The books I finished reading in may. Diavola by Jennifer Thorne, a fun story about a family visiting Italy and the villa they rent is causing friction with the family due to the house being haunted. The House of Last Resort by Christopher Golden. Another book that takes place in Italy about a couple that purchases a cheap house in a small village. To be close to old family that lives there. The house turns out to be last owned by the church to use for excorcisms. The Gathering Dark is a collection of folk horror. a fun little collection. The short stories are interesting some were kinda meh. I really enjoyed, one line bridge by hannah Whitten and the third burn by Courtney Gould. Ghost station by S.A. Barnes. a fun fast read. I liked the atmosphere. Reminded me a mix of dead space and prometheus. Did feel like it should have been a sequel. With what happened to the main character on the mining colony she grew up on. Would have loved to read a full book on that. The All Consuming World by Cassandra Khaw. my least favorite book this month. It was OK. Fun aparts. Went by kind of fast then just kind of ends. Had a hard time connecting with the characters. Did want to know what happened more after the book ends so thats good.
"Diavola" by @jennmariethorne delivers the perfect mix of family dysfunction and haunted house. Taking place in Italy, "Diavola" focuses on the Pace family, particularly black sheep Anna. The 34-year-old unmarried graphic artist is the smartest and most self-aware of her relatives. So, they constantly needle her and cast her as the scapegoat for their problems. Anna's outsider status makes her vulnerable to the malicious spirit, La Dama Bianca. The evil entity causes a sense of dread, spoils food, and causes occupants to lose time. All villa visitors eventually become obsessed with the home's locked tower. It doesn't end well. Thorne takes her time in builiding tension, adding humor and descriptions of Italy, and creates a satisfying ending to Anna' story that will leave black sheep everywhere cheering. I rate "Diavola" by @jennmariethorne 4.5/5. #diavola #diavolanovel #diavolajenniferthorne #diavolaitaly #jenniferthorne #jenniferthorneauthor #jenniferthornewriter #jenniferthornediavola #jenniferthornehorror #hauntedhousediavola #jenniferthornehauntedhouse #jenniferthorneghosts #annapace #ladamabianca #haunteditaly #dysfunctionalfamilyvacation
“She went to bed just before midnight, a much more civilized hour than nine thirty, as respectably tipsy as she should be on vacation, and at last, relaxed enough to sleep. The scream came just before dawn.” . Every year, the Pace family does a vacation together. Every year, Anna dreads it. Her sister constantly picks her apart, her twin brother doesn’t come to her defense often, and she is an overall scapegoat for malcontent within the family. This year, the vacation is in Monteperso, Italy, and it’s soon clear that the Paces may not be the only someone’s in the house. . A bit horror, a bit campy, a bit jumpy, a few spots that made me laugh; “Diavola” is all of those things, as well as an instigator for wanting to learn Italian via Duolingo. Anna is easy to identify with, although some family members (looking at you, Nicole) seemed to fall easily into stereotypes. There were a few loose ends that it seemed like Thorne wanted to let us guess on our own - ie how that someone gets where they get to in the end. Pieces of it also seemed rushed toward the end. For that, I’m knocking it down to 🌟🌟🌟/🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟. I’d say it didn’t make me particularly jumpy, but I also mostly read this in the daytime and/or sun. Enjoy your visit to the Villa Taccola. . #diavola #jenniferthorne #readsontherails #youcancheckoutanytimeyoulikebutyoucanneverleave #villataccola #bookreview #bookreviewer #24booksin2024 #book19 #goodreadschallenge2024 #goodreadswithaview #goodreads #book #books #booksofinstagram #bookstagram #readmorebooks #supportyourlocallibrary #medialibrary #delco
‘Diavola’ by Jennifer Thorne is dark and disturbing. A cursed Italian villa with AirBNB availability. It will have you rethinking your vacation plans. Central to the story is the residence’s off-limits tower. Nothing like an “anywhere but” warning to make your visitors fixate. While an architectural reality within ‘Diavola,’ the tower is also a symbolically cataclysmic force within the Tarot. Although this card typically portrays an event of fierce destruction, it is not always negative in nature. Change may be sudden, but a degree of upheaval is often necessary for the greatest change. When The Tower (XVI) appears, it is likely a call for flexibility and fearlessness. Sea legs will be optimal. You can’t stop the wave, your only options are to ride it out or to grow gills. Be ready to evolve. #book #booksbooksbooks #bookstagram #tarottuesday #tarot #tarotreader #tarotreading #thetower #diavola #jenniferthorne #actonandellis #beldamyears
“How is the villa at night? You’ll see.” . . #diavola #jenniferthorne #readsontherails #hauntedhouse #somethingwickedthiswaycome #whatgoesbumpinthenight #readmorebooks #thriller #suspense #italianvilla #villataccola #travelwithabook #24booksin2024 #book19 #goodreadschallenge2024 #goodreadswithaview #goodreads #book #books #booksofinstagram #bookstagram #supportyourlocallibrary #medialibrary #delco
DIAVOLA by Jennifer Thorne ⭐⭐⭐⭐ -- I guess I'm strange because I did not think this cover was that creepy, but so many people reacted to my story about it. 🤣 SO, if you think the cover is scary, then don't read this book. Welcome to the Pace Family vacation..... where EVERYONE sucks so bad. Omg. Anna is the black sheep of the family and arrives late to their rented Italian villa. Everyone in town is scared of Villa Taccola, but the Pace family perseveres - it's vacation after all! That is.... until strange things start to happen. Thorne makes even one of the most idyllic settings terrifying. I really liked the haunted villa premise, but again, call me crazy - I wish it was scarier?? If you like Rachel Harrison or ghost stories, this book is for you! ✨❤️ -- #bookstagram #books #booksofinstagram #igreads #readersofinstagram #diavola #jenniferthorne #horrorbooks
✨June Book Club Pick ✨ June’s theme is vacation horror. Our book is Diavola by Jennifer Thorne! Is this one on your tbr? No better time to join in and read it with us! #bookclub #diavolajenniferthorne #jenniferthorne #books #bookish #horrorbooks #diavola #horrorbookclub #creepitrealbookclub
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Diavola by Jennifer Thorne ••• Anna has two rules for the annual Pace family destination vacations: Tread lightly and survive. It isn’t easy when she’s the only one in the family who doesn’t quite fit in. Her twin brother, Benny, goes with the flow so much he’s practically dissolved, and her older sister, Nicole, is so used to everyone—including her blandly docile husband and two kids—falling in line that Anna often ends up in trouble for simply asking a question. Mom seizes every opportunity to question her life choices, and Dad, when not reminding everyone who paid for this vacation, just wants some peace and quiet. The gorgeous, remote villa in tiny Monteperso seems like a perfect place to endure so much family togetherness—until things start going off the rails—the strange noises at night, the unsettling warnings from the local villagers, and the dark, violent past of the villa itself... Jennifer 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. (Warning: May invoke feelings of irritation, dread, and despair that come with large family gatherings.) ••• #diavola #jenniferthorne
Six days until our Diavola live show for the Big Bad Booty B*tches Book Club! There's still time to join in & read along with us if you'd like to.🥰👻📚🩸 We have monthly book club live shows on my booktube channel with other booktube co-hosts & a book club Discord you can join. All links are in my bio💖 . . #bookclub #booksbooksbooks #diavola #jenniferthorne #bookstagram #book #igreads #booktube #bookish #horrorbooks #horrorbookstagram #spookybooks #bookclubofinstagram #bigbadbootybitchesbookclub
Diavola by Jennifer Thorne 4.5/5 🌟🌟🌟🌟 What a great and creepy book. What's scarier? Dealing with your toxic family while on a vacation to Italy, or the haunted house you are staying at? Hard to choose. Both were weaved so well together in this book. This book starts out a little slow, but it's the family dynamic that pulls you in and we really needed this build up to the creepiness. The second half of the book was everything I would want in a haunting. The ending! Whoa. #jenniferthorne #horror #horrornovels #haunted #hauntedhouse #italy #toxicfamily
🌼LIVE SHOW🌼 The 4 B's Book Club live show for Diavola will be next Saturday, June 1st at 6pm PST/ 9pm EST on my youtube channel (link in bio) The lovely Sam from @sams.little.corner and Emily from @booksby__emily will be co-hosting with me as well! We look forward chatting with you all!🤪📚👻 . . . #bookclub #bookstagram #bookstagrammer #igreads #horrorbooks #spookybooks #diavola #jenniferthorne #booktube #bookclubs #bookclubbook #booksbooksbooks #bookaesthetic #bookish #bookinstagram
🌞🔥SUMMER HORROR👻🌴 Who else here is ready for summer? I’ve never loved summer until I moved to Norway. I grew up in Italy, and summer in Italy is just the worst - it’s really hot and humid for like 4 months and it feels like hell. But since moving to Norway things have reversed - I now hate winter and love summer. Who would have guessed. Anyways, here is a selection of my favourite horror books with summer vibes! While making this post I realised I need more horror books with spooky summer ambience - recs are welcome! Books in the pictures + a lil description: 🪼Rolling in the Deep by Mira Grant - novella, evil mermaids 🦈The Salt Grows Heavy by Cassandra Khaw - lyrical body horror, mermaid MC 🐬Chlorine by Jade Song - coming-of-age, competitive swimming 🐋Our Wives Under the Sea by Julia Armfield - sapphic, haunting, ocean’s depths 🐟Dark Waters by Katherine Arden - 3rd book in the Small Spaces series, middle grade 🐡The Haar by David Sodergren - coastal Scottish village, a strange creature with bloody needs emerges from the water… 🌴You’re Not Supposed to Die Tonight by Kalynn Bayron - summer camp, slasher, final girls 🪵My Best Friend’s Exorcism by Grady Hendrix - friendship, demonic possession, 80’s 🌞Maeve Fly by CJ Leede - princess by day, k*ller by night 🌻Bloom by Delilah S. Dawson - sapphic cottagecore with a dark twist 🌾Diavola by Jennifer Thorne - Italian holidays, but the house is haunted 🔥Goddess of Filth by V. Castro - the Craft, scéance, ancient divinities 🌵Mary by Nat Cassidy - perimenopause rep, serial k*llers, desert 🏜️Through the Night Like a Snake: Latin American Horror Stories - anthology, queer, dark and haunting 🌈Rainbow Black by Maggie Thrash - 90’s satanic panic, m*rder mystery 🍑Salt Slow by Julia Armfield - short stories, body horror 🌺Sundial by Catriona Ward - desert setting, past secrets 🌼Lost in the Garden by Adam S. Leslie - folk horror, «Don’t go to that place» and then they go to that place 💧Water Shall Refuse Them by Lucie McKnight Hardy - witchcraft, historical 🍓Into the Drowning Deep by Mira Grant - Mariana Trench, mockumentary Have you read any of these? 🌞
🎧 📖 Review: Diavola by Jennifer Thorne ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ If you are an audiobook person you know that the narrator makes a huge difference, and this one was so good!!! Slightly slow build horror story but it kept me hooked. I loved the black sheep female main characters humor and wittiness throughout this story. 🇮🇹🛖🗺️🧟♀️ Anna and her dysfunctional family take a vacation to Italy, staying in a villa with a tower that no one should open. But of course they do and mayhem occurs. Anna starts having disturbing dreams and visions. Anna has the sense that something is seriously wrong, but as always, any attempts to warn her family are waved off. As much as Anna wants to keep the family drama away the villa has other plans. #diavola #jenniferthorne #gothichorror #horrorreader #audiobook #audiobooksofinstagram #audiobookreview #readmorehorror #booksbooksbooks #bookstagram #bookworm
“As Anna approached the villa, she felt entirely alone. Unnaturally so. There was something about the energy here. Not calm, exactly. More… preserved in amber.” . . #diavola #jenniferthorne #readsontherails #villataccola #italy #travelwithabook #suspense #thriller #newlypublished #recentlyreleased #newbook #supportyourlocallibrary #medialibrary #book #books #booksofinstagram #bookstagram #24booksin2024 #book19 #goodreadschallenge2024 #goodreadswithaview #goodreads #donotopenit #thingsthatgobumpinthenight #delco
“Anna heard the girls laugh behind her, but when she turned, they weren’t there. Nicole was right. Sounds carried strangely here.” . . #diavola #jenniferthorne #readsontherails #goodreads #goodreadschallenge2024 #book19 #goodreadswithaview #thriller #suspense #supportyourlocallibrary #delcolibraries #medialibrary #readmorebooks #recentlypublished #newrelease #villataccola #italy #travelwithabook #fridayeve #fridayjr #mdw #delco
Aangezien ik nu verlof heb en even niet in de boekhandel zal zijn, toch nog vlug enkele boeken gekocht 🙈 #Bookhaul #TheTempleOfFortuna #ElodieHarper #Diavola #JenniferThorne #WomansLore #SarahClegg
🖤 Book Review 🖤 Diavola by @jennmariethorne 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟/5 First and foremost, a shout out to my bestie @savvyyreads! I told her that I was headed to Venice Italy for a cruise/vacation, and she recommended I read Diavola. She was so insistent on it that she gifted it to me on a ROAK before I left and asked that I read it while on my trip. I very happily agreed, I've been wanting to dip my toe into this genre for a while, and this was a great place to start! I LOVED IT! I would absolutely recommend this book. It was a 5 star read for me, and I'm so thankful to Savannah for the gift/recommendation! It hooks you in from the beginning and never lets go. Well written, great flow and a terrifying yet terrific story (in a fabulous setting). Amazing book Jennifer, I need more 😂🖤🤌🏻 QOTD What's your favorite horror or paranormal book that you've read? OR What's your favorite genre to read while on vacation?
Book 140/40 and 45/150: Diavola by Jennifer Thorne Review: I feel like this would translate well into film. ⭐⭐⭐⭐ #teachergram #teacher #msgbteaches #book #read #reading #books #audiobook #40bookchallenge #100bookchallenge #review #bookclub #bookreview #library #challenge #diavola #jenniferthorne
Diavola by Jennifer Thorne, 4⭐️ Synopsis: the Pace family goes on their annual family vacation but odd things start stacking up against the family during their stay at Villa Taccola. Ok. First of all. Our main girl Anna’s family is the real nightmare here. Second. Goddamn I love a good gothic horror. Give me that spooky atmosphere any day of the week and I’m a happy camper. The setting, the unease, the general discomfort of a family full of buttheads? Thorne understood the assignment and delivered. This came with an absolutely glowing recommendation from @stephloveshorror and she was Not Wrong. I was losing my mind at my work desk over this- especially when shit really started hitting the fan at the villa. And now if you haven’t read this, it comes with a glowing recommendation from me. 😈
Diavola by Jennifer Thorne 🇮🇹 ⭐️: 5 “𝘼𝙣𝙙 𝙨𝙤, 𝘼𝙣𝙣𝙖 𝙙𝙧𝙖𝙣𝙠 𝙙𝙚𝙚𝙥𝙡𝙮 𝙤𝙛 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙨𝙤𝙡𝙞𝙩𝙪𝙙𝙚 𝙬𝙝𝙞𝙡𝙚 𝙨𝙝𝙚 𝙨𝙩𝙞𝙡𝙡 𝙘𝙤𝙪𝙡𝙙. 𝙎𝙝𝙚 𝙠𝙞𝙘𝙠𝙚𝙙 𝙪𝙥 𝙝𝙚𝙧 𝙛𝙚𝙚𝙩, 𝙡𝙤𝙤𝙠𝙚𝙙 𝙤𝙪𝙩 𝙖𝙩 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙫𝙞𝙨𝙩𝙖 𝙩𝙝𝙧𝙤𝙪𝙜𝙝 𝙝𝙚𝙧 𝙨𝙪𝙣𝙜𝙡𝙖𝙨𝙨𝙚𝙨, 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙩𝙧𝙞𝙚𝙙 𝙝𝙚𝙧 𝙗𝙚𝙨𝙩 𝙩𝙤 𝙞𝙜𝙣𝙤𝙧𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙘𝙧𝙚𝙚𝙥𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙩𝙝𝙤𝙪𝙜𝙝𝙩 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙞𝙩 𝙬𝙖𝙨𝙣’𝙩 𝙨𝙤𝙡𝙞𝙩𝙪𝙙𝙚 𝙞𝙛 𝙨𝙝𝙚 𝙬𝙖𝙨𝙣’𝙩 𝙖𝙘𝙩𝙪𝙖𝙡𝙡𝙮 𝙖𝙡𝙤𝙣𝙚 𝙞𝙣 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙝𝙤𝙪𝙨𝙚 𝙖𝙩 𝙖𝙡𝙡.” This has to be my favorite horror book of 2024 so far! Not only did the interestingly, creepy cover art draw me in but the plot..the story, the family drama. The author put a funny “warning: may invoke feelings of irritation, dread, and despair that come with large family gatherings” in the synopsis of the book and boy was she right! That damn Pace family irritated me to no end, like WTF WAS UP WITH THEM?!😂 I honestly felt really bad for our FMC Anna. The first half of this book takes place in Tuscany, it was utterly creepy and eerie and just so well done where it just felt like I was there on this vacation with them too..I was totally immersed! The scary scenes were so well written that while I would be home alone and reading this, I was creeped out😂 . . #books #booksbooksbooks #bookstagram #bookstagrammer #readmorebooks #ilovebooks #bookworm #booklover #bookish #bookaesthetic #bookaholic #bibliophile #bookgirlie #kindlegirlie #horrorbooks #diavola #jenniferthorne #spookybooks #bookcommunity #bookclub #booklovers #bookrecommendations #bookreview #bookreader #bookreviewer #fivestarread #gothicbooks
🗝️Diavola🗝️ This is the first horror novel I have ever read! I did go into it a little skeptical because of that, but I ended up really enjoying it! The haunted house element was just creepy enough to have me jumpy without causing me to lose any sleep😅. I was entertained by the toxic family dynamic of the main characters family and the vacay vibes definitely made it enjoyable as well. This is a great horror to read in the summer, especially if you’re traveling to Italy😉. I picked up this book because it was our #bookstabookclub pick for the month of April, but I ended up not being able to go to the book club meeting. However, I’m still glad it drove me to try out horror for the first time! Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆ . . . . . #horror #diavola #jenniferthorne #horrornovels #summerhorror #readhorror #books #bookish #read #reader #bookreview #bookphotography #booklover #readmorebooks #reading #hauntedhousenovels #summerreading #summerreads
☀️ 𝕋𝕙𝕚𝕤 𝕨𝕖𝕖𝕜'𝕤 𝕋𝔹ℝ (20.05.-26.05.) ☀️ 🌻 The Lessons (Naomi Alderman) This 2011 novel by the author of The Future recently made it home from the library with me. It might be dark academia, maybe? 🌻 Diavola (Jennifer Thorne) @thebookboy and I made a (devilish) pact to finish Diavola this month. Wish us luck! 🌻 The Crossing Places (Elly Griffiths) I'm finally taking @ekhnreads's excellent advice to read the Ruth Galloway series, it's about time 🖤 . . . . . . . . . . #bookstagram #bibliophile #igreads #currentlyreading #instaread #lovetoread #whatimreading #bookreviewer #bookpost #tbrpile #justread #bookishphotography #whattoreadnext #readallday #booksofinstagram #bookpic #newreads #ellygriffiths #jenniferthorne #naomiealderman #thelessons #diavola #darkacademia #mystery #horror #crimefiction
🌊 Book Review… If you are like me and you gravitate towards horror/thrillers for vacation, then INCOMING— I have a book rec for you. My beach book this weekend was: ➡️ Diavola, by Jennifer Thorne 5 gargantuan stars. I freaking LOVEDDDDD this book— Think haunted house, on a Tuscan dream vacation, with a reliable narrator whose family sees her as unreliable. While I wouldn’t say Anna is a “good” person, she also wasn’t a “bad” one? And she was an incredible FMC that I genuinely couldn’t help but root for, especially in the final 30% of the book. This was integral to my enjoyment as I HATED Anna’s family with my whole being ☠️. This delivers on horror, thrill, family dysfunction, and also a subtle and awesomely dark sense of humor. I need some time to absorb, but tbh, idk if I have much to say other than— this is exactly what I want when I pick up a book about a haunting! I was nervous towards the end that I might not feel satisfied with the closure we are given, especially regarding certain relationships, but I am so happy to say I was proven wrong. Some of the final events shook me in the best way— and the final two pages gave me the deepest satisfaction. If you like haunted house/dark entity stories, are looking for a non-romance beach read, enjoy dark-ish family dysfunction, & a satisfying ending— this is your book. 5/5⭐️ ❔What is a movie you have watched that truly scared you? ~also~ I LOVE haunted house books— so, if you have a favorite please drop a rec in the comments❔ 🫶🏻 Hope you are surviving this Monday, Fam. 😆 swipe to see BTS of my book photo shoot compliments of my dad (and son 🤣) 🏷️: #aardvarkbookclub #diavola #jenniferthorne #bookreview #spookybooks #bookstagram #bookishreview #bookrec #beachbook #beachreads #hauntedhousebooks #bookish #bakersbookends
June’s Book Pick is Lute by Jennifer Thorne! Hope you all are ready to Join Us in June for this fun community bonding experience, please don’t make any unnecessary sacrifices in your efforts to join is😉 Okay, but for real all I have been thinking about while monitoring our book vote is Lute form Hazbin Hotel😅🤣 (-@tinysunstudios) #doublefeaturecreaturecrypt #lute #lutejenniferthorne #jenniferthorne #bookstagram #bookclub #multimedia #multimediaclub #reading #read #joinusjune
I love these so much — Even though 1 scared the s%*t out of me 😂 #favoritebooks #thrillerbookstagram #horrorbookstagram #mysterybooks #thrillerbookrecs #horrorbookrecs #horrorbooks #bookrecommendations #thrillerbooks #thevanishingofjoniblackwood #theinvited #thechildrenonthehill #jennifermcmahon #diavola #jenniferthorne #christinahenry #nearthebone #cackle #witchybooks #rachelharrison
“You were looking for the weak one in the flock, right? The one you could draw aside and push over the edge. Isolate from everyone and feed upon, but see, that was the first flaw in your logic: I’m not a lost lamb. I’m a black sheep.” Diavola by Jennifer Thorne a haunted house story that makes hte leap into something wholly original • ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ • pub 2024 Tor Nightfire • 296 pages • 55 of 2024 • #diavola #jenniferthorne
Happy Saturday everyone! What books are you enjoying this weekend? I’d love to know. For me it’s all about the thrills and chills. And thanks to my local library I scored two new releases I’m excited to read. The first being Diavola by Jennifer Thorne Synopsis: Anna is dreading being on a destination vacation with her dysfunctional family. The gorgeous, remote villa in tiny Monteperso seems like a perfect place to endure so much family togetherness, until things start going off the rails—the strange noises at night, the unsettling warnings from the local villagers, and the dark, violent past of the villa itself. I love a good gothic haunted house storyline. Especially when it includes a remote Villa. I’m also planning on enjoying Kill For Me Kill For You by Steve Cavanagh Synopsis: One dark evening on New York City’s Upper West Side, two strangers meet by chance. Over drinks, Amanda and Wendy realize they have much in common, especially loneliness and an intense desire for revenge against the men who destroyed their families. As they talk into the night, they come up with the perfect plan: if you kill for me, I’ll kill for you. In another part of the city, Ruth is home alone when the beautiful brownstone she shares with her husband, Scott, is invaded. She’s attacked by a man with piercing blue eyes, who disappears into the night. Will she ever be able to feel safe again while the blue-eyed stranger is out there? Have you read either of these yet? Are they on your TBR? . . . . . . Ps. I also couldn’t resist pairing them with some spooky bookmarks from @readingwith_cloe . She has a new summer collection. Definitely recommend checking it out & use my code DANY10 when you do. . 📖👻🔪 #killformekillforyou #stevecavanagh #atriabooks #suspencethriller #thrillerreader #currentlyreading #diavola #jenniferthorne #nightfirepublishing #ghoststories #spookyreads #gothicreads #bookrecommendations #booksbooksbooks #booksandbookmarks
. Lute by Jennifer Thorne Genre: Horror Subgenre(s): Folk Horror, Destination Horror Have you ever felt a book pull you in before you’ve even opened it’s pages? Like a siren call, whether from the gorgeous cover art by Xiao Hua Yang or simply by the title or book-back premise, Lute charmed me each time I would pass by it at the bookstore. I’d received an arc of Thorne’s latest novel, Diavola, from Tor Nightfire, and after thoroughly enjoying that book, knew it was time to return to the store and retrieve that copy of Lute I must have touched dozens of times. That copy had been sold and so it would be a few more months before I purchased a hardcover copy and joined a friend in reading it. Holding my copy of this book felt surreal because although it wasn’t the same copy that’d called out to me in the store, I could still feel that “pull” as I held it. Stepping onto the island soil of Lute through Thorne’s prose felt like the first day of a vacation in a new country. Elation. Excitement. Curiosity. A sense of adventure but also a sense of displacement. Of wanting to belong here, even if for just a short while. Lute drips with a sun-soaked eeriness that teeters between the unsettling and the beautiful. Films like Wicker Man, Apostle, and Midsommar may influence its folk horror roots, but even still, despite the obvious comparisons, I found this breath-of-fresh-destination-horror-air to be revivifying and actually quite unlike the aforementioned comps… ((read the full review on Nick’s Goodreads. link in bio)) Lute by Jennifer Thorne Star Rating: 4.75/5 Stars WGB Score: 95/100 Review by Nick Kimball . . #jenniferthorne #tornightfire #horror #folkhorror #destinationhorror #books #read #reading #booksta #midsommar #wickerman #apostle #sunsoakedhorror
✌🏻 Out of Office… See you Monday ✌🏻 CR: Diavola, by Jennifer Thorne ❔what is your book of choice this weekend❔ 🏷️ #beachbook #diavola #jenniferthorne #aardvarkbookclub #currentlyreading #bookstagram #bookrecs #vacationbooks
Currently reading... Diavola by Jennifer Thorne Staying at a villa in Corfu for a week with friends so it seemed like the perfect time to read this one! ☀️ I'm only 100 pages in, but I'm really enjoying the building tension and eeriness. • • #bookstagram #diavola #jenniferthorne #currentlyreading
This week I'm unveiling the secrets of a haunted Italian villa! 🇮🇹 Join me and the brilliant author @jennmariethorne as we delve into the spine-tingling world of "Diavola." 📖 🎙️ Listen now! Everywhere you find your podcasts! https://loom.ly/9i-T7t4 #Diavola #HauntedItaly #JenniferThorne
Q. Do you like folk horror? What’s a novel or film you’d recommend? Jennifer Thorne’s Diavola is one of my favourite books of 2024 so far, so I had to check out her previous release, Lute. “Wicker Man meets Final Destination” — uh, yes please. On the island of Lute, every 7th summer, 7 people die. Nina is new-ish to the island and assumes it’s just silly superstition. Lute is quiet and slow-paced. It’s different from your typical isolated community folk horror book because it’s from the perspective of someone who knows what’s going on already. I really loved that about it. Nina’s character is fascinating and I always enjoy horror where I keep questioning what I’d do in similar circumstance. ⭐⭐⭐⭐
📖𝕥𝕚𝕥𝕝𝕖 | Diavola ✍🏻𝕒𝕦𝕥𝕙𝕠𝕣 | Jennifer Marie Thorne 📚𝕘𝕖𝕟𝕣𝕖 I horror, gothic, fiction, mystery, thriller, supernatural ⭐️𝕣𝕒𝕥𝕚𝕟𝕘 | ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 📚Review: Okay, buckle up, my friends! 📚✨ Let’s talk about ‘Diavola,’ the book that’s like a rollercoaster ride through a haunted Italian villa. 🏰👻 First off, this cover? Stunningly disturbing. Like, ‘Whoa, what the hell - why is her face like that?’ I had to know. So, I when I read the synopsis, I knew I'd love it. It’s a Gothic-feeling Travel Horror novel set in Italy. Drama, ghosts, and family dysfunction—sign me up! Picture this: a haunted house meets a toxic family vacation. (Spoiler alert: The family wins the scare contest. 🙈) Anna and her clan rent this historic villa near Monteperso. But hold on—her family is a whole mood: • Mom: Passive-aggressively nagging about life choices. • Dad: Distant, except when he’s flexing his vacation budget (and reminding them who paid for it all). • Nicole (Anna’s sis): Itinerary queen, down to the second. • Nicole’s daughters: The only ones Anna kind of gets along with. • Anna’s twin brother, Benny: Strained relationship, like a tangled spaghetti mess. And the villa? It’s got locked tower rooms, eerie noises, and an oppressive vibe. Seriously, I’d need a vacation after this vacation. 😅 But here’s the twist: 'Diavola' pulls you in. Emotions galore! Unexpected turns! Layers you didn’t see coming! I’m already planning a to purchase a hard copy and have at it with a highlighter. 📝 The gripping, haunting atmosphere? Check. Characters battling their inner demons? Double check. Actual creepy Renaissance ghosts that follow you home? Triple check. 👻 So, if you’re a Horror fan (especially into Travel Horror or complicated family dynamics), grab this book. Just remember: ghosts are scarier than passive-aggressive moms. 😉📖 🏷: #bookreview #bookrecs #fivestarreads #bookrecommendations #jenniferthorne #horrorbooks #thrillerbooks #reading #readmore #supernaturalbooks #bookstagram #diavola
Diavola by Jennifer Thorne | ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️✨ Read if you: 👻 Are the black sheep in the family 👻 Love scary movies 👻 love renaissance art This might have been one of the best horror books I’ve read in a long time. I was thoroughly creeped out several times. It was visual, descriptive, which made it so easy to envision the things that went bump in the night in these pages. Add a dysfunctional family on top of the horror, it’s all one big nightmare. I loved our MC, Anna, she was smart and not too afraid to stare down the ghosts in this book. But my god her family pissed off. The ending was so satisfying and had me turning the page so quickly. There were parts that reminded me too much of the Grudge (a movie that gave me nightmares for weeks) so if you like those type of scary movies, I think this book will be right up your alley. #diavola #jenniferthorne #bookreview #aardvarkbookclub #bookstagram #bookstagrammer #horrorreaders #bookishlyshan
BOOK REVIEW📖 5⭐️ This was a really enjoyable slow burn horror. Set in the creepy medieval feeling town of Monteperso, Italy, the Pace family meets for a vacation renting out an old mansion called Villa Taccola. This book is riddled with family drama and tension, with main character Anna kind of being the black sheep. As they settle in and make snide remarks at each other and get ready to suffer through Nicole’s (Anna’s sister) meticulously planned itinerary, weird things begin to happen. Doors shutting, flies swarming, imagined voices, strange dreams, a tower that is locked that Anna begins to get curious about. Is the villa haunted? Why does Anna seem to be the only one who notices these things? As family tensions and weird occurrences escalate, it all comes to a head. But when the vacation ends, the story doesn’t. There is so much more detail to this, but I don’t want to give everything away! This was SUCH A GREAT horror novel! It had all of the elements I wanted and in perfect balance. The atmosphere of the villa, the secluded town with weird townsfolk, the bugs, the sounds, the “did I really see that” moments…. It was so good and so well done! You won’t look in the mirror the same for a while. Add the characters and the family drama and we even had funny moments, relatable feelings, and implications outside of horror. There is a moment where there’s a shift in the book and at first I was like, oh this feels weird, but I wound up loving it! It’s like we all became unhinged together. And I loved the ending. I like horror, but I simply loved this one. Definitely recommend if it interests you! #bookreview #books #bookstagram #horror #horrorbooks #diavola #jenniferthorne
I'm still thinking about Diavola months after finishing it ❤️ . . . #jenniferthorne #diavola #books #newbooks #bookish #booksofinstagram #booksellersofinstagram #booksellers #horror #horrorbooks #horrorreads #horrorreader #horrorinstagram #bookrecommendations #reads #read #reading #instareads
☀️💀| REVIEW: Diavola by Jennifer Thorne What if The Haunting of Hill House was set in a villa in a remote Italian village? This is what you get with Diavola. We follow Anna as she goes on a vacation with her dysfunctional family to a Tuscan town. Anna is the black sheep of the family, and her family don’t treat her well and are constantly picking apart her personality and life. From the moment Anna steps into the villa she feels a presence and notices strange things happening around her. Also, the villa owner instructs them not to enter a certain part of the villa, ‘The Tower’. If you are looking for a gothic book that’s set in a holiday location, this would be perfect for you. I think this would make the perfect summer read, and I found it quite unique in the sense that I’ve never read a gothic book in a hot location that wasn’t set in the Deep South and classed as a ‘southern gothic’. The characters were great, very frustrating at times but Anna’s character was very reminiscent of ‘Vesper’ from ‘Black Sheep’ (The book by Rachel Harrison). Also, the vibes of the book were quite similar to the film Immaculate (2024) imo. Overall, I loved this one and can see why so many other people do too. Not one to be missed, and please if you are going to a villa on holiday I urge you to take this one (but don’t blame me if you get nightmares haha). ☀️ QOTD: Do you have a holiday booked this year? #diavola #diavolabook #titanbooks #titan #horrorbookrecs #horrorbookrec #horror #gothichorror #gothichorrorbook #gothichorrorbooks #thehauntingofhillhouse #jenniferthorne #horrorbookrecommendations #horrorbookstagram #horrorbook #horrorbookslove #horrorbooksclub #horrorfan
Seriously, why does @aardvarkbookclub want us to fear Italy? First, there were the exorcism digs of ‘The House of Last Resort.’ Now, we have the cursed AirBNB of ‘Diavola.’ One year into Duolingo Italian, I’ve yet to encounter the words for, “demon,” “vengeful ghost, “possession,” or “run like hell.” Clearly, the judgy owl app needs an update. ‘Diavola’ by Jennifer Thorne is multiple layers of agony. There’s the dysfunctional family dynamic. The corrupted and corrupting villa setting. The possibly conspiratorial locals. What’s worse than being the black sheep? Being the black-sheep Cassandra. Ignored and chastised until the fam needs you to translate their pizza toppings. We loved this book. Horror stories are our thing. This one carries lovely extra doses of culture, art, and cuisine. Do I want a homicidal ghost with my vacay? No. Will a wine and cheese welcome basket change my mind? Very possibly. For tomorrow’s Tarot Tuesday, we’ll be back for a ‘Diavola’-aligned consideration of The Tower (XVI). Ciao. Stai al sicuro. #book #booksbooksbooks #bookstagram #bookstagrammer #diavola #jenniferthorne #aardvarkbookclub #horrorbook #ghoststory #thetower #actonandellis #beldamyears
DIAVOLA ⭐⭐⭐.5/5 . I really liked the idea of this, and for a large chunk of the book, the idea worked really well. Trying to have a vacation with your family who uses you as a scapegoat, but it just so happens the villa you've rented is haunted? Sounds stressful, sign me up! . It was a lot of fun to read for a while, and I read it in the space of 3 days, which says a lot. I just found myself not that scared by the ghost who had decided to haunt the main character, Anna. Especially as towards the end, Anna felt so blasé about it, so it kind of felt like - if she doesn't care, why should I? . The family dynamics was incredibly stressful to read, and there didn't seem to be a resolution to it, which didn't bother me too much. Sometimes that's something that happens, and when you find out what happens on the day they lost, you can understand why there is no resolution. . I just think the ending, where it seemed to focus more on the horror of being haunted rather than the horror of spending time with your family, let it down a bit. A lot of the same descriptions were used, and the final fight didn't feel that urgent or terrifying. . If you like the self-awareness of Scream or the general madness theme in The Haunting of Hill House, you'll probably enjoy reading this. 💕 . . . #diavola #jenniferthorne #horrorfiction #horrorbookslove #horrorbookstagram #horrorbook #spookybooks #bookstagramuk #instabooklovers #instabookstagram #bookstaexplore #bookstaengage #cosyreading #cosyvibes #bookreviewersofinstagram #readinggoal #bookreviewsofinstagram
“Diavola” by Jennifer Thorne Happy Friday everyone! I finished “Diavola” yesterday night and I must say it was a great horror story! The beginning was a little bit long for me, and I was afraid that I won’t be invested in the story so much, but then suddenly it gripped my attention. I was scared. A few times.🙈 I really didn’t like Anna’s family though.. Very toxic in my opinion… And sometimes I felt sad and frustrated for her. But overall I did enjoy the story. It was hard to put down and it was definitely creepy. It didn’t disappoint and I highly recommend it to all horror/thriller lovers. 🥀 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5 Have a great day friends! 🖤 🏷️ #diavola #jenniferthorne #gothicacademia #darkestacademia #horror #horrorbooks #hauntedhouse #paranormal #horrorbook #spooky #bookstagram #goth #gothic #gothicaesthetic #skulls #bookstagrammer #moodyfeed #darkaesthetic #darkfeed #bibliophile #bookreview #bookrec #bookreviews #bookrecommendation
Diavola by Jennifer Thorne Another wild Aardvark read! This was absolutely terrifying. Definitely not a good book to start at night when you’re away from home - or is it? Paranormal and independent feminist vibes on this one FTW. I recommend for those who like paranormal thrillers. TWs: @bortion, post breakup d*pression, unsupportive family, g*slighting, haunting/posession, SA, loss of a loved one, more ⭐️⭐️⭐️✨ - 3.5/5 . . 🏷️s: #books #bookreview #bookreviews #aardvark #aardvarkbookclub #diavola #jenniferthorne #booksbooksbooks #bookstagram #bookstagrammer #bookworm #whatimreading #paranormal #thriller #suspense #bookish #creepybook #creepyreads
Diavola by Jennifer Thorne ⭐⭐⭐⭐ I read this book on a family vacation, and it was perfect for that. Anna has always been the outsider of her family. Her whole family decides to vacation in Italy in an old villa, and Anna is apprehensive to join. When the villa begins attacking Anna and her family, Anna is the only one to believe that the Villa is haunted. Anna’s entire family was toxic, and no one really supported each other. That does lead into some good family drama though. This was a slow-burn that was creepy. The descriptions of Italy were vivid, and it felt like I was right there with them. I’m not usually a fan of gothic stories, but I did love the paranormal aspects and enjoyed this book. QOTD: Have you ever been to Italy? #diavola #jenniferthorne #4stareads #reading #readmorebooks #aardvarkbookclub #bookish #bookworm #booknerd #bookaddiction #bookaddict #paranormalreads #gothicreads #momswhoread #readingoutside #readingbythepool #vacationreads #bookstagram #booksofinstagram
Imagine the feeling of growing malevolence that’s wrapped comfortably in the fading sunlight and gloaming shadow of an Italian evening. It’s easy to prop up discontent with a glass of wine, good food, or the fact that you can happily plug in your phone charger. The lights stay on until they don’t. People distrust the villa that you are staying in, and you distrust your family. This book captured perfectly (for me) the dissonance between the normal and paranormal. It’s a brilliant mix of modern fiction and gothic horror. Anna travels to Italy to meet her family for a holiday. There are a lot of dynamics between them. This was a huge part of the book. The other side of things is darker, local legend and lore. The visitors are told not to enter the tower, which is locked with an ornate key. Slight spoiler, they do. This book is clever, the mix of Anna’s life in New York and her relationship with her family could be a whole separate story. But the ghost is always present and not in a crap film sort of way. I always love a book about a woman who has power too. #diavola #jenniferthorne #gothichorror #bankholidayreading
“I’m not a lost lamb. I’m a black sheep” “Diavola” by Jennifer Thorne 4⭐️ So basically, a super toxic family visits an even more toxic haunted villa in Italy and… things happen… This book was so much fun! It was creepy, but that wasn’t all there was to the story. The family drama was so entertaining! I just wish there was a little more of them in the villa. But you should definitely read this! If you were staying in a haunted Airbnb and your family didn’t want to leave, would you dip out or stick it out?
⭐Recommendation⭐ •Lute by Jennifer Thorne• Genre: Folk horror Super short summary: Living on Lute is consistently pleasant and ripe with good fortune - but this comes at a cost, as every 7 years, 7 people must die. As The Day approaches, Nina doesn’t realize just how unprepared she is to experience the tithe for the first time as Lady of Lute Highlights: super tense, MC’s evolving perspective, folksy-but-barbaric tradition plot Reminds me of: Midsommar ⚠️: murder, gun violence, suicide attempt, child death, infidelity, war Recommended by: @cozycoupleofgeeks Read if you like: cultish, dark folklore, isolated island
4/5⭐️ I got chills. I am normally not one to enjoy stories where there is a haunting of some sort, but this one was ...wow. Having it begin with her toxic family relations helped me engage in the story. I hoped for a better (or worse, depending how you look at it) ending for the family, but it was beautifully written. #bookstaram #readingchallenge2024 #horror #gothicfiction #thriller #suspensethriller #diavola #jenniferthorne
.Currently Reading. #minimalistmonday Q: Have you read “Diavola”? When I saw @ekhnreads review of this book I knew I had to read it! 👀🖤 Have a lovely Monday friends! 🖤 🏷️ #diavola #jenniferthorne #currentlyreading #gothicacademia #darkestacademia #currentread #horror #horrorbooks #bookstagram #gothicaesthetic #gothic #goth #paranormal #horrorbook #bookstagrammer #bookblogger #bookworm #darkaesthetic #darkfeed #moodyfeed
"I’m not a lost lamb. I’m a black sheep." - Jennifer Thorne, Diavola #diavola #jenniferthorne #horror #horrorbook #bookstagram #bookstagramph #booksph #kindlebooks
. Diavola - ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ A haunted Italian villa and a very dysfunctional family? Calls for a very interesting vacation. Diavola is a slow burn horror that builds up to a crazy revelation. This book gives you an eerie feeling the whole time you’re reading it. For the first half of the book, it really drives in that the Pace family has animosity towards the daughter Anna and that the villa they are staying in has a bad past. Little things happen throughout the story but the Pace family ignores them and continues their vacation. The last 25% is wild when shit hits the fan. I was spooked but dying to know how the story ended. Seriously felt like someone was watching me while I read all the spooky parts 😂 The characters are easy to have a love/hate relationship with. They will do something nice one minute then open their mouth the next and ruin it all. But that, and the atmosphere, adds to the craziness of the vacation. Overall this book was really good and is definitely for those who love a slow burn paranormal horror. Be ready to be spooked 👻 ❓Do you like horror books? If so, what’s your favorite one that you’ve read? #diavola #jenniferthorne #horrorbooks #horrorbookstagram #bookworm #bookreview #bookblog #readingcommunity #horrorbabe #horrorbooksarethebest #instareads #greatreads #booklove
Friday night plans: ✅ #diavola #jenniferthorne #aardvarkbookclub
✨ APRIL WRAPUP ✨ I read a lot of great books this month including two rereads. Did you have a favorite April read? 📖 #TheMemoirsofSherlockHolmes #ArthurConanDoyle 📖 #MrsDalloway by #VirginiaWoolf (reread) 📖 #TheBlueFox by #Sjon 📖 #AfterMeComestheFlood by #SarahPerry 📖 #TheLadiesofGraceAdieu by #SusannaClarke (reread) 📖 #IntheDistance by #HernanDiaz 📖 #Diavola by #JenniferThorne 📖 #DeadAstronauts by #JeffVanderMeer 📖 #HenryVIII by #WilliamShakespeare 📖 #LoveLetters by #VirginiaWoolf & #VitaSackvilleWest ~ ~ ~ #wrapup #readingwrapup #aprilbooks #aprilreads #bookstack #bookphotography #bookrecommendations #bookworm #bookstagram #reader
🌾💀Modern Folk Horror💀🌾 I picked up LUTE by @jennmariethorne almost immediately after I finished DIAVOLA (highly recommend) and #folkhorrorweek seemed like the perfect time to dive in. While I truly love reading the first generation of folk horror stories and the academic work or superstitions that inspired them, I’m especially fond of how contemporary authors and creators are tackling the theme of “folk horror” for a modern audience. About the Book from @tornightfire: On the idyllic island of Lute, every seventh summer, seven people die. No more. No less. Lute and its inhabitants are blessed, year after year, with good weather, good health, and good fortune, despite the war that rages all around them. So it's only fair that every seven years, on the day of the tithe, the island's gift is honored. American Nina Treadway is new to Lute: she became a Lady through her marriage to Lord Treadway, whose family has long protected the island. Nina's heard about the Day, of course, but she thinks it's all superstitious nonsense. Stories told to keep newcomers at bay and youngsters in line. Then the Day begins. And it's a day of night-mares, of grief, of reckoning. But it's also a day of community. Of survival and strength. Of love, at its most pure and untamed. When the Day ends, Nina - and Lute - will never be the same. 🎧 I’m also listening to WYLDING HALL by Elizabeth Hand because it is free in the Audible library until tomorrow, so jump on that quickly if you want to squeeze in a folk horror novella. WYLDING HALL is like if DAISY JONES & THE SIX and Studio 666 (2022) got mashed together on a record played backwards. I like it. Are you reading any folk horror this week? Tell me about it! #lute #jenniferthorne #wyldinghall #elizabethhand #folkhorror #folkhorrorrevival #folkhorrorbooks #modernfolkhorror #newfolkhorror #folkhorroraesthetic #darklybookish #bookishcommunity #readersgonnaread #horrorcommunity #horrorreaders #horrorbooks #horrorbookstagram #audiobooksarenotcheating #diavola #mayqueen #mayday #paganhorror #ruralhorror #occulthorror #culthorror #currentlyreading #readingupdate #bookrecommendations #bookobsessed
🍥BOOK REVIEW🍥 Do you have a big family? Or do annual trips with your family? Rating: 🧇🧇🧇🧇/5 This was such a fascinating yet super triggering read. I was a little off with Anna but then the rest of the Pace family was introduced and I immediately get her. The audacity of her family - I got so mad in behalf of Anna with her family especially her siblings. Just horrible, horrible people and I hate these characters with passion you'd think I was Anna. As for the horror part of this, it didn't really spook me but more of like I was invested to the history of the villa and just mesmerized with whatever messed up things were happening. Reading this is like someone telling me the juiciest gossip in town. Definitely a great read! . . . . . . #diavola #aardvarkbookclub #jenniferthorne #bookreader #bookrecommendations #bookreview #bookstagramcanada #bookstagram #bookcommunity #read #reader #readersofinstagram #readercommunity #review
Happy May 1st! Its a windy sunny spring day. ☀️ These are my April book club picks that I finished just in time for discussion 🫶🏻 Diavola by #JenniferThorne Genre: Mild Horror, Haunted Villa Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ “The gorgeous, remote villa in tiny Monteperso seems like a perfect place to endure so much family togetherness, until things start going off the rails―the strange noises at night, the unsettling warnings from the local villagers, and the dark, violent past of the villa itself” The First Day of Spring by #NancyTucker Genre: Thriller, Dark, psychological Rating: 3.5 ⭐️’s “ Meet Chrissie... Chrissie is eight and she has a secret: she has just killed a boy. The feeling made her belly fizz like soda pop. Her playmates are tearful and their mothers are terrified, keeping them locked indoors. But Chrissie rules the roost — she’s the best at wall-walking, she knows how to get free candy, and now she has a feeling of power that she never gets at home, where food is scarce and attention scarcer.” #horrorbooks #hauntedhousebooks #thriller #thrillerbooks #thrillerreads #horrorreads #bookclubpicks #booksbooksbooks #wednesdayreviews
An extremely dysfunctional family goes on a vacation to Italy - unbeknownst to them they’ve booked a week at Villa Taccola, an extremely haunted house with some demonic activity. What could go wrong? Diavola is one of those rare horrors that pull off being both very funny at times, and spine-chilling at others! Definitely a fun twist on a haunted house tale 👻 #diavola #jenniferthorne #tornightfire #horrorspotlight #hauntedhouse #halfwaytohalloween #bookreview
I broke my book no buy on April 22 😱😬 sort of. At the start of the no buy, I allowed myself a few exceptions, one of which being that I could buy 1 book for every 25 books I read. So I read 25 books but bought 4 books LMAO. But hear me out!!! This was on bookoutlet (discounts, discounts, discounts) so TECHNICALLY, based on $price$.... I only bought 2 books... maximum. 😬 here's what I got. Have you read any of these? . . . #grimdreadful #bookstagramcanada #bookhaul #horrorbooks #thrillerbooks #jenniferthorne #akwaekeemezi #gabinoiglesias #sallyoliver #books #bookhauls #booksta #books #bookmail #bookcommunity #bookstagram
☀️𝙷𝚘𝚖𝚎 𝚒𝚜 𝚊 𝚌𝚑𝚘𝚒𝚌𝚎 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚜𝚘𝚖𝚎𝚝𝚒𝚖𝚎𝚜 𝚊 𝚑𝚊𝚛𝚍 𝚘𝚗𝚎. 𝚆𝚑𝚊𝚝 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚌𝚑𝚘𝚘𝚜𝚎 𝚝𝚘 𝚊𝚌𝚌𝚎𝚙𝚝. 𝚆𝚑𝚊𝚝 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚎𝚖𝚋𝚛𝚊𝚌𝚎☀️ The idyllic island of Lute is located in the British isles. No one has ever died in the war since the beginning of island life. A wonderful sunny location, but with a dark and bloodstained past. Every 7 years on what’s known as The Day 7 people must die in order to sustain the perfection of life on Lute. Nina Treadway married Lord Treadway and thought the superstition around The Day were just that. Until the first death strikes. She will find herself in a different world where the community does indeed come together. Where grief and loss are dealt with firsthand every seven years. And by the end she will not be the same woman she was. It’s like Wickerman and Midsommar and Final Destination had a semi-normal baby and that’s this book. I really enjoyed it! The plot is simple and there’s numerous characters you meet and get to know. While some weren’t memorable characters you still grow attached to Lute and its inhabitants. A great example of folk horror at its simplest and best! Bravo @jennmariethorne . . . TW: death, grief, loss, blood, graphic depictions of death, body horror, toxic icky men, gun violence, child death (no not the creepy kid #book #bookstagram #lute #jenniferthorne #treadways #cult #midsommar #theDay #reader #folk #folkhorror #horror #crazy #good #readmorebooks
👻REVIEW👻 Title: Diavola Author: Jennifer Thorne Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️ I think I’m the minority in this one but hey it happens 😅 This book sadly took way too long for me to get into, I will say the last half gripped and held my interest but considering this book is around 280~ pages and it dragged for me until around 120 pages or so can’t be ignored. If the book maybe had less pages or felt more like a horror book in the first half then I definitely would have enjoyed it more. That being said, I still enjoyed reading it! But can I just say, Anna’s family is just absolutely awful and I was mad for so much of this book due to all their gaslighting?? Ugh 😤 Can’t wait to discuss with #bookstabookclub later today 👻🇮🇹🍝 TW: unexpected r@pe scene (very brief but affected me more than I thought it would)
4🌟 On the island of Lute every seventh summer on what is known as The Day, seven people die in exchange an idyllic life for the next seven years, there’s no way to tell who will be chosen or how they will die. Nina is “new” to the island in the sense that this is her first Day and she’s always thought it was a big joke but as the time approaches and the day arrives she finds that it is no laughing matter at all. I was kind of annoyed by Nina at first but I wound up really enjoying this story for the Islanders, the shining ones, the island itself is a character as well and by the end I was even rooting for Nina. Though again this is a story that is listed under horror and I don’t see why. Book 15 for the #magicalreadathon by @book_roast is for the Psionics and Divination prompt of make a prediction bingo card(which I deleted without thinking I should include it with the post🙄) I got one bingo line. #lute #jenniferthorne #fantasyhorror #bookstagram #booknerd #readersofinstagram #canadianbookstagram #romancereader #fantasyreader #bookseries #bookwormlife #romancestagram #bookreview
DIAVOLA 4.5/5⭐️ In 3 Words: CREEPY, FEVER-DREAM, HAUNTING Wooowww. I need a minute after this one. I binged it on an airplane ride and am pretty sure I really creeped out my seat neighbor with this amazingly, terrifying cover 😱. Spoiler, the book was also amazingly, terrifying as well! If you think the 1st half is tense, buckle up because the 2nd half DOES NOT LET UP. Anna is the black sheep and scape goat of the Pace family and she is not looking forward to this upcoming family vacation, even if it is in a stunning villa in Tuscany. Her family blames every minor inconvenience on her, and boy.. are they about to be inconvenienced on this trip! 👻 Anna has two rules for these little trips. 1. Tread lightly. 2. Survive. Can she do both? (Or even 1?) Found through: @readbyregan made me do it!! #bookstagrammer #books #bookrecommendations #booklover #bookshelf #bookstagram #booksta #bookshelves #booksofinstagram #bookrecs #instabooks #whattoread #readersofinstagram #bookstack #reader #bookedup #bookworm #booksofig #momswhoread #thriller #diavola #jenniferthorne #horrorbooks #newrelease
𝐓𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐢𝐬 𝐚 𝐝𝐚𝐫𝐤𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐢𝐧 𝐲𝐨𝐮.
Happy Friday y’all! . . I am so happy it’s finally the weekend and I can get some reading in! Also, Y’all definitely need to get your hands on this one!🙌 . . When I saw this cover and read the synopsis, I just knew I needed it to fill my little horror/thriller soul! Wow was I right! . . DIAVOLA by Jennifer Thorne . Synopsis: Anna has two rules for the annual Pace family destination vacations: Tread lightly and survive. It isn’t easy when she’s the only one in the family who doesn’t quite fit in. Her twin brother, Benny, goes with the flow so much he’s practically dissolved, and her older sister, Nicole, is so used to everyone-including her blandly docile husband and two kids-falling in line that Anna often ends up in trouble for simply asking a question. Mom seizes every opportunity to question her life choices, and Dad, when not reminding everyone who paid for this vacation, just wants some peace and quiet. The gorgeous, remote villa in tiny Monteperso seems like a perfect place to endure so much family togetherness, until things start going off the rails— the strange noises at night, the unsettling warnings from the local villagers, and the dark, violent past of the villa itself. (Warning: May invoke feelings of irritation, dread, and despair that come with large family gatherings.) . . . What are your plans for the weekend!? . . . . . . 🖤
🍷 Dɪᴀᴠᴏʟᴀ ʙʏ Jᴇɴɴɪꜰᴇʀ Tʜᴏʀɴᴇ 🍷 • From the moment I saw the cover of this book, I knew I had to read it. Literally stunning cover art. • This one lands around a 3.5 for me (3 on Goodreads). I liked it, didn’t love it. It didn’t quite live up to the personal hype since I had seen overwhelmingly 4-5 star reviews for it. It is a well-written, beautifully-set gothic novel with horror elements, but didn’t necessarily feel like a horror book because it wasn’t particularly scary to me. I mostly just felt sad and infuriated for the MC due to her family’s negligence and verbal/mental abuse. But the MC herself isn’t especially likable either, just evoked sympathy from me. I have enough built-up rage without all of the anger that was induced by this family, thanks. 😅 • Interestingly, this one reminded me just a bit of Mary: An Awakening of Terror, which I would not have anticipated, but also landed around 3.5-4 stars. They share a similar theme of the FMC being haunted by something and going through mental distress while unraveling intricate historical backstories involving the places they’re temporarily residing. I’d put both novels on a pretty even playing field and think they’d appeal to a similar audience. ••• I am so behind… just unposted reviews and photos galore. I feel like April chewed me up and spat me out from a mile high onto the interstate during rush hour traffic, and I’m ping-ponging between semi-trucks going 80 mph. She has hands, and it’s really pretty traitorous of her considering I’m an April Aries but whatever 🙄 I’ve been so busy and feel like a woman on the brink of madness. But hopefully life is slowing down and I can get caught up, physically read (been relying heavily on audiobooks this month), and post more going into May. We’ll see! • • • • • #diavola #jenniferthorne #horror #horrorbooks #horrorbook #horrornovel #bookstagram #booksta #horrorgram #bookstagrammer #horrorbookstagram #horrorbooksofinstagram #recentlyread #recentread #gothichorror #gothicbooks #gothicbook #gothichorrornovel #gothicnovel #bookreview #bookreviews #paranormalnovel #bookworm #ghoststory #ghoststories #ghostbooks #ghostbook #possessedmc #possessed #possession
Book 53 of 2024 (book 13 of April) has been chosen. Diavola by Jennifer Thorne @aardvarkbookclub pick 💕 I have seen so many fantastic things about this book recently and feel like it is time to find out for myself. 🥰 #upnext #currentread #currentreadsupdate #currentlyreading #aardvark #aardvarkbookclub #diavola #jenniferthorne #horror #horrortok #booktok #booktokfyp #fyp #bookstagram #ashleys_endless_tbrlist
✅Diavola GENRE: gothic horror REACTIONS: 🙄🤨😧🫣 VERDICT: loved it This book is a banger. It is a slow burn classic ghost story set in an Italian villa, filled with elements of a domestic thriller focused on a family that is so unbelievably unpleasant. Some reviewers have called the main character a bit pretentious, but I honestly loved Anna. I thought she was smart & sarcastic in all the best ways. All of the characters were slightly over the top, and it felt very intentional to me. (And quick sidebar: I hope this books gets a movie adaption and my perfect head-canon of Aubrey Plaza playing Anna comes true.) Diavola knows what it’s doing as a book - the slow creep of suspense, the suffocating close quarters of a family vacation, the subtle sparks of cleverness - it all works together so well, and makes this such a fun (and funny!) horror read. You have to trust that Jennifer Thorne knows what she’s doing and let yourself get swept up in the drama of it all. I don’t know that it will be for everyone, but damn, it worked flawlessly for me. If you don’t like books that wriggle between genres, this might not be for you. But honestly, I finished it and IMMEDIATELY wanted to shout at everyone I know about how much I loved it! #QOTD would you be willing to stay in a haunted villa? ~~~ The hashtags: #bookstagram #bookcommunity #booksofinstagram #readingtime #ilovebooks #alwaysreading #bookaholic #teacherswhoread #bookobsessed #bookishfeatures #bookphotography #igreads #instaread #bookworm #booknerd #bookaddict #readersofig #booksofig #readmorebooks #alwaysreading #bookhoarder #readingiscool #readabook #readersofinstagram #booklove #jenniferthorne #diavolo #diavolabook #gothichorror
𝚁𝚎𝚌𝚎𝚗𝚜𝚒𝚘𝚗. 📖📚👩🏽🏫Läste ut 𝐿𝑢𝑡𝑒 förra veckan. Har ni sett skräckfilmen Midsommar? Tänk er i så fall om Midsommar och Final Destination skulle få ett litet barn så blir resultatet Lute. Den var fenomenal! 👌🏼🙌🏼 Boken följer Nina Treadway, som bor på den avlägsna brittiska ön Lute. Nina som via äktenskapet med Mr Treadway är ”Lady of Lute” har svårt att passa in och känner sig mest som en utböling bland övriga invånarna. Hon har även svårt att förstå hela grejen med ”The Day” som är en händelse som vart sjunde år sägs ta livet av sju av Lutes invånare, typ som en slags ritualiserad hyllning till de krafter som håller ön säker och trygg.. vilket eh.. kanske kan ses lite som ironiskt med tanke på att folk dör? Well well… Men när Nina börjar bevittna ett antal olyckor och nästintill övernaturliga dödsfall börjar hon inse att The Day är ett stort dödligt D och att det faktiskt är en fara henne och hennes familj. För Lute bryr sig inte vilka som dör. Ska sju stycken dö så ska sju stycken dö. Lute är en mästerlig ” folk horror” som kramar om en klaustrofobisk galenskap och visar på hur långt man kan gå för att skydda sin familj. Jennifer Thorne skriver realistisk skräck som får mig att känna mig delaktig i storyn. Hon är definitivt nu en av mina favoritförfattare 📚. #lute #jenniferthorne #goodbook #folkhorror #horrorbooks #horrorbookstagram #enyoyreading #recomended #midsommarskräck #skräck #rekomenderar #horrorbookslove #scarybooksaremyjam #horrormakesmehappy
I saw everyone talking about it so I had to see what all the fuss was about. ✅️ Relatable MC ✅️ A family you love to hate. ✅️ Tense ghost stuff. ✅️ Just... vibes. But wtf was that ending?! ⭐️⭐️⭐️.5/5 #girlswholovehorror #horrorbookreviews #horrorreadersofinstagram #diavola #jenniferthorne
Book: Diavola by Jennifer Thorne (2024) Rating: ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ Synopsis: Anna Pace is the proverbial black sheep and emotional punching bag for her dysfunctional family. She’s already not looking forward to their annual vacation, this time to a beautiful villa in Tuscany. Then they discover it’s haunted, and Anna has (slightly) scarier things to dread besides the living. Review: First of all, how beautiful and spooky is this cover? It’s so eye-catching. Secondly, this is the first book I’ve read in awhile where I really liked the main character. Sure, she’s got her issues, but at the end of the day she’s smart, funny and means well. It’s a shame that her family doesn’t see that though and wants to pigeon-hole her as the “hot mess” just because she doesn’t live life according to their rules. While she sucks it up and bites her tongue a lot, I liked that she had no problem calling people out when they really crossed a line. The book had great pacing and didn’t waste any time getting to the creepy stuff, which you may find lacking if you’re a fan of more extreme or in-your-face horror. The tension and apprehension increased with every chapter, especially during the last act. I loved the author’s style of writing and found the overall story extremely entertaining so I couldn’t put the book down and blazed through it pretty quickly. If you’re looking for a fresher spin on classic haunted house stories, I thought the family drama at the center of this one really made things interesting and begged the question: what’s scarier? Dealing with old family resentments and dynamics, or dealing with a malevolent entity? For some of us, it’d probably be way easier to handle an angry spirit than our own flesh and blood. #bookstagram #bookworm #booklover #lovetoread #bookrecommendations #bookreviews #bibliophile #horrorbookstagram #horrorbooks #gothichorror #genevareviews #newtobookstagram #diavola #jenniferthorne
𝐂𝐮𝐫𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐑𝐞𝐚𝐝 🖤 I started Diavola last night, and I’m obsessed already! It’s got that “comedy horror” vibe that I love, with the dark humor while also being creepy. Someone said it reminded them of a Rachel Harrison book, and I so agree! I love traveling, and lived in Italy for a bit, so this is perfect for me A twist on the classic haunted house story- It’s an annual family tradition to go on a group vacation, this year to Italy. It isn’t easy when Anna is the only one who doesn’t fit in, and they are constantly picking her life apart. The remote villa seems like a great place to escape, until things start getting strange. Strange noises at night, warnings from local villagers, and the violent past of the villa itself. #diavola #horrorbooks #horrorbookstagram #horror #horrorbookslove #hauntedhouse #hauntedhousebooks #tornightfire #bookstagram #currentread #jenniferthorne #creepybooks #spookyseasontbr
#BookReview 🎧 #AudiobookReview 🔥 🩶 DIAVOLA by Jennifer Thorne (Thank you @tornightfire for the gifted copy). #Audible 🎉🎉 Out NOW. ⭐⭐⭐⭐ ~ Jennifer 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. 👀 Swipe to read the full description. 📚 This was definitely something different from my usual reads! I read this and listened to the audiobook, narrated by Andi Arndt who really did a fantastic job. I really enjoyed this creepy read. This is full of hauntings, family drama, and gothic horror. Anna is what you could call the black sheep of her dysfunctional family. She goes on vacation to Monteperso Italy with them and stays in the knowingly haunted villa. Although her family doesn't want to believe it, her family is affected by strange things that start happening. You really get a feeling of dread. The family dysfunction is so well done, in depth and fleshed out. You get to know each of them. Anna is trying to convince her family that this place is haunted and they need to get outta there, but they don't want to believe her. In the end, things end up getting crazy. I love how it all played out. The epilogue was great too. Just perfectly finished off the story. Excellent read. 🔥 ❓ How was your weekend? What are you currently reading? I started SAME AS IT EVER WAS by Claire Lombardo last night.