This gothic novel is fantastic. Loved the setting and characters. Fun read with a great plot and pacing. And that cover is gorgeous!

The immersive setting in Spain and the deliciously dark atmosphere of la Sombra create a perfect backdrop for this creepy tale. After a bizarre, unexplainable event that killed her parents, Estela loses herself in grief until her aunt sends a letter inviting her to stay at the family castle Estela never knew existed in Spain. Her arrival awakens buried memories of her past and she encounters a supernatural being named Sebastián that only she can see. Together, they unravel the truth of la Sombra and the mysteries of their unremembered past. I highly recommend this one for fans of YA spooky romantic fantasy fans.

This is a fantastic YA gothic romance, and that cover is absolutely gorgeous as well! The world-building, the characters, the plot--they were all so compelling and I was drawn into this world at the first words. This story is lush and vivid and so well done, I crave more in this world and more from this author!

I'm not sure what I was expecting from Castle of the Cursed, but I enjoyed what I got. It was gothic romance and a twisty mystery.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the digital review copy.

What an incredible story. I was riveted and couldn't stop reading.

Thank you Wednesday books for the e-arc for an honest review.

The mysteries were so well-written, full of twists. I didn't see anything coming.

The author wrote a perfect fantastic/mysteries with complex characters.

Estella is the only survivor of an accident in the subway. Her parents died too. No one understands why she's still alive. She's depressed, full of grief and she doesn't want to live anymore.

When an aunt from Italia writes to her so she could live with her, she enters a life full of secrets, mysteries and dangers.

There, she meets a vampire, Sebastian. Someone, only her, can see. Is he something that her mind created ? Or is he real ?

Read this book if you love :

✨ Mysteries ;
✨ Curse,.magic ;
✨ Romantasy ;
✨ Vampires and Witches ;
✨ Family secrets ;
✨ Standalone ;
✨ Romance with a little bit of spice.

What an incredible gothic fantasy! I live for this genre and this book was so absolutely stunning! Romina Garber crafted such an interesting story and magic system that enraptured me from start to finish. Looking forward to reading more from this author!

Castle of the Cursed was a good gothic story. I liked the tales that reveal what is going on and the setting was a great one for this type of book. It lost a star for me because the atmosphere never felt quite right to me. The house never felt enough of a character itself that I think it should have.

Note: ARC provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

This was such a unique story. It had so many elements that I love. Spooky castle with secrets. Vampires, mystery, and romance. Oh and folk lore. I loved that I has no idea where the story was going. I did not want to put it down as a result. Could there possibly be a book two?

Months after inexplicably surviving a disaster on a subway train that claimed the lives of her parents and several other passengers, seventeen-year-old Estela Amador departs to Oscuro, Spain to live in the Brálaga family castle-known as la Sombra by the village residents-with her recently-discovered aunt.

I was drawn to Castle Of The Cursed by its summary and I was intially captivated by the gothic atmosphere within the castle and Estela’s nightly explorations of it. The writing is beautiful and descriptions of the architecture, of the looming gargoyles within the building, a mirrored wall and a purple room where something horrific took place all add to the novel’s gothic mood.

Even later descriptions of a garden where the plants resemble human body parts and feast upon the blood of the village’s inhabitants are fascinating. The chapter titles were also a unique touch and a nice way of connecting the occurrences in the story to Estela on a more personal level.

Unfortunately, the romance between characters, the execution of certain aspects of the story and the ending made it difficult for me to enjoy Castle Of The Cursed as much as I wanted to.

Estela is intially presented as being wholly mute and suffering from the severe trauma of her experiences, yet due to most of the story taking place rapidly over the course of thirteen days, she is dealt blow after emotional blow and yet is able to function and even fall desperately in love with the morally gray, memory-challenged and shadow-controlling vampire Prince Sebastián.

Because Castle Of The Cursed is meant for a YA audience, Estela is young and experiencing a whirlwind of emotions, I could almost excuse her shift from fear to overwhelming attraction. But Sebastián’s own attachment, going so far as to give up his chance to return to his home and his eventual decision to perform the equivalent of a vampire marriage just seemed far too much far too quickly.

The revelation of the main antagonist being Estela’s twin sister Antonela felt very jarring and while her background is somewhat sympathetic, her overall behaviors lack nuance.

But it is honestly the ending of Castle Of The Cursed that led to my disappointment. As a fan of horror, I am not always expecting happy endings. However, the final three lines of the novel were so unexpected that I went back into the previous chapter to verify if I had missed something.

When stories involve twins, there is often the trope of “good” and “evil” twins and the potential for them to switch places. Planting the seed that Antonela is actually in control of Estela’s body-despite previously depicting otherwise-as a means to shock the reader felt absolutely unnecessary.

Throughout Castle Of The Cursed, Estela grapples with PTSD, Survivor’s Guilt, Depression, Suicidal Ideation and struggles to find a reason to continue living despite her loneliness. And yet when it seems she has finally found happiness and is moving her life forward…it may be her murderous sister in her place and Estela is left permanently trapped and utterly abandoned.

It’s such an undeserved fate for the character and made even worse by the fact that the love of her life doesn’t even realize something is amiss when his “wife,” who previously and constantly requested he not murder others starts serving up criminals on a silver platter for him to slaughter.

I honestly stuggled with this review as I know that authors put so much time and care into their work and I loathe being negative. But perhaps I was just the wrong reader for this novel and nevertheless, I am very grateful to NetGalley, St. Martin’s Press and Wednesday Books for providing access to this ebook.

Title: Castle of the Cursed
Author: Romina Garber
Genre: Fantasy
Rating:4 out of 5

THE HOUSE IS ALWAYS HUNGRY…

After a mysterious attack claims the lives of her parents, all Estela has left is her determination to solve the case. Suffering from survivor’s guilt so intense that she might be losing her grip on reality, she accepts an invitation to live overseas with an estranged aunt at their ancestral Spanish castle, la Sombra.

Beneath its gothic façade, la Sombra harbors a trove of family secrets, and Estela begins to suspect her parents’ deaths may be linked to their past. Her investigation takes a supernatural turn when she crosses paths with a silver-eyed boy only she can see. Estela worries Sebastián is a hallucination, but he claims he’s been trapped in the castle. They grudgingly team up to find answers and as their investigation ignites, so does a romance, mistrust twined with every caress.

As the mysteries pile up, it feels to Estela like everyone in the tiny town of Oscuro is lying and that whoever was behind the attack has followed her to Spain. The deeper she ventures into la Sombra’s secrets, the more certain she becomes that the suspect she’s chasing has already found her . . . and they’re closer than she ever realized.

I feel like there was a lot going on in this novel: romance, magic, a bit of scifi, a mystery, family drama, and a whole lot of darkness. I enjoyed the read, but it did feel a bit chaotic. I liked how the opening scene gave a glimpse into Estela’s life and relationship with her parents, which later turned out to be only the tip of the iceberg. This was a solid read, and I’d be interested in seeing more in this world with these characters.

Romina Garber is a bestselling author. Castle of the Cursed is her newest novel.

(Galley courtesy of St. Martin’s Press in exchange for an honest review.)

*I received this book (Via eArc by Netgalley) for free from the Publisher ( St. Martin’s Press / Wednesday Books) in exchange for an honest review*

This novel is an absolute gem of a book that I thoroughly enjoyed from start to finish. It beautifully weaves together gothic elements with a captivating romance that kept me hooked. The story is rich with intrigue and atmosphere, making every page a delight to read. One of the standout aspects of the book is its fascinating family dynamic and well-crafted historical setting. The way the author brings the past to life through vivid descriptions and intricate details is truly impressive. I also loved the flashbacks and the eerie red room sequences; they added a layer of suspense and mystery that kept me on the edge of my seat. The romance in this book was incredibly fun to read about. The chemistry between the characters was palpable, and their interactions were both charming and intense. The gothic vibe of the story reminded me of the classic feel of “Dracula,” while the atmospheric and thrilling elements brought to mind Kerri Maniscalco’s “Stalking Jack the Ripper” series, particularly “Hunting Prince Dracula.” Every aspect of the book worked together to create a hauntingly beautiful tale that I couldn’t put down. The suspense, the romance, and the rich history all combined to make this a truly memorable read. It was a pleasure to immerse myself in this world, and I can’t wait to add “Castle of the Cursed” to my collection when it releases. Highly recommended for anyone who loves a good gothic romance with plenty of twists and turns!

Thank you so much to [ St. Martin’s Press / Wednesday Books ] and NetGalley for the ARC and I am instantly gonna purchase this when it releases.

I was super excited when I was offered a copy of Castle of the Cursed by Romina Garber. Not only have I been wanting to read her work, but I am always looking for good gothic, vampire, latine fiction so to have all of that in one seemed like a great package deal. And it was, for the most part!

Despite being a gothic story, the pacing is incredibly quick. We move from scene to scene, plot to plot, in a whirlwind. Which is fitting considering this is how main character Estela experiences the world around her. After a freak and tragic accident that leaves her orphaned and internationally famous for being the sole survivor, she struggles to find her place and her reason for being. Cue one mysterious aunt from a foreign country to enter the picture and offer salvation. Things just keep happening without giving Estela, or the reader, a chance to breathe. I would’ve loved a slower pace, to settle into the beautiful gothic environment Garber created. Because it is beautiful, but we hardly see it. We have this ancient, creepy castle but it gets glossed over fairly quickly. There’s a hungry garden and we never get the chance to spend time with it.

The rush to reach the end is one of the biggest drawbacks I had. Though, perhaps it was for the best because I worry if this went on for longer, the plot might have been shakier than it already was. This was my second drawback. The first half of the novel, we have a creepy castle, a mysterious and possibly sinister aunt, and a handsome but murderous vampire, all wanting something from Estela, who only wants to recover or die. That would’ve been enough for me plot-wise. I would’ve loved to see Estela come into her own, grow into her legacy. Instead, halfway through we get thrown so much information and a completely parallel story that just bogged everything down. It stopped being Estela’s story and became someone else’s tale.

Despite the plot and pacing issues, I really did enjoy the characters! Estela was so interesting. Not only was she trying to heal from the trauma of her parents’ death and her survivor’s guilt, but also the trauma of never being able to lay down roots, make friends, and then guilt of planning to do just that and leave her parents after turning 18. Due to the aforementioned issues, we only get glimpses of that but it was enough for my heart to break for her. Then we have Felipe! I know, you’re probably wondering who the heck is Felipe? The synopsis blurb says Sebastián. WELL! Sebastián is interesting, but I don’t think we learn enough about him for me to really care that much about him. Plus, some spoilers from the second half really have me on the fence. But Felipe, a local boy that Estela befriends as she learns Spanish, gosh I really felt so bad for him. He grew up hearing so much about Estela’s family and of their legacy and history, of his family’s ties to theirs. There was a brightness that was just as deep as the darkness he held, which felt very on theme with the book itself.

Castle of the Cursed by Romina Garber is a really quick young adult gothic romance that is enjoyable for anyone that isn’t interested in looking deeper. There are some really great characters, the romance is light and enjoyable (very surface level and fade to black sex scenes). If you’re a reader that goes for complex characters, you’ll like this! If you’re a reader that wants intense worldbuilding and a mystery you can sink your teeth into, maybe borrow this from the library. And if you saw gothic horror and wanted to give this a try, maybe don’t unless you are very young and new to both genres.

This was my second read by Romina Garber (the first being Lobizona) and it did not disappoint! I LOVE stories centering around dark, gothic houses or (in this case) castles and this hit the mark with la Sombra--a haunted, Spanish castle which houses a boy whom only our main character can see. Estela partners with Sebastian to uncover a curse that clings to the castle. The nearby villagers aren't quite right either. But this is a story about much more than just a boy and a girl and a curse. This is also a story of grief and loss as well as family and hope. There were points in the plot that felt info dumpy and rushed while others felt a little misplaced or forced. Overall, however, I found this very engaging and entertaining. I will absolutely continue to read from Ms Garber!!

After a mysterious attack claims the life of her parents, Estela moves in to her family's ancestral castle with her estranged aunt. Estela is determined to solve the mystery of her parents deaths. But of course, La Sombra, the castle, has secrets of its own. Estela beings to believe that her parents deaths are linked to old family secrets. Her investigation takes a supernatural turn when she crosses paths with a boy only she can see. And the deeper she gets into the castle's secrets, the more she is convinced that the suspect has already found her.

*Special thanks to NetGalley and Wednesday Books for this e-arc.*

Thank you to Wednesday Books and NetGalley for the eARC of Castle of the Cursed by Romina Garber. All opinions expressed are solely my own.

I loved the synopsis and the spooky gothic vibes it promised. Add in the multiple mysteries and not knowing who to trust and I was sold.

Once I started reading, I was hooked. I loved the story-telling, the atmosphere, the lore, and the characters. While there may not have been an unreliable narrator specifically, I enjoyed the fact that we weren't sure if we could trust people or what they were saying/their actions. I sped through this one in less than a day--and I cannot stop thinking about the ending!

If you're into romantasies, mysteries, not knowing what you can trust, or gothic atmospheres, this one is for you! And bonus -- it has witches and vampires in it.

This gothic Spanish mystery is intriguing and creepy. We follow Estela as she goes back to her ancestral Spanish castle, la Sombra, to live with her aunt after her parents pass in a mysterious tragedy. When she reunites with her aunt Beatrice, Estela knows something is wrong with the town and she sets off to find out what really happened to her parents. What she soon realizes is there is no one she can trust.
I thought this story was interesting with creepy details that held my attention. I also enjoyed that English and Spanish were both part of the dialogue with enough translations to be able to follow along that were also written naturally into the narration. The last sentence though... I'm going to need financial compensation for how emotionally invested I was because my jaw DROPPED. (Please Romina Garber give me closure)

My one critique: I wanted more real romance between Sebastian and Estela

I completely thought this book was gonna be so different from what I read so I went in with especially high expectations.
I think it may be more of a “it’s me, not you” book.

I would love to review this book but I am withholding my review in light of the SMP Boycott, and will wait to post until SMP takes action and the boycott ends.

**Features:**
- Blend of gothic mystery and paranormal normal
- Main character struggling with severe trauma and mental health issues
- Setting that feels like a character
- Uncovering family secrets that go back generations

One moment, Estela was riding the subway with her parents. The next, 25 people were dead leaving Estela the only passenger alive. As the investigation causes Estela to question everything she thought she knew, she finds herself in a downward spiral she can’t seem to stop. However, an invitation to live with a long-lost aunt in Spain might be a chance for a new start gives Estela the opportunity to find the answers she so desperately seeks. But the secrets held by Castillo Brálaga go as deep as its long history and threaten to consume the little Estela has left.

This book really delivers on the gothic vibe and there are a lot of interesting plot threads to follow as the mystery unravels. Garber does a wonderful job describing Estela’s mental health struggles, particularly at the beginning of the book. Estela’s journey to reconnect with herself feels honest and realistic despite the severity of her condition. However, there are some weird pacing choices throughout that undermines some of the great details in this book. I never really ‘questioned’ Estela’s experiences in the way I think I was meant to and the book lost its steam for me as it went on. Overall, this was a solid and enjoyable read I would recommend to readers who enjoy a more paranormal-forward take on a gothic tale.

**Doesn’t shy away from difficult topics**

It is not unusual to see a YA book start with a traumatic event. However, they rarely take the time to actually explore the toll that trauma takes on the characters in a realistic way unless it is the central focus of the story. Garber does an admirable job showing Estela’s mental/emotional spiral and the complicated journey to climb back out of that dark place. Despite the severity of these experiences, Estela never felt overly dramatic or simplified. Her brutally honest journey would definitely speak to many even though it somewhat takes a back seat in the later parts of the story.

**Loses itself a little**

This story has a powerful beginning, but it slowly loses some of its narrative impact as the story unfolds. For a number of reasons, the build up feels a bit disjointed in an unintentional way. This book really excels in the quieter moments, so it is a bit jarring when odd stylistic choices start appearing in the effort to build tension. There is quite a bit of repetitiveness throughout, but it definitely increases in the tenser sections. While not unusual in YA writing, it felt like a little too much and took me out of the story a number of times. I liked a lot of what this book was doing narratively, I just wish that it had taken its time a little more in a number of sections to give them more of an impact.

An interesting premise and solid execution! this was my first time reading this author and i will definitely be checking out more.