Thank you to Penguin for providing me with and ARC. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Overall, I felt like this book was okay. There were some points where it felt slow and seemed to drag on. The scary part of this book for me was the depiction of being a mother. I really enjoyed the Mexican Folklore that Castro includes in her books. I grew up listening to my grandma tell me some of these stories. The way Castro weaves folklore in a new and modern way is wonderful. Castro has a talent for getting you to deeply care about her characters.

While I love scary movies, I often struggle with the horror genre of books. It takes genuinely good writing to make a story feel scary. That being said, this book does it. The character development is so wonderfully done that there is a very real understanding of Alejandra’s fear, along with empathy for how much she loves her children and desires an escape from what is bothering her. I really love the narration of how she found her strength by talking to Melody (the therapist) and connecting with her ancestors, alive and dead. I also love how ancestral stories were woven into the narrative.

Overall, a very good read. There were parts that were a bit strange (I won’t get into it because I don’t want to spoil anything), but it definitely kept my interest and I enjoyed it.

The Haunting of Alejandra was such a creepy and atmospheric horror novel that I could not put down. There is a lot going on here and I loved just about every second of it. A mother to three (though you could argue her husband is basically a fourth), Alejandra suffers from dark thoughts. Soon she begins to be haunted by La Llorona, the ghost of a woman who killed her children. As Alejandra struggles to figure out why La Llorona is haunting her, she begins to learn more about her ancestors and the curse that seems to follow their bloodline.

While I never felt truly scared, I was often unsettled by the grotesque imagery. This is the second or third book I've read by V Castro and she does a really great job of making your skin crawl. The descriptions of the creature and the gore she unleashes was pretty disgusting. I loved retellings of Mexican folklore and mythology, so I loved V Castro's take on the legend of La Llorona. She truly made it something original.

One of my favorite things about this novel was the strength that Alejandra finds within herself and the power to take ownership over her own happiness. I was legitimately angry every time Matthew came on the page and that's how you know an author has made you care about her characters. There is a lot of discussion about postpartum depression and the loneliness mothers can feel, something that isn't talked about nearly enough. That was such an important part of this story.

Finally, the cover is beautiful!
Thank you to NetGalley and Del Rey for a review copy.

This was such a gripping read and had me hooked from the beginning. The author did a phenomenal job of setting an eerie atmosphere.

This story follows a mother of three who is struggling with her reason for living, and doesn't get support from her husband.

If you enjoy creepy stories with some folklore, I would definitely check this one out!

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an E-ARC of this novel.

Alejandra is a mid-30s mother with 3 young children ages 9, 4 and 18 months. She's exhausted. She feels unappreciated. She questions whether her children love her and what she feels towards them. She's also in an unloving marriage.

The beginning portion of this book really left me feeling down. Alejandra seems to be in a downward spiral of depression and possible postpardum that it brought me back 21 years ago after having my twins. There are constant references to her being a bad person and a bad mom. She has never ending self doubt and near constant self condemnation.

We learn that all of her feelings and emotions come from a long line of women in her family that experienced La Llorona. I really loved the dive into the indigenous people that inhabited southern North America (now Mexico) and ugly parts of Colonization by the Spanish conquistadors. The references to the strength of the women and Dia De Los Muertos was wonderful.

I won't go into spoilers but V. Castro eventually brought strength and wellness to the character of Alejandra. She takes action and responsibility for her mental health. It came at the right time because the overall running negativity of self beratement was getting to me.

The only areas of the book that didn't worth for me were continued introductions of previous, female family members in Alejandra's maternal lineage. I finally had to pencil in a family tree to keep the characters straight. One reference to the indigenous family member who started the chain would've been sufficient along with Alejandra's mother, grandmother and great-grandmother. Any additional family members were unnecessary. 3.75 stars rounded up

The Haunting of Alejandra is a chilling and atmospheric novel by V. Castro that explores the Mexican folktale of La Llorona. The story follows Alejandra, a young woman who is haunted by the ghost of a woman who drowned her children. As Alejandra tries to uncover the truth about the ghost, she begins to unravel the dark secrets of her own family.

Castro's writing is vivid and suspenseful, and she does a masterful job of weaving together the past and the present. The Haunting of Alejandra is a haunting and unforgettable novel that will stay with you long after you finish reading it.

Here are some of the things I liked about the book:

The writing is vivid and suspenseful.
Castro does a masterful job of weaving together the past and the present.
The story is haunting and unforgettable.

I was extremely excited to be granted access to an ARC of this book. It is the story of Alejandra; a woman who is unfulfilled in her marriage, dissatisfied with the path her life has taken, and having thoughts of harming herself and her children. Did I mention she was also battling the multi generational curse of a demon type creature posing as La Llorona? Oh, I had high, high hopes for this book. Unfortunately, I did feel it fell short of my expectations

Let's start with what I liked. The idea for the novel is gripping. I love the thought behind the synopsis. I'm all for spooky, boogeyman type folklore. The added lines of her ancestry and the different histories were a point of interest for me. I enjoyed reading the stories of the women who formed her past. I also felt the author was able to give us some truly horrifying imagery at times. It was definitely more graphic than I was anticipating, and I did cringe a time or two.

What kept me from loving this book was the feel of disconnected storytelling. It was almost as if I was reading different books just randomly thrown together. Is it a story of multi generational trauma? Is it a horror novel about the haunting of a woman? Yes, it could be both, but for some reason, I felt there was an error in execution and it just didn't meld well. They came across as two very separate themes that were disjointed in coming together. I also found the dialogue was off. Unnatural. I didn't buy it. I would have to lump the streams of inner dialogue in with that as well. That at times, was actual work to get through. In all honesty? Painful. Alejandra was not a likeable character for me, and try as I might, I just couldn't invest in her.

Final thoughts? This book has so much potential; however, I would be hesitant to recommend. Not exactly my cup of tea but a little revision could go a long way. Read at your own risk.

V Castro is an auto-buy author for me ever since I read Goddess of Filth. Her blend of feminism, Mexican lore, and horror combine together to make a truly magical read. This novel takes on a generational curse that has been passed on through a family’s bloodline since the days when the Conquistadors invaded Mexico. This book shows us different women from a modern woman’s ancestry who have all had to deal with this curse in their own way. Will Alejandra be able to break this curse or will she inevitably pass it down to her daughters?
This is another powerful work from V Castro. She is a true goddess of horror and I highly recommend this book (as well as her others) to anyone who loves strong female characters and horror legends. Another 5 star read!

Alejandra's adoptive family and upbringing was a bit cringeworthy in how it was presented, and Alejandra's clearcut rejection of her family didn't seem to fit.
I was moved, I was creeped out, I was scared for Alejandra and her children in some parts but of course it's a thriller soooo lol.
This is definitely a book one has to go prepared in before reading. Heavy of mental health thoughts of harm etc.
There were so many emotions that I felt while reading this that I don’t even know what to say… There were so many things that I connected with that made reading this book that much better for me…


I would say to be mindful of the trigger warnings that the author mentioned before reading this book

Nonetheless it was an enjoyable read

Rating 3.5

Thank you netgalley for the ARC

The Haunting of Alejandra is a beautifully messy tale of feminist horror. Generational trauma, misogyny, and the tribulations of motherhood coalesce with a vengeful Mexican folk demon, La llorona, to spin a chilling tale of women haunted over centuries by a familial curse. As much a critique of what it has meant to be a woman, and one of Mexican ancestry living the changing world over time, The Haunting of Alejandra evokes some pretty heavy visceral reactions. How is a mother's love formed? What if a mother does not love her children? How can one love another if one does not love oneself? What are the horrors that live within ourselves?

There were some aspects of the story that didn't work as well. Alejandra's adoptive family and upbringing was a bit cringeworthy in how it was presented, and Alejandra's clearcut rejection of her family didn't seem to fit. I would have appreciated more of a focus on a woman who had grown up in an ethnically different family seeking to connect with her ethnic heritage rather than criticism of her family just for being who they were... or at least more detail about why she seemed to hate and reject her family specifically.

3.5 stars for the reading experience but rounded up to 4 stars due to the unique incorporation of folklore and feminist discourse.

Thank you to #NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine, Del Rey for the opportunity to read and review this ARC.

Thanks to Random House and Netgalley for a free copy of The Haunting of Alejandra.

This book is heavily focused on generational trauma, depression, anxiety, and the hardships of being a wife and mother. I believe, therefore, that women who are also wives and mothers will be the ones to get the most out of this reading experience. I felt that this book was very relatable and I loved that generations of women banded together in solidarity in order to defeat the demon. Although I do wish the evil entity in this book had fought back a little harder and wasn't so easily defeated. All in all, a great read. I love the folk lore of La Llorona.

"Women with nothing to lose are dangerous" - this line summed up for me how I felt about this book!

The Haunting of Alejandra is a story of generations of a women who are hurt, lost and damaged. Alejandra deals with the frustration of being stuck in a loveless marriage with children that she doesn't know how to love because she's never been loved properly... now Alejandra is being haunted by La Llorona. Come to find out, this is a curse leading back through generations of the women in Alejandra's family. She has to do the work to help herself and break this curse once and for all.

I would love to see a movie adaptation of this because this story gave me all of the spooky, scary vibes. The descriptions of the creature and even the peek into its thoughts upped the fear factor. I was rooting for Alejandra and loved that the mom and other ancestors were included to give more backstory. Great plot, build-up and the ending didn't feel rushed.

Highly recommend -> 4.5 stars!

This book hit me like a gut punch. I’m telling you, my reaction to the first act of this book was visceral. I don’t normally find books hard to read, but I related so much to Alejandra as a mother who feels so isolated and lonely in her marriage and in motherhood that I was absolutely transfixed by this book despite how much it was making my heart hurt. I knew I had to keep reading, not just for Alejandra and her story, but for my own sake. I needed to see this story through.

I’m so glad I did. Books about generational trauma, no matter the culture (in this book it’s Mexican) are not only some of my favorite books to read but I feel like they are some of the most important books I read. They’ve become even more important as scientists discover more and more how different generational traumas (one example is poverty) can affect our DNA, truly passing the trauma down, right into our very genetic makeup. But besides the science, generational trauma is a real thing, and it can be a dangerous thing. My whole maternal line is full of generational trauma, much like Alejandra. Granted, mine doesn’t come with La Llarona, but it does come with mental illness, a need to please people, and a ton of built-in guilt, but what can you do?

This book is told non-linearly and from multiple POVs. It’s easy to see the rhyme and reason in taking this approach when you’re reading the book, and when Castro switches POV it’s only for a very short time. And when the timeline shifts, it’s always into the past to serve both as exposition and to show how the generational trauma has presented itself before in Alejandra’s maternal line.

I think this book may be a little divisive if you haven’t had kids or if generational trauma isn’t something that resonates with you for some reason. (Please note I said “may be”--not “will be”). We all know there are people in the developed world who know nothing but privilege. This book may not ring as true with those who have never known hardship.

The prose is spooky, ethereal, evocative, and emotionally moving. “La Llarona” itself is spectacularly ghoulish and demonic in how it is described, how it speaks, and in how Castro both explains the character and its motivations in the specter’s inner narrative. It was absolutely nice to actually find an antagonist to be creepy instead of just mildly freaky.

I was moved, I was creeped out, I was scared for Alejandra and her children, and I loved every single minute of reading this brilliant book. It’s a great read.

I was provided a copy of the title by NetGalley and the author. All opinions, views, ideas, and thoughts expressed herein are mine and mine alone. Thank you.

File Under: 5 Star Read/Gothic/Women’s Fiction/Folklore Retelling/Folk Horror/Ghost Story/Historical Fiction/OwnVoices/Psychological Fiction

Wow just WOW!
I can’t tell you how many times I was sitting here is pure shock with some of the chilling descriptions in this book. Whether it was of some creep entity or the chill of pure depression and mental health descriptors.
I legit found myself is such admiration for the author in the way she told this story.

Seeing as a woman has so many haunted thoughts even as you find out more about this story.
This is definitely a book one has to go prepared in before reading. Heavy of mental health thoughts of harm etc.
nonetheless this story regarding generational trauma not only physically but mentally! That to me was so interesting. I loved read all the different perspectives from all generations. Also the pov from said entity in this book.

As someone that comes from a Hispanic household this book hit so many crazy targets. By this I mean the story regarding “la llorona”
As a kid I heard many stories like this and it just seeped into my bones as this author described characteristics and the sheer similarities.

Not only was it such a vision. She also really got into all dynamics of a family, though this is haunting it really highlighted on more trauma. Cheating, self harm thoughts, child abandonment, horrible husbands etc. this was legit a story I can’t wait to share.

If you have thoughts about reading this. I believe your is will be blown with the description and chilling aspects of this story.

The Haunting of Alejandra was a tough book for me to rate. There some elements that I really loved and several that I wasn't a big fan of. The thing that first drew me into the story was the Mexican folklore and the setting of Texas. I love reading stories set in my home state and the inclusion of Mexican and Mexican American culture is an added bonus. Another aspect that drew me to this book was that the author was Latina that writes books in the horror genre. It's encouraging to see more authors like this being published.

what i did like

Alejandra's journey of learning about her matrilineal family history gripped my interest. She was given up for adoption when she was born, and grew up with knowing anything about her family or Mexican culture. It wasn't until Alejandra was a grown woman with a family that she found her mother and started building a relationship with her. I was intrigued by the role that her mother played in this book.

There are several chapters that tell the experiences of past women in Alejandra's family. Many of them went through similar struggles of dealing with marriage and motherhood despite being in different time periods and locations. It made me think alot about the women in my own family and their experiences. After I finished the book, I had some insightful conversations with my mom about her life and what she remembered about my grandmother when she was growing up. We discussed love, marriage, children, and mental health. It also lead to us talking about my current experiences and feelings.

Another element in the Haunting of Alejandra that I liked was the exploration of motherhood and mental health. In modern times, society understands more about postpartum depression and the overall well being of mothers. The internet and social media plays a pivotal role in disseminating information about it. Women are sharing more of what they feel with others. After I had my baby, it was comforting to know that other mothers were going through what I was feeling.

It's encouraging to see a mother's mental health reflected in a book and I hope to see more of it in the future. There are also not many fiction books that have characters of women with young children. There is a definite need for that in today's market. I loved that Alejandra's character had three kids with different ages. I could relate to so much of what she was thinking, feeling, and experiencing while caring for her children.

what i didn't like

Even though I was interested in the horror aspect in the beginning, it just didn't interest me as I read through The Haunting of Alejandra. There were several creepy parts and I appreciated that it wasn't too scary for me. However, there was a repetitiveness to the creature's descriptions and actions that got tiring. The were also sections from the creature's point of view that I thought were unnecessary. They didn't add much value to the story and there are already chapters following at least 5 other characters.

Alejandra's husband, Mathew, was a character that I would have liked to know more about. A big part of Alejandra's struggle was with her relationship with him and the misogynistic way he treated her. Unfortunately the depiction of this was underdeveloped. He just pops in and out of scenes with a bit of gaslighting dialogue. I would have preferred for the book to focus on him as the main antagonist instead of having La Llorona in the story.

Final thoughts

I came across this article with the author discussing her influences in writing the book and it allowed me to examine the book in alternate ways. Despite my opinions on the horror aspects, there is much to appreciate in The Haunting of Alejandra. The elements of learning family history, the hardships of motherhood, and the importance of mental health are worthy topics to contemplate.

A haunting tale that I was devouring like a starved man! It may not be halloween, but that doesn't mean you shouldn't treat yourself to this story.

As a brown Mexican immigrant mother of three
this review will be as own voices as it gets, because let me tell you @vlatinalondon wrote this book para nosotras.

Alejandra can't cope with the pressures of motherhood that are placed on women by society. A patriarchal society so accurately represented by her husband Matt, who takes her for granted and underestimates her worth. Her struggle with depression and thoughts that say she's a bad mother and the world would be better off, are manifested into the infamous bad mother of Mexican folklore, La Llorona.

To break the curse of La Llorona, Alejandra must heal herself. She seeks help from a therapist who embraces curanderismo and her healing journey begins when she calls out to the women of her bloodline. The theme of motherhood and the pressure of gender roles that often expect women to prioritize motherhood over self and how it can create a sense of loss of identity, is so masterfully combined with the sense of loss that results from colonization and the expectation that Latinx people and immigrants must assimilate to be accepted. Alejandra's healing journey, in which she must break the cycle of generational trauma by reclaiming her roots and shedding gendered expectations is a great reminder to women, especially mothers, that self-love is an act of courage and it empowers our future niñas to never be defined by the expectation of others. So to my beautiful brown mamis who have ever felt alone, and have mourned a piece of yourselves this book is for you!

Thank you @hearourvoicestours for the physical ARC and @netgalley for the digital copy in exchange for honest review. I devoured this overnight, I regret nothing!

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!

Alejandra has three children and a husband who feels l8ke a fourth. She is struggling to be happy every day and can't help but wonder if it would be better if she wasn't around. Meanwhile a haunting figure keeps showing up that makes her wonder if LA Llorana is haunting her. This book is a slow cooling build on generational trauma both seen and unseen. It looks at the struggles of motherhood and self worth. It was an exquisite read that I kept wanting to return to as quickly as possible. Highly recommend reading this one!

I’m not even sure how to eloquently put my thoughts into words to describe just how cathartic of an experience reading this book was for me. There are many literary heroes and heroines that people identify with, but as much as I like some of them, I could never claim that life changing connection with a character - until now.

While listening to the chapters describing Alejandra and her feelings/thoughts/struggles/fears, I found myself nodding along and thinking to myself: she is me and I am her. I had a visceral reaction to these chapters. I often struggled with the same demons of motherhood and being a woman in a man’s world. Alejandra’s experiences were very familiar to me (well, minus the La Llorona haunting part, as I can thankfully say, I have never seen a woman dressed in white with skin peeling off her bones trying to get me to hurt myself, phew, right?).

I am in total awe of V. Castro’s ability to flesh out characters with such profound honesty, rawness and accuracy. If people ask me now which literary character I identify with, I can say without hesitation it’s Alejandra.

The Haunting of Alejandra is, of course, a horror story. An atmospheric, cinematic, beautifully rendered and gloriously creepy horror story. But it’s also more than that. La Llorona isn’t the only demon the characters have to face in this book, and she isn’t even the worst one. The most terrifying demons are the ones we’re battling with on the inside, day after day. And I have to say, I really loved reading about La Llorona origin’s story and the very human spin Victoria put on it. This book will not only scare you and raise hair on the back of your neck, it will also make you profoundly sad and ultimately hopeful. I officially found my favorite book of the year thus far.