I have never read a book like this before. It weaves the cultures and heritages of the conquered and the conquerors from the points of view of mixed American/Mexican/indigenous identities. It was dark and moody and unpredictable. Perfect for fans of horror seeking diverse perspectives and lore.

With such a unique plot, it really didn't need to rely on subverting storytelling conventions. There was no need to jump between first, second, and third POVs and past and present tense for the same timeline. These distortions were jarring and not in a way that felt like it supported the story. I would have rated higher without it.

Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for an advanced reader copy in exchange for this honest review

M.M. Olivas’ Sundown in San Ojuela is a haunting, atmospheric novel that masterfully intertwines family legacy, personal trauma, and cosmic horror. With its evocative desert setting and spine-chilling lore, it draws readers into a story that feels both deeply personal and terrifyingly otherworldly.

The novel centers on Liz Remolina, a protagonist as complex as the landscape she returns to. San Ojuela, her childhood home, is a place steeped in tragedy and secrets, and Olivas captures Liz’s internal struggle with vivid, poignant prose. Her journey to confront both her family’s past and the horrors lurking in the desert feels raw and authentic, making her a character readers can’t help but root for.

San Ojuela itself is as much a character as Liz or Julian. Olivas’ descriptions of the barren, eerie desert are so vivid they border on cinematic. The setting’s isolation and desolation amplify the tension, providing the perfect stage for the unsettling gods that stalk the story. These ancient, malevolent forces are chillingly rendered, their presence creating a sense of dread that lingers even in the novel’s quieter moments.

Julian, Liz’s childhood best friend, adds another layer of mystery and complexity. His transformation since their shared past raises questions about identity and loyalty. The dynamic between him and Liz is compelling, blending nostalgia with unease as they navigate their way through a town that feels alive with secrets.

Olivas’ writing excels in its ability to blend genres. The novel is equal parts gothic horror, psychological thriller, and speculative fiction, with elements of folk mythology that give it a unique edge. The themes of grief, memory, and redemption are woven seamlessly into the narrative, adding emotional depth to the supernatural elements.

If there’s a flaw, it’s that some of the novel’s mysteries remain intentionally unresolved. While this adds to the eerie atmosphere, readers who prefer clear answers might find themselves frustrated. However, this ambiguity feels appropriate for a story rooted in cosmic horror, where the unknown is part of the terror.

The death of her aunt brings Liz back to Casa Coyotl, a hacienda she's about to inherit, ghosts and all. Because Liz sees dead people. And they roam Casa Coyotl, and the surrounding fields and forests. Sundown in San Ojuela is a mash-up - haunted house / ghost story with a unique societal and cultural perspective. Liz and her family are brown. There's racism, there's immigration, there's colonial history. In other words, there's a lot going on.

The creep factor was high, the reveal was drawn out, the action disorienting. Good ghosts, bad ghosts, and things going bump in the night (chupacabra, anyone?). Throw in Aztec mythology and vampires, messy characters and ICE, mix it all in with some good old family drama, and you may start to get the picture. In this ambitious novel, there were many hits and a few misses (I never had a good sense of Casa Coyotl. Maybe it could have been described better?).

The originality kept my attention, Olivas spinning many plates to create this world.

My thanks to NetGalley and Lanternfish Press for the digital ARC.

"The dead cannot come back to hurt you. Only the living hurt each other."

Genuinely impressive. A spooky story with Latin-American folklore, anti-colonialist themes, queer characters, a haunted house, and bloody altercations. 19-year-old Elizabeth returns to her childhood home after the death of her aunt and must contend with her personal and the literal ghosts that stalk the old house, as her childhood friend Julian, now something much worse than just a boy, grapples with the darkness inside him and the forces he serves.
The novel employs first-, second-, and third-person narration at different times, meshing different narrative voices into a stunning symphony of perspectives, which I found worked splendidly. It took me a lot longer to get through this book than I would have liked, but I was never bored. The indigenous mythology was fascinating, and the monsters, both human and supernatural, were properly terrifying.

Thank you to Netgalley for providing a digital copy of this book for review consideration.

This was such an exciting and tense read. I thoroughly enjoyed my time with Liz, which sounds a little bizarre given the dark and brutal themes captured in the pages. I found her to be an imperfect but completely captivating and real character, my time with her flew by considering that this is more of a slower-paced book. I was fully investing in the complex family secrets coupled with the supernatural elements and I felt immersed in the world of Mexican folklore.

I struggled initially with the changing of tenses as well as the flashbacks, sometimes I had to slow my reading down to make sure that I was following the story from the right perspective, but once I was further into the book, that stopped and I was completely sucked in.

This book will really stay with me and I would recommend it to anyone interested in dark thrillers with a folklore/fantasy edge.

DNF'd at 36%. The back and forth between present-day and memories is unclear and makes for a confusing reading experience. The pacing is uneven.

This is a really great story that I was invested in. The writing is very immersive and I had a hard time putting this down! I would recommend this! Special Thank You to M.M.Olivas, Lanternfish Press and NetGalley for allowing me to read a complimentary copy in exchange for an honest review.

A supernatural horror novel that weaves Mexican folklore, cultural identity, and family genealogy with electrifying tension. M.M. Olivas constructs a complex world where ancestral myths and contemporary reality clash brutally and fascinatingly. The MC Liz, with her ability to see the dead and complicated family history, is an extraordinarily multifaceted character. Her return to House Coyotl, the ancestral home in San Ojuela, triggers a narrative that explores deep cultural inheritance scars, colonization, and belonging. Olivas' narrative style is bold: perspective shifts and flashbacks create a disorienting atmosphere perfectly reflecting characters' internal discomfort. Though the first two-thirds of the book proceed at a slower pace focusing on world and character development, the final part explodes into a breathtaking supernatural climax. References to Mexican folklore - from Aztec gods to creatures like El Coco - add mythological depth, while themes of assimilation and cultural identity are treated with extraordinary sensitivity. Violence isn't gratuitous but symbolic, a tool for exploring generational trauma and resistance.
Despite some confusing perspective transitions, the book maintains an unnerving charm. Olivas successfully creates a story that is simultaneously a personal investigation, a supernatural horror, and a poetic reflection on cultural legacy. The supernatural elements are masterfully integrated, never feeling forced but organic to the narrative. The exploration of Mexican-American identity - with its complexities of language, ancestry, and cultural erasure - gives the horror a profound, resonant quality. The writing shifts between narrative styles - close third person, first-person rambling, and even second-person perspectives - creating a fluid, dynamic reading experience that mirrors the characters' emotional landscapes.
A remarkable debut that promises great things for this author, offering a fresh and powerful voice in supernatural horror.

"She wanted to scream— like the dying coyotes— to run away somewhere and hide and wait for all this horror to end. She’d escaped. Why hadn’t she stayed gone?"


⚠️Triggers⚠️
Graphic animal death (esp cat lovers be warned!), bullying


Brutal, wild, fascinating and action-packed supernatural horror tale.
Rich in Latin American folklore/Hispanic history.. Ancient spirits and gods...brujas and blood magic...haunted house and ghosts...cursed soul...clairvoyance...monsters like El Coco or El Cucuy, Chupacabras, hispanic vampire..family bond and trauma..friendship... second chances...sacrifices and more!
Surprisingly good for a debut novel! I enjoyed reading this one. I just find the dialogues or conversations written in dialect and sudden POV switches confusing at times (possibly an editing issue).

Thanks to NetGalley and Lanternfish Press for the arc. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.🖤

4.0 ✨🐍

SUNDOWN IN SAN OJUELA by M.M. Olivas

Pub date: Nov. 19th, 2024
Publisher: Lanternfish Press
Rating: 4 / 5


Is it possible to remain amongst the living when you no longer have a soul?

Liz Remolina and her sister Mary have returned to San Ojuela following their aunt's death. But this San Ojuela is not the same place the Remolinas grew up in. Liz can see that more clearly than ever, just as she can see and hear the ghosts that roam the desert land. When Liz reunites with an old friend who is now cursed, she begins to unravel the events that left her at the mercy of spirits and ancient gods– gods who took her soul so many years ago.

SUNDOWN IN SAN OJUELA is M.M. Olivas's hauntingly poetic debut novel. The plot is not the clearest, with a timeline spread across years and jumping POVs. While the POV switches may be frustrating for some readers, others may appreciate the stylistic choices to unveil character identities and add intrigue to the narrative. The unanswered questions build up to a fast-paced final act, which delivers on character growth, emotional impact, and cinematic action. The book also features figures and narratives from Mexica folklore, a prominent focus on Latine/Hispanic history and lived experiences, as well as use of Spanish phrases and conversations throughout. Fans of supernatural horror and family focused tales should not miss this debut.


(Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review!)

Sundown in San Ojuela pulled me into its seductive, gothic world. I love the fierce women, the passion, the pain, and the heroism. This highly textured novel rises into horror and beauty with ease, making me marvel and crave more.

The interplay between a young dancer, her mysterious former friend, and lethal danger gave the book an emotional edge. The novel lives and bleeds. It's atmospheric, poetic, moving, and rich in sensual and cultural details. The history and lore kept me in thrall.

Distractions: I didn't like the use of second person for one character and I didn't understand the capitalization of ‘boy.’

Overall, the different voices worked well, revealing differences in culture and complexities of dealing with heritage and bigotry without becoming heavy-handed. The distances and strains of cultural and sexual identity and class show in lived experiences.

Brilliant details and memories that burn create magnetic lines through the text revealing wounds, shadows, and intimacies, conquistadores, otherness–damage and power spreading through generations. The mystical and supernatural sequences mesmerized me. Certain scenes became truly magical. The relics, the beings, the ideas, and the characters connect in a controlled yet explosive choreography.

A tide of inevitability makes the final chapters wonderfully satisfying. M. M. Olivas has a wonderful, strong voice. Highly recommended for non-squeamish readers of horror, gothic, dark fantasy, #ownvoices LGBT+ and Latine fiction.

I first heard about this book when I heard M.M. Olivas speak at ALA and I knew that I needed to read it. I really enjoyed the layers and the exploration of family, folklore, trauma, and the longterm effects of colonialism in Latine culture, and how Olivas integrated some really intriguing folklore into a family saga and a vampire spaghetti western to boot. On the flip side, there were sometimes some jarring POV shifts not only between characters, but also between first, third, and even second person perspectives that would take me out of the story at times. This is a very ambitious novel, and while sometimes not all elements land I overall found it to be unique and powerful. I will definitely be checking out more books from Olivas in the future!

A very slow build for about the first 70% of the book, which lead to me not wanting to pick this up unfortunately. As much as I really wanted to love it and read it - I found it to just be too slow for me. I did overall love the storyline with the family secrets, an eerie haunted house and of course the brujería. These are all things that make for a great novel. It was just the pacing that did not work for me as the reader. The story was wonderful once it really picked up. A nice little folklore novel if you're up for an incredibly slow burn.

Thank you Netgalley and Lanternfish Press for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!

M.M. Olivas’ “Sundown in San Ojuela” is a haunting dive into the supernatural and mythological that masterfully blends Chicana and Indigenous storytelling with elements of horror and cultural identity. The book centers on Liz, Julian, and Mary, three characters intricately connected by family secrets, ancestral legacies, and a haunted house where Aztec deities and brujería collide with ordinary life. As the mysteries of San Ojuela and the Remolina family unfold, you are taken on a journey through deeply layered themes of colonization and cultural erasure.

One of the book’s strongest points is its rich, multidimensional portrayal of identity. Liz and her siblings navigate a fractured understanding of themselves, wrestling with a heritage that is both Indigenous and colonial, Mexican and American. Their mother’s disapproval of their connection to Spanish and Indigenous roots further complicates this journey, and Olivas skillfully uses each character’s lineage and personal struggles to explore the broader tensions surrounding identity and cultural inheritance. Olivas doesn’t shy away from the messiness of these issues, presenting them in a way that feels both realistic and thought-provoking. This focus on the theme of identity does sometimes overwhelm the horror aspects, so if you wanted a more horror-based book, this may not be the story for you.

The story’s world-building is immersive, filled with Nahuatl vocabulary, unfiltered Spanish dialogue, and a gothic yet distinctly American Southwestern atmosphere that allows mythology to thrive alongside the mundane. The book oscillates between the supernatural and the terrifyingly human, providing a visceral, atmospheric read. The writing style, shifting from third-person close for Liz and first-person for the Sheriff, is both experimental and engaging, although at times the constant POV changes can feel chaotic, especially in early chapters where flashbacks appear mid-scene, disrupting the flow. Despite this, the layered perspectives create an immersive, almost dreamlike quality that amplifies the book’s unsettling themes.

Olivas has crafted characters who are flawed and complex. Liz’s perspective draws readers into her fears and self-doubt, while Julian’s storyline brings an intriguing balance of magic and mystery, and the Sheriff’s sections provide a stark contrast to the main trio, though some may find his point of view extraneous. Despite pacing issues in the first half, where dense lore and backstory initially slow the story’s momentum, “Sundown in San Ojuela” builds to an explosive climax that blends horror and identity in a memorable way. The book doesn’t spoon-feed easy answers, instead offering you a tale of otherness and self-acceptance in the face of a complicated, haunting legacy.

Ultimately, “Sundown in San Ojuela” is a dark, thrilling exploration of family, loyalty, and the inherited burdens of identity. With its thoughtful portrayal of Mexican-American heritage, Mesoamerican mythology, and cosmic horror, Olivas has crafted a story that will resonate deeply with those who have ever felt caught between worlds.

3.75 rounded up to 4 stars. Keep an eye out for this November release! This was a very layered book, steeped in Indigenous Mexican/Nahuatl lore, with lots of moving parts that culminate in a dramatic finale. I really enjoyed it, although the multiple tenses initially threw me off. It felt a little experimental but the author pulled it off well!

The characters were beautifully complex and morally ambiguous in many ways, bringing an organic discussion on generational trauma, internalised racism, colonialism, and the insidious evils of ICE and the police force in America. The fantasy elements were pretty original to other fantasies I’ve read recently, and quite creepy. There were a couple confusing moments in the narrative that I had to reread to make clear, but overall I loved the loose, poetic narrative style.

I’ll definitely be keeping an eye on future releases from M M Olivas! Thank you to NetGalley and Lanternfish Press for the ARC!

A confused, jumbled plot doesn’t make up for an ending that was fine. The synopsis promised something that I figured I would enjoy, but the execution made it a slog to get through.
Thank you NetGalley for the ARC.

3.5 stars rounded up.

This is a pretty decent Latine (specifically Chicana and Indigenous) paranormal horror filled with family secrets, brujería, and a haunted house.

I really liked how each character came into their own the more you read. Every major character felt fleshed out enough that you could tell who's who and what their relationships are with each other, interwoven with paranormal elements such as Liz's ability to see ghosts and Julian's magic. Another reviewer mentioned that the sheriff character felt unnecessary, but I did appreciate a POV that wasn't so entangled with the major trio of characters (Liz, Mary, and Julian).

Unfortunately, the first ~60% was a confusing read for me. There weren't really a lot of characters to get to know, but the author switches POV within the same chapter so it was hard for me to attempt to acclimate to one character, when a few paragraphs later, it switches to another character.

There were also a lot of flashbacks (this is a story about family secrets and family history, after all). But the flashbacks would occur as a character was performing an action, so it gave me whiplash to go back and forth between different characters and their memories. I had to keep going back to figure whose POV I was in.

The last 40% really picked up in pace (the first 60% was more slow going, with backstories and world building). While the climax did feel very YA fantasy, and I'm speaking as a part-time YA fantasy hater, I did have fun with the classic sword and sorcery elements. Maybe others who were looking for something more grounded might dislike it, but imo, it really helped to amp things up.

Despite my issues with the POV switches and flashbacks, I still had a fun time with this novel. I'll definitely read another one of the author's works.

Thank you to Lanternfish Press and NetGalley for this arc.

Sundown in San Ojuela by M.M. Olivas is a haunting journey through a desert town filled with ghosts, ancient gods, and buried family secrets. When clairvoyant Liz Remolina returns home, she confronts a dark past and complex cultural identity, aided by her haunted childhood friend. Olivas crafts an atmospheric tale of memory and identity, pulling readers deep into a world where the supernatural and personal collide.

2.5⭐ dnf at 72%
i hate to be negative in these arc reviews but this book was doing too much while also giving nothing at all. the plot, the characters, the shifting povs...

**Thank you to NetGalley and Lanternfish Press for the eARC of this unique title!**

There were a lot of good pieces to this one and I really enjoyed that this book jumped right into the thick of things. I wish the pacing had stayed the same throughout the entire book as the middle dragged a lot for me.

The change in tense that came with the POV changes was not my favorite, but I enjoyed the story overall.