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.