Thank you to Net Galley, the publisher, and the author for an Advanced Reader Copy in exchange for an honest review.Pinata by Leopoldo Gout is a unique supernatural horror. Carmen goes to Mexico to oversee the renovation of an old Cathedral that is being turned into a swanky hotel. Strange things happen and Carmen and her two daughters return back to New York sooner than planned, but did something ancient and sinister follow them home? I enjoyed the development of each character, they all were different and fully flushed out. The beginning of the book was terrifying and really set the scene and helped to highlight the horrors of colonization and Christianity taking over. I liked hearing about the historical aspects of this book and the cultural as well. Yoltzi was my favorite character. The contrast between Luna and Izel, and I think it is completely realistic to have one kid who is interested in immersing themselves into the culture and trying everything new, while the other would rather be back home with her friends.The Father and Quauhtli were important additions to the story. The only thing that I didn't completely connect with was there was something about the writing style that kept us at arms length, I wanted to feel more present.

For fans of a Head Full of Ghost and any kind of possession story I think you’re really going to want to check this one out. This is a horror story dripping with Mexican history and otherworldly lore that reads cinematically.

This is a brilliant story and if you’re a horror film you’ll want to add this to your reading list. The prologue is an absolute banger and sets up the story with amazing imagery and suspense.

The story follows Carmen along with her two daughters are on Summer vacation in Carmen’s native Mexico, although Carmen is technically there for work overseeing the renovations of a church, she also takes the girls sightseeing in the village and encouraging them to immerse themselves in the Mexican culture. One day while on the site, an ancient evil is unearthed and seemingly has a dark hold on her youngest daughter Luna. Once they return to New York Carmen notices that Luna is not acting herself. Strange things start to happen and soon Carmen realizes that these strange occurrences are connected to Luna. Not a true believer in paranormal, ancient curses, or anything of the sort, she soon learns that the supernatural may be the only thing that can save her daughter.

I really loved the authenticity and originality of the story. It was a pretty straightforward plot, but it was layered with Mexican history and culture which made this story very unique. I also loved the dynamic between Carmen and her daughters, it was very authentic and heartwarming. There were also other supporting characters in the story that offered great perspectives and depth to the story.

Overall I very much did enjoy this and would recommend it. However, there was something missing for me. This is one of those stories where things slowly escalate, but somehow I felt like something was missing in between that made some parts seem kind of rushed. I cannot quite place it, but at one point I thought maybe I had missed something. During the slower portions of the story I was very much engaged, and that is definitely due to the author's great writing, but this is one of the rare occasions where I would have liked a bit longer of a story.

All in all, I can appreciate this story and the author's own perspective. It is something that is very much needed in the horror genre. I'm the kind of reader who enjoys the same story over and over again, but there has to be something in the writing and the setting that sets it apart. I would say that the author accomplishes that goal with Pinata.

Thank you kindly to netgalley and Tor Nightfire for an arc review of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Genre: Horror
Multiple POV's
Possession
Revenge
Character Driven

This story begs the reader to answer the questions - how much progress is too much progress?

Pinata follows the Sanchez family as the mom, Carmen oversees a redesign of a mexican abby. Carmen Sanchez is woman in a man's world and she knows that one slip up will put her back for years. It is hard to hold her ground and prove her worth in the boy's club that is the world of architecture. Dealing with the local government and citizens of the local city has been stressful. The accident on the job is the icing on the cake. Even though Carmen doesn't want to hand the job over to another supervisor, she is eager to get her girls home to the States where life can get back to normal. When the strange occurrences and coincidences follow her and her family to the States, Carmen knows she has to do something to protect them all before it is too late.

I was immediately sucked into this book. I enjoyed the writing style that they author use to convey this story. Places have history and closing them off doesn't protect others from what is inside. Especially if what is inside doesn't stay put. This story brings to light the effects that colonization has on native areas around the globe. Gout uses this story to remind his readers that even if the history is not your, per say, it is still important to preserve it for future generations. He also reminds us, that sometimes, we should leave well enough alone.
Gout's pacing throughout the story was brisk which led to the uneasy and unnerving feeling the characters experience as the story progresses. I do not have any similar books that I can compare this novel too.

Gout's Pinata does a fantastic job of immersing readers in a menagerie of horrors quickly and effectively. From the horrors of cultural appropriation, to the human horror of taking care of children in unfamiliar territory, to the supernatural horrors that kick everything else into overdrive, Gout is relentless in his assault of Carmen, Izel, and Lola. It makes for a fast-paced, fantastically creepy novel.

<b>[ Thanks so much to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for this ARC! ]</b>

Hoping to give her daughters a chance to experience their family's culture first-hand, Carmen brings them with her on a renovation project in Mexico; however, things don't quite go according to plan. When an accident happens on the site, Carmen's company recalls her back to New York. Back home, weird things start happening. It doesn't take long before Carmen begins to believe that something else has come home with them.

I have mixed feelings about this book. The plot centers on some really interesting history and folklore that I found incredibly compelling. Additionally, there was amazing imagery and scenes that really made my skin crawl. This book definitely doesn't skimp on the horror! However, I found the characters to be really lacking. I just didn't feel like there was a whole lot of depth to them, and I felt like they all kind of fell into these boring archetypes that I'm tired of seeing, frankly. (Insufferable teenage girl, hysterical mother, mystical indigenous person, etc.) I just didn't find myself connecting with any of these characters because it felt like there wasn't really anything much there to connect with. For some, this might not be a problem, but I really enjoy reading books with strong character-work, and this just didn't deliver for me.
I would still recommend this read to those who enjoy a more plot-driven read. Especially if you enjoy folk horror, as this book really delivers in that regard!

I you like stories about strong women and close family, demon possession, and celebration of Mexican heritage/culture, you will enjoy this book!

I just reviewed Piñata by Leopoldo Gout. #Piñata #NetGalley

I want to send a big thank you to Tor Publishing and Netgalley for allowing me to read this novel in exchange for an honest review.

I was so excited to see early reviews of this novel come in and I couldn't wait to get my hands on it. From its explosive Prologue I felt I was in for a wildly imaginative horror novel with deep cultural roots. Throughout the novel we got glimpses of the strength of Gout's writing and I was pleasantly surprised. This is my first time reading from this author and I feel that he has great potential, however, like many newer authors there are flaws with some of the elements of this book. Namely the characters and the additional elements included in the book that are meant to build out the characters personalities and growth.

The characters feel flat and I struggled to connect with or feel invested in them. The pieces of the story that are meant to build on their personalities and strengthen them were the parts of the story that I did not care for. They disconnected me from the book and weakened my grip on the novel. I found it hard to WANT to pick up the book and continue reading because of this. I felt like there were too many character POVs and not enough focus on the three main protagonists.

The strength of Gout's writing shines when, like in the prologue, you read the dark, brutal horror elements. The vivid descriptions and the depth of these excerpts were so strong, but when contrasted with the everyday, mundane elements of the story they felt like two different writers working on the same project. With that said, I think as Gout continues to work on his craft he will be one of those writers to keep an eye out for. Some of the imagery in this book was unsettling and chilled me to my core. I just wish there was a little more of it to keep the pacing and tension high.

This book is often compared to Head Full of Ghosts and Mexican Gothic, which I think does a disservice to the book. It sets a precedent of expectation that this book does not live up to. While I can see elements of these books within the novel, it is in smaller aspects and not the overall tone of the book. There is a deep cultural connection to the ancestry and history of the Mexican and Azteca culture here that is an important piece of the novel, similar to Mexican Gothic, but the tone and storylines are quite different. The same can be said about A Head Full of Ghosts and its possession story. They are on different ends of the spectrum.

All of this to say, this book was enjoyable and I have high hopes for future books from Mr. Gout. I think there are pieces in this novel that truly shine for horror fans and I think it is worth the read. However, we need to lower the expectations on this novel just a bit in order to truly appreciate it.

Thank you to Netgalley for the ARC!

Picked this one up because I had heard good things from reviewers, but I was getting weighed down in how overwritten this feels. Every scene is just bedraggled with explanations of every action. I wish I had gotten to the portions reviewers raved about, but I couldn't manage. May come back again at a future date. DNF.

colonialism, racism, cultural extermination, and a specifically gruesome form of possession. If there were a drawback, the ending rushes quicker than it should, but the experience is still very much worthwhile.

I had a difficult time connecting with this story, but once I got into the last 30% of the book I couldn't put it down. I loved learning about so much of the culture and history that isn't taught in our schools. Seeing the fury of those colonized play out in this horror novel was eery and beautiful. I am looking forward to see what this author comes out with next!

Rating: 2.9 leaves out of 5
-Characters: 3/5
-Cover: 5/5
-Story: 2/5
-Writing: 2.75/5
-Horror: 1.5/5
Genre: Horror/Paranormal
Type: Ebook
Worth?: Meh

Want to thank Netgalley and publishers for giving me the chance to read this book. I won't lie, I was expecting more from this book. In the entirety it gave basic. It gave been there, done that just in a different country. I agree that the characters were cut and dry. Nothing in this story added flavor. Well, let me back up. I did like the beginning a lot, which is why it is a 2 instead of a 1.

The only horror was in the beginning. Everything else was just... something you have seen a million times. Not only that Leopoldo writing on women's struggles while making the mother the most basic man-written female just... pisses me off. You took a single mom BLAME ALL ON HERSELF while letting the DEAD BEAT ASS father just... go. Nahh...

First, thank you to NetGalley and Tor Nightfire for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Premise:
Carmen and her two young daughters are in Mexico for the summer while she oversees an architecture job remodeling an old abbey. While there, they start learning about the history of the Nahua people, including their intricate rituals. Luna, the youngest, is connected to that history in a way that will change their lives forever. As more and more unexplainable things start happening around them, Carmen is forced to accept the truth of their reality- but can she save her family in time?

Review:
I love the horror parts of this book and the concept of Aztec gods haunting a modern Catholic Mexico for the crimes of the Spanish! There were certainly a lot of thrilling, gory scenes that are nightmare fuel, but I, unfortunately, found this book mostly lacking. This is just an okay book.

It was slow-paced for about the first half, then the ending felt rushed. I wish the timing of that was a little bit more evened out. I am also not a fan of the writing style here- I think Gout is more of a "tell, don't show" kind of writer, and I just don't really enjoy that. It felt a bit like, "and then this happened, and then this happened!" and I'm also sorry to say that overall the story is a bit predictable. I wanted to like this book more than I did, but in the end, I just can't overlook those faults.

I also find issue with the idea that the Aztec gods were the villains here- especially since the first chapter has such a strong narrative start in depicting the brutality of the Spanish conquest. It feels narratively cheap to say, "oh yeah, these gods we know nothing about? They're angry, and they want revenge, but in the most predictable way ever".

I think they deserved better- as did most of the characters in this book.

Overall, I'm disappointed on a personal level, and I wish this book had done a little bit more with the premise.

Thank you to NetGalley and Tor Nightfire for providing me with a digital ARC of this novel in exchange for an honest review!

As an avid horror fan, I was so intrigued by the premise of this book. Carmen Sanchez is a single mother of two girls. She brings them with her on a summer trip to Mexico, where she is leading the renovation of an ancient church into a hotel. Strange occurrences quickly start popping up, though... there's an old woman who seems to randomly appear throughout the area, locked doors are found open, objects appear out of nowhere, and a stranger warns her that her youngest daughter is in danger. At the same time, ancient artifacts are uncovered from a secret room in the church. It all has to be a coincidence, right? Or is there something supernatural making an appearance? I loved the idea of a possession story set in Mexico following a non-Christian religion.

I'm a little on the fence about this book after finishing it, though. It does have some interesting ideas and plot elements, but there are a number of drawbacks that make it difficult to fully enjoy the story.

The biggest strength of Pinata is the rich cultural heritage it discusses. I learned so much about Mesoamerica and the Nahua people. Gout weaves in so many intricate historical details, and it is captivating to read through. Mexican history is not something I am very familiar with, but I would love to learn more after reading this. I would also be interested to hear what Indigenous readers think of the story and its take on the tzitzimimeh.

Additionally, I really liked the descriptive language of the author's writing. I felt transported into Mexico with Carmen and enjoyed getting to experience her journey alongside her. Gout paints a clear image of so many vivid scenes throughout the story-- some of them are quite gruesome, but even the uneasy atmosphere and the quiet moments are easy to picture. This novel would make a great film.

I enjoyed some of the themes, as well. Important topics are discussed, such as colonialism, generational trauma, sexism, and more. I appreciated how there were strong women present in every part of the story (Carmen, her mother, and Yoltzi were my favorites!). While many of the themes were discussed well and in depth, a couple of them did seem to be glossed over. I thought Carmen's struggles with misogyny and being taken seriously as a woman in a male-dominated career were realistic, but they were discussed a little shallowly. At times, the sections focusing on her career felt, to me, very apparent that they were written by a man. The points were valid, but they weren't anything I hadn't read elsewhere. I thought they either should have been discussed in greater detail or taken out of the book, so the stronger themes had more time to shine.

The biggest issue I had with Pinata was the pacing. I initially tried to read this at the end of 2022, but I got stuck around the 18% mark. From looking through other reviews, this seems to be a common spot where readers are lost. The first quarter of the novel is so, so slow. There is too much time focused on tiny, irrelevant details of the characters' lives and their thoughts that were already mentioned only pages prior. The writing was wordy and would often over-explain simple plot points. It almost seemed like an editor needed to go back over the final draft a couple of times to take out the unnecessary details. After about the 30% mark, the pacing picks up some and then proceeds at an uneven rate until the end, which is a whirlwind compared the the rest of the book.

As far as the horror goes, it was decent, but nothing new. I found some of the spooky parts to be genuinely creepy, but the plot itself was quite predictable. It follows a standard possession story. There are some twists on the foundational elements-- like the spirits and the character types involved-- but the main basic plot elements you'd expect are all there. I also found the imagery to be repeated too much. I grew tired of butterflies and seashell skirts. That might be more of a personal preference, though. I sometimes have a hard time enjoying repeated imagery in horror books, because the same word or image loses its weight after awhile.

The characters in the story are okay. Like I said, I appreciated strong women being at the forefront of the action. Some of the other characters are too one-dimensional, though. Both daughters are typical middle school and teenage tropes without anything to make them stand out. The priest and Quauhtli are fine, but they never truly develop enough for you to get attached to them.

This is by no means a bad book. It has some enjoyable parts, but the amount readers will enjoy it will probably depend on what they are seeking when they pick it up. If you're a fan of Mesoamerica (or want to learn more about it), you might want to give this a try. If you love supernatural horror books, and you want a new setting, you might also enjoy this. However, if you're looking for strong characters or a unique plot, you might feel dissatisfied.

3 out of 5 stars.

I've never learned so much while being so creeped out! Piñata is a terrifying and utterly engrossing horror story, that also imparts so much information about the Nahua people of pre-Hispanic Mexico.

Right from the prologue, I knew that this was a horror story like no other. Set in pre-Hispnanic Mexico, the prologue was incredibly sad. The reader is thrust into a heinous scene of colonialism. It will always be hurtful to see a rich culture devasted by hateful outside influences that still have repercussions today. Speaking of repercussions...Gout takes that concept and runs with it. In Piñata, we see how colonial devastation and corruption can last generations, and the past and present will always be intertwined. What happens when ancestors return to take their due, by any means necessary? Carnage and chaos, that's what. Piñata is one of the more interesting and layered possession stories I've encountered. While you can see the horror being inflicted in the name of revenge, you also have to grapple with the fact that revenge is so very long overdue for Indigenous peoples. Do the ends justify the means when taking back what's yours, and just how far is too far?

After loving this I'll definitely be checking out Gout's other work!
Content warning for a scene at the end of chapter 30 involving the fatal shooting of an unarmed person of color by a police officer.

Leopoldo Gout's book Pinata was a story of demon possession. The book starts with graphic descriptions of the colonization of the Nahua people. How colonizers dishonored Nahua traditions by suppressing the children. I felt that all this was going to cause a curse on all the people throughout the book. The following chapters are about Carmen Sanchez a female architect and single mother who struggles at work and home to prove herself capable of the job. Carmen is sent to work in Mexico and supervise renovations of an accident abbey becoming a hotel. Her daughter Izel isn’t too excited about missing theater camp to be in Mexico and her younger daughter Luna is ecstatic to visit and learn more about her culture. Luna is very trusting of others and follows a little girl during a birthday party. Luna slowly begins to change. There are unexplained and scary things happening to the family. They are visited by an older lady everywhere they go and skeletons are appearing. An accident happens at the Abby and Carmen has to return home to New York. Everything bad and mysterious follows them home.
I enjoyed how this book. Learning more about colonization and its effects on the indigenous people and culture. I was googling a lot of the history because I wanted to know more. I wanted to see pictures of what these demons looked like. I recommend this spooky book. Check trigger warnings. There is a good amount of history but I had no problem with it.

I had such a blast reading this! Following the Sanchez family we watch as a work trip to Mexico turns this family upside down. Luna, the youngest member of the family, is slowly possessed by the angry spirits of her ancestors. Using Luna as a gateway to enter the world of the Living, the vengeful spirits of indigenous Mexicans return for revenge for the erasure and destruction of their culture, traditions, language, and land.

I love the lore, history, and native language this story incorporated to build the tension and horror that is unleashed upon the world. The imagery is gruesome and this is the first time I've read a book that could turn butterflies and pinatas scary. Absolutely loved this story!

As a horror book, Pinata has all you need to feel the chills rising up your spine. I enjoyed this story, and if anything I was only slightly bothered by the way women were portrayed at times. Remembering the book was written by a man is a must. It's gory, filled with vengeance and has realistic hallucinations. I would recommend everyone give it a try.

They were worshiped by our ancestors.
Now they are forgotten.
Soon, they’ll make us remember.

Carmen Sanchez and her two daughters travel to Mexico to supervise the renovation of an old historic abbey to be made into a modern and beautiful tourist hotel. The job site is more difficult than Carmen realized with her all men crew who haven't the respect or trust in a woman boss as their leader so every day is a constant battle. There are so many traditions, superstitions and legends in Mexico which make for fascinating history lessons and Carmen's younger daughter Luna can't absorb the stories fast enough. Luna is like a sponge soaking in every tidbit of information she can find on the internet but her abundant, innocent energy is making her a target for unseen supernatural forces that want to break through from the underworld and she happens to be the perfect human specimen they have been waiting for.

When Carmen and the girls must return back to New York earlier than planned Carmen also realizes something is wrong with Luna but she thinks the girls just need to be back home where they feel safe and secure because there were several disturbing events that were occurring around them in Mexico. Little does Carmen know that when they fly home on the plane they are not alone. Something has also traveled with them and it has already attached itself to Luna who has no clue what is happening and after they arrive home all three of their lives will never be the same again as they will be surrounded by an evil and vengeful darkness causing death and destruction everywhere they turn for help.

This was an ambitious and terror filled horror book that also included the beauty of historic Mesoamerica and the ancient Aztec gods that were worshipped during that time and their legends and superstitions which were passed down through the generations. I truly enjoyed the book taking place in Mexico which made the stories come to life with the vivid cultural background and being able to imagine the gorgeous and atmospheric scenery of the small towns and the people who still lived quaint and tradition filled lives filled with respect for their ancestors.

The story gets very scary at the fifty percent mark and just doesn't let up with so many unspeakable horrors taking place. There were many enjoyable and likeable characters and I also loved the daughters but I was conflicted with Carmen in many aspects during the story. Sometimes she overreacted too quickly and impulsively and other times she seemed to let things linger out of control and didn't react appropriately in several situations and I was troubled by that, although her unrelenting love for her daughters was always undeniable. This was quite a different story of possession, demons and other monstrosities that were well executed and very frightening to imagine and visualize. I definitely recommend this spooky book to all horror readers!

I want to thank the the author "Leopoldo Gout", the publisher "Tor Publishing Group" and Net alley for the opportunity to read this terrific horror novel and any thoughts or opinions expressed are unbiased and mine alone!

I have given a rating of 4 HORRIFIC AND ATMOSPHERIC 🌟🌟🌟🌟 STARS!!

Piñata by Leopoldo Gout is a pure horror rollercoaster, full of great Mexican and Nahua history. Carmen and her two daughters travel to Mexico so Carmen can help restore an old church. She faces many cultural challenges working with the locals. Yoltzi, cousin of a worker on the church, spots Carmen’s daughter Luna, and immediately knows a dark spirit is attempting to attach itself. Could it be Tzitzimitl, the Aztec deity, yearning to exact vengeance for the bloodshed and wars upon the land? A hidden room at the church is discovered, as well as an old clay pot Luna is drawn to. This book reminded me of Poltergeist and little Carole Anne. Superb example of a possession story with true cultural value-I learned so much here. I love it when fiction interweaves nonfiction in this way. I hope that anyone who is a fan of the horror genre in general will take the time to read this one, as it was very unique and a great story overall!

This book is absolutely going to be one of my Top 10 favorites for 2023, and all time favorite horror novels. Piñata is sickly steeped in ancient Aztec culture and ancestry of the Nahua people, while also doing an amazing job of addressing the current social issues in Modern Mexico. As someone who absolutely loves Latin American history, culture, literature and language, this was an incredible story. I wish we saw more books with Latin American representation, especially highlighting the indigenous cultures.