I am so behind on reviews and it is a struggle to catch up but I am trying here! I read this book back in October 2020 and it was Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia.
Synopsis: After receiving a frantic letter from her newly-wed cousin begging for someone to save her from a mysterious doom, Noemí Taboada heads to High Place, a distant house in the Mexican countryside. She’s not sure what she will find—her cousin’s husband, a handsome Englishman, is a stranger, and Noemí knows little about the region.
Noemí is also an unlikely rescuer: She’s a glamorous debutante, and her chic gowns and perfect red lipstick are more suited for cocktail parties than amateur sleuthing. But she’s also tough and smart, with an indomitable will, and she is not afraid: Not of her cousin’s new husband, who is both menacing and alluring; not of his father, the ancient patriarch who seems to be fascinated by Noemí; and not even of the house itself, which begins to invade Noemí’s dreams with visions of blood and doom.
Her only ally in this inhospitable abode is the family’s youngest son. Shy and gentle, he seems to want to help Noemí, but might also be hiding dark knowledge of his family’s past. For there are many secrets behind the walls of High Place. The family’s once colossal wealth and faded mining empire kept them from prying eyes, but as Noemí digs deeper she unearths stories of violence and madness.
And Noemí, mesmerized by the terrifying yet seductive world of High Place, may soon find it impossible to ever leave this enigmatic house behind.
I honestly didn’t enjoy this book that much. I think it may have been because I listened to it on audiobook and they only used one narrator so her voice sounded the same for all characters and I kept getting mixed up with which male was supposed to be speaking.
I found it to be slightly creepy but not enough. I wanted to be creeped out a lot more than I was and when I found out the ending and the weird turn it took, I wasn’t that impressed. I will say that the last quarter of the book did pick up the pace a bit which was nice.
The main character was also very repetitive in the things that she did and I felt like she was going in circles for most of the book instead of putting a plan into action and executing it.
The book was very descriptive and atmospheric which was a nice part about it and I did enjoy that.
Overall, I wish it was creepier.
Book Rating: 2.5/5
You can buy this book on Amazon and find it on Goodreads.
Disclaimer: I read this book because I wanted to and was in no way compensated for my review.
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I read some great books in January and even managed to complete my TBR and read extra! Check out my thoughts on the books in my January reading wrap up and see what I thought of them. Let me know in the comments if you have read any of these books! Check out the video below:
