These Vengeful Wishes was the perfect mix of atmosphere, romance, and horror. If I worked in a high school library, I would absolutely purchase.

Cecilia is a well written character--naive, but intelligent and self-aware. Instead of wishing for material things, Ceci wishes for family and a sense of home. This cemented her connection with la Cegua/Soledad and made me truly feel for the character, where I normally wouldn't feel sympathy for a "monster." I feel like Montalban handled the myth of la Cegua well, creating a connection that would humanize the monster and showcase how often women are used. All of the relationships that Ceci develops through the book are sweet and I loved seeing her lean into healthy friendships, despite never having experienced those things before. This was such a great horror story that also had really solid character development and a nice ending.

I greatly enjoyed the writing in this book. Never once did I feel like I was reading a book that was geared toward young adults; it felt like it was a book meant for anyone who wanted to enjoy a good book.

The lore in this book was amazing and fascinating and I thought it was very interesting. (Especially the truth of it.) I liked the storyline and the cast of characters and I felt like the main character was very human and relatable.

Even though this book had somewhat of a cliched ending, I found that I didn't mind it at all. In fact, I was happy with it and satisfied with how things turned out. I'll give that credit to the author and their ability to weave a storyline together.

Overall, I enjoyed this book a lot and would recommend it to anyone looking for a spooky story of revenge.

Although I don't read a lot of young adult anymore, there was something about the premise of this one that just hooked me in and I had to read it. I did take this into account when considering my enjoyment of the story, knowing that I might not totally connect with the characters. I loved the fantastical horror elements. The dark atmosphere was well-crafted. The folklore was intriguing and engaging. I loved the author's writing and, overall, I was pleasantly surprised with how much I enjoyed the story.

I don't typically read many YA books because I have found a very large bookish pet peeve of mine is the asinine, if not accurate, decisions and attitudes of the characters. It is very hard to read as an adult. That being said I absolutely love folklore horror/mystery so that really drew me to this one. I will give grace where it is due since I did know it was a YA going into it, but I think this story heavily relied on a headstrong, haphazard main character.

This one was hard for me to get into and to finish. But I really wanted to finish so I did. I feel like it was just missing something to make it a higher star rate for me. I was confused at times.

These Vengeful Wishes delivers an engaging story, though I found much of it to be predictable. The mother-daughter dynamics felt a bit overdone and cheesy, like something you'd expect in a Lifetime movie. On the other hand, the romance subplot was a pleasant surprise and ended up being one of my favorite parts of the book!

The writing itself was a bit of a mixed bag—there were moments when I really enjoyed the atmosphere and direction of the story, but at other times, I was pulled out of the narrative by cliché or cringey depictions of teenage characters. Despite these issues, the overall vibe of the book was enjoyable, especially for the spooky season. It's not the kind of book that will linger with me long after finishing, but I would still recommend it to those looking for something spooky without ever crossing into truly scary territory.

Definitely not what I thought it was going to be but I loved it anyway! Loved the cover. It gives off spooky vibes which is great for spooky season

It did spooked me.
Sometimes i need to remind myself that im not a teenager anymore, so reading from teenager MC is a different perspective. However, Ceci does behave like a teen throughout the whole book, making not the best decisions and acting from the emotions of the moment rather tan thinking things through. This also means she was believable as a character.
I thought the whole lore of the small townwas very intersting and engaging. I do love a small town with creepy stories and ghosts in the woods.
The first half felt a bit overfilled with explanations and bits that didnt contributed too much to the story, this also made the second half a bit rushed and i thought some parts needed more explaining. Specially at the end. However i did enjoyed the story arc and its root on a woman done wrong by men and taking revenge on generations.

Loved everything about this book, the characters, the mystery, the twists, the quick paced story it was just amazingly well written!

These Vengeful Wishes by Vanessa Montalban is a great novel! I loved the writing and the suspense throughout the entire story.

These Vengeful Wishes is an example of originality and creativity. Loved every single second of it so much. I recommend everyone to read this book as fast as they can.

A tale rich in folklore and a family’s past come to the surface in this YA mystery. A mother and daughter move back to the mother’s spooky hometown to discover secrets that might be best left buried deep. I really liked the characters and atmosphere in this story and I think those who like a YA mystery/fantasy will enjoy this as well!

I liked this book quite a bit. There was a dark chill to it, but it wasn't too intense. I did feel a bit disconnected with the characters, as there really wasn't one that was particularly developed. Because of this, it was an easy read that was interesting, but it isn't what I would use in the classroom.

Thank you for the opportunity to preview the book.

These Vengeful Wishes is perfect for anyone who loves family secrets. Who loves the ideas of coming back to a place you should know, that your family has history, but feels like a land of isolation. Where everyone is in on an inside joke. With folktale influences, These Vengeful Wishes is spooky and haunted, but maybe not in the way you think. There's a distinct sense of curses, of chills running down your spines, and Montalban does a phenomenal job at infusing the atmosphere. But there's also a sense that the past is reaching, clawing, back to reach us. That things left unsaid are speaking out.

I liked the Nicaraguan representation, especially the folklore of La Cegua. It was more of a suspenseful read and felt more like a gothic aesthetic read, hopefully it will be translated into Spanish because of the good potential the story has. I was not bored throughout the book, although I did not feel it for me, if I would recommend the story to someone else, but I remembered the introduction of the twilight's film.

Thank you to NetGalley and Zando Young Readers for the chance to read an ARC of this marvelous novel. Vanessa Montalban spun a fantastic tale, with great characters, amazing lore, and such feeling. I am sold. I will happily advocate for this novel any day. You need to read it. Hands down.

I devoured this smart and engaging YA novel about family trauma and the supernatural. The characters were fantastically real and complicated, capable of complex thought and planning; the setting is richly realized; and the author handled the mixing of modern-day life with the past and the supernatural with ease. I loved the multicultural influences on the work, the centering of women, and the ways in which characters healed and developed. Despite the melodramatic overtones--a dead wife, a missing heir, a dangerous wood, warnings from psychics--this is never so over-the-top as to pull the reader out of the world. I'll be recommending this one to everybody.

I enjoyed this book SO much! It was a wonderful reminder of why YA and horror are a perfect blend! Montalban did a wonderful job of creating relatable and complex characters. The plot was quite predictable with the foreshadowing regarding key characters and their stories. I found that there was a good balance between pace and world-building. I also enjoyed how Montalban wove rich cultural folklore into such strong and complex female main characters.

This book is a brilliant testament to why I adore young adult fantasy and horror! From the moment I cracked open the pages, I was swept away by the rich, complex characters and their intriguing, multi-layered personalities. And let’s not forget the book boyfriend—an absolute charmer who deserves a top spot on all future "book boyfriend" lists.

While I did manage to predict a few plot twists before they unfolded, the story's rapid pace and relentless thrills kept me glued to the pages. The atmosphere is nothing short of spectacular, drenched in eerie, spine-tingling vibes that made every chapter an exhilarating ride. If you're a fan of YA fantasy and horror, this book is a must-read. It’s a delightful blend of excitement and suspense that reminded me exactly why I love this genre so much.

Thank you to netgalley and Zando Young Readers for an advance copy!!

This was such a great reminder of why i love young adult fantasy and horror. The characters are all complex and fun. The book boyfriend is very cute and i think should be going on future bb lisa. While, i did guess some of the plot lines before they happened, it was still a fast paced thrill. incredible atmosphere and creepy vibes.