I was hugely excited for this book, after Erika T. Wurth’s amazing debut, White Horse. Unfortunately, there was just too much going on here. It’s a genuinely spooky ghost story, but also a murder mystery, with lots of historical information. There are also a few characters that felt superfluous. Unfortunately, with so many threads, I found it difficult to latch onto one that I enjoyed.

Ina Barrón does a wonderful performance, and made it easier to keep track of the characters.

Indigenous perspectives, history, and horror are the ingredients which make this book stand out. Five years after her sister’s tragic death, Olivia has made a living off of banishing and trapping entities in cursed objects. She and her best friend Alejandro literally are fighting demons together, and there is nothing more she could ask for. That is, until one banishment goes awry, which forces Olivia to investigate the circumstances of her sister’s death–and confront her guilt. This book was super “fun,” if I may say that about horror: The magical elements, cult exploration, and Olivia’s sassy personality really shone. But I also appreciated the serious insights and gleamed even more understanding on the Indigenous peoples genocide which occurred in the United States, and **SPOILER**

the even further colonization of Indigenous bodies and minds that continues today. There were predictable elements of the story (i.e. sleeping with the enemy) but Olivia was a great character with depth to stay with. I wanted to know her story. The narrator did a good job bringing that to life for me. Thanks to NetGalley and MacMillan audio for the eARC of this work.

If you love your ghost stories with a side of heartache, history, and hard truths, this one’s for you. Olivia Becente never wanted her sister’s gift of seeing the dead. But after Naiche’s sudden death, she gets more than visions—she gets questions. Years later, Olivia is Denver’s top paranormal investigator, but one case at the Brown Palace Hotel brings her face-to-face with something far darker than just spirits.

This audiobook owns its space as a paranormal thriller, balancing chills with cultural depth. The spooky vibes hit your ears right away and never fully let up with a great narrator. But what I loved most was how Wurth weaves in the deeper reasons for those hauntings—colonialism, white supremacy, and the violent erasure of Native lives. It’s the kind of horror that stays with you because it’s rooted in real history.

The blend of spiritual practices also stood out to me. It felt like those underdog dance movies where the winning routine mixes styles—only here, it’s ceremony and belief coming together in a way that feels both raw and beautiful.

And Olivia? She’s everything I want in a main character—tough, sharp, and real. Her hyper-independence makes sense once you see her pain, and it makes her resilience hit even harder. I also found her connection to her heritage especially relatable. I know my family’s Yaquí roots, but like Olivia, the edges are fuzzy, and sometimes that leaves me questioning my place. It’s rare to see that nuance explored so well.

Pacing-wise, it’s mostly medium with a few slower stretches, but the tension never fades. You’re always bracing for the next chill—or the next truth. If you want a thriller that haunts you and makes you think, this one belongs on your shelf.

I have Erika's first book White Horse, but this is the first book by her that I read. I loved the angle of supernatural investigation because there is an uncertainty of what elements are truly supernatural and what are just tragic occurrences. As Olivia tries to deal with the investigation, the cult appearance adds higher stakes. On top of this, the complicated personal life and troubles that she's experiencing add a great layer to this story. I definitely recommend picking this one up. If you are a fan of Simone St James, I think you'll love this too.

Really, really cool—very spooky and cabinet of curiosities adjacent. This book was a delightful combination of haunted objects, a Faustian bargain, and indigenous spirituality. I really liked how the plot is dotted with these possessed items, each unfurling a small vignette that eventually weaves together to reveal a broader narrative.

Around the half way point, things got a little muddled with accusations and flashbacks flying around—it was harder to remember all the characters and track their motives.

I normally love paranormal horror stories but this one fell very flat for me! I found it very disjointed and all over the place. There was way too many details for me to take in as an audio book. Maybe a physical copy would be better. I did like how the author touched on subjects like racism and immigration. Things that are affecting the word now. I might try to grab a physical copy of the story when it is released and try again. But I’m not sure it will change my opinion. But I would recommend this to someone who enjoys a paranormal horror story and see how you feel about the story

I thought I would give this author another try after not liking her previous book. Sadly, I think her writing just isn't for me.

This book was very tedious and meandering. I thought it would be interesting with the occasional horror references and a potential cool setup.

But after reading up to the 20% mark and nothing interesting was keeping me invested. The transition between scenes were still clunky. The dialogue still cringy. Yeah it was a no for me.

Thanks to Netgally and Macmillan Audio for this ARC

This was such an easy going listen (easy going horror lol)
I really liked the indigenous aspect with the 'spirits' literally doing the most to make sure that the truth of the massacre was learned and taught. While I enjoyed the story, I couldn't really connect with the FMC. The relationships felt odd and kind of disjointed. The reveal with Dorian wasn't surprising either. Truthfully, this book was nothing like I thought it would be, and that's fine. I enjoyed it for what it was and would definitely read this author again.
Also the narrator was great!

The Haunting of Room 904 is a supernatural mystery about a woman investigating her sister's death in a hotel. The book tries to mix paranormal elements with cultural themes, but it doesn't quite hit the mark. Wurth's writing is somewhat engaging, though the plot can feel a bit scattered and the characters aren't always fully developed. It's an okay read for those who enjoy ghost stories with a bit of cultural background, but it's not a groundbreaking novel in the genre.

The Haunting of Room 904 by Erika T. Wurth is an atmospheric, spine-chilling masterpiece that seamlessly blends psychological horror with a sharp critique of academia. Wurth’s writing is immersive and haunting, pulling readers into the eerie, oppressive setting of the cursed hotel room while unraveling a deeply unsettling tale of trauma, colonialism, and ghosts—both literal and metaphorical. The slow-burn tension builds masterfully, and the protagonist’s descent into paranoia and fear is both gripping and emotionally raw. With its rich storytelling, sharp social commentary, and truly terrifying moments, this book cements Wurth as a powerhouse in modern horror.

This wasn't as scary as I thought it would be. But it was very atmospheric and interesting. I loved how the story builds up and you learn just a little bit more with every new case. I loved the beautiful story of sisterhood. Of blood and the sisterhood beyond blood. The story of finding community and your people was what drew me in and kept me reading.
It was a beautiful, atmospheric, and creepy book.
I didn't love the way the love story went in this. I figured there would be one, since its common now in many horrors. But the way it was handled felt very unnecessary. Especially when there were so many small comments to finding love, and of the other characters finding love.
The story itself was interesting and I couldn't put it down. I really enjoyed how it felt like a compact local history and I love that.

This book wasn’t for me and that reflects on my preferences as a reader, not the book itself!
(It’s me, hi, I’m the problem it’s me 🫣)

Paranormal, horror fans will probably eat this up. For me though, I’ve figured out I’m too much of a scaredy cat to truly enjoy a paranormal book.

I was confused at times but the story was still written very well, it just wasn’t my cup of tea. But it may be yours! The narrator was great.

Thanks to NetGalley and MacMillan Audio for my ALC

3 ⭐️ This is a tough one as I really wanted to love this book. It starts off really good, great premise and pacing but then it trips over itself multiple times by being overly complex and gets very boring and slow. There were many times I was confused by the story and characters, then I stopped caring a bit. I love the concept that this book centers around a fmc from an Indigenous background with a lot of history and lore of various local Indigenous groups in Denver, Colorado (also my home state and I loved every single local crumb given to me). I also loved that it tackled racism and the current political climate and attitudes we are facing in today’s America, it killed me to listen to the attitudes and blatant racism of various characters and I was screaming as it hits so close to home. I just wish the story unfolded a little better with more intrigue and horror elements. It was too slow of a burn for me. I like my horror books to be scary and this wasn’t at all. It has many paranormal instances and the whole story revolves around the paranormal but it just didn’t resonate with me as very interesting because it often times provided too many details that made it complex. I feel bad since I wanted to like it so much.

I was graciously gifted a copy by MacMillan Audio and I really enjoyed the narration by Ina Barrón. In fact, I probably kept going and finished because the narration was very enjoyable.

This book definitely won’t be for everyone. If you are a hardcore horror person who likes scary, gruesome and frankly unhinged stories - this isn’t it. If you like stories with a bit of dark history in painful historic events that unfold slowly then you may like this one, especially with the messaging around racism against Indigenous and Hispanic peoples.

This book is set to publish on March 18, 2025

This was my 17th book of 2025
Format: Audio, ALC gifted copy.

3.5 ⭐️ | If you’re a fan a movies like The Conjuring, this book is for you! Me being a fan of horror movies, I enjoyed this story! It follows Olivia, that has the ability to communicate with the dead. It seems to run in the family as her sister also had this gift prior to her untimely death. Now that Olivia has jumped into her role as a paranormal investigator, she receives the task of investigating distributing occurrences in room 904 at a hotel. She soon realizes her sisters’ secret life intertwined with these occurrences & now that her own mother is in danger, she’ll stop at nothing to save her from this curse that claims the life of a different woman every few years. Always being found in room 904. The narration in this audiobook was amazing.

Thank you Macmillan Audio for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

I tried so hard to like it as the reviews are amazing but I couldn’t get into it.
I didn’t connect with the story or the characters
Not a book for me unfortunately

While this book explored intriguing themes, I had a hard time connecting with the story. However, that is obviously on me and not the book. I recognize that it has great potential to appeal to other readers and I encourage others to try it out! Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this book.

From the very first page, this gripping paranormal thriller hooks you with its intense opening, plunging you directly into the chaos of Olivia’s world as she attempts to help a woman grappling with a mysterious possessed item. The author masterfully weaves in subtle details about Olivia’s background and her relationship with her now departed sister, slowly revealing her complexities and making her a deeply relatable and compelling protagonist. The first case she tackles feels intricately connected to the next, suggesting a larger, interwoven narrative that ties the possessions to individuals from the same tribe. This clever threading of cases hints at a looming, central haunting that Olivia must ultimately confront, keeping readers on the edge of their seats.

The audiobook narration elevates the experience, with the narrator skillfully breathing life into each character, adding depth and nuance to their personalities. Fast-paced and full of twists, this story is a rollercoaster of suspense and intrigue, constantly keeping you guessing. The seamless blend of paranormal elements with a thrilling plot ensures this book is a must-read for fans of the genre. A captivating start to what promises to be an unforgettable read!

This book was just what I needed to start off my horror reads for 2025! 4.5 ⭐️
I haven’t read anything by this author but I will be reading the rest of her books. Her writing style is so easy to read and to follow. The narrator also did an amazing job with all the different voices and emotions through this story.
My heart broke for Olivia because I know there’s pain of losing a sibling to suicide and the longing to see or have them back is so strong.
The Native American history woven through this story was written so beautifully and with dignity. I love the lore of that culture especially in horror novels.
The only thing I didn’t like was that the person who orchestrated it all didn’t pay more but at least they are trying to give back.

I read White Horse and loved it so I had high hopes for this, and it was a pretty good time. I loved the idea of how the haunting actually occurs. The idea was unique and it delivered really well. I didn't love how prominent the social media aspect of this was, but I get why it was written in. Reading about Twitter posts just felt a little strange. But outside of that, the commentary on modern racism was spot on and very well done. Overall I like her writing style and the narrator did really well, Would recommend and I will be getting a physical copy when it releases.

Book review 🌟🌟🌟.5
The Haunting of Room 904 by Erika T. Wurth 🎧

The book started off strong, but got a little lost in the many details and information from the characters. I really wanted to enjoy this book, but the transitions from one situation to another was very choppy. There was loads of information presented at one time and it overwhelmed me for quite a bit of the audiobook.

I did enjoy some parts of the book, after I kept listening. I understood what the author wanted us to feel about the characters and their culture as well.

Synopsis
Olivia Becente was never supposed to have the gift. The ability to commune with the dead was the specialty of her sister, Naiche. But when Naiche dies unexpectedly and under strange circumstances, somehow Olivia suddenly can’t stop seeing and hearing from spirits.

Thank you to NetGalley and Erika T. Weigh for this arc in exchange for my honest review ❤️

Pub Date: Mar 18 2025   |   Archive Date: Mar 25 2025