Alejandra is a mother of three who is losing her grip on the world around her as she feels overwhelmed, unappreciated, and alone. Tell me there is a mother on this Earth who hasn't felt this and you KNOW you'd be lying. For Alejandra, these feelings were too much and as her world began to spiral, the generational curse that has followed the women in her family came at her in the worst way possible: Manifesting itself as a demon.

Through therapy with a professional who also happens to practice curanderismo, Alejandra attempts to navigate her emotions and gain the confidence needed to literally face her demon and become the mother she wants to be, as well as the one her children need and deserve.
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Castro interspersed Mexican lore based on La Llorona in a relatable manner throughout her writing and it made for an interesting & nostalgic read. While this novel is classified as horror, I feel like the demonic hauntings, while intense, were few and far between. However, the story transcended time with flashbacks of Alejandra's maternal ancestors and the horrific circumstances that led them to face their own demons of motherhood, and THIS made me appreciate the novel even more.

This is easily my favorite book of 2023. It was spooky and heartbreaking and powerful and so many other words that I can't even think of. I loved getting to travel back in time with Alejandra's ancestors and see the things they went through and also seeing the evolution of the entity that haunts her family. The writing was incredible and had me absolutely hooked in no time at all. This was my first book by V. Castro but it certainly won't be my last!

I really enjoyed this take on La Llorona.

While this is horror (most definitely), it also brings you to the root of the grief and sorry behind the legends. I enjoyed reading about our women and their struggle to protect their daughters.

There are multiple timelines as we meet various generations of women in one family. While I'll be honest - I'm definitely more of a one timeline kind of reader - it was fascinating to read their stories.

I did find the overwhelming feeling of the book was one of sorrow and grief and I think that I was maybe looking for more chills. But I did enjoy it and can't wait to read the author's next offering.

This book was so much darker than I thought it would be!!! I got the chills many many many times LOL

If you're interested in the tale of La Llorona, or if you want to learn about it, you're going to love this. It's also a very empowering story!

I really liked it :)

Thank you to Random House - Ballantine for the opportunity to read and review this book! Alejandra is a Mexican-American mother of three who's struggling with depression, suicidal thoughts, and an emotionally abusive husband. She doesn't see a way out of her struggles. Then, she begins to see a shadowy figure dressed in white, first in the steam of her shower, then in the backyard of her house. The thing is following her, threatening her, and terrifying her. It then starts to reveal itself to her children. Terrified, Alejandra seeks the help of a psychiatrist and curandera, who tells her this creature sounds like it might be La Llorona, the mythical Mexican legend of the woman who drowned her children. Alejandra must confront La Llorona to save herself and her family.

I really liked the undertones of Mexican folklore in this story and I felt as though I was learning while I was reading, which I always enjoy. Alejandra's character was incredibly raw and emotional - she's the depiction of a reality that far too many women and mothers face. The creature was terrifying in its own way, knowing exactly how to pick apart each of its victims psychologically and emotionally. I felt as though the creature was a symbol of the inner demons that Alejandra - and really, all of us in one way or another - must face. This novel explored the horrors of what it's like to almost lose to those demons, and the power that lies in faith, friends, family, and in asking for and accepting help. Some of the dialogue and character interactions fell a little flat for me, but again, I loved the mental health storyline, the folklore, and the symbolism in this novel. It was definitely unlike anything I'd ever read before.

This is not a ghost story but a haunting of a different demon kind. if you believe such things then this should be a most intriguing read, and yet I struggled a little with the way the story was shared more than the story itself. There were aspects of Alejandra's life that I could reach out and touch, that keyed me directly into her struggle to be herself and understand who that was, she battled with depression, falling out of love with her husband, confined in a relationship she did not feel valued, mothering children who seemed to be burdens and not joys in her life, seeking recognition for who she was on the inside - but who was she?
As an adoptee who only recently met her birth mother Alejandra was not familiar with her ancestors - still her ancestors never gave up on her. The many interludes into the women of past generations and their struggles with "a woman's place" gave a sense of never-ending grief, a cycle that could only be broken once they realized the demon maybe wasn't all-powerful, maybe therapy is worth it, all metaphorical possibilities applied here. The focus on mother/daughter relationships and the generational trauma were critical to deeper understanding.
What drew me away from the story were the overly long explanations, the ancestral vignettes (too many), meeting the birth father (was that really necessary?), the character interaction and dialogue was lacking something tangible, why couldn't her husband be haunted instead (for real?). Thumbs up for the engaging cultural exploration and folklore aspects though, love that.
Thanks NetGalley for the e-copy and allowing me to share my thoughts.

What a nice find. This was the first book I've read from this author and I really enjoyed it. The story was different from anything I've read recently and really captured my attention.

What is a spooky supernatural story turned out to be incredibly heartbreaking and hopeful by the end. The Haunting of Alejandra really highlights the ripple effects older generational trauma can have on future generations but finding and facing those traumas and taking the initiative to say enough is enough is something this book perfectly describes. Plus the trauma coming in the form as something as terrifying as La Llorna really resonated with me (as a Mexican American) this book was pure perfection and I highly recommend everyone read it.

Thank you net gallery for the advanced copy of this book. This was an empowering tory of a woman fighting her inner demons as well as a real demon. The book discusses how intergenerational trauma can affect someone and be conquered.

I really love this book and author and her work is very poignant. I believe there is still some growing to do with her writing, as there were sentences and topics that felt rushed or forced, but all in all, the story and characters are great and I loved reading it.

Alejandra is a wife and mother of three who is suffering from depression and falling further into the all consuming darkness surrounding her. She starts to have visions of a ragged woman in a white dress weeping, and it leaves her with an unsettling feeling of despair. With little support at home and her birth mother now living further away, she begins to see a therapist and explores her family history.

It is then that she discovers the depth of the generational trauma that has affected the women in her family. They too saw the weeping woman known as La Llorona, a Mexican folk demon who was once believed to be a vengeful and murderous mother. Alejandra is struggling against the pull of La Llorona, but she also channels the strength of her ancestors to fight back and attempt to break the curse that has plagued her family for generations.

This was a dark book with a slow burn, and you really need to be in the right headspace to read it. At times I could relate to Alejandra, especially when she was at her breaking point and started losing her sense of self. We’ve all had moments where we fall into a pit of despair and the darkness continues to pull us under, but we need to find a way to utilize the tools we’ve been offered, whether through therapy or wisdom passed down from family and friends, to break free and thrive. I really admire the author for handling topics like depression and suicidal ideation with respect and consideration for the characters and readers. Though the subject matter was a bit grim, I still really enjoyed the story overall and the folklore behind it.

*Thank you to NetGalley and Del Rey for providing a copy of this book to review.*

Alejandra is struggling in her motherhood, in her marriage and life. She's spiraling, drastically and the darkness is threatening to take over her life. In one of her lowest points she sees an apparition of a woman in a white dress and believes it's La Llorona. Alejandra reaches out for help to a therapist to start getting in touch with her heritage and she learns of a Mexican generational curse that was placed on her family line. With the help of her ancestors she must overcome this demon and change her future and her kids future, for the better.

There was something about this book that I just couldn't connect with for some reason. I didn't enjoy any of the characters and I can't put my finger on it, but there was something in the writing that didn't hit for me. Although! Castro's descriptions were AMAZING! She knew how to get you into the creepy mood and there was a moment where I didn't want to read this at night because I got too spooked out, so that was a Win! If you are a horror fan, this is worth read but I'm hoping Castro's next novel hooks me a bit better.

This was a really great read from an emerging latinx author. Will definitely read their future work and would recommend for fans of Silvia Moreno Garcia, Ava Reid, and Erin Craig.

It wasn't until after i accepted this book, I began to wonder what did I get myself into, especially since it was being marketed as a horror, and I am no where near a fan of the genre. Although it had a couple of scenes that turned my stomach a little, It wasn't as bad as I thought it was going to be, which totally shocked me. I have to say I really enjoyed this book. It also had a very important theme that is rarely talked about that needs to be talked about more. This book was phenomenal, and I will stay in my mind for a good while.

The Haunting of Alejandra has an interesting concept that fell a bit flat because of sterile writing and an at-times confusing and nonsensical plot.

The good bits. I found the generational stories about women throughout history that were plagued by La Llorona to be super interesting. The story of La Llorona herself was interesting. The base bones of the novel were good - a novel about the ghost of La Llorona? With a feminist twist, steeped in Mexican culture? Sign me up.

The iffy/bad bits. The Haunting of Alejandra is about and somehow is not about La Llorona. Without spoilers, the big bad guy in the novel is not actually La Llorona but something else. I found this bit to be a little confusing and not what I was expecting in a disappointing way. I could look past this, however, if it were not for the lackluster and sterile writing. I felt like I was reading an essay about La Llorona and Alejandra instead of a horror novel. It made it very hard to be attached to the characters. The ending of the novel was also a bit wonky and confusing. Again, without spoiling anything, not much was explained and the characters somehow just knew what to do in order to solve the big problem.

That being said, I did enjoy The Haunting of Alejandra for what it taught me about La Llorona. I also always appreciate novels that take a good, hard look at motherhood. If these things also appeal to you, then give The Haunting of Alejandra a try. Maybe the bits that bothered me will not be as glaringly obvious to you. 2.5 stars.

Thanks to NetGalley and Random House for providing me with a free ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Horror/thriller books are not something that I normally gravitate to and I am so glad that I did. This book was emotionally charged from the very beginning. Lots of triggers present so be sure to check the warning before diving into this one.

Exploring generational trauma, motherhood, depression, anxiety and so many other themes. It was heartbreaking to see this character in a place wear she was drowning and no one was trying to save her. I loved the exploration of the Mexican folklore something that I have not heard much about before.

This is a surprisingly must read for me if you are in the mood for something different to dive into. Interested in reading more by this author!

Alejandra is defined as wife, mother, and adoptive daughter, but she’s losing herself to a darkness and generational curse that threatens to consume her. She goes on a journey to end the haunting of La Llorna and to reclaim herself as her own.

Thoroughly enjoyed it, and I ended up doing it on audio thanks to Libro.fm. The narration is excellent. The pacing kept me involved, and I loved the generations of women, learning about their struggles their strength in a world set against them. The magical, mystical, and paranormal elements, of course, were a huge bonus. Definitely recommend.

In The Haunting of Alejandra, the female MC embarks on a journey to reclaim her strength, identity, heritage and purpose, after she finds herself being haunted by the Mexican folk demon La Llorona.

Mexican-American rep through different generations. Themes of family, found family, the difficulties and pressures faced by women, trauma and multigenerational curses.

This story is atmospheric, eerie and haunting. V. Castro especially did an amazing job of conveying the psychological torment and heaviness the MC was experiencing, bringing to light the demons that many women face. She did not shy away from delving into dark and difficult emotions. Raw, unfiltered and relatable.

The ending definitely delivered, packed full of all the horror elements I was hoping for. Dark, disturbing, powerful and ultimately hopeful!!

Thank you Netgalley, Random House Balkantine, Del Rey and V. Castro for the opportunity to read and review this book!

I really enjoyed this, but it was maybe a bit too intense for me at the moment. It had everything on paper that appeals to me: spooky, horror, la llorona. I just wasn't expecting the absolutely brutal description of depression and maybe was not in the best mental state of my own when I read it.

V. Castro has combined magic, horror, psychology, and the social issues women have dealt with throughout history to illustrate a compelling struggle for sanity and survival in “The Haunting of Alejandra.”

Alejandra is on the verge of losing it. The voice in her head speaks incessantly, feeding the message that she is worthless, that she is a poison to her children, that she is uselessly dragging the agony of her life out. She suspects this voice may be linked to La Llorona, the mythical ghost of Mexican folklore who drowned her own children. Pulsing just as strong is her suspicion she harbors a mental illness destined to suck her down the abyss.

“Death was easier than living. Difficult woman. Sick woman. Dead woman.”

Her marriage is a trap. Her husband, Matthew, is charging full speed ahead with his own career and is blind to her despair. In his mind they had mapped out what life was to be like and she needs to stay content, to keep to her side of their agreement. Alejandra even references lines from the Kate Bush song “Running Up That Hill.”

“And if I only could
I'd make a deal with God
And I'd get him to swap our places…”

There is a dream, a vision she keeps revisiting. In it a hidden body of water holds helplessly desperate women floating on their backs, unable to voice their message. Surrounding the water are rows of even more women generating a powerful energy Alejandra senses but cannot tap into.

Alejandra agrees with Matthew that she will seek mental help– but she adds a twist. She finds Melanie Ortiz, a therapist who is also a curandera, or native spiritual healer. The journey from here involves walking the line dividing psychology and magic. Is there a mental toughness which can defeat pure evil– a demon who has fed on the suffering of generations of women in this family?

This is a gripping story. It is initially painful to witness Alejandra’s mental state, but this is the setup to see if she can pull herself together to battle the assault on her and her family.

Thank you to the Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine and NetGalley for providing an advance reader copy in exchange for an honest review. #TheHauntingofAlejandra #NetGalley