I didn't like Bethany Griffin's first book, Masque of the Red Death, the MC bugged the crap out of me, but because I like Poe so much I just HAD to read her new book, The Fall. I was pleasantly surprised. 
 This was a dark book, with great story telling and imagery. It is a retelling of the Fall of the House of Usher from Madeline's POV, but at the same time it reverses Madeline and Roderick's characters. Instead of Roderick going insane first and calling Madeline home from school it is opposite and this was very well done and set the tone for the story very well. 
 The house is the villain in this book, warping the family of Usher, twisting their emotions, wants, desires and talents all for the betterment of the house itself. This novel is a great Haunted House type story. 
 The novel opens with the end of the story and unless you have never read Fall of the House of Usher this shouldn't be a spoiler, with Madeline buried alive. The next chapter throws you back into the past with Madeline and Roderick at nine years old. Each chapter starts with the title: Madeline age ____ and tells the story in a backwards frontwards sort of way that is ingenious and makes the plot twists even creepier. 
 There is no romance in this story, just depraved horror and madness. A great read for this time of year.