"Piñata" by Leopoldo Gout is a possession story that stands out in the genre. The narrative follows single mother Carmen and her two daughters during a work trip to Mexico, where Carmen is overseeing the renovation of an old church. Rich descriptions of Mexican and Aztec lore infuse this horror novel with an eerie ambiance, featuring creepy history, unsettling insects, and eerie children that will keep you reading with the lights on.

It's been a while since a book has given me the creeps to the point where I had to pause reading at night. The story weaves a tapestry of history, lore, and religion into its pages, immersing the reader in a world that feels vividly alive. The writing, while not overly descriptive, strikes the right balance, making the setting come alive. Furthermore, the novel seamlessly incorporates themes of colonialism and social commentary against the backdrop of Mexico, providing an engaging layer of depth. For history enthusiasts, the meticulous attention to detail in the book is a real treat.

"Piñata" is a slow-burning narrative that gradually builds tension until it reaches spine-tingling heights. Multiple perspectives add depth and dimension to the story. Carmen, in particular, is a compelling protagonist, grappling with the inner conflict of whether her decisions are in the best interest of her children. This inner struggle resonates, and the addition of possession amplifies the complexity, making her character relatable despite the supernatural elements.

While I hadn't read anything by this author before, I was impressed by the writing. The overall execution of the story is well-crafted, delivering an engaging and memorable reading experience.

Piñata overall felt like it was meant more for the screen than the pages of a book. With that said, it was still an engaging book looking into the continuing horrors of colonialism. Yet it did still leave a lot to be desired and explored.

We meet the Sanchez family first on a trip to Mexico as the mom goes to work on an Abbey that played a past role in the colonization of the country.

The first half of the book drags on to set the scenes for the second half. We learn a little bit about the Nahua and their history tied to the land. The daughter of the family is at risk for being possessed and it's clear this will happen at ome point but it isn't really until the last 50 pages that something does. The book is pitched as "Mexican Gothic meets..." but lacks the atmosphere that Mexican Gothic builds.

Either way I had a lot of fun reading the book and appreciated its insights. I wanted to learn more as I read and wish it took the time to delve into more but oh well.

The best Mexican lore horror novel I've ever read, right next to Mexican Gothic..

I love a creepy and dark possession story, and I got what I was looking for with this one.

Possession, weird relics, darkness, and death. It's got it all.

Not only were the characters incredibly real and relatable, but the entire story was a learning experience for me learning about a different culture. I absolutely loved the switching timelines that kept things interesting and exciting. This is almost a historical horror, and I loved every minute.

I was so excited to be able to get a copy of this book before release day. I had seen a lot of hype and I think it didn't fully lived up to the expectations but it was a great read. I love the indigenous representation for the Hispanic community. I don't see it often and less in English. I loved the characters specially Luna, she has my heart. Im team ignore any spooky activity and I loved to see where that gets you here. It is a slower start and then the end packs a punch. I think It does a good job and getting you to care and then scaring you to your core. you might want to look at trigger warmings. Overall, I would recommend this book to anyone with patience and a not fragile stomach.

Carmen Sanchez accepts a job overseeing the renovation of an old church near her hometown in Mexico. She sees this as the perfect opportunity to have her two daughters, Izel and Luna visit their home country and experience the culture. Soon after her arrival, Carmen begins to feel the hardships of being a woman running a construction site in the midst of men who don't trust her. The city is also more dangerous than she thought and Carmen feels bad for leaving Izel and Luna on their own all day. After an accident on the construction site that nearly injures Luna and opens up a part of the church with lost relics, Carmen and the girls head back to New York. However, while in Mexico, Carmen was warned of an evil that has attached to Luna and it seems that it might have followed her back to New York.

From the prologue, I was drawn into Pinata with the revenge of the Nahuas god and a culture that may not be as lost and forgotten as many believe. The story is very character driven and Carmen's character is very well done. I enjoyed her complexity and multiple viewpoints; she is a single mother, a Mexican woman, an immigrant and works in a male dominated field. Carmen was very aware of her position and the very real dangers that could be in front of her. The paranormal danger snuck in and built gradually throughout the story in a way that I wasn't quite sure if it was threatening or just a resurgence of what once was. Through the glimpses into the past, I did like learning about the Nahua culture, food and practices. There was horror built into the very real decimation of the culture by the Conquistadors as well as the story of the spirit that attached itself to Carmen's daughter. A gruesome and satisfying ending rounds out an intriguing novel of ancient retribution.

This book was received for free in return for an honest review.

An absolute incredible gripping and haunting story. Gout draws you in INSTANTLY as he lays out the dark and forgotten history of piñatas and their relationship with the colonization of Mexico and how it all ends up affecting the lives of a small cast of characters in the present day, Carmen, Luna, Izel, Yoltzi, Quauhtli, and Father Verón.

This book, much like V. Castro’s Goddess of Filth, is possession horror at its FINEST layered with a beautiful and rich indigenous history lesson that will make your heart weep.

Educational, heartfelt, and horrifying. I was holding my breath until the very end.

I loved this book! It took me some time to get into it, BUT it was very fast-paced, and addictive. You find historical trauma, battle between good and evil, revenge against systemic violence.. It was great, with a strong atmosphere of dread. Highly recommend.

Thanks NetGalley for the ARC of Piñata by Leopoldo Gout. I was drawn to the gorgeous cover, and pleased to find a historical, Mexican, possession novel that was out of the ordinary.
I enjoy history in my horror novels and this one taught me about the indigenous Nahua people of Mexico, which I had known very little about before. The plot follows Carmen, a Mexican-American woman returning to Mexico to renovate an old church that has a history of erasing and condemning the indigenous Nahua people. When an artifact is unleashed, a spirit goes after one of Carmen's daughters. All the characters must work together to save her.
I didn't find the book very scary for me, but I still enjoyed the scary scenes. It also felt a bit too long and drawn out in places, so it took me a little longer to finish. It's not perfect, but definitely a good read for those who like history and horror.

There's a lot I really enjoyed about this horror novel. The horror elements are in conversation with Mexico's history of colonization and oppression of its indigenous people in a way that feels fresh and necessary. There are also a number of great folklore elements to this story. All that being said, the pacing of this novel was a little off, and I think it would've served the story well to have a longer epilogue. Anyways, I recommend it!

Beautiful artwork and a terrifying and unique story that left me on the edge of my seat. I read this is one sitting - I couldn’t put it down. You have to be able to go with the flow for it and accept the crazy ride that it is. I thought it was great!

I ended up DNFing this book because of the pacing. It has a really great concept and I think I’m going to try it again when the weather is cooler and I may be more receptive to a slower, dread horror kings of vibe. 3 stars until I decide if I actually like it, but is def has potential!

This started off a little rocky for me but it really picked up around the 40% mark. I don't think I've ever read anything like this. I recently read Ghost Radio and Pinata just secured Gout's place as a favorite of mine.

Thanks to NetGalley for the arc!! I've been champing at the bit to read this but unfortunately it's not for me. The cover art is gorgeous and the Mexican folklore is really entrancing and unique in a horror story. But my goodness it is a slog to get through I'm sad to say. I'm at the 66% mark but I think I'm going to throw in the towel on this one.

There were some great horror elements in this book. I enjoyed the atmosphere at times as well. My biggest issue is the pacing, it was a really slow burn in my opinion. As a result I put it down several times to read something else before picking it back up. I'm glad that I finished the book because it is well written, it just didn't grab my attention like I had hoped.
The cover on this book is amazing! I plan to buy a copy just to display it on my bookshelves.

They were worshiped by our ancestors.
Now they are forgotten.
Soon, they’ll make us remember.
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Carmen's daughters accompany her to Mexico while she's assists in the reconstruction of an old church. During the process, an artifact is discovered within the depths of the church, which now seeks revenge on the living, those of which no longer remember the cultural history of the Nahua (aztec) people who came before them.

A consuming possession novel based on deep Mexican heritage and strong historical injustices contributed to by catholicism and Spanish Conquistadors.

This sinister story, releases a feeling of dread and heartache for those impacted by such strange godlike forces outside of their control. The imagery the author uses, from clacking seashells, hanging skin, obsidian blackness and the terror the characters feel in the presence of such a scornful spirit was everything as parts of this story genuinely creeped under my skin.

An author to watch out for as I know I'll be flocking to the store to grab the next novel he writes whatever it may be!

Oh, how I loved this book! There was so much to unpack! Folklore, a haunting, La Llorona, but also family, friendships, love, hate, and so many things. I loved the creepiness, but also how hard Carmen fights for her family no matter what it takes from her. This is one of the best books I've read this year!

The cover of the book was what caught my attention. As I started to read it it got more suspenseful and exciting. I enjoyed it.

I DNFed at about 50%. It was a bit slow, and even getting through that much was difficult. I'm absolutely certain that some people will love this book, but it simply was not for me.

This is SLLLLLLOOOOOOOOOOWWWWWWWWWW to the grit, if you will. I don't enjoy slow burn as I want to immediately lit on fire from the start. I found it an intriguing introduction and was interested in the story but I felt like we weren't getting to the point and I found myself struggling to push through. I found that for me the reveal was not worth the excruciatingly slow build but was over all a good story, Leopoldo is on my radar this one may not have been my cup of tea but that doesn't mean It won't be yours or the next one won't be.

I’ve been really mood reading the past 2 months and it’s led me to some good reads like this one. This is a horror story about ancient Mayan curses being released that can bring about the next apocalypse. This story is about Carmen and her two daughters Luna and Izel. Carmen gets a summer job in Mexico remodeling an old church and converting it to a hotel. So you get like a fixer upper story element which I tend to enjoy a lot in books and even video games. Carmen brings her daughters along and they discover an old relic that Luna ends up keeping and accidentally unleashes something sinister. I listened to the audio narration of this and I think that was the way to do it. The narrator had great pacing and added a lot of emotion to the storytelling which helped, it is a very slow burn story. It also helped to actually hear the names and places and objects pronounced as they are supposed to. Did I love this book, was it perfect? No but I found it really satisfying after I finished. There are some horrifying and descriptive scenes but I think this novel rises above just gore and thrills by bringing a story filled with history.
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