Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moren-Garcia

" I pray I'll see you again. You must come for me, Noemi. You have to save me." I have been waiting on this book for about a year now. Yes you read that right. I’ve been waiting about a year on a book. It popped up on my Goodreads account and when I read the summary, I just knew it was for me. So I hurried to see how I could buy it ASAP. That’s when the sad moment hit me. It wasn’t available till 2020?! What type of sorcery?! So I read other books, pretended I had forgot, and just went about my days. But I NEVER forgot about Mexican Gothic. My heart wouldn’t let me. I knew this was going to win my heart. The description said it was "a twist on classic gothic horror set in 1950's Mexico" (Kirkus Reviews). Uh somebody sign me up?! "It's Lovecraft meets the Brontes in Latin America, and after a slow burn start Mexican Gothic gets seriously weird" (The Guardian).Stop talking, take my coins, and give me this book! And that cover photo? A picture like that needs no words! So when it was finally released, I bought it, devoured it, and realized this book exceeded my high expectations. I read this book in 2 days. The only reason it took that long is because I needed to sleep. Let me tell you, this book was well worth the wait. There are so many great things I could say about this book and it still wouldn't be enough. This actually might be my first five star review of the blog.

Noemi Toboada receives an alarming letter from her newlywed cousin begging someone to save her from some impending doom. Noemi's father ask her to go to High Place, the remote house in the Mexican country where her cousin resides. She's not quite sure what to expect. Her cousin's new husband, an attractive Englishmen, is a complete stranger. Noemi herself is the last person anyone would have thought would come to anyone's rescue. She's a charismatic debutante and her ballgowns are not quite suited for mysteries. But she's tough, smart, and not one to shy away from anything. She's not afraid of her cousin's menacing husband, his creepy father, or the house itself when it starts to invade her dreams. Her only friend is the family's youngest son, who might be hiding dangerous secrets about his family and the house itself. Because High Place is house built on secrets, lies, and much worse. The family's wealth and past empire kept them out the prying eyes of those around them but Noemi is uncovering some dark secrets. Secrets of madness, violence, and even murder. But High Place has a certain hold on people and Noemi may find it impossible to leave its dangerous clutches.

Anything I say about Mexican Gothic will still not be enough praise for it. I thought I knew what I was getting into and them BOOM...I was not prepared for what I read. Many a times I have said I don't like slow burn books. I like things quick, fast, and in a hurry. But this slow burn was perfection. The author starts the book by introducing you to Noemi, the book's heroine. She's a woman who is easy to sympathize with. She's easy to root for. Noemi is a woman who knows the world isn't fair to women like her and she refuses to play by societies rules. One of my favorite things about this book is how intelligent Noemi is and how I would've made the same decision she did. Not once did I roll my eyes about how annoying she was or how unbelievable her choices were. The other part of the book I loved is how intriguing the mystery was. The moment Noemi drives up to High Place, you just know something is wrong. You're not quite sure how wrong things are but you just know. The entire atmosphere makes each page come alive. The family members are not welcoming at all. The cousin's husband seems to be a little too kind. The house is literally falling apart. Noemi's cousin is bed stricken and is no longer the loving, warm person she once knew. Like I said the beginning is a little slow but you won't feel like it is. Because once the book starts going, it doesn't slow down till the last page.

I would easily rate this book five stars. I am still impressed at how this author built such a phenomenal novel that I couldn't seem to put down. It reminded me of Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier, which is one of my favorite novels. I loved how the story is built on atmosphere and suspense. I think everyone should read this asap! You won't regret it.