September 2023 Books Read

The Honeys by Ryan La Sala CR: Scholastic

Weyward – Emilia Hart

The story of Weyward Cottage takes place during three distinct periods of time:

2019: Kate flees an abusive partner to the dilapidated home she inherited from her great aunt, but begins to suspect her aunt harbored a secret.

1619: Altha awaits trial for the stampeding death of a local man, and as a woman deemed dangerous, her fate is unknown.

1942: With WWII keeping Violet confined to her family’s oppressive estate, she yearns for her deceased mother and hopes to learn more about who she was.

This is beautifully written, sweeping story about three powerful women who seek to make a home in the world. ⭐⭐⭐⭐

The Honeys – Ryan La Sala

Mars returns to Aspen, a secluded summer camp retreat for elites, to explore the mysterious circumstances surrounding his sister’s horrific death. He settles in with The Honeys, a group of girls who maintain beehives, with whom his sister spent much of her time. Over the course of a hot summer stay, Mars realizes that Aspen isn’t exactly what it appears to be, and he could also be in danger.

This was a fun YA novel that kept me guessing until the end. I loved the atmosphere at Aspen, right down to its bizarre traditions and folksy horror elements. ⭐⭐⭐

The September House – Carissa Orlando

Margaret and her husband Hal have finally purchased their dream home – a charming Victorian on Hawthorn Street – but soon realize that the house is haunted. Very, very haunted. And September? September is its most active month. But Margaret refuses to leave – it’s her home, after all. Four years of nightmarish living later, Hal leaves, unable to take it any longer…but he won’t return phone calls and no one knows where he is. Their daughter, Katherine arrives to search for him, totally unaware that her parents’ home is haunted. And of course, she arrives in September.

I LOVED this book. It was so incredibly fun, and the nonchalance of the narrator about her situation made for a nice balance of humor and horror. Carissa Orlando will become an auto-read author for me. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

What Lies in the Woods – Lindsay Currie

Lindsay Currie writes spooky middle grade fiction, so if you’re looking for something lighter, or something to read aloud as a family during October, one of her books might be for you!

Ginny Anderson’s father is a restoration expert, and his job leads his family to a summer spent at Woodmoor Manor, a decrepit estate at the edge of a creepy wood. Locals worry about creatures that walk the forest, and when the mansion comes alive with eerie activity, Ginny devotes her time to uncovering the secrets within its walls. ⭐⭐⭐

The Return – Rachel Harrison

Four friends gather at an eerie secluded boutique resort after one of them reappears after two years missing, with no memory of what happened to her. But she’s not the same…

This book has a low rating on Goodreads, and the primary complaint seems to be too much talking and not enough happening for much of the book. I actually liked this, and enjoyed the dynamic among the group of friends. I wish Harrison would set another story at this creepy hotel, because the setting was fantastic for the season. ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Cackle – Rachel Harrison

After loving The Return, I immediately picked up Cackle, the story of a young woman who leaves New York City following a breakup to take a teaching position in a quaint village upstate. The town is warm and inviting, perfect and picturesque. Just what she needs for a fresh start.

Then Annie meets enchanting Sophie, who takes a keen interest in Annie, wanting to become friends and spend more and more time together. Completely charmed by her, Annie can’t help but want to be in her new friend’s presence, even though the townsfolk seem to fear her. As unusual events begin to unfold, Annie can’t help but wonder who (or what!) Sophie really is.

Perfectly atmospheric for fall with just a hint of spookiness, I think Cackle is a fun book for anyone looking for a seasonal read. I am really enjoying Rachel Harrison, and will be reading Black Sheep in October. ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Fall Reading List 2023

This year, my reading list is comprised of many genres, rather than just the spooky reads I have focused on in years past.

On the list: cozy mysteries, middle grade fiction, fantasy, a bit of YA (even though I generally don’t like YA), horror, and some literary fiction. A touch of magic. A graphic novel. It’s quite the autumnal mish mash of reading goodness.

I’ll be updating my reads and reviews in my September – November blog posts and on Instagram!

Spooky Backlist Reading Recommendations

An evening chill is starting to creep into the air, leaves will soon be changing colors, and with Labor Day weekend behind us, I am firmly focused on fall.

I enjoy the occasional spooky book all year long, but in September and October they are the focus of my reading. I tend to gravitate towards haunted house stories, or variations within that theme.

Here’s a few of my favorite backlist selections for you to add to your Spooky Season TBR:

Dead Silence by S.A. Barnes

A repair crew is heading back to Earth when they pick up a distress signal coming from the Aurora, a luxury space-liner that disappeared on its maiden voyage of the solar system more than twenty years ago. When the crew begins to investigate the craft, it’s quickly apparent that things aren’t right: there’s whispers, words written in blood, and scenes of horrible deaths. What happened to the Aurora?

The isolation of space is terrifying enough. Factor in missing spacecraft, salvage crews, and lots of unexplained death? I am all in. If you’re a fan of films like Event Horizon, Sunshine, and Supernova this one will probably work for you.

Wylding House by Elizabeth Hand

Wanting to work on their next album, a band takes up residence at Wylding Hall, a large country house with many secrets. The lead singer disappears within the mansion, never to be seen again. The surviving musicians reunite at Wylding Hall years later with a documentary film maker, hoping to tell their story and uncover what happened to one of their band members.

This gave me “Daisy Jones & the Six but for Spooky Season” vibes.

The House Next Door by Anne Rivers Siddons

Colquitt is a proper society lady in 1970s Atlanta, so imagine her disgust when buyers purchase the beautiful vacant lot next to her home and build a modern monstrosity of a home there. The tragedies of three different homeowners are presented, and the dread that builds over the course of the novel is perfect for spooky season. There’s something just not right with the house next door.

More eerie than horror, this is a great gateway to the haunted house genre for those who just want some tension and unease. (Or some great storytelling from Anne Rivers Siddons, who is known for her southern fiction.)

The Caretaker of Lorne Field by Dave Zeltserman

Generations of the Durkin family have weeded Lorne Field for almost 300 years. It’s the most crucial job in the world, although the town scoffs at the family’s determination to tend the field. The Durkins know that if they don’t, a terrible monster will grow…or will it?

This story had me guessing until the very last page, and I loved every minute.

Penpal by Dathan Auerbach

A novel that was born from a series of posts in an online horror forum, Penpal tells the story of a man who reflects on the horrible and unsettling events throughout his childhood to try to understand what happened.

The building tension and eerie factor make this one a standout I won’t forget.

Burnt Offerings by Robert Marasco

Ben and Marian Rolfe are ready for a summer away from their steamy Brooklyn apartment, so when an offer to rent a mansion in upstate New York comes along at a low price, they quickly accept. The one catch? Resident Mrs. Allardyce lives in one of the wings of the house and the family must leave meals for her. Creepy and inexplicable events begin to plague the home and family, who soon realize that their summer rental comes with a higher cost than anticipated.

1970s vibes and a creepy mansion in the country are a great combination. Maybe my favorite combination?

How to Sell a Haunted House by Grady Hendrix

Louise must return to her childhood home after the sudden death of her parents, and she isn’t looking forward to anything about that: dealing with the loss, leaving her young daughter behind, reacquainting herself with her brother, and handling the sale of the house, which happens to be stuffed with her mother’s beloved puppets and dolls. Some houses don’t want to be sold, however, and the nightmare truly comes alive in this fun horror story from master Grady Hendrix.

I have completely enjoyed everything I have read by Hendrix thus far.

Kill Creek by Scott Thomas

Four modern horror authors are invited to spend Halloween night at Finch House, an empty and overgrown dwelling at the end of an isolated country road. What starts as a publicity stunt becomes a fight for survival in this engrossing page-turner I read in almost one sitting.

This is probably my favorite haunted house story to date, but it definitely veers hard into horror. (Unlike some of the other titles mentioned here, which are much lighter.)

Into the Drowning Deep by Mira Grant

The Atargatis embarked on a voyage to the Mariana Trench to film a mockumentary about legendary ancient sea creatures, but the vessel and all crew were lost. Was it a tragedy or a hoax? No one could say for sure.

Years later, a new crew assembles to venture back to the Mariana Trench. And those legendary ancient sea creatures? The mermaids are very real, and not like the ones in cheerful musicals.

A one-day read for me, this blend of horror and a bit of sci-fi was perfection. Into the Drowning Deep remains one of my most recommended books of all time, and one of the most fun reading experiences I have had.

Have you read any of these? Which one would you choose first for Spooky Season?

August 2023 Books Read

Read each book’s complete synopsis on Goodreads and check out my quick thoughts below:

Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt

A woman who has lost her family finds solace in cleaning the local aquarium, befriends the resident octopus, and seeks the truth behind her son’s mysterious death.

This is an incredibly heartfelt story about a woman who cleans the Sowell Bay Aquarium and befriends one of its residents, a cranky old octopus named Marcellus. The story deftly navigates loss and trying to embrace the future when the past still has a tight grasp on your heart. I was completely charmed by Marcellus’ narration and really loved that this sweet story also explored themes of friendship and family and what it means to move on. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Strange Sally Diamond by Liz Nugent

Sally Diamond knows she is different from other people, but when she removes the body of her dead father with the rubbish, she doesn’t understand why she becomes the media’s focus…she was only carrying out his wishes. As she slowly learns about the horrors of her childhood, someone from her past resurfaces and forces her to confront some difficult truths about her history.

Once I started reading, I could not put down this page-turner of a story. This is purposefully vague review because you need to go into this one knowing as little as possible. Wow. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

The Summit: How Triumph Turned to Tragedy on K2’s Deadliest Days by Pat Falvey and Pemba Gyalje

In 2008, 18 climbers from around the world set off for the peak of K2, the second tallest mountain in the world. Claiming one of every four climbers who attempt to reach its summit, it is also the deadliest. A series of catastrophic events led to 11 lives lost and even more lives changed forever.

In 2022, my husband and I developed an intense fascination with mountain climbing, particularly the tallest peaks in the world. We devoured documentary after documentary before I turned my attention to nonfiction. It had been awhile since I picked up a book on the topic, but I revisited the Karakoram mountains with this deep dive into the 2008 K2 climbing disaster. ⭐⭐⭐⭐

The Paper Palace by Miranda Cowley Heller

Elle has awoken many summer mornings at her family’s retreat, known affectionately as “The Paper Palace,” but everything changes the morning after she has sex with her childhood friend and young love. Although she is a happily married mother, Elle spends the next 24 hours trying to decide the future she wants.

I’ll be taking a look at my “Best of Summer” reads next week, but I dare say that The Paper Palace might come out on top. I absolutely adored everything about this story – the summer vibes that felt more “mossy pond and screen door slams”, young friendship evolving into love that becomes a distraction in the present, and the ways our past can continue to affect our lives. Moving back and forth through time provided me the history of the family and summers past. Amazing. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

The Last One by Will Dean

A woman who embarks on a cruise with her boyfriend wakes up to realize she is completely alone on an ocean liner drifting at sea.

I was so intrigued by the premise for this thick thriller: a passenger on a cruise ship wakes up to discover she is completely alone. The plot became a bit bonkers from there, then became increasingly bonkers until the very last paragraph when I, quite literally, rolled my eyes and closed the cover on my Kindle. ⭐⭐

The Whispers by Ashley Audrain

The lives of four neighborhood families are forever changed when a young boy falls from his bedroom window in the middle of the night.

Audrain knows how to write a gripping story, and this book culminates in a shocker of a line in the book’s final paragraph, just like in The Push. I liked the themes of this book – friendships and marriages on a neighborhood street – but found The Push to be just a bit better. ⭐⭐⭐⭐

The Wishing Game by Meg Shaffer

A beloved yet reclusive children’s author returns to writing and offers four contestants the chance to participate in a game with an incredible prize.

The plot synopsis felt very Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory for book lovers, which is what initially drew me to the story, but how it all came together was incredibly lackluster. The puzzles the contestants were to solve to win the grand prize started out promising and then quickly evolved into activities that were neither creative nor interesting. One of the main storylines, the protagonist hoping to adopt a young boy, was very unrealistic. I didn’t want or need a romance in this book either. A huge miss for me in just about all aspects. ⭐⭐

Puzzle House by Duncan Ralston

Six strangers arrive at the home of a renowned puzzle master for the reading of his will, only to discover they must solve a series of puzzles to escape with their lives.

I have only read one other book by Duncan Ralston (Ghostland) and found it to be fun, although a bit lacking. My sentiments for Puzzle House are similar. Both of these books were good, but could have been great. The trapped participants in this story had completely bonkers puzzles to solve, many of which required a very specific breadth of knowledge to do so. It was fine.⭐⭐.5

A House with Good Bones by T. Kingfisher

Sam looks forward to a break from work and time with her mom watching British mysteries and sipping wine, but her mother’s odd behavior and unusual happenings in the house lead her to start digging for the truth about her childhood home.

I adore a haunted house story, and the lure of kicking off spooky season with a Southern Gothic read was very appealing. As the childhood home became increasingly creepy and the protagonist’s mom displayed more concerning behaviors, I found myself sucked deeper into the story. The tone was eerie with a hint of playfulness, which was a fun combination for my first official fall read. ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Cursed Bunny by Bora Chung

Short story collections are difficult to rate and review because it’s rare that there is consistency throughout. This proved true yet again with Cursed Bunny. The first few stories were creative and gave my skin just a hint of that creepy-crawly feeling, but as I progressed through the book the stories weakened, became longer, and I quickly lost interest. It started as a four star read and was a two by the end. ⭐⭐

Gen Con at Home 2023

Last year, hot off our excitement from our first board game convention (Origins Game Fair) and subsequent sadness we weren’t attending the largest U.S. board game convention (Gen Con) we decided to create a special board gaming weekend at home.

For Gen Con at Home 2022, (which was VERY impromptu) we did the following activities:

  • Our (then) 6 year-old created badges for the family to wear.
  • We set up a board game store where she created price tags and a shopping experience for us so we could practice money math.
  • We picked up meals from local vegan food trucks.
  • We played a giant stack of games throughout the weekend.
  • We watched Gen Con coverage on YouTube.
  • Our 6 year-old made a list of board games played to practice writing skills.

From August 3 – August 6, with a Saturday emphasis for our activities, join us in celebrating Gen Con from the comfort of your own home.

Here’s what we will be up to:

  • Creating lists of our current top 10 favorite games.
  • Making badges for our family using our old con lanyards. (the 7 year old)
  • Watching Gen Con coverage on YouTube.
  • A Saturday morning coffee run and carry-out meals all day. Junk food will also be on hand.
  • Playing a massive stack of games from Friday-Sunday. Hopefully learning 1-2 new games as well.
  • Playing games we don’t own on Board Game Arena.
  • Sharing our weekend through many posts on social media @brownhouseboardgames on IG.
  • Using the following printables and social media graphics to track our stats:

Printables and Social Media Graphics (see below)

Tag me in your IG posts so I can share them! @brownhouseboardgames

Other Ideas for Gen Con at Home Challenges

It you take on your own challenges, please tag me in your posts so I can see what you’re up to!

  • “Number Challenge” Set a goal for how many games you’d like to play in a day and see how far you get.
  • Do a “Designer/Publisher Challenge”, playing through the ones you own and ranking them.
  • Have a Roll & Write marathon and play a stack of games from this genre.
  • The “Kids Pick Challenge” – Let the kids pick all the games to play in a day.
  • The “I Miss You Challenge” – Play the 3 or 5 games in your collection you have neglected the longest.
  • Play the lightest game in your collection followed by the heaviest.
  • “New Game Challenge” – tackle that Unplayed Shelf!
  • The “Indecisive Challenge” – write game titles on slips of paper or add to a spinner on the internet and let the fates decide what you play.
  • The “Rainbow Challenge” – Get your ROYGBIV on and play a game with a box of each color of the rainbow.

Card and Dice Game Challenge

Print out this sheet to keep track of the card and dice games played throughout Gen Con at Home. Have the kiddos practice writing the game titles in the boxes.

Mid-Year Board Gaming Report IG Story Graphic

Fill in and share on IG – don’t forget to tag me so I can share yours too!

Gen Con at Home Bingo IG Story Graphic

Check the boxes as you go and share your card on IG – don’t forget to tag me!

Board Game Challenge Checklist

This is A4 document sized for easy printing!

Board Game Challenge Checklist

5 Games Getting Released at Gen Con IG Story Graphic

General Gen Con at Home List of Games Played

My Current 10 Favorite Games to Play IG Story