It seems that no matter how old you get, and how removed from school you are, September always feels like a new beginning—a fresh start of sorts, a promise of exciting new possibilities. That newly crisp chill in the air says “new year, new me” way more than New Year’s Day, when I’m typically lying on the couch with a headache and regrets. It’s a time for new shoes, new clothes, new stationary supplies. At the same time, I return to hallowed fall rituals, like rewatching Gilmore Girls and baking apple crisps. One of my more personal traditions is re-reading the YA classic The Perks of Being a Wallflower, which to me is the embodiment of autumn-tinged nostalgia; a blend of looking back in fondness and looking forward in anticipation. Usually, I feel inspired and emotionally fortified by this re–read. But this year, it went a little differently.
The Perks of Being a Wallflower celebrated its 20th anniversary last year, published in 1999 by MTV Books at a time when MTV was still an important part of youth culture (Daria was still on the air at this point, very formative for little me). The plot is simple: Charlie is a high school freshman coming out of a dark period, who vows to turn his life around in high school by really living. Quickly making friends with seniors Sam and Patrick, Charlie’s first year of high school is an emotional ride full of love and trauma. The book is told in epistolary format, entirely composed of Charlie’s letters to a mysterious “you.” Who he is writing to is never made clear, nor does it matter. Since 2004, Perks has made scattered appearances on America’s Top 10 Most Challenged Books Lists for a bevy of typical reasons, namely “drugs/alcohol/smoking, homosexuality, offensive language, sexually explicit, unsuited for age group.” This doesn’t even mention the exploration of mental illness and suicide. So basically, all the things that would attract young readers trying to figure out the world and their place in it.
The beautiful thing about this book is that it ages well. It’s situated in the early 90s, but it’s vague enough in period details and honest enough in its humanity that it appears timeless (well, except for the mixtapes, but who doesn’t love a mixtape?). For younger readers, Perks is like a warm, reassuring hand, guiding them through the most confusing and sometimes the most difficult years of their lives. For adults, it can be just as powerful; like holding in your hands a physical manifestation of memory. I didn’t read the book until my university years, and it still hit me like a truck. Though Charlie is technically only 15 by the book’s end, he has the wisdom of a much older, highly observant adult. “This moment will just be another story someday,” he says, commenting on a football player who just scored a touchdown, and later, “Maybe it’s sad that these are now memories. And maybe it’s not sad.”
“It is a truth universally acknowledged…” that Jane Austen’s works have been adapted what seems like countless times, whether it’s a film adaptation of one of her novels or a modern retelling of one of her books, written by another author. There are also books written about Jane Austen and her family, as well as books about groups of Jane Austen fans. As an Austen fan myself, I often eschew any “updates” on Austen’s works. After all, what could be better than re-reading Pride and Prejudice for the umpteenth time? That being said, like many, I’ve spent a lot of time at home these last few months, and from the latest film version of Emma that came out earlier this year to binge-watching the TV series Sanditon, based on Austen’s unfinished novel of the same name, it feels like Austen is all around me. If you’re feeling inclined to go down the rabbit hole of endless Austen, here are a few recommendations. You can find Austen’s works in the 
In Sense and Sensibility, the three Dashwood sisters and their widowed mother must leave Norland Park, the estate on which they grew up, after their half-brother, John, inherits it upon their father’s death. With little money, they find a cottage to rent. Marianne attracts the attention of Colonel Brandon. However, she finds herself infatuated with the charming John Willoughby. Meanwhile, Elinor forms an attachment with Edward Ferrars, but things get awkward when she learns of his prior engagement.
In this YA retelling of Sense and Sensibility, Plum Blatchley is quiet and introspective, while her older sister, Ginny, has a flair for the dramatic. The two often get on each other’s nerves, but when their family is faced with financial ruin, they must support each other as they navigate the trials of growing up.
Perhaps the best known and most frequently adapted of all Austen’s works, Pride and Prejudice is the story of Elizabeth Bennet and her sisters and their romantic entanglements. When Elizabeth meets the wealthy Mr. Darcy, she finds him rude and prideful. But as she gets to know him, her feelings begin to change.
Ayesha at Last by Uzma Jalaluddin 
My least favourite Austen novel, Mansfield Park is the story of young Fanny Price, who at age 10 is sent to live with her wealthy aunt and uncle. She is treated unkindly by everyone except her cousin Edmund. While there, she meets the Crawford siblings. Henry Crawford decides to make Fanny fall in love with him, for his own amusement, while Mary forms at attachment with Edmund but spurns his lack of finances.
Murder at Mansfield Park by Lynn Shepherd 
Beautiful and charming Emma Woodhouse considers herself something of a matchmaker and believes she knows best. In her father’s eyes she can do no wrong. Family friend Mr. Knightley is the one person who can find fault with Emma. When Emma’s attempts to find a husband for her friend Harriet go horribly awry, she is forced to acknowledge her own mistakes and her heart’s true desire.
Polite Society by Mahesh Rao 
When Catherine Morland, an avid reader of Gothic novels, travels to Bath, she is introduced to Henry Tilney. The Tilney family invite her to stay at their home, Northanger Abbey, and Catherine’s overactive imagination leads her to expect something out of one of her novels. Over the course of the book, Catherine gains a better understanding of herself and the world around her.
Seventeen-year-old Cat Morland is invited to attend the Edinburgh Fringe Festival with her neighbours. There, she meets Henry Tilney and his sister, Eleanor. When she is invited to their family home, Northanger Abbey, her imagination runs wild as she imagines dark secrets lurking in every corner.
Eight years ago, Anne Elliot rejected Frederick Wentworth’s proposal due to his uncertain future and lack of finances. When Frederick returns to town, Anne finds that she is still in love with him. But is it too late for a second chance at love?
When Chef Ashna Raje is asked to join the cast of reality TV show Cooking with the Stars, it seems like the perfect opportunity to save her struggling restaurant. Until she is paired with Rico Silva, soccer star and Ashna’s first love whose heart she broke when they were teens. Dev is also the author of Austen adaptation 
Lady Susan is Austen’s epistolary novel about a charming yet amoral widow who is determined her daughter should marry the rich man her mother has chosen for her. Lady Susan was recently adapted into the movie 
Jane Austen started writing Sanditon in 1817 but was unable to finish due to her declining health. The novel begins with Mr. and Mrs. Parker experiencing a carriage accident on the way to the Sanditon, a seaside town that Mr. Parker hopes to turn into a fashionable resort. While their carriage undergoes repairs, they stay with the Heywood family. Oldest daughter Charlotte Heywood takes an interest in Sanditon, so the Parkers invite her to come with them as their guest. While there, Charlotte meets many interesting people, including Mr. Parker’s business partner, the wealthy widow Lady Denham, and his attractive brother Sidney. Sanditon was recently turned into a 