3.5 stars

🎡 Malicia by @steven_dos_santos_author 🎡

Malicia initially drew me in because of the cover and the premise of an abandoned theme park.

I really liked the mystery of the tragic events surrounding the park from years prior and I found myself constantly questioning Ray, Sofia, Joaquin, and Izzy’s motives the whole time.

I also really enjoyed the elements of Dominican folklore throughout this story. Some I had heard of and others I hadn’t, so it was a really interesting addition to the book.

This book really did seem to have it all. It was heartbreaking and fast-paced and there was no shortage of gore. I think this is the perfect summer read and would definitely recommend to my fellow horror fans 🫡

I will say that I found myself a bit confused at times. I felt like I had a difficult time keeping up with everyone’s POVs and seeing how it all fit together.

Even after reading this book, do I morbidly want to visit Malicia? Yup, sure do.

Does that speak volumes about my lack of self-preservation? I think so.

Malicia sounds like a fantastic horror-filled fun time... Except for the death and killing and ghosts and demons and stuff. But, the rest is aces. Do people say aces anymore?

Anyway, I enjoyed this ride (pun intended). The descriptions were tops. Everything was easy to visualize. The characters, though some were unlikable, came to life and I found the multiple perspectives interesting.

Give this one a chance.

SO GOOD. I NEVER THOUGHT I WOULD LIKE IT SO MUCH. I GAVE IT 4, 5 STARS. SO SO SO GOOD. LOVED EVERY SINGLE SECOND OF IT.

I have been really enjoying YA Horror lately, and this was a fun addition to my repertoire. This story's strength was definitely the creepy and unsettling atmosphere. This was a fast and not overly serious horro read. I really think that our teens will get a kick out of this story!

This was a really fun and engaging YA horror book. I was drawn to the premise of an abandon theme park and the book delivered in the form of a super creepy atmosphere. As soon as the teenager’s arrived things were off and the vibes were just not right, something was up. It was easy to tell from the start that the teens were keeping secrets, but I wasn’t quite sure who it was, or why. There were just so many and some were bigger than others. So, reading how that unfolded was a lot of fun. We have chapters from each of their points of view and it really added to not only the atmosphere but the story overall because we got to see the secrets from their perspective and why it was their secret. This book also had the fun element of demons, and possessions. Because of the slightly more mature themes that were present, the book was rather intense, I would place this on the upper end of the YA spectrum versus the younger end and I it was enjoyable for me as an adult.

This was such a fun ya horror! The overall premise was super intriguing and the atmospheric, haunted theme park setting was everything I hoped it would be. You follow several characters points of view as their secrets are unveiled as the story progresses. The story includes demons, possessions, and other creatures that make for the perfect spooky read.

Thank you to NetGalley and Page Street Publishing for the ARC of Malicia by Steven dos Santos.

Malícia by Steven dos Santos is a spellbinding thriller that plunges readers into a world of mystery, danger, and supernatural horror. As four friends journey to the abandoned theme park of Malícia off the coast of the Dominican Republic, they each carry their own reasons for being there.

Ray seeks closure and answers regarding the massacre that claimed his family, while Isabella aims to exploit the tragedy for her college applications. Sophia joins for one last adventure before beginning medical school, and Joaquin harbors a secret connection to the park that could unravel everything.

As the friends delve deeper into the deserted park, they are confronted by the haunting specter of an ancient evil lurking in its shadows. With a looming hurricane adding to the tension, they must band together to survive the physical threats and the malevolent force that seeks to consume them.

Dos Santos masterfully weaves together elements of psychological suspense, supernatural horror, and interpersonal drama, creating a narrative that keeps readers on the edge of their seats. The characters are richly drawn and flawed, each grappling with their own motivations and moral dilemmas as they confront the darkness within themselves and the world around them.

Overall, Malícia is a gripping and atmospheric thriller that delivers thrills, chills, and unexpected twists. With its compelling characters, spine-tingling suspense, and haunting setting, it's a must-read for fans of dark and gripping fiction.

This book took a while to grow on me, but by the time I reached the end, I was thoroughly enjoying it. I appreciated the inclusion of well-known Dominican horror characters like Jupias, Biembienes, Galipotes, and more. These were new to me before reading, and I had a great time researching them further! Additionally, books that offer chapters with different POVs always catch my interest. It was refreshing to delve into the minds of each character and understand their motivations—definitely one of my favorite narrative styles. The premise of a horror theme park was intriguing, providing plenty of scares and atmospheric writing. If you enjoy horror, multi-POV storytelling, and mystery, I highly recommend giving this book a read!

For the most part, I really enjoyed this. Original plot line. There are four characters and the book jumps back and forth between all of them. For this story, I do think that’s the only way it would have been able to be told. And it worked. Got pretty gruesome at some points. Fast paced and easy to get into.

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC of this book! This will be out in June!

This was an absolutely wild trip where my mind was running on overdrive! The dark setting was instantly creepy and the events that followed only heightened that. Excellent read.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC of this book. I really wanted to like this book. First, I love amusement parks and any novel that is set in one. Add murder mystery, the occult, magic, and mayhem. It’s something I devour. This book took me awhile to get through. The pacing was off. Not a lot happened and yet there was chapter after chapter of the characters going through each part of the island/amusement park. I didn’t really like any of the characters, and that was easy (can’t quite go into detail because of spoiler alerts). The four first person narrators each had different motives, which created some pretty good tension in the plot. But the voices bothered me. The dialogue was rough and the internal monologues just didn’t work because of some choppy writing. The world building was great. The setting was detailed and very well researched. I enjoyed that part but as the novel came to an end, I just didn’t believe the conclusion. I hope to reach something else by the author because there is some important representation of Latinx and LGBTQ characters. Their identity exploration is a valuable thread throughout the book. Unfortunately, it was clouded by a complicated conceit.

This is a tight well written novel that has plenty of scares. It takes place at an old horror themed amusement park of sorts and what better setting?

The story is written in first person perspective but we see things from several characters points of view. The author did a great job with this as we shift perspectives and it's easy to determine the different narrators.

Each character has secrets that the others aren't aware of. Terrifying secrets that will have an impact on the group as the story progresses.

The legends and lore of the Dominican Republic are featured here and I always love hearing these things from various cultures. While some might sound familiar, they vary enough to make them feel fresh.

This book gets bloody also! Demons, creatures, possessions...all those things make this a brutally intense read.

The only issue I had was with the epub file on Netgalley. There were many sections that appeared to be written over with text from previous chapters making those sections unreadable. It took me out of the experience and that's frustrating because it's NOT the author's fault and it slightly marred the reading experience.

But hopefully that issue will be remedied before the release date. And you'll be in for one horrifying ride. I highly recommend this book otherwise.

"Malicia" is a ya horror novel written by Steven dos Santos.

The story follows Ray, who on a stormy Halloween weekend, enlists his best friends Joaquin, Sofia and Isabella to help him make a documentary about Malicia, the abandoned horror theme park off the coast of the Dominican Republic where his mother and brother died in a chilling mass murder thirteen years ago. But what should be a quiet weekend quickly turns into something darker because all four have come to Malicia for their own reasons. Ray came to Malicia to find out the truth about the massacre that destroyed his family. Isabella came to profit from Ray's tragedy. Sofia came to support her friends in one last adventure before she goes to medical school. And Joaquin, who already knows the truth about the Malicia Massacre, has come to betray Ray, on whom he has a crush, to the evil that made the park possible. With an impending hurricane and horrors around every corner, they all struggle to face the deadly storm and their inner demons. But the deadliest evil of all is the ancient malignant presence hovering over the island, waiting.

"Malicia" is a novel that intrigued me from the premise. I love the idea of a haunted amusement park, even more so if it is a horror theme park! So I started reading it with great curiosity, not quite knowing what to expect. And in the end I found it to be an enjoyable, fast and compelling read that entertained me a lot, even if it did not completely convince me.

I loved Malicia, the theme park! An abandoned location, located on an isolated island, scene of a horrible mass murder. A mysterious place in itself, highly atmospheric and dark, made even darker by the malevolent presence hovering over everything. I was fascinated by the descriptions of the various ruined and rotting carousels, as well as the typically more horror scenes. The engaging and evocative writing effectively sketches the various environments, making the horror elements truly enjoyable. Between sinister creaks, ominous shadow play, shaky lights, eerie whispers, treacherous gusts of wind, actual apparitions, and so much more, I had a lot of fun! Added to this haunted environment is then the raging of a powerful hurricane, which further complicates things! Seriously, I can't express anything but compliments about it!

The story proceeds dynamic, full of action and events, with a fast and brisk pace and the presence of short chapters. I was absorbed in the vortex of the narration, finding it almost impossible to tear myself away from the pages! A lot happens, perhaps too much, so that some scenes seemed rather rushed and chaotic. I admit that I guessed the various plot twists in advance, without being surprised, but in general I enjoyed it all.

The characters are what convinced me the least. Ray, Joaquin, Isabella, and Sofia all have their own pov, in first person. But even so, I found them superficial and poorly analyzed. I don't know, they didn't convey anything to me, I couldn't bond with them, and that made me indifferent to their fate.

All in all, "Malicia" is a good ya horror novel, with an atmospheric setting and an intriguing story, perfect for a quick spooky read.

Thank you to the Publisher and NetGalley for giving me an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.