Reviews with content warning for Blood - The Hacienda

Reviews tagging 'Blood'

The Hacienda by Isabel Cañas

166 reviews

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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julesfrigault's review against another edition

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dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-paced

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

5.0

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yourbookishbff's review against another edition

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dark emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

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

4.0

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talonsontypewriters's review against another edition

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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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simonlorden's review against another edition

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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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