Haunted house novels are my favorite sub-genre, so I was really excited to get this one.

Tommy and Kate are thrilled to take part in a program that will allow them to move to a little village in Sicily for dirt cheap. Tommy has fond memories of visiting his grandparents there as a child, despite the mysterious family feud that started years ago. Of course, the house and village are hiding many secrets!

I thought this book was decent. There were a few really creepy scenes. The setting and the back story of the house were intriguing. I did find two of the characters’ actions to be incredibly selfish during one part, to the point of being quite annoyed over it.

Thank you to the author and publisher for the opportunity to get an ARC.

Another classic horror tale from Christopher Golden who always writes relatable characters then sends them into dark jeopardy.

The writing is addictive, the story is clever, in this case a deadly tale of demons and belief all set in sun soaked Italy, a beautiful place which only makes this more disturbing.

Definitely unsettling. Really good I loved it

A lot of fun to read.

Thomas and Kate, an American couple, decide to acquire an abandoned house in Italy for one euro. The house they chose is in Becchina, a little village where Thomas' ancestors and grandparents still live. Their new home holds a few surprises for them.

It's difficult to convey without giving anything away. The story was interesting and enjoyable to me. Thomas and Kate's connection was genuine and convincing. I really liked the author's approach to the "imports" controversy.

This book was genuinely delightful; it wasn't quite a five-star read, but it was enjoyable and fascinating.

Christopher Golden has been a prolific award winning writer with one great book after another. The House of Last Resort continues the streak even if it's not one of his very best. But that's only because he has set the bar so high with some of this previous classics. The plot centers around a young American couple who relocate to Sicily after buying their dream home in a deal too good to be true. There's a reason the deal was so good. Golden does an excellent job of slowly building to the moment when he pulls back the curtain to reveal the full terror our protagonists are confronted with. The final showdown is drawn out a bit too long but, as Golden does so well, the horror is on full display. You'll certainly never look at rats the same way again, I promise. Thank you to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for the advance reading copy in exchange for my honest opinion.

Christopher Golden has great ideas but poor execution in my opinion. I knew him as a young girl in the 90's writing Buffy the Vampire Slayer adaptation books and or novelizations. So I'm not unfamiliar with him. I thank NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me a chance at reading this.

I've read two books of his, one was a Halloween one and the other was Road of Bones. The first one I made it through, the second I gave up on halfway through. So, this one giving me some Satanic vibes and some demonic entity in an old house on the hill... I had to give it a go.

Ladies and gents, made it 60% through this book and nothing was happening. Nothing. At all No possession, no demons, nothing... I mean, the husband's grandfather started yelling at him demonically in English at one point, they heard someone crying, and a couple times rats showed up. ... Other than that, nothing. Mostly it was fixing up the house and talking - endless conversations.

I was really upset. I expected something like The Exorcist but with nothing showing up at 60% through the book, I decided that maybe I put too much faith into this book.

Big thank you NetGalley and to the publisher for the chance to review this book pre-release. I absolutely LOVED this book. I've never been so excited to be nervous, because that's what this book made me! I was constantly jumping out of my skin (in the best way) at all of the jump-scares, and the never-letting-up sinister vibes. I was so happily surprised that I couldn't predict the ending either. Will certainly be adding this one to my bookshelf!! A more formal review will be available on my IG/TikTok and Goodreads.

DNF - This didn't end up being the story for me, though the premise sounded interesting. I wasn't able to engage with the writing style & found the story dragged a bit. That being said, I'm sure many other readers will find much to appreciate in this plot.

The beautiful hilltop town of Becchina is a half empty town in Italy where the mayor has taken extreme measures to rebuild. He’ll sell properties for nearly nothing in exchange for buyers to live in them for a minimum of five years. For Tommy and Kate, this is a deal of a lifetime and makes sense for the couple to work remote and have a life they’ve only dreamed of. With Tommy having grandparents in this town, it feels like a romantic adventure that was meant to be. But from the moment they start moving in, something doesn’t feel right. Old houses surely have their share of creaks and groans but this feels different. Little do Tommy and Kate know their house has a name. And a history their real estate agent failed to share.

My heart was pounding and I swear I was hearing things in my own house. Loud thunder cracking above me as I’m reading the scariest parts of this novel. I promise you! PA is having a thunderstorm right now. My hands were sweaty holding my kindle while I anxiously rub my feet together trying to get through this book. I’m not going to lie, to say I was spooked is an understatement. Christopher Golden did a phenomenal job creating this truly atmospheric work of art. I was able to see what was happening, playing out like a scary movie in my mind. If you’re in getting scared and you want to feel like you’re in a book, pick this one up when it’s available January 30, 2024 or better yet… pre-order it. You won’t regret it.

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the ARC, and giving me the chance to read and review it honestly.

Happy reading 📚

This will be a feast for horror fans! A truly entertaining, creepy book. Fantastic premise that delivered when it came to the scares and atmosphere. Recommended.

I still have goosebumps, literally. I love horror. Love it. Movies, book, you name it. This book was a masterpiece in the horror genre. I could definitely see this book in the Conjuring Universe. It was a mix between The Exorcist and Amityville Horror. Tommy and Kate move to Sicily to be with his aging grandparents, after buying a house for 1 euro.
The setting was so descriptive, the catacombs, the chapel, house, all gave me the creeps. I will never look at a rat the same way again. EVER.
This needs to be made into a movie. Keep your lights on when reading this book.

Thanks to NetGalley, St Martins Press, and the author for an arc of this chilling book for my honest review.

We have all heard about those 1 euro homes for sale in Italy, where an old often crumbling home in a remote village awaits those willing to put in time and a lot of money to restore and revitalize the property. For many, it may sound too good to be true, but for the couple in this story, they decide to take the risk....risking more than they could have ever thought.

Tommy and Katie have had enough of the American lifestyle and purchase a one euro derelict house in Italy where they hope to start a new life of leisure and culture. Once they move in, they quickly realize something is off which isn't helped by the villagers reluctance to discuss the home. Tommy and Katie soon discover that their Italian dream has turned into a nightmare, and that the cracks, superstitions, and evil lurking beneath has cost them far more than their one euro...

I liked the premise of this story, a plot revolving around those one euro homes, because they do pop up in the news every now and then. We have all heard about those horror stories of people moving abroad to restore a neglected or abandoned villa, and this book took the idea of a hellish experience quite literally. The pacing was good and the story was thrilling and creepy. Towards the end it turned into a B horror movie and I wish more scary original ideas were used instead.

Thank you to the publisher for providing me with a free arc via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Becchina, a tiny town in Sicily is offering a deal - buy an abandoned house for one Euro. Couples need only to stay five years and invest 50,000 euros in renovating their property. The mayor has come up with this plan to save the small dying town.

Tommy Puglisi and his wife Kate jump at the opportunity for this change. Tommy's grandparents live in the town so it's less of a risk. The house they have chosen, however, is not exactly what they had in mind. There are noises, locked doors, even shuddering of earthquake tremors. Kate is ready to leave but the pair need to stay on to support Tommy's grandma. The pair begin to do a little research on the town and the house they purchased and are shocked when they find out what "the last resort" really means. If you like a haunted house, love ghosts and poltergeists the House of Last Resort is for you! #STMartins #ChristopherGolden #TheHouseofLastResort

Review Copy

When young married couple the Puglisi's discover an opportunity to buy a home in in Tommy's family village in Sicily for one Euro, they decide to take the plunge and make the move from Boston.

Well, Europe doesn't have the same real estate disclosure laws as the United States so they really don't have a clue what they've gotten into. And even their family won't tell them. Ah, secrets. People just don't learn not to keep secrets. But that's a whole other story. Let me talk about this one.

Sounds like a dream string to me. I would have jumped at the chance too. But, let me ask you something. Do you believe in God? I mean really and truly? I don't. So when strange things start happening there must be an explanation. Right? Sure. It just may not be the one you want.

The last fifteen percent of the book is incredibly horrifying. It leads up to an ending that is not for everyone.

I thought that THE HOUSE OF LAST RESORT was fantastic. Five stars and a thank you to Christopher Golden for a book well worth readi

This was an eerie read with a very sinister feeling throughout. I will say that if you are a horror fan that loves constant jump scares and action, this book is not for you. This is a story told in all its detail in a way only a seasoned writer can; methodically, slowly, detailed, and with a bit of history as well. There is something about the subject of exorcisms that have always intrigued me and that's really what drew me to this book so much. The location of this in Sicily in what is essentially a few years away from becoming a ghost town made this that much more unsettling. The character development and the bond of family is strong here and I loved Nonna, the grandmother of one of the main characters, Tommy. She was such a strong minded Sicilian woman that was so familiar to me that I adored her. The history in this which I normally would skim over, had me that much more invested since it revolved around exorcisms. I devoured this in record time but I wanted a bit more from the ending. It felt abrupt, lacking conclusion with some of the supporting characters. I honestly would love to see a sequel and see where the rest of the story would take us. Overall I am struggling a bit with what to rate this as I really enjoyed this but wanted more. So three and a half stars rounded up. Four Stars.

Thank you Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for this ARC.

A slow start in the first half (I almost wrote the book off), but it definitely picked up and improved in the second half.