A gory story about the strength of women and state of humanity. I love that V. Castro writes stories about disenfranchised women who come out on top in the end, even if the ending isn't your typical happy one.

The story of The Queen of the Cicadas in itself is a great one. It's a story largely centered on racism, revenge and bloodshed. I really appreciate how unapologetic the author brought the unfair treatment of Mexican farm workers to our attention. I enjoyed all the urban legend elements and learning about aspects of Mexican culture.

What I did not like was how muddled the story felt. I realize it was set in two different times, but at some points it was hard to distinguish what was truly happening. To me, certain scenes switched too fast and without explanation.

It is still a great story, and I think it might just be a personal issue with the jumps.

Thanks to the publisher for the copy.

After reading and loving this author's first 2021 release, I was very excited to learn that she had a second book coming out later this year!

V Castro once again demonstrates her ability to write fierce, complex female characters. This book offered perspective on infertility, IVF treatments and the challenges of accepting the role of being a mother. I love an author who is not afraid to show the ugly sides of their female characters. 

In terms of the story itself, unfortunately I found this one quite muddle. We follow multiple narrative threads and they just did not come together for me. The story felt fragmented at times and lacked to cohesive storytelling I look for in my Books 

As an ownvoices story, this one had a lot of references to Mexican culture. I always appreciate these elements of diversity in my fiction, but I also know that an Mexican reviewer will get more meaning out of those references than I was able to glean. 

Overall, this was a compelling diverse read that will likely appeal most to readers with a personal connection to Latinx culture. 

Disclaimer I received a copy of this book from the publisher.

Thank you V. Castro, Flame Tree Press and Netgalley for an eArc for an exchange of an honest review. This is my first book read by V. Castro and it did not disappoint. Rated it 4/5 stars and I will be adding more books by this author to my collection.

The Queen of the Cicadas is a Horror story told in two different timelines. We meet Belinda Alvarez in present time, who is visiting Texas for her best friend's wedding. The wedding is being celebrated where the urban legend of La Reina De Las Chicharas started.

In 1950's we meet Milagros, a Mexican immigrant who was come to Texas to work in a farm and trying to start a new life in the States.

The story had me hooked from the beginning. The characters were so well written. I loved that Belinda was in her 40's and a single mother of one. Not your typical age for a MC. My heart though went to Milagros. Her story is so tragic and even though we know the outcome, I did not stop hoping for her to get revenge.

V. Castro does such an amazing job of describing the horror that I had to put it down for a bit. It literally made me shiver specially since one of my biggest phobias are bugs. LOL I also loved how she added some sensuality to the story. Overall a highly enjoyable. read.

On the surface it may feel like V. Castro’s The Queen of the Cicadas is a commonly told tale of an urban legend come to life, but it has so many more layers than that.

Early chapters do draw comparisons to tales such as Candyman, but ‘Cicadas’ veers off into many different areas including institutional racism, the role of family and how searching for truth does not always yield the answers you crave but something else entirely.

Told through different timelines we learn of the death of farm worker Milagros, a migrant from Mexico and Belinda a modern day woman trying to discovering the secrets behind her death plus the tale of La Reina De Las Chicharras aka The Queen of the Cicadas.

Castro also introduces an interesting mix of characters and infuses the text with characteristics some may not be used to with protagonists, such as Belinda’s insatiable sex drive which has the story descending into erotic fiction for small periods.

The author has clearly researched the relationships between the United States and Mexico and infuses some social commentary – think ‘The Wall’.

The Queen of the Cicadas veers into unexpected areas but feels all the better for it and asks some big questions and is so bold in its approach.

Seek it out.

I loved the mix of mythology, urban legend, displaced anger, retribution, and down right scares!

It’s strange and unusual in all of the best ways.

This was a very interesting read that took a few unexpected turns, mixed with a traditional ghost story. Overall it was a solid read, but the last few chapters felt kind of muddled and rushed.

There's different kinds of horror. The kind that makes you feel like something is creeping around or creeping after you but you never see or hear it. It makes you wonder about your own sanity. If the unseen thing doesn't kill you, the suspense will.

And then there's the other kind of horror. Guts being ripped out. Throats cut. Bugs flying out of and into mouths. Murders, gore, and slashy things. That's the kind of horror that is The Queen of the Cicadas.

I admit that I'm biased toward the quieter, suspense, am I insane or not type of horror. But, if you're into more bloody type of horror, a goddess without skin, bad guys getting their intestines removed, lots of gore in front of witnesses type of horror, this is right up your grisly alley. There's some graphic sweaty romance novel type of sex with a billionaire. It's funny that I can suspend my disbelief and believe in a goddess of death, but when the protagonist has a billionaire bicycle up to her front door and they start an affair, I'm like "that's not gonna happen in real life." Go figure. Bloody goddesses are more believable than bicycling billionaires hopping into bed.

Thanks to Netgalley and Flame Tree press for allowing me to read this advance copy of The Queen of Cicadas.

At its core this is a story of racism, identity, myths and legends with hints of sexiness and sensuality throughout.
This is not simply a horror story. It is a story of resilience and cultural strength.

This is the tale of the urban legend of La Reina de Las Chicharras, Queen of the Cicadas who seeks vengeance for those who have been wronged or discriminated against.
The storyline alternates between Mexico in the 1950s where a farm hand named Milagros is cruelly murdered, to 2018 in Texas where a woman named Belinda is attending a wedding for her best friend. Both stories share the commonality of this urban legend.

It was obvious the themes within this book are very dear to V. Castro’s heart. I found Milagros’s story heart wrenching and absolutely tragic. It made me angry. I felt it was in this narrative that Castro’s voice really shone. Her authenticity and bravery to share snippets of truth was incredibly inspiring and powerful. I heard Castro state on a podcast recently that this book was in part a response to the book American Dirt. I can certainly see this now with that in mind and I’m truly in awe at her bravery and courage to share the truth.

I simply love the way V. Castro writes. She blends horror and sensuality seamlessly, with an emphasis on strong and fierce female protagonists. This book was no exception and she’s quickly turning into one of my favourite writers.

Those who enjoy strong female protagonists, sensual but non tacky horror and urban legends or myths will likely love this book.

Thank you to Netgalley and Flame Tree Press for the opportunity to read this book in advance..

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC. 😊

Belinda Montoya finds herself in the right place at the right, or is it, wrong time. She befriends hotel owner Hector and the two are enthralled with the legend of La Reina de Las Chicharras. I was enthralled as well. The tale of Milagros and all she went through in Mexico, only to go to the US and be treated with racism, anger and indifference. In all of that, and death, breeds legend and lore.

The descriptions of the violence were visceral and I could easily place myself there. It was almost painful to read. The terror and horror by the “monsters” in the book were also detailed and were truly terrifying. Mictecacíhuatl, the flayed one, was bloody and her dialogue was so other. The imagery of the cicadas and other insects was amazingly done. But the real monsters, as always, were the humans who perpetrated the violence and those who stood by and allowed it to happen.

This book had a beautiful blend of history, folk lore and the supernatural, along with characters the reader could invest in. The imagery, the dialogue and the character development really carried the reader through right till the end. I would say this book will be enjoyed by horror lovers, but fantasy and fairy tale readers would also love.

This book....I absolutely adored this book. The imagery, the characters, the lore, the horror...everything.

“The Queen of the Cicadas” is a remarkable insight into Mexican lore that has V. Castro delivering the goods to her readers. I could not put this story down, every second I could steal away from everyday life I was right there sneaking in a few pages. V. Castro is definitely an amazing storyteller so much so you could absolutely feel what Belinda, Hector, and most importantly what Milagros felt. The rage, the betrayal, and the need for justice were at the forefront of it all, and that if it wasn’t for my kindle I would’ve thrown my book in frustration for the characters. The Mexican culture sprinkled throughout the story is one of authenticity, not something you could just simply google search. Having the Mexican culture and its lore throughout the story left someone like me, who is Mexican and grew up in Texas, feeling seen for the first time. The story itself was brilliant and not too long ago this was exactly what I was on the search for, well in terms of a horror story to read and I am forever grateful for it. Everyone in the horror community could use the glimpse into a life and lore they are unfamiliar with. “The Queen of the Cicadas” creates a new boogeyman that could be used as something to be afraid of which is refreshing to the genre. With diversity widening in the lit community in general I am hopeful that we can be presented with more writers like V. Castro. All in all, I greatly enjoyed “The Queen of the Cicadas” and I look forward to reading more of V.Castro in the near future.

The Queen of the Cicadas is a tale of love, sex, revenge, murder, and great power. We start with our main character, Belinda, as she returns to a Texas farm for a friends wedding. The farm is the site of the urban legend, La Reina de Las Chicharras - The Queen of The Cicadas. The legend states that a young farm worker, Milagros, was brutally murdered and the town had no intention of doing anything about it (aside from turning the other cheek). This attracts the attention of the Aztec goddess of death, Mictecacíhuatl. Mictecacíhuatl offers a plan for both to be physically reborn by acts of feeding on vengeance and by worship. Belinda becomes more and more drawn in to this legend as fate continues on.


V. Castro writes with a passion that most cannot summon and seems to do it effortlessly. I found this book to be one of the more interesting supernatural horror reads so far this year. I absolutely loved how Cicadas focused quite a bit on how powerful women truly are. This is a 4 star read for me.

Thanks so much to NetGalley, Flame Tree Press, and V. Castro for this eARC in exchange for an honest review!

I am so blown away by everything I read by Castro. Castro has this remarkable ability to just make you FEEL. And FEEL it hard. Whether that's happiness, sadness, sexiness or pure and utter rage, it's always done with such a passion you can't help but be totally sucked in.

The Queen of the Cicadas, (which is quite different to other novels by Castro so far), had me feeling a lot of rage and anger. It is a brilliant story, totally feels like calling it a "Latinx alternative to Bloody Mary" feels like short changing Castro here. It is so much more, but if that little comment will grab you to give this a read, then fab.

This novel switches between the past and the present, keeping an even and steady pacing throughout, urging you to continue reading to find out what on Earth happened in the past, and how this is affecting the current year. Relationships struck up (in the future at least) are charming, and I was intrigued throughout to figure out how it would end. Totally not how I expected it too.

I may or may not have been avoiding looking in the mirror so much since reading.

3.5 cicadas.

Thanks to NetGalley, Flame Tree Press and V. Castro for an eArc copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

Feel the Texan heat, hear the click of cicadas, and that food! This is a very sensual novel in lots of ways. I found myself fully immersed in the settings and loved the way the author portrayed Milagros's plight as well as everything to do with the Aztec goddess of death. Very interesting back story. I love reading about gods and goddesses from other cultures.
The one aspect that didn't work as well for me was Belinda's emotional attachment to those she encountered and that was because I felt she fell too far, too fast which made it a little unreal.
Loved the ending.