Unfortunatly I DNF'd this book at 12%. I was really let down by the coninuous slang used throughout the book and I dont think I could have read the word "bro" one more time, I completely understand that this can be overlooked by many but for me it is a really big turnoff when reading a book filled wth slang.

A haunting, gothic tale set in the Florida Everglades, written by an author from Hialeah? AND a gorgeous cover that perfectly captures the vibe and tone of the book?

Say less.

At its core, <i>Mayra</I> is a story that explores the impact of friendship on our identity, and how both are intrinsically tied to and defined by where we're from. The story is set against a backdrop spanning two eras of South Florida: mid 2000’s Miami, which this reviewer was fortunate enough to come of age in, and a more recent, but almost timeless hideaway in the swamplands, within an old, gothic house burrowed deep in the Florida Everglades.

It is in this house, vividly painted and described for us by Nicky Gonzalez, the book’s author, that the majority of the story takes place, as two friends attempt to reconnect after years of being apart. But all is not as it seems, and the story starts to take some unexpected twists and turns as we get deeper into the mystery of both our main characters and of the house itself.

Getting to read this book was extra special, as Gonzalez managed to capture South Florida, and the idiosyncrasies of what makes it and its inhabitants so different to anywhere else in the country, perfectly in this book. Gonzalez unabashedly describes real world locations, people and our “native tongue” in a way I don’t think I’ve ever really seen in any type of media yet.

I do wonder if these parts of the book may not connect with other readers the way that they did with me (and also will with other Miami-ans ) , but I’m grateful that the author went for it, as it was something that I wasn’t expecting, but that truly sets the story apart in my opinion.

I ended up really loving this story and I can’t wait to own a copy to proudly adorn on my bookshelf. This will be a book that I imagine I’ll come back to and re-explore in the future as well.

This review is now live on Goodreads.

Thank you to Random House Publishing Group and NetGallery for providing me with this advanced reader copy for my honest review.

Incredibly atmospheric, and the Florida Everglades make a great (local too!) setting. Easy to read, accessible language.

“That means you, like, sell houses that’ll be underwater in twenty years?” TRY A COUPLE MONTHS AGO. #hurricanehelene Maybe a little too close to home right now, but not wrong.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House for the ARC.

MAYRA is an eerie and immersive novel perfect for fans of literary gothic stories. I appreciated the shorter length and the somewhat languid pace that builds tension in a slow but certain way. The friendship between Ingrid and Mayra seems to be at once toxic and completely understandable / relatable. At times Ingrid's outbursts with Benji struck me as immature and unjustified, which was a little frustrating. Of course, as the story progresses, we see more of his strangeness and we begin to suspect some unsettling truths about the house. By the time Ingrid realizes she should try to get out, it's like the slowly-boiling water where the frog is now stuck in the pot. Unlike some other readers, I thought the ending suited the story very well.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an advance e-galley; all opinions in my review are 100% my own.

This was an intriguing, immersive experience of a story. Ingrid, our protagonist, has stayed in her hometown of Hialeah after college and is having a day that isn't great. She's going on a date with a guy she's not really excited about and kind of feels that her life has hit a dead end. Out of the blue, her former best friend, Mayra, who left for bigger and better things, leaving Ingrid behind as well, calls her. She invites Ingrid to her new home, deep in the Florida Everglades where there is no cell service. Mayra and Ingrid quickly fall back into their old patterns, but a lot of past disagreements are coming to a head. The presence of Mayra's new boyfriend, Benji, compounds some of the weirdness as well. The house is bigger on the inside than out, with rooms that don't make sense. Ingrid's mind becomes fuzzy and she completely forgets her family, job, and real life responsibilities. At first, she's content with this, but finds out she's unable to leave. This was a super evocative story, not terrifying per se, but more insidious. There's a hint of the paranormal, but it will definitely give the reader something to think about!

Spectacular! I love a dreamy, foggy haunted house story and the love story at its heart is bittersweet and beautiful.

I was not prepared for the places this book took me!! I was drawn in by the toxic friendship, captivated by the writing about the Everglades and this mystical enclave Ingrid ends up in, and then riveted and perplexed as the book dove fully into the uncanny. I love when I am challenged and surprised by the twists in a story, and this debut was a great twisty experience.

We all had that friend who we swore would be the death of us when we were growing up, but we kept that friend because at least we'd die happy...and then we grow up and go our separate ways. Until we get that phone call: let's get away from it all at a house in the middle of nowhere and catch up. Sound great? Like you'd never want to leave? Like you couldn't if you tried?
I loved author Nicky Gonzalez's writing and I want to read more! Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this book. My opinions are my own.

What a strange book this was. I'm not sure what to make of it.

Thanks to NetGalley and Random House Publishing for an Advance Reading Copy in exchange for an honest review.

Mayra is a weird little book about toxic friendships, an old eerie house in the swamp, and even weirder boyfriends. Nicky Gonzales writes fabulous imagery of the Floridian swamplands, and really knows how thread unsettling tension into their dreamlike writing.

The cast of characters is small, with a lot of development happening through flashbacks regarding Ingrid and Mayra's childhood together.
I found Lizzie's narration via her journal fairly boring, but Ingrid was hilarious and relatable. She's odd, but in a familar, normal-quirky way. Her desire for Mayra's attention, the need to be seen--that insecurity felt so real. That is perhaps the most well-done aspect of the story: the characters' insecurities are palpable, a character all its own.

And of course, there is Benji, Mayra's boyfriend who is...fucking strange. And not in a good way. He isn't violent or outwardly rude or anything that warrants an immediate red flag, there's just an aura of wrongness that slowly becomes more apparent the further you're drawn into the story.

I wouldn't say this is strictly horror, maybe more gothic thriller with some unsettling magical realism thrown in there. It definitely has its creepy moments, but they crop up more towards the last quarter of the book. I also wish the transitions from timelines was more apparent, but it could also be said that this is a purposeful effect. Regardless, Mayra is a beautifully written debut, with probably the best obsessive/co-dependent relationship between teenage girls I've read.

Thank you to Random House Publishing, NetGalley, and the author for this arc copy in exchange for an honest review.

I didn't enjoy reading Mayra by Nicky Gonzalez. The story was very slow paced and it didn't have the eerie vibe I was hoping for. If the book had been faster paced with the supernatural elements introduced earlier on in the story I think I would enjoyed it.

Unfortunately it wasn't my cup of tea.

Mayra by Nick Gonzalez is a captivating novel that centers on Ingrid, a deeply relatable character whose emotional journey of self-discovery keeps you hooked from start to finish. Her struggles with identity, love, and growth are depicted with raw authenticity, making her someone readers can truly connect with. Gonzalez's writing balances introspection with tension, drawing you in and leaving you constantly guessing about what’s to come. The horror element, which doesn’t appear until the end, builds slowly but powerfully, making you question what will unfold next.

I was frightened reading this story. The author did such an amazing job crafting what reads like a horror novel to me. I liked some of it but other parts were too much for me. I think the book will find the correct reader and be enjoyed. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

‘Mayra’ ended up being a little different than I expected. It was extremely atmospheric. I loved that it takes place in the Florida Everglades. So right away it feels mysterious and a little creepy. This story is definitely a slow burn. For most of the book it’s mainly just the MC going about her days in a strange house and reminiscing about her childhood friendship with Mayra. The ending however, felt like a fever dream. I really enjoyed this story, I just wish the creep factor was a bit higher.

Thank you to NetGalley for the arc!

Honestly this book wasn’t bad, but it was great either. I was kind of confused on how the book went back and forth in time. And I really did think it was going to be a bit more horror type, the suspense was great. But like I said I really did think the horror was going to be a bit more there, and I really didn’t understand the ending of it. Overall it wasn’t bad but like I said wasn’t really great.

Mayra is a quintessential Florida novel while being out of this world. The description and imagery is so beautifully SoFlo, including the Publix stop and python hunting dudes. Its exploration of a toxic childhood friendship is addicting and relatable. When I was reading I lost track of time and place, like I was in the house in the swamp myself. The simple diary entries are a delightful addition, taking us out of the story and adding another perspective of female friendship. It artfully tells a story on three timelines: Ingrid and Mayra’s friendship in the past, their current situation and Lizzie’s life leading up to her time in the house. A must read for any Florida girls who have had kooky strained friendships and enjoy a spooky twist.

An intriguing novel of horror and suspense. The gothic vibes were immaculate. I am in love with book and will be raving about it. The author did a phenomenal job with the characters.

Ingrid and Mayra were childhood best friends, grown apart with time. Mayra reconnects with Ingrid and invites her to stay in the deep Florida swampland. Ingrid is surprised to find out that Mayra’s boyfriend will be staying with them as well. The longer Ingrid and Mayra are together the more disagreements they have about the past as well as secrets this Florida house holds.

I loved that this book was southern gothic. I also enjoyed that the book feels dreamy. However I felt as though the writing was a bit all over the place with many plots happening at once. We are taken from present day to Ingrid and Mayra as children/teens and we follow Lizzie who Ingrid finds the journal of.

Thank you to Random House and NetGalley for this ARC! To be published July 22, 2025.

Review of Advance Reader’s Copy

When Mayra reaches out to Ingrid after years of silence, she invites Ingrid to come spend time with her in the isolated house where she is staying. Ingrid knows she should decline, but she and Mayra were once best friends . . . and it’s hard to say, “No,” to her.

So Ingrid goes. Unprepared for what awaits her, what will she do when she discovers the secrets held by the house?

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Atmospheric, dark, and creepy, this tale places a strong focus on the friendship between the two women. Toxic, yet deep, it was a friendship created during their adolescent years; one that Ingrid felt compelled to recognize and accept, even as an adult. Throughout the narrative, readers encounter the characters’ loneliness and isolation, giving the telling of the tale an undercurrent of apprehension.

With its disquieting gothic vibe, a setting isolated in the swampy Everglades, and the uncertainty surrounding the friendship, the feeling of something “not quite right” about Mayra’s boyfriend, Benji, simply adds to the eeriness. The unfolding tale keeps those pages turning [albeit with a bit of trepidation] as readers try to predict what will happen next.

Readers who enjoy friendship tales, creepy stories, and weird situations will find much to appreciate here.

Recommended.

I received a free copy of this eBook from Random House Publishing Group – Random House / Random House and NetGalley
#Mayra #NetGalley

I really liked this book! It was definitely horror verging on literary fiction, with a sense of unease that heightens with every page. Ingrid was a relatable main character: shy, reserved, and often plagued by daydreams and anxiety. Mayra, on the other hand, was her perfect opposite, and I really enjoyed the way the author portrayed their differences. The haunted house elements were very well done, and the diary entries that began in the later half of the book added a lot to the depth of the story.