Many thanks to @dreamscape_media for the #gifted free copy of this book.  

Horror mixed with family dysfunction.  Extra scary, right?  

A vacation to Italy sounds delightful to most, but with Anna’s family it’s more like a toxic nightmare.  They constantly question her.  Judge her.  Badger her.  And she gets the blame for anything that goes wrong.  Yet, they need her and rely on her.  

In the history of families, Anna’s might be the absolute worst.  (Be forewarned!)

Add to that a gothic villa with a violent past and a ghost set on retribution, and you’ve got one doozie of a horror story.  

As I read, I couldn’t decide if I was more afraid of the murderous apparition or Anna’s mom and sister!  If only I could’ve gone through the pages and punched someone!  The drama often offset the horror for me, making me more annoyed than terrified.  

Truly, I found myself conflicted for most of the read. 

But then there was that ending!  It revealed a cleverness within the premise that satisfied in a way I hadn’t expected.  

This is one of those books that begs for discussion, and I am so glad that my friends, @reading.with.my.goldens and @readbyregan, talked this one through with me.  It made me more appreciative of the elements and how they shined in that ending.  

🎧 The audiobook is THE way to go.  The narration by Andi Arnt lured me in and quickly took hold.  She excelled in giving the main character a nuanced voice while accentuating the creepiness of the storyline.   In those moments when I questioned the premise, it was Arnt’s voice that kept me hanging on just a little longer... until I finished the book.