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Muñeca
A vivid, surreal Gothic about a queer, Latine, working class witch who sets out to rescue a bespelled heiress and loses control of her powers and her heart in the process.
It is 1968 Oakland, and Natalia Fuentes has been hearing rumors about the beautiful Violeta Miramontes. The young heiress to Spanish colonial wealth has been left paralyzed by a mysterious illness. But Nati knows a thing or two about witchcraft, and she is certain that this is the work of dark magic.
Armed with a plan to break the spell and earn a handsome reward, Nati works her way into the house as Violeta’s caretaker, and immediately discovers her suspicions are true. But who cursed Violeta? And why?
As feelings between the two women bloom into romance, Nati grows more and more reckless, and is forced to face her own ghosts— ones she hoped would stay gone forever.
Riveting and richly layered, Muñeca explores how far one will go to save the person they love—even if that means damning themselves. Cynthia Gómez fills her debut novel with moments that chill your bones and warm your heart, a razor-sharp examination of deep-rooted issues that will haunt readers long after the last page is turned.
It is 1968 Oakland, and Natalia Fuentes has been hearing rumors about the beautiful Violeta Miramontes. The young heiress to Spanish colonial wealth has been left paralyzed by a mysterious illness. But Nati knows a thing or two about witchcraft, and she is certain that this is the work of dark magic.
Armed with a plan to break the spell and earn a handsome reward, Nati works her way into the house as Violeta’s caretaker, and immediately discovers her suspicions are true. But who cursed Violeta? And why?
As feelings between the two women bloom into romance, Nati grows more and more reckless, and is forced to face her own ghosts— ones she hoped would stay gone forever.
Riveting and richly layered, Muñeca explores how far one will go to save the person they love—even if that means damning themselves. Cynthia Gómez fills her debut novel with moments that chill your bones and warm your heart, a razor-sharp examination of deep-rooted issues that will haunt readers long after the last page is turned.
176 pages, Hardcover
First published June 2, 2026
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 729 reviews
June 4, 2026
I had a bit of a rough start with this novella, but later I was really rooting for the working-class witch quietly messing with her rich employers while also falling for the bespelled daughter of the house. I don't think that the stunning cover represents the actual vibe of the story all too well, but the book had other strengths. We follow Natalia who is a kleptomaniac and a witch and a lesbian, and none of these things are particularly well-received by society when you are a brown woman in 1968. She takes on a caretaking job at the same mansion where her mother used to work when she was still alive, but she doesn't really plan on fulfilling her employers' every wish. She's there to take a look at the sick Violeta who became paralyzed at a very convenient time for her asshole husband. Natalia suspects foul play, but fortunately her grandmother taught her a spell or two that she can use to free Violeta. It's a short novella and I don't want to spoil too much, but the story revolves around queer love and class and race, and it may also involve dolls and dreams and tea. There wasn't a fleshed out magic system, but I wouldn't say that the spells were insubstantial. To me they felt like grandmother's recipes being passed down, just in a more lethal way. I didn't really see where the connection between Natalia and Violeta came from, but later their whole situation became so intimate and tender that I'll allow it. I also liked reading from Natalia's perspective, because she felt slightly unhinged and like she just didn't care about anything. Like, she wasn't there to slaughter the wealthy family, but I also wouldn't have blinked an eye if she just started doing so. Overall, a perfectly enjoyable read for me, but maybe not super memorable.
Huge thanks to NetGalley and Putnam for providing a digital arc in exchange for an honest review.
Huge thanks to NetGalley and Putnam for providing a digital arc in exchange for an honest review.
July 12, 2026
**3.5-stars rounded up**
Muñeca is a captivating Gothic Horror novella set in 1968-Oakland, California. We follow Nati, a working class witch, as she sets out to rescue a bespelled heiress, the beautiful Violeta Miramontes.
Nati's Mom used to work for Violeta's family, so Nati is familiar with the household. After hearing rumors that Violeta has been left paralyzed by a mysterious illness, Nati feels compelled to help.
Nati ends up securing a position as a caregiver for Violeta, and will actually be staying in the house during her employment. It's quickly clear to her that Violeta's illness has been caused by dark magic. Nati needs to figure out who cursed Violeta, and why?
As the two young women grow closer, and Nati continually fails to break the curse, her desperation escalates. She feels like she's running out of time and her methods get progressively reckless. Soon she realizes she must face her own past if she's to have any hope of helping poor Violeta.
Gómez pulled me in very quickly, which is an important component of any successful novella. I found her writing fluid, engaging and accessible. She wastes no time setting up the main issue of this story, Violeta's mysterious illness, and getting Nati to where she needs to be.
The plot was captivating. I actually didn't realize what Muñeca translated to until I got to a certain point in the story where a real a-ha moment occurred. It was probably the most fun moment in the whole book for me. I was excited to see the direction it was heading in.
I also loved Nati. She was a great MC, who was really proactive in trying to cure Violeta. I think my main issue with this one was, I wanted more of everything.
I know it's a novella, and it needs to be concise, but at the same time, there were so many great aspects that I would've loved expanded. Honestly, it probably would have been a 5-star read for me if it had been like 400-pages.
For example, we know Nati's Mom worked for Violeta's family and that Nati spent time in the household when she was child. I would have loved two or three detailed flashbacks of interactions between Nati and Violeta that would have helped establish the base of their relationship.
Then when they got as close as they did, as quickly as they did, I feel like there would've been more context to make it believable, and less instalove.
This is just one example, but I kept having moments where I'd be thinking, wow, that's so interesting, I want to know more, but we'd have already progressed to the next thing.
One of the biggest ones involved Nati's family members. We did get some of Nati's backstory in relation to magic, and I found those details fascinating. I would have loved to have gone a bit more in depth with that.
At the end of the day though, the point of a novella is a full story in a shorter number of pages. This is certainly a beautiful example of Gómez's creativity and writing style. You better believe I'll be picking up more of her work.
Thank you to the publisher, G.P. Putnam's Sons, for providing me with a copy to read and review. I highly recommend this one for anyone looking for a Sapphic Witchy read. Bonus points if you love gothic atmosphere!
Muñeca is a captivating Gothic Horror novella set in 1968-Oakland, California. We follow Nati, a working class witch, as she sets out to rescue a bespelled heiress, the beautiful Violeta Miramontes.
Nati's Mom used to work for Violeta's family, so Nati is familiar with the household. After hearing rumors that Violeta has been left paralyzed by a mysterious illness, Nati feels compelled to help.
Nati ends up securing a position as a caregiver for Violeta, and will actually be staying in the house during her employment. It's quickly clear to her that Violeta's illness has been caused by dark magic. Nati needs to figure out who cursed Violeta, and why?
As the two young women grow closer, and Nati continually fails to break the curse, her desperation escalates. She feels like she's running out of time and her methods get progressively reckless. Soon she realizes she must face her own past if she's to have any hope of helping poor Violeta.
Gómez pulled me in very quickly, which is an important component of any successful novella. I found her writing fluid, engaging and accessible. She wastes no time setting up the main issue of this story, Violeta's mysterious illness, and getting Nati to where she needs to be.
The plot was captivating. I actually didn't realize what Muñeca translated to until I got to a certain point in the story where a real a-ha moment occurred. It was probably the most fun moment in the whole book for me. I was excited to see the direction it was heading in.
I also loved Nati. She was a great MC, who was really proactive in trying to cure Violeta. I think my main issue with this one was, I wanted more of everything.
I know it's a novella, and it needs to be concise, but at the same time, there were so many great aspects that I would've loved expanded. Honestly, it probably would have been a 5-star read for me if it had been like 400-pages.
For example, we know Nati's Mom worked for Violeta's family and that Nati spent time in the household when she was child. I would have loved two or three detailed flashbacks of interactions between Nati and Violeta that would have helped establish the base of their relationship.
Then when they got as close as they did, as quickly as they did, I feel like there would've been more context to make it believable, and less instalove.
This is just one example, but I kept having moments where I'd be thinking, wow, that's so interesting, I want to know more, but we'd have already progressed to the next thing.
One of the biggest ones involved Nati's family members. We did get some of Nati's backstory in relation to magic, and I found those details fascinating. I would have loved to have gone a bit more in depth with that.
At the end of the day though, the point of a novella is a full story in a shorter number of pages. This is certainly a beautiful example of Gómez's creativity and writing style. You better believe I'll be picking up more of her work.
Thank you to the publisher, G.P. Putnam's Sons, for providing me with a copy to read and review. I highly recommend this one for anyone looking for a Sapphic Witchy read. Bonus points if you love gothic atmosphere!
June 12, 2026
Pride Month 2026 #1
Men will hurt you. But so will women.
One grade above a novella, this gothic horror is reminiscent of Silvia Morena-Garcia. We all remember the Doyle family. The husband figure here is also not to be trusted. But that's not a spoiler.
Nati begins to look after Violeta, who seems to be paralyzed by a mystery illness. Is she sick? Is she under a spell? Who did this to her?
Oh yeah. They fall in love. Which, also not a spoiler, because I read this for pride.
📱 Thank you to NetGalley and G.P. Putnam's Sons
Men will hurt you. But so will women.
One grade above a novella, this gothic horror is reminiscent of Silvia Morena-Garcia. We all remember the Doyle family. The husband figure here is also not to be trusted. But that's not a spoiler.
Nati begins to look after Violeta, who seems to be paralyzed by a mystery illness. Is she sick? Is she under a spell? Who did this to her?
Oh yeah. They fall in love. Which, also not a spoiler, because I read this for pride.
📱 Thank you to NetGalley and G.P. Putnam's Sons
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Muñeca is a short entertaining read although a little underdeveloped.
i love the idea of a haunted or possessed doll so reading the synopsis & seeing the title i had an idea on where this was going to go. the setting, history & the witchcraft blended together very well. i really enjoyed the magic & spells throughout! the writing was great.
i was enjoying it more in the first half, but somewhere along the way the story just lost me a little bit. it's a novella & there's a lot being packed into 138 pgs so some things ended up falling flat for me. i think this could have been much better if it was a little bit longer or maybe even as a full length novel. you feel for Nati & Violeta because of what they've been through but every character felt flat. the gothic atmosphere we're promised doesn't really reach it's full potential because everything just seems too...direct? we never spend enough time at any given point developing certain parts of the book that would have helped capture that gothic tone. everything just seemed to happen like bam bam bam, it's rushed. the relationship also felt way too insta-lovey which again, i think this is just due to how short the book is.
Muñeca has some strong ideas & the overall concept is interesting. Cynthia Gómez shows a lot of potential so i will definitely keep an eye out for her work in the future. this was still a good enough read to recommend
Thank you to NetGalley & the publisher for this arc in exchange for an honest review
i love the idea of a haunted or possessed doll so reading the synopsis & seeing the title i had an idea on where this was going to go. the setting, history & the witchcraft blended together very well. i really enjoyed the magic & spells throughout! the writing was great.
i was enjoying it more in the first half, but somewhere along the way the story just lost me a little bit. it's a novella & there's a lot being packed into 138 pgs so some things ended up falling flat for me. i think this could have been much better if it was a little bit longer or maybe even as a full length novel. you feel for Nati & Violeta because of what they've been through but every character felt flat. the gothic atmosphere we're promised doesn't really reach it's full potential because everything just seems too...direct? we never spend enough time at any given point developing certain parts of the book that would have helped capture that gothic tone. everything just seemed to happen like bam bam bam, it's rushed. the relationship also felt way too insta-lovey which again, i think this is just due to how short the book is.
Muñeca has some strong ideas & the overall concept is interesting. Cynthia Gómez shows a lot of potential so i will definitely keep an eye out for her work in the future. this was still a good enough read to recommend
Thank you to NetGalley & the publisher for this arc in exchange for an honest review
July 17, 2026
love a shortie patortie revenge story that's also sapphic & witchy 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼
Read
March 5, 2026I blurbed this one!
"Muñeca is the best sort of story: sexy, witchy, sapphic. A class-conscious fairy tale with teeth that I shall carry within my heart for years to come."
"Muñeca is the best sort of story: sexy, witchy, sapphic. A class-conscious fairy tale with teeth that I shall carry within my heart for years to come."
June 30, 2026
a beautiful latine horror story with a touch of historical sapphic romance!
the cover art is gorgeous, but misleading. it evokes a dark gothic mood from an era prior to the story's actual setting, which is 1960s california. the story is creepy, but it doesn't conjure that classic gothic sense of dread.
our protagonist, natalia, is an orphaned mexican american lesbian in her early 20s. in the years since her mother's death, she's found a family of sorts in the semi-underground local lesbian community. oh, and she's the granddaughter of a powerful witch! she hears news of a wealthy family that her mother used to work for - their daughter, violeta, has fallen into a mysterious paralytic state just after marrying. sounds like a spell.
natalia begins working as violeta's aide, secretly attempting to communicate with violeta and break the paralysis spell. she manages to put violeta's consciousness into a doll, which has fantastic creepy potential. i wanted gomez to push harder and go scarier with the doll thing!
i also wanted her to push harder with the love story. i adore historical sapphic romance, and this one is certainly poetic, but it feels rather flimsy.
it's wild that
the husband, andres, is a cartoonist chauvinist villain who doesn't feel quite as terrifying as he should.
the other villain of the story is violeta's mom, the regal mrs. miramonte, and
as a piece of historical fiction, this is fascinating in theory. it takes place in a moment of such social upheaval, and still in the wake of the california land act which resulted in many spanish colonizers having their stolen land legally re-stolen when california became part of the US. there's excellent race commentary and class commentary, and a push-pull between progressive new ideas and conservative old-money sensibilities here.
the author's afterword fills in some historical context, but i wish it was more apparent in the book itself. it doesn't feel rooted in its time and place - the narrative and dialogue just don't feel like the 1960s. the historical mood isn't there, which weakens the book.
the cover art is gorgeous, but misleading. it evokes a dark gothic mood from an era prior to the story's actual setting, which is 1960s california. the story is creepy, but it doesn't conjure that classic gothic sense of dread.
our protagonist, natalia, is an orphaned mexican american lesbian in her early 20s. in the years since her mother's death, she's found a family of sorts in the semi-underground local lesbian community. oh, and she's the granddaughter of a powerful witch! she hears news of a wealthy family that her mother used to work for - their daughter, violeta, has fallen into a mysterious paralytic state just after marrying. sounds like a spell.
natalia begins working as violeta's aide, secretly attempting to communicate with violeta and break the paralysis spell. she manages to put violeta's consciousness into a doll, which has fantastic creepy potential. i wanted gomez to push harder and go scarier with the doll thing!
i also wanted her to push harder with the love story. i adore historical sapphic romance, and this one is certainly poetic, but it feels rather flimsy.
it's wild that
the husband, andres, is a cartoonist chauvinist villain who doesn't feel quite as terrifying as he should.
the other villain of the story is violeta's mom, the regal mrs. miramonte, and
as a piece of historical fiction, this is fascinating in theory. it takes place in a moment of such social upheaval, and still in the wake of the california land act which resulted in many spanish colonizers having their stolen land legally re-stolen when california became part of the US. there's excellent race commentary and class commentary, and a push-pull between progressive new ideas and conservative old-money sensibilities here.
the author's afterword fills in some historical context, but i wish it was more apparent in the book itself. it doesn't feel rooted in its time and place - the narrative and dialogue just don't feel like the 1960s. the historical mood isn't there, which weakens the book.
July 4, 2026
A triumphant first book! A story of magic and possession, where the supernatural is the dirt over the unmarked graves of history. Unashamedly queer, Muñeca is a novella that is equally angry and tender, knowing both the powers of yearning and injustice. Also? You've never seen creepy dolls to these things to your heart.
June 16, 2026
I really wanted to love Muñeca because the premise had so much potential, but the book never quite came alive for me. The gothic atmosphere I was hoping for was barely there, and the story moved in a way that felt both too slow and strangely rushed at the same time. Even the romance felt like it appeared out of nowhere, with so little build-up that it was hard to feel anything for it.
What disappointed me most was how flat the setting felt. For a novel set in 1968, there was almost no real sense of time or place, which made the whole story feel disconnected. Nati’s grandmother was by far the most interesting part, and I kept wishing the book had leaned into that thread instead of skimming past it.
The mystery itself also lost impact quickly, since the perpetrators felt obvious from the start. There were ideas here about colonialism and land theft that could have been powerful, but they were only touched on briefly and never given the depth they deserved.
What disappointed me most was how flat the setting felt. For a novel set in 1968, there was almost no real sense of time or place, which made the whole story feel disconnected. Nati’s grandmother was by far the most interesting part, and I kept wishing the book had leaned into that thread instead of skimming past it.
The mystery itself also lost impact quickly, since the perpetrators felt obvious from the start. There were ideas here about colonialism and land theft that could have been powerful, but they were only touched on briefly and never given the depth they deserved.
Want to Read
December 17, 2025I NEED IT OMG
August 5, 2026
Audio version of this gothic novella was really good!
July 20, 2026
Set in 1960's Oakland, Muñeca is a sapphic gothic horror novella following a Mexican-American young woman with witchy abilities trying to free an heiress from a curse that has trapped her in her own body. Creepy, but also quite sexy, this novella examines the nuances of race, class, and colorism as they relate to California and Mexican history and the heritage of colonialism, not to mention queer history of the time as it centers sapphic women. I loved it and would absolutely read more from this author. I received a copy of this book for review via NetGalley, all opinions are my own.
July 24, 2026
How do I become a witch with a comatose girlfriend whose souls I transpose into a little doll so she can communicate with me via Ouija Board as we plot on how to destroy her family who hexed her
August 3, 2026
This was such an original novella. I loved it
August 3, 2026
That was pretty scary.. I mean, as scary as a written story without any sound effects could probably get.
I love reading scary stories and it’s been hard to find one that truly knocks my socks off but this one was good. I think the eeriness of the setting, the relationship dynamics and all the woo woo things really set the tone. Think of it like a Spanish version of Annabelle but her being the good guy.
The typical things that aren’t necessarily scary but creeps you the fuck out like the old hag witch, being tied down by spiderwebs, conjuring shadows, casting spells that immobilised or crippled you, and the voodoo shit like dying rose petals, use of herbs and tea, sewing mouths on pictures shut, moving dolls… yeah you get the picture.
And all this in under 170 pages? Not bad for a horror story.
I love reading scary stories and it’s been hard to find one that truly knocks my socks off but this one was good. I think the eeriness of the setting, the relationship dynamics and all the woo woo things really set the tone. Think of it like a Spanish version of Annabelle but her being the good guy.
The typical things that aren’t necessarily scary but creeps you the fuck out like the old hag witch, being tied down by spiderwebs, conjuring shadows, casting spells that immobilised or crippled you, and the voodoo shit like dying rose petals, use of herbs and tea, sewing mouths on pictures shut, moving dolls… yeah you get the picture.
And all this in under 170 pages? Not bad for a horror story.
Did Not Finish
July 7, 2026I unfortunately had to DNF this halfway through. Muneca is a novella-length novel, so I was confident I'd be able to get through it, even though horror isn't always my genre of choice. However, after days of deliberating and having to force myself to pick it up, just to put it down a few pages later, a DNF is the way to go to avoid a reading slump for me.
My main reasons for not liking this are:
A) Frequent time skips and flashbacks that are quite disorienting and often feel disconnected from one another
B) The main character forms a romantic attachment almost instantly with a woman in a coma, which gave me the ick
C) The story overall didn't keep my interest; boredom is my number one reason for DNFs
Shoutout to the vivid, breathtaking cover that is quite visually striking though.
Thank you to G.P. Putnam's Sons for providing me with an advanced reader copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
My main reasons for not liking this are:
A) Frequent time skips and flashbacks that are quite disorienting and often feel disconnected from one another
B) The main character forms a romantic attachment almost instantly with a woman in a coma, which gave me the ick
C) The story overall didn't keep my interest; boredom is my number one reason for DNFs
Shoutout to the vivid, breathtaking cover that is quite visually striking though.
Thank you to G.P. Putnam's Sons for providing me with an advanced reader copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
July 30, 2026
I really thought I'd be giving this four stars at the start, but as the plot developed, my rating dropped just a smidge. It wasn't anything in particular, it simply wasn't what I was expecting.
I liked the magic, the setting, the atmosphere and the premise. I totally get what the author was trying to do with the whole doll thing, and wish we had more pages to explore it better.
As for what I didn't like, the relationship felt super rushed, there was no build-up, and the villains didn't even try to be any less obvious.
The ending was okay though, and the narration was good, so I'm still glad I gave it a chance.
3.5
I liked the magic, the setting, the atmosphere and the premise. I totally get what the author was trying to do with the whole doll thing, and wish we had more pages to explore it better.
As for what I didn't like, the relationship felt super rushed, there was no build-up, and the villains didn't even try to be any less obvious.
The ending was okay though, and the narration was good, so I'm still glad I gave it a chance.
3.5
July 22, 2026
Okay yeah it was witchy and cozy.
June 20, 2026
Loved the setting of the book. After such a long time i read a proper gothic novel which didn’t disappoint me. I felt that the witchcraft was a metaphor for defiance that the women used, those who were suppressed but didn’t accept the suppression. It acted as a vessel to let out their independence so they could feel some degree of control over their body. What didn’t get through me was the ending. Obviously this could’ve ended in a million ways but this one definitely could’ve been better. Violeta’s mother suddenly teaming up with Nati kind of didn’t make sense to me. It felt like author chose an easy way out.
Anyway, the overall book was very satisfying. Would love to read more books of such genre.
Anyway, the overall book was very satisfying. Would love to read more books of such genre.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 24, 2026
Violeta looking at an exhausted post-possession-spell Nati from the top of her dresser
fan-fucking-tastic
fan-fucking-tastic
July 4, 2026
3.75*
enjoyed this one for how short it was! definitely not a favourite but i still enjoyed myself
enjoyed this one for how short it was! definitely not a favourite but i still enjoyed myself
June 24, 2026
There were parts of this I really enjoyed. The witchcraft, the creepy grandma, the letters... I honestly thought I was going to love this a little more.
It's advertised as horror and it really didn't feel like it was. The love was a little too insta for me, and I had mixed feelings about the ending.
But I did enjoy it.
It's advertised as horror and it really didn't feel like it was. The love was a little too insta for me, and I had mixed feelings about the ending.
But I did enjoy it.
Did Not Finish
July 1, 2026Dnf at 56% was hoping to end June on a sapphic high but honestly this was just boring despite it being a book that on paper seems like it was written specifically for me. Idk something just wasn’t working for me.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
This was great. I wanna say it was a lovely read, because it kinda was, there’s a lot of heartwarming parts, but that feels wrong what with the pretty heavy domestic abuse at the heart of the story. It was a lovely story, with a sapphic romance, witchery, and a bit of a found family. It was also a story of inequality, abuse, and female rage (one of the very few female rage stories I’ve read that actually felt really satisfying). It was the perfect length as a novella and I just absolutely loved it.
Tropes and such:
- sapphic latina witch
- disability rep (paralysis, muscle atrophy)
- body swapping
- domestic abuse (non-graphic)
- female rage & revenge (kinda graphic)
----
Many thanks to Putnam for the ARC!
Tropes and such:
- sapphic latina witch
- disability rep (paralysis, muscle atrophy)
- body swapping
- domestic abuse (non-graphic)
- female rage & revenge (kinda graphic)
----
Many thanks to Putnam for the ARC!
May 23, 2026
full rtc but for now: despite having the bones of an excellent story, i’ve never read another historical fiction quite so divorced from its era and any sense of place. the name dropping was on the level of a lot of contemporary romance novels, in a bad way.
thanks to netgalley and G.P. Putnam's Sons for the eARC!
this was one of the 2026 releases i was really hyped for and unfortunately it was kind of a letdown. i've read far worse debut novels, and i think this had a lot of potential, but the execution was just lacking for me.
the biggest disappointment here was that there was almost no sense of the time and place where the author chose to set this story. i'm admittedly not the biggest fan of first person narration, so that's just my own personal bias, but Nati's voice throughout was mostly indistinguishable from a novel set in the 2020s. the biggest reminders of the year being 1968 were communicated through big name-drops, and it felt as clunky to me here as it does in a contemporary novel when the characters reference specific brands and celebrities. you can tell from the author's note that research WAS done, but none of that comes across in the story. for the most part it could be set in 2013 and very little would feel different.
the plot here has the bones of a good story, but it feels rushed even knowing this is a novella. there isn't much mystery built up around Violeta's "illness." the villains are obvious from so early on that the time Nati spends investigating feels wasted. i wish we'd gotten more about Nati's history with her grandmother, because those were some of the most engaging sections.
as a gothic tale, i think this mostly falls short for me because so much of gothic atmosphere is about dread: the slow build, the creeping uncertainty. there isn't a lot of that here. Nati's narration basically spells everything out for the reader and we move so quickly that the horrific and emotional notes don't have time to fully settle. i appreciate the sociopolitical commentary, but it's just so explicitly stated rather than explored thematically.
i would still read more from this author, but this debut was just okay.
thanks to netgalley and G.P. Putnam's Sons for the eARC!
this was one of the 2026 releases i was really hyped for and unfortunately it was kind of a letdown. i've read far worse debut novels, and i think this had a lot of potential, but the execution was just lacking for me.
the biggest disappointment here was that there was almost no sense of the time and place where the author chose to set this story. i'm admittedly not the biggest fan of first person narration, so that's just my own personal bias, but Nati's voice throughout was mostly indistinguishable from a novel set in the 2020s. the biggest reminders of the year being 1968 were communicated through big name-drops, and it felt as clunky to me here as it does in a contemporary novel when the characters reference specific brands and celebrities. you can tell from the author's note that research WAS done, but none of that comes across in the story. for the most part it could be set in 2013 and very little would feel different.
the plot here has the bones of a good story, but it feels rushed even knowing this is a novella. there isn't much mystery built up around Violeta's "illness." the villains are obvious from so early on that the time Nati spends investigating feels wasted. i wish we'd gotten more about Nati's history with her grandmother, because those were some of the most engaging sections.
as a gothic tale, i think this mostly falls short for me because so much of gothic atmosphere is about dread: the slow build, the creeping uncertainty. there isn't a lot of that here. Nati's narration basically spells everything out for the reader and we move so quickly that the horrific and emotional notes don't have time to fully settle. i appreciate the sociopolitical commentary, but it's just so explicitly stated rather than explored thematically.
i would still read more from this author, but this debut was just okay.
June 26, 2026
Muñeca by Cynthia Gomez
Looking for a quick read that’s sure to keep you hooked until the end? Check out this one!
This is a witchy read that sits at a little over 150 pages. It’s got sapphic romance and spells—along with a moving doll!
I listened to this one on audio and flew through it. It’s not “horrifying” per se, but shows the horrors of the power some people have over one another
Looking for a quick read that’s sure to keep you hooked until the end? Check out this one!
This is a witchy read that sits at a little over 150 pages. It’s got sapphic romance and spells—along with a moving doll!
I listened to this one on audio and flew through it. It’s not “horrifying” per se, but shows the horrors of the power some people have over one another
August 1, 2026
4.5
This was so fun. I loved Nati and the way this story handled her witchcraft was really satisfying - I just love when a magic system is built on symbolism and metaphor like this. It's a short novel, so the romance wasn't as fleshed out as I would have liked, but I did really enjoy the letters and the attraction was really sweet, even if it didn't have time to be super deep. I particularly adored Doris and the stories about Nati's mom, who sounded amazing.
The ending did feel a little bit rushed to me, but nothing egregious. Overall, I really liked this story and its layers and I would absolutely be down to check out this author's next book.
This was so fun. I loved Nati and the way this story handled her witchcraft was really satisfying - I just love when a magic system is built on symbolism and metaphor like this. It's a short novel, so the romance wasn't as fleshed out as I would have liked, but I did really enjoy the letters and the attraction was really sweet, even if it didn't have time to be super deep. I particularly adored Doris and the stories about Nati's mom, who sounded amazing.
The ending did feel a little bit rushed to me, but nothing egregious. Overall, I really liked this story and its layers and I would absolutely be down to check out this author's next book.
July 9, 2026
I really enjoyed this! While it is promoted as a horror novel, I think if a reader is expecting it to be very horrific, they will be let down. It is very creepy, the premise and the atmosphere combined but I expected this to push some of my scary boundaries and it did not (which is fine, I still really enjoyed it!). But looking at the more negative reviews, I think it is an issues of expectation rather than flawed work of the author.
This was a very tight novel about a young woman in the 60's determined to release a rich heiress from under a sleeping spell (well, she's not asleep but it is a little Sleeping Beauty-esque). Nati is a strong main character who makes interesting decisions, a combination of smart and reckless. I really liked the magic in the story and the backstory of Nati and her family. And the politics of it all. It was fairy tale like and a very satisfying read. I will say the romance is a little out of nowhere but Nati and Violeta have great chemistry once it is established.
4.5 stars and recommended to anyone who wants a creepy lit fic or historical fiction read.
This was a very tight novel about a young woman in the 60's determined to release a rich heiress from under a sleeping spell (well, she's not asleep but it is a little Sleeping Beauty-esque). Nati is a strong main character who makes interesting decisions, a combination of smart and reckless. I really liked the magic in the story and the backstory of Nati and her family. And the politics of it all. It was fairy tale like and a very satisfying read. I will say the romance is a little out of nowhere but Nati and Violeta have great chemistry once it is established.
4.5 stars and recommended to anyone who wants a creepy lit fic or historical fiction read.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
{Thank you, NetGalley and Putnum, for the ARC!}
Muñeca is a novel about Natalia, a Mexican-American woman, looking to earn more money than she can count by curing the magical curse that ails the bedridden and paralyzed young heiress, Violeta Miramontes, and finds herself doing more than she thought would be a simple undoing spell.
As a debut, I thought this was pretty good. The setting is clearly well informed and established and it colors a lot for those of us who haven’t been to this area of California before. The author’s note at the end regarding the research the author did was also interesting, dare I say as interesting as the plot itself. I like Nati and Violeta. I like that they don’t shy away from the “darkness” they feel within themselves due to what they’ve both experienced (all forms of abuse, racism, sexism, homophobia, etc.). It’s easy to have your character choose the moral high ground, but it’s better to remember that violence is a good and valid form of resistance. We can’t always win by being nonviolent. Some people only learn when they’ve been threatened.
I also love when characters aren’t redeemed. Bad people can choose to do a good or self-sacrificial thing, but that doesn’t mean we must forgive them for their prior acts. It’s simply a way for that character to resolve themselves for themselves. No one needs to forgive them. Not yet.
My issue is largely with the relationship between Nati and Violeta. I couldn’t help but feel as though Nati was pulled to this house for a different reason. Yes, this spell she figured she could undo is meant to be an easy fix. Yes, it’s not supposed to be anything more than a cash grab, but I couldn’t help but feel, especially as we learn more of Nati’s connection to witchcraft, that this was a more intimate act. Knowing Nati hasn’t touched witchcraft since her youth, why would she suddenly pick it up for something as mundane as money? Her job sucked, yes, but she had community and love from that community. Why touch something so traumatizing ever again?
To me, I felt as though Nati had felt something for Violeta when she was young and that tiny thread, however unbeknownst to her, is what led Nati back to the Miramontes’. Every good deed has a bit of selfishness in it. I would have liked to see something like that added into Nati’s character. A recognizing that her feelings when she was at the Miramontes’ house was something more than she understood at that time (the howling as it described in the book). It would have made their quick relationship to one another even more compelling.
Overall, 4/5. I would be happy to read more from this author, especially if they write something even more in the horror territory.
Muñeca is a novel about Natalia, a Mexican-American woman, looking to earn more money than she can count by curing the magical curse that ails the bedridden and paralyzed young heiress, Violeta Miramontes, and finds herself doing more than she thought would be a simple undoing spell.
As a debut, I thought this was pretty good. The setting is clearly well informed and established and it colors a lot for those of us who haven’t been to this area of California before. The author’s note at the end regarding the research the author did was also interesting, dare I say as interesting as the plot itself. I like Nati and Violeta. I like that they don’t shy away from the “darkness” they feel within themselves due to what they’ve both experienced (all forms of abuse, racism, sexism, homophobia, etc.). It’s easy to have your character choose the moral high ground, but it’s better to remember that violence is a good and valid form of resistance. We can’t always win by being nonviolent. Some people only learn when they’ve been threatened.
I also love when characters aren’t redeemed. Bad people can choose to do a good or self-sacrificial thing, but that doesn’t mean we must forgive them for their prior acts. It’s simply a way for that character to resolve themselves for themselves. No one needs to forgive them. Not yet.
My issue is largely with the relationship between Nati and Violeta. I couldn’t help but feel as though Nati was pulled to this house for a different reason. Yes, this spell she figured she could undo is meant to be an easy fix. Yes, it’s not supposed to be anything more than a cash grab, but I couldn’t help but feel, especially as we learn more of Nati’s connection to witchcraft, that this was a more intimate act. Knowing Nati hasn’t touched witchcraft since her youth, why would she suddenly pick it up for something as mundane as money? Her job sucked, yes, but she had community and love from that community. Why touch something so traumatizing ever again?
To me, I felt as though Nati had felt something for Violeta when she was young and that tiny thread, however unbeknownst to her, is what led Nati back to the Miramontes’. Every good deed has a bit of selfishness in it. I would have liked to see something like that added into Nati’s character. A recognizing that her feelings when she was at the Miramontes’ house was something more than she understood at that time (the howling as it described in the book). It would have made their quick relationship to one another even more compelling.
Overall, 4/5. I would be happy to read more from this author, especially if they write something even more in the horror territory.
June 14, 2026
1968, Oakland.
Natalia Fuentes has heard that the beautiful Violeta Miramontes, heiress to a Spanish colonial fortune, is near comatose, trapped paralyzed and unresponsive in her own body since the day after her honeymoon. Nati knows it's witchcraft, rather than a medical condition, and she wants to be the one who frees Violeta and collects the monetary reward. In the meantime, Nati becomes her caretaker, and learns an important thing: while she cannot move, Violeta is conscious, and Nati has figured out a way to communicate.
Muñeca is an atmospheric and chilling sapphic historical horror. Cynthia Gómez leans into the history of lesbian culture in California in the 60s to build Nati's character, choosing to examine the culture that BIPOC women created for themselves when left out of the queer white culture in the Bay Area. One could imagine that being queer, Latine, and a witch, might make Nati an outcast, and it certainly does to the outside world, but that isn't the focus of the story. Instead, we have an intimate portrait of women falling in love under challenging circumstances. While the plot focuses on the chilling mystery of why Violeta is trapped, we get the careful, quiet love story burning underneath it all.
Muñeca was a perfect blend of horror, history, and queer romance for me wrapped up in novella format. Thank you to G.P. Putnam's Sons for an eARC. Muñeca is out 6/2/2026.
Natalia Fuentes has heard that the beautiful Violeta Miramontes, heiress to a Spanish colonial fortune, is near comatose, trapped paralyzed and unresponsive in her own body since the day after her honeymoon. Nati knows it's witchcraft, rather than a medical condition, and she wants to be the one who frees Violeta and collects the monetary reward. In the meantime, Nati becomes her caretaker, and learns an important thing: while she cannot move, Violeta is conscious, and Nati has figured out a way to communicate.
Muñeca is an atmospheric and chilling sapphic historical horror. Cynthia Gómez leans into the history of lesbian culture in California in the 60s to build Nati's character, choosing to examine the culture that BIPOC women created for themselves when left out of the queer white culture in the Bay Area. One could imagine that being queer, Latine, and a witch, might make Nati an outcast, and it certainly does to the outside world, but that isn't the focus of the story. Instead, we have an intimate portrait of women falling in love under challenging circumstances. While the plot focuses on the chilling mystery of why Violeta is trapped, we get the careful, quiet love story burning underneath it all.
Muñeca was a perfect blend of horror, history, and queer romance for me wrapped up in novella format. Thank you to G.P. Putnam's Sons for an eARC. Muñeca is out 6/2/2026.
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