Reviews tagging 'Infidelity'

The Hacienda by Isabel Cañas

28 reviews

noshakira's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional hopeful reflective tense fast-paced

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

4.0

I absolutely loved this book. It's equal parts spooky, empowering, and romantic. It perfectly captures the feelings, both good and bad, when you walk into a space that feels like it is living. Typically, I dislike period pieces, and would have avoided a book set in the 1800s like this one, but the storyline didn't feel as dated as many others and focused more on the timeless human and haunting aspects. Beautifully written and read like a movie in my mind. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Grief, Sexual assault, War, Domestic abuse, Abortion, Alcohol, Blood, Racism, Classism, Infidelity, Mental illness, Colonisation, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Death, Physical abuse, Misogyny, Pregnancy, Violence, Murder, Rape, Sexual violence, Sexism, and Toxic relationship

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

shahdirose's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful mysterious reflective sad tense fast-paced

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, and Death

Moderate: Body horror, Murder, Toxic relationship, Blood, Classism, and Bullying

Minor: Abortion, Injury/Injury detail, Infidelity, and Rape

heather_harrison's review against another edition

adventurous dark mysterious 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

5.0

Fantastically creepy gothic tale, set in post-independence war Mexico. Features strong heroine, creepy house, a mysteriously dead first wife, shunned priest, witchcraft and forbidden romance. Explores ideas of colonialism, racial castes, religion and power. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder, Colonisation, Infidelity, Rape, and Miscarriage

Minor: War and Religious bigotry

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

blakeandbooks's review against another edition

mysterious tense fast-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Fire/Fire injury, Violence, and Death

Moderate: Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Vomit, Sexual assault, War, Infidelity, Pregnancy, and Rape

hannah_and_her_stories's review

dark emotional 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? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Fire/Fire injury, Blood, Alcohol, Racism, Classism, Confinement, Violence, Injury/Injury detail, Death of parent, and Death

Moderate: Infidelity, Murder, Sexual assault, War, Colonisation, Cursing, Gore, Vomit, Gaslighting, Grief, Religious bigotry, and Sexism

Minor: Abortion

larareads's review against another edition

dark hopeful mysterious slow-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? Yes

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Death, Violence, and Gore

Moderate: Alcohol, Classism, Racism, Death of parent, Infidelity, and Fire/Fire injury

Minor: Abortion, Rape, War, and Sexual violence

writingcaia's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-paced

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

3.75

A typical atypical house haunting in Mexico after the inquisition and power upheaval of the 19th century.
It is indeed Rebecca meets Mexican Gothic, although not as good as either, still a pretty solid horror book that kept wanting more.
Beatriz lost her father to politics and power changes, relegated with her mother to be a “servant” in her aunts house she jumps at the chance of marrying, even though the groom is involved in the same group that got her father killed, still she knows she will have her hacienda to rule over and finally the financial independence she wishes for. However, the house has other plans, and as soon as she arrives she feel the hatred and the malice of it. 
Thankfully, the hacienda and farmlands are also the home base of the new padre Andrés, returned two years before Beatriz, he is now called again to his land to help the girl in need, and he is more than meets the eye, he has in him the heritage of the old witches.
This was such a great coming of age, romance, horror story, it kept glued to the pages to know what would happen next. It’s predictable from the start, at least it was for me, and struggles with very repetitive sentiments and sentences, still for a debut I found it quite good and entertaining.
No, I didn’t get scared, I never do, and no it’s not super gruesome although there’re a lot of grim, gory moments even, and a lot a lot of tense ones.
If the premises appeal to you I definitely recommend you to give it a try now that Spooky Season is coming 🎃👻🔪

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood and Racism

Moderate: Racial slurs, Vomit, Religious bigotry, Death of parent, Grief, Fire/Fire injury, Violence, and Classism

Minor: Infidelity, War, Physical abuse, Violence, Colonisation, Rape, and Abortion

allisonz6's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense slow-paced

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

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder and Violence

Moderate: Infidelity, Rape, and Abortion

Minor: Alcoholism