Castle of the Cursed by Romina Garber

This early review copy was gifted to me by Wednesday Books through NetGalley. This in no way impacts the rating of the book. All of my reviews contain my honest opinions.

Title: Castle of the Cursed

Author: Romina Garber

Release Date: July 30, 2024

Publisher: Wednesday Books

Genre: Fantasy, Horror, Romance, YA

Source: digital, NetGalley

TW: moderate sexual content, suicide attempt, suicidal thoughts, forced institutionalization, blood, death, death of parent, grief, gore, mental illness, violence

Synopsis

A delicious and dark gothic romance from bestselling author Romina Garber!

THE HOUSE IS ALWAYS HUNGRY…

After a mysterious attack claims the lives of her parents, all Estela has left is her determination to solve the case. Suffering from survivor’s guilt so intense that she might be losing her grip on reality, she accepts an invitation to live overseas with an estranged aunt at their ancestral Spanish castle, la Sombra.

Beneath its gothic façade, la Sombra harbors a trove of family secrets, and Estela begins to suspect her parents’ deaths may be linked to their past. Her investigation takes a supernatural turn when she crosses paths with a silver-eyed boy only she can see. Estela worries Sebastián is a hallucination, but he claims he’s been trapped in the castle. They grudgingly team up to find answers and as their investigation ignites, so does a romance, mistrust twined with every caress.

As the mysteries pile up, it feels to Estela like everyone in the tiny town of Oscuro is lying and that whoever was behind the attack has followed her to Spain. The deeper she ventures into la Sombra’s secrets, the more certain she becomes that the suspect she’s chasing has already found her . . . and they’re closer than she ever realized.

Thoughts

This book was such a dark, haunting, and beautiful story that I couldn't put it down. Estela’s brokenness and depression after the death of her parents broke my heart so much. Romina Garber wrote such a strong, immersive sense of grief and loss of self that I felt every ounce of Estela's pain. The horror surrounding the truth of this cursed castle and Estela’s family was dark and horrifying in such a poetic way that I couldn't help but be captivated.

The story evoked the dark gothic atmosphere of classic horror stories like Dracula and The Castle of Otranto, and as someone who loves those classics, I was thoroughly impressed. The truth behind Sebastián was such an amazing twist that I didn’t see coming, and it added an extra layer of depth to the story.

I was particularly moved by the development of Sebastián and Estela’s relationship. It was beautiful to see how they grew closer, despite the mistrust and the dark secrets surrounding them. Their romance was fraught with tension and emotion, making it all the more gripping.

Every page of this book was filled with suspense and emotion. The way Garber intertwined the supernatural elements with real, raw human emotions made the story so much more impactful. The tiny town of Oscuro, with its secrets and lies, created a perfect backdrop for this haunting tale.

Overall, I loved this book so much. It was a perfect blend of horror, romance, and gothic atmosphere, and it left me thinking about it long after I finished reading. If you're a fan of dark, emotional stories with a touch of the supernatural, I highly recommend giving this one a read.