Book Review: The September House by Carissa Orlando

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“Needs must when the devil drives.”

📚

In The September House, married couple Margaret and Hal can’t believe their good luck when they’re finally able to purchase their dream home at an affordable price. Their spacious Victorian comes equipped with more than they bargained for, however, as it devolves into carnage and chaos every September. Blood oozes down the walls and ghostly former inhabitants appear, disruptive yet terrified of something mysterious lurking in the dank basement.

Hal lasts four years before fleeing, but Margaret determinedly remains, and after Hal’s departure turns into a disappearance, the couple’s estranged daughter, Katherine, arrives, steadfastly determined to find him. The problem? It’s September, the haunting is in full swing, and it’s growing increasingly harrowing with each passing day. Can Margaret maintain her sanity while keeping it all a secret from Katherine? And can they work together to discover what happened to Hal?

This novel is a diamond from start to finish. Margaret’s unique narrative voice — pleasant and lighthearted among rampant mayhem, terror, and horror — is a breath of fresh air that generates an engaging and entertaining storyline, allowing the reader to easily digest appalling plot twists and reveals, of which there are many. It also aids the reader in dealing with Katherine, who, ironically, is the most unlikable and unpleasant character in the book.

Backed by a fascinating and brutally dark history, the enigmatic house springs to life, producing a layered, compelling, twisty, and astonishing story that gradually divulges its skeletons and redefines the haunted house trope. It’s a fantastic, fall-ready, cathartic reading experience that explores evil, secrets, truth, sacrifice, and family, and one that horror fans will devour, relish, and immediately add to their “favorites” shelves.

❤Amanda

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