This book was not for me.
To me it read more like a textbook on the Aztec culture and folklore, rather than a fun vampire type book. Maybe V. Castro's writing style just isn't for me.
But if you are interested in either the Aztec culture or reading about different takes on vampires, I would recommend this book to you.

This was so passionate! I loveeeeee. dark historical fantasy and this checked all those boxes. Vampire? YES PLEASE. The spicy scenes were SPICY.

I mean this with all the love in my heart. I did not love this book. I was sure I would. I love old timey mexican folklore and I love vampire smut. They're both fun! This was too weird though. If you ware really into laughing while reading this might work for. It is hilarious but I don't think it is supposed to be and that made me feel all bad.
I hope the author keeps writing even if I don't like this one.

Did not get to this one anywhere near close to publication. When I do get to this book, I will still post a short review on goodreads, and edit this one if I am able.

I love V. Castro's The Haunting of Alejandra, but her latest book, Immortal Pleasures, fell short for me. I loved the concept of it, but I couldn't get into it. I look forward to seeing what she writes next.

I was excited to read this book, but the prose and writing style made it very difficult. I first heard of the historical significance of the MC last year while reading a nonfiction book (On Savage Shores) and her story stuck with me ever since. To read a book from her point of view, specifically as a sort of redemption arc was too good to pass up. I wish this book lived up to the hype. La Maliniche as an avenging vampire is as exciting a character as I could possibly imagine, but this fell short. I struggle to pin point the why, but overall? It just seemed rushed and thrown together, which was at odds at how well the historical aspect was handled.

ummm this is such a bummer for me because I have loved every book I have ready by V Castro, but this one just wasn't it. I ended up dnf'ing at 40% and might get back to it at some point, but I'm not entirely sure... As I was reading I felt like the plot was completely lost in the weird sex scenes that seemed really unnecessary.

I really wanted to like this book, but the writing was not helping. It's very monologue-style tell, not show, which does not lend character development or backstory to the fact that this character has allegedly been alive for centuries. It feels like this was a first draft, or some parts of it read like a character backstory exercise that a person would eventually turn into a novel, rather than this. I will check out other books by V Castro, but I do hope they're further developed.

Immortal Pleasures follows an ancient Aztec woman turned vampire. It's a mix of modern day and flashbacks to when she was enslaved and impregnated by Cortès and how she became a vampire. In the modern timeline, she buys and sells antiquities and is looking for love while also being hunted.

I love vampires, and while this wasn't exactly what I expected, it was decent enough. Kind of weird, but kind of good too? The synopsis gave this book a higher level of expectation that did not play off.

Castro is such a magnificent author and everything they put out is my jam. If you want an original vampire novel with good bipoc rep, this is it.

Unfortunately another instance that keeps happening to me where the cover is absolutely stunning but the story inside didn't match. The story was way too sexual with very little horror. Some of the descriptors of these sexual acts was very cringe and just couldnt get past them.

The description of this novel makes it out to be something it's not - it sounds more akin to a horror novel, but 50 pages in, I felt more like I was reading a jarring romance novel that bordered erotica. While there's nothing wrong with that, it's not what I wanted or expected, so I put this one down.

A vampire story with a Historical Mexican spin.

The story follows La Malinche, a Nahua woman used as a translator for the Spanish conquistador Hernán Cortés and how she transformed into the ancient vampire named Malinalli. In modern times, she searches for antiques (aka: stolen, culturally significant, artifacts) in order to return them to their homeland. She is also in search of her true love. This is no romance story though and the spicy scenes are just cringe. The flashbacks were great, but the modern times story line got weird and not in a good way. Think vampire skincare, and appearances from Judas (yep, THAT Judas), among other things. It was just disappointing, as I had really enjoyed her previous book The Haunting of Alejandra, and was very excited for this one.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing - Ballantine for the eARC of the book in exchange for my honest review.

I don't have the words for what this novel did to my brain, but I know that I should be seeking compensation.

I’ve read almost everything Ms Castro has written, Immortal Pleasures is my least fav and really the weakest of hers that I’ve read. It’s not scary. The sex scenes are just….ewww. I’ll never look at a sea anemone the same way ever again. I liked Mali, her human story especially was engaging and interesting as was here vampire origins. But the romance part of the story was just not good. And the reveal about Alex made me roll my eyes.

Overall the story was ok but it’s my love and respect for what she does reimagine a historical person from her peoples ancestry that I’m giving this 3 stars. Sadly I’d never heard of Malinoche before so I did a little separate reading about her. The ending made me believe there will be more to her story forthcoming.

If this is your first book of hers you’ve read and you hated it, please please please go get The Queen of the Cicadas (my fav) or Goddess of Filth stat!

Thanks to the author and publisher for the e-arc I received via NetGalley in exchange for my honest opinion.

Considering how many of my friends read this book and didn't like it, I was really suprised that I actually enjoyed it a lot? I've enjoyed the two other books that I've read from this author but I set my expectations really low for this one so I wouldn't get my hopes up. Weridly enough, I think that made me enjoy it a lot more! The story was kind of slow but I really love cultural horror, like when the horror ties back to a cultural phenomenon or experience so this book really gripped me in that sense. Everyone's biggest complaint has been how weird and gross the sex scenes are but being someone who feels uncomfortable reading most sex scenes, I think the author did a good job actually TRYING to make me feel the ick. That being said, the thing that brought down my rating the most was the romances. I don't really enjoy romance in my horror but that might just be a personal issue.

I typically love V. Castro's books, but this one missed the mark. The characters and plot felt very underdeveloped. Many of the explicit sexual descriptions were a bit bizarre, too. The flashbacks to Spain's colonization were interesting and added emotional depth and justice to the story. Even though the flashbacks were my favorite element, it still left me with wanting more as this felt very much like just a highlight reel.

"Immortal Pleasures" by V Castro is a captivating tale that reimagines the story of La Malinche, a Nahua woman known in history as a traitor for translating for the conquistador Cortés. In this novel, La Malinche is reborn as Malinalli, an immortal vampire who roams the world avenging conquered peoples by reclaiming their stolen artifacts and returning them to their homelands. Alongside her quest for justice, Malinalli also yearns for pleasure and love, desires that make her deeply human despite her vampiric nature.

The parts I found most compelling were the flashbacks to Malinalli's past, both before her transformation into a vampire and during the centuries leading up to the present day. These segments of the book were rich with historical detail and emotional depth, providing a strong foundation for her character and motivations. Castro's portrayal of Malinalli's journey through time as she evolves from a betrayed woman to a powerful avenger was enthralling.

However, the present-day storyline, which focuses on Malinalli's quest for love, felt less satisfying. The plot centers around her brief infatuation with a human named Colin, which occupies a significant portion of the narrative. This part of the story felt disproportionately long compared to the rushed and underdeveloped romance with Alexander, the vampire she eventually meets. Their instant love connection felt contrived and unconvincing, making it hard to invest in their relationship. Additionally, the sex scene with Alexander lacked the intensity and passion seen in her interactions with Colin, making it seem quite vanilla in comparison.

Overall, the imbalance between the time spent on Malinalli's fleeting human infatuation and her swift romance with Alexander detracted from the story's impact. The flashbacks to her past were undoubtedly the highlight of the book, showcasing Castro's strength in weaving historical and supernatural elements together. While the concept of an immortal vampire avenger is fascinating, the present-day narrative didn't live up to the intriguing premise established by the flashbacks.

Despite its flaws, the novel offers a unique perspective on La Malinche's legacy and Malinalli's eternal quest for love and justice.

⭐️: 3.25 / 5

Publication Date: April 16, 2024

I want to thank $Del Rey and Net Galley for allowing me to get an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review!

Some of the coolest aspects of this story, was the idea that our FMC is on a mission to reclaim ancient artifacts that have been taken by colonizers. The rich history of Mexico was woven beautifully into the characters and their backstories. The way it was presented was in my opinion one of a kind and a true addition to the novel.

As for my reservations, the overuse of similies and metaphors would take me out of a lot of scenes. I also found the placement for some of the plot to be quite jarring. Right when it feels like the main storyline is progressing we go back in time to journey through decades of the main character’s life prior to the current storyline.

Overall I thought the story premise was unique but I wish that there had been more focus. The split between romance and mystery took away from the full development of either storyline. While I enjoyed the FMC’s motivation I also found some of her choices and some of the reveals to be disappointing.

Would recommend for those who are fans of
- Vampires
- Sexually explicit/graphic stories
- Nonlinear timelines
- Multiple settings

⚠️ violence, gore

2/10. Liked the concept and I enjoy the author, but was not pulled into the story. Got really bored around the 2nd chapter. DNF