I am a sucker for gothic stories and this is one of the best I’ve read in a long time. Will appeal to lovers of Silvia Moreno-Garcia and Isabel Canas, but with its own distinctive style that I absolutely loved. Antonia is a fantastic, strong main character and she makes smart decisions and figures things out in really clever ways, which doesn’t often happen with gothic heroines. From the opening pages this book really pulls you in and I finished it in just two sittings (would’ve been one but I had to go to work). I will definitely be on the lookout for anything this writer comes out with in the future!

**Book Review: *Bochica* by Carolina Florez-Cerchiaro**

Thank you to NetGalley and Simon and Schuster for providing the advanced e-book of *Bochica*. I absolutely loved this book!

From the very first page, I was captivated. The eerie, gothic atmosphere immediately drew me in, and I couldn't help but think of a photo I had saved about 10 years ago. The image was of an abandoned house in Colombia that hung precariously over a cliff, and as I read, that image kept resurfacing. When I finally went back to look at the photo and read the author's note, I was floored—it was the same house! It turns out the book’s setting was based on this very house, which had been transformed into a hotel, adding a layer of eerie, gothic charm to the story.

The setting itself was haunting and fascinating. The abandoned house turned hotel offered the perfect backdrop for the foggy, creepy atmosphere that is a hallmark of a good gothic novel. The plot had that perfect combination of mystery, supernatural elements, and haunting suspense that kept me hooked. I loved every chilling, atmospheric detail and the way the author wove a sense of dread and wonder throughout the story.

I would rate this book 5/5 stars. If you're a fan of gothic-style haunted house stories, *Bochica* is a must-read. It’s the perfect balance of creepy, atmospheric, and mysterious, and I can't recommend it enough!

**Final Rating: 5/5 stars**. Highly recommend to fans of gothic and supernatural thrillers.

I have very few words to express what I felt for this book. It is beautiful for a lack of a better term. Any lover of gothic fiction will appreciate this story a lot; it's like poetry but make it dark. It explores so many themes in such a crisp way that it wins your heart easily. 5 out of 5 stars. Full review to come soon.

Haunting and suspenseful--this is exactly my kind of book. I wanted to read this since I first heard about it. Gothic speculative fiction might be my new favorite genre.

Thank you to Netgalley for providing this digital book. I am leaving this review voluntarily.

This book had a creepy atmosphere, chilling moments of deep unease, and a seemingly haunted house. I believe the story would have benefited from deeper character backstories that would help the reader better understand the characters’ current anxieties and predicaments. Antonia, the main female character, strives to be independent and strong, but I found her to be easily influenced and at times contrary. She muses that she wishes her needs and wants would be considered for once, but when someone offers to take care of something for her, she complains that she is a perfectly capable person, and she is only being treated so because she is a woman. I dislike when characters, particularly female characters, do this.

There was a lot about the book that was not fleshed out. A red-eyed specter that isn’t mentioned often enough to feel relevant, a random connection to the romantic lead that felt convenient and not strategic, and Antonia’s waffling feelings about her father, to name a few. First, she can’t live without him; then she approves of whatever punishment comes his way because the law dictates him to be guilty; and then can’t focus on anything else because she must free him from prison because illness spreads quickly there.

Overall, I think this book has a strong foundation and can be a great gothic novel with more editing and drafting, a clearer focus on character development, and how horror is manifested (the house, the specters, or the cliff).

2.75/5

Thank you to Atria Books Publicity Department and NetGalley for the e-arc. Here is my honest review:

Bochica tells the story of Antonia and the tragedy that has followed her family since they moved into the home perched above Salto de Tequendama, a waterfall rich in history and secrets. Years after her mother's death, the family home is being converted into a hotel. But, the ghosts of the land and Antonia's past remain.

The novel frames itself as The Shining, but don't come into this novel thinking you will get a 1:1 horror story of an immersive hotel setting. Instead, Bochica shines best as a story tackling grief. It asks what is more haunting: ghosts or regret?

Starting the book was a bit hard as I found that it took a long time for the premise to really shine. The book's most prominent problems are most noticeable in the beginning. These problems included a slow start and too many references to a plot the audience has yet to be clued in on. However, I was able to quickly finish the book within the rest of the day once the plot stopped relying on these vague references.

Let's start with what I think the book struggled with first.

The book was too vague in the beginning. By this, I mean that the book focused heavily on trying to push the gothic/horror element of the plot through the repetitive mentions of nightmares and memories of Antonia. The repetition got old fast and did not add to the book's atmosphere. Additionally, these "secrets" did not provide a good payoff.

Some scenes were also hard to follow. Even if the stream of consciousness is supposed to be unreliable, as a reader I still felt like the writing of these scenes resulted in a confusing plot at times. Some scenes started or ended too abruptly with plot lines jumping from A to B without a lot of description to lead the readers into what is happening. As a result, some scenes were hard to read.

However, my biggest problem with the book has to be in its ending. Without giving away any spoilers, the novel's ending does not utilize the supernatural elements present in the novel's universe. The novel's ending does not showcase the book's strengths and shies away from being bold. Had it a stronger ending that leaned more into the book's aesthetic and concluded on the themes and symbols it built up then the novel would have been stronger and more satisfying overall. It was an underwhelming ending but not a terrible one.

Now for some of the novel's strengths and other things that I liked.

Dialogue is the book's greatest strength. I can clearly hear Antonia's voice. Florez-Cerchiaro does an excellent job establishing a voice for all the characters to the point that their voices never muddled into one. During the points of the novel that I found myself lost in, I was able to come back thanks to the strong dialogue. While some descriptions and writing choices confused me, the dialogue itself was never hard to follow and was consistent throughout the book.

Antonia's characterization is consistent. She was an enjoyable protagonist with a distinct voice. Despite Alejandro (her partner in solving the hotel's mystery and budding love interest) not being as strong of a character, he contrasts and parallels Antonia in ways that elevate Antonia.

The paranoia of the book is present and felt. There are times when you doubt if Antonia is a reliable narrator and if her psyche can be trusted. There are times that Flórez-Cerchiaro uses vague descriptors in the writing's favor. The unsettling fear of the novel's beginning slowly morphs into a label of evil.

Overall, Bochica has a great concept that pulls you in but never goes all out. I had a lot of fun with what the novel was setting up only to end up disappointed at the ending. It is a story rich in themes from the idea of reclaiming what was lost to fighting for one's autonomy told through the lense of a gothic narrative. I wished the novel delved more into its horror elements. I even wish that the novel was longer. There are a lot of things that Bochica tries to do and while it does not nail all of them perfectly, the effort is there.

Overall:

I recommend Bochica to anyone curious to soft launch themselves into the gothic genre. For anyone who loves a perfectly imperfect book, give this one a read.

Plot: ★★★

Characters: ★★★

Writing: ★★★★

Ending: ★★★

Total: 3.75

As a new horror fan, I was so excited to read this book. The cover is gorgeous and the premise sounded incredible. Everything sounded promising, but I don't think it was well executed

Firstly, this book did not seem like it was ready for arc readers, as there were so many issues with the grammar and writing. This is likely due to the fact that this is a translated work, but i think another round of edits was needed before being shared.

Besides issues with grammar and sentence structure, the plot itself felt underdeveloped. The author tells the reader a long, with long descriptions and details, but rarely shows the reader anything. This would get repetitive and I didn't feel like i was reading anything all that interesting. I was told that Antonia loves gothic novels, which felt at times as a stand in for actually creating any gothic atmosphere. I was told which gothic novels and authors i should be thinking about, but nothing gothic was conjured beyond this.

I left this book with more questions than I started it with. The cast of characters was large and individual characters were not fully fleshed out. I didn't understand anyone's motivations in anything that they did. people would help or hinder Antonia and i couldn't understand why they cared or didnt care. Antonia herself would flip flop in her resolve constantly. It was unclear if this was on purpose, and she was supposed to be an unreliable narrator, or if these were simply continuity errors. I think if the story and the stakes had been better fleshed out, I would have better understood everyone's motivations.

I also found the romantic subplot of this to be underdeveloped. Antonia meets a young reporter, Alejandro, and we're never shown any romantic tension build but at one point they are suddenly kissing. I was shocked when this happened, since i did not see any chemistry on page between them. Alejandro was another character with unclear motivations. He would randomly show up in a scene with a clue or piece of information to very conveniently move the plot along, but we didn't get any explanation as to why or how he ended up with the information. He's just used as a plot device and very little about him is explained or fleshed out.

Despite my issues with the book, I really enjoyed the discussion and history of the Muisca people that was depicted in the story. It discussed colonization and it's impacts in important ways. I also enjoyed the discussions and depictions of different aspects of this Muisca religious practices. In this depiction of Bochica, she is a woman, but in further research I learned that Bochica is usually depicted as a man. It was interesting that the god was gender bent for this book, but I don't understand why that was done. i would have liked bochica to many more of an appearance in the book and for this decision to maybe be fleshed out.

thank you to netgalley and the publisher for an e-arc of this book.

Antonia and her family used to live in a giant house near a waterfall, but when Antonia’s mother takes a fatal fall into El Salto and her father, consumed by grief, attempts to burn the house down with Antonia still inside, they move. However, Antonia is drawn back later, determined to find the truth. The depictions of culture and the indigenous myths was very interesting. There is a romantic subplot. Shorter read.

⭐️: 4.5

For this being Carolina Flórez-Cherchiaro’s debut novel…she put her foot into this one! 👏🏼 the writing and storytelling was beautifully done. Especially how well things were described and painted for the reader to imagine, like the setting being in Colombia in 1923 really added that eerie, goth feel to it. Antonia was obviously my favorite with her courageous character and ambition. Bochica reminded me a bit of Haunting of Hill House (the series) with a mix of The Hacienda and The Shining which I love all those things 😆 I would definitely recommend this and can’t wait to see what else this author comes out with in the near future🖤

Thank you to netgalley, Artria books and primero sueno press for the arc

"Real horror lay not just in the actions of one person, but in the pervasive, insidious presence of evil that lurked in every corner of human nature, even masked under the disguise of good intentions.”

A haunting debut. Flórez sets the tone for an eerie and ominous story about a haunted mansion and the family that once lived within it, set against the backdrop of 1930s Columbia, weaving cultural and folkloric elements, including Música legends and dieties.

I really enjoyed the gothic atmosphere, the opulent mansion overlooking an equally magnificent and formidable waterfall, and the haunting description of the FMCs nightmares and visions. Horror isn't my usual genre (because I'm a baby for these things), but depite the sinister undertone of the story, I never found it to be too scary. It was also fast-paced and immersive. Although I wish some of the supporting characters were more fleshed out, I'm still looking forward to reading more from this author in the future!

Bochica comes out May 13, 2025 so check it out if you like:

💚 haunted mansions
🖤 a gothic & atmospheric setting
💚 unraveling family secrets
🖤 murder mystery
💚 secret societies/cults
🖤 rich cultural elements
💚 female rage

3.5 stars rounded to 4.

It literally took me days to finish this book because I was so sucked in. I dropped all the other books I was reading because this one enchanted me and I couldn’t stop. A book with an actual real physical location and mythical history behind it, I was able to imagine what the real life location was like. I love the setting, the characters, the plot and the whole mysterious dark feeling surrounding it. I couldn’t put it down and forgot about real life for a few days.
Thank you Net Galley, Atria Books and Premier Sueño for the ARC. I would LOVE a physical copy of this book!! I’m not a big fan of reading digitally but I couldn’t hold back on this. Definitely recommended. I cannot wait until I get my hands on some physical ARCs for review and hope to continue to share my love of some of these great books in the future!! The adventure in this one is definitely worth the share!

This book was such a delightful read! From the very first page, I found myself completely immersed in the story. The writing was so approachable and warm, making it easy to connect with the characters and the plot. I loved how the book felt both inviting and engaging, without ever being too complex or hard to follow.

This sounded like a really promising gothic horror, but it was, unfortunately, quite bland. The writing was very choppy. It plodded along slowly with very little depth or description. Despite the interesting subject matter, I had a really difficult time engaging with this one.

A great gothic horror that's richly atmospheric and sinister. It's very fast paced, but I appreciated the compressed timeframe, making it feel as if we were following the MC Antonia in real time. If you like gothic horror, this is not one to miss!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

ugh this was the perfect gothic read!! i def wish i had read this during spooky season, it was so atmospheric and written with the edge of your seat type of gripping plot! i recommend for those who liked mexican gothic, especially for the hispanic rep 💫

Carolina Flórez-Cerchiaro’s Bochica is a haunting and atmospheric gothic horror novel that blends Colombian folklore, family trauma, and psychological suspense. Set in 1920s Soacha, the story follows Antonia as she returns to her childhood home—now a luxurious hotel—years after a tragic past left her scarred. With eerie nightmares, cryptic journal entries, and a malevolent presence looming over La Casona, the novel masterfully builds tension as Antonia unravels the dark mysteries surrounding her mother’s death.



Flórez-Cerchiaro’s prose is rich and evocative, immersing readers in the ominous beauty of the Salto del Tequendama waterfall and the ghostly corridors of La Casona. The novel explores themes of grief, memory, and generational secrets while incorporating indigenous Muisca mythology, adding depth and authenticity to its supernatural elements

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this fantastic ARC! I loved this atmospheric and haunting debut novel. The cover is stunning, and I feel strongly that fans of Mexican Gothic will devour this. Floréz-Cerchiaro is a writer to watch.

The type of story you want to read on a cloudy day with a warm drink. It has everything a gothic story should have. A spooky setting. A mystery. An understanding that sexism, ableism, and racism all stem from the same place and one cannot be addressed without the others. Ghost… Definitely want to get a physical copy for my trophy case.

4,5 stars. Thank you NetGalley for the ARC! Down below is my honest review.

[…] “malevolence was a shadow that could fall on anyone.
Real horror lay not just in the actions of one person, but in the pervasive, insidious presence of evil that lurked in every corner of human nature, even masked under a disguise of good intentions”. 

Bochica is the debut novel of Colombian author Carolina Flórez-Cerchiaro. A mystery/horror gothic novel filled with Muiscas indigenous mythology and rituals (Bochica as the light goddess, its counterpart the Svetyba), situated between 1920’s and 1930’s both in Bogotá and Soacha (Colombia), specifically in La Candeleria neighbourhood and El Salto de Tequendama waterfall.
I loved the writing style with its rich descriptions and journal entries, its short chapters and its pace. The characters were very interesting and well developed, I loved specially Nona (the main one), Carmela and Alejandro. The narration had me enthralled since page 1.
Bochica tells the story of how Nona, Carmela and Nona’s parents lived in a mansion outside Bogotá and next to El Salto de Tequendama for ten years, about how her mother worshipped goddess Bochica and Muisca mythology, how Antonia (Nona) suffered vivid nightmares, how the house appeared to be haunted, how Estela (Nona’s mother) mysteriously fall from El Salto and was found dead, how Ricardo (Nona’s father) went crazy because of grieving and tried to burn down the house with Nona and Carmela inside, how they all escaped to Bogotá and how, years later, the mansion was converted into a luxurious hotel. Alejandro is journalist that is investigating the prior events on the same day Nona, Carmela and Ricardo are coming back due to hotel’s inauguration party, he offers Nona his help in order to clarify her suspicious mother’s death. But remember the house was apparently haunted so maybe the hotel is haunted too!
With a bit of romance and an addictive atmosphere, with secondary characters that are not what they seem to be, Bochica was a wonderful read I truly want to recommend to you all!

Bochica had a promising premise being pitched as "The Shining" meets "Mexican Gothic" and it definitely delivered on some levels. The creepy house on native Musica land with an eerie waterfall and the fact that Antonia felt like the house might be talking to her gave The Shining Vibes while the weird happenings and evil lurking's as well as the Colombian setting gave "Mexican Gothic" vibes. I think the pacing was a bit strange for the story. There was a lot of good bones and a lot of promise, a lot of creepy scenes and a lot of mystery and culty happenings but the start of the book felt a bit sluggish while the end felt SO rushed. I really enjoyed Antonia's character as well as Alejandro's and loved when they started working together to unravel the horrific mysteries surrounding the Bochica house. Overall this was a really good read that I wish had been longer because I feel like there could have been so much more in depth for the mysteries surrounding the Musica land and the Bochica house, as well as the cult etc.