A quick, superfun, somewhat scary, defeat-the-monster/curse read. I now really want to go to Puerto Rico, even though I'm the whitest gringa who has ever lived. The story ended a little abruptly - I could've used an epilogue - but other than that, a very fun book, great if you want to learn anything about life in Puerto Rico.

Check out my full video review: https://youtu.be/SGgtTo6vVyE

Five Midnights is a horror novel set on Puerto Rico, where in a group of five childhood friends, some of them has started getting killed. We follow Javier (one of the five friends) and Lupe, who travels to Puerto Rico every summer to visit her uncle and aunt. They team up trying to figure out what that is happening.

While this is pitched as a horror novel, not once in the book did I feel scared or creeped out. The plot was too predictable for me, where it was never a question “if” something would happen, but “when”. It was therefore very boring and not that entertaining. The book also dives into themes like drug and gang activity, but not as deep as I would want. I did however like the setting and the questions Lupe brings forward about identity. 2/5 stars.

I am sadly giving this book 2,5 / 3 stars. I was provided a free copy from Netgalley in exchange of an honest review.

I was really excited about this release of a YA Horror inspired in the myth of El Cuco. I grew up with this myth myself but we call it El Coco in Spain.

The story is based on 5 characters that find themselves in Puerto Rico fighting against something supernatural, El Cuco. Why is he targeting these kids and how can they stop him?

A story about poverty and drugs as well as police investigation.

Unfortunately the main plot was not as gripping as I expected, the characters even though they get each their own chapters end up not being fully developed and I could not connect with them. At no point in the book was I fearing for their lives. There is also an unnecessary love story and things that were supposed to be plot twists could be seen from miles away.

Such a pity because the story and the character of El Cuco could have turned out to be a great investing, gripping and scary story.

A thrilling page-turner set in modern-day Puerto Rico. Though quick in pace this book tackles heavy topics like substance abuse, identity, faith, family, and more.

So, I went into this novel expecting the usual slow burn of a horror novel where at least 1/3 of it passes by with next to no action before things actually happen. I was wrong.

Five Midnights opens on Lupe being headed to Puerto Rico on holidays from her home in Vermont. Her Puerto RIcan father is an alcoholic since Lupe's mother left her and now she more or less looks after herself. Next minute is a funeral where she is getting abused for being a gringa and ruining the place. A slow paced novel, this was not.

Now, i'm generally not a fan of the horror genre because frankly I scare easily. While this was creepy and there was an incident with some lights going out and a cat, I thoroughly enjoyed it. It may not be Christine style, everyone dies because screw you I'm a possessed car, but it was haunting in all the right ways.

The main characters are both strong and stubborn leading to some instances of standoffs but together they would be kind of cute. If they could get out of their own way that is. Before you ask, no its not romancey...

Overall I loved the use of the mythology of El Cuco, with their presence being that ever present fear rather than being an outright 'villain' within the story. The characters feel real while the imagery is simply stunning. Also now I feel like pork rinds *drifts off imagining fried pork*

The blurb for Five Midnights caught my attention immediately. YA horror set in Puerto Rico? Myths and legends coming to life? Hells yeah!

What I was expecting: this will be really cool and different and probably diverse, since it’s a Tor Teen title.

What I was NOT expecting: a story this rich, powerful, and full of depth! Darkly beautiful descriptions. A thought-provoking story packed full of themes, written in a way that’s smart but not didactic. A setting that leaps from the page. Distinct, relatable characters that face vastly different, yet very-realistic feeling struggles.

In short, I was unprepared for the sheer brilliance of this story. Five Midnights isn’t a trick. It includes everything you’d expect from YA horror. It’s creepy, gritty and atmospheric. There are teenagers struggling to find their place in the world. There are overprotective parents. There’s a light romance element.

It’s just that the story also contains SO. MUCH. MORE. Drugs, drug culture, and addiction. The downward spiral of impoverished neighborhoods and the effects on kids who grow up in them. Morality and personal responsibility. Loss. What it’s like to approach a culture from the outside. A taste of Puerto Rico - and really, I could almost taste it through all of the delicious food descriptions!

The story isn’t particularly gory. The horror lies in so much more than the legend of El Cuco (though El Cuco is pretty shudder-worthy too). It’s in the realization of what each kid in the story has gone through. What it’s like for the mothers in the neighborhood, watching and desperately trying to keep their kids away from the temptation of drugs and drug money. It’s in the terrible understanding of what happens when kids are forced to grow up too soon.

I loved this story and highly, highly recommend it! Seriously, ready for more Ann Dávila Cardinal books ASAP - sign me up for anything she writes!

Thank you to Tor Teen and Netgalley for an advanced copy of the book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

(Links have been updated!)

My rating: 5/5

It might look like I give a lot of positive reviews, but it’s more the fact that I’m extremely choosy about the books I spend my time with. I’m glad I picked this one up when I was perusing through NetGalley!

I’m a big fan of creepy stories, and have had an extremely hard time finding a good creepy story to read. This one definitely tickled my fancy. The author did a fantastic job in transporting the reader to Puerto Rico, the beautiful areas to the crime ridden ones, to move the story along. I felt like I could picture the locations that they went to.

The romance in this book was fantastic. I appreciate an author who can cultivate relationships and not just plunge the poor reader into a cold bath of “I love you soooo much”although it might not be relevant. I felt that the ending was a bit rushed, but I felt satisfied after seeing the loose ends tied up.

As a biracial person myself, I found the focus on identity to be grating at first, but it did make sense as the story continued. I can’t dock stars for that. :)

If you enjoy creepy things, with a bit of romance and mystery in a tropical setting, I’d suggest picking up the book... it just came out today!

This book paints such a vivid picture of Puerto Rico, from the scenery, to the food, to the darker parts of the island involving crime and drugs. Every second it just felt like you were right there in the scene as everything was going down. For the most part it sort of feels like a crime mystery, we have our characters looking for evidence, researching, talking to witnesses, etc. But every so often you get that creepy reminder that we have a supernatural being roaming around as well, which totally flips everything going on.

Now I really loved every character in a different way, but just mainly in how unapologetically Puerto Rican they all are. I felt like I have met the majority of these people at some point, everyone felt so familiar to me. I also really appreciated how they all have their own heavy baggage, and those struggles add to how they interact with each other and the situation at large.

Lupe’s struggles with her family problems and her biracial identity, really made me feel for her. Especially since she couldn’t seem to get a break when it came to her identity, and how often she felt the need to prove she was Puerto Rican. Now Javier’s struggles with his recovery, and how heavy his past mistakes weigh on him was so much! And I feel that’s one thing this book did so well, giving you that view on how drug addiction destroyed so many of these characters lives. How difficult the attempts at recovery are, and how devastating relapse can be. This book really went in and discussed how huge the drug problem on the island is, without sugarcoating any of it.

Overall this is such a great book, the creepy parts really weird you out while the rest of the investigations keeps you wondering what really is going on. I loved meeting all the characters and finding out how exactly they were all tied together. The ending really blew me away because so much happened so quickly, but I was so glad over some of those events!

Decent little novel but wasn't what I personally look for. The ending kind of messed it up for me. To each their own, it's definitely not a bad book. I wanted to know more about the monster. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC .

The nitty-gritty: Although atmospheric and well written, Five Midnights just didn’t provide the suspense and horror I was hoping for.

Five Midnights didn’t quite live up to my expectations, although there were elements that I really enjoyed. But some elements just didn’t mesh for me and I ended up feeling ambivalent at the end. However, this is an #ownvoices story, as Cardinal herself is Puerto Rican, just like her main character Lupe Dávila, and her descriptions of the Puerto Rican town of San Juan and Lupe’s experiences visiting the city and feeling almost like a fish out of water felt truly authentic. This was a quick read and that may have been part of the problem. I wanted more of the horror elements and less of the drug dealing/addicted teens, although I suspect that part may be authentic as well.

Lupe Dávila and her father visit her uncle in San Juan every summer, but this year her father is forced to stay behind in Vermont and sends Lupe on her own. When she arrives, her uncle Esteban Dávila, who is chief of police, is investigating the suspicious death of a boy named Vico, found dead in the bad part of town and most likely killed during a drug deal. Vico was friends with Lupe’s cousin Izzy, and because of that tenuous connection, she feels compelled to dig deeper into his death.

Javier was a drug addict, but he’s managed to turn his life around due to his friendship with Father Sebastian, and now he wants to help his friend Izzy do the same. But Izzy hasn’t been seen for weeks, and Javier is starting to worry. When another friend mysteriously dies, Javier realizes that the two boys who have died, Vico and Memo, were both part of Javier’s childhood gang. Lupe and Javier team up to solve the mystery, which might involve a mythical beast called El Cuco, a monster who can only do harm when it is summoned. Javier has vague memories of something ominous happening the night of his thirteenth birthday party, but the details are hazy.

I loved the author’s descriptions of San Juan, especially when her story moves to the shady, drug-addled side of town called El Rubí. Lupe has been visiting Puerto Rico since she was a child, but she still feels out of place due to her “white passing” skin. She’s been teased and bullied both here and back home in Vermont, but she’s a plucky girl who has learned how to stick up for herself. Cardinal’s story shows the growing drug problem in San Juan as a result of a declining economy, and I did enjoy the gritty stories of kids who are simply trying to get by and have fallen into the drug trade through no fault of their own.

I also enjoyed the mystery of what’s happening to Javier and his friends. The myth of El Cuco had promise, and there were some very creepy moments in the story. Cardinal creates tension by making the reader wonder whether the monster is real or not, and it definitely worked for me, at least in the beginning. But I did want a better pay-off at the end, and when she finally reveals what happened that fateful night, it was more of an anticlimax than a shocking twist.

For me, the ending of a book can sometimes change my rating at the last minute, either way depending on whether that ending worked or not, and in this case, the ending was so ridiculous and confusing that I was left with a feeling of “WTF did I just read?” Rather than explain the El Cuco monster that I was hoping would finally make an appearance, the ending was a jumble of disconnected events that didn’t make sense and weren’t the slightest bit scary. Several side characters mucked up the waters for me as well: Vico’s little sister, a girl named Marisol who turns homicidal at the end, and another childhood friend of the boys’, a musician named Papi Gringo who wasn’t necessary to the story at all, at least as far as I could tell. Cardinal also throws in a romance between Javier and Lupe that I could have done without. It was almost as if the author was forced to include it for YA readers who expect such things in their stories, but it felt completely out of place to me.

There are some atmospheric and creepy moments in Five Midnights, but if you’re looking for a scary horror story that features that monster on the cover of the book, then you might be disappointed. Ultimately, I didn’t really feel an emotional connection to any of the characters or events, which is the reason I’m rating this a “middle of the road/just OK” three star read.

Big thanks to the publisher for supplying a review copy.

Diverse stories in the YA horror genre are always welcomed and this is a notable entry. Puerto Rico comes alive through the colourful descriptions of the island, from the places to the people to the food (love all the food!). The book isn't afraid to show the side of Puerto Rico that tourist brochures never do. The language is a mix of English and Spanish - the latter without translations sometimes. This might be an issue for some readers but I thought it lend more authenticity to the story and makes the characters feel real.

I found Lupe to be a pretty thin character who is combative with everyone she meets. She feels defensive for looking like a white girl, but she doesn't acknowledge her privilege. Although I could relate to her wanting to belong, her attitude towards everyone doesn't warm me to her character. I also didn't understand her motivation for investigating the murders beyond wanting to be like a character in her favourite police show. I had better luck with Javier, who I found to be more sympathetic and interesting. His relationship with his mother and his priest shows different sides of him, and we see how hard he works to fight against his addiction. The supporting characters are mostly solid, though I wish the book had treated the character Marisol better. The others dismissed her as crazy, including Lupe, and I felt there was a better way for them to interact.

Although I liked the mythical elements and of how parents' tales affect the lives of their children, the story could have been more darker and intense. The supernatural element could have been stronger, especially towards the end. The climactic scene switches between different characters and diminishes the suspense. Everything also tied too quickly and neatly, without repercussions for everyone involved. It would have been nice to get an epilogue to see the aftermath of the events. Overall, an entertaining read that falters at the end but I am looking forward to reading the author's future books.

As a puerto rican, when I read the blurb for this book I knew I HAD to get my hands on it. YA Horror, set in Puerto Rico, involving one of the most famous legends from Puerto Rico?? Heck Yes. I was excited and nervous to read a story based on my country, since I feared the representation and how they portrayed the island, specially all that is going on with Puerto Rico at the moment. I was not disappointed.

What I liked most about the story were the main characters. While they were a bit annoying at times, one really learns to love them and connect with them. Javier is by far my favorite since he is the character that represents the person that is trying their best to overcome their struggles. I liked that even thought he has been clean, we still get to see read and see from time to time how truly he struggles to stay clean in a place where drugs are sadly, increasing in use. He felt for me, the most realistic and the one people would relate to the most.

Another special moment from reading the story is the little things they mention about Puerto Rico. Things like our main newspaper, the street names, malls, or even the slang used here made it so special to me. The author captured the essence of Puerto Rico and did it so well. Ann Davila also dives into what being a colony from the Us affects the island and its people. Reading about the massive wave of immigration and how Americans are coming and basically changing most places really stuck with me since it is happening. We are so limited to what we can do as a colony that nothing truly changes and things keep getting worse. So that was interesting to read.

Lastly, the plot line revolving around el Cuco was really interesting. I like to read a good mystery and mixing both realism and legend(fantasy) in the story was really interesting. The conclusion was epic. The description, the moment, the depth of revelations, I was at the edge of my seat worried how this will end. I will definitely recommend this book.

Diverse horror? Yes please!

As someone constantly seeking out diverse stories in the horror genre, I was ecstatic to learn about Five Midnights. Written by a Puerto Rican female author, this is an excellent example of #ownvoices fiction. Through the narrative, I learned so much about a country that I previously knew little about. I felt immersed in the culture as the author sprinkled cultural elements of, language and religion throughout the pages. I especially loved the inclusion of the local monster mythology

While this is marketed as young adult fiction, this novel could easily be enjoyed by an older audience. The main characters are teenagers, but otherwise the story lacks the usual markers of the age category. There was some minor romance, but it came across as secondary to the main plot.

I would recommend this one to anyone seeking a diverse or simply just a different horror story.

I received a digital uncorrected copy from the publisher TorTeen via Netgalley.

Fantastic contemporary YA from Ann Davila Cardinal... with a monster twist! I loved the fast-paced story and the proudly Puerto Rican aesthetic. The scenes with El Cucú were written especially well. This book had the perfect amount of suspense and creepiness. Highly recommend.

"Ann Dávila Cardinal's Five Midnights is a “wickedly thrilling” (William Alexander) and “flat-out unputdownable” (Paul Tremblay) novel based on the el Cuco myth set against the backdrop of modern day Puerto Rico.

Five friends cursed. Five deadly fates. Five nights of retribución.

If Lupe Dávila and Javier Utierre can survive each other’s company, together they can solve a series of grisly murders sweeping though Puerto Rico. But the clues lead them out of the real world and into the realm of myths and legends. And if they want to catch the killer, they'll have to step into the shadows to see what's lurking there - murderer, or monster?"

Or both!?!

So the second I read the blurb for Five Midnights, I knew I needed this book ASAP. A book based in Puerto Rico and about the legend of "El Cuco"? Yes please. The legends and stories of "El Cuco" is the stuff of children's nightmares. The Spanish version of the bogeyman, it is used as a warning to kids by their parents to behave themselves or El Cuco would come after them. My own mom used it enough times that I was scared of looking under my bed until I was like 10. So getting to read a YA horror book on this, especially revolving around a place that I call my second home, sign me up. Ann Davila spins the legend of "El Cuco" in a new and interesting way.

First off, the descriptions of Puerto Rico, from the back alleys of Old San Juan, to Isla Verde, teleports the reader to the Caribbean island beautifully. Honestly, I swear I could smell the salt air, feel the warm breeze. The sights and smells are vivid and had me craving a pastelon in the worst way. I may have begun gathering ingredients to make one, just saying. I also bought alcapurrias but mine was made of yuca. :DBased in San Juan, Puerto Rico, Five Midnights revolves around two main characters. Lupe, a half Puerto Rican transplant from Vermont is visiting her aunt and uncle for the summer. Her uncle is the chief of police and when Lupe arrives, he is investigating the death of a young man who was savagely and mysteriously attacked, the only clue some giant claw marks in his chest. We also meet Javier, a young native of the island and an old friend of the murdered boy. He is a recovering drug addict and has been clean for two years, getting his life together with the help of a padre from a local church. When the two meet, they instantly clash. Lupe is very independent and begins to investigate on her own as to what happens while Javier is trying to do the same. They quickly realize that they need each other if they are to ever solve what happened and prevent it from happening again when another past friend of Javier's also meets the same fate. It becomes a race against time, for El Cuco is coming, and they have to find a way to stop it.

I love that the story touches on a lot of aspects of Puerto Rico, not just a bogeyman story. You get a lot about the problems that are plaguing the island, from the drugs to some of the political issues, to the racism even within our own culture. There is this mentality that if you aren't born and raised there, are you really that Puerto Rican which is sort of what Lupe has to deal with. At the same time, she's really strong willed and doesn't seem to understand that living on the island and just occasionally visiting are very different. It's nice that she begins to open her eyes to it. I also really loved her uncle as a surrogate father figure as her own father hasn't really been there for her as much as he could and her aunt plays the motherly role that makes Lupe feel like she's home.

Javier is dealing with demons that plague him daily and the call of falling back on his old ways and giving into the temptation of drugs makes you really sympathize with the character. Interestingly enough, he feels more light hearted than Lupe is and he’s the one to crack a joke or a smile more than her. Javier was endearing and sweet. I loved his interactions with his friend Carlos and the padre. He's an endearing character.

With a nice dose of mystery and suspense set behind a colorful backdrop, I enjoyed Five Midnights and can't wait to read more from the author.

I've never been to Puerto Rico, but the author provides such vivid, immersive descriptions, I feel like I have.  And the food!  I drooled over several pages.  

The author gives a balanced picture of Puerto Rico.  While showing the horrors of drugs and addiction, and impoverished neighborhoods, she also demonstrates the deep love of culture and community, and supportive, loyal families and friends willing to do anything to protect their loved ones.  And can I mention the food again? 

One of my favorite things about this book is the relationships.  With little parental support at home, Lupe's relationship with her aunt and uncle is a positive influence, and portrayed so well.  Javier hasn't made good choices in his past, and battles his addiction every day with the help of Father Sebastian.  Javier's relationship with childhood friend Carlos is more of brother than friend, even though Carlos's music career has made him an international sensation.

Mention urban legends in a book description, and I'll show up, and El Cuco is the stuff of children's nightmares.  The opening scene is a perfect way to set up the supernatural suspense.  When Javier makes the connection and realizes he's living on borrowed time, I couldn't read fast enough.

As a main character, Lupe is feisty, loyal, and determined - all good things.  But her default mode is set to combative, and I felt it got in the way of the story.  The final showdown is tense and exciting, but because it's seen through several POVs, it stretches on for pages, when it actually lasts the length of a song.

Five Midnights is a briskly paced, dark, YA supernatural mystery that I enjoyed from the first page, and would recommend to fans of urban legends who enjoy a touch of the paranormal.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

I originally picked this novel based off the cover and longing for a spooky supernatural read.

Well... this unfortunately wasn't what I had hoped for. It was very predictable and just mediocre read for me in all honesty.

What I enjoyed about the book? I loved the setting and atmosphere of the Puerto Rican culture/lifestyle. But, I was hoping for a lot more dark and creepy than the writing was. I LOVE me so DARK and gritty characters/storyline.

I can see many people enjoying this one.. but I always tend to be the outlier on my stories and this was just a tad corny/cheesy for my tastes. I have watched thousands of horror/supernatural movies.... so been there done that with a lot of plots!

Overall, 3 stars.

Thank you to Netgalley and Macmillan Tor/Forge for the arc in exchange for an honest review.

Published to Goodreads: 5/27/19
Publication date: 6/4/19

What I Liked:

The concept – I love the concept for this one. Cultural myths coming to life in a modern setting and two teens desperate to solve the mystery with a body count that continues to grow.

Javier – I love reading about a teen character who didn’t always make the best decisions, but who is doing their best. Javi has been clean for two years, but he still struggled with his drug addiction on a daily basis.

A too curious for her own good MC – I’m fondly referring to Lupe as the Latina Nancy Drew. She is driven by her insatiable curiosity and doesn’t easily back down. When there is a mystery to solve, she is going to do whatever it takes to solve it.

Family – Lupe doesn’t have a lot of good adult role models in her life, so her relationship with her uncle is so important. I loved scenes between these two and loved that so much of Lupe’s drive to solve mysteries was nurtured over the years by her uncle.

Puerto Rican myths – I need more horror books in my life that explore more Latinx myths. I loved the monster in this one, the concept of retribution, and that the past can sometimes come back to haunt you.

What I Didn't Like:

Lupe – As much as I enjoyed Lupe’s stubbornness, I found her need to argue about everything grating. Any time someone tried to help her or maybe got in her face, Lupe was ready for a fight and/or argument. I was never sure if the author meant for this to be an example of a teen sorting out who she is in the world or if Lupe’s behavior was meant to somehow “prove” what a feminist she was. If the latter, the text completely missed the mark.

More banter – I love banter and the synopsis promised banter. What I got was a couple of teens arguing maybe once and one making some poor decisions because she had to prove she was tough.

Marisol – I had high hopes when this character showed up. I pictured Lupe and Marisol forging an important friendship, but this character was so mistreated. We aren’t supposed to like her, but she made a lot of sense and most of the characters were so dismissive of her. Her interactions with Lupe especially bothered me because all they seemed to do was tear each other down.

Final Verdict:

Ann Dávila Cardinal’s Five Mightnights is refreshing when it comes to its monster, but suffers from overplayed tropes like girl-on-girl hate and a protagonist that mistakes combativeness with strength.

Thank you to Tor Teen, Ann Dávila Cardinal and NetGalley for an ARC of this novel, in exchange for an honest review.

Five Midnights is a novel about addiction, acceptance and the shadows that follow us.

This novel primarily follows Lupe, a half Puerto-Rican, half Northern American who is staying with her Uncle (Tio) and Aunt (Tia) for the Summer. Lupe, who inherited more of her mother's NA genes than her father's PR genes, spends a lot of the novel in heightened emotion, trying to fit in, she takes a lot of crap for not having the 'right' coloured skin. Secondary character and our potential love interest Javier, and the rest of his 'cangrejo' brothers, are being hunted down, and together, Lupe and Javier try to hunt and track down the killer on the loose. I liked Lupe and her fiery spirit, she was 'at ten' a lot of the time, however, and I don’t know whether I wholly knew or believed who she was. Her character could certainly have been developed a lot further.

This is a young adult horror novel that could have taken the plunge a bit further into the horror. There were times towards the end of the novel where I thought I had imagined this novel was a horror at all, I thought I might have misread the description previously and this was simply a thriller or mystery novel. When the horror happens, it is distracted by switching to a more plausible and sensible non-horror storyline and through different perspectives. It just felt slightly confusing. This novel for me did not have any scary elements, I don’t know if that’s because I am not really familiar with El Cuco or not, so if subtle horror is your thing, this is certainly a good one to try.

Some parts were quite jumbled, in particular near the ending, fights left barely any physical damage moments after they happened, and forgiveness happened pretty quickly. I didn’t really mind it, but it threw me off a little. Some parts of the novel, (I can’t really say what for spoilers) felt pretty YA, but this novel does deal with some adult themes in the background.

I have never been to Puerto Rico but it was described beautifully, the food sounded delightful and made me feel as though I was there. All in all I would say this was a 3 star read, but I would be intrigued to see what comes next from Dávila Cardinal.