As an avid reader, I've collected many books over the years that have either had a significant impact on me or were just plain fun to read. As the chilly fall weather approaches, here's a list of books that are perfect to cuddle up to along with a good cup of coffee (or hot chocolate, if that's your thing) and a big fuzzy blanket. A good lap cat is also recommended, but not required!

1. "Pillars of the Earth" by Ken Follet.

This book tells the story of three families set in the 12th century. The plot revolves around the building of the Kingsbridge Cathedral in England. It's considered historical fiction as Follet did all of the research of 12th century life and architecture and the cathedral is even based off a real-life one in England. Prepare for a commitment to this book because it's just under 1000 pages long!

2. "World Without End" by Ken Follet.

Most of the times, a sequel never ends up being as great as the original but once again Ken Follet nailed it. This time "World Without End" takes place in the 14th century at Kingsbridge Cathedral following the stories of the descendants of the original character from "Pillars of the Earth."

3. "Our Numbered Days" by Neil Hilborn.

If poetry is your jam, like mine, I very highly recommend reading this collection of poems from Hilborn. You may remember one of his poems that went viral a few years ago, "OCD." If you fell in love with that poem, you'll definitely enjoy the rest of his work as he perfectly explains life, love, and mental illness all while cracking a few jokes here and there.

4. "Collected Poems and Short Stories" by Mallory Whitten.

I found this book in a used bookstore and to this day it is one of my all-time favorites. Whitten includes several haikus about middle-class candy stores and stories about girls with knives at school. Mental illness is another prominent feature in this collection as well as a few NSFW pieces that could be inappropriate for some readers but still strike very deeply.

5. "The Art of Racing In The Rain" by Garth Stein.

This book is told from the point of view of a dog, Enzo, who is looking back on his long life with his owner and race-car driver. The book is witty, charming, poignant, and the ending is sure to be a tug on the heart strings. Or, in my case, turn you into a sobbing, inconsolable mess.

6. "Brave New World" by Aldous Huxley.

This book started out as a high school reading assignment but quickly proved itself worthy of being on my favorites list. Huxley's "Brave New World" is set in a post-apocalyptic society where everyone is developed in test tubes and assigned to certain castes as soon as they are developed. His satirical work criticizes the human race as beings of mechanical and passive consumption, as his fictional characters worship Henry Ford, creator of the inventory line.

7. "Selected Poems" by Pablo Neruda (translated by Anthony Kerrigan).

Although slightly dense at times, Anthony Kerrigan's translated work of Pablo Neruda allows us to experience the beautiful poetry that Neruda wrote when he was in Spain. He writes about love, life, loss and nature. There's something for everyone and if you enjoy poetry like I do, Neruda is a fantastic choice.

8. "Life As We Knew It" by Susan Beth Pfeffer.

This book follows a family after an apocalyptic event: an asteroid crashes into the moon, moving it closer to Earth! Although I read this book years ago (it's a bit of an easy read) it still makes it on my list of favorite books because it's crazy to think about what life would be like if the plot actually happened in real life.

9. "The Martian" by Andy Weir.

You may have seen the movie, but (as usual) the book is even better! There's so much more detail. This book tells the story of an astronaut left on Mars after an emergency evacuation by his team. He tries to survive alone while NASA works to retrieve him. I love this book because of the science behind it. It's perfectly plausible but just really darn expensive.

10. "The Elegant Universe" by Brian Greene.

If you are a space nerd like me, you will love this book. Theoretical physicist Brian Greene explains his theory about string theory! Don't let the math scare you, though. Greene does a fantastic job of trying to put his crazy, convoluted science and math terms into layman's words. This book gives you such a unique perspective on how our universe works.

11. "The God Delusion" by Richard Dawkins.

What I love about this book is that Dawkins disproves the idea of a God (or any other higher power) and does so in a non-inflammatory way. He never attacks people or beliefs personally, though some may take his atheism as an attack on religious beliefs in general. He convinces readers by bringing up several classic arguments for religion and deities and proves that each argument is invalid. Good read for anyone on the fence about their religion

12. "Eleanor and Park" by Rainbow Rowell.

As awesome as her name is, Rainbow's writing is even better. This book tells the story of Eleanor and Park and life as they navigate first loves and first heartbreaks. I absolutely recommend this book because it's real and powerful but not dense.

I hope you enjoy some of these greats reads and stay nice and cozy during this chilly fall weather!