think I may have to sit on this one to gather my thoughts so I may amend this review in a few days but here goes.

I want to thank NetGalley and St Martins Press for the audio ARC of this title in exchange for my honest review.

I’m not sure what I just listened to to be honest. This definitely was not what I was expecting from the description. This may be a very old throw back but when I read the description I got the movie “Casper” with Christina Ricci vibes but that was not at all the outcome.

The book is listed as YA/Teen, which it is as the female protagonist is turning 18 (although at the beginning and sprinkled throughout, she comes off much younger), but it doesn’t really capture that this is full on (gothic) Fantasy.

The narrator did a decent job but I think that may have added to the feeling that Estella was younger than her stated age. I also have a feeling that this book would have hit much differently had I read the prose rather than listening to it. But I think this is a me problem and others will enjoy the recording.

Overall I think that the fantasy gets too convoluted. Things are added out of left field rather than a natural build.
I do appreciate that there are trigger warnings at the start of the book for those that need them.

I rated this snack in the middle as I think those who like this type of fantasy will dig it, it just wasn’t for me. Lastly, I did enjoy the cultural connections.

My rating system since GoodReads doesn’t have partial stars and I rarely round up.

⭐️ Hated it
⭐️⭐️ Had a lot of trouble, prose issues, really not my cup of tea (potentially DNF’d or thought about it)
⭐️⭐️⭐️ Meh, it was an ok read but nothing special
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Really enjoyed it! Would recommend to others
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Outstanding! Will circle back and read again

I read this as a book and I got confused and put it down but I loved it enough to give it a listen. I am so glad I did. Oh what an experience! What a story. It is sto weird. Our girl has to move to her aunt's castle in Spain after the mysterious death of her parents and months in a mental health facility. Her aunt is not warm but she is doing her best to keep her alive and healthy. There are supernatural beings, twins, romance, and deaths. What a good time!

“Castle of the cursed” is a gothic YA tale surrounding Estela. When her parents fall prey to mysterious circumstances surrounding their deaths, she is sent overseas to live with her estranged aunt in a Spanish castle.

Soon she becomes suspicious of her parents past, old family secrets, tales and mythology that she begins to suspect are actual truths, however she can’t tell where she is suffering from delusions or if certain events and individuals in fact exist in reality.

I enjoyed the mysteries in the plot and the search for answers and discoveries to uncover the actual truths of the town. It was unclear who had good intentions and who could be trusted.

I also enjoyed the side romance plot that didn’t take away from everything else going on. There’s a lot of cultural references and use of languages and translation within the book and I enjoyed the escape into another country rich with history and intrigue.

The audio narrator did a fantastic job and was excellent in going back and forth between English and Spanish as well as voicing alternate characters

Thank you to Romina Garber, Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for the ALC!

Publish date: July 30th