I was so happy to get approved for this book. I was in a very scary mood and was hoping this book would live up to that. I will say those last couple of chapters had me hesitating whether I would truly enjoyed the book but I was pleasantly surprised.

I liked the character of Alba from the very beginning. She was strong and knew what she wanted. I thought it was interesting that there were no initial thoughts to her being possessed, though it was mentioned that she sleepwalked as a child. It all seemed to come to a head once she got to the mine. I loved her insight into the possession as being unable to control your body, something she has dealt with long before the demon in her actually started to show up.

Ellias was another thing entirely. I wanted to know more about him. It felt like he was closed off to the reader and to the people in his life. We get hints to what has happened to him that has brought him back into the family fold. I thought maybe having him have more of an interaction with the occult could've been a great thing to do with his character.

And the ending. Oh my gosh. I wanted to scream when certain things were happening and then a whole 180 happened that left me screaming from joy (and a little terror).

The Possession of Alba Díaz is about, well … the possession of Alba Díaz, obviously. But it's also about patriarchy and colonialism and the Catholic Church and toxic family and revenge, and it's really all quite dark and gothic-y and entertaining. There's definitely some romance and let me tell you I was totally rooting for Alba and Elías. This is an atmospheric, creepy novel with a fantastic setting (a 1700s Mexican silver mine during a plague outbreak). The characters are multifaceted and complex and – with the exception of Alba and Elías themselves – almost entirely unlikeable. You kind of wish more characters had been terrorized by the demon.
And the ending? Fantastic. No spoilers here, but when you're near the end of the book and wanting to sling it across the room in frustration (you'll know it when you get to it), just know that the story isn't over yet. If you're a horror fan, definitely consider giving this one a read. It's atmospheric and dark and creepy and haunting, but also just maybe a little bit hopeful too.

*Special thanks to NetGalley and Berkley for this digital e-arc.*

I so wanted to love this one. I adored Cañas’ debut, THE HACIENDA, but this was mostly underwhelming in comparison for me. YMMV though!

While I was super intrigued initially—the setting is atmospheric and eerie—it took a long while to get to the action. And at that point it felt a bit rushed.

I’ll continue to read Cañas’ books as she’s a great writer. The pacing and execution just fell flat for me here. 🤷🏼‍♀️

My current rankings are The Hacienda (5⭐️), The Possession of Alba Díaz (3⭐️), The Vampires of El Norte (1⭐️).

"I'd wager you haven't heard the legend of the Monterrubio mine."

The very first sentence set the vibe for me. What's more chilling than the idea of a dark, spooky mine? From there, Isabel Canas had me hooked. I don't always connect with the possession trope, but The Possession of Alma Diaz is so believably creepy that I was riveted. The paranormal element, combined with the mystery of Alba's origins make for an atmospheric, chilling thriller, with the absolute perfect ending. After The Hacienda and Vampires of El Norte, The Possession of Alba Diaz is the latest Isabel Canas must-read.

Set in 18th-century Mexico, The Possession of Alba Diaz follows a young women, Alba, who decides to take her fate into her own hands and marry her best friend Carlos. As a plague breaks out in Zacatecas, Alba travels to a family mine with her parents and her fiancé. There, she starts to display unusual behaviour; she has nightmares and sleepwalks at night. She also meets Carlos’s cousin Elías, a mysterious ex-convict and alchemist.

This was my first read from Isabel Cañas, and I was pleasantly surprised. As a gothic horror fan, I was delighted. The story is set in a Mexican silver mine, which makes it all the more unique and intriguing. Cañas effortlessly blends various genres, including horror, historical fiction, fantasy, and romance. I don’t read a lot of romance books, but I was rooting for the couple from start to finish. The parallel between Alba losing control of her own body and the lack of freedom women experienced in the 18th century was wonderfully done. The author also didn’t shy away from exploring the ugliness of the Inquisition. Such a well-written, entertaining book!

Thank you to the author, the publisher and Net Galley for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I picked this up for the gorgeous cover and blurb full of demonic possession, plagues, the occult, and familial secrets--and stayed for the atmospheric, creepy world-building and Alba, who is fighting for her autonomy and for a good part of the book, her life.

If you enjoy horror, this is one dark, haunting good time.

This book was fine, but it was just fine. I wanted it to be so much MORE than it was. It was very slow to get started. Once the story got really going, it was decent, but I felt like it took forever to get there. I really enjoyed the ending, but I just don't know if the first half of the book was enough to make up for it for me. It was so slow to get going, that ultimately, it wasn't a win for me.

✨Review✨

This was my most anticipated read for August! Let me tell you- it did not disappoint 😍 This historical horror will leave you on the edge of your seat from start to finish. I was a little worried the possession wouldn’t be all the interesting but it was! It was definitely creepy. Cañas does a wonderful job creating a horrifying gothic atmosphere. Alba and Elías are both strong characters you’ll be rooting for the entire time.

QOTD:
❓Doyou like gothic horror?
❓What is your favorite Isabel Cañas book?

Thank you @netgalley, @isabelcanas_ and @berkleypub for the eARC of this book. I’ve never been so happy to get an early copy!!!

Creepy, hauntingly beautiful gothic Mexican take on Romeo and Juliet! I really enjoyed the story of Alba who is set to marry Carlos but when she travels with his family to his mine in another town, Elias his cousin is the one who notices something is not quite right with Alba anymore.

Alba becomes possessed by another worldly being and the story had you hooked and on a rollercoaster ride. Perfect spooky book for the spooky season. Thank you to Berkeley for the opportunity to read and review this early

Sometimes, all a girl wants is a man who can exorcise her demons. But, like, literally? ⁠
⁠
Alba is engaged to her childhood friend. She opens the book by explaining to a priest that she blackmailed him into it (neither of them want to get married for different but similar reasons and Alba found out his family is in debt to hers, so engagement ahoy!). But then, Alba meets her fiance's black sheep convict cousin and - oops! - now she kind of has a crush on this hot guy who has long hair and an earring. (Have we not all walked in Alba's shoes?)⁠
⁠
But, uhhhh, that's not the only problem here. Because like I said, Alba's kind of possessed by a demon: she's definitely sleepwalking, it's highly likely she killed a guy, and the priest she's asked for help is calling the inquisition. It's almost like no one wants Alba and Elías to fall in love!⁠
⁠
This is a lighthearted review, but this book is truly horror romance, and no one's laughing when the demon inside Alba starts to take control. At first, I thought that this was going to be one of those horror novels with a logical explanation (it would have been mercury poison). But no, this is a supernatural horror novel and it was as scary as it was swoony. (TBQH it was scarier than it was swoony, but that's OK!)⁠
⁠
To sum it up, I really love what Cañas is doing. Historical horror set in Mexico with truly terrifying plots but with the promise of a Happily-Ever-After? I need as many as I can get.⁠

This objective review is based on a complimentary copy of the novel.

My first book from Isabel Cañas and I loved it. It’s the perfect mix of creepy horror, historical fiction, and a really tense, slow-burn romance.

The story follows Alba, a young woman trying to escape the plague. She thinks she’s found safety with her fiancé's family, but instead, things get really bad and it becomes clear something dark is trying to take control of her. The only person who seems to get it is her fiancé's mysterious and brooding cousin, Elías. They get pulled into this scary fight against a force they don't understand.

The atmosphere in this book is incredible, and I love how you can really feel the isolation and dread of the setting. The chemistry between Alba and Elías is great—I was totally rooting for them even though they barely know each other and, you know, she’s possessed for a lot of it!

It’s just a really dark and entertaining story. Most of the characters are pretty unlikeable (in a good way for the story!), which makes you cheer for Alba and Elías even more.

The Possession of Alba Díaz starts as a simmering historical gothic before snapping into a full-on possession nightmare. Set in 1760s Zacatecas, with plague panic, family loyalties, and a claustrophobic silver mine pressing in, the first half is moody and patient, candlelit corridors and whispered secrets, until the thing in the mine wakes up. Then it spirals into the kind of dreadful, eerie mess that made The Exorcist unforgettable. The horror coils around faith, the Church, and power, while Alba’s relationships complicate every choice once the haunting goes physical. Grim, earthy, and atmospheric, it’s a possession story rooted in place and history, slow to creep before the claws come out.

This was such a good read! The mystery of it all had me on my toes in the best way!!
If you love Mexican horror/gothic, this is for you!
Cañas did a fantastic job.

The Possession of Alba Díaz by Isabel Cañas

Thank you to @netgalley & @berkleypub for my early digital copy!

Happy pub day! This book is out now!

My rating: ★★★★★

I highlighted a good 1/3 of this book. It was everything I would want in a demon possession horror novel, and then MORE. From page one, Alba fights tooth and nail for autonomy. First, for possession of her own body through forcing her hand in marriage to a man of her choosing, rather than of her parents’. Second, for possession of her own soul once it becomes clear that a demon has taken root inside of her.

The writing, the imagery, the visceral emotion... and the story that unfolds was so well written that I fear I will be thinking about it for days, if not longer. There is genuine suspense and malice dripping in these pages, and at times feral satisfaction.

No further notes. Perfect horror. I will not say more for fear of giving plotlines away. Read this!!

If there’s one thing I know for certain, Isabel Canas knows how to write historical horror. The atmosphere in her books are top notch and this book was no exception. I can’t wait to see what she does next.

This was a wild ride and so well written. However, something wasn't clicking for me, so I didn't enjoy this as much as I did the author's previous. I enjoyed the parts involving possession.

Happy pub day!

‘When a demonic presence awakens deep in a Mexican silver mine, the young woman it seizes must turn to the one man she shouldn’t trust…from bestselling author Isabel Cañas.’

A book about possession circa 1765 in a Mexican silver mine? Uhm yes, please! I was always fascinated with Regan MacNeil and her spinning head with her pistachio lookin’ projectile purge. So yea, this was a no-brainer.

‘The Inquisition was a famished snake in the presence of an unguarded egg. Priests circled her thorny nest, long tongues flicking between their teeth, beady eyes reptilian in their lust. They all looked the same. They all were the same: men who had been promised violence and denied it for years, who had finally found an object for their belligerence.’

Canãs seemingly implemented this sedated hook, which in turn lends to the authenticity of the prose.

Told from the 3rd person POV & alternating perspectives by our two MC’s, Alba & Elías, The Possession of Alba Díaz is far from an inferior read. I consulted my browser often seeking clarity on terms new to me. And don’t let the purportedly relaxed pace fool you. A slow-burn & worthy story that is lush in depth, detail and history and once you settle in, you might as well grab a blanket & get cozy because you won’t wanna stop. An immersive sort of experience with a filmic narrative, one infuriating but impressive juke, with an ending of great carnage that was bloody damn satisfying. And maybe a smidge of love too.

‘I promised I would touch you, he whispers, his voice hoarse and warm against my skin. And, with a reverence that could write the holy books of a new religion, he lowers me into the bath and holds true to his oath.’

This was my first book by Isabel Cañas & I have every intention of moving her previous works to the top of my TBR.

**A random aside, but such a special little nugget that I couldn't not mention it: the demon relished the opportunity of name-calling. “You’re all whores” and “shut up, you fat possum” being my personal favorites, lmao! I see you, demon!😩😂👏🏼

Huge thanks to Berkley via NetGalley for this arc in exchange for an honest review!

Wow what a fun and wild ride this book was. For a while I have been wanting to check this authors books and this one turned out to be my first by her and wow did it deliver. This book was so fun with its intricate story intertwining from different angles and so many sharp turns. I really enjoyed the concept of a possession in this book and how interesting it was depicted in the story. I love a great possession story and I think this was done so well. I enjoyed the writing so much and I love how the author truly made me feel for alba and how strongly her connection was to Elias, and how strongly he truly wanted to help save her. I love that the author uses the Mexican heritage and it’s truly done so well to depict the times during the mining era in Mexico. The horror was so much fun not too much just a good amount to be considered creepy and I was here for it. This would be such a fun film and I would definitely be checking more books by her. If you enjoy a good horror with some fun horror elements this is definitely for you!

Thank you NetGalley and Berkley Publishing for the advance copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Isabel Cañas has done it again!! This historical, gothic horror story earned 5 stars from me. My new favorite book of hers, Cañas beautifully wove a tale of terror, lust, feminism, and Mexican history.

Like her other novels, Cañas can be counted on to wonderfully describe historic Mexico and does so in a way that draws you into its terrain. Add in a fierce female protagonist longing for freedom and an escape from oppression, and a battle of good vs evil with a brilliant take on colonialism, and the hold and horrors Catholicism often plays, and you have a haunting story that I couldn't read fast enough!

This is the perfect book to read as we get into the Fall and creepy season and I highly recommend this one and her older books, as well!

The Possession of Alba Díaz was one of my most anticipated novels of the year and it didn’t disappoint. Historical fiction isn’t my preferred genre, but as with The Hacienda and Vampires of El Norte, Isabel Cañas deftly blends history, gothic horror and romance-though it’s more yearning in this instance-into a captivating story with engaging characters and powerful themes.

In eighteenth century Mexico, Alba Díaz is determined to take control of her future and entering into an engagement with her childhood friend Carlos Monterrubio seems the most beneficial arrangement. Following an outbreak of illness in Zacatecas, Alba and her parents visit the silver mine owned by Carlos’ family, where something sinister begins to plague Alba.

Although the aforementioned demon is unnerving and the suffering that Alba experiences from it is terrible, the secondary antagonist within the novel,
the institutions they represent and the cruelty and oppression they have welded historically are also depicted in a terrifying way.

The main setting of The Possession of Alba Díaz is unsettling and I wish that more time had been spent within the silver mine. The claustrophobia, the confusion and the ease by which one can become utterly lost were excellently depicted. There is an ever-present tension surrounding the mine and the compound where the characters reside, a feeling of dread and unease amidst the cold and the isolation.

Alba is a wonderful main character: initially a clever woman trapped by the expectations of her gender even despite her wealth and eventually one fighting to obtain control of herself from a monstrous presence. She endures a great deal within the novel and yet her indomitable spirit still remains.

Elías is a man who made a rash and costly mistake, is viewed with contempt by his extended family and forced to reside at the mine due to the machinations of others. Yet his desire to help Alba regardless of the consequences and his love of obtaining knowledge make him a sympathetic and intriguing character.

I enjoyed seeing the seeds of their relationship grow and their story is a slow-burn that I savored. The ending is fantastic and absolutely worth some of the emotional damage incurred prior to it.

The Possession of Alba Díaz may not be disquieting for the reasons you expect, but it is an atmospheric and gripping novel with the potential to linger.

4.5 stars rounded up.

Thank you to Berkley Publishing group and NetGalley for providing access to this ebook. All opinions expressed are solely my own.