What do you think?
Rate this book
Win a free print copy of this book!
8 days and 15:52:42
27 copies available
U.S. only
Muñeca
Win a free print copy of this book!
8 days and 15:52:42
27 copies available
U.S. only
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
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 442 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.
June 26, 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
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.
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."
Want to Read
December 17, 2025I NEED IT OMG
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.
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.
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 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.
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.
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.
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
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.
July 1, 2026
4⭐ 1🌶️
Witchy, sapphic, and Gothic... Such an amazing combo! Muñeca was a great read for pride month, following Natalia a working class witch that starts a position as caregiver for the daughter of the family that clings to their past of money and power. What starts as a transaction soon turns into a budding romance between the two women and a stark reminder that status and the illusion of wealth sometimes trumps morals and family love.
A tale that would be appreciated by the fans of Silvia Moreno-García, with a healthy dose of feminine rage and a gratifying "good for them" ending.
Thanks to the Author and G.P. Putnam's Sons for the ARC. All comments are my own.
Witchy, sapphic, and Gothic... Such an amazing combo! Muñeca was a great read for pride month, following Natalia a working class witch that starts a position as caregiver for the daughter of the family that clings to their past of money and power. What starts as a transaction soon turns into a budding romance between the two women and a stark reminder that status and the illusion of wealth sometimes trumps morals and family love.
A tale that would be appreciated by the fans of Silvia Moreno-García, with a healthy dose of feminine rage and a gratifying "good for them" ending.
Thanks to the Author and G.P. Putnam's Sons for the ARC. All comments are my own.
June 17, 2026
Muñeca is a short, enjoyable horror novella that manages to fit an impressive amount into its small page count. The story moves at a brisk pace, making it an easy one-sitting read for me. For such a compact novella, Muñeca tackles an impressive range of themes. Its commentary on class, labor, colonialism, generational trauma, autonomy, and revenge is incorporated into the story well enough considering its length. Gómez's prose is highly accessible, striking a good balance between haunting elegance and propulsive pacing, though I would have liked to see more vivid descriptions of the setting to further support the gothic atmosphere.
I do think readers expecting a romance-forward story may come away disappointed, as the relationship between Nati and Violeta is far less prominent than the novella's larger plot threads and thematic exploration. Personally, as someone who doesn't read romance, I appreciated that balance. Their relationship felt emotionally intimate and naturally intertwined with the supernatural mystery without overtaking the entire story.
While I didn’t mind the protagonist overall, I would have loved to get more backstory on her relationship with her grandmother. The novella offers compelling hints about the grandmother's influence on Nati's upbringing, but I wanted those moments expanded to strengthen both characters. The grandmother seemed like the most unhinged person in the entire story, yet we never get to fully experience that firsthand. The witchcraft/magic was both tangible and consequential, and I really liked how it was tightly tied to the family’s history and culture. This story definitely had the substance to be expanded into a multigenerational Latiné family saga of lore and witchcraft, so I couldn't help wondering what that larger story would have looked like.
If Muñeca is what Gómez can accomplish within the confines of a novella, I’m very much interested in picking up her next release—especially if it comes in the form of a full-length novel.
Readers who enjoyed both Goddess of Filth by V. Castro and The Dollmakers by Lynn Buchanan will have a really great time with Muñeca.
I do think readers expecting a romance-forward story may come away disappointed, as the relationship between Nati and Violeta is far less prominent than the novella's larger plot threads and thematic exploration. Personally, as someone who doesn't read romance, I appreciated that balance. Their relationship felt emotionally intimate and naturally intertwined with the supernatural mystery without overtaking the entire story.
While I didn’t mind the protagonist overall, I would have loved to get more backstory on her relationship with her grandmother. The novella offers compelling hints about the grandmother's influence on Nati's upbringing, but I wanted those moments expanded to strengthen both characters. The grandmother seemed like the most unhinged person in the entire story, yet we never get to fully experience that firsthand. The witchcraft/magic was both tangible and consequential, and I really liked how it was tightly tied to the family’s history and culture. This story definitely had the substance to be expanded into a multigenerational Latiné family saga of lore and witchcraft, so I couldn't help wondering what that larger story would have looked like.
If Muñeca is what Gómez can accomplish within the confines of a novella, I’m very much interested in picking up her next release—especially if it comes in the form of a full-length novel.
Readers who enjoyed both Goddess of Filth by V. Castro and The Dollmakers by Lynn Buchanan will have a really great time with Muñeca.
May 3, 2026
Muñeca is a lush and slow-burning Gothic that intertwines magic, longing, and rage into something both intimate and unsettling. Set against the textured backdrop of 1968 Oakland, the novel feels very rooted in place and history. Its supernatural elements are grounded in lived realities of class, race, and marginalization. That foundation gives the story weight and allows its surreal turns more emotional precision versus spectacle. At its center is Natalia or "Nati", a protagonist whose sharp edges make her all the more compelling. Her understanding of witchcraft is practical at first, but as she becomes more entangled with Violeta, who is fragile and enigmatic, her control begins to fray. Their relationship is the beating heart of this story and unfolds with a tenderness that never loses sight of the dangers that surround them, both magical and human. What elevates Muñeca is that it does not simplify morality. Gómez allows her characters to sit in their anger and desperation, acknowledging the ways oppression shapes not only suffering but response. The horror is not just in curses and spirits, but also in inherited power and the cost of resisting it. By the final pages, the story has become a reckoning. Haunting and deliberate, this is a novel that stands out in both its beauty and its bite. Thank you to NetGalley and G.P. Putnam's Sons for the ARC. You can pick this up June 02, 2026 wherever you buy your books.
May 30, 2026
I was very intrigued by the premise of this book and very excited to read it! I read it quickly and was pulled in right away with compelling characters and interesting setting. I really loved the gothic feeling as well. The witchy components of the story were my favorite parts of the book which had me rooting for our main character Natalia. I found this to be very readable and engaging but it did leave me wanting a bit more. I would have loved for this to be a little longer so I could have lingered in the house with Nati and Violeta more which would have allowed their romance to develop a bit further as well. Overall, there is a lot to enjoy here and I will be eagerly waiting for the author’s next release. 3.5 stars
**thank you to netgalley and the publisher for an early copy of this for review.
**thank you to netgalley and the publisher for an early copy of this for review.
June 12, 2026
Okay this was such a fun dark novella !!
Nati and Violeta I adored them I loved the fact I connected to the characters even though this was only a 4 hour audiobook ! The audio was done well 🎧
I loved the romance the witchy stuff and the revenge!
That ending made me smile !
I highly recommend this! 🖤
Nati and Violeta I adored them I loved the fact I connected to the characters even though this was only a 4 hour audiobook ! The audio was done well 🎧
I loved the romance the witchy stuff and the revenge!
That ending made me smile !
I highly recommend this! 🖤
June 12, 2026
omg this was a wild ride! i never really knew what was going to happen next. I had fun! I was on the edge of my seat! also enjoyed the commentary about the consequences of the land grabs following the Mexican American war. Natalia is better than me i will tell you that I would have behaved wayyyyyy worse lmao. Also the romance that bloomed between Natalia and Violeta!!! Love love loveeeee
July 2, 2026
This was a wonderful novella, if you were a fan of Carmilla then I think you would like this. The writing is succinct but entertaining, the plot was gripping, and I really enjoyed the relationships that the FMC had with some of the other characters. Great gothic setting with some dark magic, and always love when the man gets whats coming for him.
June 25, 2026
that was weird in a good way and I liked the ending
June 9, 2026
Well-written and just the right length, no unnecessary padding or wasting time getting to the plot. A quick read and worth the time.
June 28, 2026
Thank you Putnam for my free copy of Muñeca by Cynthia Gómez — out now!
» READ IF YOU «
🧿 love a working-class bruja with good intentions
🎶 are a sucker for music being included in your stories
🪆 have a complicated relationship with creepy dolls (eek)
» SYNOPSIS «
It's 1968 in Oakland, and Nati knows dark magic when she hears about it. Beautiful young heiress Violeta has been paralyzed and bedridden for six years. She's been bewitched, Nati is certain. She works her way into the house as Violeta's caretaker to break the spell and collect her reward, but doesn't plan on the other things that happen...
» REVIEW «
Such a lovely little novella! It's so precise and atmospheric in under 200 pages, which kind of feels like black magic in itself. The setting is richly rendered, including class tensions and revolution stirrings, and made even more realistic by the inclusion of specific songs from the time period. I could hear them as I read!
Nati and Violeta are great together, they're tender and electric, and though I will say that the romance was a little bit insta-lovey for me, I didn't really mind it. The Ouija/Scrabble tiles, what a ride. And the DOLL! Lord, I hate a haunted doll. I won't say more, just that the ending is exactly as satisfying as it should be. Working-class witches really do get shit done.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
» READ IF YOU «
🧿 love a working-class bruja with good intentions
🎶 are a sucker for music being included in your stories
🪆 have a complicated relationship with creepy dolls (eek)
» SYNOPSIS «
It's 1968 in Oakland, and Nati knows dark magic when she hears about it. Beautiful young heiress Violeta has been paralyzed and bedridden for six years. She's been bewitched, Nati is certain. She works her way into the house as Violeta's caretaker to break the spell and collect her reward, but doesn't plan on the other things that happen...
» REVIEW «
Such a lovely little novella! It's so precise and atmospheric in under 200 pages, which kind of feels like black magic in itself. The setting is richly rendered, including class tensions and revolution stirrings, and made even more realistic by the inclusion of specific songs from the time period. I could hear them as I read!
Nati and Violeta are great together, they're tender and electric, and though I will say that the romance was a little bit insta-lovey for me, I didn't really mind it. The Ouija/Scrabble tiles, what a ride. And the DOLL! Lord, I hate a haunted doll. I won't say more, just that the ending is exactly as satisfying as it should be. Working-class witches really do get shit done.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
February 4, 2026
A deliciously dark Gothic debut that goes deeper than the aesthetic, MUÑECA is a feat of sorcery in and of itself—a taut, dread-filled tale constantly skirting the edges of desire and doom, one that kept me spellbound until the bloody, satisfying end.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 442 reviews