I went into this novella knowing nothing except that the cover was amazing but it was a really nice surprise diving in this beautiful story. The only issue I faced it was the pacing, that I thought was a bit slow, however, at the end it didn't bother me at all, because this story wasn't something to read super fast and be done with... it's to be savoured. Summing up, this is a quiet story about grief, overcoming sadness and a violent past, about being strong despite the fears. It has a touch of witches, folklore, love and everyone should give this one a try.
-
Quando decidi ler esta novela, não sabia de nada, exceto que eu gostava muito da capa, mas foi uma ótima surpresa mergulhar nessa linda história. O único problema que eu tive foi o ritmo, que achei meio lento, porém no final não me incomodou em nada, porque essa história não é para ler super rápido e seguir em frente ... é para ser saboreada. Para resumir, a história traz sobre o luto, a superação de uma tristeza passada de geração em geração, sobre ser forte apesar dos medos. Também tem folclore, bruxas, amor de mãe, de amizade, de romance, e todos deveriam dar uma chance para esse livro. .

Revolving around the legend of La Llorona, Weep, Woman, Weep is a subtle horror novella that reads in the vein of a gothic fairytale. Its themes of ancestral trauma, feminism, and the deeply personal storytelling of our protagonist, Mercy, are great strengths and leave quite the emotional impact.

There’s green witchery, intergenerational haunting, a soft hint of romance, and a protagonist bent on making her own way through life and dodging the curse that seeks to claim her too. All in all, the perfect October/November read!

TW: assault, racism, sexism, colourism, domestic and child abuse, death and grief

This was a wonderful, smart feminist horror narrative. I loved the themes surrounding an experience as an Mexican American living in rural New Mexico. The actual horror was subtle, yet unsettling. I loved how it drew on ancestral horror and buja magic. This story really hits on an emotional level.

Weep, Woman, Weep follows Mercy’s complicated relationship with her family, her small New Mexico town, her inheritance from her family’s pain and from the land itself, and the generational traumas that stem from systemic racism, colorism, misogyny, and history repeating itself. La Llorona—herself a victim, albeit a vicious one—feeds off of pain and preys on those who succumb to depression, fear, and rage. As Mercy says, “Our pain is her feast.”

The novella's focus on brujeria via farming and finding happiness in spite of a world designed to stamp out the least bit of joy was delightful. It was, in many ways, a truly meditative read, despite the narrator's prickly style and the overall body count.

The way that landscapes and people were described was truly lovely: specific, succinct, and pretty without falling into a trap of purple prose. The dialogue—including Mercy’s internal voice—was believable and fresh, a bit off-kilter from the usual voice of a teenage and then-adult heroine.

Seeing Mercy navigate rage, grief, and acceptance was genuinely beautiful and handled well, page by page, although it seemed to be too fast, simply because of the time skips. The book felt a bit undeveloped in that, although I appreciated it was told in a retrospective format, so overall the time skips do not feel far-fetched, just sometimes clunky in their usage.

My only problem is that wish it was a full book instead of a novella because I honestly could not get enough of the story and the way Mercy told it. I want to learn more about the world and La Llorona.

I highly recommend this novella to anyone looking for a diverse, own voices horror story that hits on heavy themes while bringing the scares.

I received an eARC of this title through NetGalley in return for an honest review.

This book left me with a lot of feelings and a lot of questions. I loved it, but also, as a woman who is, as the main character Mercy says, "the wrong side of thirty", I found a lot to connect with in this book. I loved the length of it as it essentially goes through Mercy's whole life. I usually do not like books that follow a character from young until old, but this book does a really good job at finding what is necessary for the story and pacing the outcomes of everyone.

Mercy is such a great character that I connect with on more than one level. She is independent and does not want to conform to social norms. I have felt that in my life and may still hold some stubborn aspects of my beliefs such as creating a life for myself before thinking of getting married or having a family. Mercy goes through a lot and finds herself plagued by the infamous La Llorona.

I loved the gothic feel of this novel as not really knowing if La Llorona is real or is a metaphor for breaking social norms. I think it works to believe either is true. The author does a really good job of being vague enough with the descriptions of what "La Llorona" has done to Mercy, that it could be both.

I can't recommend this book enough. It is everything you want in a gothic fiction novel minus a build up to a big fight at the end, which in this story was not needed. It's about fighting your own self to find happiness and I loved it. It is a book I would definitely read again.

I got an ARC of this from the publisher through Netgalley in an exchange for an honest review, so here goes!

I enjoyed this from the start, but there was something about the narrative style that made me think another edit might have been helpful before publication. Just a turn of phrase or a repetition or figurative image too far every so often, like a tossed pebble making rings in the water and breaking my concentration.

Having finished the novella?

I could well believe it is a well-done stylistic choice, the sometimes choppy or overdone phrases that can sometimes be found in the first part of the book giving way to purely beautiful, lyric prose by the end.

Rather than a horror, or even a gothic novella (though it certainly has elements), I would class this more as an inheritor to the magical realism most prominent in Latin American literature, with the supernatural elements firmly embedded in a realistic world and narrative.

The story weaves folklore, generational trauma, and economic struggle together with a strong understanding of nature, the environment, and indigenous spiritual practices into something really lovely.


It starts of with the narrator, Mercy, telling us how the women in her family are built for grief. We pan out from there to the generations of broken women in her town, and then to the figure of La Llorona herself. A woman who once commited a terrible act, driven by her own bitterness and anger, she has preyed on Mercy's town for generations - all while the town says nothing about the young girls taken by her and "baptized" in the river, emerging dead-eyes and changed.

Mercy and her best friend Sherry have seen this happen to friends, and their own families, and they are determined to escape their fate. When tragedy strikes, however, Mercy is left cursed by La Llorona, forced to make a life for herself in whatever way she can. Decades pass, and the reader is with Mercy as she tries to figure out how to make something of herself once the river witch had got her claws into her.

What I loved so much is that the magic and faith in this novella is so natural and bound up with the environment. Mercy digs in an refuses to apologise for who she is, making a life for herself. There is also a hint of romance, but not in any way that takes over the narrative.

Mercy is not a woman who needs saving - she is a woman who is trying to figure out the best way to save herself. The fact that a good man comes into her life - unlike most men in her town - is not because he plans to save her, but because he respects and admires her. The one thing he does offer Mercy is the chance to trust someone else, and in doing so see herself through their eyes.

One lovely example of this is how initially Mercy hates her own name, choosing to go by more glamorous names that she regularly changes. It's an element of her total rejection of herself. By the end, however, her name is something that she likes, having changed how she views it, giving us a tangible sign of how she has grown into herself.

When the book ends, we're not given a huge fight scene or a final vanquishing act, but shown the power of putting down roots, finding out who you are and, most importantly, choosing to step forward and let go of the past - even as you honour it.

It's a beautiful story and I would gladly read more of this world. In fact, I would love to see some of these same events through Santos's eyes!

I love haunted/ghost type stories so when I heard about Weep Woman Weep featuring La Llorona, I was so excited to read it! This was a quick read and had me pulled in right away. The characters were fantastic, especially seeing Mercy develop and grow over time. The writing was really well done with drawing me in and painting a vivid picture of the story!

The ending did feel a little bit rushed but it was a satisfying end to the story. I would’ve loved the book to be longer and see Mercy as a more dimensional character instead of the surface level we saw.

Overall a fantastic gothic/horror ghost story, which I very much enjoyed!

Triggers: alcoholism (brief), murder, child death, colorism, racism, child abuse, blood (brief), infidelity, death, domestic abuse, death of parent, grief, sexual assault (brief), animal death

It was an awesome book!

Mercy is a small town girl surrounded by sorrows, fear, and misery all around. La Llorona, or, the weeping woman, likes to take those who are just like her- young, innocent, and full of sorrows, So, Mercy and her best friend Sherry make a pact to never get taken by the Weeping Woman. They will work hard and stay away from the river as much as they can, where the weeping woman resides and lures her victims. But one fine day, La Llorona gets Sherry, and Mercy's life has taken a sad and drastic turn, because of which both of theirs dreams of leaving the down are far-fetched.

I loved the setting of this book. This was my first time trying the horror genre and I must say, I was not disappointed. The characters were cleverly sketched, each unique and realistic. Apart from the main character, I loved Sherry the best.

The plot was so interesting, it lured me towards it like La Llorona lures women with sorrows in the river. Overall, the book was amazing, and I recommend everyone who wants to try something new this spooky season, to give this novel a go.

Ahh, Mercy!!! I just loved reading her POV 😍. She is just awesome and wise and kinda my role model 🥰. She talks about racism, sexism, poverty, and her views about society in an effortlessly impacting way (a big THANK YOU to Maria DeBlassie). The Weeping Woman had ALMOST baptized Mercy but somehow she escaped from La Llorona’s muddy hands. Now, Mercy has to continue living her life with constant surprises from La Llorona.

And then this girl just BLOOMS out of all her miseries!! She changes her life, saves money, starts her farm, sells her produce, and makes new friends. Mercy was never willing to give up her LIFE and DREAMS for a Weeping Woman! That’s my Mercy 💖. This book taught me so much about life, courage, and hope! looking forward to reading more books by this magical author!! Also, Mercy has the most wonderful bookshelf in the world!!!

This book was so incredibly beautiful. The writing was poetic, the story full of scary soul, and the MC was lyrical. Was honestly a pleasure to read. My only gripe was that it wasn’t enough - I need more! I do wish it had been a bit longer but what was there was wracked with emotion and so well written that is it really any wonder I could go on reading it forever?

I loved this so so much! Honestly, I was pulled in by the cover (which is gorgeous), and the fact that it's about La Llorona, which I'll read anything involving La Llorona. I fell in love with it from the first chapter, and Mercy herself. It had a wonderful gothic, witchy feel and I love that it was written by an actual witch herself!

I really liked the format of having Mercy tell her own story, even if at times I did wish things were shown more than just told to me. I loved the world building for the town and each of the characters, and how Mercy's own infamy in the town took root. The ending for Sherry did genuinely make me want to cry, but it felt like it made the book and Mercy's story full circle, and an ending that felt natural. I wish there was more about the relationship with Santos, who I adored and his relationship with Mercy.

The only thing I would complain about is the kindle formatting, because with the tear drop it was hard to tell whether or not it was a new chapter beginning or if it was just a chapter break, but that's more cosmetic than an issue with the story itself.

Thank you to Netgalley and the author for allowing me to read this!

I was instantly intrigued by the synopsis of this book. This book instantly drew me in. I really enjoyed this book and the plot. This author did amazing. I loved the writing style.

This gothic feminist novella was the best way for me to start this month a.k.a. spooky season. The story was spooky but not horror, which was a blessing for me because I get scared of everything.

I loved the overall writing and the characters. Mercy was great and she deserved someone as perfect as Santos. I honestly love him and how understanding he is towards Mercy. I honestly would love to know how Sherry dealt with everything. I wouldn't say no to a novella about her.

My only problem is that wish it was a full book instead of a novella because I honestly could not get enough of the story and the way Mercy told it. I want to learn more about the world and La Llorona. (I’m actively avoiding talking about La Llorona because she scares the pants off me but she's still very haunting and interesting.)

I love the fact that a witch wrote this spooky story. This makes things ten times better. AND THE COVER. WOW.

ARC provided by Netgalley for an honest review.
Weep, Woman, Weep is a rather fast read. The story follows Mercy and her growth as a woman while fearing the dreaded LA Lorona. As someone who got away, she makes sure to keep herself safe. She finds a few friends along the way but mostly keeps to herself for her own safety and personal logic. It's an okay, haunting tale but it didn't give me a creepy feel or anything.

It was hard for me to get through this novella, mostly because I felt like I was getting a succinct recap of a book someone else read. The first person storytelling made it so I did not feel attached to the characters or events in this book at all, since I was being told rather than shown. I think this book would have benefitted from a third person point of view. The skipping around and "oh yeah I forgot..." from the narrator was not enjoyable at all.

My other reason for disappointment was that this book was not "horror." Maybe if La Llorona was actually described it would have been spooky, but I feel like so many potentially scary scenes were just brushed over. There's even a scene that has potential where the narrator says "but I don't want to talk about that in depth." How disappointing!

I gave this book one star on my goodreads. Thanks to Netgalley for providing me with a digital copy in exchange for my honest review.

This was a beautifully written novella that covers topics of depression and overcoming loss and fear to live a happy and fulfilled life. Based on the Latin American folklore of “la llorona” (“The weeping woman”), Mercy tells her tale of living in a cursed town where marked women are doomed to live a life of sorrow. Tears that are shed have potential to cause death if not careful enough. Mercy tries to avoid falling victim to la llorona by avoiding the river and any water sources at all costs.
Not only is the cover art of this novella amazing but the story within is just as beautiful., It was a deep and meaningful read. I loved how Mercy tries to set aside her fears by distracting herself in creating beautiful things with her farm. Not so much horror as it is dark fantasy but still a worthwhile read. Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the digital ARC.

Absolutely beautiful. Please pick this up right now! A great spooky read with an amazing cultural background. There were a lot of horror elements like the world itself and the La Llorona aspect that just fit together so well. I wasn’t hesitant because I didn’t know if this twist on the classic La Llorona would work but 100% did!

The only thing I knew about La Llorona came from a pretty bad Netflix movie I watched with my cousins at 2 a.m.

Now I wish I could have read this book earlier; at least the story behind the tale would have been clear.

The women of Sueño, New Mexico cannot be happy. La Llorona wouldn't let them be. Two girls Mercy and Sherry, do harbor dreams of happiness. They dream of leaving the town and leading a life out of the weeping ghost's shadow. However, Sherry gets baptized by La Llorona, and that leaves Mercy all alone.

Mercy does not give up. The townspeople might call her names, but she controls her tears to keep them from harm. She stores them in mason jars, maybe I'll do this too to remind myself how precious they are.
Back to the story now. Although the description does have the word Goth in it, there are not many gothic elements in the story. So, that was a disappointment for me.

I loved this book a lot more than i thought i would, i honestly couldn’t out it down. Phenomenal writing style, great representation and lots of diversity. The storyline was amazing and really well written. What more could you want?

This is a great story of a resilient woman. She’s gone through so much as a child, which later haunts her as an adult and seems to hold her back a lot. It’s this battle between “moving forward and going after what you want” vs “obstacles in life that seem to always try and hold you back”. La Llorona is this metaphor for the MC’s fears.

The MC stays persistent and at the end is able to look back and see everything she’s overcame and all the dreams she’s accomplished.
Told in first person POV, which I normally like but in this book some parts felt like I was listening to someone ramble, lose Train of thought, then get back on track with the story. I guess it adds this feel of actually listening to someone tell their story.

Overall a good read. Genre is horror but it wasn’t really scary. I enjoyed the love story in it and the MC’s resilience!

I wanted more depth to the story and characters but Still Recommend! Great lesson in overcoming fears and going after your dreams!

I was immediately drawn in by the gothic fairytale nature of Weep, Woman, Weep. This book is well-written horror done right.