This book isn’t too memorable. It was a little slow paced but I do love how creepy it was. I do love how it is set in Italy as that was fun but the MCs family was so annoying.

This book was delightfully creepy. Anna was super relatable with how she manages her relationship with her parents and siblings. Her parents and siblings were ridiculous and she was basically being shunned and blamed for no reason. I think my favorite aspect of the novel was watching Anna let the ghost grow and get stronger with her only to lull the ghost into a false sense of security. While the whole situation was terrible, I'm glad that it ended with Anna traveling and doing what she loves.

In Diavola, Jennifer Thorne plunges readers into a blend of supernatural horror and family dysfunction, centered around the ill-fated Pace family as they embark on a chaotic vacation in Italy. Despite their surname meaning “peace,” the Paces encounter anything but tranquillity in their eerie rental home, a place shunned by locals for its notorious hauntings.

Anna Pace, the family’s black sheep, stands out as the relatable protagonist. Often blamed for the family’s troubles, she navigates her role with sharp wit and humour, making her a compelling and endearing character throughout the story.

Thorne skillfully plays with the familiar trope of unsuspecting Americans confronting ancient European legends. She artfully balances humor and horror, creating moments that evoke both laughter and chills, reminiscent of Wilde’s The Canterville Ghost. Her sharp, sardonic writing keeps the tone engaging without slipping into parody.

The dysfunction within the Pace family is vividly portrayed, adding depth to their interactions and enhancing the narrative. The end is particularly striking, as Thorne expertly ties together various storylines, delivering surprising twists and showcasing Anna’s personal growth. Her battle against fear itself becomes a powerful exploration of loneliness and the longing for connection.

Diavola is a must-read for horror enthusiasts, offering a thrilling mix of fun and fright that captivates from beginning to end.

Book Summary:

Anna has survived countless family reunions by following the same simple rules. But those rules won't be enough to keep her family together this time. They might not even be enough to keep her alive.

As the family's black sheep, Anna is used to not fitting in. But that doesn't prepare her to deal with a dangerous haunted villa. To be fair, few people come prepared for that situation. Worse, getting those around her - especially her family - will be a challenge to believe her.

My Review:

I first fell in love with Jennifer Marie Thorne’s writing when Lute was released. So I know that means I’m relatively new to the game (note to self: go and read her backlog). So naturally, I was pretty excited to a.) get my hands on Diavola and b.) see it as an option for Aardvark.

While I thought Diavola was a decent read, I’ll admit that it didn’t quite meet my expectations. It’s dark and twisted, but the characters were largely unlikable, and I had trouble caring about their situation.

Okay, I know that’s often an intentional play when it comes to horror, so maybe it’s my fault for not enjoying it here. However, I just found myself annoyed with Anna and was also agitated by how her family treated her. Basically, I felt like I couldn’t win with this narrative.

That said, Diavola is the perfect horror if you’re looking for something quick, shocking, and full of drama. It’s that type of horror book one could happily bring along with them to the beach.

Highlights:
Gothic Horror
Paranormal Horror
Toxic Family Vacation

I went into this one somewhat blindly and was blown away! The storyline, setting and atmosphere was so so creepy and I loved the way the author crafted the storyline! This contains one of my favorite themes in horror too - character thinks they have solved or escaped the haunting only to go back home and realize they’ve brought the ghost/demon with them! So creepy!

This was a fantastic book. The backdrop is a gothic villa in the Italian countryside filled with a dysfunctional family who are there for an extended vacation. You have the parents, who have a strong disapproval for one of their daughters. There's the sister who is controlling, judgemental, and mistrustful. You have a twin brother who can't keep his twin's secrets and won't stand up for her. Things are already bubbling to the surface when odd things start to happen at the villa. Dark things that progressively get worse, and the only one willing to see things as they are is the one that the family dislikes the most, the misfit daughter. I had a hard time putting this one down.

Dnf – as an Italian, I simply couldn't stand the misuse of anything Italian ("how very Italian of you!" you, with all your assumptions/biases/prejudices/stereotyoes, will think): the "Italian" language, ""Italian"" people, the """Italian""" setting and, well, actually the very decision of anything regarding Italy in this book.
A little bit of research wouldn't harm anyone, methinks.

This book takes a traditional concept, a haunted house, and pairs with a vacation where the flaws of the family further enhance the haunting that they find themselves trapped in. Further more, the narrator quickly becomes unreliable both in how she witnesses the haunting, and how her family views her, leaving the reader wondering if it is she or her family who is the problem.

I really love haunted houses and unreliable narrators, and this has both, however something didn’t really connect with me. It may be the fact that none of the characters were really likable ones that I could find anything to hook on to. I do like chaotic family situations, but this was almost an extreme from the start; later on there’s explanations and reasons, however by that point I just wanted them all to have something rotten happen to them all, including Anna.
Having said that, I think it’s a well written story and would absolutely read something else by them, as I think this was a “me” thing more than a dislike with the novel.

Read if you like: toxic chaotic families, haunted houses & objects

I really enjoyed this book! I have enjoyed all of this author’s books. I would love to see this book adapted to film and would love to read more but it’s like this one.

Amazing, incredible, never-been-done-before, talented, all the things Lady Gaga said. I loved this from start to finish. The creepy atmosphere punctuating the picturesque Italian vacation and tension-filled family dynamics hit from day one, and it was such a ride. This book grabbed hold of me and refused to let go, and I felt so sucked in to the story. I like the ambiguity of the ending because I can tell myself that Anna reunited with Waverly, and then Mia and Justin, the only three people in her family that ever seemed to care about her. And I was shocked to all hell about what happened to Christopher! Ugh, such a great book.

In Diavola, a tumultuous family dynamic becomes the least of the Pace family worries when a dark entity begins to cause trouble in their idyllic Italian villa. The black sheep of the family Anna, tries to uncover the mystery of the villa while trying to convince her family to trust her. The vibes in this is are pretty much The Haunting of Hill House in Italy, but it adds a really modern and oftentimes very funny twist to that narrative. Anna is a really interesting main character, although genuinely for the entire book I don’t understand her family’s problem with her. She alludes to this huge mistake she made when she was 22 and it was so banal I was like THIS is why they’ve roasted her for years? Grow up! I think the pacing overall is really great, although the middle portion in NYC I think is necessary to establish the rules of the haunting, but I found it the least propulsive. Still, I think this a really well-executed modern haunted house narrative, which as I read more and more haunted house stories (there’s been a ton over the last couple of years) I really think it’s one of the better written ones. It’s a recommend from me!

My review will by posted on my Instagram @boozehoundbookclub

A family vacation takes a haunted turn when a family finds themselves in a villa with a ghost. This focuses mainly on Anna, the black sheep of her family. At first, she (and her family) think nothing of the random occurrence, but soon they find themselves truly haunted.

I liked the premise here, and overall thought the read was alright. I did find it really slow though. It wasn’t to the point of wanting to stop, and I figured it’s very gothic in elements so there will be some big denouement or something that leaves you a little shocked. I never really felt that here. Anna’s family’s also just was the worst so I didn’t mind them being haunted 🤷🏼‍♀️

I received my copy from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

This was the perfect gothic horror that I didn't know I needed. I loved the beginning when the family was in Italy and weird things just started happening and how the family reacted to everything. I thought pretty much everyone in Anna's family was a jerk though and Christopher was the worst (though we know the reason why I think). Once we really get to the meat of the horror, this book got crazy in the best way! I loved when Anna was back in the city working, how she was all consumed with her demon (and vice versa) and the repercussions that had. I couldn't put this one down until I knew how it ended and was totally satisfied with it ending the way it did.

This is a horror novel perfect for fans of dark, atmospheric horror and family drama! It had a really great gothic atmosphere. My biggest complaint was that the MC was a bit obnoxious and I was confused by her decisions which inhibited my enjoyment of the book. Overall, I would recommend this to folks who enjoy gothic horror!

It definitely got creepy at times and it was a super quick read! If you're not a fan of unlikeable characters, I'd skip this one because every single family member & side character was insufferable. I also think the book could've been longer by fleshing out several of the scenes more because some felt way too brief and could've been a lot creepier. This is more cozy comedic horror for fans of The September House & Delicious Monsters.

You could read Diavola by Jennifer Marie Thorne and see a basic haunted house story. Maybe it hits different, because it’s funny and infuriating, and you wonder what's worse: the family Anna has to put up with or the ghosts? Or maybe there's more to this haunting than meets the eye?

Diavola is now one of my favorite haunted house books. I saw all kinds of religious and mental health themes. There was a very small part in the middle where I thought it started to drag, but then it picked back up and did not stop. I am SO glad it did not go the way I worried it would. The ending was freaking awesome. Kinda like a Black Sheep mixed with My Best Friend's Exorcism situation, but if your best friend was yourself. It also helped me work through some self-doubt. Do I need to set better boundaries? Am I just always blaming other people for my problems? How do I separate what I think I know about myself from what people have always told me I am? Heavy stuff. Highly recommend.

Thank you Tor Nightfire for the advanced copy.

This book is a mesmerizing tale that captures the reader's imagination from the very first page. Thorne's exquisite writing style effortlessly transports readers into a world of dark humor, eerie suspense, and poignant reflections on loneliness and belonging. The Pace family's dynamics are portrayed with sharp wit and keen insight, making the novel a compelling exploration of the bonds that tie us together, even amidst unsettling circumstances.

This was not what I expected from the cover and blurb. The family dynamics weighed down the plot, and nothing remotely scary or atmospheric ever truly happened. For a "horror" novel, this falls flat. But, if you're looking for pretentious family dramas with a sprinkle of the supernatural, it might be for you.

A Vacation From Heck: A Look at Diavola

Diavola by Jennifer Thorne is a darkly comedic horror novel that blends classic haunted house tropes with dysfunctional family dynamics. It follows Anna, who dreads the annual Pace family vacation. This year's destination: a remote villa in Italy. What starts as an exercise in familial tolerance quickly spirals into a terrifying encounter with a malevolent entity.

What works:

Sharp Wit: Thorne's writing is sharp and witty, offering laugh-out-loud moments even amidst the chills. Anna's narration is particularly engaging, drawing you into her sardonic perspective on her family.
Family Dysfunction Turned Up to Eleven: The novel expertly captures the claustrophobia and exasperation of being trapped with a family you barely tolerate. The exaggerated dysfunction adds to the overall horror, making you wonder which is scarier: the ghost or your relatives?
Unique Haunting: Diavola offers a fresh take on the haunted house story. The entity's motivations and backstory are intriguing, and the resolution is both satisfying and surprising.
Thematic Depth: Beneath the scares, Diavola explores themes of loneliness, belonging, and the bonds (or lack thereof) within families.
What to Consider:

Gothic Horror Atmosphere: If you prefer fast-paced horror with lots of gore, Diavola might feel slow at times. It focuses more on building a chilling atmosphere and suspense.
Balance of Horror and Humor: The blend of humor and horror might not be for everyone. Some readers might find the tonal shifts jarring.
Overall

Diavola is a chilling and entertaining read that will appeal to fans of gothic horror with a dash of dark humor. It's a perfect pick for those who enjoy character-driven stories with a unique twist on the haunted house trope.

Recommendation:

If you're looking for a horror novel that's equal parts funny and terrifying, with a strong central character and a well-developed family dynamic, then Diavola is definitely worth checking out. However, if you prefer a more traditional horror experience with a relentless pace, you might want to pick up something else.