Can’t Wait Wednesday: Diavola
Can’t-Wait Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Wishful Endings, to spotlight and discuss the books we’re excited about that we have yet to read. Generally they’re books that have yet to be released.
Diavola by Jennifer Thorne
Horror, Standalone
eBook, Hardcover, 304 Pages
March 26, 2024 by Tor Nightfire
Blurb:Anna has only 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 seem to fit. 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 has 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–including Benny’s demanding new boyfriend (it’s Christopher, not Chris). That is, until things start going off the rails–the strange noises at night, the unsettling warnings from the local villagers, and, oh, 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.)
Why I Want to Read This Book:Well if this doesn’t sound like the perfect example of a dysfunctional family vacation. Especially the father reminding everyone who paid for the trip and how much it’s costing him. It reminds me of a more family-inclusive version of The Villa by Rachel Hawkins and I’m looking forward as always to another take on the haunted house story.
Will you be checking this one out? What upcoming releases are you looking forward to?
