I've gotta say, I came dangerously close to DNFing this one, but I'm so glad I didn't!

This had a little bit of a rough start for me. I know there was an intentional aspect of mystery here, but it felt like the story was all together poorly explained up until one particular reveal once Estela is physically in the house. From that point, though, this story really took off. I was expecting a cursed, mysterious house situation and thats definitely what I got, but there was a ton of wildly unique world building and twists that I didn't expect in the least. I loved the inclusion of other worlds, family history, mysterious magic and rituals. I love any story where the house (or setting in general) seems to have almost a character and role of its own, and that definitely happened here.

One thing I remain unconvinced about even come the end, though, was the romance. I felt like throughout the entire story I didn't actually trust Sebastian's loyalty and feelings toward Estela, and like his home world/family situation is pretty insurmountable for them to overcome. The ending was a bit unsatisfying in this way, and I am strongly hoping that the author decides to revisit the Vampire world of this story. It has a ton of potential, and was barely touched.

Regardless, I was overall very satisfied by the ending of this story as far as Estela herself, her role in the castle and in her family, and the outcome of the original murder mystery. I love what this author ultimately did with this world and how magic does or doesn't exist in it, and I think fans of The Last Tale of the Flower Bride, Starling House, and Belladonna will quite enjoy this.

One final caveat I have is purely with this narrator: I find that her inflection is really over the top and unbelievable in some moments, but strangely sing-songy and emotionally disconnected from the actual content in the next. I think this also could have impacted my initial experience with the story. Fortunately the plot itself was able to rope me back in enough that the narrator became secondary to my enjoyment.

Thank you to Macmillan Audio for this early audiobook copy!

Fans of Starling House by Alix E Harlow, and Gallant by VE Schwab will enjoy this imaginative YA haunted house story!

I was asked to review this YA Gothic Romance based on other similar titles I had reviewed through NetGalley, and was intrigued by the description. The following options are my own.

After our main character, Estella (17) loses both parents in a mysterious train accident, she is sent to live at her family’s estate in Spain. Her Aunt is not the warmest person, she hardly speaks Spanish, and the house is falling apart (and creepy).

When she starts to see a silver-eyed boy, seemingly conjured from smoke, that no one else can see, she begins to question if her homecoming is more sinister than she believed, and everyone in her small town seems to be covering up the dark curses of the castle.

What I enjoyed:
•The writing, story structure, and vocabulary was excellent. I am curious to read other works by Garber.
•The story was very fast paced, driving me through the story.
•The audio narration by Ana Orsorio was excellent! The variety of voices and languages was so enjoyable.
•Story was creepy, but not scary.
•Vampires!

What missed the mark:
•The plot heavily focuses on some hallucinogenic states, that were very fantastical and difficult for me to imagine and follow. She would have multiple revelations, but then I wouldn’t be able to pick out which was true, which a dream, and why it was important to the later story.

Mature content: talks of death, sucking blood, nightmares.

Overall, I enjoyed my experience, but it felt quite similar to other books I’ve read, and didn’t give me at unique and memorable feeling. 3⭐️

Castle of the Cursed begins as a gothic tale and morphs into a fantasy at times. I loved the setting, main male character, and the fantasy twists. However, I found the main female character too juvenile for the romance elements. I think it would've been a 5 star book for me if the main character was older.

I received an ALC from Macmillan Audio | Macmillan Young Listeners via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Rounded to 4.5 stars.

CONTENT WARNING: grief, death of parents, trauma, PTSD, anxiety, depression, mutism, suicide attempt, bullying, violence, murder

I couldn’t wait to dive into another Romina Garber book, and this time I brought Julie @ One Book More along for a buddy read. It was the best way I knew to show her the wonder and magic of a Romina Garber story, and this book didn’t disappoint. I was approved for both the ebook and audiobook versions of this ARC, and Ana Osorio did a wonderful job with this narration, effortlessly switching between English and Spanish at the drop of a hat. Her Spanish pronunciation is beautiful to listen to as well.

To start with, Garber’s writing is fantastic. She has this amazing ability to paint a wonderfully detailed picture using her words, and sets a scene that makes me feel as though I’m right there with the characters. In this story, the castle that Estela stays at, la Sombra, almost becomes a character in itself, lending to the gothic-ness of the story. Even the name of the castle, which translates to ‘the shadow,’ and the name of the town it overlooks, which translates to ‘dark,' add their own ominous pall to the story.

One of my favorite parts of buddy reading is that it forces me to slow down my reading and analyze the book with another person, allowing me to come up with some creative theories about what could happen next in the story. I was surprised when some of my theories came true, although most of them were pretty far from the mark. But Julie and I loved exploring the complexities and idiosyncrasies of the characters in the story, and what we thought their motivations were, as well as whether we thought they were going to turn out to be heroes or villains.

We quickly developed some strong thoughts on the major players in the story. Estela has only known life with her parents, never staying too long in one location. All she knows is that they don’t talk about their past in Argentina, but the family policy is that they don’t keep any secrets. So when they are killed along with 23 other people in an unexplainable accident that leaves Estela as the only survivor, she is left with survivor’s guilt that affects her mental health so severely she is hospitalized. While she is there, the officers investigating the accident give her information that leaves her with more questions than before. An opportunity comes from an aunt she never knew about, to live in a family castle she didn’t know existed, in Spain, and Estela jumps at it. I can’t blame the girl, it sounds a lot better than what she was leaving behind.

When she gets to la Sombra, it isn’t anything like what she expected. Her aunt Beatriz is all the family she has in the world, and no matter what she’s like, she’s a stranger. In addition, Estela recently learning that her parents omitted some important information about her own past and theirs, leaves her with a deep sense of betrayal that isn’t easy to overcome. It makes it even more difficult for her to trust new people, and everyone in her life is new to her. It doesn’t help that she’s also been having some old, forgotten memories begin to resurface, but she doesn’t have anyone to turn to that can help her understand and place these memories, since she doesn’t trust anyone enough to go to them.

One of the joys of Garber’s works is that when she puts a twist into her story, it is almost guaranteed to go in an unpredictable direction. I never know where the storyline is going with one of her books, and she used that technique to marvelous effect here. There were so many plot twists and they were all so surprising that Julie and I would just gush over how surprising the twist at the end of each section was, because there was a mini cliffhanger every time we stopped to discuss, giving us plenty to chat about.

Ultimately, this book turned out to be so exciting and unpredictable, with a romance that doesn’t outshine the fantasy and mystery aspects of the story. There’s some action, but a lot more uncovering of family secrets, and some of those affect the town as well, since there’s an interconnected dynamic between the castle and its residents and the town. I loved how layered the relationships between all the characters were, and how their unique experiences influenced the way that they connect to others. While it ends as a stand-alone, it could also potentially become a series (hopefully). This was a fantastic read, and reinforced Garber’s place on my must-read author list.

Thanks to Romina Garber, Macmillan Audio, and NetGalley for allowing me to listen to a free eaudio ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This book was okay. Has a little too much fantasy to be as gothic as it thinks it is, in my opinion.
The romance was not well built at all; the chemistry between Estella and Sebastian was there but needed more development. It was insta-love-ish. More focus was on the paranormal aspects and lore-building, which were fascinating and deliciously bloody. When we got into other dimensions and needing this or that to successfully dimension-hop, I got a little lost, but followed along well enough.

Estella was a great protagonist, I liked her a lot. Beatriz grew on me. Felipe . . . disappointed me. Seemed like a nice guy, but his fixation was very unheathy. Uncle Teo was a douchebag. And Sebastian . . . needed work. One minute he was threatening to kill Estella and the next he was building her elaborate if inedible dinners and seeing to her every need. Rather like the romance, the potential was there but was not developed well enough. I'm a little confused about the sister; was she a psychopath from the start or did her experience at the other castle ruin her? I think it was suggested she was rotten from the start. Not a super strong villain, but her absolute antipathy was chilling.

Overall, the world-building and lore were fascinating, but the story wasn't as cohesive as it could have been. Entertaining if not riveting. I'm completely ignoring the "Bast" at the end, because I want this story to be done.

2.5 rounded up.

I adored Lobizona and it's sequel and so I am gutted this is so low for me but it just didn't work. For a book that relied so heavily on world building the fact that we were getting new characters and locations with only 30% left in the book. I was vibing enough until that point but it rapidly starting losing me at that point. Twists can be fun, but there were so many in here that it was jarring and it made me not care when things were constantly changing.

The narrator was lovely - my only complaint is that this was quiet audiobook with a lot of whispering which made me kept having to rewind when listening to it on the subway.

**4 stars for the audio narration; 2 stars for the book itself.

Castle of the Cursed started with the best opening and brought the haunted house vibes strongly. I loved the book so much…to a point.

This book would have been perfect for an adult audience with an older main character (above the age of 18 for the duration of the book) because of the explicit sexual content and adult situations. I can’t recommend a book marketed to children with underage main characters with such content.

I will note the fantastic narration performance by Ana Osorio. What a melodic, entrancing listen with beautiful intonation and tone. If you don’t mind the content, I highly recommend a read through via audiobook.

My thanks to Macmillan Audio for the ALC, for which I willingly give my own, honest opinion.

This is a story involving magic and vampires and of course it sets our scene within a big creepy castle. MY FAVORITE. It takes place in modern day where our main character has spent months in the psych ward but gets out and she is invited to Spain to live with her aunt in this castle. While there she comes across some very strange things and people. It was honestly really fun. I loved the setting, the idea this castle could be it’s own character. Totally took me by surprise.

Castle of the Cursed was quite a bit different than I was expecting. From the cover, I had assumed this would be a gothic fantasy- and it is - but the narrative voice is extremely modern, to the point that I almost found it jarring. The book starts with a prologue, in which Estela is on a train with her parents. Suddenly, everyone but Estela falls dead, and Estela thinks that she sees a mysterious black shadow.

The beginning was intriguing, but the book shifts through multiple timelines, which made it hard for me to follow the thread of the story. I did enjoy the gothic atmosphere and the Spanish influence quite a bit, but other elements of the story didn't work as well for me. I adore a gothic fantasy romance, which is the reason I requested the book, but the romance in Castle of the Cursed moved a little too quickly for me. It felt like there were certain tropes the author was trying to hit (powerful ancient love interest), without really finding a way to incorporate them in a way the worked for the story.

I listened to the audiobook, and I will say that Ana Osorio did an excellent job. I'm always impressed by adult narrators who manage to make themselves sound convincingly like children, and I absolutely think she managed that. The audio narration was fantastic.

Ultimately, while I enjoyed my time reading the book, I just don't think this was the story for me. That said, it could very well just be me, and I would still recommend this one to fans of paranormal romances.

Thank you to Macmillan Audio and to Netgalley for granting me an audio ARC in exchange for an honest review!

This one was, unfortunately, not for me! It felt a lot like Twilight, but set in Spain. So given this, many of you might love it!! I’m just not a fan of YA romance and I didn’t realize that’s what we were getting in this horror-promoted book. But the writing is solid and the characters seem well-rounded! I just couldn't get into the story because I didn't realize it was mostly a romance. All good though, on to the next. Give it a try if you loved Twilight and/or paranormal romance!

I really enjoyed some elements of this and really didn’t enjoy some elements.

The narrator: they did a great job moving from spanish to english, which I appreciated. I was a little uncomfortable with how young they made the main character sound given the content of the book but honestly, she was 17 for most of the book so I think that’s pretty fair. The voice of the 5 year olds was also very different which added to the narration.

First, the good: the gothic scenery, the spanish influence, the phrases in spanish, the description of the food. This is definitely a fascinating gothic world with a lot of unique characteristics. I also enjoyed the darker elements of the book and found them interesting. The mystery was an interesting one to unravel with twists and turns.

The not so great: wow, the romance. A 17 year old marries an ageless super powerful being within 2 weeks of meeting him? That timeline is ickier than Twilight. I also just didn’t really get it from either of their perspectives. Obviously it has to be insta-love given the timing but they know so little about each other—Sebastian doesn’t even know who he is!—when they are ready to be in love. It just fell really flat for me. Whether the sex scenes are too far for a YA book, I’ll leave to other people to decide for themselves but it’s not exactly fade-to-black, nor did I feel like it was necessary to move the story forward. The ending was also… not great. Facilitating the murder of people due to their having been accused but not convicted of a crime is… an interesting “happily ever after,” I guess.

Romina Garber's Castle of the Cursed invites listeners into a chilling journey filled with gothic allure and supernatural twists. The novel centers on Estela, who, after her parents' mysterious deaths, relocates to Spain to live with her estranged aunt in their ancestral castle, la Sombra. The castle itself is a character, brooding and enigmatic, setting the perfect backdrop for the unfolding drama. As Estela delves into her family's past, she encounters a silver-eyed boy, Sebastián, who claims to be trapped within the castle's walls.

Narration in the audiobook is stellar, enhancing the suspense and emotional depth of the novel. The voice actor skillfully captures Estela’s fragile psyche and the eerie ambiance of la Sombra. Garber's prose is evocative, painting vivid images of the gothic castle and its haunting secrets. The blend of supernatural elements with a psychological thriller keeps the listener guessing, and the plot twists are both surprising and satisfying. The dynamics between Estela and Sebastián are compelling, their relationship evolving naturally amidst the tension and uncertainty.

While the story is captivating, the complexity of the plot might feel overwhelming at times, with numerous threads converging towards the climax. However, these intricacies contribute to the overall richness of the narrative. Castle of the Cursed is a gripping tale that combines the gothic and the supernatural with a deeply personal quest for truth. It's a must-listen for fans of atmospheric mysteries and haunting family sagas.

Rating: 5 stars!

My initial thought was this book was giving Kingdom of the Wicked vibes if it had been written for a YA audience. I quickly changed my thoughts on that. The dark topics, the magical elements, the found family.. What more could you want?

Thank you NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the audiobook ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Rating: 4/5
I received this book for my honest opinion.

If you’re looking for a YA book that is filled with paranormal, webs of mystery, a lot of twists and turns, gothic romance this book is definitely one that you should pick up. In this book you will meet Estela whose family has perished 7 months ago and she finds out that she has 1 living relative still alive but she lives at their ancestral Spanish castle called La Sombra. Estela knows what killed her parents and 23 others was not what the authorities are saying but something else and she will do whatever she has to find out the truth. However will that truly take her down a path that has no return and is clouded in more smoke??

I thought this author did a great job with the plot, yes there are a lot of secrets and the plot does twist around a few times, but I didn’t have a hard time understanding what was going on at all. I did have to go back a few times and re read a page again just because I was like “wait! No, that didn’t just happen” but in a good way. The pace was great for the book, no info dump in the first part of the book, but throughout the book you will get more and more information. I thought the world building was excellent, when you read this book you will drag into the world and really get the feel for this spooky Spanish castle and all the secrets that it’s wanting to spill. I loved that you get a paranormal aspect in this book. I thought the characters were well developed and I found myself able to relate to Estela. Sebastian, he is a whole different story… At first I was like nope nope I don’t like you but of course the “villain” always wins over my heart about 1/4 of the way in and yup he did that in this book as well. I loved that he was all like touch her and die, yet in the start he was like I am going to kill you. 

I found that this multi-generational and multi-dimensional gothic mystery was just what I needed. I found the darker side of YA fantasy to be perfect and I thought the author did good with the trigger warnings at the start of the book. Make sure to read them before you dive into this book because it does address suicide, mental health, death of parents and grief. I also received the Audio of this book and I thought the narrator did a great job with this book. It really helped to bring the characters and the scenes to life. 

I want to thank NetGalley, St. Martins and Macmillan for the opportunity to review this book.

4/5 It's a great horror story about mental health, grief, and coming to terms with both!I will definitely be recommending this to my book group.

A Dark, Romantic, and Paranormal Page-Turner!
It only took me less than 2 days to read this book, and I'm still reeling from the experience. As a fan of dark romantic, and paranormal fiction, this novel ticked all the right boxes for me. The twists and turns were expertly woven, keeping me on the edge of my seat and wondering what would happen next.

One of the unique aspects of this book is the incorporation of Spanish language and culture. As a non-bilingual reader, I was initially concerned about following the story, but the audiobook narration helped me pick up on the language and even taught me a few phrases! Bonus points for being educational and immersive.

The world-building in this novel is rich and complex, with a deep history and lore that added depth to the story. While it may be confusing for some readers, I found it to be a strength of the book. The author's writing is masterful, and I was fully invested in the world and characters.

Estela, the main character, is a powerhouse of a protagonist. Her backstory is heartbreaking, and her journey is both poignant and empowering. The unlikely bond she forms with another character is a highlight of the book, and I was rooting for her from start to finish.

Overall, I highly recommend this book to fans of paranormal romance and dark fiction. Be prepared for a wild ride with plenty of surprises and a healthy dose of Spanish culture. Thanks to NetGalley for the advanced reader's copy - I'll be recommending this to everyone!

Thank you, NetGalley and Macmillan Audio, for my free audiobook for review.

The audio narration by Ana Osorio truly brought this dark fantasy to life in an authentic way, capturing the Spanish backdrop beautifully. Her skillful performance in voicing Estella's complex emotions had me as the listener completely invested in the protagonist's inner turmoil and journey.

Osorio's emotive delivery amplified the intensity of the tangled secrets and gradual unraveling that kept me riveted throughout the story. Her nuanced interpretation allowed me to fully immerse myself in Estella's struggles, the rich family history, and the unexpected exploration of themes like sisterhood and vengeance.

Even the shocking ending hit harder thanks to Osorio's masterful narration. Her ability to convey the full range of emotions left me reeling in the best way possible. I highly recommend experiencing this gothic, supernatural adventure in audiobook format, as Osorio's performance elevates the already gripping narrative to new heights.

I wanted to like this book more, but because of the narrator's voice I kept picturing Estela to be around 14 years old or even a little younger. The romance between her and Sebastian fell flat for me - he seemed to be much older, and I didn't feel a connection between them. The premise grabbed me, and I liked the author's writing style but between the narrator's younger voice and the slower pacing, this novel just wasn't for me. That certainly won't prevent me from checking out this author's future releases.

Well. I have some mixed feelings with this one.

Overall I think the premise was really cool-gothic romance with a blood hungry castle. And while it had a bunch of turns plot-wise the characters just fell a little flat and were hard to care about. I liked other books by this author so I would read more I just didn’t really care about this one.

Thanks to netgalley and Macmillan audio for an alc

3.5 Stars

This is a great gothic horror that is set in Spain, and has a unique quality about it that is rare in YA books!

We follow Estela on her journey through grief after a horrific attack leaves her orphaned, forced to relocate to an eerie family castle with her estranged aunt in a remote area of Spain.

Like other iconic gothic novels, the setting and the castle Estela is relocated to, act as their own character throughout the novel, and I have to say, it was horrific and spooky in the best of ways.

We have a town full of secrets and a world build around the mystery of what this castle has done for centuries. Each of the town’s families holds a special role, and Estela is struggling to find her role, while solving the mystery surrounding the death of her parents.

In addition to the mystery, we have a romance that is equal parts swoony and unreliable; who can Estela (or even us as readers) trust??

I will admit that the magic and fantastical world building felt sometimes confusing, but regardless I was gripped and couldn’t wait to see how the story shook out.

I had the pleasure of listening via audio and the narrator did an incredible job. We had moments of Spanish dialogue and hearing it from a native Spanish speaker from Spain was absolutely immersive.