V. Castro’s “The Pink Agave Motel: & Other Stories” is a tantalizing collection that masterfully intertwines sensuality with horror, delivering an experience that’s both provocative and chilling. Each story lures readers into a world where desire and dread coexist, showcasing Castro’s unique ability to evoke arousal and fear simultaneously. The narratives are unpredictable, keeping readers on edge as they navigate the alluring yet terrifying scenarios she crafts. For fans of dark, sexy tales that push boundaries, this collection is a must-read. 

Alright, y'all. This was weird. I don't think this was for me. I'm not sure exactly WHO it was for, but I'm not it.

The book starts with several short stories, some of which were so short it seemed as though there was almost no point and left me wondering "what was that? What just happened?". Of them, the only two that stood out to me were Mako and Dirty Deck, both of which I enjoyed. Of the rest, none rated above three stars.

When we get to the meat of the story, The Pink Agave Motel, I was actually pretty into it at the beginning. The longer form is definitely more suited to this authors writing and I found myself moderately invested in what was happening. I enjoyed the different types of monsters and learning about them, I thought the whole concept was interesting - especially a motel where humans go to end their lives and feed the monsters.

And that's about where it ended for me. This book REALLY needed another couple passes through editing - there were grammatical errors, consistency issues, and some really disjointed writing that just didn't make a lot of sense. I really wanted to like this one, but honestly, it just didn't work all that well for me.

Thank you to NetGalley and @ClashBooks for this ARC, in exchange for an honest review.

This book is like two books in one—and both are wild rides, just so you know!

The first half is a collection of short stories, each focused on a different kind of monster or creature. You’ve got vampires, aliens, demons, zombies, and ghosts popping up, but my two absolute favorites featured a mummy (super unique!) and an AI sex doll (yeah, THAT was a trip). Each story stands on its own, and they’re all creative, creepy, and pretty out there in the best way.

The second half shifts gears and tells the story of Valentina, the woman behind the Pink Agave Motel. She’s a fascinating character with a wild backstory—how she became who she is, the relationships she built (both friendly and not-so-friendly), and her vision for creating a place where creatures like her can gather. The motel isn’t your typical roadside stop; it’s where monsters go to mingle and, uh, eat at 'feeding' events. Add in a tangled plot about betrayal, greed, and even a love story, and you’re in for quite a twisty tale.

This book has everything—romance, horror, blood, and a ton of, let’s call it 'spicy content.' It doesn’t hold back on anything, so make sure you’re okay with some heavy stuff before diving in (definitely check those trigger warnings!).

This book is a wild, gory, steamy, and creative collection of different stories and characters. If you’re into quirky, boundary-pushing reads, you’ll probably have a good time with this one!
3.95 Stars!

This started off really strong with a few great stories, but the eponymous story was too drawn out and a bit all over the place. I didn’t particularly care for the writing style either, and the tenses jumped around so much it was confusing. Overall, a very disappointing read. I was hoping for much more!

A horror book about women with feminine rage and an strong sexual appetite.

This book has about 10+ short stories and 1 longer one. I can say that I did enjoy the shorter stories a lot more then the longer one about the Pink Agave Hotel.

I think after so many short stories I was a little burnt out by the time I reached the longer one. Most of the shorter ones did have a lot more appealing storylines.

This is a great book of you are looking for a horror novel by a LatinX authors with strong female characters.

This book has a lot of gore, blood, murder, cannibalism and sexual content

Genre: Horror
APK: Ebook
Pages: 244
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spice: 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️
Series or Standalone: Stand-alone

This collection of short stories was the perfect mix of folklore, horror, and erotica. Well written with short and sweet stories makes this a great combo. 4⭐️

I think this short story collection ultimately wasn’t for me, but I can really appreciate Castro’s artistry and flair. Some of the stories felt too incomplete for me and underdeveloped despite having really interesting premises. And I typically don’t like my horror to be quite this erotic. The titular story is definitely the highlight as the characters are really brought to life, and the idea of a motel as a safe haven for creatures to offer their services was a really interesting one. I think for those that don’t mind a sexier horror tale, this could be a really interesting collection.

This collection of short stories centre around love, desire and horror, with the Mexican folklore influence that makes V. Castro's stories so good.

This collection starts off with some shorter short stories and then we get to main The Pink Agave Motel. Of all of the short stories, Carnival of Gore, Dirty Deck and The Pink Agave Motel were my favourites. The pacing was great for the first (almost) half, and as entertaining as The Pink Agave Motel was, I think the pacing did slow down a bit, as we jump back and forth between timelines.

Overall, an enjoyable short story collection and another fun outing with V. Castro.

what can i say? v. castro never misses and every release is such a treat, i don't think i'll ever get sick of her stories.

This book was a mixture of all the things I didn’t know I needed or wanted to read! It was such a mixture of stuff I don’t want to give spoilers. Make sure you check the triggers before reading! Five star I would recommend this book! It may not be everyone’s cup of tea so just check the trigger warnings.

This novel is made up of several different short stories and one main story. There's an overall theme of horror, gore and sex throughout the novel. We're introduced to different characters and places, with some of them being creatures from Mexican folklore.

The main story, The Pink Agave Hotel, had a lot of jumping between events and time periods, which made the it hard to follow. Personally, I didn't care for the story, nor its main character. I did however enjoy the short stories, even though some of them ended rather abruptly. Had the novel focused on just short stories or dived deeper into the existings ones, I would probably have enjoyed it a lot more.


Thanks to Netgalley, as well as the publishers, for providing a copy in exchange for an honest review.

V. Castro’s The Pink Agave Motel: & Other Stories is a striking collection that deftly blends horror, fantasy, and intimacy, taking readers on a thrilling ride through a world where desire and brutality intertwine. The stories are set in the eerie confines of the titular Pink Agave Motel, a place where the boundaries of human longing, violence, and the supernatural are pushed to their limits.

The opening story introduces Valentina, the leader of a creature cohort, who runs the motel with an unsettling calmness until a murder on the property forces her to team up with the grieving friend of the deceased to solve the mystery. This sets the tone for the rest of the collection—gripping tales that explore unrequited love, lust, and identity, all underscored by a pervasive sense of gothic terror.

Castro’s writing is deeply influenced by Mexican folklore, which infuses the stories with a rich cultural heritage. Her feminist perspective is woven throughout, offering a unique exploration of how desire can shape and distort the human experience. From a woman out of place at a seaside honky-tonk to trapped guests undergoing sexual liberation, each story presents a vivid portrayal of characters struggling with their desires and identities in the face of dark forces.

What makes The Pink Agave Motel so captivating is Castro’s ability to mix horror with sensuality. The stories evoke both arousal and fear, keeping readers on edge as they navigate through an atmosphere thick with tension. Her voice is alluring and bold, making every twist and turn both unsettling and irresistible.

This collection isn’t just about thrills and chills; it’s a deep dive into the complexity of human emotion, particularly the nuances of unrequited love. Castro examines how this universal experience can transform into something monstrous or divine, and how it binds people across species and dimensions.

In sum, The Pink Agave Motel: & Other Stories is a haunting and intoxicating read. Castro’s fusion of gothic horror, fantasy, and raw human emotion creates a memorable experience, one that lingers long after the final page is turned. Fans of dark, feminist horror and fantasy will find this collection both enthralling and thought-provoking. It’s a bold exploration of the many faces of desire, from the terrifying to the tender, and a must-read for those seeking something truly unique in their literary adventures.

Read more at The Secret Book Review.

Nothing I say about this collection of short stories will do it justice, absolutely amazing and everything I love about the horror genre.

I loved Goddess of Filth by V. Castro so eagerly picked this one up. Unfortunately, this short story collection was disjointed and repetitive. It’s extremely horny which isn’t on its own a bad thing, but the characters are so indistinct and the prose much weaker than in Castro’s other work that it got annoying to read similar sex scenes over and over and over again where little seemed to change regardless of character and context. None of the short stories particularly stood out and the longer piece dragged.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for providing a copy in exchange for an honest review.

The Pink Agave Motel by V. Castro is a novel that struggles to find its footing. The first eleven chapters consist of short stories that feel entirely disconnected from the main plot, leaving readers confused about their relevance. This fragmented structure makes it challenging to follow the narrative and engage with the overarching story.

Additionally, the book suffers from frequent grammatical errors, which disrupt the flow and diminish the reading experience. These issues, combined with unclear transitions and convoluted storytelling, make the book hard to read.

While Castro’s ambition to weave together different narratives is evident, the execution falls short. Moments of vivid imagery and intriguing ideas hint at the potential for a compelling story, but they are overshadowed by the book’s structural and technical shortcomings.

Overall, The Pink Agave Motel feels disjointed and poorly edited, making it a frustrating read. Readers who value coherence and polished prose may find this book disappointing. With more refinement, it could have been a stronger work, but as it stands, it’s difficult to recommend.

A hypnotic mix of sex and horror, this is a very solid short story collection. It focuses on the monstrous, and the appeal of the monstrous as well. This is great for all the monster fuckers out there. I think the balance between gore and love is what really makes it work. There's sorcerers against flesh-eating beings, there's vampires trying to escape their dark corners of existence, old gods in the new world, and mermaids. All of it maintains a delightfully queer and anti-colonialist perspective. V Castro is an exciting voice in horror.
My only problem with it was that some of the writing, especially the dialogue, was sometimes clunky and unnatural sounding. Aside from that, the ideas present were interesting and well-executed.

This motel is not everyone! Whether you go there to kill or be killed. Both done with a lot of pleasure.
Welcome to the Pink Agave Motel!

This book is split into two.

The 1st half of the book is made of short stories that tackle different creatures individually like vampires, aliens, demons, zombies, ghosts and my 2 favourite stories feature a mummy and an AI sex doll.

The 2nd half is about Valentina, the owner of the motel.
How she became who she is, the friends that she surrounds herself with, and the motel she built for creatures like herself where she hosts feeding events.
As if this wasn't enough there's still a story of greed and treason that will twine together with her love story.

This book brings you love, gore, blood and lots of spice. With no boundaries!
So definitely check the trigger warnings.

...and if you're interested in spending some time in this motel you'll have to wait for the release date which will be March next year.

I will preface this by saying, I don’t normally love short story collections. This was a solid conglomeration of stories, but I will say not one in particular really stands out. I will still always check out what this author creates. Thank you to the publisher for the advanced copy.

V. Castro's "The Pink Agave Motel & Other Stories" is a horror short story collection about monsters, specifically female cannibalistic vampires, having sex, dreaming about sex, seeking sex, fantasizing about sex, and lusting after eye-catching males. It's not smut, though it has many spicy scenes; it's true horror, full of gore, brutality, some vulgarity, and all kinds of violence. People get distressed, depressed, beaten, bitten, eaten, disemboweled, and both physically and emotionally cut open.

The female monsters act wildly (there are males, too, but they act pretty much predictably), their self-confidence both admirable and embarrassing. What stood out for me, however, was the writing: constantly brimming with life, passion, sin, and desire. No matter what Castro wrote about, it sounded sensual and carnal. Under these circumastances, the choice to narrate everything in first-person was wise! I loved the flash fiction stories, but my favorite ones were the ones conveying a feeling of completeness: primarily the opening story, "Carnival of Gore," which is pretty much what the title implies, and "Mako," a nice lead-in to the titular novella. Highly recommended!

The Pink Agave Motel is a great collection of stories from V.Castro. Each one I could see becoming its own novel.
If you enjoy dark and dangerous reads then this is definitely one to add to the TBR, I can't wait to read more from this author.