The setting and tone is what really sold me on this book. I thought the description of scenes and the emotion that I felt is what made this book so captivating. The castle being alive added another element that was unique and brought the story to life as well.

Other than that, this book wasn't my favourite. Estela was a bit bland for my liking. I wish her not speaking played a bigger, or longer, role in the story. It was such a huge life event she went through and it was made to seem like her refusal to speak was a big deal, but she started speaking only a little while later.

Her relationship with Felipe was nice in the beginning, but as soon as he started to turn, I couldn't understand why Estela kept forgiving him and allowing him close again. The rest of the relationships in this book also developed in strange ways. She went from hating her aunt to being extremely close. I thought the addition to the lore about twins in the story felt forced, and when the uncle arrived, I was surprised, but didn't care enough to be shocked.

In the beginning of the story, it seemed like Sebastián was older, and he was described as being in his teens or early twenties, and knowing Estela was only seventeen, I didn't love that detail. Again, this relationship turned fast, going from enemies to lovers, and cringy love at that.

Much like with the uncle, I wanted to care about Estela's twin, but once it was revealed that she had turned evil, I lost interest. I had hoped their relationship would have been a good one.

Overall, I enjoyed the gothic, dark aesthetic of this book, but the actual plot and relationships were boring and frustrating.

Thank you to Netgalley and Wednesday Books for sending me an early copy of this audiobook! All opinions are my own!

I think I could absolutely devour everything that Garber ever writes, and my soul would just be so happy. I loved the way that this book had such a unique world to dive into. It was built up so slowly that it felt very natural, like we were truly discovering everything right alongside Estela. Each new piece of information made me that much more intrigued and in love with the world.

My one complaint was that the romance felt a bit flat and like it came about too quickly. I felt like there was just something lacking from it. But then by the end I also really wanted to see them together and find out what their future would end up being like.

I think my favorite part of this book was the journey of self-discovery in the midst of grief. The book is so unique in the way that Estela has to battle not only her enemies but also her inner self, which is sometimes even harder to do. She's taken on a journey of trauma and grief and watching her learn about herself and what she wants in life is so refreshing.

And do not get me started on the cliffhanger!!! I need the next book immediately!

Not for me. Instalove, weird vibes from every single man, infodumping, extremely long flashbacks, and lots of romantasy tropes that don't appeal to me. Also, this is a little too mature to be considered YA.

4.5 stars This has action, magic, mystery, and many more elements that work well together. The depression and how Estela moved forward were graphic but in a good way, I related as someone who suffers from major depression and the loss of a parent. The love story was a bit rushed but as it was a supernatural being, not a major issue. There were twists and turns everywhere in this book and even if things look predictable something will twist that prediction into something else entirely.

I enjoyed Castle of the Cursed more than I expected to. It was very atmospheric, with mystery, romance and horror aspects. The story follows Estela, a teenager that lived constantly on the move in the U.S., as she relocates to Spain following the sudden and mysterious death of parents. There she attempts to find out about her past, while hoping to create a future where she can stay in one place. I thought this was one of the more unique stories that I’ve read recently and offered some surprise twists that were not completely spelled out in the leadup.

I wanted to like this book so much at the beginning. I was super intrigued by the premise and I was totally down for a gothic story with a sentient house. What I was not expecting was the vampire. And as much as I love a good vampire story, this was *not* it. Several other aspects pretty much came out of nowhere and I was just not about it (including, but not limited to family drama and several parts of the relationship with said vampire). I made it through the whole book by sheer force of will and just plain curiosity. I should have stopped reading before the epilogue. I was mostly okay with this book as whole until literally the last line. And I will not forgive Romina Garber for that any time soon.

CWs: depression, suicide, death of a parent, sex, violence, mental health issues, blood

Thank you to Wednesday Books for sending me an ARC to read. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

4.5 stars

I highly enjoyed this one. Right from the beginning, Garber starts the story out with a bang and sets the tone for the book. It’s bleak, dark, depressing, and it feels hopeless at times. I was really able to connect with Estela, the main character and narrator, as she struggled with her parents’ deaths and her own feelings about living. The author did a fantastic job of showing Estela’s mental state, and I thought she handled it with care. I really loved seeing Estela learn about her family history, and also coming to realize that she wanted to live. Her journey as a character was really well written.

The supporting characters were well written, and I liked how they had an impact on Estela’s investigation and journey of discovery. Felipe was an interesting source of information, and Beatríz was a good character. I liked that we got to peel back the layers on some of the characters to see their truths.

Sebastián was a great character. The shadow beast is first introduced through glimpses, and I loved the mystery and intrigue of him. Once we met him, the fear and uncertainty he presented kept Estela pushing for answers about the castle and her family. I loved the progress of their relationship, and I thought the romance was sweet and made sense. It wasn’t an overpowering romance, but the characters worked well together.

I thought the pacing was good, and the atmosphere of the book was fantastic. The author did a great job of making the story and the castle feel unsettling and strange. The ending was fast-paced and exciting, but it was a little bit confusing at times. I struggled a little bit to understand the magic and the other realms, but I feel like on a reread I would have a better grasp of it.

This one was dark, gothic and mysterious. While Castle of the Cursed isn't my usual read/genre, I enjoyed it! At first, Estella was giving off major unreliable narrator vibes and by the end she finds her voice (quite literally) and becomes a strong FMC. The writing was descriptive and simple yet beautiful-I definitely highlighted numerous phrases I appreciated the author's note at the beginning of the book

Thank you NetGalley and the publishers for sending me this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Let me preface by saying I LOVED the premise. A mysterious thriller with creepy castle vibes and toss in some paranormal/supernatural elements and I was sold. I really enjoy the first 20% of the book, I thought the depiction of Estela’s grief and survivor’s guilt was an accurate portrayal and was very interested to see how it would continue but unfortunately for me the middle of the book fell a little flat.

There were many moments were it felt as if scenes were just being repeated, characters were doing the exact same thing expecting different results and it was frustrating to read how these characters could be so gullible. I VERY surprised with the speed of the romance between the mains. 2 weeks pass and they are in love. I just didn’t see any genuine connection with the couple. I would have liked to see more conversations between the two, exploring their connection more. I felt some scenes between them (the rope scene in particular) were just tossed in as an effort to add *spiceness* but in my opinion it wasn’t spicy at all.

I felt the latter half of the book kind of dumped a lot of information without any clarification. Where was grandfather from? How did he originally come to be on earth? The other worlds part of the story just seemed disjointed in parts and I would have liked to have that fleshed out a bit more.

I found the final ‘battle’ to be quite rushed through and the very end in opinion was EXTREMELY frustrating. Because of the epilogue and that last line I had to drop it from a 3 star to 2.5. I just couldn’t understand how after everything that was where the story would end. Even if there is a sequel I would likely not read it as in my opinion those last pages invalidated any true knowledge or awareness between the 2 main characters.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC.

Romina Garber never fails to write mesmerizing tales that still is able to reflect our real world. With just a hint of romance, we follow Estela as she discovers more about her past, all while trying to heal from the tragic mysteries of her past. Her past intertwines endlessly with her future the further she digs into the truth, bringing the audiences deeper into the depths of Estela's secrets that even she has hidden from herself. Romina will forever be an author that will be an auto-buy for me.

Absolutely beautiful and stunning gothic fantasy romance. The worldbuilding, and characters and just... *chefs kiss*. I couldn't put it down!

DNF- I was interested in this book because of the Spanish castle and vampires. However, the book was not what I thought it would be. I’m not a fan of gory stories and this just wasn’t my type of read.

Castle of the Cursed by Romina Garber is the story of a seventeen-year-old girl who loses her parents and is trying to find her place in the world.

Will Estela figure out the secrets the la Sombra is hiding?

Estela Amador Bralaga
Estela Amador is the lone survivor of Subway 25’s lethal accident. The problem is that she has no clue why she’s the only survivor. Not only that, but she also doesn’t want to live without her parents. Estela ends up coming to Oscuro, Spain, to live with the only family member she now has—a maternal aunt on her mom’s side. I have to say that I love seeing Estela change from a happy to a sad person back into one who is determined to solve her parents’ murder, much like her father has taught her to do.

Estela is a great character who wants to live even if she initially doesn’t realize that. She is also our point-of-view character.

Sebastián
Sebastian has been plaguing Estela’s dreams since the subway crash. Except Estela is the only one who can see him. Not only that, but he has no memory of how he got there or where his real home is. I love Sebastian’s arc from being this deadly creature to realizing that maybe he could be something more.

la Sombra
la Sombra, aka Castillo Bralaga, has been the family home for centuries to the Bralaga family. Except it’s not only their home but also a living thing that they have to keep feeding. The castle is always hungry, wanting to feed on the blood of not only the family members that live there but also the ones living in Oscuro. I do have to say that this castle is definitely one out of someone’s nightmares, but the Bralaga have to stay to take over caring for the castle and keeping its hunger at bay.

I consider this castle a major character in this story. Even if it doesn’t have any words or much else, the castle is a big part of Estela’s family, whether she wants to admit it or not.

Five Stars
My rating for Castle of the Cursed by Romina Garber is five stars. I was hooked by the plot summary and, after diving in to read the book, found it better than I imagined it would be. Ms. Garber had me entranced and made me feel like I was right there with Estela, trying to find out who killed her parents and why the castle felt so ominous. Because of the content of the story, I am definitely recommending this book for the older side of the young adult reader group.

Ms. Garber’s author’s note at the beginning was a big help in understanding the sensitive content of this book and how best to be mindful of yourself while reading it.

I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

Thank you for dropping by! I hope you enjoyed this review of Castle of the Cursed by Romina Garber.

Until the next time,
Karen the Baroness

If you would like to see other reviews like this one, check out Baroness Book Trove.

Castle of the Cursed by Romina Garber was a step outside what I normally read and overall I enjoyed it. The writing style was great, however I got confused often with the way the story jumped around a bit and some of the plot points felt disorganized and possibly unnecessary. The relationship between Sebastian and Estela felt rushed but there was so much going on with the main plot that it's understandable that their stuff had to be fast.

The overall plot is what kept me reading! La Sombra was its own character and it was filled with originality, intrigue and mystery and I was in awe at the creativity of Romina Garber to think of a "character" like that. And the last 4 words of this book?? Screaming, yelling, frantically trying to flip the page to read more. How dare you Romina?! I am happy I stepped out of the box to read this one and I am grateful to Netgalley, Author Romina Garber and St. Martins Press Wednesday Books for the ARC!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for giving me an e-arc of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I wasn’t sure what exactly to expect going into this book other than it was going to be a gothic YA romance. This book ended up being absolutely amazing in my opinion. It would have been a 5 star read for me except that the final two sentences in the book kind of ruined it for me. I won’t say more on that because I don’t want to spoil anything, but beware that the book ends on a cliffhanger.

I really loved the world that was created in this book and how the castle was its own living entity. I thought Estela was a really strong female lead and I enjoyed seeing her growth in the book. I liked the romance and I loved all the twists and turns that this book threw at me. I think the mystery was one of the best parts.

If you like vampires, mystery, romance, and a little darkness then this book is for you!

This whole story is a vibe more than anything else, and what a vibe!

In a magical realism setting there's a hint of romance while the subplot is about a mystery to solve, and then it turns into fantasy winking to some sci-fi aspects that got me really concerned about my reading tastes.
There's a hopeless heroine, a morally grey vampire, an evil twin, a distant relative who doesn't want to get attached, and the real villain (who obviously will get away with his wrongs).
Cherry on top, it ends with the most classical fairytale ending: they all lived happily ever after - and many questions unanswered.

Seriously talking, I did enjoy this very much, for reasons I can't really explain, but I hope you’d give it a chance to experience the rollercoaster of emotions I've felt in merely two days since I couldn't make myself stop reading.

Thanks to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley, who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest opinion.

This does not a good horror story make. The setting was beautiful, very gothic and romantic for a modern setting. The first half of the book was wonderful, it was creepy and intriguing. But then things got weird with adding in the element of different dimensions and blood magic, it became a lot. The romance fell flat for me, the insta-love that the main character experienced was distracting and not at all relatable. The ending felt complicated and lack-luster, but glad that it didn't leave any room for a sequal.

Thanks to NetGalley, St Martins Press, and Wednesday Books for this copy of "Castle of the Cursed."

Creepy mysterious castles, gothic village with secrets, estranged relatives. What will Stela learn about her new home in the castle?

Stela is the lone survivor of a subway attack that killed her parents and the other passengers. She saw weird black smoke before the attack - was it a hallucination or is there something that her aunt Beatriz Bralaga needs to tell her?

This book was fun with interesting twists and turns and cool cursed characters.

#CastleOfTheCursed:

In all honesty, I wanted to DNF this several times. But, something in the back of my mind kept saying, “just wait and see what happens” so I never did. Do I regret it? No, it was an overall good read.

Estela becomes an orphan thanks to a black smoke. She’s the only survivor, and they don’t know why she did. She finds out her past was not what her parents said it was, and she’s off to meet her living relative in Spain. She lives in la Sombra, a beautiful gothic castle, where everything also is not what it seems. She needs real answers about the past before it catches up to her.

There’s a lot of back and forth between timelines and places and piecing things together from the past and present to make sense. It was choppy in a sense that I don’t think it flowed well to really give it the effect we needed for surprise. Also, the romance was.. different? I felt like it was very fast and it was a “oh, we’re in love now?” I just didn’t feel like it fit with the plot tbh.

Ana Osorio is such a good reader, I loved her narration. She just gets the vibe and does it right. She brought the soooky, the creepy, the unsettling perfectly.

Definitely a slow burn gothic horror, I still wouldn’t sleep on this one. It’s different from Garber’s previous work, and I loved her previous work. But different isn’t a bad thing. This was a lot darker, more menacing, and Garber masters that kind of writing for her readers to truly feel the horror. Out now!

I was provided an ARC & an ALC of this title for free and am leaving this review voluntarily. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Castle of the Cursed was a decent almost edge of your seat paranormal gothic romance. The spooky vibes are very much giving, but the romance just didn’t quite hit the mark for me. Overall I enjoyed it but it wasn’t a standout for me.

Thank you to the author & NetGalley for the opportunity to read & listen early!