We all had that friend who we swore would be the death of us when we were growing up, but we kept that friend because at least we'd die happy...and then we grow up and go our separate ways. Until we get that phone call: let's get away from it all at a house in the middle of nowhere and catch up. Sound great? Like you'd never want to leave? Like you couldn't if you tried?
I loved author Nicky Gonzalez's writing and I want to read more! Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this book. My opinions are my own.

What a strange book this was. I'm not sure what to make of it.

Thanks to NetGalley and Random House Publishing for an Advance Reading Copy in exchange for an honest review.

Mayra is a weird little book about toxic friendships, an old eerie house in the swamp, and even weirder boyfriends. Nicky Gonzales writes fabulous imagery of the Floridian swamplands, and really knows how thread unsettling tension into their dreamlike writing.

The cast of characters is small, with a lot of development happening through flashbacks regarding Ingrid and Mayra's childhood together.
I found Lizzie's narration via her journal fairly boring, but Ingrid was hilarious and relatable. She's odd, but in a familar, normal-quirky way. Her desire for Mayra's attention, the need to be seen--that insecurity felt so real. That is perhaps the most well-done aspect of the story: the characters' insecurities are palpable, a character all its own.

And of course, there is Benji, Mayra's boyfriend who is...fucking strange. And not in a good way. He isn't violent or outwardly rude or anything that warrants an immediate red flag, there's just an aura of wrongness that slowly becomes more apparent the further you're drawn into the story.

I wouldn't say this is strictly horror, maybe more gothic thriller with some unsettling magical realism thrown in there. It definitely has its creepy moments, but they crop up more towards the last quarter of the book. I also wish the transitions from timelines was more apparent, but it could also be said that this is a purposeful effect. Regardless, Mayra is a beautifully written debut, with probably the best obsessive/co-dependent relationship between teenage girls I've read.

Thank you to Random House Publishing, NetGalley, and the author for this arc copy in exchange for an honest review.

I didn't enjoy reading Mayra by Nicky Gonzalez. The story was very slow paced and it didn't have the eerie vibe I was hoping for. If the book had been faster paced with the supernatural elements introduced earlier on in the story I think I would enjoyed it.

Unfortunately it wasn't my cup of tea.

Mayra by Nick Gonzalez is a captivating novel that centers on Ingrid, a deeply relatable character whose emotional journey of self-discovery keeps you hooked from start to finish. Her struggles with identity, love, and growth are depicted with raw authenticity, making her someone readers can truly connect with. Gonzalez's writing balances introspection with tension, drawing you in and leaving you constantly guessing about what’s to come. The horror element, which doesn’t appear until the end, builds slowly but powerfully, making you question what will unfold next.

I was frightened reading this story. The author did such an amazing job crafting what reads like a horror novel to me. I liked some of it but other parts were too much for me. I think the book will find the correct reader and be enjoyed. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

‘Mayra’ ended up being a little different than I expected. It was extremely atmospheric. I loved that it takes place in the Florida Everglades. So right away it feels mysterious and a little creepy. This story is definitely a slow burn. For most of the book it’s mainly just the MC going about her days in a strange house and reminiscing about her childhood friendship with Mayra. The ending however, felt like a fever dream. I really enjoyed this story, I just wish the creep factor was a bit higher.

Thank you to NetGalley for the arc!

Honestly this book wasn’t bad, but it was great either. I was kind of confused on how the book went back and forth in time. And I really did think it was going to be a bit more horror type, the suspense was great. But like I said I really did think the horror was going to be a bit more there, and I really didn’t understand the ending of it. Overall it wasn’t bad but like I said wasn’t really great.

Mayra is a quintessential Florida novel while being out of this world. The description and imagery is so beautifully SoFlo, including the Publix stop and python hunting dudes. Its exploration of a toxic childhood friendship is addicting and relatable. When I was reading I lost track of time and place, like I was in the house in the swamp myself. The simple diary entries are a delightful addition, taking us out of the story and adding another perspective of female friendship. It artfully tells a story on three timelines: Ingrid and Mayra’s friendship in the past, their current situation and Lizzie’s life leading up to her time in the house. A must read for any Florida girls who have had kooky strained friendships and enjoy a spooky twist.

An intriguing novel of horror and suspense. The gothic vibes were immaculate. I am in love with book and will be raving about it. The author did a phenomenal job with the characters.

Ingrid and Mayra were childhood best friends, grown apart with time. Mayra reconnects with Ingrid and invites her to stay in the deep Florida swampland. Ingrid is surprised to find out that Mayra’s boyfriend will be staying with them as well. The longer Ingrid and Mayra are together the more disagreements they have about the past as well as secrets this Florida house holds.

I loved that this book was southern gothic. I also enjoyed that the book feels dreamy. However I felt as though the writing was a bit all over the place with many plots happening at once. We are taken from present day to Ingrid and Mayra as children/teens and we follow Lizzie who Ingrid finds the journal of.

Thank you to Random House and NetGalley for this ARC! To be published July 22, 2025.

Review of Advance Reader’s Copy

When Mayra reaches out to Ingrid after years of silence, she invites Ingrid to come spend time with her in the isolated house where she is staying. Ingrid knows she should decline, but she and Mayra were once best friends . . . and it’s hard to say, “No,” to her.

So Ingrid goes. Unprepared for what awaits her, what will she do when she discovers the secrets held by the house?

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Atmospheric, dark, and creepy, this tale places a strong focus on the friendship between the two women. Toxic, yet deep, it was a friendship created during their adolescent years; one that Ingrid felt compelled to recognize and accept, even as an adult. Throughout the narrative, readers encounter the characters’ loneliness and isolation, giving the telling of the tale an undercurrent of apprehension.

With its disquieting gothic vibe, a setting isolated in the swampy Everglades, and the uncertainty surrounding the friendship, the feeling of something “not quite right” about Mayra’s boyfriend, Benji, simply adds to the eeriness. The unfolding tale keeps those pages turning [albeit with a bit of trepidation] as readers try to predict what will happen next.

Readers who enjoy friendship tales, creepy stories, and weird situations will find much to appreciate here.

Recommended.

I received a free copy of this eBook from Random House Publishing Group – Random House / Random House and NetGalley
#Mayra #NetGalley

I really liked this book! It was definitely horror verging on literary fiction, with a sense of unease that heightens with every page. Ingrid was a relatable main character: shy, reserved, and often plagued by daydreams and anxiety. Mayra, on the other hand, was her perfect opposite, and I really enjoyed the way the author portrayed their differences. The haunted house elements were very well done, and the diary entries that began in the later half of the book added a lot to the depth of the story.

Mayra was a dreamlike, mysterious book that kept me curious through to the end. Very quickly, the reader gets a sense that something is not quite right early on, but Gonzalez did a great job of showing not telling.

I did find the ending and plot a little underwhelming, but overall an unsettling and intriguing read.

This story had a lot going for it. The writing in this was phenomenal.
Looking forward to more works by Nicky Gonzalez in the future.
I will say, this read more like literary fiction than horror for me. I love both genres but felt like it didn't hit heavily enough on the "horror" side.

Thank you NetGalley for this ARC!

The publisher reached out to me and offered the opportunity to read an eARC.

I should’ve said no. I should’ve DNF’d. But, I kept reading thinking maybe it would get better. It never did.

Thank you Random House and NetGalley for the ARC.

A reunion with a toxic friend becomes a terrifying descent into Southern Gothic horror in this compelling novella.

I approached this book with curiosity and left with a newfound appreciation for the haunted house genre. Nicky masterfully crafts an atmosphere of dread, where the true horror simmers beneath the surface until the explosive climax.

Even before the overt scares begin, the psychological tension is palpable, leaving you questioning the sanity of the characters and the reality of the events unfolding within the house. The toxic dynamic between Ingrid and Mayra is disturbingly familiar, offering a sharp exploration of how such friendships can subtly manipulate and erode, ultimately revealing a darkness that's both human and supernatural. This is a must-read for anyone who enjoys their horror with a side of psychological depth and Southern charm.

Thank you NetGalley, Random House Publishing and Nicky Gonzalez for an ARC for an honest review.

When Ingrid's old friend invites her out to a remote cabin, things get a little weird.

I actually really loved this. I think the author really captured a certain type of female friendship that a lot of women can relate to on a deep level, and the way she wrote about it was just superb. So evocative. I loved the whole atmosphere. The dream like quality of the second half was very nicely done. Just enough creep to be gothic, while not being 100% horror. Very strange and creative. If this is her first book, I can't wait to see what she will do next.

Mayra is an unexpected, out of the blue reunion gone awry! Mayra is definitely one of those stories where you’re enticed trying to figure out what happens early on. This is a good read if you want something different than your traditional twisted, dark story. The intricate, almost like a one sided cat and mouse game of navigating such a deep relationship such as best friends was really interesting to me. Throughout the read I was asking myself so many questions, and prompted to keep reading to see the boundaries of friendship being pushed. It was nice that this story gave contextual background on the character’s friendship/relationships with others in their lives which I felt really helped the storyline. I also do like how Mayra is open to reader’s interpretation, which adds to that ominous sort of energy of the storyline. I also did heavily enjoy the amount of time taken to place the audience in the heart of south Florida; being a Florida native it added onto the effect of my reading experience.
The transitions between certain parts of the story could’ve been more fluid for me, but I could see how the author used that sort of choppy form of transitioning through parts to add to that effect. I also did not really enjoy the journal entries, as I felt that they were excessive and a bit tedious.

A huge thank you to Netgalley and Random House Publishing group for an ARC of Mayra expected to publish on July 22, 2025.

I went into Mayra expecting a deep southern gothic horror. What I got was slightly off center of that. Mayra weaves a tale of a turbulent and toxic adolescent friendship that is rekindled in adulthood. Ingrid is quick to come to the siren call of Mayra, traversing deep into the swamplands of Florida to disconnect with the world and reconnect with Mayra.

While I didn't feel the horror until the last quarter, Gonzalez does a phenomenal job breathing life into the setting and the characters and masterfully switching the tone from dreamlike to foreboding on a dime.

Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.