October is probably the easiest month to convince me to change my entire reading mood. Give me cooler weather, a cozy blanket, a warm drink, and suddenly I want to read about haunted houses, witches, ghosts, old mysteries, and people making questionable decisions in creepy old buildings.
For this week's My Reading Picks, I wanted a little bit of everything. Some books are properly spooky. Some are gothic and atmospheric. Others have just enough ghosts or magic to give you that October feeling without keeping you awake all night. So whether you're looking for a witchy story, a dark academia mystery, or something to read while pretending you aren't scared of the noise coming from the other room, here's a fall TBR for you.
The September House by Carissa Orlando
Margaret and her husband Hal finally buy the beautiful Victorian house they've always wanted. There's just one problem: the house is haunted. Every September, the walls begin bleeding, ghosts appear throughout the house, and increasingly disturbing things start happening. Margaret, however, has made a decision. She loves the house and refuses to let a few ghosts ruin it for her. When Hal suddenly disappears, Margaret is left to deal with the house and its secrets on her own.
This was one of those books that immediately caught my attention because of the premise alone. A woman who knows her house is haunted and decides to stay anyway? I need to know why. I also love that this isn't just a straight-up horror story. There are some darkly funny moments underneath all the creepy stuff, and Margaret is such an interesting character to follow. It's definitely one I'd save for October when I'm in the mood to be a little scared but still want a story with personality.
The Once and Future Witches by Alix E. Harrow
Set in 1893, The Once and Future Witches follows three estranged sisters, James Juniper, Agnes Amaranth, and Beatrice Belladonna, who find themselves reunited in New Salem. As the women's suffrage movement gains momentum, the sisters discover that the old magic they thought had disappeared may still exist. They begin using forgotten spells and uncovering a history of witches that powerful people would rather keep buried.
I love when a book manages to combine the things I already enjoy. There's women's history, sisterhood, magic, and a little bit of rebellion, all wrapped up in a beautifully atmospheric setting. It also feels like the kind of book that belongs on a fall reading list even if you're not normally a fantasy reader. The witchy elements give it that October feeling, but there's enough history and character development to make it more than just a spooky-season read.
The Cloisters by Katy Hays
Ann Stilwell arrives in New York hoping to spend the summer working at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, but instead finds herself working at The Cloisters, a Gothic museum and garden dedicated to medieval art. There, she becomes fascinated by a mysterious medieval tarot deck and the possibility that its creator may have discovered a way to predict the future. As Ann becomes more involved with the people and secrets surrounding the museum, the line between curiosity and obsession begins to blur.
This is the one I'd reach for when I want fall atmosphere without necessarily wanting ghosts jumping out at me. Give me Gothic architecture, old artifacts, tarot cards, academia, and secrets, and I'm in. There's something about dark academia that just feels made for this time of year, especially when you're reading it while curled up somewhere with a cup of tea. It's mysterious and atmospheric in a way that makes you want to keep turning the pages just to see what everyone is hiding.
What Moves the Dead by T. Kingfisher
In this reimagining of Edgar Allan Poe's The Fall of the House of Usher, retired soldier Alex Easton travels to a decaying estate after learning that an old friend is gravely ill. But something is deeply wrong with the house and its surroundings. Strange fungi are growing everywhere, animals are behaving strangely, and the people inside seem to be deteriorating in ways that are difficult to explain.
I love a short book that knows exactly how to create an atmosphere. This one is strange, unsettling, and just plain creepy, which makes it perfect for October. I also appreciate that you don't need to commit to a giant horror novel to get the full spooky experience. It's the kind of book I'd recommend when you want something eerie that you can finish quickly, especially if you're looking for something a little different from the usual haunted-house story.
The Hacienda by Isabel Cañas
After the Mexican War of Independence, Beatriz accepts a marriage proposal from a wealthy man and moves into his isolated hacienda. From the outside, it looks like the life she's been hoping for. But once she arrives, she begins experiencing strange occurrences throughout the house. Doors open on their own, shadows appear, and Beatriz starts to suspect that the hacienda is hiding something far more sinister than its beautiful exterior suggests.
I am always going to have a soft spot for a gothic story with an enormous house, a mysterious husband, and something very wrong happening behind closed doors. The Hacienda also gives the gothic formula a historical Mexican setting, which makes it feel different from the usual haunted manor stories. It has that slow, atmospheric creepiness I want from a fall read, where you know something is wrong but you're still very curious about what happens next.
The Sun Down Motel by Simone St. James
Carly Kirk travels to Fell, New York, to investigate the disappearance of her aunt Viv, who vanished decades earlier while working at the Sun Down Motel. To get closer to the truth, Carly takes the same job her aunt once had. But the motel hasn't changed much over the years, and neither have the ghosts. Carly begins seeing the spirits of women who died there and uncovers a connection between their deaths and a series of unsolved murders.
This one is perfect for the mystery reader who wants a little supernatural activity with their investigation. I like that there is an actual mystery to follow alongside the ghosts, so it doesn't rely solely on being scary. There's something very compelling about an old motel, a string of unsolved murders, and a protagonist determined to figure out what happened. Basically, if you're going to spend October solving a fictional murder, you might as well have some ghosts helping you along the way.
The Dead Romantics by Ashley Poston
Florence Day is a ghostwriter who has stopped believing in love. She can also see ghosts, although that's something she keeps to herself. When her editor dies unexpectedly, Florence's carefully controlled life gets turned upside down when his ghost shows up at her door. What follows is an unexpected romance that crosses the boundary between the living and the dead while Florence also has to confront her feelings about love, loss, and moving forward.
Of course I had to include an Ashley Poston book. The Dead Romantics has exactly the kind of supernatural element I like because the ghosts are only part of the story. At its heart, it's about grief, love, and figuring out how to keep living when you've lost something important. It's emotional without losing the fun of the premise, which makes it a nice choice if you want something spooky for October but don't actually want to scare yourself silly. Plus, ghosts and romance? That's basically a fall reading mood all by itself.
Maybe your ideal October book has witches. Maybe you want a haunted house. Maybe you want dark academia, ghosts, gothic mansions, or a mystery that makes you suspicious of every character. Or maybe, like me, you want all of it depending on your mood.
That's what I love about fall reading. There isn't really one kind of book that belongs on your October TBR. Sometimes you want something creepy. Sometimes you want something cozy. Sometimes you want to read about people making terrible decisions in haunted houses while you're safely sitting in your own bed.
If you read any of these, I'd love to know what you thought. Send me an email at ihorton@whatsupmag.com and tell me what you're reading this fall. And if you have a book that gives you the perfect October feeling, send that my way too. I’m always looking for the next book to add to my never-ending TBR.
