Reviews tagging 'Death of parent'

La Hacienda by Isabel Cañas

94 reviews

ktv's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

5.0

I’m so glad I keep coming back to this book and trying to finish it bc it was soooooo good. It kept me on my toes the entire time. I rly love a good gothic horror. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Murder, Alcohol, Classism, Body horror, Colonisation, Gore, and Death

Moderate: Death of parent, Cursing, Rape, Sexual violence, War, Sexual assault, and Physical abuse

Minor: Alcoholism, Animal death, Abortion, Pregnancy, and Child abuse

bites_of_books's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional informative mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

I thoroughly enjoyed this slow burn gothic horror story. I loved that the house was a proper character and that the ideas of hauntings are taken to a whole different level here. 

We follow Beatriz as she arrives at her new home with her new husband in a hacienda in a rural area far from her hometown after the end of the Mexican Independence. Beatriz is ready to assume control of her household and claim her role as Señora de la Casa. However, when things literally start to go bump in the night, she doesn't know where to turn since she distrusts the clergy and the people around her don't seem to acknowledge that anything is wrong. Here is where we meet Andres, a young priest who grew up in the town and knows the hacienda quite well. Andres and Beatriz go through a lot in trying to figure out what has been happening in that house prior to Beatriz' arrival and they'll find more than they were ready for. 

If you like gothic stories with atmospheric writing and a historical setting in Mexico then this is for you. Also, if you enjoyed Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno Garcia, you'll likely enjoy this one!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Classism, Colonisation, Confinement, Death, Fire/Fire injury, Injury/Injury detail, Racism, Infidelity, Religious bigotry, Murder, Blood, Death of parent, Alcohol, Violence, and War

pilotwaifu's review against another edition

dark tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Classism and Racism

Moderate: Death of parent and Murder

Minor: Rape, Pregnancy, Miscarriage, and Abortion

alexisgarcia's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

this was a very good gothic thriller. very atmospheric and the characters and plot were great! 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Toxic relationship, Gaslighting, Blood, Violence, War, Alcohol, Death, Sexual content, Death of parent, Grief, and Murder

elizabeth_lepore's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Murder, and Death

Moderate: Rape, Death of parent, Racism, and Fire/Fire injury

Minor: Abortion

queerreaderchaos's review against another edition

dark mysterious sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

I love haunted houses. Houses that are characters in their own right, like the hacienda San Isidro. 
The story reminded me a lot of Rebecca, but leaning more into the haunting and ghost Rebecca lacked. The gothic atmosphere, the Mexican backstory, and author’s style made it a book I would definitely recommend in spooky, gloomy weather.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Fire/Fire injury, Alcohol, Blood, Classism, and Racism

Moderate: Colonisation, Death of parent, Gaslighting, Grief, and Domestic abuse

Minor: Vomit, Abortion, Murder, Rape, War, Injury/Injury detail, and Infidelity

sarahweyand's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.5

I feel like this book has a gorgeous cover and a neat premise and is just painfully average on the inside. Tell me why it took me two weeks to read this book. Huh? The Hacienda had all the markings of a hit for me: atmosphere, slow burn, enjoyable writing, and yet I felt it fizzled on any sort of compelling execution. I like Gothic horror and this felt like a great read to kick off the spooky season, but the plot points felt so repetitive that I feel I could have easily knocked 50 pages off and not realized. 

I felt once the plot started rolling that our protagonist, Beatriz, would have responded differently to the same tricks once she realized what was happening. Sure felt like she kept doing the same things and having the same reactions and then being surprised when nothing changed. I can understand some of it, but over the course of 350 pages it became a little too much.

However, classic haunted house stories have such a wonderful aura around them and this story exuded culture and history and care as well as horror. I also really enjoyed the ending and felt it was good and realistic and the right decision for the characters and the direction of the story. I don't know if many authors would have made the right choice there. I think this is a sure winner for Gothic lovers, those who aren't too into horror but want a spooky fall atmosphere, or those just getting into the genre.

Bonus point: hot priest.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder, Rape, and Blood

Minor: Death of parent

talonsontypewriters's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Murder, Gore, Blood, Classism, Injury/Injury detail, and Fire/Fire injury

Moderate: Religious bigotry, Misogyny, Sexism, Physical abuse, Grief, Racism, Colonisation, Domestic abuse, Gaslighting, Confinement, Animal death, and Death of parent

Minor: Alcohol, Child death, Pandemic/Epidemic, Vomit, Pregnancy, War, Rape, Alcoholism, Abortion, and Sexual content

simonlorden's review against another edition

challenging dark tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.5

I received an advance reader's copy for free in exchange for an honest review.

A haunted house rich in history, where the house might not be the only danger around. 

This book was wonderfully creepy. From the moment Beatriz arrives at her new husband's house, it is clear something is wrong, but nobody at the hacienda will talk to her or tell her what is going on. She desperately wants to make this place into a home so that she can take care of her mother, but the house seems to be against her.

I spent this whole book wondering what Juana's deal is, and I couldn't predict what the ghost wanted or what she was going to be like. Juana and Beatriz are both women in a men-dominated world, and they are both fighting for their own freedom and independence in different ways, and they are both fascinating characters.

And Andrés is simply the best. I loved the exploration of his abilities, and his conflict of trying to keep both his duties balanced, even as everyone seems to be against him.

Not gonna lie, the ending made me a cry a little. Overall, this was a pretty creepy read with loveable and interesting characters, and I recommend it if you like gothic horror or historical mysteries.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racism, Death, Blood, and Death of parent

Moderate: War and Sexual assault

lucylou's review against another edition

mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

Loved the gothic atmosphere and the cast of characters who were so desperate to change their circumstances- for better or for worse. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Rape, Murder, War, Colonisation, Racism, and Fire/Fire injury

Minor: Death of parent