Castle of the cursed is a book that keeps on giving. It starts out one way and ends in another. It has perfect paranormal gothic vibes with a dash of horror. It keeps a good pace throughout and is unpredictable.
I really enjoyed reading this novel.

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for providing me with this ARC.

Unfortunately like a lot of other early reviews, I just had a hard time staying interested in this one. Dnf right before the 40 percent mark. I think the right audience would love this book but that isn’t me. I think this would have worked better as an adult book.

Castle of the Cursed is an incredibly unique fantasy novel with a little bit of mystery, a little bit of horror, and a little bit of romance. The only way I can accurately describe it is by calling it mash up of What the River Knows, Dracula, and Kingdom of the Wicked, with a dash of Coraline and A Deadly Education. I know that’s a lot of comps, and I’d love to elaborate, but doing so would give away some major spoilers.

While I was drawn in to the plot at the beginning, the story was very slowly paced. Additionally, the more I read, the more outlandish the plot became. In some ways that’s classic gothic literature, but I kept wondering if the author was having trouble developing the ultimate storyline.

There are so many great themes in the book - topics of grief and depression, family, and finding your inner strength. Unfortunately, for me, these were overshadowed by my lack of connection with the plot. I think a tighter focus on developing all the characters would have helped make the story more engaging, especially better utilization of Felipe’s character. Additionally, I would have liked a great emphasis on the romance, or doing away with it entirely. I get the sense that the ending twist would be the same with or without Sebastián’s character, which makes me wonder if he was necessary at all. I think this book tried to take on too many things. I do think it will find its audience, but just wasn’t for me.

Thank you to Netgalley, Wednesday Books, and St. Martin’s Press for the e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

This dark gothic romance started out intense, with a tragedy that changes everything for our MC. Orphaned just shy of 18, grief-stricken Estela doesn't even speak anymore, so consumed by depression - and guilt. When a Spanish woman sends a letter claiming to be her maternal aunt, she's shocked to find out she has any family, let alone an ancestral mansion, la Sombra, in Northern Spain. Left with little options, and entirely intrigued as to why she was never informed she even had Spanish heritage or why her parents lied, she finds herself in Spain. The family castle turns out to be a possibly sentient cursed home shadowing a small village that is isolated from much of anything. It's also haunted by the ghost of a boy (or is he?) only she can see.

The setting of this story was perfection, as I love Spanish culture and could very easily picture the architecture, village and even the cuisines and language as Estela learned her mother-tongue and tried native food. Garber weaves descriptions and emotions freely, eliciting an authentic experience. The creepy vibes of the castle and the mystery of its lore added a delicious dark vibe. You wanted to uncover the various layers and find the hidden trap doors, secret rooms, and sordid past.

The more we learn, the more questions arise. Though this made the story intriguing, unfortunately, the more that gets uncovered, the more it also got a bit convoluted and some answers just got absurd. The romance between Estela and Sebastian felt rushed, and I didn't understand the chemistry so the romance didn't feel fully-formed. The narrative got strange the more details were revealed about the curse and Estela's past. It went from gothic romance to a horror/-sci-fi genre.

I think Garber handles the grief and the depression immensely well. The topics of suicide and grief made the first half of this book emotional and purposeful.

Unfortunately, the second half just felt like too much at once, making it difficult to follow or even understand and maybe a tad outlandish for my tastes. The secondary characters and even her aunt didn't feel developed and I couldn't feel attached to any of them. Overall I think it had a lot of potential, but it fell flat for me.

What worked: Intriguing paranormal world-building where a girl finds she plays a part in a tragic past. This novel introduces readers to Estela who after a horrific accident ends up in Spain with an aunt she knows nothing about. The gothic atmosphere grows with evocative hints of her true heritage. There's a cold aunt who is insistent on Estela taking a black seed instead of the meds from back in the States. A huge creepy castle with many secrets. And a shadowy personage who demands to be released from a spell. The problem is only Estela can see him.

Add to all this is the grief Estela carries from losing the only family she knew.

Lots is going on in this novel. A mystery behind the tragic death of her parents and others on a subway where only Estela survives. Why does her aunt have the blood supply of the small town? Mysterious locked rooms inside the castle. And the shadowy personage Sebastian, who she finds out is a vampire from a multi-dimensional universe.

The sinister purpose behind the castle is slowly revealed which includes Estela's part. A part she can accept or deny with deadly results.

At times the pacing slows with the telling of the castle's history and the other realm. The chemistry between Sebastian felt forced and too sudden. One minute he wants to kill Estela and the next she longs for him. Felipe, her Spanish tutor, had a stalker quality to him. Also, the reclusive uncle came out of nowhere. I felt this took away from an otherwise engaging unique paranormal tale.

Secrets, blood, and betrayals meet Estela where she needs to solve not only the mystery behind her parent's death but find hope in her future.

Summary:
After Estela's parents fall victim to a mysterious death, she is consumed to uncover the truth. Estela has no choice but to live with a distant relative in their ancestral Spanish fortress, la Sombra. The castle holds secrets, like a boy who claims to be imprisoned within the castle. The two embark on a journey to unravel mysteries, their partnership evolving into a tangle of romance interwoven with distrust. Estela is followed by a shadow, pulling her into a monstrous world.

Review:
I was drawn at the beginning of the book. I was very interested in Estela and the tragic situation. The writing was descriptive and eerie. This book was the essence of a historic gothic tale. The characters added to the mysterious, devious element and the storyline. Estela begins to break and is unsure of her reality, while her aunt treats her poorly. It was unnerving to have the one person who is to be your caregiver treat you as if you have a mental illness and with disregard. It does have several twists and turns throughout the story, which I was surprised to find out. The main issue I had was the romantic relationships. I understand it added to the plot, but it gave me the ick. There were too many triggers for a YA book. The book has several triggers listed, which you should review before reading. I recommend it if you love gothic stories and enjoy illuminative writing.

I received an ARC audiobook copy from Netgalley and St. Martin's Press in exchange for an honest review. Thank you for the opportunity.

I did not vibe with the writing style or the main character. it was a struggle to get through. the ambience was lacking despite it being set at a castle in spain.

I wasn't sure I was going to enjoy this one bc it is a fantasy horror...but I ended up really enjoying it! The only thing I didn't care for was the insta-love but this is YA and I understand why it was included in the story.

You can check out more thoughts in my April Wrap-up! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kGl7T9PBJas&ab_channel=KatrinaBrown

Thank you, NetGalley for this arc!

This book follows Estela through some traumatic points in her life, and as she makes some choices to try and reclaim parts of her life and connect to her past as she works through the grief of having lost her parents. (I'm avoiding spoilers so this description is very vague)

It's difficult for me to rate this book fairly, but I will endeavor to do so. As an adult in the place that I am, I did not enjoy this book. The biggest reveal for me was that Estrela was turning 18, as at some point in the book she shifted to being 14 in my mind. Some of the twists were well executed and I enjoyed them, but I just found that the book was written in such a fast paced way while holding your hand that the payoff wasn't there for me.

I think this book would have benefitted from slowing down to earn the relationship building and drama. Had I read closer to thirteen I would have given this four stars, it fits the bills for a lot of things I loved at that age and the hand holding would not have been as noticeable for me.

Ultimately this is not a bad book, but it has scenes to make it feel older while being written to skew younger YA.

I feel like all I really need to say to convince you to read this book is: Shadow Male
A new and fresh take on gothic fantasy with other worlds, bruja (witches) and bleeders (vampires).
When Estela arrives at her family's castle after the loss of her parents, she's quick to note that this little town has the vibe of a cult built around her family name. Within the walls of the castle she meets Sebastian, who is certain that she has cursed him, while outside the castle she bonds with Felipe, who is determined to belong to the castle. Who can she trust, when even her memories aren't her own?
Thank you NetGalley for the ARC, 3.5*

What's the horror version of Romantasy? Romorror? Horantasy? Either way, this novel fits that description for better or worse. The pieces I enjoyed most were atmospheric: the vibes of la Sombra and Garber's efforts to build tension and mystique. However, I couldn't bring myself to care much for the characters, and found the protagonist's initial circumstances unbelievable to a degree that took me out of the story. Despite spending some time focusing on Estela's trauma and grief, I didn't feel that it was given nearly as much space as soon as the romantic elements took center stage. Speaking of, the "romance" was rushed and to market it as enemies to lovers feels a bit silly when the pair start out as strangers who fall "in love" within days of meeting each other. I can't even blame this on genre convention as I've seen plenty of other YA stories include romance to superior effect. All in all, a story that leaned heavily into concept without a true ability to execute.

Thank you to the publisher and netgalley for the arc! Just like they taught you in English class, a good hook will hook you from the start and that's exactly what happened here. Our protagonist, Estela, is likeable except when she's being crazy because she's lonely. But we've all been there Tela it's okay. The romance was very fast but I liked it anyways. There's a lot of Spanish in this book, as it takes place mainly in Spain, but everything in Spanish is translated to English so I really appreciate that (I did check with Google translate lol). The writing I love so much. There were so many bad guys that I wasnt expecting the main bad guy to be the bad guy you know. So many twists. This one kept my interest and I can't wait to buy it when it comes out! We love Sebastian and poor Tela. I kinda hope for a sequel!

I love the setting in this book. I love the castle and the village.
I just could not stay focused after the 35% mark. It was likely just not the book for me.

I love love love everything Romina Garber writes! Lobizona and Cazadora were stories i kept close to my heart and passed down to my younger nieces to read. There is a lot for us to relate to, the language, the traditions, the characters, i adore her books. While Castle of the Cursed had a different twist to it, i enjoyed it just as much! Definitely set the dark and moody with this one here. From the MC, relationships and burjerias along the way, i was here for all of it! Thank you for the ARC!

I blew through this captivating gothic noir. Thrilling and suspenseful plot, perfectly paced, and chock full of supernatural magic and family betrayal. One of my favorite elements I was surprised to see in the novel was the dark romance, but l assure you it's safe for non-spicy readers!

Is love stronger then magic… this novel is different from anything that I’ve read. A dark fairytale, magic, strange beings. I loved it from the first few pages. Binge read it and the ending didn’t disappoint.

A twisting dark, mysterious tale that captivated me with every new turn and element. Estela is a smart protagonist who navigated a new world filled with family secrets with a steadfast attitude.

Solid YA paranormal gothic romance. This was a quick read with a story that flows nicely. Characters and plot were entertaining and the magic aspects and gothic vibes were a nice addition. I think the romance aspects and timeline were a bit rushed and could've been fleshed out more. Overall, I'd give another book by this author a go.

Thank you for the ARC.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for access to the eARC!

I am a lover of gothic fiction above anything else, and had high hopes for this book after reading the description. I was a big fan of the setting, and the creepy nature of not only the mansion but the village living in its shadow. The characters aside from our main character felt like they were creepy and i got the sense they were hiding something almost from the get, which really added to the atmosphere of the story. And I was really enjoying it until about the the 60% mark, when it seemed to confuse several plot lines together, and eventually became a kind of muddled mess it was hard to follow along.

A gothic horror novel with a dash of romance.
A castle that holds secrets of generations. A family that holds a towns power in its hands. If you like a gothic supernatural feel this book is worth the shot for you