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The Haunting of Alejandra
A woman is haunted by the Mexican folk demon La Llorona as she unravels the dark secrets of her family history in this ravishing and provocative horror novel.
Alejandra no longer knows who she is. To her husband, she is a wife, and to her children, a mother. To her own adoptive mother, she is a daughter. But they cannot see who Alejandra has become: a woman struggling with a darkness that threatens to consume her.
Nor can they see what Alejandra sees. In times of despair, a ghostly vision appears to her, the apparition of a crying woman in a ragged white gown.
When Alejandra visits a therapist, she begins exploring her family’s history, starting with the biological mother she never knew. As she goes deeper into the lives of the women in her family, she learns that heartbreak and tragedy are not the only things she has in common with her ancestors.
Because the crying woman was with them, too. She is La Llorona, the vengeful and murderous mother of Mexican legend. And she will not leave until Alejandra follows her mother, her grandmother, and all the women who came before her into the darkness.
But Alejandra has inherited more than just pain. She has inherited the strength and the courage of her foremothers—and she will have to summon everything they have given her to banish La Llorona forever.
Alejandra no longer knows who she is. To her husband, she is a wife, and to her children, a mother. To her own adoptive mother, she is a daughter. But they cannot see who Alejandra has become: a woman struggling with a darkness that threatens to consume her.
Nor can they see what Alejandra sees. In times of despair, a ghostly vision appears to her, the apparition of a crying woman in a ragged white gown.
When Alejandra visits a therapist, she begins exploring her family’s history, starting with the biological mother she never knew. As she goes deeper into the lives of the women in her family, she learns that heartbreak and tragedy are not the only things she has in common with her ancestors.
Because the crying woman was with them, too. She is La Llorona, the vengeful and murderous mother of Mexican legend. And she will not leave until Alejandra follows her mother, her grandmother, and all the women who came before her into the darkness.
But Alejandra has inherited more than just pain. She has inherited the strength and the courage of her foremothers—and she will have to summon everything they have given her to banish La Llorona forever.
272 pages, Hardcover
First published April 18, 2023
About the author
V. Castro
48 books1,014 followersHi ! Thank you so very much for picking up my books. You can also check out www.lamuertemarket.com
Wishing you Blessings and Abundance!
Wishing you Blessings and Abundance!
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,518 reviews
June 5, 2023
A big WOW! This book will haunt my dreams for a long time. Powerful Mexican folklore blended in women’s fiction, fantasy and horror genres with so much powerful women stories from different eras!
This is more than Alejandra’s heartbreaking story who is dealing with depression, feeling incapable, like a ghost people just walk over or step on, yearning for love she never felt in her marriage or from adopting parents. This is the story of women who try to evolve, earn their freedom, embrace the power of self growth!
Alejandra is in deep pain: She feels empty, after moving to another city, saying goodbye to her birth mother she recently met. She moved to Texas from Philadelphia suburb because of her husband’s promotion, trying to adjust her new life at six-bedroom house as stay-at-home mom after resigning from data analyst job to take care of three kids: nine years old Catrina, four years old Will and their little baby girl Elodia who is only eighteen months old.
She didn’t want to give birth to the third child or she didn’t want to stop working. Now she doesn’t own any possession: even her last name belongs to her husband. Her choice for financial security over love makes her question her marriage. She’s not sure she loves her husband or she even likes him.
And now she’s about to lose her sanity: she starts seeing a shadow of a woman in white dress just like La Llorona: a Mexican folklore figure and a vengeful spirit of a woman who drowned her own children, still mourning them by hunting the delicate souls of women.
Alejandra thinks to kill her life after hearing whispers encouraging her to end her misery. But she has to be stronger for her children. She makes research and finds a psychiatrist also a curandera who can help her with her healing powers. She starts seeing Melani which forces her to dig deeper to the history of her ancestors.
After connecting with her mother Cathy who left her to chase her dreams to become a doctor, she realizes she’s also abandoned by her own mother who tragically died.
Alejandra finally realizes an ancient curse is ruining the women’s lives in her family for centuries! One of her ancestors had made an agreement with the vengeful spirit: La Llorona and after that all those women’s souls have been haunted, even their tears have been taken away from them. The vengeful spirit gets feeding by their sorrow, anger and resentments.
The only person who can stop this to protect her children could be Alejandra!
Well, so powerful, heart wrenching, mystic, folkloric and horrifying, dreadful story I’ve read in one sitting! Absolutely recommended!
Many thanks to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group/ Ballantine for sharing this amazing digital reviewer copy with me in exchange my honest thoughts.
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This is more than Alejandra’s heartbreaking story who is dealing with depression, feeling incapable, like a ghost people just walk over or step on, yearning for love she never felt in her marriage or from adopting parents. This is the story of women who try to evolve, earn their freedom, embrace the power of self growth!
Alejandra is in deep pain: She feels empty, after moving to another city, saying goodbye to her birth mother she recently met. She moved to Texas from Philadelphia suburb because of her husband’s promotion, trying to adjust her new life at six-bedroom house as stay-at-home mom after resigning from data analyst job to take care of three kids: nine years old Catrina, four years old Will and their little baby girl Elodia who is only eighteen months old.
She didn’t want to give birth to the third child or she didn’t want to stop working. Now she doesn’t own any possession: even her last name belongs to her husband. Her choice for financial security over love makes her question her marriage. She’s not sure she loves her husband or she even likes him.
And now she’s about to lose her sanity: she starts seeing a shadow of a woman in white dress just like La Llorona: a Mexican folklore figure and a vengeful spirit of a woman who drowned her own children, still mourning them by hunting the delicate souls of women.
Alejandra thinks to kill her life after hearing whispers encouraging her to end her misery. But she has to be stronger for her children. She makes research and finds a psychiatrist also a curandera who can help her with her healing powers. She starts seeing Melani which forces her to dig deeper to the history of her ancestors.
After connecting with her mother Cathy who left her to chase her dreams to become a doctor, she realizes she’s also abandoned by her own mother who tragically died.
Alejandra finally realizes an ancient curse is ruining the women’s lives in her family for centuries! One of her ancestors had made an agreement with the vengeful spirit: La Llorona and after that all those women’s souls have been haunted, even their tears have been taken away from them. The vengeful spirit gets feeding by their sorrow, anger and resentments.
The only person who can stop this to protect her children could be Alejandra!
Well, so powerful, heart wrenching, mystic, folkloric and horrifying, dreadful story I’ve read in one sitting! Absolutely recommended!
Many thanks to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group/ Ballantine for sharing this amazing digital reviewer copy with me in exchange my honest thoughts.
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October 13, 2022
Alejandra is married with three young children, but she is struggling finding satisfaction with her life. She is becoming lost in a personal darkness and despair. But one evening when she feels at her lowest, she sees a ghastly woman in a white dress weeping, encouraging her to embrace her feelings. She begins to see a therapist and explore her family history, discovering that the despair and tragedy may be linked to something much darker than she first thought.
This was such a cool idea for a book, following multigenerational trauma and struggles using La Llorona lore. The author included many fascinating cultural details and was able to seamlessly incorporate Alejandra’s personal history and some Mexican folklore/history. This was the strongest aspect of the book and the part that I most enjoyed.
Unfortunately, I found it difficult to engage with this work. The author’s writing style was bland – there was a use of repetitive sentence structure, which became a huge problem due to the massive chunks of exposition this book is made up of. Even the dialogue was often large monologues that overexplained things in a way that felt absurd. The dialogue was stilted and somewhat formal, making it feel forced and unrealistic. There were also large sections of introspection by different characters, which while adding to their depth, didn’t do so in a smooth or meaningful way, making it feel like a chore to read. Related to this, the author told more than showed, adding to the disconnect. All of this took away from any amount of fright I might have felt at the monster and made it where there were only a few parts that were slightly suspenseful.
We were given so much information about Alejandra and why she was feeling what she was, but despite all this, she never felt alive. There was no emotional connection there and nothing that made her feel like more than some pages in a book, which was disappointing. The other characters were similar – despite having chapters from their POV, they all felt like they were lacking life and any real connection.
I was disappointed by this read, especially as I didn’t find this to be scary. This book has potential but needs some definite reworking. My thanks to NetGalley and Random House Publishing for allowing me to read and review this work, which will be published April 18th, 2023. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are my own.
This was such a cool idea for a book, following multigenerational trauma and struggles using La Llorona lore. The author included many fascinating cultural details and was able to seamlessly incorporate Alejandra’s personal history and some Mexican folklore/history. This was the strongest aspect of the book and the part that I most enjoyed.
Unfortunately, I found it difficult to engage with this work. The author’s writing style was bland – there was a use of repetitive sentence structure, which became a huge problem due to the massive chunks of exposition this book is made up of. Even the dialogue was often large monologues that overexplained things in a way that felt absurd. The dialogue was stilted and somewhat formal, making it feel forced and unrealistic. There were also large sections of introspection by different characters, which while adding to their depth, didn’t do so in a smooth or meaningful way, making it feel like a chore to read. Related to this, the author told more than showed, adding to the disconnect. All of this took away from any amount of fright I might have felt at the monster and made it where there were only a few parts that were slightly suspenseful.
We were given so much information about Alejandra and why she was feeling what she was, but despite all this, she never felt alive. There was no emotional connection there and nothing that made her feel like more than some pages in a book, which was disappointing. The other characters were similar – despite having chapters from their POV, they all felt like they were lacking life and any real connection.
I was disappointed by this read, especially as I didn’t find this to be scary. This book has potential but needs some definite reworking. My thanks to NetGalley and Random House Publishing for allowing me to read and review this work, which will be published April 18th, 2023. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are my own.
May 31, 2024
The Haunting of Alejandra is a slow burn. One which, I'll be honest, initially, I wasn't sure was going to be for me.
I am happy to say that this slow-burner is well-worth the wait. It ended up really grabbing me. It is such a powerful story; so much more than a pretty cover.
In this story we follow, Alejandra, wife, mother and homemaker. When we meet her, Alejandra is struggling. She feels trapped, like she has no control over her life. She feels judged by her husband, used by her children and overlooked by the rest of the world.
Alejandra has no close family for support either. She was adopted when she was just a baby, by a super-religious family, she has since broken ties with.
She has found and contacted her birth mother though and was starting to build a relationship with her. Unfortunately, due to her husband's work, they had to move and now her bio-mom lives far away.
Alejandra is having visions. She is depressed, in a black hole she sees no way out of. It's difficult to read at times. I could definitely see her side, but man, was it bleak.
This is a story of generational trauma as well, so even though Alejandra doesn't know a lot about her ancestors, or their lives, we get to follow some of them through different historical perspectives.
I did enjoy this. Some of these perspectives were more interesting than others, but where they really succeeded was in shining a light on the similarities of these women's lives.
No matter how far they were separated in time, they all struggled with the same issues. The largest being, lack of choice and a battle for personal autonomy.
The Horror elements in this stem from Alejandra's haunting by a spirit appearing as La Llorona, the Mexican Folk Demon, seemingly attached to Alejandra's family.
This is the first novel I have read by V. Castro and I was impressed with the level of Horror imagery brought to the page. Toe-curling in some sections, visceral and biting, it definitely made me cringe.
Additionally, I loved how tied the haunting was to Alejandra's culture. As mentioned above, she didn't know a ton about her heritage initially, but believe it or not, I felt like what happened to her inspired her to learn more; to be more in touch with that part of herself.
Overall, I am so glad that I stuck with this one. It was a little tough to get through at first, but Castro made it worth it. There was a plan behind it all and it paid off big time. This will stick in my mind for a long time.
Thank you so much to the publisher, Del Rey, for providing me with a copy to read and review. I am looking forward to reading more from this author!
I am happy to say that this slow-burner is well-worth the wait. It ended up really grabbing me. It is such a powerful story; so much more than a pretty cover.
In this story we follow, Alejandra, wife, mother and homemaker. When we meet her, Alejandra is struggling. She feels trapped, like she has no control over her life. She feels judged by her husband, used by her children and overlooked by the rest of the world.
Alejandra has no close family for support either. She was adopted when she was just a baby, by a super-religious family, she has since broken ties with.
She has found and contacted her birth mother though and was starting to build a relationship with her. Unfortunately, due to her husband's work, they had to move and now her bio-mom lives far away.
Alejandra is having visions. She is depressed, in a black hole she sees no way out of. It's difficult to read at times. I could definitely see her side, but man, was it bleak.
This is a story of generational trauma as well, so even though Alejandra doesn't know a lot about her ancestors, or their lives, we get to follow some of them through different historical perspectives.
I did enjoy this. Some of these perspectives were more interesting than others, but where they really succeeded was in shining a light on the similarities of these women's lives.
No matter how far they were separated in time, they all struggled with the same issues. The largest being, lack of choice and a battle for personal autonomy.
The Horror elements in this stem from Alejandra's haunting by a spirit appearing as La Llorona, the Mexican Folk Demon, seemingly attached to Alejandra's family.
This is the first novel I have read by V. Castro and I was impressed with the level of Horror imagery brought to the page. Toe-curling in some sections, visceral and biting, it definitely made me cringe.
Additionally, I loved how tied the haunting was to Alejandra's culture. As mentioned above, she didn't know a ton about her heritage initially, but believe it or not, I felt like what happened to her inspired her to learn more; to be more in touch with that part of herself.
Overall, I am so glad that I stuck with this one. It was a little tough to get through at first, but Castro made it worth it. There was a plan behind it all and it paid off big time. This will stick in my mind for a long time.
Thank you so much to the publisher, Del Rey, for providing me with a copy to read and review. I am looking forward to reading more from this author!
May 26, 2023
"I am ready to let it all go once and for all."
Alexa, play Labour by Paris Paloma.
my blog review
Y'all don't know how much I cried with this book and how it hit home with some quotes.
I picked up the book because it has my name on it and for the synopsis... It was one of the best decisions I've ever made.
I'm pretty sure I will not forget this book nor the women and their stories in here.
October 29, 2023
This book demonstrates one of the starkest contrasts between premise and execution I’ve read in a while. The fundamental idea of exploring Latina women’s intergenerational trauma, internalized hatred, and complicated relationships with family and motherhood through the predatory specter of La Llorona is a truly rich one. But in my opinion, The Haunting of Alejandra fumbled through this premise with flat characters, painfully direct and cursory messages, and some of the most wooden writing I’ve read in a long time.
To me, this is a pretty striking example of how weak writing can detract from a reading experience. Every time I started to get interested in what was happening in the story, I’d encounter writing that was distractingly awkward and clunky to jar me out of my enjoyment.
“It’s why she felt attracted to him: he was someone different from her.”
“His hands were around the waist of the woman. It was in the shape of a woman who had never carried children.”
"She guided this baby into the world through her physical tunnel, and she wished she had her mother to guide her through the emotional tunnel of childbirth.”
The three main weaknesses I identified - prose, characterization and messages - tended to combine in a really painful way during Alejandra’s therapy sessions. What could have been an emotional and complex exploration of trauma’s legacy and healing never felt more than shallow and painfully heavy-handed to me, and all of it was conveyed in wooden dialogue between characters who never approached feeling real.
“You do need help to heal your mind and heart. Work through the trauma of your past to help you cope with your present.”
“Wow. I know an entity is attacking me. And say you are right and it is La Llorona, why me?”
There were also flashbacks to Alejandra’s female ancestors, and these were quite repetitive. Almost all of them were trapped in unhappy and/or abusive marriages, had sex that they regretted and felt alienated about motherhood and traditional feminine roles. Then La Llorona would inevitably arrive to be described the exact same way multiple times and wreak havoc upon them. Perhaps with the exception of Flor, none of these women felt like distinct people at all.
There were a couple of scenes where Castro’s messages were conveyed at incredibly jarring times, such as when a woman who was in labor while suffering from a gunshot wound paused to contemplate to herself that it’s fine for some women to enjoy housework as long as they aren’t pressured into by their husbands, whose expectations of marriage are also shaped by society's expectations in turn lol. The characters’ (limited third person) internal monologues tended to be phrased in strange anachronistic ways, such as when Alejandra’s mother (a teen at the time) reflected that she “knew [her father] was doing his best as a single father at a time when mothers and fathers had their own domains.”
As I said at the start, the premise is a rich one, and I truly wish that this book had been reworked and refined until it got to a place of doing the idea justice. As I read it, it did not succeed for me in its execution and just felt awkward and underdeveloped.
(I received an ARC copy of this book from NetGalley, and that is what I reviewed here.)
To me, this is a pretty striking example of how weak writing can detract from a reading experience. Every time I started to get interested in what was happening in the story, I’d encounter writing that was distractingly awkward and clunky to jar me out of my enjoyment.
“It’s why she felt attracted to him: he was someone different from her.”
“His hands were around the waist of the woman. It was in the shape of a woman who had never carried children.”
"She guided this baby into the world through her physical tunnel, and she wished she had her mother to guide her through the emotional tunnel of childbirth.”
The three main weaknesses I identified - prose, characterization and messages - tended to combine in a really painful way during Alejandra’s therapy sessions. What could have been an emotional and complex exploration of trauma’s legacy and healing never felt more than shallow and painfully heavy-handed to me, and all of it was conveyed in wooden dialogue between characters who never approached feeling real.
“You do need help to heal your mind and heart. Work through the trauma of your past to help you cope with your present.”
“Wow. I know an entity is attacking me. And say you are right and it is La Llorona, why me?”
There were also flashbacks to Alejandra’s female ancestors, and these were quite repetitive. Almost all of them were trapped in unhappy and/or abusive marriages, had sex that they regretted and felt alienated about motherhood and traditional feminine roles. Then La Llorona would inevitably arrive to be described the exact same way multiple times and wreak havoc upon them. Perhaps with the exception of Flor, none of these women felt like distinct people at all.
There were a couple of scenes where Castro’s messages were conveyed at incredibly jarring times, such as when a woman who was in labor while suffering from a gunshot wound paused to contemplate to herself that it’s fine for some women to enjoy housework as long as they aren’t pressured into by their husbands, whose expectations of marriage are also shaped by society's expectations in turn lol. The characters’ (limited third person) internal monologues tended to be phrased in strange anachronistic ways, such as when Alejandra’s mother (a teen at the time) reflected that she “knew [her father] was doing his best as a single father at a time when mothers and fathers had their own domains.”
As I said at the start, the premise is a rich one, and I truly wish that this book had been reworked and refined until it got to a place of doing the idea justice. As I read it, it did not succeed for me in its execution and just felt awkward and underdeveloped.
(I received an ARC copy of this book from NetGalley, and that is what I reviewed here.)
February 26, 2024
V. Castro has combined magic, horror, psychology, and the social issues women have dealt with throughout history to illustrate a compelling struggle for sanity and survival in “The Haunting of Alejandra.”
Alejandra is on the verge of losing it. The voice in her head speaks incessantly, feeding the message that she is worthless, that she is a poison to her children, that she is uselessly dragging the agony of her life out. She suspects this voice may be linked to La Llorona, the mythical ghost of Mexican folklore who drowned her own children. Pulsing just as strong is her suspicion she harbors a mental illness destined to suck her down the abyss.
“Death was easier than living. Difficult woman. Sick woman. Dead woman."
Her marriage is a trap. Her husband, Matthew, is charging full speed ahead with his own career and is blind to her despair. In his mind they had mapped out what life was to be like and she needs to stay content, to keep to her side of their agreement. Alejandra even references lines from the Kate Bush song “Running Up That Hill.”
“And if I only could
I'd make a deal with God
And I'd get him to swap our place...”
There is a dream, a vision she keeps revisiting. In it a hidden body of water holds helplessly desperate women floating on their backs, unable to voice their message. Surrounding the water are rows of even more women generating a powerful energy Alejandra senses but cannot tap into.
Alejandra agrees with Matthew that she will seek mental help– but she adds a twist. She finds Melanie Ortiz, a therapist who is also a curandera, or native spiritual healer. The journey from here involves walking the line dividing psychology and magic. Is there a mental toughness which can defeat pure evil– a demon who has fed on the suffering of generations of women in this family?
This is a gripping story. It is initially painful to witness Alejandra’s mental state, but this is the setup to see if she can pull herself together to battle the assault on her and her family.
Thank you to the Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine and NetGalley for providing an advance reader copy in exchange for an honest review. #TheHauntingofAlejandra #NetGalley
Alejandra is on the verge of losing it. The voice in her head speaks incessantly, feeding the message that she is worthless, that she is a poison to her children, that she is uselessly dragging the agony of her life out. She suspects this voice may be linked to La Llorona, the mythical ghost of Mexican folklore who drowned her own children. Pulsing just as strong is her suspicion she harbors a mental illness destined to suck her down the abyss.
“Death was easier than living. Difficult woman. Sick woman. Dead woman."
Her marriage is a trap. Her husband, Matthew, is charging full speed ahead with his own career and is blind to her despair. In his mind they had mapped out what life was to be like and she needs to stay content, to keep to her side of their agreement. Alejandra even references lines from the Kate Bush song “Running Up That Hill.”
“And if I only could
I'd make a deal with God
And I'd get him to swap our place...”
There is a dream, a vision she keeps revisiting. In it a hidden body of water holds helplessly desperate women floating on their backs, unable to voice their message. Surrounding the water are rows of even more women generating a powerful energy Alejandra senses but cannot tap into.
Alejandra agrees with Matthew that she will seek mental help– but she adds a twist. She finds Melanie Ortiz, a therapist who is also a curandera, or native spiritual healer. The journey from here involves walking the line dividing psychology and magic. Is there a mental toughness which can defeat pure evil– a demon who has fed on the suffering of generations of women in this family?
This is a gripping story. It is initially painful to witness Alejandra’s mental state, but this is the setup to see if she can pull herself together to battle the assault on her and her family.
Thank you to the Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine and NetGalley for providing an advance reader copy in exchange for an honest review. #TheHauntingofAlejandra #NetGalley
September 1, 2022
Where to begin?! This book was creepy, atmospheric, and kept me on the edge of my seat the entire time. The legend if La Lalorna was terrifying and beautifully written. The book explores various generations of Alejandra’s family in different chapters which was interesting to read. I can’t wait to see what this author comes up with next!
Alejandra is a mother at her breaking point. She has lost her identity and has an insatiable darkness dwelling inside of her.
Alejandra begins seeing a crying woman in a white gown and it terrifies her. She seeks the help of therapist Melanie who gives Alejandro the tools she needs to figure out her family’s history. She discovers they all shared heartbreak and tragedy, and they all encountered the crying woman in white.
Alejandra must find the strength and love within herself to defeat this apparition once and for all.
The Haunting of Alejandro is available April 18,2023.
Thank you to Netgalley and Random House Publishing-Ballentine for this arc in exchange for my honest review.
Alejandra is a mother at her breaking point. She has lost her identity and has an insatiable darkness dwelling inside of her.
Alejandra begins seeing a crying woman in a white gown and it terrifies her. She seeks the help of therapist Melanie who gives Alejandro the tools she needs to figure out her family’s history. She discovers they all shared heartbreak and tragedy, and they all encountered the crying woman in white.
Alejandra must find the strength and love within herself to defeat this apparition once and for all.
The Haunting of Alejandro is available April 18,2023.
Thank you to Netgalley and Random House Publishing-Ballentine for this arc in exchange for my honest review.
Read
April 18, 2023THE HAUNTING OF ALEJANDRA by V. Castro (Goddess of Filth, Queen of the Cicadas, Out of Aztlan)
Release Date: April 18th, 2023
General Genre: Adult Horror, Dark Fantasy, Historical Fiction, Gothic
Subgenre/Themes: Motherhood, Suicidal Ideation, Generational trauma, folklore, ghosts, La Llorona, colonization, personal agency, female empowerment
Writing Style: Multiple POV, Multiple timelines
What You Need to Know: Alejandra is struggling to thrive. She is weighed down and overwhelmed. She is not finding fulfillment in her role as a mother or a wife. Seeking help for her mental health crisis, Alejandra visits a therapist who helps her unravel a generational curse and the revelation that she can battle this demon once and for all.
My Reading Experience: I show up to V. Castro's books to experience her unique brand of horror that highlights the female experience, Mexican culture (traditions, superstitions, and folklore), a sensuality typically lacking in the genre, and fierce, vengeful goddesses/demons.
The Haunting of Alejandra promises in the synopsis a story involving the colonial era mythological demon-ghost, La Llorona, so expectations were high going into this one.
The book has a strong opening as readers become acquainted with the protagonist, Alejandra, and her very personal struggles. Castro leans into a style of communicating the domestic drama through the lens of Alejandra's thought-life instead of situational exposition which is effective for generating empathy for Alejandra but didn't get me invested in the story. I was longing to get outside her head long enough to put a fuller picture together of the family dynamic.
In other words, the long chapters of Alejandra's mental dialog felt repetitive and claustrophobic at times. Conversations between characters felt thin because I didn't feel like other characters were as developed as Alejandra. The husband is just a stand-in, poised to say or do reactionary things to set Alejandra into a tailspin; too much telling--not enough showing.
However, once Castro introduces other timelines and POVs, the plot breaks free from the static energy and is more compelling.
It does need to be said that jumping back and forth in time with a new woman's story pulls the reader out of the existing narrative and requires focus in order to settle in again which is jarring and does generate reader-fatigue. I felt it throughout the middle of this book.
My favorite sections of this story were Castro's detailed descriptions of La Llorona-- "The Weeping Woman".
She is vividly and viscerally haunting the pages of this book. The last 30% or so was my favorite part of the book, Castro shines when she's climbing toward the climax of suspense.
I have to mention that longtime fans who have enjoyed other books from this author will appreciate some integration. I saw a few Easter eggs and they made me smile.
As a longtime fan, I think it needs to be said that sometimes, the strong female leads sound the same. It's not a bad thing, I love Castro's fictional women, it's just an observation. I longed for Alejandra to stand out in some way, a unique, physical description, a flaw, a different way of speaking, something to set her apart from other Castro women, but it's ok that she stands among them as another resilient, beautiful, Latina. I will always and forever show up for everything and anything Castro has to offer horror lovers. V. Castro's passion and imagination have me hooked.
Final Recommendation: This book appeals to readers who enjoy female-centered horror, cultural folklore, realistic portrayal of common struggles in motherhood and marriage, positive representation of therapy and curanderas, themes of smashing the patriarchy and colonizers, fluid sexuality, and strong, powerful women.
Comps: The Children of Chicago by Cynthia Pelayo, Queen of the Cicadas by V. Castro, The Good House by Tananarive Due, The Only Good Indians by Stephen Graham Jones
Release Date: April 18th, 2023
General Genre: Adult Horror, Dark Fantasy, Historical Fiction, Gothic
Subgenre/Themes: Motherhood, Suicidal Ideation, Generational trauma, folklore, ghosts, La Llorona, colonization, personal agency, female empowerment
Writing Style: Multiple POV, Multiple timelines
What You Need to Know: Alejandra is struggling to thrive. She is weighed down and overwhelmed. She is not finding fulfillment in her role as a mother or a wife. Seeking help for her mental health crisis, Alejandra visits a therapist who helps her unravel a generational curse and the revelation that she can battle this demon once and for all.
My Reading Experience: I show up to V. Castro's books to experience her unique brand of horror that highlights the female experience, Mexican culture (traditions, superstitions, and folklore), a sensuality typically lacking in the genre, and fierce, vengeful goddesses/demons.
The Haunting of Alejandra promises in the synopsis a story involving the colonial era mythological demon-ghost, La Llorona, so expectations were high going into this one.
The book has a strong opening as readers become acquainted with the protagonist, Alejandra, and her very personal struggles. Castro leans into a style of communicating the domestic drama through the lens of Alejandra's thought-life instead of situational exposition which is effective for generating empathy for Alejandra but didn't get me invested in the story. I was longing to get outside her head long enough to put a fuller picture together of the family dynamic.
In other words, the long chapters of Alejandra's mental dialog felt repetitive and claustrophobic at times. Conversations between characters felt thin because I didn't feel like other characters were as developed as Alejandra. The husband is just a stand-in, poised to say or do reactionary things to set Alejandra into a tailspin; too much telling--not enough showing.
However, once Castro introduces other timelines and POVs, the plot breaks free from the static energy and is more compelling.
It does need to be said that jumping back and forth in time with a new woman's story pulls the reader out of the existing narrative and requires focus in order to settle in again which is jarring and does generate reader-fatigue. I felt it throughout the middle of this book.
My favorite sections of this story were Castro's detailed descriptions of La Llorona-- "The Weeping Woman".
She is vividly and viscerally haunting the pages of this book. The last 30% or so was my favorite part of the book, Castro shines when she's climbing toward the climax of suspense.
I have to mention that longtime fans who have enjoyed other books from this author will appreciate some integration. I saw a few Easter eggs and they made me smile.
As a longtime fan, I think it needs to be said that sometimes, the strong female leads sound the same. It's not a bad thing, I love Castro's fictional women, it's just an observation. I longed for Alejandra to stand out in some way, a unique, physical description, a flaw, a different way of speaking, something to set her apart from other Castro women, but it's ok that she stands among them as another resilient, beautiful, Latina. I will always and forever show up for everything and anything Castro has to offer horror lovers. V. Castro's passion and imagination have me hooked.
Final Recommendation: This book appeals to readers who enjoy female-centered horror, cultural folklore, realistic portrayal of common struggles in motherhood and marriage, positive representation of therapy and curanderas, themes of smashing the patriarchy and colonizers, fluid sexuality, and strong, powerful women.
Comps: The Children of Chicago by Cynthia Pelayo, Queen of the Cicadas by V. Castro, The Good House by Tananarive Due, The Only Good Indians by Stephen Graham Jones
April 10, 2023
This book was completely absorbing. I read it in one sitting. I have been waiting for a retelling of the La Llorona legend, and it wholly delivers. It’s brutal, yet tender, and so freaking clever in the way it analyzes diaspora and generational trauma.
If you’re a supernatural horror fan, get this!
If you’re a supernatural horror fan, get this!
August 24, 2023
"Women with nothing to lose are dangerous."
Thank you to Del Rey, Ballantine at Random House, and Netgalley for a copy to review of this haunting tale out April 18th. I found the story with its vivid descriptions compelling and soul-chilling, but dialogue and personal narration parts poorly written. That said, the good outweighed the bad. There are extensive trigger warnings I listed at the very end for easy access. Let's dig in.
As soon as I read that La Llorona's legends inspired this, I was in. A sorrowful folktale woven with threads of maternal pain that has survived to cross both time and borders, La Llorona has always captured my interest as someone interested in gender studies and ghosts. This story takes a refreshing, almost sci-fi spin on the legends, as something unearthly takes the form of La Llorona to manipulate its desperate victims. This frightening entity and villain of this story is the physical manifestation of generational trauma, fortified by it, blood, and maternal anguish.
The Haunting of Alejandra is by no means an easy story to read; we start in the shower with titular character Alejandra sitting in there, menstrual blood running down her legs as her family demands dinner. On-page suicidal ideation begins from the very first pages. The husband and at times the children are such caricatures of selfishness and neediness that I couldn't tell if it was true to the story, or the result of unreliable narration influenced by the curse coloring everything domestic as worse than it really was. And perhaps that's the point - postpartum depression, domestic anxieties, burnout - or a curse? As a reader you're not sure where the lines blur and that was very interesting to read along with.
There are multiple POVs in this story, as Alejandra's female ancestors are flashed back to so we can see where their lives intersected with the curse. It was interesting how, for the first lady in her line, the malevolent entity represented both salvation and damnation, at first, before implications of the bargain became clear. The different POVs offer analysis of what it meant to be wife and mother through the ages. I was pleasantly surprised by both the bisexual representation from Alejandra herself, and the trans man soldier Amelio in Flor's flashback to the Mexican civil war.
Castro absolutely excels at description, at detailing injuries, mental pain, all sorts of trauma and anguish. There were vivid depictions of gore, from that of childbirth to the violence committed by La Llorona. The writing is at its best during these points. Where it faltered for me was during any dialogue or any unspoken explanations by characters, when the prose became painfully clunky, simplistic or awkward. It didn't sound like things people would say aloud, like weird, unrealistic phrasing. Some parts are outright redundant, like when Alejandra repeats the entirety of an encounter with La Llorona on-page, when it already happened on-page and we know what happened as readers.
I found the stilted dialogue really impacted reading flow, particularly when Alejandra speaks to curandera Melanie, or her mother Cathy. That said, the ideas behind this story were so impactful to me that I've bumped the rating to four stars.
TW for menstruation, suicidal ideation, mentions of sexual assault, pregnancy and birthing, miscarriage, bloody injury and gore, portrayals of patient-shaming and judgment by medical professionals, parental abandonment, religious oppression by adoptive family.
Thank you to Del Rey, Ballantine at Random House, and Netgalley for a copy to review of this haunting tale out April 18th. I found the story with its vivid descriptions compelling and soul-chilling, but dialogue and personal narration parts poorly written. That said, the good outweighed the bad. There are extensive trigger warnings I listed at the very end for easy access. Let's dig in.
As soon as I read that La Llorona's legends inspired this, I was in. A sorrowful folktale woven with threads of maternal pain that has survived to cross both time and borders, La Llorona has always captured my interest as someone interested in gender studies and ghosts. This story takes a refreshing, almost sci-fi spin on the legends, as something unearthly takes the form of La Llorona to manipulate its desperate victims. This frightening entity and villain of this story is the physical manifestation of generational trauma, fortified by it, blood, and maternal anguish.
The Haunting of Alejandra is by no means an easy story to read; we start in the shower with titular character Alejandra sitting in there, menstrual blood running down her legs as her family demands dinner. On-page suicidal ideation begins from the very first pages. The husband and at times the children are such caricatures of selfishness and neediness that I couldn't tell if it was true to the story, or the result of unreliable narration influenced by the curse coloring everything domestic as worse than it really was. And perhaps that's the point - postpartum depression, domestic anxieties, burnout - or a curse? As a reader you're not sure where the lines blur and that was very interesting to read along with.
There are multiple POVs in this story, as Alejandra's female ancestors are flashed back to so we can see where their lives intersected with the curse. It was interesting how, for the first lady in her line, the malevolent entity represented both salvation and damnation, at first, before implications of the bargain became clear. The different POVs offer analysis of what it meant to be wife and mother through the ages. I was pleasantly surprised by both the bisexual representation from Alejandra herself, and the trans man soldier Amelio in Flor's flashback to the Mexican civil war.
Castro absolutely excels at description, at detailing injuries, mental pain, all sorts of trauma and anguish. There were vivid depictions of gore, from that of childbirth to the violence committed by La Llorona. The writing is at its best during these points. Where it faltered for me was during any dialogue or any unspoken explanations by characters, when the prose became painfully clunky, simplistic or awkward. It didn't sound like things people would say aloud, like weird, unrealistic phrasing. Some parts are outright redundant, like when Alejandra repeats the entirety of an encounter with La Llorona on-page, when it already happened on-page and we know what happened as readers.
I found the stilted dialogue really impacted reading flow, particularly when Alejandra speaks to curandera Melanie, or her mother Cathy. That said, the ideas behind this story were so impactful to me that I've bumped the rating to four stars.
TW for menstruation, suicidal ideation, mentions of sexual assault, pregnancy and birthing, miscarriage, bloody injury and gore, portrayals of patient-shaming and judgment by medical professionals, parental abandonment, religious oppression by adoptive family.
January 18, 2023
TW: Cheating, gaslighting, toxic parent relationship, language, death of children, depression, cutting
*****SPOILERS*****
About the book:Alejandra no longer knows who she is. To her husband, she is a wife, and to her children, a mother. To her own adoptive mother, she is a daughter. But they cannot see who Alejandra has become: a woman struggling with a darkness that threatens to consume her.Nor can they see what Alejandra sees. In times of despair, a ghostly vision appears to her, the apparition of a crying woman in a ragged white gown.When Alejandra visits a therapist, she begins exploring her family’s history, starting with the biological mother she never knew. As she goes deeper into the lives of the women in her family, she learns that heartbreak and tragedy are not the only things she has in common with her ancestors.Because the crying woman was with them, too. She is La Llorona, the vengeful and murderous mother of Mexican legend. And she will not leave until Alejandra follows her mother, her grandmother, and all the women who came before her into the darkness.But Alejandra has inherited more than just pain. She has inherited the strength and the courage of her foremothers—and she will have to summon everything they have given her to banish La Llorona forever.
Release Date: April 18th, 2023
Genre: Horror
Pages: 272
Rating: ⭐
What I Liked:
1. I love the concept of the book
2. Scary tones
What I Didn't Like:
1. Some parts feel dry
2. Boring
Overall Thoughts:
“Alejandra, it’s dinnertime. Are you coming down to cook? The kids are hungry.”
It was in this moment I knew I hated her husband.
Once you hear La Llorona. wondered if she was going to drown her kids (guess I'll never know)
How many hours I clocked on my Peloton to give me this figure I couldn’t even enjoy because I chose the wrong partners time and time again, because I gave away my body like cheap Halloween candy.
What a great line!
I get that this book is about how sad and miserable Alejandra is but she just complains and complains so much that it makes reading this book feel like a chore. I'm exhausted from hearing how nothing makes her happy. Page after page it's her saying her husband sucks, her kids drive her insane, and this isn't the life she wanted. How am I supposed to enjoy reading this book?
Final Thoughts:
In the end I dnfed this book at the 50% mark. I just couldn't keep reading. It's too dry and too boring. It's a short book (under 300 pages) but I felt as though it was a struggle to get through and even care about the characters. So much doesn't happen that it just feels as though you're just pushing through the story hoping SOMETHING happens. I've read 136 pages of Alejandra complain about her life, kids, and family. I agree her husband sucks but doesn't mean that's all I want to read about.
I've enjoyed other stuff from this author but this one missed for me.
Recommend For:
• Women who hate their lives
• Horror stories
• Short books
IG | Blog
Thanks for this advanced copy of the book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
*****SPOILERS*****
About the book:Alejandra no longer knows who she is. To her husband, she is a wife, and to her children, a mother. To her own adoptive mother, she is a daughter. But they cannot see who Alejandra has become: a woman struggling with a darkness that threatens to consume her.Nor can they see what Alejandra sees. In times of despair, a ghostly vision appears to her, the apparition of a crying woman in a ragged white gown.When Alejandra visits a therapist, she begins exploring her family’s history, starting with the biological mother she never knew. As she goes deeper into the lives of the women in her family, she learns that heartbreak and tragedy are not the only things she has in common with her ancestors.Because the crying woman was with them, too. She is La Llorona, the vengeful and murderous mother of Mexican legend. And she will not leave until Alejandra follows her mother, her grandmother, and all the women who came before her into the darkness.But Alejandra has inherited more than just pain. She has inherited the strength and the courage of her foremothers—and she will have to summon everything they have given her to banish La Llorona forever.
Release Date: April 18th, 2023
Genre: Horror
Pages: 272
Rating: ⭐
What I Liked:
1. I love the concept of the book
2. Scary tones
What I Didn't Like:
1. Some parts feel dry
2. Boring
Overall Thoughts:
“Alejandra, it’s dinnertime. Are you coming down to cook? The kids are hungry.”
It was in this moment I knew I hated her husband.
Once you hear La Llorona. wondered if she was going to drown her kids (guess I'll never know)
How many hours I clocked on my Peloton to give me this figure I couldn’t even enjoy because I chose the wrong partners time and time again, because I gave away my body like cheap Halloween candy.
What a great line!
I get that this book is about how sad and miserable Alejandra is but she just complains and complains so much that it makes reading this book feel like a chore. I'm exhausted from hearing how nothing makes her happy. Page after page it's her saying her husband sucks, her kids drive her insane, and this isn't the life she wanted. How am I supposed to enjoy reading this book?
Final Thoughts:
In the end I dnfed this book at the 50% mark. I just couldn't keep reading. It's too dry and too boring. It's a short book (under 300 pages) but I felt as though it was a struggle to get through and even care about the characters. So much doesn't happen that it just feels as though you're just pushing through the story hoping SOMETHING happens. I've read 136 pages of Alejandra complain about her life, kids, and family. I agree her husband sucks but doesn't mean that's all I want to read about.
I've enjoyed other stuff from this author but this one missed for me.
Recommend For:
• Women who hate their lives
• Horror stories
• Short books
IG | Blog
Thanks for this advanced copy of the book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
May 28, 2023
4.0 Stars
This was a solid short novel that provides an honest picture of an unhappy wife and mother. I love this uncomfortable representation. I was most interested in the present day perspective but I appreciate the importance of the other timelines to establish generational trauma. I would recommend this to horror readers looking for a smart, tight narrative.
This was a solid short novel that provides an honest picture of an unhappy wife and mother. I love this uncomfortable representation. I was most interested in the present day perspective but I appreciate the importance of the other timelines to establish generational trauma. I would recommend this to horror readers looking for a smart, tight narrative.
June 14, 2023
Sometime after the birth of her third child, Alejandra's world comes comes crashing down revealing her unhappiness in a tidal wave of emotions. Her loss of identity as a whole person consumes her ever waking thoughts and now follows into dark dreams of many strange and very sad women who seem to beckon to her yet they're tied to death somehow and this frightens Alejandra yet she feels comforted as well. Alejandra loves her children although she doesn't seem to enjoy motherhood anymore so she just performs her duties like a robot, day after day. Her life as a wife feels so empty, unappreciated while needing help with caring for the children, the meals, the never-ending chores yet still expected to excitedly perform her wifely duties while she only wants to crawl into bed and maybe get a good nights rest without one of the little ones crying out for Mommy once, twice or more waking her to care for their needs while husband and daddy never hears a sound and gets to have uninterrupted sleep each night while the good wife handles anything and everything.
In the darkest corners of the room a creature lurks watching, waiting, listening and salivating over Alejandra's tears and sorrows. Unknown and invisible to her right now is how the creature feeds while it grows stronger to reveal it's insidious nature and monstrous physical appearance to Alejandra and then to her beautiful children because it wants their innocence and purity. It wants to consume their souls while it whispers lies of how peaceful death would be and all her pain would end forever because she is a horrid mother, wife and person. No one would miss her, her family would be better off without her causing them unhappiness.
Well, this sounds like classic, severe depression but in this strange case Alejandra will find out her bloodline had been cursed by a demon which for many centuries that had been taking the form of the legendary ghost of "La Llorona" who (as the story goes) murdered her own children and then took her own life for revenge at the supposed rejection from a man who did not want any children and her spirit. would be doomed to walk the earth for eternity hearing the cries and screams of her children and never being able to reunite with them.
Alejandra desperately needs help before she succumbs to the darkness and misery saturating her life in every way possible. If there is such a demon.haunting Alejandra can anyone help her in time since it is very, very vicious and soul-sucking hungry or is it possible that everything Alejandra now sees and believes are only products of a severe psychotic break that has brought about dangerous and suicidal delusions of a broken mind, heart and spirit. Either way, a psychosis or curse they can equally destroy Alejandra if she doesn't find someone to to help her fight these demons!
Trigger Warnings: Dark Depression, Suicidal Thoughts.
This was a well-written and thought out story of the darkness and danger of severe depression while also turning the depression into a horror story of a Latina woman's bloodline curse. The storyline was intriguing about some of the history Latina women surrounding curses etc. but for me it became too dark and depressing more about a woman's unhappiness with her life and life choices instead of a spooky, scary horror book. Granted there was some creepiness and a creature but it fell flat for me as a truly, frightening horror story. Too many women issues that were so morbid and miserable (imo). I know I may be in the minority but I had to plow through this one. Also, the story really wasn't about "La Llorona" which was a big letdown.
Remember this is just my opinion and most people will probably enjoy this book and probably find it scary. It just seemed this book was a disconnect for me. I do still recommend this story to others so they can form their own opinions!
I want to thank the publisher "Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine" and Netgalley for the opportunity to read this novel and any thoughts or opinions expressed are unbiased and mine alone!
I have given a rating of 3 FRUSTRATING AND DEPRESSING 🌟🌟🌟 STARS!!
In the darkest corners of the room a creature lurks watching, waiting, listening and salivating over Alejandra's tears and sorrows. Unknown and invisible to her right now is how the creature feeds while it grows stronger to reveal it's insidious nature and monstrous physical appearance to Alejandra and then to her beautiful children because it wants their innocence and purity. It wants to consume their souls while it whispers lies of how peaceful death would be and all her pain would end forever because she is a horrid mother, wife and person. No one would miss her, her family would be better off without her causing them unhappiness.
Well, this sounds like classic, severe depression but in this strange case Alejandra will find out her bloodline had been cursed by a demon which for many centuries that had been taking the form of the legendary ghost of "La Llorona" who (as the story goes) murdered her own children and then took her own life for revenge at the supposed rejection from a man who did not want any children and her spirit. would be doomed to walk the earth for eternity hearing the cries and screams of her children and never being able to reunite with them.
Alejandra desperately needs help before she succumbs to the darkness and misery saturating her life in every way possible. If there is such a demon.haunting Alejandra can anyone help her in time since it is very, very vicious and soul-sucking hungry or is it possible that everything Alejandra now sees and believes are only products of a severe psychotic break that has brought about dangerous and suicidal delusions of a broken mind, heart and spirit. Either way, a psychosis or curse they can equally destroy Alejandra if she doesn't find someone to to help her fight these demons!
Trigger Warnings: Dark Depression, Suicidal Thoughts.
This was a well-written and thought out story of the darkness and danger of severe depression while also turning the depression into a horror story of a Latina woman's bloodline curse. The storyline was intriguing about some of the history Latina women surrounding curses etc. but for me it became too dark and depressing more about a woman's unhappiness with her life and life choices instead of a spooky, scary horror book. Granted there was some creepiness and a creature but it fell flat for me as a truly, frightening horror story. Too many women issues that were so morbid and miserable (imo). I know I may be in the minority but I had to plow through this one. Also, the story really wasn't about "La Llorona" which was a big letdown.
Remember this is just my opinion and most people will probably enjoy this book and probably find it scary. It just seemed this book was a disconnect for me. I do still recommend this story to others so they can form their own opinions!
I want to thank the publisher "Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine" and Netgalley for the opportunity to read this novel and any thoughts or opinions expressed are unbiased and mine alone!
I have given a rating of 3 FRUSTRATING AND DEPRESSING 🌟🌟🌟 STARS!!
October 15, 2023
an empowering twist on la llorona, this book is about alejandra, a modern day mexican american mother who is being haunted.
there is a sharp contrast between alejandra's intensely deep mother love for her children and the suffocation she feels. it's heavy, like she is performing her mothering and housewifery duties from underwater or from under a dark cloud.
it takes her some time to realize that something is deeply wrong, beyond typical depression. she is being pursued by a creature who follows her bloodline because the women in her family are brimming with rage and sorrow, which it feeds upon. it's that good old intergenerational trauma!
but once alejandra realizes something is very wrong, she works toward taking care of it. she finds a dual curandera/therapist to provide guidance. she builds an altar to her family and prays for help from her ancestors, strong women who visit her in her dreams. she also contacts her birth mother, who acts as a supportive friend. i love this part early in the book, when she is making powerful strides toward getting better and learning to value herself.
however, the pacing is not great, and the writing is strangely dry for an otherwise compelling story.
in the beginning i really enjoyed the alternating viewpoints, which keep it fresh. alejandra's chapters are interwoven with chapters about her ancestors, which provide context on the curse that has followed the women in their family for generations. we see all different versions of their suffering, not only alejandra's stale unhappiness.
but as the book progresses, we jump around too much. at around 80%, when we should be approaching a climax, we're still following alejandra's great great grandmother, who joins the mexican american war and has a love affair with real historical figure emiliano zapato?? what?? i was totally thrown off by the inclusion of a real person from this moment in history. this chapter also briefly includes a trans character who serves in the military, which is cool representation, but it comes out of nowhere and feels random.
this uneven momentum, combined with horribly unrealistic paragraphs-long expository dialogues between alejandra and her curandera, really took me out of the story. this curandera is a savior figure who is always available and always says the perfect thing, and i just don't believe it. i love the idea of her helpful character, as well as of alejandra's supportive birth mother, but the writing just doesn't bring them to life.
the horror is good - there are some genuinely scary moments, and very disturbing demonic imagery. it's particularly terrifying when the creature goes after alejandra's children. and the ending is wonderfully empowering, as alejandra performs her own ritual to take on the demon, and guided by ancestors, does what she has to do.
castro's ideas are 10/10, it's the execution that's not ideal. but it's still a powerful book, and worth the read.
Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group for providing me with a copy of this book in return for an honest review.
there is a sharp contrast between alejandra's intensely deep mother love for her children and the suffocation she feels. it's heavy, like she is performing her mothering and housewifery duties from underwater or from under a dark cloud.
it takes her some time to realize that something is deeply wrong, beyond typical depression. she is being pursued by a creature who follows her bloodline because the women in her family are brimming with rage and sorrow, which it feeds upon. it's that good old intergenerational trauma!
but once alejandra realizes something is very wrong, she works toward taking care of it. she finds a dual curandera/therapist to provide guidance. she builds an altar to her family and prays for help from her ancestors, strong women who visit her in her dreams. she also contacts her birth mother, who acts as a supportive friend. i love this part early in the book, when she is making powerful strides toward getting better and learning to value herself.
however, the pacing is not great, and the writing is strangely dry for an otherwise compelling story.
in the beginning i really enjoyed the alternating viewpoints, which keep it fresh. alejandra's chapters are interwoven with chapters about her ancestors, which provide context on the curse that has followed the women in their family for generations. we see all different versions of their suffering, not only alejandra's stale unhappiness.
but as the book progresses, we jump around too much. at around 80%, when we should be approaching a climax, we're still following alejandra's great great grandmother, who joins the mexican american war and has a love affair with real historical figure emiliano zapato?? what?? i was totally thrown off by the inclusion of a real person from this moment in history. this chapter also briefly includes a trans character who serves in the military, which is cool representation, but it comes out of nowhere and feels random.
this uneven momentum, combined with horribly unrealistic paragraphs-long expository dialogues between alejandra and her curandera, really took me out of the story. this curandera is a savior figure who is always available and always says the perfect thing, and i just don't believe it. i love the idea of her helpful character, as well as of alejandra's supportive birth mother, but the writing just doesn't bring them to life.
the horror is good - there are some genuinely scary moments, and very disturbing demonic imagery. it's particularly terrifying when the creature goes after alejandra's children. and the ending is wonderfully empowering, as alejandra performs her own ritual to take on the demon, and guided by ancestors, does what she has to do.
castro's ideas are 10/10, it's the execution that's not ideal. but it's still a powerful book, and worth the read.
Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group for providing me with a copy of this book in return for an honest review.
December 29, 2022
Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC of
The Haunting of Alejandra.
I really wanted to like this more than I did, but I didn't for a number of reasons:
First, I didn't like the writing style.
The internal dialogue rang false; people don't talk like that, especially to themselves.
Second, I'm not a fan of flashbacks in general, and there are quite a few here.
Some of which felt drawn out and read as filler. I realize these scenes were meant to showcase the generational trauma passed down but each ancestor seemed to make the same mistakes, drawn to the same men, have mindless, soul numbing sex before realizing nothing would heal their emotional and psychological trauma unless she took control of her life and destiny.
Third, there was gore and frightening scenes, which might offend some readers, but not me.
Theses scenes rarely faze me, and the scary scenes didn't last long.
Once Alejandra connected with her therapist, the narrative became nothing but dialogue and read as more of a domestic trauma drama, rather than a horror tale.
Fourth, I would have preferred less interaction with La Llorona; when you start speaking to the ghost or poltergeist or Bigfoot, the fear and mystery is gone.
Fifth, the narrative was slow, full of dialoguing and monologuing and the urgency and pacing drags once Alejandra reaches out to Melanie, and her birth mother, Cathy, arrives to help.
The reader gets a lot of self help babble and mumbo jumbo from Melanie to Alejandra; I would have liked to see Alejandra discover, on her own, how to defeat La LIorona.
I understand Alejandra drew strength from Cathy and Melanie, and eventually empowers herself, but Alejandra is a weak character from the start.
When both women enter the story, it's easy to forget Alejandra is the main character.
I wasn't a fan of the constant shift of perspectives; the flashbacks, chapters devoted to Alejandra and Cathy, then Melanie, then back to Alejandra.
What I did like: the story of La Llorona, the theme of generational trauma and how each woman seems to repeat the mistakes of their ancestors.
I didn't sympathize with Alejandra; I didn't dislike her, but I didn't like her.
I wish there was more mythology, more darkness, but this read as more of a domestic drama with La Llorona as background.
I really wanted to like this more than I did, but I didn't for a number of reasons:
First, I didn't like the writing style.
The internal dialogue rang false; people don't talk like that, especially to themselves.
Second, I'm not a fan of flashbacks in general, and there are quite a few here.
Some of which felt drawn out and read as filler. I realize these scenes were meant to showcase the generational trauma passed down but each ancestor seemed to make the same mistakes, drawn to the same men, have mindless, soul numbing sex before realizing nothing would heal their emotional and psychological trauma unless she took control of her life and destiny.
Third, there was gore and frightening scenes, which might offend some readers, but not me.
Theses scenes rarely faze me, and the scary scenes didn't last long.
Once Alejandra connected with her therapist, the narrative became nothing but dialogue and read as more of a domestic trauma drama, rather than a horror tale.
Fourth, I would have preferred less interaction with La Llorona; when you start speaking to the ghost or poltergeist or Bigfoot, the fear and mystery is gone.
Fifth, the narrative was slow, full of dialoguing and monologuing and the urgency and pacing drags once Alejandra reaches out to Melanie, and her birth mother, Cathy, arrives to help.
The reader gets a lot of self help babble and mumbo jumbo from Melanie to Alejandra; I would have liked to see Alejandra discover, on her own, how to defeat La LIorona.
I understand Alejandra drew strength from Cathy and Melanie, and eventually empowers herself, but Alejandra is a weak character from the start.
When both women enter the story, it's easy to forget Alejandra is the main character.
I wasn't a fan of the constant shift of perspectives; the flashbacks, chapters devoted to Alejandra and Cathy, then Melanie, then back to Alejandra.
What I did like: the story of La Llorona, the theme of generational trauma and how each woman seems to repeat the mistakes of their ancestors.
I didn't sympathize with Alejandra; I didn't dislike her, but I didn't like her.
I wish there was more mythology, more darkness, but this read as more of a domestic drama with La Llorona as background.
April 17, 2023
WOWOWOWOWOW. Just wow. V. Castro shines a unique light on multi-generational trauma, shattering the things we carry as our very own and personalized “curses” through the power of love, ancestry, and self-acceptance. At it’s core, this is a horror book. The thrills and scares are never lost, but it’s also so much more!
In The Haunting of Alejandra, we follow a woman who is on the brink of a mental breakdown after losing her sense of self in marriage and motherhood. Alejandra was adopted by an extremely religious family at a young age, left to cater to the siblings younger than herself and oftentimes made to feel isolated and abandoned. We learn that Alejandra’s life, which is seemingly perfect on the outside, is actually all doom and gloom on the inside as she battles feelings of inadequacy… feelings that might not be fully of her own making. And while Castro explores the strength of family bonds through the various POV’s of Alejandra’s ancestors, spanning all the way back to the 14th century, Alejandra remains the central character.
Here’s a bullet list of things I loved about this book:
1. Alejandra is a bisexual queen
2. Throughout the story, she goes on a journey to reclaim the culture life and circumstance stripped away from her
3. All of the side characters truly feel like main characters (except Matthew, he’s a trash husband 🗑)
4. The relationship she has with Catrina is the purest most wonderful thing, but I also loved seeing the connection between Alejandra and her children evolve
5. It’s hella graphic and gory and genuinely made it hard for me to sleep lol (but pls check TWs/CWs before requesting the ARC or reading when it’s released). Left me feeling super unsettled!
6. I like that the stigma behind curanderas was taken away with Melanie’a portrayal
7. Castro did an incredible job at making me care about each of the women in Alejandra’s family
8. The last woman was such a surprise but definitely put a beautifully tragic twist on the tale of La Llorona that I hadn’t expected
9. I always want to give a standing ovation when machismo is shut down in any book 👏👏👏
10. Whoever did the cover is INCREDIBLE
11. Wrapped up nicely
12. There was something else I forgot so I’ll edit it in when I remember, anyway besties… ADD THIS TO YOUR TBR!!
In The Haunting of Alejandra, we follow a woman who is on the brink of a mental breakdown after losing her sense of self in marriage and motherhood. Alejandra was adopted by an extremely religious family at a young age, left to cater to the siblings younger than herself and oftentimes made to feel isolated and abandoned. We learn that Alejandra’s life, which is seemingly perfect on the outside, is actually all doom and gloom on the inside as she battles feelings of inadequacy… feelings that might not be fully of her own making. And while Castro explores the strength of family bonds through the various POV’s of Alejandra’s ancestors, spanning all the way back to the 14th century, Alejandra remains the central character.
Here’s a bullet list of things I loved about this book:
1. Alejandra is a bisexual queen
2. Throughout the story, she goes on a journey to reclaim the culture life and circumstance stripped away from her
3. All of the side characters truly feel like main characters (except Matthew, he’s a trash husband 🗑)
4. The relationship she has with Catrina is the purest most wonderful thing, but I also loved seeing the connection between Alejandra and her children evolve
5. It’s hella graphic and gory and genuinely made it hard for me to sleep lol (but pls check TWs/CWs before requesting the ARC or reading when it’s released). Left me feeling super unsettled!
6. I like that the stigma behind curanderas was taken away with Melanie’a portrayal
7. Castro did an incredible job at making me care about each of the women in Alejandra’s family
8. The last woman was such a surprise but definitely put a beautifully tragic twist on the tale of La Llorona that I hadn’t expected
9. I always want to give a standing ovation when machismo is shut down in any book 👏👏👏
10. Whoever did the cover is INCREDIBLE
11. Wrapped up nicely
12. There was something else I forgot so I’ll edit it in when I remember, anyway besties… ADD THIS TO YOUR TBR!!
November 10, 2023
The Haunting of Alejandra is a horror book that really impressed me. The author uses the legend of La Llorona to thoughtfully explore themes of generational trauma, motherhood, mental health, and complicated family relationships. I thought the atmosphere and horror elements of the book were well blanced. It was equally creepy and meaningful.
I do think the writing lacked subtlety and was repetitive at times, which may bother some readers. Overall, I really liked the message of the book and I think it will appeal to many people. If you enjoy literary horror, this one is worth picking up. Also, that cover 😍
I do think the writing lacked subtlety and was repetitive at times, which may bother some readers. Overall, I really liked the message of the book and I think it will appeal to many people. If you enjoy literary horror, this one is worth picking up. Also, that cover 😍
August 24, 2023
"Arm yourself with love and knowledge" eye roll. I'm sorry it's a Me thing. The book is fine but just a little too sentimental for my taste.
THEMES: Generational trauma...assault on women...forced assimilation and the generational repercussions...motherhood...unbalance of domestic responsibilities...depression in women and not being able to express it...needing to be grateful at all times and happy for your life and children. ..."ancestral fortitude" like connecting with your ancestors to bring you strength. Definitely about the strength of women. Family curses.
This is definitely not horror...its a story based on generational trauma and woman's pain. It's just really not what I thought it would be. A very bleak and heavy read.
There is also a lot of writing that I found to be incredibly cheesy. There was a line that read "It radiated gamma ray hatred" that made me BURST out loud laughing. Also, There's therapy sections in the book that read so self-help'y. I don't know it read like "telling" and not "showing". Like instead of integrating these themes and morals into the novel it read like shoving a script at the readers. It was also just WAY too sentimental and went on and on and on.
I think for the most part it's a ME thing and it's just my aversion to overly sentimental, mushy, gushy writing.
I did think the last La Llorona chapter was really original and inventive! I would have liked to see that energy carried through the book more.
I also reviewed this book on my YouTube channel: https://youtu.be/DUzN1KGjRYc
THEMES: Generational trauma...assault on women...forced assimilation and the generational repercussions...motherhood...unbalance of domestic responsibilities...depression in women and not being able to express it...needing to be grateful at all times and happy for your life and children. ..."ancestral fortitude" like connecting with your ancestors to bring you strength. Definitely about the strength of women. Family curses.
This is definitely not horror...its a story based on generational trauma and woman's pain. It's just really not what I thought it would be. A very bleak and heavy read.
There is also a lot of writing that I found to be incredibly cheesy. There was a line that read "It radiated gamma ray hatred" that made me BURST out loud laughing. Also, There's therapy sections in the book that read so self-help'y. I don't know it read like "telling" and not "showing". Like instead of integrating these themes and morals into the novel it read like shoving a script at the readers. It was also just WAY too sentimental and went on and on and on.
I think for the most part it's a ME thing and it's just my aversion to overly sentimental, mushy, gushy writing.
I did think the last La Llorona chapter was really original and inventive! I would have liked to see that energy carried through the book more.
I also reviewed this book on my YouTube channel: https://youtu.be/DUzN1KGjRYc
September 19, 2022
Wow this book was incredibly unique, it's a horror book, but it is so much more and is really genre bending, and expanding!
A retelling of the La Llorona legend told through generational trauma, and battling our own demons, figuratively and literally. A story of familial and community love, of self care and living as our authentic selves.
It's got gore and incredibly creepy scenes that'll make your skin crawl, but it's also this inspiring and beautiful story of overcoming hardship and finding inner strength.
I definitely recommend this if you're a fan of horror, but also if you're a fan or multi-generational stories, and stories about strong women.
CW: gore, death of parent, body horror/trauma, death of child/miscarriage , suicidal thoughts
Thank you to the publisher and Net Galley for the e-arc!
A retelling of the La Llorona legend told through generational trauma, and battling our own demons, figuratively and literally. A story of familial and community love, of self care and living as our authentic selves.
It's got gore and incredibly creepy scenes that'll make your skin crawl, but it's also this inspiring and beautiful story of overcoming hardship and finding inner strength.
I definitely recommend this if you're a fan of horror, but also if you're a fan or multi-generational stories, and stories about strong women.
CW: gore, death of parent, body horror/trauma, death of child/miscarriage , suicidal thoughts
Thank you to the publisher and Net Galley for the e-arc!
April 8, 2023
In V. Castro’s latest novel, Alejandra battles an inner darkness that her family cannot comprehend. When she explores her family’s history, she discovers a link to Mexican legend, La Llorona, whose demonic ghostly figure begins to haunt her. With the strength of her ancestors, Alejandra must confront the apparition and defeat it. V. Castro's narrative style is riveting and has vivid descriptions of supernatural horror that are both well-crafted and gruesome.
August 1, 2024
The real horror was not La Llorona but Alejandra's godawful husband.
November 27, 2022
Please note that I received this book via NetGalley. This did not affect my rating or review.
Well this book packed a punch. We follow 30 something year old Alejandra. Recently moved from Texas to Philadelphia with her husband and three children, she feels adrift. You initially think that maybe Alejandra is suffering from post-partum depression. However, the book quickly moves that something seems to be haunting Alejandra. Telling her that she's a bad mother, that her children would be better off with her, and that in the end she may take a road many of her ancestors did, and allows whatever is haunting to take her and then her eldest daughter.
The book characters were great IMHO. I loved how we get to see Alejandra wake all the way up by the end of the book. She's indifferent to her husband and her children at first. But you feel the love she has for her children starting to break through. When she realizes something may be haunting her and could hurt them, she decides to do whatever it takes to kill the thing that stalks them. And I thought it was interesting that Castro shows how Alejandra being adopted (even though by a half Mexican woman and white man) ended up harming her and many of the children they raised because of the hyper religious parents she had. Because of them many roads that Alejandra would have taken she did not, it seems she was afraid of disappointing two people she didn't even really like. When Alejandra meets her birth mother Cathy though, you start to see she part of her started to wake up before she departed Texas for Philadelphia. Her husband just seems to be there. He's not a a good guy, and not bad, just someone that always pushes his needs first and doesn't really seem to care about Alejandra unless it is going to mess up his schedule.
Castro takes us back at some points in time to a time when the Spanish came to Mexico and a woman who was left with nothing after being repeatedly raped agrees to a bargain that has repercussions for all of her descendants. The book not only follows Alejandra, but her mother Cathy, her grandmother, and others. I loved how Castro loops in the Mexican folklore of La Llorona, a spirit of a vengeful woman who drowned her own children and still searches for them but also hunts women as well. I think I honestly felt for Cathy's mother. She was in love with someone who did not love her and when the "curse" starts to come for her she really doesn't have a sense of how to get out, but wants to keep her children safe. The thread through all of these stories was the love a mother has for her children, and how these mothers would do anything for them.
The writing was really good and so was the flow.
The ending was a bit gory, but I liked how the big turns the events into just one more chapter and we can begin to see how the future may be shaped now.
Well this book packed a punch. We follow 30 something year old Alejandra. Recently moved from Texas to Philadelphia with her husband and three children, she feels adrift. You initially think that maybe Alejandra is suffering from post-partum depression. However, the book quickly moves that something seems to be haunting Alejandra. Telling her that she's a bad mother, that her children would be better off with her, and that in the end she may take a road many of her ancestors did, and allows whatever is haunting to take her and then her eldest daughter.
The book characters were great IMHO. I loved how we get to see Alejandra wake all the way up by the end of the book. She's indifferent to her husband and her children at first. But you feel the love she has for her children starting to break through. When she realizes something may be haunting her and could hurt them, she decides to do whatever it takes to kill the thing that stalks them. And I thought it was interesting that Castro shows how Alejandra being adopted (even though by a half Mexican woman and white man) ended up harming her and many of the children they raised because of the hyper religious parents she had. Because of them many roads that Alejandra would have taken she did not, it seems she was afraid of disappointing two people she didn't even really like. When Alejandra meets her birth mother Cathy though, you start to see she part of her started to wake up before she departed Texas for Philadelphia. Her husband just seems to be there. He's not a a good guy, and not bad, just someone that always pushes his needs first and doesn't really seem to care about Alejandra unless it is going to mess up his schedule.
Castro takes us back at some points in time to a time when the Spanish came to Mexico and a woman who was left with nothing after being repeatedly raped agrees to a bargain that has repercussions for all of her descendants. The book not only follows Alejandra, but her mother Cathy, her grandmother, and others. I loved how Castro loops in the Mexican folklore of La Llorona, a spirit of a vengeful woman who drowned her own children and still searches for them but also hunts women as well. I think I honestly felt for Cathy's mother. She was in love with someone who did not love her and when the "curse" starts to come for her she really doesn't have a sense of how to get out, but wants to keep her children safe. The thread through all of these stories was the love a mother has for her children, and how these mothers would do anything for them.
The writing was really good and so was the flow.
The ending was a bit gory, but I liked how the big turns the events into just one more chapter and we can begin to see how the future may be shaped now.
April 19, 2023
Now Available!
Much of what women experience in life involves sacrifice, figuratively or even literally, giving up part of themselves. A life without autonomy can make a woman feel like she's disappearing, only corporeal when someone needs something from her, dissolving further and further, until she has nothing left to give. Does anyone see her? Do they know she has slipped into a dark trapped place? Castro accurately depicts both the experience of depression and the unhelpful advice one receives in terms of unsolicited ways to crawl up out of that dark hole. Sadness and joy are not choices, yet there is tremendous cultural stigma attached to those seen as not looking on the bright side or failing to count their blessings. These phenomena extend far deeper than simply the different roles women take on as daughters, mothers, wives, and lovers. The Haunting of Alejandra explores, analyzes, and eventually reveals the cost of personal sacrifice, and offers a potential pathway to preservation of the whole self.
The protagonist, Alejandra, finds that her entire reality shifts when her loss of self begins to haunt her, in the form of a ghostly figure known as La Llorona in Mexican folklore. The author draws a clear parallel between the erasure of the self and the repression of cultural identity and traditions, such as Día de los Muertos, a celebration of connected ancestry.. This ghastly apparition stirs up Alejandra's troubled mind, but also has something to teach her about her family legacy, and the many strong women who have come before her.. La Llorona personifies generational trauma, and inhabits fears, anxieties, destructive thoughts, desperation, and death. On the other side of the scales are the helpers, the generations of women who found a way forward and pass on their knowledge to others.
Castro's characters demonstrate their intentions on a subliminal level. Each has a specific aura and exude their go-to strategy for engaging with others. One character must broadcast his power, vitality, and command. Another exhibits a broken, withering spirit, seeking both to be left alone and also to be comforted. Yet, one shines brighter than them all, a beacon of serenity, wellness, and safe harbor. This is the kind of guide Alejandra must seek.. This is, above all, a story of female empowerment, women who are tired of putting themselves last, of giving up so much of themselves just so everyone else can be happy. And no matter what must be overcome, it is worth it all to end a cycle of generational pain and suffering, even if that means a rather surreal supernatural showdown and some hefty hard choices.
Thank you Ballantine/ Penguin Random House and #NetGalley for the opportunity to read an early copy of this book. I really enjoyed it.
Much of what women experience in life involves sacrifice, figuratively or even literally, giving up part of themselves. A life without autonomy can make a woman feel like she's disappearing, only corporeal when someone needs something from her, dissolving further and further, until she has nothing left to give. Does anyone see her? Do they know she has slipped into a dark trapped place? Castro accurately depicts both the experience of depression and the unhelpful advice one receives in terms of unsolicited ways to crawl up out of that dark hole. Sadness and joy are not choices, yet there is tremendous cultural stigma attached to those seen as not looking on the bright side or failing to count their blessings. These phenomena extend far deeper than simply the different roles women take on as daughters, mothers, wives, and lovers. The Haunting of Alejandra explores, analyzes, and eventually reveals the cost of personal sacrifice, and offers a potential pathway to preservation of the whole self.
The protagonist, Alejandra, finds that her entire reality shifts when her loss of self begins to haunt her, in the form of a ghostly figure known as La Llorona in Mexican folklore. The author draws a clear parallel between the erasure of the self and the repression of cultural identity and traditions, such as Día de los Muertos, a celebration of connected ancestry.. This ghastly apparition stirs up Alejandra's troubled mind, but also has something to teach her about her family legacy, and the many strong women who have come before her.. La Llorona personifies generational trauma, and inhabits fears, anxieties, destructive thoughts, desperation, and death. On the other side of the scales are the helpers, the generations of women who found a way forward and pass on their knowledge to others.
Castro's characters demonstrate their intentions on a subliminal level. Each has a specific aura and exude their go-to strategy for engaging with others. One character must broadcast his power, vitality, and command. Another exhibits a broken, withering spirit, seeking both to be left alone and also to be comforted. Yet, one shines brighter than them all, a beacon of serenity, wellness, and safe harbor. This is the kind of guide Alejandra must seek.. This is, above all, a story of female empowerment, women who are tired of putting themselves last, of giving up so much of themselves just so everyone else can be happy. And no matter what must be overcome, it is worth it all to end a cycle of generational pain and suffering, even if that means a rather surreal supernatural showdown and some hefty hard choices.
Thank you Ballantine/ Penguin Random House and #NetGalley for the opportunity to read an early copy of this book. I really enjoyed it.
August 1, 2024
Thank you to PRH Audio for the copy, all thoughts are my own.
Haunting is absolutely the exact word I would use to describe this story. This story takes depression and post-partum to a new level, adding in supernatural entities into a familial line of cursed women. V Castro takes absolutely normal feelings in motherhood and adds in outside forces that amplify them. I wasn't prepared for the turn this took with the La Llorna story, but I'm not mad about it. Overall a good listen.
Alejandra has 3 children who she loves very much, but is constantly overwhelmed with. Her spouse is not a partner, and is no help. They moved away from her birth mother not long after she found her. But she needs help. She seeks out a therapist who might be able to help. Because she is seeing things. Things that shouldn't be there. Things that are telling her to do terrible things. And it's time she stood up to the things she is seeing.
Haunting is absolutely the exact word I would use to describe this story. This story takes depression and post-partum to a new level, adding in supernatural entities into a familial line of cursed women. V Castro takes absolutely normal feelings in motherhood and adds in outside forces that amplify them. I wasn't prepared for the turn this took with the La Llorna story, but I'm not mad about it. Overall a good listen.
Alejandra has 3 children who she loves very much, but is constantly overwhelmed with. Her spouse is not a partner, and is no help. They moved away from her birth mother not long after she found her. But she needs help. She seeks out a therapist who might be able to help. Because she is seeing things. Things that shouldn't be there. Things that are telling her to do terrible things. And it's time she stood up to the things she is seeing.
October 13, 2022
Thank you to NetGalley and Del Rey/Random House for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Please note that my review is based on an uncorrected proof version. The final version of this book may contain differences to what I mention in my review.
Beautiful cover, exciting and intriguing premise, but unfortunately it fell flat for me. In my opinion, the struggles this book had fell into two main categories: 1) dialogue, and 2) timeline/POV shifts. Without knowing how or if either of these items will evolve before the final print, here is where I stand on both points currently based on the copy I received.
The dialogue between characters throughout the entire book felt wooden and unnatural. Characters would say things that felt like forced exposition to spoon-feed information to the reader. Example- Oh we’re supposed to hate Alejandra’s husband? Let’s make him say the most obviously annoying and straightforwardly weaponized incompetence-y or condescending things. Characters also monologue about things in the weirdest moments, pouring out their thoughts and feelings in one shot rather than parsing the information out over a more natural conversation. Example- two children are just rescued from a raging river by an infertile couple who happen to be walking by. The wife decides to tell these *young* (10 and 4, I believe) children about their struggles with infertility and how she would like to care for them if they do not have any other family… before the kids have even had a chance to dry off and come to terms in the slightest with what just happened. Stilted dialogue and weird monologues galore.
Secondly, the timeline and POV shifts seemed all over the place. I wish it was more apparent why they were in that particular order. For context, throughout the book we are given perspectives from some of Alejandra’s ancestors about how they, too, were haunted the same way and how it affected their lives and choices. If I had it my way, we would have alternated between Alejandra’s POV and an ancestor’s POV every other chapter or so. Alejandra’s POV would be “present-day” and the Ancestors’ chapters would be in chronological order starting with the very earliest, or perhaps reverse chronology if the very first haunted ancestor would have explained the origin and been the final “twist” and explanation for the climax of the story. Instead we jump around to different time periods and different ancestors, and it becomes very difficult to pinpoint where in the timeline they fall or to really discern what their story has to contribute to Alejandra figuring the whole thing out. It would have been cool if each ancestor had a piece of the puzzle, and therefore by connecting with each of her ancestors, she gradually heals from some of the abandonment and adoption trauma she carries with her and learns of her ancestry. With the way it is structured, I really didn’t care about the stories of her ancestors. They didn’t provide any value to moving the story along other than padding the length.
I think this book has a lot of potential, but needs some polishing.
The Haunting of Alejandra is tentatively scheduled to be published in April 2023.
Please note that my review is based on an uncorrected proof version. The final version of this book may contain differences to what I mention in my review.
Beautiful cover, exciting and intriguing premise, but unfortunately it fell flat for me. In my opinion, the struggles this book had fell into two main categories: 1) dialogue, and 2) timeline/POV shifts. Without knowing how or if either of these items will evolve before the final print, here is where I stand on both points currently based on the copy I received.
The dialogue between characters throughout the entire book felt wooden and unnatural. Characters would say things that felt like forced exposition to spoon-feed information to the reader. Example- Oh we’re supposed to hate Alejandra’s husband? Let’s make him say the most obviously annoying and straightforwardly weaponized incompetence-y or condescending things. Characters also monologue about things in the weirdest moments, pouring out their thoughts and feelings in one shot rather than parsing the information out over a more natural conversation. Example- two children are just rescued from a raging river by an infertile couple who happen to be walking by. The wife decides to tell these *young* (10 and 4, I believe) children about their struggles with infertility and how she would like to care for them if they do not have any other family… before the kids have even had a chance to dry off and come to terms in the slightest with what just happened. Stilted dialogue and weird monologues galore.
Secondly, the timeline and POV shifts seemed all over the place. I wish it was more apparent why they were in that particular order. For context, throughout the book we are given perspectives from some of Alejandra’s ancestors about how they, too, were haunted the same way and how it affected their lives and choices. If I had it my way, we would have alternated between Alejandra’s POV and an ancestor’s POV every other chapter or so. Alejandra’s POV would be “present-day” and the Ancestors’ chapters would be in chronological order starting with the very earliest, or perhaps reverse chronology if the very first haunted ancestor would have explained the origin and been the final “twist” and explanation for the climax of the story. Instead we jump around to different time periods and different ancestors, and it becomes very difficult to pinpoint where in the timeline they fall or to really discern what their story has to contribute to Alejandra figuring the whole thing out. It would have been cool if each ancestor had a piece of the puzzle, and therefore by connecting with each of her ancestors, she gradually heals from some of the abandonment and adoption trauma she carries with her and learns of her ancestry. With the way it is structured, I really didn’t care about the stories of her ancestors. They didn’t provide any value to moving the story along other than padding the length.
I think this book has a lot of potential, but needs some polishing.
The Haunting of Alejandra is tentatively scheduled to be published in April 2023.
October 18, 2023
Readers should be warned this is a horror novel. At first it may not seem as such but by the end there is visceral, gory, graphic events that may make some queasy or uncomfortable.
For another woman this book could rank extremely high. It’s about the female legacy of generational trauma; and how as women we often tend to take on everything that our families suffered, we suffered and that future children may suffer.
I broke this particular strain many years ago. Being unable to carry a child to term, and choosing not to try, have surgery, or adopt; as a childless woman I believe I hold less guilt than many. I am not guilty of what the world will look like for my children; nor do I begrudge anyone for my sacrifices. I think for many women this is reality and so I see a very important place for The Haunting of Alejandra on many women’s shelves.
I loved the Mexican culture entwined into this story. Castro does a wonderful job of telling the story of La Llarona and instead of twisting it to her needs she creates something a bit different. Her use of the drowned woman who took her children with her in the river remains intact while still allowing Castro room to tell Alejandra’s story (along with all the women who came before).
My biggest critique of this novel is that it feels a little too strong on its hatred for men. Yes men kept women down (and in some cases continue to) but to hang every woman’s happiness on the man in her life seems a bit unfair. By the end we get a reprieve of this; but it felt a little too late for me. I can’t condone hating all men. As then my husband would not be the wonderful man he is. Nor would so many other men I have known over the years. Yes history is fraught with awful things and arranged marriages and a lack of purpose for women; but if we begrudge this too much and hang on too tight we won’t be able to break the cycle. I want to believe that we are gaining ground as women to make our own choices.
I would remiss to write a review and not mention the transgender representation here. It snuck up on me but felt like the perfect inclusion of how trapped someone can feel inside their own skin. In a way that is what this book is about, or can be for some. Finding yourself and being okay with that self that you find. This comparison and inclusion nearly pushes The Haunting of Alejandra to four stars for me; but alas I cannot ignore the lull I felt and desire to just reach the end by about three quarters of the way through.
All that said I do believe many people, especially women, will really connect with this book. Just because it wasn’t that for me doesn’t mean it won’t be that for you or others. And so while I give it only 3 stars I think if your identity feels far away, you feel trapped in life by marriage, circumstance or otherwise this is the perfect read for you. I hope everyone can find the strength to fight back their demons and be comfortable selecting their own path that gives them some happiness. It may not be perfect; as life never is, but at least it can be yours. The Haunting of Alejandra may help you see those choices and give hope to fight those demons.
For another woman this book could rank extremely high. It’s about the female legacy of generational trauma; and how as women we often tend to take on everything that our families suffered, we suffered and that future children may suffer.
I broke this particular strain many years ago. Being unable to carry a child to term, and choosing not to try, have surgery, or adopt; as a childless woman I believe I hold less guilt than many. I am not guilty of what the world will look like for my children; nor do I begrudge anyone for my sacrifices. I think for many women this is reality and so I see a very important place for The Haunting of Alejandra on many women’s shelves.
I loved the Mexican culture entwined into this story. Castro does a wonderful job of telling the story of La Llarona and instead of twisting it to her needs she creates something a bit different. Her use of the drowned woman who took her children with her in the river remains intact while still allowing Castro room to tell Alejandra’s story (along with all the women who came before).
My biggest critique of this novel is that it feels a little too strong on its hatred for men. Yes men kept women down (and in some cases continue to) but to hang every woman’s happiness on the man in her life seems a bit unfair. By the end we get a reprieve of this; but it felt a little too late for me. I can’t condone hating all men. As then my husband would not be the wonderful man he is. Nor would so many other men I have known over the years. Yes history is fraught with awful things and arranged marriages and a lack of purpose for women; but if we begrudge this too much and hang on too tight we won’t be able to break the cycle. I want to believe that we are gaining ground as women to make our own choices.
I would remiss to write a review and not mention the transgender representation here. It snuck up on me but felt like the perfect inclusion of how trapped someone can feel inside their own skin. In a way that is what this book is about, or can be for some. Finding yourself and being okay with that self that you find. This comparison and inclusion nearly pushes The Haunting of Alejandra to four stars for me; but alas I cannot ignore the lull I felt and desire to just reach the end by about three quarters of the way through.
All that said I do believe many people, especially women, will really connect with this book. Just because it wasn’t that for me doesn’t mean it won’t be that for you or others. And so while I give it only 3 stars I think if your identity feels far away, you feel trapped in life by marriage, circumstance or otherwise this is the perfect read for you. I hope everyone can find the strength to fight back their demons and be comfortable selecting their own path that gives them some happiness. It may not be perfect; as life never is, but at least it can be yours. The Haunting of Alejandra may help you see those choices and give hope to fight those demons.
September 4, 2023
This was such a creepy book!!! Alejandra is a mother and wife who must face a darkness that is rooted deep inside herself and her family. The writing is great and I could hardly put this one down!!
I was interested from the beginning when you hear of Alejandra’s family history. The entity haunting her family is spine chilling and I found that I started looking over my shoulder as I was reading. This is a very unique haunting as it seemed to come from inside rather than an outright haunting. Which I thought made it even scarier!
I recommend this to those who like a good chilling read with a lot of fight and creepy things all along the way.
Thanks so much to NetGalley for the opportunity to read this for my unbiased opinion.
I was interested from the beginning when you hear of Alejandra’s family history. The entity haunting her family is spine chilling and I found that I started looking over my shoulder as I was reading. This is a very unique haunting as it seemed to come from inside rather than an outright haunting. Which I thought made it even scarier!
I recommend this to those who like a good chilling read with a lot of fight and creepy things all along the way.
Thanks so much to NetGalley for the opportunity to read this for my unbiased opinion.
January 9, 2023
STAR review in the January 2023 issue of LJ: https://raforall.blogspot.com/2023/01...
Three Words That Describe This Book: utterly terrifying, generational trauma, engrossing
Draft review:
Alejandra has just moved with her husband and three children from Texas to Philadelphia only months after finally connecting with her birth mother, Cathy. Overwhelmed, lonely, and paralyzed by suicidal thoughts which are manifesting as violent and disquieting visions that seems too real to be only in her head, Alejandra is barely getting through each day. Told mostly from Alejandra’s point of view in the novel’s “present,” and enhanced by well placed and clearly marked flashbacks beginning in 1522 and moving forward in time, readers follow Alejandra and her ancestors,watching helpless as a demon stalks the women of this family for centuries, actively feeding off of and infecting the each generation of women. Using the Mexican horror folklore of La Llorona as a frame and expertly updating it for a modern audience, this is a story of generational trauma, colonization, systemic oppression, and the horror at the heart of motherhood. Utterly terrifying and wholly immersive, readers will be wowed by this confident, unflinching, and powerful tale of a woman reclaiming her power, actively fighting to save both herself and the countless women who will come after her.
Verdict: Castro’s Big 5 debut will bring her critically acclaimed, unflinchingly honest, sensual, and raw horror to a larger audience. Suggest far and wide to fans of unapologetically feminist, thought-provoking, and engrossing horror that gives voice to the voiceless such as works by Carmen Maria Machado or Gwendloyn Kiste.
Three Words That Describe This Book: utterly terrifying, generational trauma, engrossing
Draft review:
Alejandra has just moved with her husband and three children from Texas to Philadelphia only months after finally connecting with her birth mother, Cathy. Overwhelmed, lonely, and paralyzed by suicidal thoughts which are manifesting as violent and disquieting visions that seems too real to be only in her head, Alejandra is barely getting through each day. Told mostly from Alejandra’s point of view in the novel’s “present,” and enhanced by well placed and clearly marked flashbacks beginning in 1522 and moving forward in time, readers follow Alejandra and her ancestors,watching helpless as a demon stalks the women of this family for centuries, actively feeding off of and infecting the each generation of women. Using the Mexican horror folklore of La Llorona as a frame and expertly updating it for a modern audience, this is a story of generational trauma, colonization, systemic oppression, and the horror at the heart of motherhood. Utterly terrifying and wholly immersive, readers will be wowed by this confident, unflinching, and powerful tale of a woman reclaiming her power, actively fighting to save both herself and the countless women who will come after her.
Verdict: Castro’s Big 5 debut will bring her critically acclaimed, unflinchingly honest, sensual, and raw horror to a larger audience. Suggest far and wide to fans of unapologetically feminist, thought-provoking, and engrossing horror that gives voice to the voiceless such as works by Carmen Maria Machado or Gwendloyn Kiste.
April 18, 2023
a multigenerational curse haunts the women of alejandra’s family. depressed and bored after her third child, alejandra starts to wonder is she just has postpartum or if there is something more. what follows next explores intergenerational female trauma in the form of creatures and ghosts who are hellbent on feeding off of family bloodlines. very interesting, very quick paced, and a (predictable yet) satisfying ending. what great representation for latinx horror!
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