🎧 Book Review 🎧 What happens when you mix the paranormal, a fascinatingly dark cult, and indigenous history? The answer is an absolutely gripping, unputdownable, and rich novel by Erika T. Wurth, pristinely read by Ina Barrón. Grief forever changes us. After Olivia’s sister death by suicide, she receives the gift of communicating with the dead. When the opportunity to investigate the Brown Palace, the location where her sister mysteriously died, arises, she sees the opportunity to finally receive some answers. The Haunting of Room 904 unfolds with so many meticulously developed layers.

This started off SO GOOD....then the pacing lagged...then it got deep in the weeds and started throwing everything into the mix. Sadly the first half was way better than the second.

This book was so out of my normal like that I could
Not get into it. Stopped about 1/2 through and couldn’t do it anymore.

I really struggled with this book. I got to 25% until I just decided that this book wasn't for me. I wasn't a big fan of the authors writing style.

Dr. Olivia Becente, a psychologist and paranormal investigator, is called to The Brown Palace to solve the mystery of room 904, where a woman dies every five years under unexplained circumstances. With personal ties to the room and the loss of her sister weighing on her, Olivia is determined to break the cycle.

The premise is compelling, but I struggled to stay engaged. Abrupt transitions made the story feel disjointed, and while the characters weren’t entirely unlikable, they lacked depth. I wanted to root for them, but it wasn’t an easy journey. The audiobook narration also didn’t work for me, making it harder to connect.

Though it had moments of suspense, The Haunting of Room 904 didn’t fully deliver for me. However, fans of paranormal mysteries may still enjoy it.

Special thanks to NetGalley and MacMillan Audio for this advanced audio copy in exchange for an honest review.

💥💥Book Review 💥💥

The Haunting of Room 904
By Erika T. Wurth
⭐️⭐️⭐️Stars

The Haunting of Room 995 is filled with dark foreshadowing atmospheric anxiety in Ericka’s new novel. I got to listen to the audiobook of this book. The narration was well done but it got too overloaded with details which pulled me out of the world. Overall, it was okay. The beginning was really interesting and then it just turned boring and I lost interest.

I want to thank NetGalley for providing me with a copy of the book in exchange for a honest review.

Thanks NetGalley for the ARC of this audiobook. This story was great and pulled me into the book so fast. It was thrilling and had the perfect amount of horror. I did lose interest around 70%, the characters started to fall flat and nothing picked up the pace for me.

The Haunting of Room 904 by Erika T. Wurth is an absolutely mesmerizing audiobook! The atmosphere is eerie, the tension builds perfectly, and the narration truly brings the haunting to life. The storytelling is immersive, making it impossible to stop listening. Fans of supernatural thrillers will love the chilling twists and well-developed characters. Highly recommend for anyone who enjoys a good ghost story with a psychological edge!

There’s a reason that I always read/listen to the author’s notes at the end of a book. They give me an insight into the author’s thoughts, and I almost always come away with a deeper understanding of what I read, but rarely do they make me get teary-eyed. This is what Erika Wurth wrote; “This last part is dedicated to every Native person who felt that they didn’t belong, and to every nerd who was told that what they loved was silly. You belong. What you love isn’t silly. And art is everything. It makes us able to love the world.”

That spoke to me, because Haunting is a true piece of art. Although there are descriptions of terrible things, specifically involving the Sand Creek Massacre, the character of Olivia gave me hope, and, even though this book is classified as horror, it’s also uplifting, which I realize is probably a bizarre feeling to have, but isn’t that what great art does? It gives you all the feels. All the stars to Haunting of Room 904.

A haunting tale of a sister’s love and the need to get answers for her sister’s death, oh and she can see and talk to spirits?! The Haunting of Room 904 is sure to make you call out of work and stay up all night to continue your read/listen! The sense of anticipation and foreboding, unsure of what was coming next was inescapable. This is not my typical genre but I will absolutely be reading more by Erika T Wurth in the future! Her ability to totally immerse me in the story and make me feel as though I’ve always known these characters is incredible! I truly enjoyed the paranormal aspects of this thriller. And then bringing in the cult and Natives and her Jewish friends, LGBTQIA+ representation, what a diverse read! Truly a great book!

The narration done by Ina Barrón was captivating and allowed me to truly visualize the story. Always a fan!

Thank you NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for my ARC, as always I appreciate the opportunity to experience a book early and provide my honest review. 🖤

I was hugely excited for this book, after Erika T. Wurth’s amazing debut, White Horse. Unfortunately, there was just too much going on here. It’s a genuinely spooky ghost story, but also a murder mystery, with lots of historical information. There are also a few characters that felt superfluous. Unfortunately, with so many threads, I found it difficult to latch onto one that I enjoyed.

Ina Barrón does a wonderful performance, and made it easier to keep track of the characters.

Indigenous perspectives, history, and horror are the ingredients which make this book stand out. Five years after her sister’s tragic death, Olivia has made a living off of banishing and trapping entities in cursed objects. She and her best friend Alejandro literally are fighting demons together, and there is nothing more she could ask for. That is, until one banishment goes awry, which forces Olivia to investigate the circumstances of her sister’s death–and confront her guilt. This book was super “fun,” if I may say that about horror: The magical elements, cult exploration, and Olivia’s sassy personality really shone. But I also appreciated the serious insights and gleamed even more understanding on the Indigenous peoples genocide which occurred in the United States, and **SPOILER**

the even further colonization of Indigenous bodies and minds that continues today. There were predictable elements of the story (i.e. sleeping with the enemy) but Olivia was a great character with depth to stay with. I wanted to know her story. The narrator did a good job bringing that to life for me. Thanks to NetGalley and MacMillan audio for the eARC of this work.

If you love your ghost stories with a side of heartache, history, and hard truths, this one’s for you. Olivia Becente never wanted her sister’s gift of seeing the dead. But after Naiche’s sudden death, she gets more than visions—she gets questions. Years later, Olivia is Denver’s top paranormal investigator, but one case at the Brown Palace Hotel brings her face-to-face with something far darker than just spirits.

This audiobook owns its space as a paranormal thriller, balancing chills with cultural depth. The spooky vibes hit your ears right away and never fully let up with a great narrator. But what I loved most was how Wurth weaves in the deeper reasons for those hauntings—colonialism, white supremacy, and the violent erasure of Native lives. It’s the kind of horror that stays with you because it’s rooted in real history.

The blend of spiritual practices also stood out to me. It felt like those underdog dance movies where the winning routine mixes styles—only here, it’s ceremony and belief coming together in a way that feels both raw and beautiful.

And Olivia? She’s everything I want in a main character—tough, sharp, and real. Her hyper-independence makes sense once you see her pain, and it makes her resilience hit even harder. I also found her connection to her heritage especially relatable. I know my family’s Yaquí roots, but like Olivia, the edges are fuzzy, and sometimes that leaves me questioning my place. It’s rare to see that nuance explored so well.

Pacing-wise, it’s mostly medium with a few slower stretches, but the tension never fades. You’re always bracing for the next chill—or the next truth. If you want a thriller that haunts you and makes you think, this one belongs on your shelf.

I have Erika's first book White Horse, but this is the first book by her that I read. I loved the angle of supernatural investigation because there is an uncertainty of what elements are truly supernatural and what are just tragic occurrences. As Olivia tries to deal with the investigation, the cult appearance adds higher stakes. On top of this, the complicated personal life and troubles that she's experiencing add a great layer to this story. I definitely recommend picking this one up. If you are a fan of Simone St James, I think you'll love this too.

Really, really cool—very spooky and cabinet of curiosities adjacent. This book was a delightful combination of haunted objects, a Faustian bargain, and indigenous spirituality. I really liked how the plot is dotted with these possessed items, each unfurling a small vignette that eventually weaves together to reveal a broader narrative.

Around the half way point, things got a little muddled with accusations and flashbacks flying around—it was harder to remember all the characters and track their motives.

I normally love paranormal horror stories but this one fell very flat for me! I found it very disjointed and all over the place. There was way too many details for me to take in as an audio book. Maybe a physical copy would be better. I did like how the author touched on subjects like racism and immigration. Things that are affecting the word now. I might try to grab a physical copy of the story when it is released and try again. But I’m not sure it will change my opinion. But I would recommend this to someone who enjoys a paranormal horror story and see how you feel about the story

I thought I would give this author another try after not liking her previous book. Sadly, I think her writing just isn't for me.

This book was very tedious and meandering. I thought it would be interesting with the occasional horror references and a potential cool setup.

But after reading up to the 20% mark and nothing interesting was keeping me invested. The transition between scenes were still clunky. The dialogue still cringy. Yeah it was a no for me.

Thanks to Netgally and Macmillan Audio for this ARC

This was such an easy going listen (easy going horror lol)
I really liked the indigenous aspect with the 'spirits' literally doing the most to make sure that the truth of the massacre was learned and taught. While I enjoyed the story, I couldn't really connect with the FMC. The relationships felt odd and kind of disjointed. The reveal with Dorian wasn't surprising either. Truthfully, this book was nothing like I thought it would be, and that's fine. I enjoyed it for what it was and would definitely read this author again.
Also the narrator was great!

The Haunting of Room 904 is a supernatural mystery about a woman investigating her sister's death in a hotel. The book tries to mix paranormal elements with cultural themes, but it doesn't quite hit the mark. Wurth's writing is somewhat engaging, though the plot can feel a bit scattered and the characters aren't always fully developed. It's an okay read for those who enjoy ghost stories with a bit of cultural background, but it's not a groundbreaking novel in the genre.

The Haunting of Room 904 by Erika T. Wurth is an atmospheric, spine-chilling masterpiece that seamlessly blends psychological horror with a sharp critique of academia. Wurth’s writing is immersive and haunting, pulling readers into the eerie, oppressive setting of the cursed hotel room while unraveling a deeply unsettling tale of trauma, colonialism, and ghosts—both literal and metaphorical. The slow-burn tension builds masterfully, and the protagonist’s descent into paranoia and fear is both gripping and emotionally raw. With its rich storytelling, sharp social commentary, and truly terrifying moments, this book cements Wurth as a powerhouse in modern horror.