I loved this book!
First off, I want to mention that this is definitely misclassified. This is 100% contemporary, not horror.
The closest this book gets to horror is the location. It takes place at Moldavia castle - the filming location for cult-famous B horror films. And it's one of my favorite settings ever. I wish Moldavia was real because I legit want to go.
The main character Dario, got emancipated at 12 and has been living in a group home for the last 6 years. He gets a phone call from his brother and finds himself drawn back into the crazy world of Moldavia. Back at the castle Dario has to confront all the demons he's been trying to escape.
There are definitely some serious trigger warnings for this book - specifically child abuse and mental illness (schizophrenia). This book is really dark and there are some very descriptive depictions of disturbing situations. But this darkness is countered but a lot of humor too.
This book is so funny! Oren's Ciller Cauliflower script might be one of my favorite chapters of all time.
This book isn't going to be for everyone. But if you're looking to new, dark twist on the traditional coming of age story, I definitely recommend checking this out.