This Catskill Hotel’s ‘Book Butler’ Handpicked 5 Perfect Reads for My Fall Vacation
From rom-coms by the heated pool to murder mysteries in a hammock, here's how one upstate New York resort turned my TBR packing list into part of my stay
Key Takeaways
- Literary travel trend: Wylder Windham resort offers a curated HarperCollins "Book Butler."
- On-site book butler: Guests borrow top fall reads directly by the pool or in a hammock.
- Catskills literary getaway: Explore top resort reads and local indie shop Briars & Brambles.
Literary travel is having a moment. From solo bookcations to girlfriend getaways, the book you pack has graduated from suitcase afterthought to the cornerstone of the trip itself. Plenty of hotels are leaning into the trend with themed suites and curated shelves—but one tucked-away resort in Upstate New York’s Catskill Mountains takes it a step further by recommending exactly what you should read while you’re there.
At Wylder Windham, a 20-acre all-season resort along the Batavia Kill River, guests can meet with the property’s Book Butler, a thoughtful service launched through a partnership with publisher HarperCollins. Browse a literary menu, “order” a title and settle in beside the hotel’s heated pool, on a hammock or one of the old-fashioned tree swings scattered across the grounds. The curated selection pulls from publishing partners William Morrow and Mariner Books, with options spanning swoony rom-coms, mom-rage-fueled murder mysteries and lush mythological retellings. You can read them during your stay—and if you fall in love with any, you have the opportunity to buy them to bring them home.
On my recent stay, I delighted in the fact that I could pack that much lighter, comforted in the knowledge that the hotel’s Book Butler would have a TBR stack ready and waiting for me—with reading chairs set against the dreamy fall backdrop of leaf-peeping country’s finest.
If you need help with your own fall vacation reading list, here’s a look at five titles you’ll find on the Wylder Windham’s Book Butler menu—paired with the quotes and reader reactions pulled straight from Goodreads.
1. ‘Chosen Family’ by Madeleine Gray
Spanning 18 chaotic years, Chosen Family is a hilariously raw look at a long-term female friendship tangled up in feuds, unspoken love and gorgeous messiness.
A standout line: “And why is it that the things we really mean are usually the hardest to put into words?” Another: “And always, despite unspoken feelings and sexual confusion, they will choose each other. Again, and again. As friends, as lovers, as family.”
Goodreads reviewers highlight its raw, messy energy and realistic handling of long-term female friendship dynamics. Readers praise the sharp dialogue and emotional resonance, though several reviews caution that the characters can be intensely frustrating and self-destructive.
2. ‘Last Night Was Killer’ by Mary Pauline Lowry
In Last Night Was Killer, a single mom tries to do it all (as per usual!)—including solving a murder (which she may or may not have committed. Oops.)
The opening line sets the tone: “Trying to have a lighthearted night out during an epic rough patch had somehow resulted in this—me, disturbingly hungover, with a dead man in my trunk.” Another gem: “The thing is: I have a dead white supremacist in my kids’ playhouse, and I went to his house to find clues as to who actually murdered him. When I was there, I stole his dog.”
Reviewers emphasize the hilarious “mom mystery” chaos, fast pacing and strong found-family dynamics—especially the “virgin pole dancing” group of friends and a standout dog named Little Sister.
3. ‘Love in Color’ by Bolu Babalola
Subtitled Mythical Tales from Around the World, Retold, this collection has been widely celebrated as a modern masterclass in short fiction and mythological retellings.
A line that captures its spirit: “Love is the prism through which I view the world. I truly believe it binds and propels us… Love is that light.”
Reviewers praise Babalola’s lush prose, highlighting how her stories prioritize female agency, mutual respect and joy.
4. ‘Everyone in My Family Has Killed Someone’ by Benjamin Stevenson
The opening line alone is irresistible: “Everyone in my family has killed someone. Some of us, the high achievers, have killed more than once.” Then this one lands: “Family is not whose blood runs in your veins; it’s who you’d spill it for.”
Readers rave about the self-aware, meta narration that explicitly lays out the “rules” of classic mystery writing before diving into a locked-room snow resort plot. The dark humor and quirky character dynamics make it a reader favorite.
5. ‘The Children’ by Melissa Albert
For readers drawn to dark fairy-tale ambiance and intricate prose, Albert’s novel delivers—no wonder it’s one of Jenna Bush Hager’s Read With Jenna picks. A standout line: “The children who grew up on these books and reread them later often say the same thing: These are darker than I remember. Crueler, stranger, more haunted by longing and loss. All good children’s books are.”
Another to savor: “A million stories begin like this: a girl went walking through a great wood. A traveler, moving along the stitched borders of countless possible tales.”
Goodreads reviewers adore Albert’s signature uncanny worldbuilding, noting that the book blurs the lines between real-world obsession, literary legacy and sinister magic.
Beyond the Book Butler: Briars & Brambles Books
Can’t get enough of books on your Catskills getaway or just want something to bring home? Just a six-minute walk from the resort, Briars & Brambles Books is a cozy independent bookstore owned by local resident Jen Schwartz, a former English teacher and school dean. Her team of booksellers—a retiree who’s a rare-book aficionado, a self-trained animal rescuer and chicken farmer and a nature lover and aspiring photographer—regularly update the shop’s Staff Picks section with thoughtful recommendations.
Bonus pick: ‘Land’ by Maggie O’Farrell
The book Jen and team picked for me on my visit was Land by Maggie O’Farrell, which they predict will be the next Yesteryear or The Correspondent.
For readers drawn to visceral historical atmosphere and deeply lyrical prose, the Hamnet author’s latest novel delivers as a historical epic that explores family, memory and survival in 19th-century Ireland during and after the Great Hunger.
Goodreads reviewers adore O’Farrell’s signature emotional intensity and precise sensory detail, noting that the book masterfully blurs the lines between raw human grief, quiet resilience, and the inescapable pull of the natural world.
Booking your bookish stay
Wylder Windham blends nostalgic Catskills charm with modern design across seven lodging options, from The Pines Inn to The Farmhouse. Guests can hop a vintage Land Rover Defender shuttle, pedal an electric mountain bike or warm up in a wood-fired sauna. Babblers, the on-site restaurant and bakery, serves comfort food, house-made pastries and craft cocktails. The heated pools stay open most of the year, and Windham Ski Mountain is only a two-minute drive away.
Whether you’re planning a solo readaway or a weekend with your favorite book club, this corner of the Northern Catskills makes a compelling case that the best souvenir from a vacation might just be your next favorite read.
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