Thank you to the author and NetGalley for providing this ARC for my voluntary and honest review!

I have no idea what I just read and I’m still trying to figure out if I liked it. A story about toxic friendship and a trippy house that read like an intense fever dream. This one wasn’t for me.

3.5 stars
Ingrid gets a random phone call from an old friend, Mayra. They grew apart when Mayra moved away for college and started a new life. But Mayra has a request, come stay in the Everglades in a creepy old manor… why not? This time of reminiscing and rekindling friendship is punctuated by a house that’s filled with weird rooms and leaves you feeling like there’s no place you need to be. A peek into the storied history might be the only clue that helps Ingrid escape back to her life.

I didn’t know what to expect for this book other than a creepy house, and it left me wanting more creepy house. I rarely read horror so I’m not at all an expert or even know what to expect from the description. But this was light on the classic horror elements. It’s more the scary reality of relationships with a power imbalance. I do love personal growth and deep character development, so I enjoyed the deep dive into this toxic enmeshed teen relationship and the echoes it had for both girls as they grew into women with different wants.
I just wanted more house.
The history of the house is unique and altogether chilling and the reveal needed to be woven more tightly into the dissection of Ingrid and Mayra’s intersection and divergence so we had more of a slow reveal instead of a flurry of bleary clues at the end.
If you’re looking for psychological horror with a Southern Gothic setting, this one’s for you.

A gothic feeling story but didn’t give me horror vibes while reading. Most of the story focuses on Ingrid remembering events from her childhood with Mayra. Not a lot of focus on the present and what is going on around them. The story was slow and then all of sudden the ending is rushed and all is revealed. No build up to the ending just a mad dash to the end.

Another #Summerween option, of which I thank @randomhouse @netgalley & @prhaudio for the #gifted 𝑴𝑨𝒀𝑹𝑨 𝒃𝒚 𝑵𝒊𝒄𝒌𝒚 𝑮𝒐𝒏𝒛𝒂𝒍𝒆𝒛, coming out July 22nd.

This story, excellently narrated by Frankie Corzo, took me down a bizarre path in the Florida swamps to a creepy house where Ingrid goes to visit her estranged friend, Mayra. As they reminisce, it seems like Mayra still has an edge and a mix of memories that don't quite match up with Ingrid. The longer she stays, and she can't really tell how long it's even been, it feels increasingly wrong to stay. But can she leave?

The first half of this story felt like a toxic friendship that is trying to heal, but can't. I was intrigued as to this premise as it seemed to play with this friendship/more-than-friendship reunion with Mayra's boyfriend ever present. The it really began to veer into the weird. It wasn't a big drop, just a shift that felt like this story was becoming something other than it had been.

I loved the atmosphere and the unsettling feeling that grew through the story. I wasn't sure where it would go, and I am still barely sure I know where it went. It felt a bit fuzzy, which is ironic given the story, but ultimately I think this story plays on the desires we have for the memories we hold of people who are no longer in our sphere, but held an important role for a time.

Summerween fans should enjoy this haunted, fever-dream story, as long as there is a willingness to go a bit into the weeds with how people grow apart. I also think those who like the bizarre and time-bending aspects will be drawn to this one. Often, these include me, but I do feel there was a bit lacking on the backstory of this location. I think I needed more from it. 3.5 Stars

Two young women, who were best friends in their youth, take a vacation together in the Florida swamps. Ingrid is delighted to find that Mayra is still the same person she remembers from before. But little things begin to suggest that maybe Mayra is not who Ingrid thinks she is. The weird boyfriend does not fit the picture Ingrid has of Mayra, either.

As her debut novel, Nicky Gonzalez does a fair job of building the characters and their backstory into a thriller. The setting, with its Florida swamps, old mansion, and lack of cell service, adds an element of suspense and tension. It will be interesting to see where Gonzalez takes us next.

This is true gothic horror: the swampy Everglades, the unease, the dreamlike state, the moody atmosphere; it was like watching a movie play out. As with most gothic horror, this does move at a slow pace, Gonzalez builds the tension and truly gives the reader that creepy feeling that something is just not right. Every page is like slipping into a quiet fever dream to go visit the hat man.

The vibe I got while reading this is the same one I had when reading House of Leaves, which is an all-time favorite of mine, so that is a high I have been chasing.

This is an amazing debut novel from Gonzalez, and I cannot wait to see more of her work on my shelves. Thank you, Random House, and Gonzalez, for the opportunity to read this!

I went into this book relatively blind, and I think that was a great decision. A lot of reviews are noting that the book didn’t quite live up to the description and the payoff wasn’t worth the time… So I recommend exiting out of all these reviews and just enjoying where the story takes you.

It’s a short book at only 240 pages, and I think the story did an incredible amount of building the atmospheric setting and developing the main characters Mayra and Ingrid in that small amount of time. The momentum of the story really carried me towards the conclusion. The entire book was weird and strange in a great way, but still very easy to understand.

I do however, agree with some of the commenters that the payoff could have hit a bit harder. I think the recipe was totally there, and I am excited to see what else the author has in store for upcoming releases. I absolutely recommend this book for those who love lit fic. If you’re coming into expecting it to major in horror and mystery, I do fear you may be let down. But if you read it like a lit fic with horror and mystery elements, you may be more set up for success in terms of the vibe of the story.

Thank you Random House and NetGalley for an early copy. Opinions are my own. It’s out today!

Read this if you’re in the mood for a soft gothic horror dipped in magical realism, with humid Everglades air and a slow slide into unease.

Mayra by Nicky Gonzalez feels like a gothic horror movie for beginners—moody, dreamlike, and just a little bit off. The story follows Ingrid, who, after years of silence, accepts a mysterious weekend invitation from her childhood friend Mayra. The setting? A surreal house deep in the Everglades that seems to stretch and shift the longer Ingrid stays.

Mayra’s boyfriend Benji is also there, an unexpected third wheel who cooks elaborate meals while the two women drift between memories and the present. Half the chapters pull us into their shared childhood—flashbacks that I found especially strong. They’re rich with detail, offering a more grounded, emotionally textured version of the girls than what we see in the present.

The house itself is a character, full of strange architecture, endless rooms, and eerie vibes. Ingrid’s growing disorientation adds to the tension, and while the horror remains subtle, the sense of something being not quite right builds steadily. It’s less about jump scares and more about the slow unraveling of reality.

That said, the tone between past and present didn’t always feel cohesive. The present-day narrative sometimes felt a bit floaty compared to the vivid flashbacks. But as a whole, it works—the dreamy atmosphere, the slow pacing, the hint that something terrible might be lurking just under the surface.

A quietly haunting read. Perfect for dipping your toe into horror without diving in headfirst.

Thank you to Random House Books for sending an Advanced Reader Copy of Mayra. The opportunity to read and review this book is appreciated.

Have to say I had a little trouble getting into Myra by Nicky Gonzalez. The actual writing is quite good and I can’t deny that the characters are interesting. I just think it moved a bit too slow for me. Nicky captures that gothic vibe quite well, and I love the use of the everglades as a setting. It really was just the slow pace that often had my mind wandering while reading, though I found the flashbacks to be the highlight. Do I regret reading it? Not at all. 3.5 stars. Shows promise and I would give Nicky’s work another try in the future. I’d like to thank Random House and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review an eARC of Mayra.

https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/mayra-nicky-gonzalez/1146433197?ean=9780593731550&bvnotificationId=4ee1b9df-6717-11f0-9526-0affec90f03f&bvmessageType=REVIEW_APPROVED&bvrecipientDomain=gmail.com#review/352524302

That cover, evoking an eerie darkness with its splash of red, is perfect for what's inside.

Ingrid receives a message from her old childhood friend, Mayra, inviting her to a vacation house in the woods. In the Everglades. Hot, steamy, dangerous.

We start out on familiar ground. Ingrid and Mayra haven't really been in touch, despite being the closest of friends until Mayra went away to school. We learn their history as Ingrid reminiscences on her disorienting drive and throughout her visit. Then things get weird[er], and we're in the space depicted on that cover.

It's unsettling, uncanny, a fever dream of action, surprising twists and turns. A promising debut from Nicky Gonzalez.

My thanks to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group for the Advance Reader Copy. (pub. date 7/22/2025)

This book was a fever dream! I'm still trying to find the words. It reminded me of a few different movies I vaguely remember watching when I was younger...and the fact that I can't fully remember is in beautiful parallel with this book.

CW
Crude language
Same sex fantasies
Drug use

I don't normally read horror, or even watch it on TV and this book reminded me why. I read it after my friend said it was amazing and it definitely gave me nightmares.

I will recommend this to horror loving friends.

Mayra serves as an astute and terrifying look at female friendships, finding one's identity, and the stories we tell ourselves to survive.

In the suffocating and remote everglades, two childhood friends reminisce about their youth while exploring the complexities and resentments that often plague female friendship. Days begin to blur together, time is lost, and readers are left to decipher if the girls are living in reality or if they've fallen into something else entirely.

Mayra is a fever dream of a novel with endless depth. Gonzales explores the importance of love and acceptance and the malevolent habits that can form from the desperate need for such. The gritty truth of the matter and it's slow unraveling, creates a terrifying tale rooted in reality.

Readers who prefer their horror both introspective and quiet will fall easily for this tale.

Eerie, disquieting debut set in a remote paranormal home in the Florida Everglades. Mayra is invited to join her estranged childhood bestie and boyfriend in this remote local for an emotional reunion. This gothic suspense centers on the friendship and doesn’t quite hit the horror notes I was craving. Thanks to NetGalley and Random House for an advanced copy for a honest review.

This book had me wanting to call my sixth grade bestie and relive all the stupid things we did when we were growing up. We all have that friend and for Ingrid, she’s Mayra. When Mayra gets in touch after years away, Ingrid only hesitates the smallest amount before heading south towards the Everglades. As she gets closer, things get stranger and more dangerous, with cell service basically nonexistent and strange men looming far too close.

This is definitely the kind of book that creeps up on you. From the moment Ingrid arrives at Mayra’s rental house I could sense something wasn’t quite right. It’s little things at first - a forgotten toy in Ingrid’s bag, gaping dark hallways, and strange decor. But then things get even stranger and you can’t deny this house isn’t quite right. I really loved how eerie and atmospheric this book was, but I wish we had even more unsettling moments earlier on. I loved the last quarter of this book and overall was very impressed by this debut.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House for a review copy. I’m excited to read more from this author in the future.

Horror is a wonderful vehicle to explore so many topics, and in this case, the author explores personal transformations and evolutions, as well as cultural divides.

When readers are first introduced to Ingrid, we get a sense of hurt, jealousy, and anger. Ingrid's best friend left her behind. Mayra moved to New York, finished an art major, and when she'd return to Florida, Ingrid's memories of Mayra include derision and contempt. "Do you know how loud you are?" Apparently, in New York, people are more refined than folks in Hialeah. Folks don't speak loudly in New York. Where Mayra got that notion is never explained, but the reader understands that Ingrid is made to feel small for not stepping out of Hialeah or Florida. Ingrid didn't expand her wings the way Mayra did.

The perfect recipe for frenemies.

But we quickly get the sense that Ingrid is not a reliable narrator. Her fixation with other people's skin leaves the reader feeling disturbed by Ingrid's macabre indulgences with becoming someone else. Ingrid sees a waitress' dress and doesn't want to wear that dress, but rather, her skin. The reader knows Ingrid wants to transform, but her personal evolution leaves the reader afraid of her rather than sympathizing with her.

Like a moth drawn to a flame, Ingrid accepts an out of the blue invitation from Mayra. Ingrid drives into the everglades, hours from the next neighbor, and enters a realm of horror. Mayra and Benji are seduced by the silence and beauty of the everglades, but slowly both Ingrid and Mayra realize the house is taking their memories. Benji, is helping the house take Mayra and Ingrid.

I don't know if other readers got this vibe, but I couldn't help but think of Benji as a doppelganger for Faulkner's Benjy in The Sound and The Fury. Benji, while intelligent, also comes across as a bit limited. He cleans windows and pills the cobwebs into small balls. He then pops them into his mouth like popcorn. We know he's "off."

Slowly but surely, the reader learns that Mayra is "off" as well. She sleeps in the dirt out under a moon. She knows she's losing her memories, and she knows that Benji is helping the house trap her. And yet she doesn't run away. Hialeah is no longer her home. She can't go back. Instead, she remains lost.

Ingrid's escape is back to a different kind of horror. The house doesn't trap her, but when she's rescued, it is by men who see her as an invasive species. Leaving the reader to question, what has she escaped to? If not a different horror?

This novel is rich in subtext. I really enjoyed reading each chapter slowly. Taking notes. Thinking about individual sentences.

First off, I would like to thank Random House Publishing Group-Random House and author Nicky Gonzalez for allowing me to read this book via Netgalley. All opinions following are my own.

This story follows Ingrid, who is contacted by her childhood best friend, Mayra, whom she hasn't spoken to in six years. Mayra invites Ingrid to come visit her in the Florida Everglades for a vacation and reunion. Ingrid impulsively agrees.

From the get-go, things seem off. The house is difficult to find, and roads leading to it are not on any maps or GPS. Then, the house is surrounded by eerie swamps and marshland. Moreover, Ingrid finds out that she and Mayra aren't alone: Mayra's boyfriend Benji is with them. In fact, he owns the house and property. Finally, there is the house itself. Hidden rooms. Mirrors on the floor. It's basically a labyrinth.

Soon, Ingrid finds an old journal written by a woman named Lizzie. The more she dives into Lizzie's story and the longer she stays on this labyrinthian property, the more she loses her sense of self and forgets her life back home. Even Mayra seems to be forgetting core memories of their friendship and has abandoned her education. Is it the house? Is it Benji? Is it Mayra? Is it a mix of all of those, or is Ingrid just losing her grip on reality?

Honestly, this book just wasn't for me. The pacing seemed off, and the story just didn't come together for me. I struggled to finish, and when I did, I was left wondering what really happened. I do think it had a lot of potential that it didn't live up to in end. Ultimately, I gave this read ⭐️⭐️. If readers still want to check this one out, though, it is being released tomorrow, July 22!

"An eerie, hypnotic debut about friendship, desire, and memory set against the sultry backdrop of Florida’s swamplands.
It’s been years since Ingrid has heard from her childhood best friend, Mayra, a fearless rebel who fled their hometown for college. But when Mayra calls out of the blue to invite Ingrid to a weekend getaway at a house in the Everglades, she impulsively accepts. From the moment Ingrid sets out, danger looms. But once Ingrid arrives, Mayra is, in many ways, just as she remembers—with her sharp tongue and effortless, seductive beauty, still thumbing her nose at the world. Before they can fully settle into the familiar intimacy of each other’s company, their reunion is spoiled by the reemergence of past disagreements and the unexpected presence of Mayra’s new boyfriend."

From the beginning you can tell relationship between our main characters is toxic and messed up. Still more that half war through the book... nothing has happened. You can see character traits, but even with so much of the book relying on telling past experiences it's difficult to get the whole picture.

The house perse had potential. It was kind of eery, mysterious and you could see a certain draw to it. But again that's it. Story is so slow, and I really needed it to go all in with the house on the swamp. The story was right there! But the author couldn't grasp it.

The last thing the journal. You could have done a "Plain Bad Heroines type of situation"... you even broke 4th wall and got me interested, for a minute. In general I'm sad cause I wanted to like this. Maybe a rework novella would have been a better idea.

This book wasn’t for me. I couldn’t connect with the characters and gothic vibe felt “off” to me. There are many higher star reviews so please check them out. This is just my personal opinion on this story.

Thanks to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group for the eARC.

This atmospheric horror was too much for me. I am too new to horror to enjoy it. I never found my foting.