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

My Selling Pitch:
Do you want to read a ridiculously convoluted YA Mary Sue vampire novel that's somehow both incredibly cliche and impossible to follow?

On my do not read list.

Pre-reading:
Love the tagline for this. Genuinely can't decide if I like the cover.

(obviously potential spoilers from here on)
Thick of it:
This is VERY YA.

I fucking love gazpacho.

I'm not like other girls. I don’t wear makeup. Shut up, you pick me.

I'm bored. DNF. (Except I don’t do that because I’m a masochist.)

This is bad.

Her being dead is a good twist. (Except it’s not even true.)

Lmao every book is bears.

Should I stay or should I go now🎶

He doesn’t understand reality but he understands Tupperware lmao.

This is some soap opera shit.

Because plot armor that’s why!

If no one else is gonna say it, I’ll say it. Stockholm syndrome.

I have plot whiplash.

Why does this feel vaguely anti-vaxer.

This book has given up entirely on making sense.

So much info dumping. Like oh, I didn’t explain this, but here’s a sentence to explain away a plot hole.

I’m so checked out from this book. It is badddd.

This book is so dumb.

What is this random smut doing here lmao? No THANKS.

Barely legals doing bondage play for a sentence or two is NOT my idea of a silly goofy time lmao.

I DON’T WANNA HEAR ANYTHING ABOUT A MAN’S BLOODY SACK. TODAY IS NOT THE DAY. (It’s post-election day in America.)

Maybe I’m projecting because I’m fragile rn, but that pregnancy stance feels very pro-life to me, and I’M NOT IN THE MOOD!
Also like kinda insensitive to the infertiles. You can't have a baby because you’re not in love enough? Fuck off.

This book sucks, man.

I know twins run in families, but this is unreal.

Also, their whole thing about how the magic works because the twins have identical DNA, but then they have boy girl twin pairs and non-identical twins- that doesn’t make any sense.

What in the childbride nonsense is this.

This book is firmly YA, but there's too much sex in here for me to be comfortable with a YA label, you know. And like it’s not well done, so I wouldn't even call it smut, but it’s just too much for the children lol.

This is unreadable.

Oh, by all means, choose to live again for some boy.

It’s my party and I’ll cry if I want to🎶

How is this not over? Only my stubbornness is keeping me here.

I don’t think they’re letting girlypop into med school after the lack of schooling and the felony investigation, but go off. (You know, I take it back about the felony investigation. We’ll let it slide for a president, so who knows.)

That’s not- that’s not how any of this works, but I’ve been saying that all book, so I don’t even know what to do at this point.

I like that she has time to be a world traveler, hunt pedophiles, go to med school, bang her vampire husband, and garden. She’s a multi-hyphenate girly. Oh and be the mayor. Can’t forget that. Silly me.

Post-reading:
Y'all, what was this? It’s an incredibly cliché YA vampire novel. It also takes every cliché and just throws it at the wall in the hopes that something will stick, but it just becomes an incoherent mess. There’s a lot of plotholes. There’s a lot of info dumps. The pacing is very disjointed. The romance feels insta lovey. There’s random smut in this that feels so out of place, and I hesitate to even call it smut because it’s only a few sentences, but at no point do I want to read about a 17-year-old playing with bondage. One of my pet peeves is when a book tries to sell itself as diverse but the only diversity in it comes from food and using a different language, only to restate the exact same words again in English. Either you want your reader to translate it or you don’t. The characters are so flat. The main character is a Mary Sue. The romance isn’t romantic. It can’t decide if it wants to be a gothic, or some folk horror, alien, urban fantasy nonsense.

And the first half of this is readable. It’s not well done. It’s crazy boring, and you’ve definitely read it before and better, but it’s readable. The back half is such a jumbled mess. I think the author was aiming for plot twists, but it just felt like a lot of explanation after the fact and everything got resolved too quickly with little to no consequences. There was really nothing worthwhile in this for me and nothing to redeem it. It’s going on my do not read list, and I wouldn’t pick up the author again.

Who should read this:
YA vampire die hards
Telenovela fans

Ideal reading time:
Anytime

Do I want to reread this:
Nope.

Would I buy this:
Nope.

Similar books:
* The Witch and the Vampire by Francesca Flores-YA queer fantasy romance, enemies to lovers, vampires
* Court of the Undying Seasons by A. M. Strickland-YA fantasy romance, magical school, enemies to lovers, vampires, shadow daddy
* Heartless Hunter by Kristen Ciccarelli-NA witchy fantasy romance, enemies to lovers
* Immortal Pleasures by V. Castro-historical retelling, urban fantasy, romance, vampires
* Garden of the Cursed by Katy Rose Pool-YA urban fantasy mystery, enemies to lovers romance, family drama
* Bring Me Your Midnight by Rachel Griffen-YA witchy urban fantasy, enemies to lovers, family drama, shadow daddy
* A Crown of Ivy and Glass by Claire Legrand-NA fantasy romance, enemies to lovers, shadow daddy
* Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros-NA fantasy romance, magical school, enemies to lovers, shadow daddy

I DNF’d this one. I just couldn’t get into it. I felt no connection to the MC and found the plot a bit boring.

First time reading this author but will be on the lookout for more of her books!
Perfect book for Halloween-time! This had me absolutely addicted and I couldn't wait to finish this!
Highly recommend this!

Thank you to the publisher to for allowing me an advanced copy of this book to enojoy!

I am trying to finally work on my eARC list and this is next on my list. Yes, I know it's incredibly late, and I have no excuse for that. With that being said, I checked out some reviews on Goodreads, and seeing that it only has a 3.36 star rating is enough for me to not even give it a try. It's possible I could be someone who absolutely loves this book, but I also am a firm believer of not wasting time reading books I don't think I'll enjoy. I still want to congratulate the author on their work, but I will be passing on this one.

I wanted to like this book. In fact my review is late because I was trying to re-read the book just to like it better the second read....that didn't work. I found it odd, confusing, and the pacing is unbelievably quick - like the entire story takes place in a span of less than a month!! The first part was intense and captivating and then it just sort of fell apart. So much potential but just not for me.

Scary and goth AF - For lovers of Beetlejuice, Wednesday, the Addams family, or Silvia Moreno-Garcia

DNF @ 48%. This is billed as a Gothic telenovela, but it doesn't lean into its Gothic or campy elements enough to fulfil the brief set forth in its marketing. I had a tough time following the plot and investing in the characters.

This enchanting fantasy weaves a rich tapestry of magic, intrigue, and self-discovery that kept me hooked from start to finish.

Garber’s world-building is phenomenal—every detail pulls you deeper into a realm filled with mystery and danger. The characters are wonderfully complex, each with their own secrets and desires that drive the story forward. I particularly loved the protagonist’s journey as she navigates the challenges of her past while uncovering her true power.

The pacing is just right, blending action with moments of reflection that make you invest in the characters' journeys. There were plenty of twists and turns that kept me guessing, and the emotional depth added layers to the narrative that I really appreciated.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This was… interesting? I liked the beginning best. The second half was a little TOO paranormal for me. I mean everything got thrown into this book like some kind of drug induced dream. Vampires? Yup. Alternate dimensions? Yup, even have the creatures to go with them. Magic? Why not, that’s always the good part. But together it was all just too much.

Also, we dealt with the dreaded insta-love trope. Less than two weeks- 13 days to be exact- and she’s saying she loves him? Calm down, sweetie, this could very well be a trauma response.

I wish that the focus had been more on her solving the case as in the beginning. Not so much her making doe eyes at Sebastian. More mystery, less “Sure he’s a bloodthirsty murderer, but it’s in his nature and he can’t help it.”

I loved the gothic vibes, but felt overwritten. It was just not for me unfortunately. First 30% of the book , middle part and ending felt like three different books.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Wednesday Books for access to an eARC in exchange for my honest review!!

what's it about? ⬇️

When a sudden tragedy leads to the deaths of Estela's parents and everyone else in the Subway car with them other than Estela and media attention turns her into a spectacle, Estela is checked into a facility to monitor her mental health and, for a while, stuck feeling like she is suddenly all alone in the world. Until a letter arrives from her estranged Aunt who lives in Spain, inviting her to come and live with her in her little village called Oscuro. And though her parents never spoke of any other family members, there is no other choice for Estela but to go along with this relocation plan and make the best of things.

When she arrives, she is met by a tiny village cloaked in the shadow of the castle--actual castle--where she's meant to live, and as if that wasn't already strange enough, things only get stranger from there, from the strange shriveled seed-pod 'pills' her Aunt prescribes for her to the oddly fervent attitude of the village boy teaching her Spanish to the horrific--and hauntingly beautiful--shadow creature that stalks her through the castle at night.

But this is only the beginning of Estela's journey, as Oscuro and la Sombra have far more secrets and mysteries and dangers to reveal as she settles in, and many of them may threaten her safety and even her life.

my thoughts? ⬇️

I had such high hopes going into this book. It seemed like it would be right up my alley, and there was so much promise in the first half of the book. But things very quickly went off the rails, and while I love a good plot twist, there were so many and they were so outlandish each time that it was hard to suspend my disbelief that far and to keep up with the plot as the roller coaster kept getting even crazier.

I considered DNF'ing more than once, but I stuck with it to see Estela through her journey and to see just how wild things got, and by the end...I did end up enjoying it, even though I think I have more complaints than praise.

(view spoiler)

All in all, it's a 2.5 star rounded up to 3 for me. I wouldn't not recommend it for fans of gothic lit in search of a chaotic, crazy ride, but it's not one I'd recommend for anyone outside that niche.

trigger warnings ⬇️

death of parent(s), child death, blood, murder, death, gore, body horror, violence, grief, injury/injury detail, fire/fire injury, suicidal thoughts, suicidal ideation, suicide attempt, self harm, dysphoria, drug use, medical content, forced institutionalization, mental illness, panic attacks, bullying, body shaming, gaslighting, abandonment, child abuse, media abuse, sexual assault, sexual content, eating disorder, body dysmorphia.

I was blown away by this book. I flew through it and could not put it down.

Castle of the Cursed is easily one of my new favorite books I’ve read this year. It’s beautifully written, with intriguing characters and a unique storyline. Thank you so much to NetGalley and Wednesday Books for the ARC of this book!!

Estela grew up traveling all over the States with her parents. Never knowing the peace of having a home and staying in one place. When tragedy strikes and her parents die, Estela moves into a castle in Spain with an aunt she didn't even know she had. But the strange incident in which her parents died isn't the only uncanny thing she's discovering and she'll have to be on her toes if she wants to survive the curse of la Sombra.

It's more a forward-leaning 3.5 stars than the full 4 stars because it's not a fantastic read but I really enjoyed some of the things Garber incorporates into the story. Almost everything that happens in the book is incredibly obvious if you've read any YA in this genre. There were literally zero surprises when it comes to the plot, but you can't help but feel for Estela and get pulled into her story. Even knowing where things are headed, tagging along with her as she discovers one surprising truth after another kept me turning pages and that's all due to Garber's writing. The narrative just flows without you really noticing that you're 100 pages in and you can't put it down until you see how the next part will develop.

Overall, a well-written entry into the genre that suffers from oversaturation.

Happy thanks to NetGalley and Wednesday Books for the read!

YALLLL this book was so good!! If you love any or a mix of the following, you will love this book! It’s got gothic horror, a castle, a vampire, a centuries long curse, and a to die for (literally) mystery!
I couldn’t put this one down, I just needed to find out what was happening next. There were just so many layers, and I couldn’t even imagine the next plot twist or revelation! This book follows a format where the world building just grows and grows almost until the end. It’s not just limited to the castle in Spain. The tragedy at the beginning of the book you think is the mystery, but as she travels to Spain and begins to learn about life in the castle, we realize that the subway tragedy is only a part of the bigger picture.
Now our vampire MMC, Sebastian… LOVE him. Talk about going from “i’m going to kill you” to basically “I bow before you, Queen”, like yesss we love to see it.
There’s so much I want to say, especially about some side characters, but I feel like any details I give will be a spoiler because it’s all just woven THAT intricately. If I was our FMC, Estela, I don’t know at what level of revelation I would have just cracked. Like it’s a lot to suddenly believe and take in. I also loved all the Spanish in this!

I will say, pay attention to the cover! There’s more details in it than you might have realized.

Thank you to Wednesday Books and St. Martin’s for my physical copy. It is definitely one of my favorite reads so far this month! I tabbed so much I ran out of 3 of my colors LOL

A YA book that has all the elements for a classic gothic horror. The stand out character in the book was definitely the castle itself. The actual characters and storylines were a bit more lacking and did not necessarily resonate with me. While some budding fans of gothic horror might still appreciate this books dark ambiance, it just was not the right fit for me.

This book never managed to fully grab my attention, so I was unable to finish it. Interesting premise, but the start was just too slow.

A haunting tale filled with gorgeous gothic imager. Romina Garber has created a masterpiece with all the ambiance of a Dracula novel.

Being the lone survivor of a mysterious massacre on a subway train, Estela is carted off to Spain to live with an aunt she knows nothing about in a creepy castle of local legend. Wracked with survivor's guilt and desperate to find out the truth of what killed her parents, Estela dives into her past to track down any clues about what may have happened. But what she discovers doesn't make her feel any better... or safer. An aunt who couldn't care less about the arrival of a long-lost niece, a vampire who only she can see threatening her, and a new local friend who is maybe a bit too friendly, Estela has a lot to deal with and a lot of leads to follow. With secrets closing in on her day after day, will Estela be able to solve the case, or will she die trying?

What a gothic powerhouse of a story! I really loved the atmosphere, the vibes, the characters, the mystery. This gave me way more than I was expecting, and I loved it the whole way through!

I really love it when the setting of the story becomes a character in it's own right, and that was definitely the case with this novel. La Sombra had the spookiest gothic vibes. With the castle itself being a local legend in the book, it definitely took on its own characteristics. I don't want to give too much away by going into specifics, but the castle definitely let you know if you were wanted or not.

The plot was a really fun mystery, but at the same time delved deep into the trauma of grief and loss. The beginning was very dark and challenging to read, with Estela suffering so much survivor's guilt and depression after the loss of her parents. That suffering was definitely a key point in Estela's character and how she dealt with all the surprises and problems in Spain. Her character development was incredibly well done in that respect. I also really loved Sebastian's character, and Bea really grew on me.

The romance didn't really do it for me... there wasn't enough build-up and it felt very shallow to me. The few spice scenes also just felt very out of place and didn't seem necessary. I can appreciate why the romance needed to be there for the ending to work the way it did, but I just wanted more between them. I think the chemistry was there, I just needed a bit more spark.

I really loved the conclusion, and I do feel like the pacing was done well for a standalone fantasy book like this, especially one with so many elements. I loved the cross-genre elements and the mystery really tied everything together. The fantastical elements were really cool and well thought out, and the gothic vibes were spot on.

Overall, I really enjoyed this story. The setting and plot were very immersive, the characters were easy to root for, and the conclusion was fantastic. I will definitely be looking out for more from Romina Garber and going back to read some of her backlist!

*I received this eARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.*

While riding the subway with her parents in New York City, Estela’s vision is obscured by smoke followed by a starry burst. When her vision clears, she’s surrounded by corpses. While staying in the Rainbow Center, a woman named Beatriz Bralaga writes, claiming to be her aunt. She invites her to come live with her at Castillo Bralaga. As she explores the castle at night against her aunt’s orders, she meets Sebastian, a vampire shadow beast who keeps calling her a bruja, threatening death if she doesn’t restore his memories. Teaming up with the vampire, Estela works to uncover her family’s past. Who really is Sebastian? Who really is Beatriz? Who really is Estela?

The plot is engaging, full of gothic elements, and well written. The characters are brooding, believable, and engaging. With romantic element similar to Beauty and the Beast and Dracula, readers who like fantasy, adventure, and magic will want to pick this one up. Recommended for most library collections.

Please Note: A copy of this book was given in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed are our own. No other compensation was received.

A young woman ends up back at her ancestral home in Spain and finds herself investigating the house with a mysterious man (boy? unclear).

This was a very confusing book. I am still not quite clear where Sebastian came from and it felt like multiple different books in one. I also did not get the gothic vibes I was wanting here.