Wow….just wow, will probably have to edit this as I’ve lost my words having just finished this AMAZING story! Gah! Hooked me from the start, and never let up! Such an emotional outpouring from Alejandra throughout her journey to find herself and save the ones she loves. This. Book. Was. Everything! I highlighted so many wonderful passages. The verbiage and scenery were exquisite. I feel this will touch many women out there who feel misunderstood, and feel they lack having a voice. Beautiful, amazing, wonderful, captivating, mesmerizing……this book was IT. V Castro is an amazing writer for the women of our times for sure!

Ahhh this is a story that deals with La Llorona, whose story is part of Mexican folklore, and it is SCARY! 🫣 Like, damn. I be having nightmares now.

Also, this book really goes in on Motherhood and the stay-at-home wife life. It describes the sacrifice many moms make in a lyrically haunting way that was very chilling to read.

It all begins when the main character, Alejandra, moves with her husband and 3 children into a new home. It’s large, and beautiful, and she knows she should feel lucky…but the feelings she has instead are troubling.

Then, the book rewinds to expand on the generations of mothers before Alejandra. They too felt the heavy darkness. This presence is something that has stalked her bloodline for centuries, and it is choosing this moment to be known. But why? What is this entity? How can Alejandra rid it from her life and protect her children?

I want to make it clear that this story has gruesome moments and is not for the half-in horror fan as it goes full out. It is essentially an interesting take on generational trauma and Mexican folklore, as well as an artistic commentary on women’s place in the world, and the expectations society has historically hefted onto them. It was frightening to read as the character’s mental and emotional stability falter in the face of maternal duties and the darkness that lurks around her…but women are powerful and motherhood brings forth a new force within us.

I am gonna slap a huge TRIGGER WARNING for postpartum, or any form of depression or suicidal ideations, especially if those are tied to motherhood. This book gets very heavy and dark at times.

3.5/5 stars rounded up to 4 for this review

The premise of this book was so interesting. Alejandra, the main character is stuck with a generational curse, the curse of La Llorona who has followed her since the birth of her daughter. The story was so well done, and very informative and interesting. I learned a lot of things about curanderas, La Llorona herself, and Mexican-American culture that I would not have known about before. The story follows Alejandra as she starts experiencing more and more serious run ins with the curse, and goes about trying to handle the situation without causing worse things to occur. As I said, the story was nothing like anything I have read before, which honestly was a breath of fresh air since I was able to find out about things outside my usual realm of understanding. I would highly recommend this book to anyone who likes supernatural things, but also enjoys mysteries.

This ebook was provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Through a retelling of La Llorona, this book tackles themes of self identity, motherhood, and mental health.

Alejandra is a mother of 3, very unhappy in her marriage, overwhelmed by her children, unsure if she’s even fit to be a mother, and has completely lost herself. On top of all that, she is also haunted by a generational curse at the hands of the La Llorona, the murderous mother in white. Alejandra, who was given up for adoption at birth, must learn about her blood family’s past in order to stop La Llorona from harming her and her children. The story is told through the alternating lens of Alejandra and her ancestors, a group of strong women who range from the present all the back to the 1900s.

This is not your typical horror book. I’m my opinion it’s pretty light on the horror but some scenes are definitely very creepy to read alone at night. I don’t often read retellings so I don’t have a baseline to judge this book off of but I really enjoyed it. I thought the writing was compelling and the stories of each ancestor tied everything together nicely. The scenes with La Llorona were creepy but based off the description, I was expecting it to be more horror focused.

Our protagonist, Alejandra, is haunted literally and figuratively by the so-called curse of La Llorona and years of resentment, loneliness, and overwhelming lack of acceptance. She seeks the help of a therapist when her crippling fears begin to come to fruition.

This story is unique as it is FAR from your average haunting. There is an overall theme of self-discovery as our marginalized protagonist tirelessly fights to overcome her fears and force recognition in a life she has always been deserving of... she just needs to believe it herself.

I was berated on all sides by the intended feelings of dread, hope and a need for the protagonist to overcome her fears and fight to save her family from a grotesque presence determined to feast on their flesh and despair. An ancient being who's only known hate...

The only difficulty I had in reading was in the frustrating way our protagonist was treated by her husband. He is not a likable character by any means, which makes the continued belittlement tough to take in as it is a recurring theme. It naws at you!

Overall, this story was well written and held my attention throughout its entirety and CREEPED ME OUT!

I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review and am so thrilled I was granted the ability to do so!

☆☆☆☆ 4/5 rating

An emotional, finely knit portrayal of a woman who is being haunted by a spirit that has doomed the women in her family for years.
Many thanks to Random House and to NetGalley for providing me with a galley in exchange for my honest opinion.

This was a really good story of generational trauma and finding the strength within oneself to end the curse and take charge of one's life. Finding yourself through trauma is something a lot of people can relate to, especially women. I really enjoyed how V Castro connected Alejandra's experiences to the Mexican legend of La Llorona. Her writing is strongest when it comes to the context of Mexican folklore and the horror aspects of the book; V Castro absolutely knows how to write eerie, creepy, scary, and gross body horror, that's for sure. The descriptions of the creature were A++ and I am hopeful that Castro's other works lean heavy into the horror, because she excels in this area. I liked the multiple timelines that demonstrated the generational curses, but none of them felt unique in their stories so they blended together and really didn't add much to the story. I did struggle a bit with the dialogue in the book...as lots of other reviewers mentioned, it seemed unnatural and forced. I don't think V Castro went deep enough into her characters, either; everyone seemed to be in the book solely to move the plot along (even though there wasn't a ton of plot either). By the end of the book, I was glad it resolved the way it did, but I'm not sure I really connected with Alejandra in the way that was intended. The only characters that I really had a strong reaction to were Matthew (Alejandra's husband, who I completely despised) and Catrina (Alejandra's oldest daughter, who I just wanted to hug and comfort). Overall, it was an enjoyable read and I will definitely read more of V Castro's work! Thank you so much to #NetGalley and Del Ray Books (a branch of Ballantine Books, which is owned by Random House/Penguin Random House) for the opportunity to read #TheHauntingofAlejandra in return for my honest review!

Just look at this beautiful cover!
The Haunting of Alejandra is a story about a Mexican folk demon haunting wife and mother, Alejandra. This story was relatable for wives mothers who, at times, feel depressed, anxious, and not good enough. The imagery is vivid as Alejandra battles the demon who has put a generational curse on her family. Super creepy and a wild ride! I will definitely be recommending this book!
Thank you Netgalley for the arc, in exchange for an honest review.

Very provoking. I can see this doing very well in bookclubs. Wonderful female protagonist. The family dynamics and cultural trends that can affect a person were very familiar. Alejandra and the myth of La Llorona intertwine seamlessly.

Wow. This book was absolutely incredible. I'm very glad I got an early copy from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review! I'm going to flesh it out more (no pun intended) on Mzinigan Mshiiken, but briefly: what an incredible horror story about addressing generational trauma, breaking generational curses, and learning to love yourself in glorious imperfections. Castro does arresting work in depictions of Alejandra's inner life interspersed with glimpses of her ancestors and how their decisions impact her and her children. This book is gory, glorious, and full of love. It's very firmly an adult novel, but it's one I might recommend to older teenagers looking for something to keep them up at night. I can't wait to introduce this to my patrons.

V. Castro is becoming one of my favorite authors. She consistently keeps writing engaging horror novels based in Mexican folklore. I loved Goddess of Filth and The Haunting of Alejandra is the same high quality. I cannot wait for her next novel!

- thank you to netgalley and the publisher for an arc to review!

- this was an okay read, with the synopsis hooking me in to a horrific story about multigenerational trauma and finding your own strength, with hauntings following her everywhere. however, the book fell short with the bland writing, which threw me out of the experience and made me detached, which was unfortunate for me, as i was excited to delve into this book.

I've been following V. Castro's work for some time now and falling in love with this author's writing with every book they release. So naturally, The Haunting of Alejandra was on my most anticipated books of the year list. I've also been OBSESSED with the tale of La Llorona for as long as I can remember!

V. Castro took a well-known folktale and successfully made it her own. This is probably one of the most beautiful and creepiest books she's ever released, and I enjoyed every single moment of it.

We're following Alejandra, a reluctant mother of three energetic children and a workaholic husband who is unappreciative of her as a mother, wife, and person. This causes Alejandra to fall into extreme bouts of depression which leads to thoughts of suicide. The perfect conditions for La Llorona to infiltrate.

I highly recommend this book to anyone who likes supernatural horror and folktales that make you squirm.

3.5 stars!

Thank you Netgalley and Del Rey for an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

The Haunting of Alejandra is about Alejandra, a woman in a marriage she doesn't really want to be in anymore who is struggling with motherhood. In addition to her familial struggles, she's also being haunted by La Llorona, a mythic character from Mexican legend. Throughout the novel she reconnects with her birth mother and her ancestral roots in an attempt to heal and to exorcise La Llorona.

I think that on a thematic level this is an exquisite novel, and I absolutely loved the way that Castro weaved Mexican folklore and myth in with her exploration of generational trauma. I really enjoyed seeing the way that Alejandra's ancestors' decisions played into her life, and I thought that La Llorona was sufficiently creepy for a horror novel. I also really liked the way the genre played into the themes, and I thought they complimented each other really well. Alejandra's overall character development was also quite nice, and I think that seeing her get a few wins was really satisfying.

Still, I found that the prose didn't work for me and I found it a bit too bland, and the dialogue felt a bit too unnatural to me. A lot of the time it felt like everyone kind of sounded the same, and though I really loved the care and attention Castro brought to the story and her themes, I really struggled with the overall craft. This definitely tripped me up, but I think that if you're not too particular about prose and writing styles, then this will be a really excellent read.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with an advanced copy of this book.

Any time someone incorporates La Llorona into their story, I’m there. I’m reading it as soon as I can.

This book is heavy. While it’s not that long, I felt like I was in a fog while reading which helped with understanding Alejandra’s mindset. There’s a familiarity with Alejandra giving her life decisions to others because she doesn’t believe she should. I’m sure there are a lot of readers who would identify with this and I hope they see how she gets through it.

The narrative structure is a lot of fun since the focus is Alejandra but we get to visit others and they really enrich the story.

I would enjoy seeing this as a movie since there are beautiful images throughout the book.

Overall, I enjoyed this book. It’s definitely going to sit with me for a while.

The Haunting of Alejandra by V. Castro brings together a story that beautifully weaves folklore and family into a story about a woman trying to dinner way on the world. Alejandra is at the end of her rope. She is struggling with being a mom, a wife, and a daughter to everyone around her. As these pressures continue to build, Alejandra finds herself haunted by La Llorona, a vengeful spirit from Mexican folklore. As she digs deeper into her past, she finds connections between this legend and previous generations of her family.

What I liked: Castro provides a beautiful representation of generational trauma and a physical creation. For those who do not understand this concept, this book provides a very clear description about what this means. I loved this take on La Llorona on how this legend came to be and how it has stood the test of time. The parts with the creature were phenomenal and the author creates this eerie ambience that is the star of this book. I found that when the author was writing about the creature and its interactions with the family was where she especially shined. I appreciated that Castro introduces us to the creature within the first few pages, but then she gradually amps up the descriptions and the number of occurrences to get a better sense of how her main character feels. The inclusion of chapters from various points of view from other women in Alejandra’s family really gives a sense of the impact of generational trauma and how the family tries to fight it over the years.

To keep in mind: I almost wish this book was scarier! Yes, it was eerie, but I did not find it as scary as I was expecting. I also wish we could have learned more about what the creature was.

Rating: I really enjoyed this book and would recommend it to anyone who is looking to read women’s fiction, but with a twist.

The Haunting of Alejandra comes out April 18, 2023.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

A fantastic horror read from the wonderful V. Castro. Alejandra is a stay-at-home mother of three children. She is depressed because her life isn't what she thought it would be. Specifically, her husband does not take fair share of the housework or child-rearing, holding his status as the sole breadwinner against her. Alejandra decides to consult a curandero, a folk healer and licensed therapist. There, she begins to discover that the visions she has been seeing may be tied to her ancestors experiencing the exact same depression and guilt as her.

I've read 3 books by V. Castro and can actively say that this is her best yet. Castro has an innate ability to get right into the head of her main characters, while weaving together not only multiple plotlines but multiple time periods. I was left with a few questions about the ancestor's stories, as well as some questions about (without spoilers) the event at the end. But overall it was a great read. I read it in basically 48 hours-- couldn't put it down. This is a story that many parents may find resonant, especially after the pandemic caused so many people to give up their work to take care of their kids. For fans of Nightbitch by Rachel Yoder.

I worry, sometimes, about being overtaken by my past. There are things back there I can't remember, and things I don't want to. Things I have been forced to forgive that will never receive an apology. Every day I wake up and make the choice to be better and stronger than the people and forces who have tried to break me. So it was a bit of a heart-wrenching surprise that my first book review of the year should get to be for V. Castro's Haunting of Alejandra, a novel built on honoring and moving on from a past that feels unshakeable.

Haunting of Alejandra feels like a book a part of me needed, right when I needed it, desperately trying to carve my way forward into my own brighter and more hopeful future. It is a story steeped in darkness, dripping with pain and longing that can only bring its truth out through years of myth-building. It is the tale of La Llorona, stretching back generations to reveal a battle between darkness and light that feels as old as time and humanity itself. It is impossibly, gut-twistingly dark and blessedly, gratefully hopeful all at once. Castro presents a journey through trauma that refuses to paint its picture clearly, and in the muddiness of it reveals the ultimate truth.

Alejandra, our titular main character, is messy. Every day, nearly every moment, of her life is a battle to find the light in an all-consuming darkness. She is filled with rage, and pain, and anger, and sadness and bashes against the walls of herself to fight to be seen. Her husband glosses over it; she fights so that her children do not have to see it for its true depths. One decision changes the course of her life in a way that affects the core of her family and herself, and in the choosing she takes a stand against an evil whose hunger is insatiable.

V. Castro's novels feel not only important but necessary. Her characters are unflinchingly portrayed and unapologetic in their forms, forcing their audience to see every dark and broken part of them so they might be better able to see it in themselves. Haunting is a tale of La Llorona and generational curses, post-partum depression and losing yourself, and shines a crack of light on just how monumental the battle to find yourself again can get - but also how worth it. Alejandra's character is occasionally hard to face specifically because the darkness she is battling against is so palpable on the page. We feel her rage, and the cutting off of her breath, and the sheer weight of hopelessness she fights. And it hurts. It smothers. It beckons. It makes her strength in heading ever more toward the light that much more hopeful, and that much more comforting.

Thoughts

I feel like I could write an essay on this book and some of the criticism I have seen. What I will say is that for people who read books where the women are not confident and strong-willed from the beginning, and say that she didn't seem real or couldn't connect with her, you are harming women. I am not sure what people expect, a ready-made confident woman 100% of the time? That's unrealistic, especially in the case of this character who was adopted to ABUSIVE and EVANGELICAL parents and to escape that environment she married someone who was also abusive.

I think Alejandra's evolution was amazing and accurate to real life. She doubted her worth and when at her lowest point she sought out help from a therapist and slowly began to value herself. I think this is the story of many women. To see that transformation was amazing. It was also nice to see a book normalizing therapy.

Moving on, this book was super creepy in the beginning throughout the middle. It really started with a bang. With true Castro fashion she weaved in Mexico folklore and history so well. It feels like you are reading a horror historical fiction. It had me creeped out so bad a few times I had to put it down.

However, the last flash back story for Flor I felt was too long. A 40 minute side track at 75% in just totally took me out of the main story and once I got back to it, it just didn't feel scary anymore. Although, I did love that story and all of the stories of the other women—because they painted a picture—it was just too long at the wrong part of the book, in my opinion.

With that said I still think people should read this book. It was so good! I did not want to put it down and until that part I was sure it was going to go down as one of my favorite books ever. So, it is still high up there.

3.5/5

The parts that work involve the MCs family and their history - read it for that. The “horror” stuff is secondary and not even that scary. It may take time to get used to the writing but well worth it.

Links will be added later.