Review: Amity by Micol Ostow

Amity
Author: Micol Ostow
Release Date: August 26, 2014
Publisher: EgmontUSA
Source: Edelweiss
Review by: Jenn

For fans of Stephen King and American Horror Story, a gruesome thriller suggested by the events of the Amityville Horror.

Connor's family moves to Amity to escape shady business deals. Ten years later, Gwen's family moves to Amity for a fresh start after she's recovered from a psychotic break.

But something is not right about this secluded house. Connor's nights are plagued with gore-filled dreams of demons and destruction. Dreams he kind of likes. Gwen has lurid visions of corpses that aren't there and bleeding blisters that disappear in the blink of an eye. She knows Amity is evil and she must get her family out, but who would ever believe her?

Amity isn't just a house. She is a living force, bent on manipulating her inhabitants to her twisted will. She will use Connor and Gwen to bring about a bloody end as she's done before. As she'll do again.

Alternating between parallel narratives, Amity is a tense and terrifying tale suggested by true-crime events that will satisfy even the most demanding horror fan.

1.5 stars out of 5 stars

*I received an eARC of this book from the publisher but it did not influence this review in any way.*

When I first read the summary and saw this, "For fan of Stephen King and American Horror Story", I was immediately sold and picked up this book. I love horror movies and horror stories even more. I normally choose contemporaries romances and fantasies but when I came across Amity, I was ecstatic about starting it. 

Amity follows two families who live in the same house, ten years apart. I was immediately engrossed into the story and I was curious to find out what secrets Amity was hiding. However, Connor, one of the main characters, I just couldn't stomach him. He gave me the creeps and I was seriously scare of him. As I continued to read, I tried reasoning with myself by thinking that maybe I was having such a negative reaction to Connor was because of Amity's affect on him but I slowly realized that that just wasn't the case. 

As I continued along with the book, I was slowly losing my enthusiasm for the story. I was thinking of not finishing the book, but then I realized that I had gone past the point of no return and that I might as well see how the book end. I wasn't satisfied, especially with that ending. The ending was the only real thing that brought out some emotion out of me and even then, I just sort of brushed it aside and moved on. 

I had such high expectations for Amity and I'm so disappointed that it did not deliver. I hope that maybe some other reader will enjoy this book because I certainly did not.