Inside America’s bookish fall: reading trends shaping autumn 2025
TOI GLOBAL DESK | TOI GLOBAL NEW | Oct 24, 2025, 23:01 IST
As autumn arrives, America’s book culture is transforming into a nostalgic and aesthetic movement. From cozy cafés to online platforms like TikTok, Instagram, and Pinterest, readers are curating fall reading lists and embracing the “dark academia” vibe. Classics by Dostoevsky and Woolf are resurging in popularity, while BookTok continues to fuel sales of gothic, romantic, and cozy fantasy novels. This season, reading has become more than a pastime; it’s a lifestyle. The 2025 “bookish aesthetic” celebrates comfort, creativity, and connection through every page and post.
As autumn returns, so does America's love for books. Cozy reading corners across cafes, campuses, city parks, and readers, and picking up novels that match the slow, reflective mood of the season. On TikTok, Instagram, and fall reading lists, as well as bookish mood boards, people are blending nostalgia and digital creativity from Pinterest boards to create their own reading boards. This autumn, America's bookish culture has taken over Pinterest boards, Instagram, and the bookish community. From thrifting paperbacks to trending booktok titles, this year's bookish season is shaping into more than a habit; it's becoming an Aesthetic.
On TikTok and Instagram, continue to shape reading habits with users curating seasonal mood boards and sharing fall reading lists. This has hashtags like #CozyReads 3FallAcademia #FallTBR dominate BookTok, highlighting a preference for atmospheric novels and classic literature. This digital influence is evident in the resurgence of genres like dark academia, gothic fiction, aligning with the season's introspective mood.
Along with the rise of second-hand book shopping, second-hand bookstores have gained popularity. There is a turn in readers to thrift stores, online marketplaces for affordable literary finds. It not only supports sustainable practices but also offers access to rare and vintage editions, enriching the reading experience.
The ambience of Cozy cafes and libraries has become synonymous with fall reading, becoming its own kind of aesthetic. There are many trends related to studying at Hogwarts, studying in the dark academia libraries, which is very much trending on Instagram and TikTok, making it to the book-reading community.
Now, these libraries have become synonymous with fall reading. Readers are seeking spaces that offer comfort and a conducive environment for reading. Simultaneously, the practice of annotating books has gained traction, with readers marking passages and adding notes, enhancing personal engagement with the text.
There is a notable resurgence in the popularity of classic literature. Works by authors like Jane Austen and Fyodor Dostoevsky are experiencing renewed interest, with sales figures reflecting this trend. This revival indicates broader cultural appreciation for timeless narratives and their relevance in contemporary discussions.
A Return of Classics
The classic literature is enjoying resurgence among readers in the U.S. works by authors like Dostoevsky, Kafka, and Virginia Woolf are being rediscovered on often influence of digital platforms, from Reels, to Twitter trends, to Tweets, to Instagram threads, which is full of Kafka quotes to Kafkaesque Aesthetic, to Dostoevsky core, to Virginia Woolf, to the writer's trend. These writers are often rediscovered through the influence of digital platforms. Booktook, a thriving literary community on TikTok, has played a significant role in the revival. Novels like Lolita and Metamorphosis. They have garnered new attention with readers sharing insights and analysis that underscore their timeless relevance. This trend reflects a broader cultural movement towards introspective and thought-provoking narratives. Publishers have taken note of this shift, witnessing increased sales and heightened discussion surrounding these classic titles.
Digital storytelling is expanding to reach the U.S., with Webtoon, Manga, and Mahawa gaining popularity among younger audiences. So basically, the Webtoons have visuals of beautiful art, which is being appreciated all alone, as in the increase of anime. And these Manga Webtoons platforms, like Webtoon, have seen significant growth.
The series, such as Love 4 A Walk and Charming Duke of North, attracts millions of readers. These trends indicate that blending of visual and traditional reading experiences, where readers engage with both illustrated narratives and conventional books. Because they have beautiful art with great visuals and a cheeky story. They are not just some stories about high school heartthrob couples, but also horror Sci-Fi fiction, and many famous inspirations that are being made into K-dramas and anime. Yet, it's reaching a much greater audience. Well, the accessibility and diverse genres offered by these platforms cater to a wide range of interests, making them a staple in contemporary reading culture.
As well as these webtoons having their own fandoms and fan art a whole new fandom is being created of different characters of different comics, making it even more popular.
The concept of cozy reading has become a defining feature of Fall 2025. The readers are gravitating towards light, mysterious, witchy fantasies, charming romances, often shared through platforms like Google Read. Now, this aesthetic of reading culture into Dark Academia, Fall Academia, and into the mystical reading places with cozy dim lights and from trends of small libraries and cottage houses, seems to be the trend of the Fall 2025 reading community.
The trend emphasizes the comfort and escapism with reader-seeking narratives that provide solace and warmth. The aesthetic appeal of these genres is notable, with books featuring visually pleasing covers of beautiful visual covers of mystery and fantasy. These themes align with the cozy ambience of the season. The ship reflects the desire of narratives that offer both emotional comfort and special visual delight.
Independence Book stores are experience is resurgence across US driven community support and desire for authentic local experience is events like the San Diego book crawl and independent book store they have highlights said this revival the three days actively participated activities at promote local literacy culture this movement is also tight to sustainability as consumers of second hand book bind eco friendly practices the American booksellers association reported a significant increase in online says and customer engagement during under scoring the growing importance of independence book store and literary landscape
As of the fall of 2025 tik TikTok's book took has significantly influenced US book sales with over 370 billion views and more than 52 million users generated videos. This engagement has revitalised backlist titles and propelled debut authors into bestseller status. Publishers have reported that BookTok's recommendations have driven substantial sales, particularly in genres like romantasy and cozy crime, and especially dark romance, highlighting the platform's role in shaping contemporary reading habits.
As autumn settles in across the US, these trends show that reading is more than a pastime. It has become an aesthetic moment from rediscovered classics and impressive digital storytelling to cozy reading corners and thriving indie bookstores. America's bookish season is shaping a lifestyle that blends nostalgia, aesthetics, and community. Well, there's still a debate on that, are these bookish trends of Fall 2025 just aesthetics? If the reading community today is all about aesthetics and visuals, not on how good the book is, but how good the visual cover of the book is, or how much of a delusional story it could be?
On TikTok and Instagram, continue to shape reading habits with users curating seasonal mood boards and sharing fall reading lists. This has hashtags like #CozyReads 3FallAcademia #FallTBR dominate BookTok, highlighting a preference for atmospheric novels and classic literature. This digital influence is evident in the resurgence of genres like dark academia, gothic fiction, aligning with the season's introspective mood.
Along with the rise of second-hand book shopping, second-hand bookstores have gained popularity. There is a turn in readers to thrift stores, online marketplaces for affordable literary finds. It not only supports sustainable practices but also offers access to rare and vintage editions, enriching the reading experience.
The ambience of Cozy cafes and libraries has become synonymous with fall reading, becoming its own kind of aesthetic. There are many trends related to studying at Hogwarts, studying in the dark academia libraries, which is very much trending on Instagram and TikTok, making it to the book-reading community.
Now, these libraries have become synonymous with fall reading. Readers are seeking spaces that offer comfort and a conducive environment for reading. Simultaneously, the practice of annotating books has gained traction, with readers marking passages and adding notes, enhancing personal engagement with the text.
There is a notable resurgence in the popularity of classic literature. Works by authors like Jane Austen and Fyodor Dostoevsky are experiencing renewed interest, with sales figures reflecting this trend. This revival indicates broader cultural appreciation for timeless narratives and their relevance in contemporary discussions.
A Return of Classics
Webtoons, Manga & Manhwa Rising
Digital storytelling is expanding to reach the U.S., with Webtoon, Manga, and Mahawa gaining popularity among younger audiences. So basically, the Webtoons have visuals of beautiful art, which is being appreciated all alone, as in the increase of anime. And these Manga Webtoons platforms, like Webtoon, have seen significant growth.
The series, such as Love 4 A Walk and Charming Duke of North, attracts millions of readers. These trends indicate that blending of visual and traditional reading experiences, where readers engage with both illustrated narratives and conventional books. Because they have beautiful art with great visuals and a cheeky story. They are not just some stories about high school heartthrob couples, but also horror Sci-Fi fiction, and many famous inspirations that are being made into K-dramas and anime. Yet, it's reaching a much greater audience. Well, the accessibility and diverse genres offered by these platforms cater to a wide range of interests, making them a staple in contemporary reading culture.
As well as these webtoons having their own fandoms and fan art a whole new fandom is being created of different characters of different comics, making it even more popular.
Cozy and aesthetic reading culture
The concept of cozy reading has become a defining feature of Fall 2025. The readers are gravitating towards light, mysterious, witchy fantasies, charming romances, often shared through platforms like Google Read. Now, this aesthetic of reading culture into Dark Academia, Fall Academia, and into the mystical reading places with cozy dim lights and from trends of small libraries and cottage houses, seems to be the trend of the Fall 2025 reading community.
The trend emphasizes the comfort and escapism with reader-seeking narratives that provide solace and warmth. The aesthetic appeal of these genres is notable, with books featuring visually pleasing covers of beautiful visual covers of mystery and fantasy. These themes align with the cozy ambience of the season. The ship reflects the desire of narratives that offer both emotional comfort and special visual delight.
Local and Indie Revival
Independence Book stores are experience is resurgence across US driven community support and desire for authentic local experience is events like the San Diego book crawl and independent book store they have highlights said this revival the three days actively participated activities at promote local literacy culture this movement is also tight to sustainability as consumers of second hand book bind eco friendly practices the American booksellers association reported a significant increase in online says and customer engagement during under scoring the growing importance of independence book store and literary landscape
As of the fall of 2025 tik TikTok's book took has significantly influenced US book sales with over 370 billion views and more than 52 million users generated videos. This engagement has revitalised backlist titles and propelled debut authors into bestseller status. Publishers have reported that BookTok's recommendations have driven substantial sales, particularly in genres like romantasy and cozy crime, and especially dark romance, highlighting the platform's role in shaping contemporary reading habits.
As autumn settles in across the US, these trends show that reading is more than a pastime. It has become an aesthetic moment from rediscovered classics and impressive digital storytelling to cozy reading corners and thriving indie bookstores. America's bookish season is shaping a lifestyle that blends nostalgia, aesthetics, and community. Well, there's still a debate on that, are these bookish trends of Fall 2025 just aesthetics? If the reading community today is all about aesthetics and visuals, not on how good the book is, but how good the visual cover of the book is, or how much of a delusional story it could be?