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3.14 AVERAGE
3.14 AVERAGE
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Fantastic setting but didn’t love the book itself. Def appreciate the story of generally realistic marriage
(3.5/5) After reading (and disliking) Christopher Golden's Road of Bones, I'm glad that I gave this novel a chance. Young couple Kate and Tommy have moved to Becchina, a run-down hill town in Italy offering dirt-cheap homes to anyone willing to relocate and revitalize the town. Tommy's family hails from the region, and for him, it's a homecoming of sorts. His grandmother is delighted to have them there – until she realizes which house they've moved into.
Known to the townsfolk as "The House of Last Resort", the house was formerly owned by the Catholic Church. Strange happenings begin to occur: whispers in the wind, doors that seem to lock and unlock on their own. As the couple learns more about the dark history that lies beneath their very floorboards, they find themselves becoming increasingly paranoid. Are they simply being affected by the superstitious locals, or is something far more sinister at play?
Though this novel gets off to a slow start, it ends up being a compelling and unsettling read. Enviable slice-of-life vignettes of a young couple enjoying the Italian countryside are juxtaposed against religious horror in all its forms, from malevolent supernatural forces to the real-life abuses perpetuated by the Catholic Church. The mounting terror concludes with an appropriately bleak and horrifying ending, one that feels starkly hopeless and empty. Overall, an engaging and entertaining read.
Known to the townsfolk as "The House of Last Resort", the house was formerly owned by the Catholic Church. Strange happenings begin to occur: whispers in the wind, doors that seem to lock and unlock on their own. As the couple learns more about the dark history that lies beneath their very floorboards, they find themselves becoming increasingly paranoid. Are they simply being affected by the superstitious locals, or is something far more sinister at play?
Though this novel gets off to a slow start, it ends up being a compelling and unsettling read. Enviable slice-of-life vignettes of a young couple enjoying the Italian countryside are juxtaposed against religious horror in all its forms, from malevolent supernatural forces to the real-life abuses perpetuated by the Catholic Church. The mounting terror concludes with an appropriately bleak and horrifying ending, one that feels starkly hopeless and empty. Overall, an engaging and entertaining read.
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
adventurous
dark
funny
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Christopher Golden has delivered a horror novel that incorporates a haunting, demonic possession, and very dark family secrets into a thrill a minute narrative that kicks you in the face around every corner.
A couple, Tommy and Kate, buy a home in a small Sicilian city for $1.00 under the terms that they must stay for five years and spend $50,000 to renovate it. Being from America, they are looking forward to life in a small Sicily town, escaping the hustle and bustle of modern day America.
Tommy has grandparents in that town, which makes the move a bit easier. He's only been there a few times because of a rift between his father and grandfather. But they are happy to have Tommy and Kate there as they make a better life for themselves.
And then, well, things are going to get creepy. They go from creepy to horrifying, and from horrifying to pants staining horror and dread!
Life in this Sicilian town seems quaint and laid back at first. But there's something about their house and, despite warnings from the grandmother, they soon find themselves experiencing things that make them doubt their sanity.
This novel works on a lot of different levels. It's a fantastic haunted house story but that's nothing compared to WHY it's haunted and why it has the titular name.
This book builds it's tension like a house of cards, carefully constructed and when the wind finally blows it down, it unleashes a hell storm of terrors which will surely be in your nightmares long after you finish reading.
Underground catacombs with mummified remains, rats that seem to have an evil purpose, and demon possessed rats which you HAVE to read about are all unleashed. And that's just the start of what this family is hiding. It becomes truly horrific as it goes on and I didn't want to put it down (although stupid "real life" stuff forced me to lol).
I read this in two sittings and don't regret a thing! I highly recommend this novel and don't read it at night.
A couple, Tommy and Kate, buy a home in a small Sicilian city for $1.00 under the terms that they must stay for five years and spend $50,000 to renovate it. Being from America, they are looking forward to life in a small Sicily town, escaping the hustle and bustle of modern day America.
Tommy has grandparents in that town, which makes the move a bit easier. He's only been there a few times because of a rift between his father and grandfather. But they are happy to have Tommy and Kate there as they make a better life for themselves.
And then, well, things are going to get creepy. They go from creepy to horrifying, and from horrifying to pants staining horror and dread!
Life in this Sicilian town seems quaint and laid back at first. But there's something about their house and, despite warnings from the grandmother, they soon find themselves experiencing things that make them doubt their sanity.
This novel works on a lot of different levels. It's a fantastic haunted house story but that's nothing compared to WHY it's haunted and why it has the titular name.
This book builds it's tension like a house of cards, carefully constructed and when the wind finally blows it down, it unleashes a hell storm of terrors which will surely be in your nightmares long after you finish reading.
Underground catacombs with mummified remains, rats that seem to have an evil purpose, and demon possessed rats which you HAVE to read about are all unleashed. And that's just the start of what this family is hiding. It becomes truly horrific as it goes on and I didn't want to put it down (although stupid "real life" stuff forced me to lol).
I read this in two sittings and don't regret a thing! I highly recommend this novel and don't read it at night.
2 stars because even though i didn't love it, it was so close in being something i wouldve liked.
Didn't Like: The dialogue is so stiff and over explained. Having the POV switch between Kate and Tommy didnt leave anything to the imagination. We know everyones every thought.
It felt like the first half of the book was spent explaining how the couple wanted to help tourism for the city and how much they couldnt wait for their friends to move with them. Thats fine but when you pair it with the plot of the haunted house its weird trying to envision it all happening at once.
It was hard to wrap my head around two americans (with italian heritage) moving to italy and almost immediately jumping into how they can make their town a tourism opportunity.
And the ending???? What was that?????
Liked: some parts were really creepyyy!!
Didn't Like: The dialogue is so stiff and over explained. Having the POV switch between Kate and Tommy didnt leave anything to the imagination. We know everyones every thought.
It felt like the first half of the book was spent explaining how the couple wanted to help tourism for the city and how much they couldnt wait for their friends to move with them. Thats fine but when you pair it with the plot of the haunted house its weird trying to envision it all happening at once.
It was hard to wrap my head around two americans (with italian heritage) moving to italy and almost immediately jumping into how they can make their town a tourism opportunity.
And the ending???? What was that?????
Liked: some parts were really creepyyy!!
4/5 has the makings of a horror classic.
Recently, I’ve had a wonderful opportunity to read an advance readers copy of The House of Last Resort by New York Times bestselling author Christopher Golden. It’s been an absolutely awesome experience and a great pleasure to be given such an opportunity.
I can see how and why Golden has gotten his accolades, the way he allows the reader to envision the events playing out is artful. High praise to this book, I swear if this doesn’t become a feature film I’ll be surprised. The book comes out January 30th 2024, you will not regret its possession of you.
Millennials Thomas and Kate Puglisi find the rat race of American life impossible to keep up with, and wish to cultivate a growing and fruitful family. After receiving a spam email about homes in Sicily selling for a euro (with certain strings attached) they both jump on the opportunity of a simpler life in the Old World. Incredibly, the town in which the advertisement comes from, is in the hill town his grandparents still live in. After the loss of his own parents, he finds this is a great chance to bond with the paternal side of his family, and maybe gain more perspective of his family.
Little do Kate and Thomas know, they’ve bought a house previously owned by the Vatican. The House of Last Resort, where the Vatican shipped those with overwhelming cases of possession too hard to handle by church exorcists. All information of this house has been withheld by their real estate agent and neighbors, as the come well acquainted with apparitions, strange noises, and a disturbing history of their home.
Merged review:
4/5 has the makings of a horror classic.
Recently, I’ve had a wonderful opportunity to read an advance readers copy of The House of Last Resort by New York Times bestselling author Christopher Golden. It’s been an absolutely awesome experience and a great pleasure to be given such an opportunity.
I can see how and why Golden has gotten his accolades, the way he allows the reader to envision the events playing out is artful. High praise to this book, I swear if this doesn’t become a feature film I’ll be surprised. The book comes out January 30th 2024, you will not regret its possession of you.
Millennials Thomas and Kate Puglisi find the rat race of American life impossible to keep up with, and wish to cultivate a growing and fruitful family. After receiving a spam email about homes in Sicily selling for a euro (with certain strings attached) they both jump on the opportunity of a simpler life in the Old World. Incredibly, the town in which the advertisement comes from, is in the hill town his grandparents still live in. After the loss of his own parents, he finds this is a great chance to bond with the paternal side of his family, and maybe gain more perspective of his family.
Little do Kate and Thomas know, they’ve bought a house previously owned by the Vatican. The House of Last Resort, where the Vatican shipped those with overwhelming cases of possession too hard to handle by church exorcists. All information of this house has been withheld by their real estate agent and neighbors, as the come well acquainted with apparitions, strange noises, and a disturbing history of their home.
Recently, I’ve had a wonderful opportunity to read an advance readers copy of The House of Last Resort by New York Times bestselling author Christopher Golden. It’s been an absolutely awesome experience and a great pleasure to be given such an opportunity.
I can see how and why Golden has gotten his accolades, the way he allows the reader to envision the events playing out is artful. High praise to this book, I swear if this doesn’t become a feature film I’ll be surprised. The book comes out January 30th 2024, you will not regret its possession of you.
Millennials Thomas and Kate Puglisi find the rat race of American life impossible to keep up with, and wish to cultivate a growing and fruitful family. After receiving a spam email about homes in Sicily selling for a euro (with certain strings attached) they both jump on the opportunity of a simpler life in the Old World. Incredibly, the town in which the advertisement comes from, is in the hill town his grandparents still live in. After the loss of his own parents, he finds this is a great chance to bond with the paternal side of his family, and maybe gain more perspective of his family.
Little do Kate and Thomas know, they’ve bought a house previously owned by the Vatican. The House of Last Resort, where the Vatican shipped those with overwhelming cases of possession too hard to handle by church exorcists. All information of this house has been withheld by their real estate agent and neighbors, as the come well acquainted with apparitions, strange noises, and a disturbing history of their home.
Merged review:
4/5 has the makings of a horror classic.
Recently, I’ve had a wonderful opportunity to read an advance readers copy of The House of Last Resort by New York Times bestselling author Christopher Golden. It’s been an absolutely awesome experience and a great pleasure to be given such an opportunity.
I can see how and why Golden has gotten his accolades, the way he allows the reader to envision the events playing out is artful. High praise to this book, I swear if this doesn’t become a feature film I’ll be surprised. The book comes out January 30th 2024, you will not regret its possession of you.
Millennials Thomas and Kate Puglisi find the rat race of American life impossible to keep up with, and wish to cultivate a growing and fruitful family. After receiving a spam email about homes in Sicily selling for a euro (with certain strings attached) they both jump on the opportunity of a simpler life in the Old World. Incredibly, the town in which the advertisement comes from, is in the hill town his grandparents still live in. After the loss of his own parents, he finds this is a great chance to bond with the paternal side of his family, and maybe gain more perspective of his family.
Little do Kate and Thomas know, they’ve bought a house previously owned by the Vatican. The House of Last Resort, where the Vatican shipped those with overwhelming cases of possession too hard to handle by church exorcists. All information of this house has been withheld by their real estate agent and neighbors, as the come well acquainted with apparitions, strange noises, and a disturbing history of their home.
4/5 has the makings of a horror classic.
Recently, I’ve had a wonderful opportunity to read an advance readers copy of The House of Last Resort by New York Times bestselling author Christopher Golden. It’s been an absolutely awesome experience and a great pleasure to be given such an opportunity.
I can see how and why Golden has gotten his accolades, the way he allows the reader to envision the events playing out is artful. High praise to this book, I swear if this doesn’t become a feature film I’ll be surprised. The book comes out January 30th 2024, you will not regret its possession of you.
Millennials Thomas and Kate Puglisi find the rat race of American life impossible to keep up with, and wish to cultivate a growing and fruitful family. After receiving a spam email about homes in Sicily selling for a euro (with certain strings attached) they both jump on the opportunity of a simpler life in the Old World. Incredibly, the town in which the advertisement comes from, is in the hill town his grandparents still live in. After the loss of his own parents, he finds this is a great chance to bond with the paternal side of his family, and maybe gain more perspective of his family.
Little do Kate and Thomas know, they’ve bought a house previously owned by the Vatican. The House of Last Resort, where the Vatican shipped those with overwhelming cases of possession too hard to handle by church exorcists. All information of this house has been withheld by their real estate agent and neighbors, as the come well acquainted with apparitions, strange noises, and a disturbing history of their home.
Merged review:
4/5 has the makings of a horror classic.
Recently, I’ve had a wonderful opportunity to read an advance readers copy of The House of Last Resort by New York Times bestselling author Christopher Golden. It’s been an absolutely awesome experience and a great pleasure to be given such an opportunity.
I can see how and why Golden has gotten his accolades, the way he allows the reader to envision the events playing out is artful. High praise to this book, I swear if this doesn’t become a feature film I’ll be surprised. The book comes out January 30th 2024, you will not regret its possession of you.
Millennials Thomas and Kate Puglisi find the rat race of American life impossible to keep up with, and wish to cultivate a growing and fruitful family. After receiving a spam email about homes in Sicily selling for a euro (with certain strings attached) they both jump on the opportunity of a simpler life in the Old World. Incredibly, the town in which the advertisement comes from, is in the hill town his grandparents still live in. After the loss of his own parents, he finds this is a great chance to bond with the paternal side of his family, and maybe gain more perspective of his family.
Little do Kate and Thomas know, they’ve bought a house previously owned by the Vatican. The House of Last Resort, where the Vatican shipped those with overwhelming cases of possession too hard to handle by church exorcists. All information of this house has been withheld by their real estate agent and neighbors, as the come well acquainted with apparitions, strange noises, and a disturbing history of their home.
Recently, I’ve had a wonderful opportunity to read an advance readers copy of The House of Last Resort by New York Times bestselling author Christopher Golden. It’s been an absolutely awesome experience and a great pleasure to be given such an opportunity.
I can see how and why Golden has gotten his accolades, the way he allows the reader to envision the events playing out is artful. High praise to this book, I swear if this doesn’t become a feature film I’ll be surprised. The book comes out January 30th 2024, you will not regret its possession of you.
Millennials Thomas and Kate Puglisi find the rat race of American life impossible to keep up with, and wish to cultivate a growing and fruitful family. After receiving a spam email about homes in Sicily selling for a euro (with certain strings attached) they both jump on the opportunity of a simpler life in the Old World. Incredibly, the town in which the advertisement comes from, is in the hill town his grandparents still live in. After the loss of his own parents, he finds this is a great chance to bond with the paternal side of his family, and maybe gain more perspective of his family.
Little do Kate and Thomas know, they’ve bought a house previously owned by the Vatican. The House of Last Resort, where the Vatican shipped those with overwhelming cases of possession too hard to handle by church exorcists. All information of this house has been withheld by their real estate agent and neighbors, as the come well acquainted with apparitions, strange noises, and a disturbing history of their home.
Merged review:
4/5 has the makings of a horror classic.
Recently, I’ve had a wonderful opportunity to read an advance readers copy of The House of Last Resort by New York Times bestselling author Christopher Golden. It’s been an absolutely awesome experience and a great pleasure to be given such an opportunity.
I can see how and why Golden has gotten his accolades, the way he allows the reader to envision the events playing out is artful. High praise to this book, I swear if this doesn’t become a feature film I’ll be surprised. The book comes out January 30th 2024, you will not regret its possession of you.
Millennials Thomas and Kate Puglisi find the rat race of American life impossible to keep up with, and wish to cultivate a growing and fruitful family. After receiving a spam email about homes in Sicily selling for a euro (with certain strings attached) they both jump on the opportunity of a simpler life in the Old World. Incredibly, the town in which the advertisement comes from, is in the hill town his grandparents still live in. After the loss of his own parents, he finds this is a great chance to bond with the paternal side of his family, and maybe gain more perspective of his family.
Little do Kate and Thomas know, they’ve bought a house previously owned by the Vatican. The House of Last Resort, where the Vatican shipped those with overwhelming cases of possession too hard to handle by church exorcists. All information of this house has been withheld by their real estate agent and neighbors, as the come well acquainted with apparitions, strange noises, and a disturbing history of their home.
Loved the premise of moving to Italy and to an old house that the locals seem to hate. The couple wasn’t my favorite and then it took a twist that made me cringe. Not a book I’d recommend
So boring and slow for me so I didn't get invested or care to see what happens. I got to page 100 and I didn't read the rest.