pickThis was a good ghost story. A haunted Italian villa? Yes! I would have given this 5 stars, but every single character, except the MC, was horrible and unlikable. I‘m really thankful that my family is not like this! Still, I enjoyed it and think it‘s perfect for spooky season.
I never really read horror but am looking forward to this one for my #bookgang readalong #sundayfunday
pickThis was excellent! Not ultimately super scary, but such a great exploration of toxic family dynamics!
pickLitsy, there are times I eat with family and for the 1 1/2 hrs I am with them it‘s pure torture, so I can only imagine what 9 days in a Tuscan villa with 6 dysfunctional family members feels like for Anna. A nagging mother who wants stuff to happen so she can be a mother. An emotionally absent brick wall of a dad. A clingy twin who can‘t take responsibility for his choices. A sister so insecure, who just comes off so hateful and jealous. 👇🏼
Template by @/lacycstoner on Pinterest. Just as the title says these are my favorite reads of 2024, it was a really good year for me.
Since these will be the last 2 months I'll probably post them one after another, instead of bi-monthly like I did in the past. And with that out of the way, it's time for #2024bookbracket. Nov. has been my most active month with 14 books in total. A lot of it is due to reading Narnia novels, but also because I was aiming to hit my yearly goal.
(the template is by @/CSeydel)
#bookbracket2024
#ReadingBracket2024
#TopRead2024
#Bookreport
📚Currently reading:
🎧Lud in the Mist
🎧Rise of the King
Progress:
Last week was a very productive reading week. Tried to get a lot of shorter work done to make it to my Goodreads reading goal of 70 books. My favorite read has been Diavola. Still slowly making my way through Lud and I might put the Drizzt book on hold again until after I'm done with the challenge. Will try to pick another audiobook as well this upcoming week.
pickPicked this up on a whim yesterday, and it had me hooked.
To be fair it dragged in the third half of the book, and a lot of the events could have been summarized in a chapter or two. But, towards the end the book picked up the pace again and the very ending was extremely satisfying.
The gothic horror delivered well enough, although Italy isn't really ideal for a “scary book“ Maybe that's just me.
pickThis had some very interesting plot twists, especially in the last quarter of the book . However, could the author have written at least one likable character in the story? These are all pretty terrible people.
#hauntedshelf #trappedinaspookyhouse #bookspinbingo #skeletoncrew
pan🎃 No atmosphere, no vibes, definitely not gothic. I was rooting for the ghost to wipe all the terrible out in this book. One half terrible,
Privileged rich family with no redeeming qualities. The second half a non interesting spirit. Hot mess@of a book!
so-soI love a snarky character and Diavola‘s main character is nearly all snark! Her family is horrible, she‘s now dealing with some sort of vicious haunting, and she somehow keeps her sense of humor 🤣. In all seriousness, though, this did have some pretty unnerving parts, which I loved, but most of the characters were truly insufferable and annoying. All in all not a bad read but nothing life changing 🤷🏼♀️. 🌟🌟🌟
so-so2.25⭐
VIBES
-horror of the haunting variety
-gothic atmosphere
-family drama
-a remote villa in Italy
-an unlikable MC
PROS
-It did have some thoroughly creepy moments
-The narrator did a good job and she is one of my favs.
CONS
-All the petty family crap took me out of the story and left me confused when things actually started ramping up. I eventually just wanted it to end since it wasn‘t working for me.
pickScary with a bit of humor. A family on vacation at a haunted villa in Italy. There could have been more character development but I appreciate that th faster pace kept the tension high. And the end wasn‘t as predictable as I expected. Recommended for a quick creepy read.
pickSometimes family
Is a horror in itself
Toxically insane
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
#haikureview #horror #gothic #hauntedhouse
While the ghost parts didn't necessarily freak me out, the dysfunctional behavior of this family certainly did.
pickI really enjoyed this book. There were really good chills. I think Anna entered the book a little haunted already by the family dynamics. 4.5 stars.
#ReadAway2024
@Andrew65 @DieAReader @GHABI4ROSES
pick⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫
Extended family vacations can literally be hell! 😆 Haunted house stories aren‘t always my thing, but this one had an amazing Italian setting, really interesting family dynamics, and a serious creep factor. It was so cinematic - I could see the book play in my mind like a movie. My brain immediately cast The White Lotus actors as these characters, with the brilliant Aubrey Plaza as Anna.
Anna felt malice wrap around her, sharp as an itchy sweater now, that awful grating feeling, chalk on her fingers, eyebrow hairs being tweezed too quickly, the music they play when you‘re on hold for customer support.
#aardvarkbookclub #jointoday
pickJennifer Thorne skewers all-too-familiar family dynamics in this sly, wickedly funny vacation-Gothic. Beautifully unhinged and deeply satisfying, Diavola is a sharp twist on the classic haunted house story, exploring loneliness, belonging, and the seemingly inescapable bonds of family mythology.
#aardvarkbookclub #jointoday
..annnndd my #aardvark choices for April!!
I just couldn't resist 😁
@AardvarkBookClub
even the cover gives me the creeps…#audiophile #readinggoal #readinglife
Diavola | 
