by Jenn Bennett. If you want a good lesson in what NOT to do, try kickin' it old school with Silent Stalker by Richie Tankersley Cusick. Remember: prison jumpsuits aren't a good look on anyone. - Jennie
It can be hard sometimes, Gemini, to realize how awesome you are. But even the most modest of people need to make time to take a good long, internal look on occasion and recognize the special things that make them, well, special. Like Evelyn, in Tarun Shanker's These Vicious Masks, who has to look inside herself to find the superheroic strength necessary to save her sister's life. If you still need some advice on how best to celebrate you, take a look at Shannon Hale's The Goose Girl, the first in her Books of Bayern series, which tells the tale of Ani and the unusual ability that will lead her to be the queen she's destined to be. - Mandy C.
Since you're always loyal and dependable, Cancer, it's easy for friends and family to take you for granted. Follow the lead of Arden Huntley in Leila Sales' Tonight the Streets Are Ours and shake it up by doing something unexpected. Your risk will be rewarded, and people will see you as more than just the "responsible one," as Natalie Sterling in Not That Kind of Girl can attest. - Posh
Fall might not typically be associated with rebirth, but there's no better time for reinvention, Leo. Everything old is new again, like fresh spins on a beloved fairy tale. Cinderelly, Cinderelly, night and day, it's Cinderelly -- as a deadly assassin in Sarah J. Maas' Throne of Glass, or as a budding huntress in Malinda Lo's Ash. - Mandy W.
Virgo, you're starting off fall feeling like something is missing. Are you struggling to find a way to express yourself, like Nadia from One Thing Stolen, who suddenly is robbed of speech -- or are you the thing that's been missing? Be careful if you find yourself kidnapped by a sexy vampire, like Kerry in the classic YA Companions of the Night. It's all fun and games until you end up with holes in your neck. (But at least there are fun and games first?) - Jennie
Libra, someone from your past is about to make a surprise reappearance in your life. No matter how things ended, take a cue from the heroines of Sweethearts and Emmy & Oliver and welcome this old friend back with open arms, because though the reintroduction may be rocky, your world is about to change for the better. - Posh
Strike a pose, superstar, because it's your time to shine! With your bday on the horizon, what better way to celebrate than basking in the spotlight? The heroines of Holly Smale's Geek Girl and Meg Cabot's Airhead might be reluctant supermodels, but their adventures will make you smize with delight. - Mandy W.
As the year's end nears, Sagittarius, you might find yourself thinking about escape—escape from extreme weather, escape from too much family time, escape from the overwhelming nature of the holiday season. Vacations to tropical paradises or cozy ski resorts might be tempting to others, but you Sag, you want more. And there's no better more than traveling ... into different dimensions. In the second book in Claudia Gray's Firebird series, Ten Thousand Skies Above You, Marguerite must travel to alternate universes to save her soulmate. (You know you love the swoon, too.) If your wanderlust still isn't sated, take another trip with Katherine Applegate's Search for Senna, the first in her Everworld series, in which David finds himself seeking his true love across disparate realms. - Mandy C.
Capricorn, your ever-practical nature will be especially important this fall as danger lurks around every corner. Make sure you keep your wits about you, like the luckier protagonists in Slasher Girls and Monster Boys. Practice situational awareness and don't let a hot young thing turn your head -- too much. You don't want to end up like Shari in Remember Me by Christopher Pike -- well, at least Shari had a hot ghost boyfriend. - Jennie
Take caution, Aquarius, in navigating the high seas. The waters may seem calm, but a luxury liner is no match for the turning tides. So climb aboard the cruise ships in Carrie Ryan's Daughter of Deep Silence and Claudia Gray's Fateful -- if you dare. - Mandy W.
It's true, Pisces, everyone needs a hobby. And if your chosen hobby in high school might have been a tad on the nerdy side, who are we to judge? We also won't judge if you want to revisit the glory days and get a little lost in nostalgia. Might we suggest diving into Lauren Morrill's The Trouble With Destiny? In the book, Liza has to find a way to fund her beloved marching band (and might possibly find love along the way). And If your youthful musical career involved more fantasy than reality, you might feel a deep connection with Menolly, who—in Anne McCaffrey's Dragonsong, the first of the Pern: Harper Hall series—must prove to her friends and family that her abilities are more than just a fleeting flight of fancy. - Mandy C.
So how did we do this round, friends? Are you happy with your fall predictions, or are you thinking of switching signs?