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Something Followed Us Home: Tales of Latiné Horror
Not yet published
Expected 29 Sep 26Dive into the chilling depths of Latiné horror with Something Followed Us Home, edited by Bram Stoker Award–winner Cynthia Pelayo, a groundbreaking anthology where each story reimagines immigration, colonization, faith, and folklore as the fears we inherit and carry across borders and generations.
Something followed us home. It crawled in with our prayers, slipped into our beds, watched from mirrors, waited in water, and learned our names. In these stories, horror does not announce itself. It possesses, feeds, whispers, and waits.
Gathering chilling work from some of today’s most acclaimed Latiné voices, this anthology moves through haunted households, brutal landscapes, sacred spaces turned dangerous, and bodies claimed by forces both ancient and intimate. The dead murmur behind locked doors. Bones rebuild themselves under merciless suns. Love becomes a doorway for demonic hunger. Prayers summon answers that arrive too late…or too fully. Blood, devotion, and memory intertwine as the past presses back with teeth.
Something Followed Us Home is a landmark anthology of Latiné horror. These stories remind us that the past is never gone, the dead are never silent, and the places we come from will always find their way back to us.
Featuring stories Agustina Bazterrica, Ann Dávila Cardinal, Cynthia Pelayo, Isabel Cañas, Gerardo Sámano Córdova, Zoraida Córdova, Mariana Enriquez, Carolina Flórez-Cerchiaro, Ananda Lima, Xochitl Gonzalez, Leopoldo Goût, Juan Martinez, Mónica Ojeda, Daniel Jóse Older, Lilliam Rivera, Alex Segura, Diana Rodriguez Wallach
Something followed us home. It crawled in with our prayers, slipped into our beds, watched from mirrors, waited in water, and learned our names. In these stories, horror does not announce itself. It possesses, feeds, whispers, and waits.
Gathering chilling work from some of today’s most acclaimed Latiné voices, this anthology moves through haunted households, brutal landscapes, sacred spaces turned dangerous, and bodies claimed by forces both ancient and intimate. The dead murmur behind locked doors. Bones rebuild themselves under merciless suns. Love becomes a doorway for demonic hunger. Prayers summon answers that arrive too late…or too fully. Blood, devotion, and memory intertwine as the past presses back with teeth.
Something Followed Us Home is a landmark anthology of Latiné horror. These stories remind us that the past is never gone, the dead are never silent, and the places we come from will always find their way back to us.
Featuring stories Agustina Bazterrica, Ann Dávila Cardinal, Cynthia Pelayo, Isabel Cañas, Gerardo Sámano Córdova, Zoraida Córdova, Mariana Enriquez, Carolina Flórez-Cerchiaro, Ananda Lima, Xochitl Gonzalez, Leopoldo Goût, Juan Martinez, Mónica Ojeda, Daniel Jóse Older, Lilliam Rivera, Alex Segura, Diana Rodriguez Wallach
Audible Audio
Expected publication September 29, 2026
About the author
Cynthia Pelayo
69 books769 followersCynthia Pelayo is a Bram Stoker Award winning and International Latino Book Award winning author and poet.
Pelayo writes fairy tales that blend genre and explore concepts of grief, mourning, and cycles of violence. She is the author of Loteria, Santa Muerte, The Missing, Poems of My Night, Into the Forest and All the Way Through, Children of Chicago, Crime Scene, The Shoemaker’s Magician, as well as dozens of standalone short stories and poems.
Loteria, which was her MFA in Writing thesis at The School of the Art Institute of Chicago, was re-released to praise with Esquire calling it one of the ‘Best Horror Books of 2023.’ Santa Muerte and The Missing, her young adult horror novels were each nominated for International Latino Book Awards. Poems of My Night was nominated for an Elgin Award. Into the Forest and All the Way Through was nominated for an Elgin Award and was also nominated for a Bram Stoker Award for Superior Achievement in a Poetry Collection. Children of Chicago was nominated for a Bram Stoker Award in Superior Achievement in a Novel and won an International Latino Book Award for Best Mystery. Crime Scene won the Bram Stoker Award for Superior Achievement in a Poetry Collection. The Shoemaker’s Magician has been released to praise with Library Journal awarding it a starred review.
Her forthcoming novel, The Forgotten Sisters, will be released by Thomas and Mercer in 2024 and is an adaptation of Hans Christian Andersen’s “The Little Mermaid.”
Her works have been reviewed in The New York Times, Chicago Tribune, LA Review of Books, and more.
Pelayo writes fairy tales that blend genre and explore concepts of grief, mourning, and cycles of violence. She is the author of Loteria, Santa Muerte, The Missing, Poems of My Night, Into the Forest and All the Way Through, Children of Chicago, Crime Scene, The Shoemaker’s Magician, as well as dozens of standalone short stories and poems.
Loteria, which was her MFA in Writing thesis at The School of the Art Institute of Chicago, was re-released to praise with Esquire calling it one of the ‘Best Horror Books of 2023.’ Santa Muerte and The Missing, her young adult horror novels were each nominated for International Latino Book Awards. Poems of My Night was nominated for an Elgin Award. Into the Forest and All the Way Through was nominated for an Elgin Award and was also nominated for a Bram Stoker Award for Superior Achievement in a Poetry Collection. Children of Chicago was nominated for a Bram Stoker Award in Superior Achievement in a Novel and won an International Latino Book Award for Best Mystery. Crime Scene won the Bram Stoker Award for Superior Achievement in a Poetry Collection. The Shoemaker’s Magician has been released to praise with Library Journal awarding it a starred review.
Her forthcoming novel, The Forgotten Sisters, will be released by Thomas and Mercer in 2024 and is an adaptation of Hans Christian Andersen’s “The Little Mermaid.”
Her works have been reviewed in The New York Times, Chicago Tribune, LA Review of Books, and more.
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July 14, 2026a diverse anthology of latin american horror stories. there's a great deal of tonal variation from piece to piece, so it doesn't feel very cohesive - and many of the pieces are lighter than the book's presentation would lead me to expect. as with any anthology, some pieces are stronger than others.
there are some glimmers of spanish language here and there among these stories, but the majority of the pieces shy away from bilingual content, despite the fact that some were originally written in english and some were written in spanish and appear in translation here. i wish there was more indulgence in the mingling of languages, though it's wonderful that this collection is being published in both languages.
BLUE FLOWERS by agustina bazterrica - a powerful and haunting ghost story about the loss and guilt that afflict one farm girl when she remembers what she has done.
THE HAND THAT FEEDS by isabel cañas - the dark folktale of la loba, a wolf woman who takes off her wolfskin and becomes human to marry a controlling man who keeps her wolfskin locked away. this feels like a variation on the legend of the selkie.
HER FIRST CRUISE SHIP by ann dávila cardinal - zombie tourists arrive in a puerto rico city in droves, doing immense damage but providing economic benefit - the tradeoff that comes with being a colonized tourist destination. entertaining, but a bit too on the nose.
MY BOYFRIEND by gerardo sámano córdova - a bloody and comedic achilean piece about a guy whose boyfriend is possessed by a demon. he tells himself he loves both the boyfriend and the demon, but he's determined to help the demon thrive. a bittersweet breakup story.
THE IMMACULATE REBIRTH OF NICKI DURAN by zoraida córdova - a chilling speculative piece about a wave of sudden second trimester pregnancies. the birth of a mysterious entity vs the rebirth of the self.
GUARDIAN ANGEL by mariana enriquez - a dark tale of witnesesing familial demonic possession in the form of incest. very dark, religious, and bloody.
THE RETURN OF LA MUELONA by carolina flórez cerchiaro - a folktale about a young woman trying to escape her expected future of marrying the son of a plantation owner. wives and laborers are endlessly exploited for capitalist greed, until a mystical reckoning comes. this is a powerful colonization revenge story, told in beautiful prose.
POMELO by xochitl gonzalez - another folktale - this one is about a selfish patriarch presiding over a glass house (literally) and reinforcing patriarchal family structure until divine retribution comes. there's a magical grapefruit tree, brujeria, maternal sacrifice, and a sibling borne of the earth. i love the trippy magical realist turn this takes in the second half!
LUZ Y FER by leopold gout - this is the first story in the collection to genuinely creep me out. paranoia, huge scale conspiracy, a pair of twins acting as portents of disasters, two halves of one whole, passing their role on to the protagonist. this one is suspenseful and fascinating.
SPECTER by ananda lima - a fantastic technological / linguistic horror story about a grad student who is haunted by an alligator-masked creature who demands words. i love lima's imaginative writing.
MECHANICAL SERVANTS LLC by juan martinez - a surreal and sad story of alternate selves and alternate versions of our loved ones. the MC's precarious legal status adds a layer of anxiety and disempowerment.
THE WORLD FROM ABOVE AND THE WORLD FROM DOWN BELOW by mónica ojeda - this is a heartbreaking story about untenable grief and the zombie resurrection of a dead child. some returns are sadder than disappearances.
THE ROOFTOP REVOLUTION OF SELLY AVILES by daniel jose older - a punchy romp about a writer / dogwalker, a mysterious wealthy consortium, and the power of stories. interesting, but it feels unfinished.
EL JIBARO DE PUERTO RICO by cynthia pelayo - a brutal colonization story with a shyamalan-esque twist. poignant, but without subtlety.
WHISPERS FROM THE ROOT by lilliam rivera - a surreal and biting piece about magical transformation intergenerational revenge.
FIDELITY by alex segura - the legend of el silbón - a jaded housewife has an affair with a sexy dad who's actually a demon. she carries out the legend and becomes the demon herself.
WE ARE GATHERED TOGETHER by diane rodriguez wallach - the final piece is the delicious story of a vigilante vampire family inflicting revenge on bullies and cruel white people. love the triumphant sense of justice!
Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books for providing me with a copy of this book in return for an honest review.
there are some glimmers of spanish language here and there among these stories, but the majority of the pieces shy away from bilingual content, despite the fact that some were originally written in english and some were written in spanish and appear in translation here. i wish there was more indulgence in the mingling of languages, though it's wonderful that this collection is being published in both languages.
BLUE FLOWERS by agustina bazterrica - a powerful and haunting ghost story about the loss and guilt that afflict one farm girl when she remembers what she has done.
THE HAND THAT FEEDS by isabel cañas - the dark folktale of la loba, a wolf woman who takes off her wolfskin and becomes human to marry a controlling man who keeps her wolfskin locked away. this feels like a variation on the legend of the selkie.
HER FIRST CRUISE SHIP by ann dávila cardinal - zombie tourists arrive in a puerto rico city in droves, doing immense damage but providing economic benefit - the tradeoff that comes with being a colonized tourist destination. entertaining, but a bit too on the nose.
MY BOYFRIEND by gerardo sámano córdova - a bloody and comedic achilean piece about a guy whose boyfriend is possessed by a demon. he tells himself he loves both the boyfriend and the demon, but he's determined to help the demon thrive. a bittersweet breakup story.
THE IMMACULATE REBIRTH OF NICKI DURAN by zoraida córdova - a chilling speculative piece about a wave of sudden second trimester pregnancies. the birth of a mysterious entity vs the rebirth of the self.
GUARDIAN ANGEL by mariana enriquez - a dark tale of witnesesing familial demonic possession in the form of incest. very dark, religious, and bloody.
THE RETURN OF LA MUELONA by carolina flórez cerchiaro - a folktale about a young woman trying to escape her expected future of marrying the son of a plantation owner. wives and laborers are endlessly exploited for capitalist greed, until a mystical reckoning comes. this is a powerful colonization revenge story, told in beautiful prose.
POMELO by xochitl gonzalez - another folktale - this one is about a selfish patriarch presiding over a glass house (literally) and reinforcing patriarchal family structure until divine retribution comes. there's a magical grapefruit tree, brujeria, maternal sacrifice, and a sibling borne of the earth. i love the trippy magical realist turn this takes in the second half!
LUZ Y FER by leopold gout - this is the first story in the collection to genuinely creep me out. paranoia, huge scale conspiracy, a pair of twins acting as portents of disasters, two halves of one whole, passing their role on to the protagonist. this one is suspenseful and fascinating.
SPECTER by ananda lima - a fantastic technological / linguistic horror story about a grad student who is haunted by an alligator-masked creature who demands words. i love lima's imaginative writing.
MECHANICAL SERVANTS LLC by juan martinez - a surreal and sad story of alternate selves and alternate versions of our loved ones. the MC's precarious legal status adds a layer of anxiety and disempowerment.
THE WORLD FROM ABOVE AND THE WORLD FROM DOWN BELOW by mónica ojeda - this is a heartbreaking story about untenable grief and the zombie resurrection of a dead child. some returns are sadder than disappearances.
THE ROOFTOP REVOLUTION OF SELLY AVILES by daniel jose older - a punchy romp about a writer / dogwalker, a mysterious wealthy consortium, and the power of stories. interesting, but it feels unfinished.
EL JIBARO DE PUERTO RICO by cynthia pelayo - a brutal colonization story with a shyamalan-esque twist. poignant, but without subtlety.
WHISPERS FROM THE ROOT by lilliam rivera - a surreal and biting piece about magical transformation intergenerational revenge.
FIDELITY by alex segura - the legend of el silbón - a jaded housewife has an affair with a sexy dad who's actually a demon. she carries out the legend and becomes the demon herself.
WE ARE GATHERED TOGETHER by diane rodriguez wallach - the final piece is the delicious story of a vigilante vampire family inflicting revenge on bullies and cruel white people. love the triumphant sense of justice!
Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books for providing me with a copy of this book in return for an honest review.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
Reading for review in a future issue of Booklist
4.5 out of 5
Three Words That Describe This Book: Haunting, Full Range of Scares, Thought-Provoking
Like Never Whistle at Night anthos or Sinew and Silk (Kulski) this is a cultural based anthology that is able to showcase what unites these Latine authors but also showcase what makes them different. These stories are all haunting. Some chilling, others visceral. Some more myth or folklore others more psychological. Some straight up terror others sardonic.
But here's the thing, no matter your background as a reader, you will find something that resonates with you here. It is both a specific volume and a universal one. These are inherited stories in some ways but universal as well.
But all haunting. The introduction (by Brenda Lozano, translated by Heather Cleary) talks about what distinguishes a ghost from one culture to the next, how they are the same and different. It is an excellent essay on its own. She writes about how Latin American stories-- even when written in English are linked to political history of Spanish. She write about Latin American Ghosts being connected to colonialism, narco violence, femicide, precession, and dictatorships. But also the specific folklore of the people depending on where they are from.
The haunting is what I felt reading the stories. They are so different and yet, they all reverberate with a similar energy. The voices presented in each tale linger. The stories unsettle readers-- each in their own way. And you cannot help but think about each after you finish them. The fear is still there whether you want it to be or not, whether you have a personal connection to Latin America or not. And that is the sign of a solid horror anthology.
Published simultaneously in English and Spanish which is cool on its own but when you realized that I read the English version and some stories are noted who translated them into English and when Spanish readers get it, the ones I read in English will have translated by attributions. This is exactly what this anthology is trying to do -- make the way the past, the author's ties to their various Latin traditions, resonate in the present. How the stories they were told, the horrors they lived through, colonization, folklore, diaspora, immigration, family, legacy, violence, revenge, ghosts-- all of it made these authors who they are and that connection to the Spanish, whether they speak it or not, it is there.
Because of the range of scares and writing styles, not every reader will read the entire thing cover to cover at once. But what I think will happen-- readers will come to read a story by an author they love-- and there are many here that have legions of fans (especially some YA authors). They wil read that story and then try another. Maybe by another author they have heard of. And then maybe come back to it to try another.
The awesome TOC is great. I especially hope it draws more readers to the amazing works by these authors-- especially Craft: Stories I wrote for the Devil by Amanda Lima and A Sunny Place for Shady People by Mariana Enríquez.
Stories I want to call out
The first story By Agustina Bazterrica-- Blue Flowers is a great representation of the entire book. Setting the haunting stage. It is psychological, it is chilling, and it will linger with readers. It is also about a family which many of these stories are. Almost all are centered around family relationships.
Ann Davila Cardinal-- Her First Cruise Ship-- is a diaspora story but it is also a shocking satire about the vacation industry in and around PR. I loved it. You will laugh and gasp, but also Cardinal will not allow you to leave it behind without thinking about why you laughed and why you gasped. If you have ever been on a Caribbean island vacation, you will feel discomfort at this one.
Ananda Lima is an author of Brazilian descent that I love. She writes stories that are so original and compelling. This one Specter-- it is a psychological story of the anxiety and fear around being an immigrant, in this case, a grad student. You can feel everything that is happening here-- the real fear and the supernatural.
But my favorite might be Lilliam Rivera's Whispers from the Root. Rivera is a YA author who I was unfamiliar with before this anthology. She grabbed me from the first line and did not let go. This is an angry story of body horror and revenge and WOW! I have not read anything like it. The visuals she creates, the historical harm from one man on three families, the prophesy coming true, the three people knowing they had to make a trek to exact revenge, All of it. the pain, the horror, the heartbreak. The revenge across generations. The cheering for the villain to get his. LOVED IT. Reminded me of Stephen Graham Jones.
4.5 out of 5
Three Words That Describe This Book: Haunting, Full Range of Scares, Thought-Provoking
Like Never Whistle at Night anthos or Sinew and Silk (Kulski) this is a cultural based anthology that is able to showcase what unites these Latine authors but also showcase what makes them different. These stories are all haunting. Some chilling, others visceral. Some more myth or folklore others more psychological. Some straight up terror others sardonic.
But here's the thing, no matter your background as a reader, you will find something that resonates with you here. It is both a specific volume and a universal one. These are inherited stories in some ways but universal as well.
But all haunting. The introduction (by Brenda Lozano, translated by Heather Cleary) talks about what distinguishes a ghost from one culture to the next, how they are the same and different. It is an excellent essay on its own. She writes about how Latin American stories-- even when written in English are linked to political history of Spanish. She write about Latin American Ghosts being connected to colonialism, narco violence, femicide, precession, and dictatorships. But also the specific folklore of the people depending on where they are from.
The haunting is what I felt reading the stories. They are so different and yet, they all reverberate with a similar energy. The voices presented in each tale linger. The stories unsettle readers-- each in their own way. And you cannot help but think about each after you finish them. The fear is still there whether you want it to be or not, whether you have a personal connection to Latin America or not. And that is the sign of a solid horror anthology.
Published simultaneously in English and Spanish which is cool on its own but when you realized that I read the English version and some stories are noted who translated them into English and when Spanish readers get it, the ones I read in English will have translated by attributions. This is exactly what this anthology is trying to do -- make the way the past, the author's ties to their various Latin traditions, resonate in the present. How the stories they were told, the horrors they lived through, colonization, folklore, diaspora, immigration, family, legacy, violence, revenge, ghosts-- all of it made these authors who they are and that connection to the Spanish, whether they speak it or not, it is there.
Because of the range of scares and writing styles, not every reader will read the entire thing cover to cover at once. But what I think will happen-- readers will come to read a story by an author they love-- and there are many here that have legions of fans (especially some YA authors). They wil read that story and then try another. Maybe by another author they have heard of. And then maybe come back to it to try another.
The awesome TOC is great. I especially hope it draws more readers to the amazing works by these authors-- especially Craft: Stories I wrote for the Devil by Amanda Lima and A Sunny Place for Shady People by Mariana Enríquez.
Stories I want to call out
The first story By Agustina Bazterrica-- Blue Flowers is a great representation of the entire book. Setting the haunting stage. It is psychological, it is chilling, and it will linger with readers. It is also about a family which many of these stories are. Almost all are centered around family relationships.
Ann Davila Cardinal-- Her First Cruise Ship-- is a diaspora story but it is also a shocking satire about the vacation industry in and around PR. I loved it. You will laugh and gasp, but also Cardinal will not allow you to leave it behind without thinking about why you laughed and why you gasped. If you have ever been on a Caribbean island vacation, you will feel discomfort at this one.
Ananda Lima is an author of Brazilian descent that I love. She writes stories that are so original and compelling. This one Specter-- it is a psychological story of the anxiety and fear around being an immigrant, in this case, a grad student. You can feel everything that is happening here-- the real fear and the supernatural.
But my favorite might be Lilliam Rivera's Whispers from the Root. Rivera is a YA author who I was unfamiliar with before this anthology. She grabbed me from the first line and did not let go. This is an angry story of body horror and revenge and WOW! I have not read anything like it. The visuals she creates, the historical harm from one man on three families, the prophesy coming true, the three people knowing they had to make a trek to exact revenge, All of it. the pain, the horror, the heartbreak. The revenge across generations. The cheering for the villain to get his. LOVED IT. Reminded me of Stephen Graham Jones.
2026
April 27, 2026Halloween TBR
Latine Heritage Month TBR
📱 Thank you to NetGalley and Atria/Primero Sueno Press
Latine Heritage Month TBR
📱 Thank you to NetGalley and Atria/Primero Sueno Press
June 3, 2026
Some of my favorite authors are featured in this collection, which made me eager to pick it up. Unfortunately, it ended up being a fairly average read. While a few stories were enjoyable, none were particularly memorable.
Thank you to the publisher for providing an eARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Thank you to the publisher for providing an eARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
This was such a great anthology.
As the description says, this is a collection of short horror stories from multiple authors, and I was really excited to see some familiar names included.
Overall, I had a really good time with this. The stories are short and easy to get into, which makes it super bingeable. You can just pick one up, get fully immersed, and then move on to the next without feeling overwhelmed.
And the variety? So good.
We get ghosts, demons, curses, folklore, all kinds of creepy and unsettling vibes. Some stories leaned more into that weird, eerie atmosphere that I personally love, and those were definitely my favorites.
Of course, like with any anthology, some stories stood out more than others, but overall the collection felt really solid and satisfying.
Also… it’s coming out on my birthday, so obviously it gets extra points from me. ( hi, hi) :D Oh, and almost forgot, I love the cover too!
⭐ 4.5 stars (rounded up)
Thank you NetGalley and Atria Books for the ARC.
As the description says, this is a collection of short horror stories from multiple authors, and I was really excited to see some familiar names included.
Overall, I had a really good time with this. The stories are short and easy to get into, which makes it super bingeable. You can just pick one up, get fully immersed, and then move on to the next without feeling overwhelmed.
And the variety? So good.
We get ghosts, demons, curses, folklore, all kinds of creepy and unsettling vibes. Some stories leaned more into that weird, eerie atmosphere that I personally love, and those were definitely my favorites.
Of course, like with any anthology, some stories stood out more than others, but overall the collection felt really solid and satisfying.
Also… it’s coming out on my birthday, so obviously it gets extra points from me. ( hi, hi) :D Oh, and almost forgot, I love the cover too!
⭐ 4.5 stars (rounded up)
Thank you NetGalley and Atria Books for the ARC.
July 25, 2026
the latino/a community is dominating the horror genre & im here for it! this anthology was amazing. you got a little bit of everything & it had stories that genuinely creeped me out. I can’t wait to reread this during the fall :)
May 3, 2026
Something Followed Us Home and that is colonialism and the side effects of the western mindset. This short story anthology features several Latinx voices. People have had enough and horror is the mechanism that brings these words to life for people to understand just how harsh colonialism has been in our daily lives. Every story is spine tingling, some are poetic, while others are downright daunting. A collection that speaks more than the words bound to the pages and will give you an eerie unsettling fact to think about as you read each one.
Once I saw that Cynthia Pelayo was involved in this project – I came running to read this. I cannot wait for this beautiful anthology to be released. The bright colors lurking in the darkness is a great metaphor for the type of stories you will come across. It is difficult to pick a favorite one because they all resonate with this feeling of being over the establishment. I appreciated the stories that recognized us Puerto Ricans who were not raised speaking Spanish. This is anthology that you will see yourself in one shape or monster.
The anthology flows from each story to the next with that uncanny setting remaining persistent. What stands out as loud is the Latinx authors making their voices heard through metaphor, horror, and magical realism that makes you think. The diction that is used will impact that way you approach anthologies. I appreciate a collection that really connects with one another and creates pieces that linger in your mind. The imagery that comes from the words is visceral enough to send you running in the woods.
Make sure you read this and have a firelight nearby to keep the ghouls at bay. An enchanting read that you should not miss the opportunity of. A collection for the horror enthusiasts, LATINX, and readers expanding their library with inclusive reads. There is something creepy here for everyone amongst all these short stories. Thank you to the authors, Atria Books/Primero Sueno Press, and Netgalley for this advanced digital copy.
For tarot readings, recommendations, and reviews, check out my blog https://brujerialibrary.wordpress.com/
July 31, 2026
I was really excited to get this ARC in my inbox as I have wanting to read more latiné authors and this collection has many of the best latiné authors contributing. I don’t think I’ve ever read an anthology with so many stories and so much variety. There are all kinds of genres of horror and styles of writing represented here so there is something for everyone.
My intention was to list some of my favorites but looking back through I realized there was too many. Each special in their own way for very different reasons. Each story took me anywhere from 15-35 minutes to read and despite the varied styles each story explores Latiné culture and history and oppression in some way and each story has a way of sticking with you long after you finish.
The full list of stories and authors are:
* Blue Flowers by Agustina Bazterrica
* The Hand That Feeds by Isabel Cañas
* Her First Cruise Ship by Ann Dávila Cardinal
* My Boyfriend by Gerardo Sámano Córdova
* The Immaculate Rebirth of Nicki Duran by Zoraida Cordova
* Guardian Angel by Mariana Enriquez
* The Return of La Muelona by Carolina Flórez-Cerchiaro
* Pomelo by Xochitl Gonzalez
* LUZ Y FER by Leopoldo Gout
* Specter by Ananda Lima
* Mechanical Servants LLC by Juan Martinez
* The World from Above and the World from Down Below by Mónica Ojeda
* The Rooftop Revolution of Selly Aviles by Daniel José Older
* El Jíbaro de Puerto Rico by Cynthia Pelayo
* Whispers from the Root by Lilliam Rivera
* Fidelity by Alex Segura
* We Are Gathered Here Together by Diana Rodriguez Wallach
Here’s a quote I loved from The Return of La Muelona:
“In our family, the women stitched their anger into quiet things; a hem, a prayer, a sealed mouth. I'd been taught silence was safer than teeth. But the urge to bite back rooted itself in me…”
If you want to discover more latiné horror writers and get a sense of their writing style, this book is an excellent place to start.
Thank you to Atria Books and Primero Sueño Press for the eARC!
My intention was to list some of my favorites but looking back through I realized there was too many. Each special in their own way for very different reasons. Each story took me anywhere from 15-35 minutes to read and despite the varied styles each story explores Latiné culture and history and oppression in some way and each story has a way of sticking with you long after you finish.
The full list of stories and authors are:
* Blue Flowers by Agustina Bazterrica
* The Hand That Feeds by Isabel Cañas
* Her First Cruise Ship by Ann Dávila Cardinal
* My Boyfriend by Gerardo Sámano Córdova
* The Immaculate Rebirth of Nicki Duran by Zoraida Cordova
* Guardian Angel by Mariana Enriquez
* The Return of La Muelona by Carolina Flórez-Cerchiaro
* Pomelo by Xochitl Gonzalez
* LUZ Y FER by Leopoldo Gout
* Specter by Ananda Lima
* Mechanical Servants LLC by Juan Martinez
* The World from Above and the World from Down Below by Mónica Ojeda
* The Rooftop Revolution of Selly Aviles by Daniel José Older
* El Jíbaro de Puerto Rico by Cynthia Pelayo
* Whispers from the Root by Lilliam Rivera
* Fidelity by Alex Segura
* We Are Gathered Here Together by Diana Rodriguez Wallach
Here’s a quote I loved from The Return of La Muelona:
“In our family, the women stitched their anger into quiet things; a hem, a prayer, a sealed mouth. I'd been taught silence was safer than teeth. But the urge to bite back rooted itself in me…”
If you want to discover more latiné horror writers and get a sense of their writing style, this book is an excellent place to start.
Thank you to Atria Books and Primero Sueño Press for the eARC!
June 7, 2026
• BOOK REVIEW •
NEW ARC REVIEW!
Publication Date : 29th Sept 2026
………………………………………………………………………
Date : 7th June 2026
Book : Something Followed Us Home: Tales Of Latiné Horror
Author : Multiple Authors including Cynthia Pelayo
Genre : Horror Anthology / Cultural Horror
Rating : ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️✨
Thank you so much, @atriabooks and @netgalley for inviting me to read and review this ARC! It’s a good thing I had strong coffee last night, because I stayed up reading this in between another horror book and devoured em both.
I’ve been loving all these horror anthologies that I’ve been reading lately and this particular book is focused more on the old folklore along with family secrets and even monsters of the Latiné culture. It actually made me learn a bit more about the real life stuff like moving to a new place, immigration and deep family traditions while adding in the haunting and horror elements to it.
Another reason why I loved this book was because it reminded me of the kind of books I used to read before heading to bed. Now, I don’t know about you guys but when I was little, I read ‘True Singapore Ghost Stories’ and I still think about it til this day so this book was a great way to get some chills in.
Now not all of the stories caught my attention but maybe it’s because I have not as much knowledge in depth regarding the culture coming from a SEA background (I’m always willing to do my research) but there were so many other good stories that I got out of this book too andddddd Cynthia Pelayo was one of my favourites! It was about a family that is dealing with a tragic loss and as they try to process their sadness, a schpooky spirit starts to stalk and haunt them. It just shows how being deeply sad can make you vulnerable to the dark things waiting in the shadows. 👀
P/s : You will see some of your well known authors in this too btw just as you’ll meet new ones and love their work just as much!🫶🏽✨
#somethingfollowedushome #bookstagram #bookrec #horror • horror • horror anthologies • short stories • Latiné culture • old folklore • demons • spirits • spooky •
NEW ARC REVIEW!
Publication Date : 29th Sept 2026
………………………………………………………………………
Date : 7th June 2026
Book : Something Followed Us Home: Tales Of Latiné Horror
Author : Multiple Authors including Cynthia Pelayo
Genre : Horror Anthology / Cultural Horror
Rating : ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️✨
Thank you so much, @atriabooks and @netgalley for inviting me to read and review this ARC! It’s a good thing I had strong coffee last night, because I stayed up reading this in between another horror book and devoured em both.
I’ve been loving all these horror anthologies that I’ve been reading lately and this particular book is focused more on the old folklore along with family secrets and even monsters of the Latiné culture. It actually made me learn a bit more about the real life stuff like moving to a new place, immigration and deep family traditions while adding in the haunting and horror elements to it.
Another reason why I loved this book was because it reminded me of the kind of books I used to read before heading to bed. Now, I don’t know about you guys but when I was little, I read ‘True Singapore Ghost Stories’ and I still think about it til this day so this book was a great way to get some chills in.
Now not all of the stories caught my attention but maybe it’s because I have not as much knowledge in depth regarding the culture coming from a SEA background (I’m always willing to do my research) but there were so many other good stories that I got out of this book too andddddd Cynthia Pelayo was one of my favourites! It was about a family that is dealing with a tragic loss and as they try to process their sadness, a schpooky spirit starts to stalk and haunt them. It just shows how being deeply sad can make you vulnerable to the dark things waiting in the shadows. 👀
P/s : You will see some of your well known authors in this too btw just as you’ll meet new ones and love their work just as much!🫶🏽✨
#somethingfollowedushome #bookstagram #bookrec #horror • horror • horror anthologies • short stories • Latiné culture • old folklore • demons • spirits • spooky •
July 6, 2026
I loved how most of these stories imbued folk stories and/or historical context of relating to Puerto Rico’s colonial history. I learned some really interesting things and found some new authors to read from! Overall this collection is better than most short story collections and will satisfy the appetite of anyone in need!
5/5 for the following stand outs:
*Blue Flowers by Agustina Bazterrica
*My Boyfriend by Gerardo Sámano Córdova
*Luz y Fer by Leopoldo Gout
*Mechanical Servants LLC by Juan Martinez
*El Jíbaro de Puerto Rico by Cynthia Pelayo
*We Are gathered Here today by Diana Rodriguez Wallach
5/5 for the following stand outs:
*Blue Flowers by Agustina Bazterrica
*My Boyfriend by Gerardo Sámano Córdova
*Luz y Fer by Leopoldo Gout
*Mechanical Servants LLC by Juan Martinez
*El Jíbaro de Puerto Rico by Cynthia Pelayo
*We Are gathered Here today by Diana Rodriguez Wallach
July 28, 2026
This was such a good collection of horror stories. This anthology had a nice variety of horror topics included within all the short stories so nothing felt repetitive and there’s something for everyone.
As with any collection of works from various authors, some pieces spoke to me more than others. With that said, it was still quite an enjoyable read.
This is perfect to add to your spooky season TBR.
Thank you @atriabooks for the gifted copy of the book.
As with any collection of works from various authors, some pieces spoke to me more than others. With that said, it was still quite an enjoyable read.
This is perfect to add to your spooky season TBR.
Thank you @atriabooks for the gifted copy of the book.
May 11, 2026
Thanks to Atria Books and Net galley for a copy of this arc.
I literally averaged this short story collection by stories and it came to a like 3.6 BUT I have so many 5* that I had to bump this up.
Honestly the ones stars too are just a matter of personal taste.
The absolute stand outs for me are
We are Gathered Here by Diana Rodriguez Wallach
A vampire revenge tale that paints a hopeful if bloody picture on just what a undead creature could spend all that endless time on
The World from Above and the World From Below by Mónica Ojeda.
A story about grief that is so well written it felt like splitting open old wounds. I will never read this again and think I might hate it but also doubt I will forget
The other 5* for me are
Her First Cruise Ship by Ann Dávila Cardinal
The Return of La Muelona by Carolina Flórez-Cerchiaro
Pomelo by Xochitl Gonzalez
Fidelity by Alex Sequra
This is such a well rounded anthology. It has something for Horror fans of all flavors and is not one to miss. Cynthia Pelayo blew this one out of the water
I literally averaged this short story collection by stories and it came to a like 3.6 BUT I have so many 5* that I had to bump this up.
Honestly the ones stars too are just a matter of personal taste.
The absolute stand outs for me are
We are Gathered Here by Diana Rodriguez Wallach
A vampire revenge tale that paints a hopeful if bloody picture on just what a undead creature could spend all that endless time on
The World from Above and the World From Below by Mónica Ojeda.
A story about grief that is so well written it felt like splitting open old wounds. I will never read this again and think I might hate it but also doubt I will forget
The other 5* for me are
Her First Cruise Ship by Ann Dávila Cardinal
The Return of La Muelona by Carolina Flórez-Cerchiaro
Pomelo by Xochitl Gonzalez
Fidelity by Alex Sequra
This is such a well rounded anthology. It has something for Horror fans of all flavors and is not one to miss. Cynthia Pelayo blew this one out of the water
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
ARC Gifted in exchange for review
First of all, this was undoubtedly a 20 star read and one of the best horror books I have read in a while. Horror is a genre I have a particularly odd relationship with because:
1) I am indeed a scaredy cat
2) I am very picky about what horror content I consume because I only like specific types of horror, namely paranormal and folk.
As always, please take care of yourself and your mental health before picking this up. The foreword by Brenda Lozano will help to prepare you for what you're getting yourself into.
When I first heard about this book, I knew immediately that I wanted to read it regardless of if I was lucky enough to get an ARC or not.
Growing up in the Caribbean , the folklore can truly be nightmare fuel but upon deeper contemplation, there are lessons to be learned, and the undercurrent of the impacts of colonialism echo throughout the stories. The same could be said for this anthology.
Some stories made me cry because they were so raw and devastating. Blue Flowers by Agustina Bazterrica made me cry, made my heart ache and left me sitting in silence for a while as I processed my emotions once I realized the truth of what had happened. The World from Above and the World from Down Below by Mónica Ojeda made my heart ache in a way that I pray I never experience for myself. El Jíbaro de Puerto Rico by Cynthia Pelayo made me so sad but also so angry that I stopped reading and walked away for a little while to process my emotions.
Some stories sent chills down my spine, and I had to actually just take a break and read some romance to recover like Luz Y Fer by Leopoldo Grant. This story in particular, against the backdrop of the horrors we see every time we turn on the news...maybe Leopoldo is on to something.
Some stories unsettled me in a way that is difficult to describe, namely The Hand That Feeds by Isabel Cañas and Specter by Ananda Lima.
Pomelo by Xochitl Gonzalez was one of the stories that was more fantastical and mythical than scary. It was a welcome reprieve from some of the heavier content in the anthology but by no means did it not pack a punch, and evoke strong emotions in me. There's something to be said about a mother's love and the lengths they are willing to go to in order to ensure a better life for their children. This was my favorite for sure.
A close second has to be Her First Cruise Ship by Ann Dávila Cardinal because it was so apt, but also so unexpected that I actually put down my ipad and looked around the room for a moment. If you have ever worked in hospitality in a tourist destination, particularly in the Caribbean or Latin America, this particular story is for you because if you know, you know!
My Boyfriend by Gerardi Sámano Córdova was so insane. I was horrified but also cackling because it was giving very much telenovela which I adore.
We Are Gathered Here Today by Diana Rodriguez Wallach was so good, and if it was made into a full length novel, I would devour that (pun intended, if you know you know!)
I had such a wonderful time reading this anthology but it did put me through the wringer emotionally as it should. It's one of those books that I think everyone should read even if horror is not your preferred genre and I've already told all my book friends that they need to read it as soon as it is released. It was truly such a powerful body of work and I feel incredibly lucky to have had the opportunity to read this ARC. I will absolutely be getting a physical copy once it is released.
First of all, this was undoubtedly a 20 star read and one of the best horror books I have read in a while. Horror is a genre I have a particularly odd relationship with because:
1) I am indeed a scaredy cat
2) I am very picky about what horror content I consume because I only like specific types of horror, namely paranormal and folk.
As always, please take care of yourself and your mental health before picking this up. The foreword by Brenda Lozano will help to prepare you for what you're getting yourself into.
When I first heard about this book, I knew immediately that I wanted to read it regardless of if I was lucky enough to get an ARC or not.
Growing up in the Caribbean , the folklore can truly be nightmare fuel but upon deeper contemplation, there are lessons to be learned, and the undercurrent of the impacts of colonialism echo throughout the stories. The same could be said for this anthology.
Some stories made me cry because they were so raw and devastating. Blue Flowers by Agustina Bazterrica made me cry, made my heart ache and left me sitting in silence for a while as I processed my emotions once I realized the truth of what had happened. The World from Above and the World from Down Below by Mónica Ojeda made my heart ache in a way that I pray I never experience for myself. El Jíbaro de Puerto Rico by Cynthia Pelayo made me so sad but also so angry that I stopped reading and walked away for a little while to process my emotions.
Some stories sent chills down my spine, and I had to actually just take a break and read some romance to recover like Luz Y Fer by Leopoldo Grant. This story in particular, against the backdrop of the horrors we see every time we turn on the news...maybe Leopoldo is on to something.
Some stories unsettled me in a way that is difficult to describe, namely The Hand That Feeds by Isabel Cañas and Specter by Ananda Lima.
Pomelo by Xochitl Gonzalez was one of the stories that was more fantastical and mythical than scary. It was a welcome reprieve from some of the heavier content in the anthology but by no means did it not pack a punch, and evoke strong emotions in me. There's something to be said about a mother's love and the lengths they are willing to go to in order to ensure a better life for their children. This was my favorite for sure.
A close second has to be Her First Cruise Ship by Ann Dávila Cardinal because it was so apt, but also so unexpected that I actually put down my ipad and looked around the room for a moment. If you have ever worked in hospitality in a tourist destination, particularly in the Caribbean or Latin America, this particular story is for you because if you know, you know!
My Boyfriend by Gerardi Sámano Córdova was so insane. I was horrified but also cackling because it was giving very much telenovela which I adore.
We Are Gathered Here Today by Diana Rodriguez Wallach was so good, and if it was made into a full length novel, I would devour that (pun intended, if you know you know!)
I had such a wonderful time reading this anthology but it did put me through the wringer emotionally as it should. It's one of those books that I think everyone should read even if horror is not your preferred genre and I've already told all my book friends that they need to read it as soon as it is released. It was truly such a powerful body of work and I feel incredibly lucky to have had the opportunity to read this ARC. I will absolutely be getting a physical copy once it is released.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
This was my first set of anthology stories I've ever read and I genuinely enjoyed the variety between each short story. There were serious stories, funny stories, devastating stories, all within the lens of the diverse range of Latine authors. I really enjoyed how engaging it was to read and take notes of each story to really digest everything separately.
I've marked my favorites with asterisks.
Blue Flowers - A girl has done something wrong and becomes obsessed with the weight of regret.
The Hand That Feeds - A wolf that turns into a woman marries a familiar man but he becomes abusive and locks away her wolf skin in an enchanted chest.
*Her First Cruise Ship - Ileana gets her first job after graduation at a Puerto Rican artisanal gift shop and notices her tourist customers are a bit unusual. A wonderful take on consumerism.
*My Boyfriend - Isidro loves his boyfriend, but maybe loves the demon that's inside of him more. A comedy horror story about loving someone for your image of them and not their actual self.
The Immaculate Rebirth - Nicki wakes up one morning three months pregnant. Commentary on the community of motherhood and changes of oneself during/post pregnancy.
Guardian Angel - A dark story about demonic familial possession. Religious themes and focus on a guardian angel savior.
The Return of La Muelona - Colonialization revenge story where the land and people fight back. Commentary on greed of the powerful and the abuse of women.
*Pomelo - A mother accepts a deal with a witch to save her daughter Pilar from a life of misery. A strong focus on the power of self sacrifice and growing into oneself. Beautiful prose and story, one of my top three from the whole collection.
Luz Y Fer - Two twins with matching pendant necklaces are present during disasters. The power of duality; lightness and darkness.
*Specter - A haunting story about the possibilities of knowledge. Speculative, imaginative, sci-fi-esque.
*Mechanical Servants LLC - A man gets Ebay alerts for listings related to things missing from his life. A story on loss and "what could have been." This one was so moving and beautifully written, one of my top three.
A World From Above and The World From Down Below - A shaman uses his wife's dead body to resurrect his daughter. He acts out of grief and learns that some things are meant to stay gone.
The Rooftop Revelation of Selly Avlies - Selly is a night-only dog walker and gets a gig walking her hero's dog. He asks her to do him a favor and she realizes he knows all about her history.
*El Jibaro de Puerto Rico - A tragically haunting story a bout power, pride, and the permanence of Puerto Ricans and their love of the land, and how U.S. colonialism has destroyed their history. Another one of my top three favorites.
Whispers From The Root - Three people wake up missing parts of their bodies that they cherish and seek vengeance on the person guilty of causing their lineages of grief.
Fidelity - Susana, bored housewife and mother to soccer star player Jamie, has an affair with another soccer player's parent and realizes he's actually a demon.
We Are Gathered Here - A small town Pennsylvania community gathers in remembrance to mourn the death of Sabrina, a local teenage girl who committed suicide. A twist on a classic horror theme with vengeance.
Very excited to dive into more novels and stories by some of these authors! Thank you Cynthia Pelayo, Atria Books, and NetGalley for the e-ARC!
I've marked my favorites with asterisks.
Blue Flowers - A girl has done something wrong and becomes obsessed with the weight of regret.
The Hand That Feeds - A wolf that turns into a woman marries a familiar man but he becomes abusive and locks away her wolf skin in an enchanted chest.
*Her First Cruise Ship - Ileana gets her first job after graduation at a Puerto Rican artisanal gift shop and notices her tourist customers are a bit unusual. A wonderful take on consumerism.
*My Boyfriend - Isidro loves his boyfriend, but maybe loves the demon that's inside of him more. A comedy horror story about loving someone for your image of them and not their actual self.
The Immaculate Rebirth - Nicki wakes up one morning three months pregnant. Commentary on the community of motherhood and changes of oneself during/post pregnancy.
Guardian Angel - A dark story about demonic familial possession. Religious themes and focus on a guardian angel savior.
The Return of La Muelona - Colonialization revenge story where the land and people fight back. Commentary on greed of the powerful and the abuse of women.
*Pomelo - A mother accepts a deal with a witch to save her daughter Pilar from a life of misery. A strong focus on the power of self sacrifice and growing into oneself. Beautiful prose and story, one of my top three from the whole collection.
Luz Y Fer - Two twins with matching pendant necklaces are present during disasters. The power of duality; lightness and darkness.
*Specter - A haunting story about the possibilities of knowledge. Speculative, imaginative, sci-fi-esque.
*Mechanical Servants LLC - A man gets Ebay alerts for listings related to things missing from his life. A story on loss and "what could have been." This one was so moving and beautifully written, one of my top three.
A World From Above and The World From Down Below - A shaman uses his wife's dead body to resurrect his daughter. He acts out of grief and learns that some things are meant to stay gone.
The Rooftop Revelation of Selly Avlies - Selly is a night-only dog walker and gets a gig walking her hero's dog. He asks her to do him a favor and she realizes he knows all about her history.
*El Jibaro de Puerto Rico - A tragically haunting story a bout power, pride, and the permanence of Puerto Ricans and their love of the land, and how U.S. colonialism has destroyed their history. Another one of my top three favorites.
Whispers From The Root - Three people wake up missing parts of their bodies that they cherish and seek vengeance on the person guilty of causing their lineages of grief.
Fidelity - Susana, bored housewife and mother to soccer star player Jamie, has an affair with another soccer player's parent and realizes he's actually a demon.
We Are Gathered Here - A small town Pennsylvania community gathers in remembrance to mourn the death of Sabrina, a local teenage girl who committed suicide. A twist on a classic horror theme with vengeance.
Very excited to dive into more novels and stories by some of these authors! Thank you Cynthia Pelayo, Atria Books, and NetGalley for the e-ARC!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
As Brenda Lozano states in the forward, Latiné horror stories carry with them deep seated themes of colonialism, oppression of women, and patriarchy, sometimes interwoven within a deep reverence or criticism of Catholicism (perhaps a nod to mysticism and the occult). The reader experiences this first hand in the 18 stories presented in Something Followed Us Home, a short story collection by some of the best Latin American writers of present day.
The anthology has a wide range of stories some set in a modern setting and others containing more historical contexts of ranchos with an exploration of various folklore.
Some of the my favorites are listed discussed below.
In the story, “Blue Flowers,” the young female narrator, discusses the fear and anxiety she is experiencing as she performs her daily chores. The narrator’s mundane, repetitive chores are a counterbalance to the eerie and unsettling shadows and whispers that she experiences on a daily basis. In fact, the scene presents the inhabitants of the house almost as ghostly figures. It is at the end of the story that the reader becomes privy to the reason for this haunting setting. Bazterrica creates a seemingly ordinary existence within a larger picture of dysfunction and horror.
In “The Hand that Feeds,” a lonely wolf craving a pack yearns to transform into a woman to seek love and acceptance. Cañas' includes a fairy tale like quality of a young wife whose husband's controlling ways function as a way to keep her in line. Beautifully told through haunting imagery and a depiction of a vulnerable young woman.
In “My Boyfriend,” Gerardo Cordova’s presents the narrator’s dilemma- his boyfriend is possessed by a demon. Told in a humorous and nonchalant manner, the narrator laments the problem of being in a relationship with a possessed person. Ultimately, the question is: what are you willing to do for love?
Xochitl Gonzalez
“Pomelo” explores gender roles and themes of patriarchal power and control with the folklore story of a family living in glass house with a materialistic, power hungry man. Elements of magical realism and the strength of motherhood and family. This is a much longer story that could have functioned better as a shorter story.
All these stories are told with powerfully written characters who are well- developed and complex representations of the Latin American experience. The historical and cultural context is combined to bring forth engaging, character driven stories with visceral and insightful themes.
The anthology has a wide range of stories some set in a modern setting and others containing more historical contexts of ranchos with an exploration of various folklore.
Some of the my favorites are listed discussed below.
In the story, “Blue Flowers,” the young female narrator, discusses the fear and anxiety she is experiencing as she performs her daily chores. The narrator’s mundane, repetitive chores are a counterbalance to the eerie and unsettling shadows and whispers that she experiences on a daily basis. In fact, the scene presents the inhabitants of the house almost as ghostly figures. It is at the end of the story that the reader becomes privy to the reason for this haunting setting. Bazterrica creates a seemingly ordinary existence within a larger picture of dysfunction and horror.
In “The Hand that Feeds,” a lonely wolf craving a pack yearns to transform into a woman to seek love and acceptance. Cañas' includes a fairy tale like quality of a young wife whose husband's controlling ways function as a way to keep her in line. Beautifully told through haunting imagery and a depiction of a vulnerable young woman.
In “My Boyfriend,” Gerardo Cordova’s presents the narrator’s dilemma- his boyfriend is possessed by a demon. Told in a humorous and nonchalant manner, the narrator laments the problem of being in a relationship with a possessed person. Ultimately, the question is: what are you willing to do for love?
Xochitl Gonzalez
“Pomelo” explores gender roles and themes of patriarchal power and control with the folklore story of a family living in glass house with a materialistic, power hungry man. Elements of magical realism and the strength of motherhood and family. This is a much longer story that could have functioned better as a shorter story.
All these stories are told with powerfully written characters who are well- developed and complex representations of the Latin American experience. The historical and cultural context is combined to bring forth engaging, character driven stories with visceral and insightful themes.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Something Followed Us Home is an anthology of short stories written by individuals who seem to be a who’s who of Latine horror. I’ll have to take that at face value as I’m embarrassed to say that I’ve only read the works of one of the writers, Xochiti Gonzalez. I loved Olga Dies Dreaming much more than Last Night in Brooklyn. There are two more authors included here who have been on my radar, Isabel Canas for the Hacienda and Cynthia Pelayo for It Came from Neverland. The potential for enjoying the stories from these three while also discovering someone new (to me) and exciting made this book intriguing.
I did enjoy the stories written by these three – Pomelo (Gonzalez), The Hand That Feeds (Canas) and El Jibaro de Puerto Rico (Pelayo). Ironically though, none of them ended up being included in my favorites.
My clear favorite was Ann Davila Cardinal’s Her First Cruise Ship. I remember times in Caribbean ports when the ships arrived. It sometimes truly felt like pandemonium in the streets. The premise that the cruise ship passengers would arrive as zombies and the store owners would be tolerant because they depended on the passengers’ purchases, was just too fun. This story though wasn’t all comedic. There was plenty of gore.
Other stories that really made a favorable impression included Diana Rodriguez Wallach’s We Are Gathered Here (the ending caught me by surprise) and Alex Segura’s Fidelity (felt less like a horror story to me and more like a romantic thriller). There really seemed to be something for everyone in this book. Blue Flowers, My Boyfriend, El Jibaro de Puerto Rico, and Whispers from the Root, are all examples of stories which I expect people to enjoy.
I feel like I have a love/hate relationship with collections of short stories. If I really like the story, I want it to be longer. If I don’t, it’s easy to zone out and hope the next one in the collection will be better. More often than not, I enjoyed the stories included herein. Thanks to Atria Books and NetGalley for providing me the opportunity to read Something Followed Us Home. The above opinions are my own.
I did enjoy the stories written by these three – Pomelo (Gonzalez), The Hand That Feeds (Canas) and El Jibaro de Puerto Rico (Pelayo). Ironically though, none of them ended up being included in my favorites.
My clear favorite was Ann Davila Cardinal’s Her First Cruise Ship. I remember times in Caribbean ports when the ships arrived. It sometimes truly felt like pandemonium in the streets. The premise that the cruise ship passengers would arrive as zombies and the store owners would be tolerant because they depended on the passengers’ purchases, was just too fun. This story though wasn’t all comedic. There was plenty of gore.
Other stories that really made a favorable impression included Diana Rodriguez Wallach’s We Are Gathered Here (the ending caught me by surprise) and Alex Segura’s Fidelity (felt less like a horror story to me and more like a romantic thriller). There really seemed to be something for everyone in this book. Blue Flowers, My Boyfriend, El Jibaro de Puerto Rico, and Whispers from the Root, are all examples of stories which I expect people to enjoy.
I feel like I have a love/hate relationship with collections of short stories. If I really like the story, I want it to be longer. If I don’t, it’s easy to zone out and hope the next one in the collection will be better. More often than not, I enjoyed the stories included herein. Thanks to Atria Books and NetGalley for providing me the opportunity to read Something Followed Us Home. The above opinions are my own.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
I received this ARC on NetGalley from the publishers in exchange for an honest review.
I came for the Big 3 Latine Horror Author Holy Trinity, and stayed for the incredible amount of talent holding their own alongside them, and leaving with a few new writers I yearn to read more from.
When it comes to a collection of short stories I usually find myself reading one and sitting on it before continuing. I could not use that method with this collection, for every story leaves you needing to read more. I find the order of the stories very well, though I’d almost recommend it start with Cañas as the opener, and save Bazterrica for a little later after some of the more whimsy stories to reset the tone for darker ones to come. There were only one story that I felt didn’t fully compliment the collection (The Rooftop Revolution of Selly Aviles,) as it took the whimsical approach such as Her First Cruise Ship, but I found it was missing something more. I also struggled with the very casual incest of Enriquez story and how the protagonist perhaps didn’t have more damning commentary on this.
Overall, this is going to be THE book this fall. There is something so beautiful about how pivotal language is and plays a part in every story. You’re left wondering for the stories translated to English - how much impact do we miss because our language doesn’t carry the same strength with the conjuncture of words as Spanish does (El Milagrito, the breakdown of that in The Immaculate Rebirth of Nicki Duran really gut punched home how poignant the language in these stories are,) and take you a level deeper than stories told entirely in English can do. These stories haunt you in a multitude of ways; the blood sucking of capitalism turning us into zombies, the blood shed of colonisation and desperate search for why someone would treat people less than, paying your dues and knowing you cannot out run your past - and all of it ends with a very “good for them,” moment that leaves you energised and beyond satisfied.
This should be a book on everyone’s radar this year.
I came for the Big 3 Latine Horror Author Holy Trinity, and stayed for the incredible amount of talent holding their own alongside them, and leaving with a few new writers I yearn to read more from.
When it comes to a collection of short stories I usually find myself reading one and sitting on it before continuing. I could not use that method with this collection, for every story leaves you needing to read more. I find the order of the stories very well, though I’d almost recommend it start with Cañas as the opener, and save Bazterrica for a little later after some of the more whimsy stories to reset the tone for darker ones to come. There were only one story that I felt didn’t fully compliment the collection (The Rooftop Revolution of Selly Aviles,) as it took the whimsical approach such as Her First Cruise Ship, but I found it was missing something more. I also struggled with the very casual incest of Enriquez story and how the protagonist perhaps didn’t have more damning commentary on this.
Overall, this is going to be THE book this fall. There is something so beautiful about how pivotal language is and plays a part in every story. You’re left wondering for the stories translated to English - how much impact do we miss because our language doesn’t carry the same strength with the conjuncture of words as Spanish does (El Milagrito, the breakdown of that in The Immaculate Rebirth of Nicki Duran really gut punched home how poignant the language in these stories are,) and take you a level deeper than stories told entirely in English can do. These stories haunt you in a multitude of ways; the blood sucking of capitalism turning us into zombies, the blood shed of colonisation and desperate search for why someone would treat people less than, paying your dues and knowing you cannot out run your past - and all of it ends with a very “good for them,” moment that leaves you energised and beyond satisfied.
This should be a book on everyone’s radar this year.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Book Review: Something Followed Us Home by Cynthia Pelayo and others
Something Followed Us Home is one of the strongest horror anthologies I’ve listened to in a long time. Anthologies can be uneven, but I was consistently impressed by the quality and originality of these stories. Each author brought a distinct voice and perspective, and I found myself eager to see what each new story would explore. The collection offers everything from supernatural horror to psychological unease, but what ties it all together is a sense of lingering dread and the idea that some things refuse to stay in the past.
One of my favorite aspects of this anthology was the exploration of different Latin cultures and traditions. Too often, readers see Latino experiences treated as a single monolithic identity, but this collection showcases a variety of cultural backgrounds, folklore, histories, and perspectives. From Mexican to Puerto Rican influences and beyond, each story felt rooted in its own unique traditions and experiences. That diversity enriched the collection and made the horror feel more personal and authentic.
Many of the stories also examine themes of family, heritage, grief, and generational trauma. Whether the characters were confronting literal monsters or the ghosts of their past, there was often an underlying question of what we inherit from those who came before us. The title Something Followed Us Home feels particularly fitting because so many of these stories explore the idea that we carry pieces of our history, culture, and family with us, whether we want to or not.
Overall, I thought this was a compelling, thoughtful, and genuinely memorable anthology. While some stories resonated with me more than others, I appreciated how unique each one felt and how many stayed with me after I finished. For readers looking for horror that is both unsettling and culturally rich, this collection delivers. 4.5 stars.
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC. This is my honest and voluntary review.
Something Followed Us Home is one of the strongest horror anthologies I’ve listened to in a long time. Anthologies can be uneven, but I was consistently impressed by the quality and originality of these stories. Each author brought a distinct voice and perspective, and I found myself eager to see what each new story would explore. The collection offers everything from supernatural horror to psychological unease, but what ties it all together is a sense of lingering dread and the idea that some things refuse to stay in the past.
One of my favorite aspects of this anthology was the exploration of different Latin cultures and traditions. Too often, readers see Latino experiences treated as a single monolithic identity, but this collection showcases a variety of cultural backgrounds, folklore, histories, and perspectives. From Mexican to Puerto Rican influences and beyond, each story felt rooted in its own unique traditions and experiences. That diversity enriched the collection and made the horror feel more personal and authentic.
Many of the stories also examine themes of family, heritage, grief, and generational trauma. Whether the characters were confronting literal monsters or the ghosts of their past, there was often an underlying question of what we inherit from those who came before us. The title Something Followed Us Home feels particularly fitting because so many of these stories explore the idea that we carry pieces of our history, culture, and family with us, whether we want to or not.
Overall, I thought this was a compelling, thoughtful, and genuinely memorable anthology. While some stories resonated with me more than others, I appreciated how unique each one felt and how many stayed with me after I finished. For readers looking for horror that is both unsettling and culturally rich, this collection delivers. 4.5 stars.
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC. This is my honest and voluntary review.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books /Primero Sueno Press for providing me with the ARC.
Pub Date 29 Sep 2026
This is an interesting collection. I’ve read only from a couple of the authors in here and was excited to read some more Latiné horror. Unfortunately, I’ve lost interest quite fast in some of the stories. This was mostly because of the writing style. For a short story I expect something flashy and punchy that can grab me from the start and surprise me by the end. There are some very good stories as well, but my only favorite was The world from above and the world from below by Monica Ojeda.
My individual ratings are as follows:
Blue Flowers by Augustina Bazterrica – A good ghost story, pretty emotional 3 stars
The hand that feeds by Isabel Canas - A solid fable 3 stars
Her first cruise ship by Ann Davila Cardinal –Zombie flicks are not my faves 3 stars
My boyfriend by Gerardo Samano Cordova - Loved this, I would also prefer the demon 4 stars
The immaculate rebirth of Nicki Duran by Zoraida Cordova DNF
Guardian Angel by Mariana Enriquez –I knew what it was and how would end, but I still loved it 5 stars
The return of La Muelona by Carolina Florez-Cerchiaro DNF
Pomelo by Xochith Gonzalez – Just boring 2 stars
LUZ by Ananda Lima - Such a cool concept, but the ending felt flat 3.5 stars
Mechanical Servants LLC by Juan Martinez – DNF
The world from above and the world from below by Monica Ojeda – Give it to Monica Ojeda to be the most distinguished and original author in here 5 stars
The rooftop revolution of Selly Aviles by Daniel Jose Older –I didn’t get it, but it gave me a few giggles 2.5 stars
El Jibaro de Puerto Rico by Cynthia Pelayo - DNF
Whispers from the root by Lilliam Rivera – This was like a noir story, honestly, I did not like it 2 stars
Fidelity Alex Segura – uh, okay 2 stars
We are gathered here together Diana Rodriguez Wallach – This was a cool premise, well executed 3.5 stars
Pub Date 29 Sep 2026
This is an interesting collection. I’ve read only from a couple of the authors in here and was excited to read some more Latiné horror. Unfortunately, I’ve lost interest quite fast in some of the stories. This was mostly because of the writing style. For a short story I expect something flashy and punchy that can grab me from the start and surprise me by the end. There are some very good stories as well, but my only favorite was The world from above and the world from below by Monica Ojeda.
My individual ratings are as follows:
Blue Flowers by Augustina Bazterrica – A good ghost story, pretty emotional 3 stars
The hand that feeds by Isabel Canas - A solid fable 3 stars
Her first cruise ship by Ann Davila Cardinal –Zombie flicks are not my faves 3 stars
My boyfriend by Gerardo Samano Cordova - Loved this, I would also prefer the demon 4 stars
The immaculate rebirth of Nicki Duran by Zoraida Cordova DNF
Guardian Angel by Mariana Enriquez –I knew what it was and how would end, but I still loved it 5 stars
The return of La Muelona by Carolina Florez-Cerchiaro DNF
Pomelo by Xochith Gonzalez – Just boring 2 stars
LUZ by Ananda Lima - Such a cool concept, but the ending felt flat 3.5 stars
Mechanical Servants LLC by Juan Martinez – DNF
The world from above and the world from below by Monica Ojeda – Give it to Monica Ojeda to be the most distinguished and original author in here 5 stars
The rooftop revolution of Selly Aviles by Daniel Jose Older –I didn’t get it, but it gave me a few giggles 2.5 stars
El Jibaro de Puerto Rico by Cynthia Pelayo - DNF
Whispers from the root by Lilliam Rivera – This was like a noir story, honestly, I did not like it 2 stars
Fidelity Alex Segura – uh, okay 2 stars
We are gathered here together Diana Rodriguez Wallach – This was a cool premise, well executed 3.5 stars
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I’m a big fan of short story collections — even if I don’t tend to read them as often as I’d like — and my favourite way to enjoy them is to read one story each day, reflecting on what I’ve read up until it is time to dive into the next story. Anthologies, in particular, are great for this, delivering something truly fresh with each reading session. Something Followed Us Home certainly delivered on this for me.
Some stories were easier to digest than others, whether due to the writing itself or the subject matter. I enjoyed some stories more and some less, which is to be expected. Regardless of what I got out of each individual piece, the way they came together as a whole is an admirable accomplishment for the collection’s editor, Cynthia Pelayo. Pelayo’s recognition of writing talent in a wide variety of approaches and voices is an undeniable talent of its own. As is the skill showcased in the construction of the collection, with the way that the stories were strung together to alleviate heaviness, where it came through, with some more comedic stories, while still allowing each story adequate space. The range of themes, tones, voices, and concepts was such a treat.
Though I can recognize and hold my hands up to the immense talent showcased throughout this collection, I don’t look back on my reading experience with a particular or memorable fondness. While I absolutely adored some of these short reads (Her First Cruise Ship was among my favourites and really landed for me in multiple ways), many others left me feeling underwhelmed for a variety of reasons. The balance in the end leans towards this being something that I am very glad to have read, but didn’t particularly like or love.
A huge thank you to NetGalley and Primero Sueño Press for access to this title. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Some stories were easier to digest than others, whether due to the writing itself or the subject matter. I enjoyed some stories more and some less, which is to be expected. Regardless of what I got out of each individual piece, the way they came together as a whole is an admirable accomplishment for the collection’s editor, Cynthia Pelayo. Pelayo’s recognition of writing talent in a wide variety of approaches and voices is an undeniable talent of its own. As is the skill showcased in the construction of the collection, with the way that the stories were strung together to alleviate heaviness, where it came through, with some more comedic stories, while still allowing each story adequate space. The range of themes, tones, voices, and concepts was such a treat.
Though I can recognize and hold my hands up to the immense talent showcased throughout this collection, I don’t look back on my reading experience with a particular or memorable fondness. While I absolutely adored some of these short reads (Her First Cruise Ship was among my favourites and really landed for me in multiple ways), many others left me feeling underwhelmed for a variety of reasons. The balance in the end leans towards this being something that I am very glad to have read, but didn’t particularly like or love.
A huge thank you to NetGalley and Primero Sueño Press for access to this title. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
4.5 Stars
What a fun ride that was! Like any compilation of short stories by various authors, some are better than others and occasionally, a known name will disappoint while a lesser known name dazzles. Suffice it to say that broadly, this is a compilation worth the time it takes to read it.
Starting with Bazterrica's "Blue Flowers" was a strong choice to kick off the compilation. Between Tender is the Flesh and The Unworthy, she certainly brings enough star power to kick us off, but her story may be a bit too much of a thinker. For a collection that goes to some crazy places, this is an almost painterly story that maybe sets too placid a tone.
That's not to say there aren't a few thinkers in this one. Monica Ojeda's "The World from Above and the World from Down Below" is poetic in the extreme and while more "fun" than most thinkers, Ananda Lima's "Specter" was the one that had me peeling apart the layers to the narrative for a good long while.
My personal favorite was Gerardo Samano Cordova's "My Boyfriend" which starts with the sentence "I'm aware my boyfriend is possessed" and only gets better from there. It's so ridiculous without ever feeling like it's trying too hard and had me smiling pretty much through the end. While I'm now risking listing every short story in the book, I have to say I greatly enjoyed Ann Davila Cardinal's "Her First Cruise Ship" and Leopoldo Gout's "Luz y Fer" - the latter of which should definitely be a fully fleshed out novel rather than a short story.
Plainly I enjoyed the hell out of this (pun not necessarily intended), so if you're looking for some scary stories and are looking for something with a little Latin flair, Something Followed Us Home is the kind of book you'll probably be pulling off your shelf every spooky season.
What a fun ride that was! Like any compilation of short stories by various authors, some are better than others and occasionally, a known name will disappoint while a lesser known name dazzles. Suffice it to say that broadly, this is a compilation worth the time it takes to read it.
Starting with Bazterrica's "Blue Flowers" was a strong choice to kick off the compilation. Between Tender is the Flesh and The Unworthy, she certainly brings enough star power to kick us off, but her story may be a bit too much of a thinker. For a collection that goes to some crazy places, this is an almost painterly story that maybe sets too placid a tone.
That's not to say there aren't a few thinkers in this one. Monica Ojeda's "The World from Above and the World from Down Below" is poetic in the extreme and while more "fun" than most thinkers, Ananda Lima's "Specter" was the one that had me peeling apart the layers to the narrative for a good long while.
My personal favorite was Gerardo Samano Cordova's "My Boyfriend" which starts with the sentence "I'm aware my boyfriend is possessed" and only gets better from there. It's so ridiculous without ever feeling like it's trying too hard and had me smiling pretty much through the end. While I'm now risking listing every short story in the book, I have to say I greatly enjoyed Ann Davila Cardinal's "Her First Cruise Ship" and Leopoldo Gout's "Luz y Fer" - the latter of which should definitely be a fully fleshed out novel rather than a short story.
Plainly I enjoyed the hell out of this (pun not necessarily intended), so if you're looking for some scary stories and are looking for something with a little Latin flair, Something Followed Us Home is the kind of book you'll probably be pulling off your shelf every spooky season.
August 4, 2026
Thanks to NetGalley, Atria Books, and Primero Sueño Press for an ARC in exchange for an honest review of Something Followed Us Home.
Blurb: Gathering chilling work from some of today’s most acclaimed Latiné voices, this horror anthology moves through haunted households, brutal landscapes, sacred spaces turned dangerous, and bodies claimed by forces both ancient and intimate. The dead murmur behind locked doors. Bones rebuild themselves under merciless suns. Love becomes a doorway for demonic hunger. Blood, devotion, and memory intertwine as the past presses back with teeth.
Something Followed Us Home is an unnerving, visceral, and impossible-to-shake collection that proves that what is carried forward does not remain quiet, and what follows us rarely leaves without taking something in return.
Review: Five stars across the board.
From the foreword to the last story in this anthology, each piece captured my attention and played with my emotions.
Starting off with a bone-chilling story by Agustina Bazterrica, Something Followed Us Home gave me a new insight into the struggles, hopes, dreams, and culture of Latiné communities.
The foreword by Brenda Lozano pointed out how different the ghost stories of Latiné communities are in comparison to the ghost stories of white America. Taking that in mind gave me a new perspective on the stories I read and allowed me to see more of their deeper meanings.
What I love about horror is how it allows us to engage with the world to achieve a deeper understanding of the mysticism that can exist. In the case of Something Followed Us Home, I was given an opportunity to further deepen my understanding of how Latiné people in the United States move through the world. I saw how the racism perpetuated against those communities becomes a figure itself.
Blurb: Gathering chilling work from some of today’s most acclaimed Latiné voices, this horror anthology moves through haunted households, brutal landscapes, sacred spaces turned dangerous, and bodies claimed by forces both ancient and intimate. The dead murmur behind locked doors. Bones rebuild themselves under merciless suns. Love becomes a doorway for demonic hunger. Blood, devotion, and memory intertwine as the past presses back with teeth.
Something Followed Us Home is an unnerving, visceral, and impossible-to-shake collection that proves that what is carried forward does not remain quiet, and what follows us rarely leaves without taking something in return.
Review: Five stars across the board.
From the foreword to the last story in this anthology, each piece captured my attention and played with my emotions.
Starting off with a bone-chilling story by Agustina Bazterrica, Something Followed Us Home gave me a new insight into the struggles, hopes, dreams, and culture of Latiné communities.
The foreword by Brenda Lozano pointed out how different the ghost stories of Latiné communities are in comparison to the ghost stories of white America. Taking that in mind gave me a new perspective on the stories I read and allowed me to see more of their deeper meanings.
What I love about horror is how it allows us to engage with the world to achieve a deeper understanding of the mysticism that can exist. In the case of Something Followed Us Home, I was given an opportunity to further deepen my understanding of how Latiné people in the United States move through the world. I saw how the racism perpetuated against those communities becomes a figure itself.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I received an ARC of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review. All reviews are 100% mine.
3.5 stars rounded up to 4
This was an interesting collection that overall was enjoyable even if I felt like horror maybe wasn't the best descriptor for all the stories, that being said there were some absolutely wonderful short stories included here.
My personal favorites were The Hand that Feeds by Isabel Canas as it felt very atmospheric and was engaging, I 100% could have read a longer story of this but I also didn't feel like it was too short either. The World from above and the world from down below by Monica Ojeda was absolutely beautifully written, it was very surreal but had some interesting quotes regarding grief, this was easily my favorite piece in the collection. Other favorite was El Jibaro de Puerto Rico by Cynthia Pelayo (who also served as editor) this was a powerful story that even though I could see where it was going it was still incredibly well paced and written.
The vast majority of the stories were fine and some even had a bit of humor (Her First Cruise Ship by Ann Davila Cardinal is a good example of this). However, my least favorite story was Guardian Angel by Mariana Enriquez, this story was uncomfortable in how it dealt with SA and honestly almost made me DNF the book. PLEASE check the triggers before reading this story. I will say though that even if you decide to not read that particular story I would still recommend reading the others, I think there was a lot here to be said about the Latine experience both past and present and how they effect each other, and the assortment of writers to be found in this book is very impressive some I've read before and some are new to me authors that I will 100% be checking out other things by them.
3.5 stars rounded up to 4
This was an interesting collection that overall was enjoyable even if I felt like horror maybe wasn't the best descriptor for all the stories, that being said there were some absolutely wonderful short stories included here.
My personal favorites were The Hand that Feeds by Isabel Canas as it felt very atmospheric and was engaging, I 100% could have read a longer story of this but I also didn't feel like it was too short either. The World from above and the world from down below by Monica Ojeda was absolutely beautifully written, it was very surreal but had some interesting quotes regarding grief, this was easily my favorite piece in the collection. Other favorite was El Jibaro de Puerto Rico by Cynthia Pelayo (who also served as editor) this was a powerful story that even though I could see where it was going it was still incredibly well paced and written.
The vast majority of the stories were fine and some even had a bit of humor (Her First Cruise Ship by Ann Davila Cardinal is a good example of this). However, my least favorite story was Guardian Angel by Mariana Enriquez, this story was uncomfortable in how it dealt with SA and honestly almost made me DNF the book. PLEASE check the triggers before reading this story. I will say though that even if you decide to not read that particular story I would still recommend reading the others, I think there was a lot here to be said about the Latine experience both past and present and how they effect each other, and the assortment of writers to be found in this book is very impressive some I've read before and some are new to me authors that I will 100% be checking out other things by them.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Something Followed Us Home immediately caught my attention because it's an anthology written by various Latine authors, a lineup I simply couldn't resist. Each story brings something unique, but together they create a haunting love letter to our culture, our fears, and our histories.
What I loved most was how deeply rooted these stories are in folklore, family secrets, and the monsters that have long existed in Latine storytelling. But beyond the supernatural, these stories felt real. Themes of immigration, moving to unfamiliar places, preserving traditions, and searching for identity made many of the stories hit close to home. The horror elements are wonderfully varied, sometimes eerie, sometimes heartbreaking, but colonialism remains the thread woven throughout the collection. It adds depth and reminds us that some of the scariest monsters are the ones history leaves behind.
Anthologies can be tricky because not every story resonates equally, but I appreciated the range of voices and perspectives in this collection. The blend of horror with faith, family, identity, and cultural history made this much more than a spooky read, it felt meaningful. Short story collections are also some of my favorite books to keep on my nightstand. They're perfect for savoring one story at a time or pulling you out of a reading slump when committing to a full novel feels impossible.
Absolutely. I would recommend this to readers who love folklore-inspired horror, stories centered on immigration and identity, or anyone wanting to read more Latine authors. If you enjoy horror that is both haunting and culturally rich, this anthology deserves a spot on your shelf.
Thank you so much, @atriabooks and @netgalley for inviting me to read and review this ARC!
What I loved most was how deeply rooted these stories are in folklore, family secrets, and the monsters that have long existed in Latine storytelling. But beyond the supernatural, these stories felt real. Themes of immigration, moving to unfamiliar places, preserving traditions, and searching for identity made many of the stories hit close to home. The horror elements are wonderfully varied, sometimes eerie, sometimes heartbreaking, but colonialism remains the thread woven throughout the collection. It adds depth and reminds us that some of the scariest monsters are the ones history leaves behind.
Anthologies can be tricky because not every story resonates equally, but I appreciated the range of voices and perspectives in this collection. The blend of horror with faith, family, identity, and cultural history made this much more than a spooky read, it felt meaningful. Short story collections are also some of my favorite books to keep on my nightstand. They're perfect for savoring one story at a time or pulling you out of a reading slump when committing to a full novel feels impossible.
Absolutely. I would recommend this to readers who love folklore-inspired horror, stories centered on immigration and identity, or anyone wanting to read more Latine authors. If you enjoy horror that is both haunting and culturally rich, this anthology deserves a spot on your shelf.
Thank you so much, @atriabooks and @netgalley for inviting me to read and review this ARC!
June 1, 2026
I feel transformed after finishing this anthology.
As a Latina, there's always something quite special about Latiné stories. There's this deeper connection that I feel within the space between words. It's almost magical. This was ever-present throughout this whole anthology. It brought me to new corners of the world, new angles to themes, new experiences, while also reminding me of what we share as a community.
This is a horror anthology. This book is filled with ghost stories and creatures and legends, but the horror isn't the ghosts or the creatures.
Colonialism is a massive theme in this anthology. Understandably so. Our communities have long suffered at the hand of colonialism for far too long. These stories take us through so many journeys, assessing how colonialism affected so many countries and how it looks like today in our current world. These authors provided such incredible lenses to view this through. Some were campy horrors, others kept you at the edge of your seat, sometimes there was a lot of gore. And everything meant something. Each word felt purposeful. I also enjoyed other prominent themes in these stories, such as faith and folklore.
Many of these stories were stand-outs for me, staying with me long after I finished reading them. I will say that Cynthia Pelayo's "El Jíbaro de Puerto Rico" truly impacted me, and I will carry that story with me for the rest of my life.
Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for this eARC. I'm so grateful to have been able to read this collection.
As a Latina, there's always something quite special about Latiné stories. There's this deeper connection that I feel within the space between words. It's almost magical. This was ever-present throughout this whole anthology. It brought me to new corners of the world, new angles to themes, new experiences, while also reminding me of what we share as a community.
This is a horror anthology. This book is filled with ghost stories and creatures and legends, but the horror isn't the ghosts or the creatures.
Colonialism is a massive theme in this anthology. Understandably so. Our communities have long suffered at the hand of colonialism for far too long. These stories take us through so many journeys, assessing how colonialism affected so many countries and how it looks like today in our current world. These authors provided such incredible lenses to view this through. Some were campy horrors, others kept you at the edge of your seat, sometimes there was a lot of gore. And everything meant something. Each word felt purposeful. I also enjoyed other prominent themes in these stories, such as faith and folklore.
Many of these stories were stand-outs for me, staying with me long after I finished reading them. I will say that Cynthia Pelayo's "El Jíbaro de Puerto Rico" truly impacted me, and I will carry that story with me for the rest of my life.
Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for this eARC. I'm so grateful to have been able to read this collection.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Something Followed Us Home is an incredible horror anthology that showcases brilliant Latiné voices. It is an unnerving, visceral collection that runs the full spectrum of horror, making it a dream read for short story fans.
The absolute best part about this book is its sheer unpredictability. Each story is completely different from the last, meaning you never know exactly what kind of dread or monster is going to jump out at you next. I found so many genuine gems in this collection. A few of my favorites included:
"Blue Flowers" by Agustina Bazterrica, which tells a haunting tale of two sisters.
"The Hand That Feeds" by Isabel Cañas, a fascinating, sharp story about a wolf turned into a woman and her encounter with men.
"Her First Cruise Ship" by Ann Dávila Cardinal, which features a brilliantly creepy encounter with cruise ship tourists.
"The Immaculate Rebirth of Nicki Duran" by Zoraida Córdova, a deeply unsettling concept revolving around a sudden spike in virgin births.
"Whispers from the Root" by Lilliam Rivera, a stellar and gripping story centered around revenge.
To be fair, there were a handful of stories where the ending twists or underlying metaphors didn't quite click for me, or that I didn't fully understand on the first read. But honestly, even with those few, I still thoroughly enjoyed the ride and the atmosphere. There is so much talent packed into these pages that horror readers will not be disappointed by this book. It’s a must-read for your spooky season stack!
Thank you so much to Atria Books and NetGalley for the advance copy!
The absolute best part about this book is its sheer unpredictability. Each story is completely different from the last, meaning you never know exactly what kind of dread or monster is going to jump out at you next. I found so many genuine gems in this collection. A few of my favorites included:
"Blue Flowers" by Agustina Bazterrica, which tells a haunting tale of two sisters.
"The Hand That Feeds" by Isabel Cañas, a fascinating, sharp story about a wolf turned into a woman and her encounter with men.
"Her First Cruise Ship" by Ann Dávila Cardinal, which features a brilliantly creepy encounter with cruise ship tourists.
"The Immaculate Rebirth of Nicki Duran" by Zoraida Córdova, a deeply unsettling concept revolving around a sudden spike in virgin births.
"Whispers from the Root" by Lilliam Rivera, a stellar and gripping story centered around revenge.
To be fair, there were a handful of stories where the ending twists or underlying metaphors didn't quite click for me, or that I didn't fully understand on the first read. But honestly, even with those few, I still thoroughly enjoyed the ride and the atmosphere. There is so much talent packed into these pages that horror readers will not be disappointed by this book. It’s a must-read for your spooky season stack!
Thank you so much to Atria Books and NetGalley for the advance copy!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Something Followed Us Home by Pelayo was exactly the kind of read I love dark, atmospheric, and impossible to put down. This collection of short stories showcases Pelayo's talent for blending horror with emotion, creating tales that linger long after you've turned the final page. Each story felt unique while still carrying an unsettling thread that tied the collection together beautifully.
One of my favorite things about this collection was seeing so many of my favorite horror authors featured together in one book. Each author brought their own distinct voice and style, making every story feel fresh while still contributing to the overall eerie and immersive experience. I found myself constantly saying, "just one more story," and before I knew it, I had read far more than planned.
Releasing just in time for spooky season and Latine Heritage Month, this is the perfect addition to any horror lover's fall reading stack. The collection delivers chills, heart, and rich cultural perspectives that make these stories even more memorable.
A huge thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review. It was truly a privilege to experience this incredible collection early, and I'm grateful for the opportunity to share my thoughts. Horror fans, especially those who love short fiction and diverse voices, should absolutely add this one to their TBR.
One of my favorite things about this collection was seeing so many of my favorite horror authors featured together in one book. Each author brought their own distinct voice and style, making every story feel fresh while still contributing to the overall eerie and immersive experience. I found myself constantly saying, "just one more story," and before I knew it, I had read far more than planned.
Releasing just in time for spooky season and Latine Heritage Month, this is the perfect addition to any horror lover's fall reading stack. The collection delivers chills, heart, and rich cultural perspectives that make these stories even more memorable.
A huge thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review. It was truly a privilege to experience this incredible collection early, and I'm grateful for the opportunity to share my thoughts. Horror fans, especially those who love short fiction and diverse voices, should absolutely add this one to their TBR.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
First off: thanks a ton to Netgalley and Atria/Primero Sueno Press for the Advanced Readers Copy of this collection to read and review prior to it publishing on 9/29/26!
I had high hopes/expectations for this collection due to the stacked lineup of authors included in its pages, and for the most part, it delivered a decent collection of some unique, challenging, though-provoking stories of horrors both real and imagined, monstrous and human. I would say that it fell a bit short of my hopes, though, and settled in the mid-range of collections for me.
Many of the stories included gorgeous writing, and I really did feel transported into Latin America at times, but the trade-off for some was that the actual plot suffered and was either very slow-going or just not interesting at all. Some stories were very good, though! Blue Flowers by Agustina Bazterrica, The Immaculate Rebirth of Nicki Duran by Zoraida Cordova, The Return of La Muelona by Carolina Florez-Cerchiaro, and Whispers from the Root by LIlliam Rivera were standout stories in this collection for me.
All the stories in this collection had quite interesting concepts, but a few were a bit too out there for me (or perhaps the writing style just wasn't for me). I would say that only 1, maybe 2, stories were just total duds, which is a big positive.
Overall, a good collection, just not a great collection.
I had high hopes/expectations for this collection due to the stacked lineup of authors included in its pages, and for the most part, it delivered a decent collection of some unique, challenging, though-provoking stories of horrors both real and imagined, monstrous and human. I would say that it fell a bit short of my hopes, though, and settled in the mid-range of collections for me.
Many of the stories included gorgeous writing, and I really did feel transported into Latin America at times, but the trade-off for some was that the actual plot suffered and was either very slow-going or just not interesting at all. Some stories were very good, though! Blue Flowers by Agustina Bazterrica, The Immaculate Rebirth of Nicki Duran by Zoraida Cordova, The Return of La Muelona by Carolina Florez-Cerchiaro, and Whispers from the Root by LIlliam Rivera were standout stories in this collection for me.
All the stories in this collection had quite interesting concepts, but a few were a bit too out there for me (or perhaps the writing style just wasn't for me). I would say that only 1, maybe 2, stories were just total duds, which is a big positive.
Overall, a good collection, just not a great collection.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Something Followed Us Home by Cynthia Pelayo is a haunting and powerful anthology that explores the connections between Latine cultures, folklore, history, and the fears that follow generations. Similar to other cultural horror collections, this book highlights both what unites these authors and what makes each voice unique. The stories range from chilling ghost tales and unsettling folklore to psychological horror, visceral terror, and even moments of dark humor. What makes this collection stand out is how personal and universal the stories feel; although they are rooted in experiences connected to Latin American history, colonization, immigration, family, violence, legacy, and tradition, the emotions and fears within them can resonate with any reader. The introduction provides thoughtful insight into how ghosts differ across cultures and how Latin American hauntings are often connected to historical trauma and cultural memory. Each story carries its own eerie atmosphere, leaving behind a feeling that lingers long after the final page. While some stories stood out more than others, the overall collection was strong, immersive, and easy to read in short bursts. With ghosts, demons, curses, and folklore woven throughout, Something Followed Us Home delivers a memorable horror experience that is both culturally meaningful and deeply unsettling.
Special thanks to NetGalley & Atria Books for this digital ARC in exchange for an honest review!
Special thanks to NetGalley & Atria Books for this digital ARC in exchange for an honest review!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Something Followed Us Home is a fantastic sampler of different Latine horror writers and themes. It offers a variety of themes, ideas, and cultures to help introduce you to some new potential favorite authors. Unsurprisingly, colonialism is a major theme, and expect a lot of folklore, faith, immigration family, and identity throughout.
When the stories are hits, they were haunting and fantastic, including two different explorations of women and monstrosity that come from very different angles but intriguingly similar conclusions. Her First Cruise Ship branded its ending on my brain. Fidelity and We Are Gathered Here both scratch an itch for fiction I've needed terribly without even knowing it. Pomelo has a degree of sacred weirdness to it that I have a hard time explaining.
Given the high quality of the stories I did enjoy, I suspect those that didn't work for me are did so as a mix of not being to my taste and/or me missing culture references and touch stones. The one story I just couldn't quite settle with was Guardian Angel, which has some pretty rough incest themes that I just couldn't get past. Child death and varying levels violence are present throughout the collection, so be aware. The overall experience is still very worth while.
Thanks to Atria Books and Net galley for a copy of this arc.
When the stories are hits, they were haunting and fantastic, including two different explorations of women and monstrosity that come from very different angles but intriguingly similar conclusions. Her First Cruise Ship branded its ending on my brain. Fidelity and We Are Gathered Here both scratch an itch for fiction I've needed terribly without even knowing it. Pomelo has a degree of sacred weirdness to it that I have a hard time explaining.
Given the high quality of the stories I did enjoy, I suspect those that didn't work for me are did so as a mix of not being to my taste and/or me missing culture references and touch stones. The one story I just couldn't quite settle with was Guardian Angel, which has some pretty rough incest themes that I just couldn't get past. Child death and varying levels violence are present throughout the collection, so be aware. The overall experience is still very worth while.
Thanks to Atria Books and Net galley for a copy of this arc.
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