the best horror book i have ever read. i need more v. castro in my life immediately. it took me a while to get through this one because it was so wonderfully descriptive that it made me a little scared. i wanted to close my eyes but the images were in my head! this story was so intricate and so worth the read for fans of horror and LATINOS in horror

A revenge tale reminiscent of THE ONLY GOOD INDIANS and I WAS DORA SUAREZ, white supremacy is the villain and recompense comes from the gods of the indigenous peoples. A terrible crime was committed on an old plantation where Mexicans picked for white men who treated them like trash—so literally that a Mexican girl is killed by a white man, selfish and frustrated he could not have his way.

But death does not bring peace to the dead and the spirit of the dead girl —and her new, dark mother— haunt the plantation and the people there (and haunting is the gentlest of encounters. Filled with truly terrifying writing, scenes that leave you gasping for air, and characters that radiate their pain as much as they feel it, THE QUEEN OF THE CICADAS is a top-ten read of 2021.

Read ASAP, but wait till the sun’s up first …

This book starts out by making me think it’s going to be a semi-typical, straightforward horror story. An old house converted into a hotel, an urban legend, a room that stays intentionally locked. So much so that when I started reading it (late at night), I actually put it down for fear that something scary was going to happen and I wouldn’t be able to fall asleep. Safe to say, I was hooked fairly early on.

I was definitely here for the typical horror story, but then things got even weirder, and fast. Very early on, it changed directions from the haunted farmhouse and instead took me on a journey through myth, legends, and lost histories, making me question the blending of in-book fantasy and reality.

When it starts out, I feel a bit like Belinda–our main character and primary narrator–lost, unsure quite what’s happening or where I’m going, but here for the ride. Staying at an old farmhouse-turned-quaint bed and breakfast, Belinda learns the tale of a worker who was murdered on the farmland, and the myth that surrounds her. Instead of driving her away, the story sucks Belinda in, sending her to Mexico to learn more about Milagros, the murdered woman, which in turn leads her to find her own place in the world.

As the story progresses, the events begin to blur, fantasy and reality bleed together as we learn the tale of the truth birthing of the Queen of the Cicadas. It read almost like a myth or an urban legend, which was at first offputting, but I realized was fully intentional. The way this one story–first one of horror and heartbreak about Milagros, then a seemingly fictional urban legend about the Queen of the Dead taking pity on Milagros, murdered before her time.

I don’t think I have a single bad thing to say about this book. The blending of fantasy and reality, the way the narration flows, the perspectives and insights offered through the multiple narrators, all work to create this beautiful, poetic gospel about the Queen of the Cicadas and how she came to be. It’s beautifully told through Belinda, and the rest of the narrators. It reads like a well-told campfire story, an urban legend that will keep you up at night.

I received a copy of this book free from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review

Queen of the Cicadas by V. Castro
Flame Tree Press (June 22nd, 2021)
224 pages; $14.95 paperback; $6.99 e-book
Reviewed by Sadie “Mother Horror” Hartmann

There are so many important themes to unpack in V. Castro’s QUEEN OF THE CICADAS, that I almost don’t know where to start.
First, I’ll entice you with some plot details. There is a dual narrative which involves a present-day wedding ceremony at a farmhouse and a story from the past that takes place at the same location.

The narrative taking place in the 1950s hits close to home for me. Milagros is a migrant farmworker in rural Texas. My own grandfather, Isaac Solis, left Monterrey Mexico with his family and worked their way through Texas picking everything from peaches to bell peppers. My mom tells a story of a man approaching my great-grandfather to see if he could buy my Papa Isaac at nine years old to work a farm several miles away from the farm where his family worked. My great-grandfather agreed and he was taken away. Story has it he ran all the way back in the middle of the night and when my grandmother saw him, she wouldn’t let him be taken again.

In The Queen of Cicadas, Castro tells the story of Milagros, a woman working at a farm and finds herself the target of hate. Her dangerous predicament escalates despite her efforts to flee. In a moment of extreme brutality (that honestly felt like Jesus symbolism to me) the Aztec goddess of Death, Mictēcacihuātl, supernaturally infuses herself with Milagros’ spirit to avenge her murder and exact revenge.
Excuse me, but it’s fucking awesome.
From here, this narrative takes on a life of its own in the style of other urban legend horror stories like Candyman or La Llorona.

In the present day narrative, Belinda and her new friend Hector (the owner of the legendary farmhouse) are hell bent on learning the origin story for the Queen of the Cicadas. I must admit, I enjoyed my time in the past so much more than the present and always felt a little impatient to get back to that story. Not that I was disinterested in Belinda, but I did feel like that narrative didn’t feel as intricately plotted as the other story so the tension was muddled.
By the end of this book, readers will have a strong sense of who V. Castro is as a writer and the stories she will continue to tell. It’s an exciting journey that I’m excited to be on so I can experience the magic of Castro’s universe and her cast of kick ass, strong women characters.

Sadie Hartmann

loved the use of cicadas and that this was a horror novel,. The story was really well done and the characters were great. I enjoyed going through this book.

The story seems simple enough: a murdered woman’s spirit seeks revenge against her killers but it turns out to be so much more. In 1952, a migrant worker named Milagros is murdered on a farm in South Texas, and the only one to hear her cry for help is Mictecacíhuatl, the Queen of the Dead. In 2018, Belinda Alvarez returns to Texas for the wedding of her best friend which is on the site of the murder where the farm is connected to the urban legend, La Reina de Las Chicharras or The Queen of The Cicadas.
Castro's writing is so very descriptive. It is very easy to imagine the insects crawling, the horror of witnessing a murder, of being murdered.
Castro also explores the very real vulnerability and racism that migrant workers feel and suffer. Yes, it was a horror novel but the story of Milagros life and brutal death opened a window into a part of life many of us are lucky enough never to have to experience ourselves.
I like Castro's style of writing. She is so very gifted at story telling and I appreciate how she weaves myth and sheer horror together in such a way that she is not only telling a scary story but also sharing folklore that the reader may not know about.

In V. Castro’s first of two books published this year, The Queen of the Cicadas, the story starts with Belinda flying to Texas to attend a wedding. The wedding takes place at an old farm where a vicious murder of Milagros, a farmworker, occured and is still haunted by an urban legend, the Queen of the Cicadas. The rest of the novel is Belinda’s journey into the past, to find the truth and try to show respect for Milagros and for the Queen of the Cicadas.

I like the way that V. Castro uses the theme of women, particularly marginalized women, taking control of the situation after putting up with so much from the world. Belinda and Milagros have the same motivations, trying to get the power back from the social structure that has taken it from them. Belinda is trying to find the source of the power that Milagros has found, and her companion through most of the journey is Hector, a gay man who is a friend and not a love interest. Hector works better as a companion because all of the men that are portrayed throughout the first 3/4ths of the novel are those in control. If Belinda would have found a relationship at the wedding, which is kind of what she was hoping to do, the next journey probably would not have happened. Not having that masculine voice in her ear to make Belinda question herself or just quit the quest to learn the truth behind Milagros and the Queen of the Cicadas before it is finished, Belinda is able to open the world she belongs to. There needs to be more books like this, those that give the power and control back to women without a male to try to convince her that she is wrong or wasting her time, because so much of horror and crime have a female victim, the damsel in distress, that needs saving by the strong male influence. The Queen of the Cicadas is one of the strongest examples of this trope being worn out that I have read in a long time.

I liked most of this book. The beginning and the end are very engaging. I found the middle to be too unfocused. There were so many voices and ideas coming from so many different directions that it was hard to keep track of what was happening. This was more when the narrative slipped too far off of Belinda and Hector and onto other characters and narrators, just for short periods of time, but long enough to stop any momentum that was built. If the focus would have stuck tighter onto those two there would not be a single flaw in this story. Even with this muddled middle part, I still love this story, and I love the ideas behind it. I cannot wait to read V. Castro’s other books because she is another must read female horror writer.

I received this as an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This book was fantastic! I'd previously read only short fiction from this author, but loved the style of writing. I was even more impressed after reading this novel and will now be making my way through all of Castro's work. I love the setup of the story, how it alternates between present day and the past. This was never confusing because the story flows in a smooth manner. It has characters that are easy to empathize with, great dialogue, and an entertaining storyline. This book is heavy with authenticity and that's important to me as a reader. The imagery that it conjured in my mind was fantastic. I suppose I see all stories in my mind as I'm reading, but certain ones stand out as if I've watched an impactful film, and this was no exception. I love Castro's brand of horror and can't wait to read more!

Belinda has returned to Texas to attend her friend's wedding. And thought she'd helped choose the site for the ceremony, she didn't realize it was a place linked to a legend that has haunted her since childhood.

Decades ago, a migrant farmworker was brutally murdered in Alice, Texas. Milagros, like many, sought freedom from her small town life and fled across the border in search of new opportunities. Her aim was to send money back home until her entire family could join her in the States. Even the hard work and horrible conditions would have been bearable were it not for the unwanted advances of the landowner's nephew. And the horrific treatment she experienced at the hand of his wife.

And so Milagros planned to leave for California, where it was rumored that another worker was set on unionizing the farm hands. Surely it would be a future better than the one that she faced in Alice.

But Milagros never left the farm. And the locals weren't interested in bringing her killer to justice. So Mictecacíhuatl, the Aztec goddess of death, intervened on her behalf. And so many years later, Belinda is determined to see that Milagros's fate is never forgotten.

I have to say, this has been one of my most highly anticipated reads of the month. I was actually attending a virtual panel at StokerCon, listening to Violet Castro speak about her latest, when I got the email about the tour. And let me tell you, the happy dance that I did on my end was epic!

Thankfully, the book lived up to my extremely high expectations!

The book begins with Belinda at the wedding. It's being held in a tiny town in Texas at a grand old house. And, as it turns out, it's a house with a dark past.

Dilapidated and falling down when Hector, the current owner, bought it, it's been restored to it's former glory. But the story that brought it's ruin has never been forgotten.

And it's a story that Belinda is familiar with. One she'd heard as a child at a sleepover decades ago.

But now, at a bit of a crossroads in her own life, and finding herself at the scene of the crime, so to speak, Belinda decides that she's going to dig into the story more.

The book fluidly transitions between Belinda's narrative and the past, and so it's the readers who witness Milagros's story first hand even as Belinda is recounting it to the wedding party or researching it present day.

Milagro's tale is heartbreaking. And the vengeance that takes place in her name is chilling, indeed! Not just because most of it involves bugs. Castro does not skimp on the detail, making this read both atmospheric and creepy as all get out!

Drawing inspiration from urban legends and myth, The Queen of the Cicadas is more than a little reminiscent of Candyman, so it really wasn't surprising to read that it was one of the influences for the story. But beyond that, this is a tale that is rich with Castro's own San Antonio upbringing and filled with Aztec and Latinx influences!

What was surprising, and super cool, was finding out that La Reina de las Chicharras is wholly made up by Castro herself. Because of course, as I was reading, I admit that I had started searching the internet for the story only to find nothing except reviews of the book. And as a horror fan, I love when an author can so convince me that their creation is REAL in every sense.

I fear my review really doesn't do this book full justice, but I have to say that I feel like this is the the kind of horror that's been missing from my reading, especially of late. I predict that this is going to be V. Castro's year! And that The Queen of the Cicadas will be the first of many must reads for horror fans. (Note, this is her novel debut, but her novella, Goddess of Filth, released this earlier year. She's also published many short stories and has a forthcoming collection due out from Flame Tree as well.)

Now you'll have to excuse me, I've got to run out and get some of her backlist while I wait for more from Castro to come!

What sounded like a really promising and intriguing premise unfortunately turned out not to be for me at all.
I could not resonate with the writing style and the way the character was laid out: A lot of telling, very little showing. I'm sure other people would enjoy this for the plot, but for me the writing also has to do some work to engage me.

3.5

When Belinda attends her best friend Veronica’s wedding in Texas, she learns that the farm where the wedding is being held, is where La Reina de Las Chicharras (Queen of the Cicadas) resides.
In the 1950s, a farm worker named Milagros was brutally murdered. However, when no one seemed to care about her and how she was treated, the goddess of death did. She allows Milagros to seek her revenge on the people who wronged her.

This is my first time reading a V. Castro story, which I was very much looking forward to after hearing so many people in the community say such good things about them.

As someone who is also Mexican, I loved the idea of this story. I loved the culture and the urban legend plot line. I love Mexican urban legends and as someone who grew up being told them, it was fun to see that tackled in a horror novel. I’m also a big fan of a revenge story, so I was definitely excited to read this one.

Unfortunately, it did fall a little short for me. While I absolutely loved the story of Milagros and her revenge portion, I felt like the rest of the story just dragged a bit. I didn’t really love the direction it went in and I really would’ve loved the story to focus mainly on Milagros and what happened in the 50s.
The present day storyline was just slightly too bizarre for me and I didn’t love it as much as I did the storyline from the past.

I do think this would’ve worked better for me, if it had been shorter. After a certain point, I was just a little bored and ready for it to be over. I think a lot of it could’ve have been condensed and just shortened.
Because there are so many powerful parts to this story, I felt like sometimes it got overshadowed by the things that weren’t as poignant or interesting.

I did like the writing and I loved the Mexican culture in it, so I will definitely be open to checking out more from this author in the future.

I recently read V. Castro's Goddess of Filth, which I absolutely loved, so I was eager to check out The Queen of the Cicadas. I really enjoyed The Queen of the Cicadas, but I think I was a bit spoiled by having Goddess of Filth so recently, which I think is the better novel. Overall, I still enjoyed The Queen of the Cicadas, which is engrossing and tells a great story.

3.5/5.0 Stars

‘The currency of loyalty and blood surpasses anything that can be exchanged by hand.’

THE QUEEN OF THE CICADAS La Reina de las Chicarras is the first book that I have read by Castro, the storyline and mystery behind the title—as I had not reread the synopsis prior to diving in—pulled me in immediately!

The various scenes Castro creates in this book run the gamut from: heartbreaking, anger inducing, cringeworthy, creepy good, hot and steamy erotica, and touching moments that brought me to tears.

It’s easy to get invested in the characters, as the reader you are first introduced to Belinda as she arrives for her friends wedding at a Victorian farmhouse in Alice, Texas.

Then, what’s viewed by many as an urban legion we learn—through alternating timelines—the story of Milagros and her sister, Concepcion, my curiosity piqued as more is revealed about them.

I couldn’t wait to learn more about Milagros, though I won’t reveal spoilers, I will say— Bloody H*ll! My Heart!

The first half of the book was hit and miss for regarding the frequent change in the timeline, which at times was confusing. The second half was perfect, all the feels with an ending I was and wasn’t expecting.

Recommend!

‘Science says we do not exist.. But next time you hear that scratch or howl or have a sensation of unease, it is not science in the room; it could be one of us, passing through your realm.’

Thank you, NetGalley and Flame Tree Press, for loaning me an eBook of THE QUEEN OF THE CICADAS La Reina de las Chicarras in the request for an honest review.

Thanks to NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Horrifying in the truest sense of the word, with a healthy dose of weirdness thrown in. Every single character felt so real, and I was deeply invested in learning more about them -- even the ones I absolutely hated. Queer women inheriting deific powers to punish racists gets 5 stars every time.

*E-arc copy provided by netgalley in exchange for an honest review*
This was my first V. Castro and I was pleasantly surprised. Not only was the writing style interesting and the plot well developed, the amount of creepy imagery that will haunt your dreams for some time and the add on bonus of the exploration of mexican culture, as well as a scream of rage against the cruelties done to women for no reason, make V. Castro someone to pay attention to in horror. A new much needed voice in a developing genre.

For more reviews and bookish posts please visit: https://www.ManofLaBook.com

The Queen of the Cicadas by V. Castro is a novel combining Mexican folklore, legends, and supernatural to tell a compelling story. Ms. Castro in an American author from Texas, living in England.

Belinda Alvarez found herself on a farm, attending a friend’s wedding. This is not a regular farm, but the site of an urban legend of The Queen of The Cicadas (La Reina de Las Chicarras).

The legend tells of Milagros, a Mexican guest worker working in a South Texas farm. Milagros is tortured to death by a gang of spiteful, jealous white women, which is promptly ignored by all. Mictecacíhuatl, the Mexican goddess of death hears the cries of Milagros, and together the two start a decades long journey of revenge.

I’m not a huge fan of horror/supernatural books, but from some reason I was drawn to this book’s themes. Immigration, human rights, and racism in particular seem all to be forefront and center in our collective reality.

The Queen of the Cicadas by V. Castro touches on all those themes concurrently, and more. The story is told through dual timelines: one focusing on Belinda, the other on Milagros in the 1950s. Additionally, the author manages to weave in the conditions faced by Mexican farm worker. The workers were brought in through the Bracero program (a US government guest worker program), nevertheless still facing harsh conditions and racism.

The author manages to write complex characters, despite following multiple threads, as well as points of view throughout the narrative. The tale of vengeance is certainly not a run-of-the-mill one. It is a strategical plan across decades, with patience and cunning simultaneously. The exploration of what would happen if a deity, Mictecacíhuatl in this case, came to life is a fascinating theme as well. The author examines the ramifications of such an occurrence in subtle, but most interesting ways.

Ms. Castro does not shy away from violence and brutality. While not the center of the narrative, it does make you appreciate what guest workers went through. The real horror story is the way people treat other human beings, not the supernatural aspects. Humans’ cruelty to one another is a subject which is both fascinating, and depressing at the same time.

This was a thought-provoking novel, wrapping social commentary in a tale of horror. As mentioned, I’m not a fan of the genre, regardless, I enjoyed this book very much.

3.5⭐

Queen of the Cicadas is the newest release from V Castro, and it's a good read! There are alternating timelines between a character in the past and a character in the present. There's some difficult subject matter, and it can be a bit of a depressing read at times (it was always interesting, though!). I got confused about what was going on a couple times, and sometimes way the deaths were handled felt repetitive. I think I got it sorted out in the end, though, and I did enjoy the book. I'm excited to check out Goddess of Filth next!

Content notes - characters experience racism, torture, misogyny, hate crime

If you like urban legends like Bloody Mary or La Llorona, I have a horror recommendation for you and it is The Queen of the Cicadas by V Castro. The story is really about the creation of an urban legend and the plot is split between two different plot lines, one in the 1950s and one in the present day. In the present day a woman named Belinda is at this remote farm in Texas for a friend's wedding when she learns of the story of Milagros, who was a migrant farm worker in the 1950s that was murdered. And it is Milagros's death that gives birth to the urban legend of the Queen of the Cicadas. Through this urban legend the book really explores Aztec mythology, feminism, colonialism, the Mexican American experience, and a lot of other themes. You should be warned that this book does have a lot of body horror, so if that is an issue for you, you might need to give this one a miss.

This book follows Belinda, who is attending her best friend's wedding at a farm that is the site of the urban legend The Queen of Cicadas. We also follow Milagros in the 50s and her tragic destiny. She's a Mexican farmworker in Texas who is killed by the owner's wife and never gets human justice. But the Aztec goddess of death, Mictecacíhuatl, is there to welcome her and get her justice. As Belinda starts to explore the history and legend of the place, she finds out that is part of her fate as well.
One of the best literary things that happened to me this year was getting to know V. Castro's books! She brings such fresh and creative plots to the table. I love reading horror books and she's definitely recreating the genre.
Such as with <i>Goddess of Filth</i>, Castro uses horror as a way to point out social issues like xenophobia and racism in a fast-paced and suspenseful novel. The book has lots of interesting references to Mexican culture and has a feminist perspective. I love the way she mixes Mesoamerican religions and superstitions and urban legends; this book seamlessly intertwines the old and the modern with complex characters and complicated history.
My only issue was the writing at some points. I thought the paragraphs could've had better transitions and some scenes, explanations, and dialogues felt very rushed, but that didn't take away from my enjoyment of reading this book.

I really wanted to love this book—like five stars love it, and I did through the first part of this story. It is one of obsession, retribution, and revenge and spans several timelines and characters with the primary focus on Milagros and Belinda. V. Castro weaves the sad and brutal tale of Milagros Santos. Here the author exposed us to the everyday horrors that face migrant farmworkers with the folkloric terror found in such stories as Bloody Mary or the Candyman. Castro uses Belinda as both our guide and our anchor to the modern world until we lose her to her obsession with the story of La Reina de las Chicharras, the Queen of the Cicadas.
Collage Queen of the Cicadas

I found myself languishing about two-thirds of the way in, making finishing this novel longer than I had hoped. I think the author had too many good ideas and tried too hard to make them all work. For those not much on erotica, the story is not crawling with it but it is there. In the end, Castro tied everything together nicely. She pulled me back into the story and gave me an ending to go along with the great beginning. Castro has crafted a tale that is equally mystical, magical, and folkloric. She is certainly an author who will be on my radar for years to come.

I reviewed a digital ARC generously provided by the author, V. Castro, and publisher, Flame Tree Press, via NetGalley at no cost, obligation, or remuneration. I opted to review this title.