Great book! It had all the fears of growing up. Make a choice. Turn the page or close the book. Enter the darkness if you wish!

Really wanted to love this but it didn’t work for me. Something felt disconnected, too much focus on things that didn’t need focused on.

Had a hard time getting through this book...so sad. I don't want to leave a full review for something I struggled to read and enjoy as it could be more of a 'me' issue--reading it when I was already in a slump. I had high expectations as well after reading The Haunting of Alejandra.

V. Castro is my favorite Latina horror writer!

There is always a connection between lore and real life and how it connects to our current political climate. V. Castro is an auto read for me!

V Castro once again paints a haunting tale of feminine rage and power in Immortal Pleasures. Fans of her work won't be disappointed with this latest book!

Quite different from Castro's other novels. This combines vampire stories and Mexican colonialism. It's a refreshing combination that I've been personally dreaming of. The concept is fabulous.

However, the writing falls a little short. There was an overabundance of exposition, which made for a clunky read. The only action experienced in the book was the sex acts. Making La Malinche aka Malinalli a succubus was an interesting choice that could've been more empowering, but ultimately felt like she was playing into the stereotypical roles that the real historical figure created. The attempts to be subversive didn't pay off.

I was hoping for something like Goddess of Filth, but this was more like Anne Rice plus a bunch of very colorful explicit scenes that were unexpected and kind of hilarious. Great cover, but the inside is not for me.

My experience with this author is hit/miss, but this one was relatively short and sounded pretty awesome. It wasn't that. It was cringe worthy and graphic, gratuitously so. I'm all for steamy and sexy, but this was corny and I couldn't get past it. I think the book was trying to do too much in too little space and the plot suffered for it. I DNF at 52%. Thank you too Netgalley and Ballantine Del Rey for the review copy.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for providing me with this arc in exchange for an honest review. I have to start by saying that I wanted to love this book, the cover is one of my favorites from this year. This book could have been so powerful but I couldn't get past the lack of substance. I've seen people critique the sex, and I completely understand; the sex was partially the issue, the main problem was the lack of development of the plot. It started off well, it just went downhill from there. I have heard good things about Castro's other work, so I will try something else!

I thoroughly enjoyed Immortal Pleasures. I’ve never read an erotic horror book, so I wasn’t sure what to expect and this book was everything. It was equal part informative historical fiction, messy vampire drama, and hot sex. I loved every minute of it.

Immortal Pleasures offers a steamy blend of fantasy and romance, with a storyline that is sure to attract fans of the paranormal genre. The chemistry between the characters is palpable, and the book certainly delivers on the passionate, intense moments that readers of this genre look for. The supernatural elements add an intriguing layer to the story, keeping the reader engaged in the mysterious world the author has created.

However, while the romance and passion are well-executed, the plot itself felt a bit predictable at times. The character development could have been deeper, with certain emotional arcs left underexplored. Additionally, some of the pacing felt uneven, particularly in the middle sections, where the story could have benefited from a stronger narrative focus.

Overall, Immortal Pleasures provides an enjoyable read for those looking for a sensual escape into a world of immortal beings, but it may not stand out for readers seeking a more complex storyline. Still, it’s worth a look for its exciting moments and enticing premise.

I, unfortunately, read this three times and hated it a little more every single time. I had such high hopes for it! The cover was beautiful, the description was promising, but it fell short in every way imaginable. Disappointed is an understatement.

Thank you to Del Rey for my arc.

This was okay. I didn’t really connect with anything going on and found myself skimming bits and pieces because of how slow the story was.

Unfortunately, the writing did not live up to the premise. It felt increasingly hasty, the romance was underdeveloped and the vampire mc felt very mercurial.

The concept of an Aztec vampire out for revenge was incredibly intriguing, but unfortunately, the execution didn't quite meet my expectations. There's no denying that Castro is talented, but the overall delivery was lacking, and some of the writing felt awkward or downright cringey at times. This is such an interesting concept, but the main character the prose just didn't work for me.

I’ve enjoyed the majority of v. Castors books but this ones smut scenes were a bit much and the metaphors odd. It was interesting and I enjoyed the premise but the follow through wasn’t as great.

Immortal Pleasures by V. Castro tells the story of The Malinche as a vampire in a modern day setting. Now known as Malinalli she retrieved stolen artifacts to their rightful homes. Experiencing life as a vampire has its allures and Malinalli explores them to the fullest capacity but someone from her past lurks in the shadows. I really liked the premise of this book. La Malinche is not a person remembered fondly and to see her story being told in a new way was my favorite aspect of this book. It really puts into perspective the fact this was a young woman doing what she need to survive. She was put in a n impossible position and this explores and she’d light onto the people truly responsible for the way her life turned out. Malinalli was used and discarded but in this story she reclaims her identity. Overall, I enjoyed this book and it’s definitely an interesting read. 3.75⭐️

V. Castro once again has made me fall in love with another of her books.
The book not only shows the past of how Malinalli came to be who she is now, but also how certain people she met along her mortal and immortal lives impacted her both negatively and positively. The way the author wrote scenes made it easy to see what was going on and experience it along with the character. I honestly love Malinalli's brutal honesty and confidence. Some of her confessions I doubt many would ever verbally say. Her confidence in her body and her sexuality was bravo! V. Castro does amazing with uplifting instead of shaming her female characters. I also appreciated the new take on vampirism that once turned the body keeps it's scars and doesn't automatically become perfect.
This book resonated on several levels with me. Culturally and Emotionally were two of the main ones. I don't want to give too much away because this is a must read!

This one was good! I love the concept and the writing style, I think a few parts dragged but overall. Fun sexy read

This....this was weird. I really enjoyed how the book was set up but the character motivations really mucked everything up for me. I had to skim the last 20% but I'm still so interested to see what V. Castro can do....this just didn't work for me in any way.