Castle of the Cursed

Gr 9 Up–The only survivor of a mysterious attack that killed 25 people on the subway, including her parents, 17-year-old Estela Amador is nearly swallowed by her grief, until a letter arrives from an aunt she’s never heard of inviting her to come live in their family’s Spanish castle, la Sombra. When she makes it to Aunt Beatriz in the small town of Oscuro, things are clearly strange—her family seems to be revered in the area, and the secrets the castle begins to reveal cause her to question everything her parents told her about who she is (which apparently wasn't much at all) as well as her own grip on reality. The appearance of a magnetic boy with silver eyes who may be a hallucination definitely doesn’t help, and as Estrela uncovers the truth of her own history, la Sombra’s supernatural hunger turns out to be the tip of the iceberg of strangeness. A different, darker sort of happily-ever-after awaits. This moody, darkly emotional Gothic romance weaves threads of untimely death, family secrets and betrayal, bloodthirsty haunted houses, spells, vampires, and a passionate heated love story more or less successfully; a lot is happening over the course of the book, but a quick pace and plenty of drama keep the pages turning even if the plot gets a little muddy. Along with a strong infusion of Spanish culture and language, Garber’s skillful sensory descriptions bring the setting and characters to life.