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TITLE: The September House

AUTHOR: Carissa Orlando

PUBLISHER: Berkley

PUBLISHING DATE: September 5, 2023

PAGES: 336   

SOURCE: Netgalley ARC

FROM GOODREADS: When Margaret and her husband Hal bought the large Victorian house on Hawthorn Street—for sale at a surprisingly reasonable price—they couldn’t believe they finally had a home of their own. Then they discovered the hauntings. Every September, the walls drip blood. The ghosts of former inhabitants appear, and all of them are terrified of something that lurks in the basement. Most people would flee. 

Margaret is not most people. 

Margaret is staying. It’s her house. But after four years Hal can’t take it anymore, and he leaves abruptly. Now, he’s not returning calls, and their daughter Katherine—who knows nothing about the hauntings—arrives, intent on looking for her missing father. To make things worse, September has just begun, and with every attempt Margaret and Katherine make at finding Hal, the hauntings grow more harrowing, because there are some secrets the house needs to keep.

MY THOUGHTS: So, if you are a fan of horror or even if you just dabble in it from time to time, you do not want to miss out on Orlando's debut book, The September House.  I described this book to my good friend Stormi as sad, scary and comical and I pretty much stick to those descriptors now that I have completed devoured the book in two days.

Margaret and her husband Hal are empty nesters.  Their daughter has graduated college and started her own life elsewhere. Margaret has always dreamed of owning her a home so when she and Hal can snatch up a large Victorian House in a secluded area, they jump on it.  Never mind that there might have been a murder or two years ago.  Surely that won't interfere with their current plans.  Soon Margaret and Hal become aware of some spirits that remain in their house and refuse to pass on.  Some are relatively harmless such as the lady who only wants to clean the house and make tea.  Some more annoying such as the young boy Elias who will bite you if you get in the way.  But every September, the spirits ramp up, the walls start to bleed and whatever you do, never go into the basement.

I ADORED this book and cannot stress that enough.  I immediately connected to Margaret and her quirky and odd storytelling style.  She refuses to leave her home and believes everything is okay as long as they formulate rules and follow them.  Margaret is good at following rules and soon the reader learns why.  Margaret's daughter is also a force of nature herself.  She returns home when her father goes missing and although she is not immediately likable, I quickly learned why she acts in such a manner.  And I have to admit, her foul mouth made for interesting conversations between her and Margaret on most occasions.

This book had it all.  The right amount of family drama, mystery, ghosts, horror and even gore.  I will definitely pick up books from this author and my only complaint of The September House is that it's over.

MY RATING: 5 PAWS