Thanks NetGalley and Tor Publishing Group for access to this creepy arc!

3.5 rounded up to 4/5 Stars!

This was a slow paced but good horror novel. It was the first book I've read by Leopoldo Gout, but it definitely won't be the last. The atmosphere was good and the family aspects with Carmen and her daughters were well rounded. Some things did get repetitive, but I was still entertained.

"Piñata" is a horror story where the past is violently forcing itself on the present, but in a way that centers colonization and its deeply traumatizing effects. The story has its roots in Indigenous Mexican beliefs and stories, in particular those of the Nahuatl people, who are indigenous to the construction site where all of this begins.

I can’t speak to how that’s represented, specifically, but I can say that I really appreciate those thematic conversations happening in this story, because so much of Mexican culture—like many colonial cultures—is based in Indigenous beliefs, cultures, foods, and even languages. So it makes a lot of thematic sense to have the conflict of the story stem from the disrespect and erasure of those roots.

The understanding of how modern Mexican culture takes so much of its trademark influences directly from Indigenous cultures is a fundamental part of what makes this story so impactful, especially since our main character, Carmen, is Mexican herself. She was born in Mexico, she speaks the language fluently, and is familiar with the landscape. But in this specific instance, she is acting on behalf of the colonizer to reshape and commercialize this land, even though she may not be the person who created this project.

I think that speaks to the ignorance so many of us can have when establishing ownership of our culture. We thinking being “of” a place makes us an authority and means that we can do no wrong in relation to that place, but often we can be implicit in enacting colonial violence against ourselves, even just by being willfully ignorant. In some ways, this story uses horror to show how that ignorance can be dangerous.

So even though the past is violently making itself known in this contemporary landscape, it feels different from your typical haunting, because in most stories about being haunted, there’s a clear moral divide between the undead and the haunted. Which is to say that when you see the evil force manifesting in the material world, it feels wrong, and you’re hoping for the hero to either root out or escape that wrongness. In this instance, while the haunting force is absolutely unsettling and disturbing, it’s really about how the past will not and should not be forgotten—which is both a threat and a promise. So it’s a very subtle difference, but a difference nonetheless.

As I was reading this, I didn’t necessarily need Carmen to triumph over this malleable force, but rather I was increasingly desperate for her to accept it, to name it, see it for what it is, understand where it comes from and why.

The other thing I can credit Leopoldo Gout for is his cinematic eye when it comes to storytelling. He’s actually worked a bit in the TV and film industry as a producer, writer, and director, and I think you can definitely tell in his written work, because it hits a lot of similar visual beats and maintains that sense of dramatic pay-off.

All of that said, I think this story definitely had its drawbacks. Most noticeably, I think it’s much longer than it needs to be. The story definitely drags at some points, it can get a bit info-dumpy in clumsy ways, and the final act is structured in such a way where it almost feels like the main plot isn’t the central focus. I think it definitely could have been a bit tighter to better deliver the intended impact.

The other thing I’m a bit hesitant about is that I’m not confident this story does its Indigenous roots justice, specifically given the resolution of this story. Again, it’s not my place to comment on the authenticity of the story, the inspiration, the history explored here, so I’m not going to. I also don’t know the author’s stake in using those elements, which is not my business. But I’m also not fully convinced about the conclusions this story draws.

As I said, this story discusses colonization and colonial trauma a great deal, but I’m not sure if it fully reckons with the Sanchez family’s participation in those systems. The horrible things that happen in this story literally happen because one of them steals something that does not belong to them, and I don’t feel like the story reckons with that contradiction, especially as the peoples directly harmed by that choice are the same ones who are then tasked with saving the family from that curse.

So I’m kind of torn about this one. There’s really great ideas and conversations going on here. The story undoubtedly excels in showcasing vividly intense horror imagery and sequences that will stay with you long after the story ends. But those questionable aspects ultimately made me land on giving this three stars.

Piñata is about a Mexican American woman named Carmen. She has traveled to Mexico on a work trip where she is overseeing the renovation of an extremely old cathedral. She’s brought her two daughters, Izel and Luna, to Mexico with her. When Carmen and her daughters return to the US Carmen and Izel notice strange changes in Luna’s behavior and start to suspect that a dark presence has followed them home.

I don’t think that this is a bad book. I think that it really really isn’t for me. I don’t like books that have “an ancient presence from thousands of years ago has returned to haunt us all” as a plot. I don’t like when horror stories have a *super special* character who’s so sensitive and vulnerable that they’re connected to the spiritual world and it’s easy for spirits to possesses them, and that’s Luna’s entire purpose in this story. I don’t like stories where someone who is super knowledgeable on spiritual things for some reason tries to warn people of an ancient presence that’s threatening their safety, and there’s a pretty important character in this book who does that (and it rubs me the wrong way that that character was an indigenous woman. It felt very stereotypical).

I thought the writing in Piñata felt distant, dry, and slow. I don’t like when horror stories have a slow pace. And I thought the characters were all unlikable. Izel and Luna in particular were very annoying to me. It’s hard to care about what happens to annoying characters.

Again, I don’t really think this is a bad book. I think some other people will enjoy it. It’s just packed with things that I personally dislike. I can’t think of anything I liked, so I can’t say I recommend it. I gave it a second star because I really like that I learned a lot about Mexican history, but I didn’t enjoy my time reading Piñata at all.

Where do I begin to explain my love for this book? It's creepy. It's visceral. It's atmospheric. It's dark. It's everything good horror should be and more.

Carmen Sanchez is an architect and single mother of two daughters: sixteen-year-old Izel and eleven-year-old Luna. When she's hired to spearhead the renovation of an ancient abbey to a sleek, modern hotel in Mexico, Carmen sees it as a way for her to give the girls a first-hand view of their cultural heritage. In typical teenaged fashion, Izel hates being uprooted from her friends back home in New York while Luna embraces the experience with open arms. But Carmen's problems are soon to extend beyond her daughters' attitudes. When a job site accident exposes a long-forgotten chamber within the abbey, Carmen finds herself on the losing end of employment. The family returns to their urban home but something seems to have tagged along and is focused on Luna. Can Carmen find a way to save her daughter before an ancient Aztec god can exact its revenge on the world?

One of my favor subgenres of horror is folkloric horror, and Piñata nicely fills that category. Drawing on the rich history of Mesoamerica, Gout creates a new twist on the traditional possession story. Laced throughout the narrative are the echoes of colonialism, past and present misogyny and sexism, indigenous religions, and violence. The imagery is intense and graphic, which some readers may find difficult to read, and the fear is palpable. At times Gout seems to fall into the "info dump" trap and this drags the pace of the story down a bit, and at other times, the dialogue seems a bit stilted and unnatural. However, overall, Piñata is a wonderfully horror-filled dark tale that any fan of dark fiction will enjoy.

Rounded down from 3.5.

This book had its strong points, especially at the beginning. I'm often wary of books about women written by men, but thankfully there wasn't anything egregious in here; all the female characters were well-formed and without too many cliches.

My main criticism is that a lot of the emotionality of the story seemed to fade a bit as it reached the end. It started feeling like things just happened, were described, and then the next thing happened. I felt like I lost connection to a lot of the characters, and the ending itself felt rather melodramatic.

Still, some cool imagery and not a bad read.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a free copy in exchange for an honest review!

This novel is a slow burn, let me say that right up front, just in case that's not your jam. If you're looking for a constant stream of action or violence, you are going to be disappointed by Pinata. What this novel does have is character development, a rich cultural history, and strong storytelling.

Is it a classic possession story? Yes. Have you read it before? No. Gout takes his time weaving an exquisite tale filled with Mexican and Nahua history and culture. He uses this folklore, history, and mythology to create a believable scenario in which the possession occurs. The imagery he uses is both beautiful and haunting set against the very real backdrop of modern-day Mexico and New York.

If you're in the market for a story that takes it's time - I highly recommend checking out Pinata.

It’s good to get in touch with your roots, but sometimes those roots don’t want to stay buried… Apocalyptic Aztec gods and the vengeful spirit of a murdered Nahua woman threaten to enact a bloody vengeance for the horrors of colonialism in Piñata by Leopoldo Gout, a Mexican horror novel that came out last month.

Carmen Sanchez, a Mexican-American architect and single mother, is equal parts thrilled and nervous to be returning to her homeland for the biggest project of her career: restoring an old Spanish abbey for a new life as a luxury hotel. In addition to the usual misogyny that she always has to face on job sites, her work on the abbey is continually stalled by corrupt bureaucracy, shoddy under-the-table dealings, and sabotage from resentful workers. But Carmen’s biggest challenge is keeping her two daughters both safe and entertained in a town where the streets are littered with posters for missing young women and it seems like a new body is found every week. Surly sixteen-year-old Izel is more interested in texting her friends back home than exploring the markets or her Mexican heritage, but eleven-year-old Luna is as exuberant and friendly as ever, absorbing the world around her like a sponge. Such openness can be a dangerous thing, however, when there are people and entities with bad intentions about. A young Nahua woman warns Carmen that she’s seen visions of a dark entity who is drawn to her daughter’s light, but Carmen brushes off such superstitious talk. Then everything changes after Luna takes a Nahua artifact from the construction site—her bubbly demeanor disappears, replaced by sullenness punctuated by surprisingly violent outbursts, and something deeply unsettling lurks within her gaze. Even back in New York, ominous portents seem to follow the Sanchez family—grasshoppers appear from nowhere and dark clouds of pitch-black butterflies swarm the air, while bizarre accidents and mysterious deaths strike Luna’s loved ones and her enemies alike. Carmen remembers the young woman’s warning, but how can she stop an ancient evil from using her daughter as an instrument of vengeance?

Piñata is an example of the ever-popular subgenre of possession horror, reminiscent of such films as the classic The Exorcist or the more recent Hereditary, yet expands this genre out from its Christian context. Luna is not possessed by a demon from Christian cosmology, nor can she be saved by crosses, holy water, and the ministrations of a devoted priest. Instead, her affliction is drawn from the history and mythology of the indigenous people of Mexico. And the centuries of oppression and erasure that have passed since the conquest of Mexico make it that much harder for Carmen and her family to even know what they’re dealing with. The neighborly Catholic priest, Father Verón, tries his best to keep an open mind and look outside his own faith for answers to help his friends, but no representative of the very church that oppressed the Nahua and sought to eradicate their religion is going to defeat these monsters. Instead, Carmen and Luna’s best allies are Yoltzi and Quahtli, two Nahua locals who have maintained a strong connection with their culture. But with so much of their history lost to time and violent erasure, even they struggle to understand the forces that have taken over Luna.

Adjacent to the possession subgenre is the horror film trope of the creepy child. There’s just something about the heightened contrast when the most innocent of people become so far corrupted. This trope is used to great effect in Piñata. At the beginning of the novel, Luna is a particularly loveable character as a gregarious tween with a sunny disposition. So her slow drift into something moody, violent, and otherworldly is all the more distressing. Luna’s condition goes unnoticed for perhaps longer than it should because her change in behavior is dismissed as the natural differences between childhood and adolescence. And indeed, Luna experiences her first period partway through the book—a milestone that has frequently been associated with vulnerability to the supernatural throughout the horror genre (think: Stephen King’s Carrie). But while changing hormones can certainly do a number on kids, a sudden shift in personality and behavior is worth taking a closer look at. Luna’s insatiable curiosity leads her into dangerous territory, but the lack of curiosity in those around her nearly seals her fate.

If you’re interested in the growing trend of post-Colonial horror novels, Piñata is another one to add to the list, beside Mexican Gothic and She Is a Haunting.

This book did a great job at keeping me engaged while reading, however it just didn't pack the punch that I was wanting and expecting. I loved the gore descriptions and the family dynamic aspects, but I am not a huge fan of heavy lore descriptions and/or historical explanations in my horror books. This book was a solid read, just not my cup of tea and did scare me at all (not that that is necessary in rating a horror book high) !

Carmen is an architect on assignment restoring an old abbey in Mexico with her daughters Luna and Izel in tow. When the family attends a party at the construction manager's home, Luna has a spiritual experience that catches the attention of a young Nahua woman acquainted with one of the craftsmen. When an ancient artifact is uncovered, Luna becomes possessed by an indigenous spirit bent on revenge for the crimes of the colonials who conquered the native people.

I was excited for the opportunity to read this book. The plot had a lot of potential and I liked the idea of an ancient haunting involving unfamiliar cultural traditions. It was unexpected that the story was so slow-paced.

The first two-thirds of the book consists of a few plot progression scenes interspersed with character-provided background on pre-colonial mythology. While these ancient traditions, history, and folklore were a key part of my interest in this novel, the delivery was unfortunately dry. The final third of the novel did pick up with more action and tension for an exciting finish, but I wish the entire novel had been as evenly paced.

This novel might be for you if you enjoy reading mythology and history. The stories and spirits were complex and intriguing, and the central plot was solid, but be prepared to keep your eye on the long game if you want the payoff at the end.

Piñata by Leopoldo Gout
I’m sad to report…this was not my favorite book.
Caution: minor spoilers ahead
Honestly my biggest problem is parts of this book felt repetitive. Each chapter a character was getting attacked by a swarm of butterflies and it happened enough where it was no longer creepy and unsettling but rather made me roll my eyes and wish for some new drama.
There were also points of the book that I feel like could’ve been cut down to be shorter or just completely left out. I didn’t care about the other side characters as much so each time I had to spend time on them I just wanted to hurry on back to the main family. Additionally, the author just kept bringing up details that weren’t relative to the story.
BUT…I did like that ending 👀 honestly for me the final few chapters I was racing through the book to see how it would conclude.
Overall, I think this book wasn’t for me because of the style of writing and wanting the plot more focused on the main family in the book.
Huge thank you to the publisher for sending me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I saw this described somewhere as "A Head Full of Ghosts meets Hereditary" and I was immediately on board. Something about the cover of this made me think it would be a graphic novel, and although there aren't literal pictures inside the book, it definitely paints graphic pictures in your mind as you're reading. There are some images that I won't forget for a long time. Traumatic? Yes, but I knew what I was in for when picking up this horror book - based on the description, I knew it would inspire terror. I really liked the inclusion of the ancient Aztec gods that were worshipped - my knowledge of non-Greek mythology is terribly lacking. I'd recommend this to anyone who wants a scary, gruesome, hard-hitting read. Thank you to the publisher and to Netgalley for giving me the opportunity to read this galley in advance!

Piñata is one of the few horror books I questioned whether or not I should be reading it at night. Leopold Gout wrote easily the best possession story I’ve read with cinematic scenes that lived in my mind long after I set it down.

This was one of those books that I immediately felt sucked into. It’s a bit of a slow-burn, but during the buildup, we learn a lot about Nahua culture and the impact Spain’s colonization of Mexico had, which means you need to check out own-voices reviews.

There’s also an incredible family dynamic at the heart of this story. It’s not all happiness and sunshine - it is a horror book after all. It handles conflict head on and the complicated emotions that come with being your own person but still wanting to be the person your family can count on. Even when that means sacrificing what you want.

If this isn’t optioned for a movie or tv, it would be a huge mistake. The storyline, build-up, and background are just incredible. There are really no words for it. I loved all the characters and their POVs. I didn’t realize how emotionally attached I was to them until the book ended.

File this in the “books to read when you want nightmares” section of your tbr. You’ll thank me later. Or blame me for your nightmares. It’s all the same 😉

Very slow burn, the story takes a long time to get a little spooky. Interesting cultural history. I like that the author included that the Spanish Conquistadors were destroying the cultural and religious traditions of the people they came across. Not scary or creepy the whole way through.

Carmen is tasked with a renovation of a church in Mexico and decides this will be the perfect opportunity to take her daughters so they can experience the culture and learn about their roots. For Carmen this is a great career opportunity even if it means she’s confronting attitudes of machismo and insubordination on the job.

Her two daughters are polar opposites. Izel is only concerned about having internet access to stay in touch with her friends back home and lamenting the fact that she’s missing out on summer theater camp. Luna on the other hand is thriving. She’s eating new foods, practicing her Spanish and learning about the Aztecs and the history of Mexico.

As time passes, Carmen forms allies with Father Verón and Quauhtli who are also on hand overseeing the renovation project. She’s grateful for their help because as time passes, there are setbacks due to sabotaging by employees and government bureaucracy. So when Yoltzi, a friend of Quauhtli, appears to her with a warning and tells her that Luna is in danger, Carmen thinks that it could be cartel doings or perhaps intimidation by the government. Little does she expect that Yoltzi is there to warn her about supernatural forces.

Then disaster at the worksite strikes and Carmen’s office recalls her back to New York. As the family returns to the States little ] do they know that they aren’t alone when they return. Evil is threatening to overtake Luna.

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 and commentary on colonialism. I also found the way the author wove in current societal concerns such as the continued disappearance of women to really help ground the story in time and place. If horror isn’t quite your thing I would still highly recommend this one. I throughly enjoyed it.

"The Piñata" is an exceptional horror novel that is sure to send chills down your spine. The author has crafted a truly enthralling storyline that will keep you hooked until the very end. The characters are well-developed, and the setting is expertly crafted to create a palpable sense of terror.

What sets this book apart is its ability to tap into the deepest fears of its readers.

Piñata by Leopoldo Gout lived up to its haunting cover. This story had a slow start introducing the character and setting the scene for the last half of the book. Once I read through the first half, the story really catapulted into a quick conclusion. I loved all of the information on the Aztec culture including the vengeful goddesses. My only complaint is I would have liked the pacing a bit better if the second half of the book was sprinkled in with the first half to create more suspense. What really pulled this book from 3 stars to 3.5 stars were the horror descriptions! These scenes were perfectly applied to all of my senses in a way that made them feel real. They were my favorite parts of the story.

In an unpopular opinion, I thought this was just an average read. I thought the story was too slow, but once the horror set it was better.

I received a copy of this book through NetGalley in return for an honest review. I thought it would be fun to read something from the horror genre. I typically read thrillers. I found the cover of the book very interesting. Loved the gold lettering that looked like it was painted and dripping. This book was a ghost story set in Mexico. Overall it was an entertaining read!
Read if you want
-horror genre
-ghost story set in Mexico
-possession horror
-single mom character
-gruesome scenes

*language warning

Part ‘Mexican Gothic’ part ‘A Head Full of Ghosts’ and part ‘Poltergeist’ this slow build possession horror pulls no punches. Gout simultaneously crafts an incredibly creepy possessed child story while weaving the real-life horrors of colonialism and gentrification throughout. The characters were well fleshed out and easy to become invested in, and the richly immersive cultural aspects of the horror elements made the whole unsettling ordeal that much more visceral and mystifying. Gout’s passion for the craft and his subject matter are so palpable that it’s impossible not to be deeply affected by ‘Piñata.’

Thank you so so much to Leopoldo Gout and Tor Publishing Group for the opportunity to read an advanced e-galley of this novel in exchange for an honest review!

It has been a while since I really looked forward to anything other than romance reads but man oh man do I miss a good horror-isk paranormal read and Piñata was everything I wanted it to be!

For me, overall, I really enjoyed Piñata! It was a read that really stuck to me in a way, it was engaging and intriguing that left me turning each page hoping that everything would be okay. I liked how the historical touches and references were so delicately intertwined with the plot that made it so much more. I enjoy history, religion, and cultural undertones to any fiction that is well researched, it makes it all the more enticing. Seeing how Leopoldo really put his own experience growing up in Mexico City, the history, the dark and bloody past of the Aztec verses the Spanish conquests of colonialization into this extraordinary read... just blows my mind.

I think what many people don't entirely realize that there are centuries worth of cultural and religious persecution that delved a really had a dark, horrifying result. In one interview of Leopoldo, even discussing that there was in part Catholic friars having introduced piñatas during the conquest as a perversion of the Nahua traditions. This lead to the creation of Piñata in it's rawest forms. I find that beyond horrific, terrifying and yet deliciously interesting.

I will be keeping an eye out for more Leopoldo Gout in my reading corner!