Mayra and Ingrid... two best friends from who went their separate ways after Mayra decided to leave town for college. Now, several years later, Ingrid receives a phone call from Mayra to join her for a weekend getaway in the heart of the swamplands. A place so remote, Google Maps can't even find it. What could possibly go wrong?

This book was atmospheric and made you feel unsettled at times because as Ingrid begins to descend the reader is actively watching this play out. At times I would catch myself saying "hold up, that's not right" which is a different play on the usual unreliable narrator. Usually, the reader doesn't know the protagonist is unreliable until the end, but HERE?! you see her descend into an unreliable viewpoint and you feel bad.

It definitely felt slow at times. Regardless of that, I recommend this to anyone who likes a gothic-esque haunted house.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing for allowing me a chance to read this novel ahead of its release.

This was a DNF for me. I couldn't connect with any of the characters and wasn't wowed enough to continue.

A creeping, unsettling, and character-driven novel examining memory and friendship. The setting is brilliantly eerie, the house a silent but ever present character all on its own. The relationship between Mayra and Ingrid was a reflection of young and often unhealthy friendships that many of us experience.

I wasn't sure how much I liked the latter half of this book - I mostly liked the descent into confusion and madness, but I found myself lost at times, unsure about what was happening and why. The pacing was a little off, and the characters strange. It's not a book for everyone but I enjoyed it nonetheless.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC.

Thank you to NetGalley and the Publisher for giving me an advanced copy of Maura by Nicky Gonzalez. I love the cover and the name Mayra lends itself to a creepy story. However, I'm really not sure what this book is supposed to be. Ingrid gets invited by her childhood best friend Mayra to a secluded house in the Everglades. Seems like a great idea for horror, but nothing scary or creepy happens in the first half. I DNF'd because it was just a girl ruminating about her past and clearly needs therapy, not a secluded house to deal with it.

Mayra by Nikki Gonzales, when Ingrid gets invited by her long-lost friend Mayra to meet her at an isolated cottage in the Everglades, at first she definitely doesn’t want to go but after a boring date she decides to go see the girl who she was wants obsessed with in love with and jealous of all at the same time. she’s nervous about reuniting with her friend after six years of not speaking because at one time Ingrid was lost in Mayra‘s world that included dangerous pranks drugs and grown men. When she arrives it seems Mayra is the same just a more commercialized version of her former self but soon they fall into their same old roles that felt so comfortable in the past. Ingrid is taken back however when she learns Mayra’s boyfriend Benji is also there. unfortunately Ingrid was only supposed to stay two days but before she knows it she doesn’t know how long she’s been there and despite her best efforts she seems to keep saying things that upset Myra or cause her to analyze who she is in profound ways but thankfully her friend is also the forgiving kind. It takes a while for things to happen such as Ingrid finding a journal of Benji‘s ancestor Lizzie and for her to explore the house. The house is bigger than she first thought and even reaches size that is almost unbelievable the house has quirks and staircases it couldn’t possibly have looking from the outside. That part of the story was very interesting the whole thing with the house and set in a different book could’ve really been a great plot but there were certain things I didn’t like about this story such as on one hand the writing was colorful classy and very readable but then other times such as in the past they would use bathroom humor or such things as asking grown men when they were 17 how much would they pay to see her butt hole… And that’s just so dumb not to mention Mayra would look for unlocked cars so she could pass gas inside of them and shut the door things like that really made me want to DNF the book that is so childish and when it comes to teenage pranks I thought the author could’ve come up with more convincing ones. I also thought there were a lot of things in the book that were never answered like things she found in the house and why been like to eat spiderwebs and dust and a lot of other stuff. It was a very weird in at times creepy book but mostly at the end the beginning was more the two friends with Ingrid bringing up their past and Mayra, either claiming she didn’t remember or asking questions that insinuated her opinion was dubious about the whole situation. I really think I would read another book by this author the story was very good I didn’t like that she would put Spanish quotes in the book and not let the reader know what they said because it is so disconcerting having to stop and translate a quote and to assume everyone speaks Spanish it’s just ridiculous. If you like character driven stories and don’t mind waiting for the excitement then you will like this story I myself found it OK but wish either the beginning would’ve been shorter or the end and excitement would’ve started sooner but then again I guess that is 6 of one and half a dozen of another. #NetGalley, #TheBlindReviewer, #MyHonestReview, #NikkiGonzalez, #Mayra,

This ovel is a hypnotic, slow-burn descent into memory, madness, and the haunting pull of old friendships. The setting is lush and suffocating against the backdrop of the Florida Everglades.

The story follows childhood friends, Ingrid and Mayra as they reunite after not being in touch (rarely) for about 10 years. Mayra left FL behind when they finished school, and they did not remain in touch. Out of the blue, Mayra contacts Ingrid and invites her to a remote house in the swamp of FL to have a reunion. Ingrid agrees to it, but doesn't realize that Mayra's boyfriend will be there. What the reader begins to experience is a dreamlike quality of writing. Lots of details of the house, the swamp, the heat, buzzing insects, and moss-draped trees.

Something sinister is at hand as we move through the story, becoming a fever dream, reminiscent of Shirley Jackson and some might say, The Elementals by Michael McDowell, with the gothic moodiness and unease.

Many thanks to the author, the publisher, and NetGalley for a digital copy to read for review. Highly recommended to those who love stories where the setting becomes a character of its own.

Mayra lures you in with the false warmth of reunion, then quietly peels back the walls of reality until all that’s left is a surreal warp in the Everglades. Ingrid’s trust in Mayra gives her the courage to step into the strange, secluded house. A place that initially feels like a retreat but quickly begins to twist. The walls seem to shift, time unspools, and the air grows thick with something unspoken. Gonzalez builds a creeping, tense fever dream as the familiar curdles into something uncanny, unraveling Ingrid’s sense of self.

If you like Lost in the Garden by Adam S. Levine, Mayra is right up your alley!

This is an odd book that hasn't decided what it wants to be. Is it a gothic horror story, a haunted house, or an imagined nightmare? Ingrid's old childhood friend, Mayra, reaches out to her on a whim to invite her to a weekend getaway in the Everglades in a house that may or may not have some history.
It starts out as a reunion of friends, then Mayra's boyfriend Benji turns up, who is strange to say the least. As Ingrid starts exploring the old house, she finds a journal that she begins to read, a page a week. The author does a great job creating the atmosphere-the swamp’s oppressive heat, darting lizards, and distant alligator eyes, it's an uncanny, claustrophobic setting that becomes a character in itself, but the plotting is slow and the story itself is disjointed.

At one point it's about a reunion of old friends that seem to pick up exactly where they left off; then it becomes a mystery as to what is happening or has happened in the old house; then the mystery of Benji's sudden appearance and role in Mayra's life and his relationship with the house itself.

But my main beef is that it's slow. It takes a long time for the horror to pay off, and when it does it's just not that shocking or interesting.

I did not expect what the author provided here - a sort of hopefulness about change but also a firm determination to keep touch with our selves. A house of leaves with a bit of hope shining through.

Mayra was an okay read for me. I mostly enjoyed the moments in the house because they slowly became creepier, and I didn't know what to expect at all.

And though I didn't expect what did happen, I wasn't really surprised either. It was very anticlimactic. I kept waiting for something bigger. And then it was just over.

The book is titled Mayra, so I assumed she would be the main focus of the story, but not in the way that she was. It reads like a love letter to her, if toxic childhood memories can be considered love.

“Do what Mayra would do. Do what scares you.”

Mayra and Ingrid grew up as best friends in Hialeah, Florida. Mayra was an outgoing nonconformist, willing to test boundaries, quick to come up with an outrageous comment or question for shock value. Ingrid, prone to anxiety with a low self-esteem, happily existed in Mayra’s shadow. Mayra leaves Florida for university and six years pass before they speak again. Mayra calls asking Ingrid to join her for some downtime. The address she provides is deep in the Everglades. Miles of swamp, walls of vegetation, dirt roads leading to nothing but isolation. As Mayra surely expected, Ingrid shows up.

The house belongs to Mayra’s boyfriend whose graciousness seems more saccharine than sincere, but we have the length of the book to decide. In the meantime, the former best friends hang out, eat, drink, and explore. This mysterious, magnificent, and magical setting is where the story should have stayed, but their time in this strange home in isolated setting is constantly interrupted with backstory. What is this book? To be fair, it is marketed as general fiction but reads as a coming of age with a drizzle of something else. Suspense or paranormal? Who knows. There wasn’t enough of either to make a call.

It’s difficult to have a takeaway with such a strong lead character in Mayra and setting in the Everglades. While both elements are strong, there is too much drag elsewhere.


Thank you to Random House Publishing Group—Random House and NetGalley for providing this e-galley

Thanks to NetGalley and PRH for the opportunity to read this debut! On paper, the descriptive copy should have been right up my alley. I love a southern gothic horror and this had the making of a Jennifer’s Body meets Michael McDowell, but alas I DNFed half way. For me it was that it didn’t get spooky enough fast enough. I’m still not sure what the conflict is at 50% of the book. Neither of the main characters, Mayra or Ingrid, are likable so I don’t really care about their past. I’m sad for the harassment they caused their family and community as teenagers. I’m sure it would all have resolved at the end but there wasn’t enough to keep me going, even though this is a short read.

A short, interesting little read that flies by despite not knowing exactly what is happening. At the end it all comes together and makes sense.

While I love the horror genre, the stories tend to me hit or miss for me and unfortunately this was a miss for me. The premise sounded so good but it ended up being too complex, at least for me. The writing style was poetic and flowery but I felt it was done just for the sake of being done that way with no real substance behind it. Like it was trying to hard to be something, you know? I don't know, maybe it just wasn't for me. I'm still at a loss as to what I just read. This story was just so odd, and not in the good way. I just found this to be so boring and I kept hoping for the best so was disappointed when I reached the end and felt like I wasted my time. Again, maybe I just wasn't the right audience for this book.

Ok, James.

What even was that? I seriously felt like I jumped into a jungle of fever dreams, because the back and forth was so insane. She’s giving Mexican Gothic meets someone’s crazy toxic boyfriend, because who?????

I am so thankful to PRH audio, Nicky Gonzalez, and Random House for granting me advanced audio access before July 22, 2025. Hold onto your expectations yall, this one is a TRIP!

This was an amazing debut for the author. Mayra had a lot of eerie elements, and what creeped me the most was that it was set in the mysterious Florida Everglades. Friends since they were kids Ingrid and Mayra become estranged until one day Mayra reaches out to Ingrid. What happens next is a series of very odd and inexplicable events.

When Ingrid convinces herself to sit Mayra in the middle of nowhere in the Everglades, she begins to question reality and who Mayra really is. What really made me cringe was the house they were staying and Mayra’s boyfriend Benji. Once you start reading about him, you’ll see that there’s something not right about the whole situation. I’m gonna say this story had some cosmic horror elements and a lot of drama between the two friends, it was a fantastic debut for sure.

3.5 stars rounded up.

It's been years since Ingrid has seen Mayra, her childhood best friend. So, naturally, it's pretty surprising when Mayra randomly calls her up one night and asks her to come stay for a weekend at a house in the Everglades to catch up. Their friendship was deep, volatile, and at times, toxic (as so many childhood friendships can be). Ingrid holds a combination of love, jealousy, and admiration for her ex-best friend. And so she ultimately decides to go to deep into the Florida swamplands for this visit. But there are secrets and memories hidden in the labyrinthine walls of this house, and something is a little...off about Mayra's new beau, Benji. Now Ingrid is forced to navigate this reunion, this unusual house, the endless swampland, and her deepest self to find the way home.

This is a deliciously slow-burning Southern Gothic tale and I rather enjoyed it! I was never outright scared, but I was deeply unsettled at several points throughout. The atmosphere was thick and claustrophobic - I could FEEL the humidity of the swamplands on every page. Things get wild and dreamy towards the end and I needed to collect my thoughts on the meaning of everything before I could figure out how I felt about it and what I thought the whole point was. I imagine there are several ways to interpret everything and I love that!

I had a good, uneasy time with this little book and I recommend it to those who are interested in an atmospheric, slow-burning story featuring the complexities of friendships and identity.

Thanks to NetGalley and Random House for providing an e-galley in exchange for an honest review!

Mayra comes out July 22, 2025 for those interested!

This just wasn't for me - I found it a little too literary for my taste, but I know a lot of people are going to love this! I immediately recommended it to my friend who is from Florida. I think this will definitely find the right audience - weird, literary horror - but it just wasn't for me. And that's ok!

I'm still trying to process what I just read! I liked the way the author created the atmosphere of the book, you really could feel the climate of Florida. Ingrid was an interesting character and Mayra was unusual. You don't find out what is happening until the last part of the story and then you're really not sure what just happened! I ended up liking this book.

What would we do to rekindle that perfect childhood friendship?

Ingrid has missed having a best friend. You know, the friendship before bills and responsibilities kicked in. That deep friendship where when a question was posed, you knew either of you could answer it - because you knew each other so well. Ingrid has missed that since she lost her best friend Mayra. They drifted apart after high school when they went life took them 2 different directions.

But Mayra calls Ingrid out of the blue and invites her to a remote house for the weekend, maybe a long weekend? However long Ingrid can stay, Mayra would love to see her. But can we really recapture old friendships like that? What would we have to give up to have a friend like that again?

This was an interesting and quiet story. The first half is really just getting to know the two main characters and really setting up that previous friendship and to catch them up to the now. The second half felt a little slower until I hit that last 10 percent. The story really turned from there - and the fever dream quality melted into that interesting horror element and really drew me in. I liked looking back over the story, in the end, and seeing all I could see from that different viewpoint. What a deliciously dark story but one that took a moment to fully reign me in. It was worth the wait.

A huge thank you to the author and publisher for providing an e-ARC via Netgalley. This does not affect my opinion regarding the book.