
Member Reviews

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC!
This book really seemed like it was going to be everything that I wanted. The folklore elements, the terrifying cover art, the plot, the main character - it really seemed like it was going to have it all. Unfortunately, it just missed the mark for me.
I felt like the horror element was missing from this one, and I wanted it to commit just a little bit more. The concept of the spirit was definitely a good one, but it remained a bit too cosy rather than dangerous or malevolent.
I can see that it would be a great YA novel, but unfortunately I was left a little disappointed by this one,

These Vengeful Wishes was such a captivating read. Full of mystery and suspense but it also showcases a beautiful love story. This book touches on secrets and healing and was such a great read.

Do you know how nice it is to see a book from Nicaraguan myths? It is beautiful, I am so grateful the receive this arc and have this opportunity to read it. I’m Nicaraguan and I don’t think I’ve seen anything relating to Nicaragua before and it feels great.
I do have that bias but I also think this book was very well done. The writing was relatable and enjoyable. The characters and story both interesting and keeps you invested. There are points in the plot that seem very obvious but I didn’t mind at all.
La Cegua is such an interesting story to grow on and make your own and I think Montalbun did a great job. I am excited to see more from her!

Ceci has anomalously called in her stepfather’s to report the financial wrongness in that they have been living off stolen money as he was running some Ponzi scheme with his investers, Ceci doesn’t feel bad that this has happened as she considers him to be a terrible man. Why? Ceci and her mother loses their lavish life and move to a small town Santa Aguas where her mother owns a house. Her mother stops at a pawnshop to get them money to live on. Ceci sees on a sign “beware The La Cegua.” She asks her mother who is Cegua. He mother tells her the story of La Cegua. The turns out to be a neglected mansion. Ceci soon becomes enmeshed in the legend of La Cegua—a vengeful spirit said to lure bad men to their doom. As an aspiring painter, Ceci has always been inexplicably drawn to the image of a mysterious door in the forest. Now in Santa Aguas, she feels an even stronger pull toward the forbidden woods. She believes haunting tale of La Cegua, that this spirit is what brought her to the town.. somehow Ceci and Jamie go through a door into the forest that has just appeared which takes them to a wishing well. Ceci decides to research the town’s hidden past. Ceci uncovers the connections between the spirit, the cursed Sevilla family, and her own mother.
The author has written an eerie novel of wishes and curses. Nicaraguan American Ceci is a richly developed protagonist, yearning for genuine connections. Jamie emerges as a love interest. I loved the mother daughter relationship. The story of La Cegua was so sad. The novel. Held me in the need to know what would happen with the wishes the wishing well gave and La Cegua’s fate. The story is a h orror novel that is also a mystery.
I loved this story!

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC copy of this book!
4 stars
This was an enjoyable, spooky read. Loved the Gothic and horror elements in this.
It was a little different than other things I have read before. Can't say I have read anything based on Nicaraguan culture before, so that was new and different to me!
This would be a great fall/spooky season book. The vibes are perfect for then.
It was a little too *YA* for my own personal liking, but for readers in that target market looking for a horror option, this is a good pick.

When her stepdad is arrested for embezzlement, Ceci moves back to her mother‘s hometown, where a local legend is said to lure men into the nearby woods, where they are never seen again. Or if they are, they are completely traumatized. And, it just so happens, that Ceci and her mother are moving into the home of a family particularly targeted by “La Cegua.” Ceci immediately feels a pull toward the woods behind the home, and while her mother claims the legend is nonsense, she forbids Ceci from going near the forest for any reason. Can Ceci figure out the mystery behind the spirit before it’s too late?
First, I am officially old: the “high school days” of the parents in the book are the same as mine. Thank you for that, lol. But I’ll forgive the author because she mention Jarrito’s in the book, and I love those, so all is forgiven.
Anyway, I absolutely loved this book, it had everything for a perfect escapist thriller: a unique location, a historical mystery, a creepy house, a ghostly presence, and family secrets! What more could you want?! And the author weaves all of it together seamlessly in a way that is easy to follow and creepy in an insidious and entertaining manner. I was hooked from the very beginning, eager to see how the story was going to unfold.
And I was not disappointed. The ghosts are creepy, the backstory is fabulous and the characters in the present are not only likable, but Ceci is pulled headfirst into the mystery and brings the readers along for the ride (I really don’t want to say too much - it’s better if you discover everything right along with her!)
All I can say is that you need to pick this book up! It’s a great mystery/thriller, with plenty of twists and turns that will make you want more, I know I’ll be watching for more from this author!

This was a fantastic story. It tells of family, secrets, wishes made, and vengeance. The main characters are wonderfully written. Ceci is smart and talented, Jamie is kind and helpful, and Ceci's mom is a bit of a question mark at first but comes into her own at the end. The relationship between Ceci and Jamie is my favorite. It is so real. I also loved Gabe who I found caring and compassionate despite not being a main character initially. The setting of the big house is awesome, it is just the right amount of sinister that keeps you wondering what is going on. The plot is where this one shines. It is unique and flows perfectly. Loved the ending! I look forward to reading more by this author.

The creepy house, the muggy Florida weather, and a Nicaraguan legend make for a compelling backdrop to this complicated family story. Ceci and her mother are not likable at first, but they grew on me throughout the book. I would have liked more depth with their relationship, especially considering the ending. It just feels like there is more that could be told and developed in their relationship. The friends that are made and the mystery they uncover make for a fun read.
So if you are looking for a good horror thriller with family secrets and a legendary being, you will love this one.

"Her head lifts in my direction. I watch slowly as she lifts her mantilla and shows me her true face . And in it, I see horror, I see beauty, but most of all, I see truth."
First off, a huge shoutout to @hearourvoicestours and @vvmontalban for sending me an ARC and having me on their tour!
These Vengeful Wishes follows the Nicaraguan Legend of La Cegua, a folktale about a woman with the face of a horse skull who appears in the night and lures away men to their death. I absolutely adored this book from start to finish, especially from how much it incorporated the folklore into the plot.
📚 Book Review 📚
The book follows Ceci, a young aspiring artist who moves back to her mother’s hometown of Santa Aguas. While she’s there, Ceci finds herself exploring the woods behind her house, which is infamously haunted amongst the town people, and comes across a wishing well tied to La Cegua herself. As the story unfolds, Ceci finds herself sympathizing with La Cegua and discovering dark secrets not only about the town but about her own family.
The author did an absolutely phenomenal job weaving supernatural elements with a bit of psychological thriller vibes and I was obsessed with it from the start. This book is definitely one for the culture and one for those who enjoy a good gothic horror story.

This is why I read and review books! I do it for the magic I felt reading this amazing novel. I loved the ending. I loved the setting. I loved the innocent romance.

I didn’t expect to like this book as much as I did. A lot of the character flaws I observed were explained by the end and made me root for them even more. I loved the dynamic of Ceci and her mother, the friendships she formed. I especially did not know what to expect in the end because the story was so intricate and there were a lot of things that threw me off. When reading a mystery I appreciate the twists and turns. 5 stars

Hell Hath No Fury Like A Woman Scorned and Once Upon A Time's Rumplestiltskin had a baby. Or maybe only in my mind. Granted the betrayal wasn't infidelity, but still Dearie, all magic comes with a price. Ceci is a product of her upbringing and my heart broke for her because a part of me understands all too well. Feeling too much, but hardening ones heart to protect oneself. La Cegua isn't exaclty rhe true villain of the story, more so like Ceci a product of surroundings. Which is probably one of the reasons why they are connected aside from fate and circumstance. Jamie was one of my favorite characters, probably because of his positivity even though he had his own stuff to deal with but also because he was a true friend. The author did an amazing job with the suspense, false leads, and the many lessons throughout.
Would you make a wish even knowing there are consequences?

Thank you to Hear Our Voices Book Tours and the Author for copies of the book to review.
Horror, Family Secrets, Town Lore, Creepy Manor, Friendship, Betrayal, Magical Amnesia? (not sure else how to explain that part of the book)
Going back to your hometown after you leave is always hard as an adult, but when you don't remember anything about it, that is harder. This book follows our FMC who's mother is leaving her most recent husband after he gets in trouble with the authorities.
Moving to a small town during your last part of high school is hard, but when your old friends ghost you and the new town welcomes you, maybe it will be okay. I loved Jamie, he was adorable, and the rest of the friend group were fantastic.
I loved the role that art played in this story, and the creepy wishing well. The problem is sometimes you need to be careful what you wish for because you don't know what consequences will come with what you asked for. The entire town being involved with the lore, and her mom being involved (unknowingly) was very interesting.
Liked that there was a HEA

I really enjoyed this book. It was a very well done and atmospheric YA suspense/horror title. The concept of a vengeful spirit was really interesting, and I thought that it made the story very compelling. The characters were well-done and I found myself really relating to Ceci. Overall, I enjoyed this and I definitely think this is going to be a hit with our YA readers who also love a bit of spook.

Thank you to the publisher and Hear Our Voices Tours for both the physical and digital arcs!
WOW! I absolutely adored this book. I don't nornally gravitate toward horrror and fantasy, but Montalban's novel quickly drew me in. I finished this book in about two days; I couldn't put it down! The story follows Ceci, a high school senior whose life is uprooted when her stepfather is arrested. Her and her mother must move back to the town her mom grew up in, and slowly secrets that she thought were long buried begin to reveal themselves.
I really enjoyed Montalban's writing style. She does a fantastic job of building tension and creating an eerie atmosphere. I have to admit to reading a huge chunk of this book at 1am, and I swear I creeped myself out more by doing so. But, I felt really immersed in this world and with the lore within it. The reader learns more about La Cegua in time with our main characters, so we really feel invested in the mystery. Another aspect I really enjoyed was the strong characterization of our main group. Ceci is discovering who she is and learning to let people in after many years feeling like she doesn't belong anywhere. Her relationship with Jaime is so sweet, and I really enjoyed the arc of her relationship with her mother.
Overall, I very much enjoyed this novel. This was my first book by this author and I'm excited to read more from her. I definitely recommend this to anyone who is looking for a novel that features themes of generational curses, found family, and Latin-American folklore.

A unique take on the moving into a haunted family home trope. Cultural lore, granted wishes, and some generational family mystery/curses round out this ya thriller.
While some mysteries were easy to figure out pretty early on, the ending held some much needed answers, action, and twists.
This was a very enjoyable read. Not too heavy, but enough real substance to keep me interested and wanting to know what happened next.
4⭐️
As always, I would like to thank Netgalley and the publisher for allowing me to have an advanced ebook copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This is an extra suspenseful YA horror with a unique plot surrounding a vengeful spirit—La Cegua. The main character, a teen named Ceci, doesn't know who her father is, but she's had a bunch of stepfathers as her mother moves her from one rich husband to the next. Currently, her mother is in the divorce phase, and she'd moved Ceci to an old creepy mansion with a ton of history in a small town. The story takes a dark turn as it spirals, and I found it immersive and entertaining. Fans of YA paranormal or horror will enjoy this one.

This standalone book is such an intriguing reading that I can't simply put it in the "fantasy" category. It certainly is a fantasy story, but it also has a lot of other "ingredients": mystery, legends, culture, young-adult vibes, friendship, horror, love, family. It's a very good mix. I liked it a lot.
First of all, both the title and the cover are gorgeous and really made me curious about the story I was about to read.
I didn't know who "la Cegua" was and never happened to hear about her legend. Not before this book, at least. I learned that this spirit is a mistreated and betrayed (also abused) witch who wants revenge and punishes bad men. She appears as a woman with a veiled horse's skull for a head and her legend is well-known in all Central America, especially in Nicaragua. I love to learn about other cultures and so I always find myself intrigued by books about these topics.
The story was full of surprises, plot twists and good characters. I liked Ceci (aka Cecilia), the protagonist, but I have to say the one I loved the most was Jamie: he's handsome, cute, kind, gentle and caring. Also, he's brave and sincere. Ceci hit the jackpot with him. I also found myself very curious about Adel: the girl was suspitious and kinda evil, and I wanted so bad to uncover her mysteryes. I hated Roman Sevilla, and I have to say the author did a really good job in making him horribly greedy (I think he was meant to be hated). On the other hand, Myra & Di were hilarious and cute at the same time and added a little of comedy and light moments into this deep and dark story.
The ending was just as I hoped and as I was expecting it to be.

Family curses. A foreboding entity. A house that holds secrets of the past.
These Vengeful Wishes is an ode to the deepest darkest parts of oneself - the secrets that are buried, and the light that cracks the darkness. At the center its a novel about the love between daughters and mothers and breaking generational curses with a feminine rage that does not hold back. I adored Ceci and found that this story healed a little bit of my soul.
I can't wait to read more from Montalban!

Thank you to my tour group for this book in exchange for my honest review!
4.5 rating
This cover is one of my favorites. It’s beautiful and really captured the themes of the book. There was a lot of great mystery/suspense and I really liked the themes of family and forgiveness.
Ceci has always been at arms length with others because of her distrust in her mother. Knowing that she’s going to move away soon, she puts up shields in hope that doesn’t get too attached. Her mom has had a list of failed marriages and can never seem to settle and leaves her daughter behind. All Ceci has wants is a family.
Jamie is a super sweet character and I really liked seeing him break down Ceci’s shields. Her friends were super cute too. They all just embraced her right away. The horror wasn’t super strong here but I did appreciate the creepy elements sprinkled throughout. This was a really interesting and fun story and I’ll have to go back and read this author’s debut!