Bruja’s Nest

by Brenda LaTorre

The Love Witch meets Monstrilio in Bruja’s Nest, where a young woman’s abuse history and ambition erupt into body horror, class war, and monstrous motherhood.

Raised amidst poverty, alcoholism, and sexual abuse, Yolanda is determined to seize control of her future. When she starts work as an indentured servant on the Fernández De la Rosa estate, she realizes she can secure a place as the lady of the with a spell from the local bruja, she can trick their naive son into getting her pregnant.

But the fertility ritual—piercing her flesh, tucking a rooster’s heart inside herself—begets more than she expected. Yolanda’s body swells and seethes with infection, her few allies dwindle, and she delivers a massive egg under the watchful eye of Santa Muerte, the Mexican folk saint of death. The hacienda where she’s been promised a permanent home is full of blasphemies, secrets, and bodies, and the family she’s tied herself to is loyal only to wealth and power.

But Yolanda will do anything to protect her child, who deserves the love and safety she never had. Even if everyone insists he’s a monster.

Genres: Horror, Fiction, Fantasy, Witches, Halloween, Gothic, Gothic Horror

276 pages, Kindle Edition

Expected publication October 6, 2026

About the author

Brenda LaTorre is a Mexican horror writer based in Mexico City. Her stories have found a home in different places such as Pyre Magazine,  BDA Publishing Anthology, the Collective Visions anthology, and more.

She holds an MFA from the University of Southern Maine and a Creative Writing Certificate from UCSD. And she was the Editor of Popular Fiction in the Stonecoast Review Magazine in 2024.

Currently, she is a writing mentor in the WriteHive Mentorship Program!

Reviews

[Becky Spratford]

Reading for review in the October issue of Library Journal

Issue also features my interview with the author

Three Words That Describe This Book: Debut, Monsters, Immersive

This is a very confidently written debut. The voice is strong, the rage is clear and fierce. It is feminist horror, motherhood horror, class war horror, all of it told with an originality and confidence rarely seen in debuts. Is it a perfect novel, no; it is entertaining, compelling, and leaves you wanting to see what else she writes, yes!

I also love that Yolanda is a very flawed protagonist. Everything told only through her. She is not a "good girl," We know from the start. Banished from her Mexican home in the city, by her mother, to their ancestral village home of Afontla, to work in Hacienda Cantera as a maid. But Yolanda has tellenovella dreams and has a plan to have the baby of the son so she can become the mistress of the house. She visits the local witch and so begins this weird, brutal, story full of female rage.

It is the female rage that dominates here but not in a

The world building is fantastic. Readers will fall into Yolanda's POV quickly. Again we know from he start she is problematic, and it goes from bad to worse the entire time, but the house, the town, the other workers with her, the family members, the witch....everything is crafted in a way that it all feels like you are watching a horror version of a tellenovella.

I could give you tidbits about each character that show this but it would give away the job of the macabre and weird and sometimes touching details to be revealed.

Yolanda's pregnancy and birth of a monstrous child is both a metaphor for her limited choices as a poor woman who strives to have power and wealth and a literal monster story. But the monsters aren't who you think they are. I liked this about the story. The thought provoking part of it. The forcing the reader to confront all the horrible people and the situation and feel the rage-- all 360 degrees of it. That is hard to do.

So much female rage, and different ways to express it. As many types of rage as there are women in this story.

For fans of Rachel Eve Moulton and Isabel Canas' The Hacienda -- I thought about her novel not just the plot and the setting but when I read this I knew this was an author to watch. I feel the same here.

[BookishKB]

Had to DNF early on, it was too much for me.
I didn't realize there would be incest between siblings.

What to Expect
• Body horror
• Monstrous motherhood
• Class war
• Fertility ritual horror
• Family secrets
_ _ _ _
📅 Pub Date: October 6, 2026
📝 Thank you to Creature Publishing and NetGalley for the advanced copy. All thoughts are my own.

[She’s]

Yolanda is a girl with big dreams and pursues them ruthlessly. She is thrown out of her abusive family’s home and sent to work at the Fernandez de la Rosa estate. Yolanda knows what she wants and enlists the help of the local bruja to do it.
This book is very difficult to rate. In the end, the story is well-written and creatively conceived, albeit very, very strange. It is an atmospheric gothic with enough WTF moments to keep everyone entertained. The characters are not likable with Itzco, one of the servants, being the only one with empathy.
If you like weird, creature features with horrifying evil, female agency, and familial dysfunction, this might be for you.

I would like to extend special thanks to Netgalley, Brenda LaTorre, and Creature Publishing for allowing me to review this ARC.

[Meg]

A fantastic piece of weird girl lit, full of brutal and gruesome body horror, flawed protagonists, and a feeling of bizarre unreality that kept me hooked.

This has major Monstrilio vibes meets We Have Always Lived In the Castle, with feminist leanings and commentary on class struggles. I really enjoyed it, although I think it is worth mentioning that it opens with incestuous abuse and the disturbing happenings only continue from there.

Yolanda is very complex, with an abusive and neglected upbringing that leaves her with unusual ideas and behaviour, largely inspired by characters on telenovelas she watched as a young girl. The take on motherhood is both grotesque and sweet - this is a book of contradictions, and it works! A great debut!

Many thanks to Netgalley and Creature Publishing for the ARC!

[Stasha]

A transgressive piece of Mexican fiction that blends class critiques with body horror and absurdism. Yolanda, a girl with big dreams but a shitty home life, is pushed into indentured servitude by her mother. She hopes to take advantage of the situation by seducing the household’s handsome son to become the next matriarch.

I enjoyed the unlikeable cast of characters and was invested in what horrors Yolanda would bring into the hacienda. Once the brujería began though, my interested waned. The body horror was gross/fun, but the narrative’s turn into absurdism really took me out of the story.

There is an audience that will love this book. Fans of weird girl lit and gore will be gobbling it up like a baby bird. Just not quite for me.

[Erin Dunn]

✨DNF✨

Bruja’s Nest sounded right up my alley, but unfortunately I had to DNF. Not a fan of the incest at the beginning or of how the Spanish is written into the book. I think this one just isn’t for me.

Leaving off a rating because I don’t feel I made it far enough to leave one.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing a free ebook copy in exchange for an honest review. This book is expected to be released October 6, 2026 .

[Mariah]

A novel that you can hear every broken bone and sliced piece of flesh. A riveting narrative that dives into the nature of desire and the consequences of them. Ask yourself what you are willing to commit to earn your deepest desires and how dark of a path would that be? That is the grotesque nature that is beautifully divine and frightful in Bruja’s Nest. This is an excitingly intense narrative that will teach you what you are afraid to admit about your own thoughts.
I will admit that the beginning of the narrative was a bit slow for my personal taste, but it picks up with windy turns. Each twist of the knife really takes you into another aspect of achieving desire and her consequences. Yolanda is looking to pursue her dreams at any cost, and she is willing to devote anything. A tale that blends brujeria and folklore about the Chupacabra. I absolutely adored the way rituals were written with such striking and vivid diction. I took the time to savor this one!
This is a narrative of passion and a feminist narrative that redefines what it means for to have autonomy. Yolanda is going to sacrifice everything she needs for her desires – but she is not going to let that define her trajectory. You had to admire how well-written Yolanda is to make you appreciate the way she is determined despite some questionable choices. A novel of desire and a novel of reclaiming autonomy.
The acknowledgements discuss that this was extended from the author’s MFA project. I appreciate these anecdotes as the weirdo who reads the acknowledgements. As I too am looking to expand my own writing thesis into something real. That is what gives the novel heart – the degree of passion and time spent into creating something creepy and horrifyingly eloquent to read. Thank you Brenda LaTorre, Creature Publishing, and Netgalley for this advanced digital copy. All opinions are my own.
For tarot readings, recommendations, and reviews, visit my blog https://brujerialibrary.wordpress.com/

[ruhee]

Bruja's Nest is not for the fainthearted. I am generally okay with body horror but this book was extreme in a completely different way. This is a nasty, brutal, unflinchingly horrific narrative that confronts ideas of class, abuse, trauma, and motherhood. The main character is deeply unlikeable and very difficult to read about. But, LaTorre consciously shows us how Yolanda's upbringing and the abuse she faces shapes her into this person. Not to say that she isn't ruthless and selfish just for her own gain. But there is nuance to the way she acts and the decisions she makes. The hacienda is a liminal space that is haunting and horrific in its own right. LaTorre undertakes a study of class dynamics and the exploitative nature of the upper class. But what stands out the most to me is the use of the female body as a site of horror. I found myself very uncomfortable with the graphic scenes and descriptions. And this made me realise that my discomfort was because facing horrors to do with the female body, pregnancy and birth are terrifying in a completely different manner. I think LaTorre expresses this horror very well. I also found the nature of Yolanda's motherhood remarkable. In many ways this is the story of unconditional love and at times I felt so deeply for Panchito because I was seeing him through Yolanda's eyes.

I felt the pacing was a bit off. It never really picked up in a satisfying manner - but perhaps that was the point? The writing was very straightforward which might appeal to certain readers, but I like a bit more of a descriptive style. At times Yolanda was very difficult to read but I appreciated how uncomfortable it made me. I also felt that sometimes the passage of time was confusing and the movement of the narrative from point A to B was sudden .
Overall - read this at your own risk with full awareness of the triggers. It is a remarkable attempt at feminist horror with hints of folklore and an overarching social commentary.

[Kerita Fuller]

Bruja’s Nest is the story of a young woman named Yolanda who aspires to be and to have more than the poverty stricken and abusive family into which she was born. There is no line she won’t cross in her pursuit of money and luxury.

Yolanda is, without question, highly unlikeable as a MC. She is conniving, she is a user, she lies to get what she wants, and all without a second thought. When she does experience remorse, the thought is so fleeting that I wondered if the reason was so that she could craft her own memories of the things she does to people! She really is the worst. What’s enjoyable about her story is the author’s ability to make her exploits interesting enough that I HAD to finish to see what fresh mayhem this girl would cook up next. Yolanda did so much dirt she BIRTHED an EGG and, in her delusion, she still saw no fault/wrong/blame in her actions. Though unlikeable, she is a reliable narrator, and the story unfolds as it should. I liked that the rest of the residents and staff at the hacienda were in a way representations of a well rounded family. They are not (all) malicious, but none is a saint. They vary enough that I cared about what happened to them. The ending is exactly what should have happened, and reflecting on the story, the conclusion was happening all along! I did appreciate that!

As far as a horror story, I didn’t experience “fear”, but did cringe and pull a face at the gore! The grossness is frequent and descriptively written. There is an overarching sadness to the story, because of everyone’s desperation for ‘something’, and there is a prevailing theme of desperation with regard to motherhood. I saw it in almost every woman in the story. It’s not a melancholy story though, there’s too much treachery for that (LOL).

Thanks to NetGalley and Creature Publishing for this ARC!

[Krystelle (based on the novel by Stephen King)]

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC!

This was a fantastic, nasty little horror novel that revels in how disgusting it is. I definitely don’t recommend it as a first horror book, particularly for those that can’t deal with the handling of more taboo topics. For those who are a little more seasoned, however, it’s a banger. It’s also well worth the read for those who are getting deeper into the genre and want to stretch their wings (no pun intended).

We follow a delightfully unpleasant main character, Yolanda, who thinks that her life is a telenovela, and who has her heart set on becoming the mistress of the new household she works in. She has been turfed out of her home and appears to be stuck in a cycle of perpetual victimhood.

She makes her move as best she can, aided by a local bruja who appears as though she can make all of her dreams come true. Of course, this goes about as well as you could expect. The ensuing story, without spoiling much, is a wild ride from start to finish, taking inspiration from a certain subset of 1980s horror dedicated to creepy practical effects and weird relationships.

I loved it. I do think that the ending could have been a little cleaner, and I didn’t love where Yolanda ended up, but boy, was it fun. I do wish too that she was a slightly more likeable character, and perhaps a little more sympathetic, but I did enjoy it.

It was particularly nice to read a no-holds-barred horror with a different type of monster- and one that definitely held its own.

[SpinelessBookReviews]

I'm going to be honest, this book will be hard to talk about without sounding like I'm exaggerating. I truly believe, Brenda LaTorre's debut is a modern classic

Yolanda is determined to elevate her position in life by any means necessary. While she is being shipped off by her mother to work at the wealthy De La Rosa estate she hears tell of the town's local bruja and devises a plan to establish herself in a seat of power and status amongst the well to do family. The consequences of her occult involvement show themselves very soon and she's forced to live with the fallout.

The fact that this is LaTorre's first work is astounding, she really comes out the gate swinging with this story. It's uncomfortable, violent and still strangely heartfelt. We witness brutality, both  human and inhuman alike and the strength and resilience of a maternal instinct all wrapped up together. Yolanda's journey and subsequent unraveling is hard to watch but you really cant look away. We explore trauma responses and what it means to be an outsider alike. This book is a great example of one of my favorite things that horror can do and that's exhibit a heart as tender and vulnerable more than any other genre.

At times this book is hard to stand and harder to stomach but it's such an amazing journey that will keep you hooked the whole way through. I can't recommend this one enough

[Maria Bru]

Firstly thanks to Netgalley for this proof 🫶🏼
I thought this was going to be a tense and stressful horror book, but I was wrong. There is a lot of blood and unpleasantness but it was not what I was hoping and it took me longer than it should have to finish it.
Some heavy topics are discussed, but not in that much depth.
As a native spanish speaker I found it easy to follow but didn’t love the way the spanish was dropped throughout the book.
The characters felt slightly flat to me; so I was not affected much when people were killed off or died one way or another
It was not for me, even though the premise had so much potential.
Definitely body horror though

[Szarygolab]

Thank you to Netgalley for the advanced copy of this book.

ale to było obrzydliwe, nasty w chuj, tak że momentami musiałam wyłączyć telefon w połowie zdania 10/10
w końcu znalazłam książkę, która dorównałaby Monstrilio

[Beth Wright]

I received an ARC of this book thanks to NetGalley.
2.5 star for me… 3 star on NetGalley.
I was so confused throughout the whole of this book. The beginning just had my head constantly questioning what was going on and I had to read a few things a couple of times.
The story was gross in parts which I enjoyed but honestly I was just so confused throughout pretty much the whole book.

I couldn’t even tell you now what happened because I have no idea.

And the animals..

It just didn’t fit with me and my brain i’m afraid.

Although I do think a lot of people would love this

[Aaqilah]

If you haven’t read enough Latin American fiction, before you go into this, you must expect and be prepared for magical realism in it. As long as you are ready for that, the book is very enjoyable.

Initially this was too much, the first couple chapters. As someone who regretfully has not read enough diversified fiction, and that doesn’t know Spanish, it was like an overload of information because many sentences and words were in Spanish, but very soon the book picked up the pace and you get used to it, so much that you finish it in one sitting.

It’s obviously horror, so expect some gory details like eye pecking, intestine munching or a human/rooster baby chick thing biting off the nipple of its human mother while feeding.

The most gag inducing part for me had to do with disintegrated parts of a rooster heart shoved deep inside the uterus 👀, I mean, you’d instantly close your legs.

But the book is also very thought provoking in many ways. What the Women go through in the hands of men around them and what they have to do just to have a safe and stable future. All that pain, physical and mental, humiliation, only because they want to live the life they wanted. And more often than not, a child is what secures it.

A bruja is Spanish for "witch," a female practitioner of brujería (witchcraft), often associated with Latin American and Caribbean folk magic, and it's colloquially used to describe a woman who uses dirty tricks to achieve her goals or to incite evil against someone.

Bruja’s nest follows Yolanda, who is dropped off at the Fernández De la Rosa estate as a servant. Determined to seize control of her future, she realizes she can secure a place as the lady of the house if she tricks their naive son into getting her pregnant.

I won’t go into details because I’d be spoiling the plot, but it’s very twisty and interesting.

Also, something about the Latin American fictions I’ve read is how similar they are to Sri Lankan fiction, where food plays a very important part as much as everything else, you are bound to crave all the dishes mentioned in the book.

But at the end of the day, what I keep thinking about is Panchito, the human/rooster baby that leaves a carnage everywhere, and motherhood. It’s such a hard topic to even think of, you know your kid is not normal and not like the others, and that your kid has very weird eating habits, he hurts people and animals around, dead and alive, but you don’t want him hurt and want to protect him because he your child.

You take the magical realism aspect away, and you think of how Panchito is no different to children who are still considered “monsters”, “evil” and “born of sin” in rural areas.

But also about animals, it’s like if you try to domesticate a tiger and it turns out to do what tigers do, you can’t hurt it because it doesn’t do what humans do, you have to let it go to where it belongs.

OVERALL RATING: 3.8/5

P.S Don’t go into this if you are pregnant or freshly postpartum.

There’s also animal death, less than a couple sentences long for a cat and a bit long for a dog, but you will forget it and it won’t stay on your mind for too long, I usually avoid books if they have cat deaths but this was okay for me to handle. Dog owners beware though.

Here are the lines:
“At my feet is the carcass of a dead cat. Its innards have been emptied.“

“He is holding the corpse of his dalmatian by both back legs. It swings back and forth under his grasp. I stare at the dog’s empty red sockets; he’s been gutted.“

As for the rooster, can’t say the same, poor guy was massacred slowly.

[THE TWISTED REVIEW]

Bruja's Nest is an unforgettable blend of gothic horror, body horror, folklore, and social commentary that left me completely captivated. Brenda LaTorre delivers a haunting debut that explores the lengths someone will go to escape poverty, abuse, and powerlessness while weaving Mexican folklore, witchcraft, and the ever-present influence of Santa Muerte into a story that is as emotionally devastating as it is deeply unsettling. One of the novel's greatest strengths is how LaTorre incorporates references to the iconic telenovela Rubí. These moments are much more than nostalgic callbacks—they become an essential part of Yolanda's worldview and ambitions. Like many who grew up watching telenovelas, Yolanda sees wealth, beauty, and status as a possible escape from poverty, and Rubí becomes a lens through which she imagines a different future. For readers who grew up with these stories, the references create an immediate sense of familiarity and authenticity, adding both subtle humor and heartbreaking irony to Yolanda's journey. Those cultural touchstones also give the novel a fresh, contemporary voice that sets it apart from more traditional gothic horror. Rather than feeling dated or overly serious, the writing feels modern and lived-in, reflecting the way pop culture shapes our dreams, expectations, and identities. It's a detail that made the story feel incredibly personal and one that I especially appreciated as someone who recognized those references. Yolanda is a complex, morally gray protagonist whose desperation and determination make her impossible to look away from. Even when her choices become increasingly questionable, her longing for safety, love, and control remains heartbreakingly human. The novel never uses horror simply for shock value; every disturbing moment reinforces the emotional weight behind the story and the impossible circumstances that shape Yolanda's decisions. LaTorre's writing is vivid and atmospheric, bringing every scene to life with rich imagery and an almost suffocating sense of dread. The body horror is grotesque, visceral, and unforgettable, but beneath the blood and terror lies a deeply moving story about motherhood, survival, class inequality, and the sacrifices women are expected to make in pursuit of a better life. If you enjoy horror that is equal parts beautiful and brutal, with unforgettable characters, folklore, and emotionally charged storytelling, Bruja's Nest deserves a place on your TBR. It is a dark, disturbing, and surprisingly heartfelt debut that lingers long after the final page. Bold, culturally rich, and refreshingly original, Brenda LaTorre has created a horror novel that feels both timeless and undeniably modern.

[Alex Catuna]

Thanks to NetGalley and Brenda LaTorre for allowing me to read this eARC!

In Bruja's Nest we follow Yolanda, a woman determined to escape her brutal past and secure a better future for herself. She finds an opportunity within the powerful Fernández De la Rosa family, but her plans lead to unexpected and disturbing consequences. As everything begins to unravel, she must fight to protect her child and claim the life she believes she deserves.

Where do I even start... this was a wild book. I don't want to mention much of the actual story and plot. Usually, I tend to talk about the main storyline as a way of analyzing the book without giving everything away, but in this case I believe I should leave out as much as I can and be vague. I only had the blurb to prepare me for what turned out to be a disgusting book (in a good way), and I am convinced everyone should go in blind or with as little knowledge as possible (check out TWs though if you are sensitive to some topics!!)

Yolanda is obsessed with telenovelas, especially with the series "Rubí" following the titular main character. She's described by Yolanda as a woman who does what it takes to get to the top, doesn't matter if she backstabs her closest girlfriends or sleeps with men as a means to an end. Throughout the novel, our main character commits great acts of deception, she lies, schemes and kills, justifying these actions by thinking about what women have to go through in order to achieve success. Whatever it takes. Just like Rubí. And even though I agree that us women have had to, and still must, fight and claw for our rights in this patriarchal world, I couldn't really get behind Yolanda's actions. She's supposed to be unlikable, and we're supposed to be appalled by her actions, and even though I am contrary towards her, I have to admit that a part of me rooted for her. Very conflicting feelings, but overall: I didn't like Yolanda, yet I don't need to because her story is incredibly engaging and I appreciate the feminist message.

The writing was alright, nothing that blew my mind. I have to admit, I didn't particularly enjoy LaTorre's writing style, but the way she created tension and atmosphere was great. She described some very gruesome scenes with excruciating detail. I'm not squeamish and don't get triggered easily, but this novel's horror aspects are revolting! Had to stop eating while reading the ritual scene. That was SO disgusting, goodness gracious. Body horror never repulses me (at least it never did until I read Bruja's Nest), so this was absolutely fantastic! As a woman who doesn't want biological children, the fertility ritual, her pregnancy and the birth made me feel extremely nauseous. LaTorre achieved something great considering the length of Bruja's Nest. A myriad of events take place in just above 200 pages, and even though the pace felt off at times, I was continuously engaged in the story.


I'm giving Bruja's Nest 3.5⭐︎, so not a perfect book or a new favourite of mine, but one that disturbs and stays with you long after finishing it. Again, check out the TWs if you have to, but I recommend going in blind if you, like me, don't get triggered easily.

[Elsa Chávez]

Thank you to Creature Publishing and NetGalley for this ARC.

The book starts with Yolanda, the main character, referencing Rubí Pérez from the famous telenovela. Just like the novels, Yolanda wants more out of life and is determined to leave her town no matter the cost. Her fate hangs on an university acceptance that she is sure will come, but ultimately does not. She lives with her critiquing mother and dead-beat Brother, and being a story set in Mexico, the dynamic of her mother preferring Brother is definitely relevant and relatable, except for the fact that Yolanda and Brother have an incestuous relationship.

This was a hard read right at the beginning, but the more I read, I realized that LaTorre was giving us full access to Yolanda at her worst. She is selfish and cares more about her reputation than morality, as shown when she admits to coming to Brother in order to prove to her friends that she was not a virgin. There is an off-handed remark later about how the friends had all lied about their experience and how she could have lied, but it does not seem as though she is regretful or gives it much thought. That being said, Yolanda's actions are the product of an abusive and misogynistic culture and even though their mother catches Brother on top of her, Yolanda is ultimately the only one to face consequences, as she is sent off to become an indentured servant at the Fernández De la Rosa estate.

It was actually very impressive just how determined Yolanda is. There are so many set backs and challenges and yet she continues seeking a future as the Señora of the house. Her journey is filled with betrayal and thwarted plans that conclude with asking the local witch for help. After a traumatic and very descriptive ritual, Yolanda is sent off to secure a pregnancy but ultimately ends up sleeping with the wrong person too late. The result is another traumatic event in the form of giving birth to an egg, that hatches a humanoid bird, aptly named Panchito. The change in Yolanda after becoming a mother is fascinating. She is no longer selfishly guaranteeing her future, but is now determined to keep Panchito safe and away from certain evil taxidermists. It doesn't help that Panchito seems to only drink blood, and then starts taking bites out of people....

If this sounds interesting, definitely read the content warnings and keep in mind that Yolanda will get what she wants, no matter the cost. Aside from the incest, the rest of the story was actually a fun read. There are some nonsensical elements that make for an incredulous story, but just as the marketing said, if you enjoyed Monstrilio, I have no doubt you will find room in your heart for Yolanda and Panchito's story.

[fibonacci]

Life won't hand you power just like that; you have to snatch it from destiny's hands. Especially if you're a woman.

Trigger warnings: incest, body horror, graphic violence, gore, sexual violence, and other disturbing imagery.

Specific content spoilers: incest in the opening chapter, a rooster’s heart being shoved deep into the uterus during a fertility ritual, and a nipple being torn off and eaten.

As someone who enjoyed Monstrilio by Gerardo Sámano Córdova, I appreciated how more gruesome and disturbing this book was, and I especially liked its depiction of motherhood within the horror. The extreme elements neatly metaphorized the lengths a mother would go to protect her child, and Yolanda’s devotion added an interesting layer to her character.

I appreciated that Yolanda was deeply flawed and difficult to root for. Her questionable decisions often left me feeling embarrassed for her, and while I think her flaws had the potential to add depth to her character, some of her choices ultimately pulled me out of the story.

So, unfortunately, the execution didn’t live up to the potential. The story became chaotic and nonsensical at times, leaving me genuinely lost. I finished it in one sitting, hoping for a turning point that would make everything make sense, but the plot had too many holes and the ending felt rushed.

I also found the side characters underdeveloped. They often felt like they were there simply to serve the plot, and despite the story creating situations that suggested deeper connections between them, those relationships never really felt genuine. Everyone felt strangely detached from one another, which made the overall story feel even more disjointed.

Ultimately, the lack of nuance made the revenge feel too superficial given everything Yolanda experienced, as the book often chose extremity over depth. It’s fair to say I was quite disappointed, because this had all the right ingredients for a powerful female-rage and revenge story, but it never quite came together the way I hoped it would.

Thank you to Netgalley, Creature Publishing, and the author for providing me with a copy of the book in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.

[sam]

violent, feral, strange. bruja’s nest was truly fucking disgusting. i mean just vile. and it never really let up. you want to put it down but you also just can’t put it down :”) latorre has a very no nonsense edge to her prose. clean. sharp. nothing lyrical, flowery or especially pretty. it felt intentionally young in narrative voice as this was through our very young female protagonist’s pov. it was so absurd and so over the top at times i had no choice but to picture this as a telenovela (compliment)!

there’s something about reading a book that provokes suchhh a strong emotional response that can initially make me feel like i must have loved it but i think what i found compelling was simply how much it was willing to do.

because i didn’t feel particularly strongly about any of the characters, the plot itself never felt as impactful as i think it wanted to be. there are so many ideas being introduced. wealth and class, motherhood and the loss of bodily autonomy, the ways women can become dependent on men for safety and security. debatably, yolanda being a dumb (just so so dumb) bitch is also a plot point but her characterization is so multilayered i just don’t even want to get into that.

i think i was left with the feeling that the vast majority of this book was basically a giant metaphor. and maybe that’s the point. there’s def something to be said for a story that is this deliberately grotesque and excessive.

i still have no fucking idea if i liked this. i think i found it fascinating. disgusting. occasionally ridiculous. definitely memorable. but i’m not sure those things add up to enjoyment. i still think it’s worth a read though.

also, good for her!!!! (???)

content & trigger warnings:
★~ cw/tw // can be seen as spoilers

abandonment, abortion, abuse, ableism, amputation, animal cruelty, animal death, homophobia, blood, body horror, body shaming, cannibalism, cheating, child death, child murder, fatphobia, gore, gried, grooming, incest, injury (detailed), internalized misogyny, miscarriage, misogyny, violence, vomit, descriptions of childbirth

☆ thank you brenda latorre & creature publishing for my gifted advanced book copy. all my reviews are my own opinion.

[kienn]

mexican horror with brujas and body horror and LAYING EGGS?? monstrous motherhood.... SIGN ME UP!!! thank you for the arc!!

a tale steeped in feminine rage, the horrors of womanhood, the horrors of motherhood... a book that challenges and pushes the boundaries of feminist horror and is absolutely revolting
Yolanda... she is the protagonist that believes she deserves more, and pursues it. she is very flawed and not meant to be likeable.. as a result of her trauma and her traumatic motherhood she does and thinks reprehensible things and justifies them in ways that remove herself from the blame... caught in an endless cycle of suffering and struggle and pain, meanwhile clinging on to hope and humanity
the ritual scene was excellent and made me writhe. the body horror is gruesome and filthy, the imagery striking. i enjoyed how the horrors unfolded, though the gore is more of a mirror reflecting others, in that expectations were subverted where the True horror is the slow rot of the family
there are a few queer characters... though there are some of the predictable outcomes and i felt them somewhat dismissed, they remain different a prominent thread throughout
some predictable turns.. and sometimes the characters contradict themselves or fail to take sensible actions... with their trauma and the surreal and absurd style they underreact often.. but it does add to the feverish quality and the almost gothic dread and rot
i love the weird and the grotesque, alot of the imagery will stick with me, just some aspects of the characters and writing didn't work out for me, the sprinkling of spanish wasn't always smooth and certain elements felt out of place
this is a very burdensome read... a horror that weighs on you and imprints an odor... Very weird and Very WTF. definitely need to be in the right headspace for this one
if you liked mexican gothic but wanted it to be adult and revoltingly worse... pick up Bruja's Nest

🔪 feminine rage
🫀 feminist horror and bodily autonomy
🩸 horrors of motherhood
🥚 fertility ritual and birthing an egg
🐦‍⬛ monstrous child
🕸️ brujas

cw: incest by sa, briefly at the start, leaving the mc traumatized, in addition to more instances of issues regarding consent... many heavy topics, definitely consult the content warnings

[ishi]

Bruja’s Nest is a book that readers are going to either love or completely hate - i mean that in a good way. I can respect a massive swing and a miss far more than I can respect something that didn't try at all.

The plot centers on Yolanda, who's trying to escape a history of poverty and abuse. She takes a job as an indentured servant at the Fernández De la Rosa estate with a single goal: trick the son into getting her pregnant so she can secure her status as the lady of the house.

​The strongest aspect of the book is Yolanda's perspective. She is a highly delusional protagonist who treats her life as if she is starring in a telenovela. Her delusion collides with actual body horror when she witnesses and is horrified by a local Bruja's fertility ritual, resulting in Yolanda delivering a massive egg. The creature that hatches is a completely unique monster that I haven't really seen before in the genre it operates as a monstrous reflection of the terrible circumstances that gave him life.

​The hacienda where Yolanda was promised a permanent home turns out to be full of blasphemies, secrets, family trauma, and literal bodies. The family she tied herself to is loyal only to wealth and power, and they find her beloved son completely unacceptable. The narrative tackles class war and monstrous motherhood head-on as Yolanda decides she will do anything to protect them both, believing it's just a matter of earning her place.

​The only real downside is the final act. After such a strong, unapologetic buildup of body horror and family secrets, the ending was rushed and needed a bit of refinement to fully stick the landing. But if you want a brutal story about a delusional protagonist clawing her way up in a hostile, wealthy household, this delivers exactly what it promises.

It's a nasty, disgusting horror book that leans heavily into body horror. Absolutely delivers what it promised.

[Lune At]

Thank you NetGally and Creature publishing for this ARC.

I quite liked the premise of this story. I am a big horror fan and I was in the mood for something spooky after I’d had some personal health problems that took most of my energy.
I liked the atmosphere and the setting. And I really liked the town in which this story took place. Time stood still there. Making it all the more eerie. The writing was easy to read and the pacing was quick which I really appreciated.

Unfortunately I really didn’t like the characters. For me they didn’t feel well rounded. And the decisions they made felt strange and sometimes plainly illogical. Now of course we are all human, and we are flawed. But the decisions Yolanda made didn’t make any sense to me in the context of the story. It all felt like one big puppet show in which none of the characters were strong enough to support the horror of the story. I just wanted more in debt conversations about the magic, motherhood, opportunities and the lack there of. But I didn’t care enough about the characters. They were not established and well rounded so, they didn’t feel alive.
Which is a shame because the horror element I really liked. It was well done, gross at times and it had a purpose.
I quite disliked the main character if I am honest. Which was the purpose. But she felt a little too one dimensional for me despite the enormous mental journey she goes through.

This just wasn’t for me. It didn’t have the slow buildup I prefer in my stories. So, if you want a quick, horror read, you should definitely pick this one up. It’s atmospheric and perfect for fall. And if you like unlikable characters, you should definitely pick this one up.

[nessou]

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This book is a body horror novel and, from my understanding, a Hispanic retelling of Rosemary’s Baby. The main character, Yolanda, is a young woman forced to work in a wealthy household by her own mother following a traumatic experience with her brother, where she makes a desperate bargain with a bruja to secure her place there through a fertility spell. It’s a dark premise that the story fully commits to.

The story takes a little while to get started, but once it does, the plot builds quickly and pulls you in, I couldn’t put it down at that point. The folklore elements (such as the witchcraft and everything around the Chupacabra) are some of the most compelling parts of the book, and the ritual scenes are written with a vividness that makes them genuinely unsettling.

I’ll admit that Yolanda is not an easy character to root for, but she is a fascinating one nonetheless. She’s a woman navigating an impossible situation on her own terms, refusing to let her circumstances define her entirely. As I previously said in other reviews, I support women’s rights but most importantly women’s wrongs!!!

The writing style has some room to develop, but the story itself is gripping enough to carry it. I initially gave it 3.5/5 stars because I thought it was a slow beginning and sometimes the writing lost me but rounded it up to 4 because I really liked the concept, the overall plot and how insanely delusional Yolanda is. She might be irritating at times because of her poor decision-making skills and selfishness but it was still super funny to read her twisted inner monologue.

[Annelise]

After being caught in a sexual situation with her brother, Yolanda's mother sends her away to a hacienda in the country to work as a domestic servant. Fueled by her love of telenovas, Yolanda's plan is simple--fall pregnant with the master's son's child and become the hacienda's Senora. Unfortunately, Valentin is gay and interested in another servant, so she contacts the town's bruja for help. The spell that the bruja casts results in her laying an egg, which hatches into a beaked infant that craves blood.

'Bruja's Nest' is gruesome, ruthless and as filled with juicy drama as the telenovas that inspire its protagonist. While Yolanda's abusive background is tragic, her social climbing and willingness to throw anyone else under the bus to get what she wants make her less sympathetic. She's terrible, but she's a fully realized character who is undeniably fun to follow around in this gross tale.

And goodness, how gross it is! Between rooster hearts being shoved into orifices and descriptions of rotting limbs, this book isn't for the faint of heart. Yolanda's baby, Panchito, is truly disturbing, but is also a strangely endearing character. The way he's described is horrific (especially since he still has human flesh covering his beak and legs!), but his actions show that there is more to him than being a bloodthirsty monster. Yolanda might be.a difficult to love character, but Panchito's love is unconditional.

'Bruja's Nest' is an incredibly enjoyable debut, with enough strangeness and fun plot beats that it's hard to put down. I'm excited for what Brenda LaTorre writes next!

[Stormie Barton]

OMG. Hold on for one second. I was NOT anticipating the absolute wildness that is this book! Complete 5/5 stars for me. Unhinged, wrathful, and gory!

In Bruja’s Nest we follow Yolanda, a young woman, who has recently been kicked out of her Mother’s residence and sent to a hacienda as an indentured servant.

Okay, so , the events leading up to Yolanda getting sent to the hacienda are ATROCIOUS. Holy guacamole spread all over Batman. Shooketh. Some folks might not be able to make it out of the first few chapters if certain topics are too triggering. While completely shocking, that is life. It is horrible, ugly, and oftentimes looks just like Yolanda’s POV.

Yolanda is an unlikeable character in the most basest sense. She believes she is special, beautiful, unique, and deserves the world on a silver platter while believing that seduction is her only form of wit and protection. Then she enters the hacienda with the belief that she will win over the men and become someone of importance.

Eventually Yolanda finds herself at the local bruja’s house inquiring about assistance with her desires. What ensues is pure madness.

Yolanda is pregnant. Yet this pregnancy is born of Santa Muerte sorcery and something is most certainly awry and not only do the residents of the hacienda know this, but so does the town’s inhabitants.

Ultimately this is a tale of misogyny and its impacts on women. While we are made to dislike Yolanda, she is result of her circumstances. This book asks one of the greatest questions: nature vs. nurture and protection vs. persecution.

Excellent, unique, wholly entertaining storytelling!

[Dayana Qistina]

Thanks to Netgalley and Creature Publishing for providing me with a digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Feminist horror stories are undeniably for the monstrous empaths, and Bruja’s Nest by Brenda LaTorre was likely to leave a dark impression for its bold approach to womanhood, maternal horror, and class mobility. I found the premise to be very appealing and on trend with how horror is being dominated by women. Yolanda, the main character, had every bit of a scream queen in her who refused to just be pretty and cry. If she was getting outsmarted from achieving her dreams, she would do it ugly, and Yolanda did just that, but there are a few parts that I wish she did more, or the buildup of her character would be just hit or miss for the rest of the story. Honestly, her unhinged self was what carried me through, and it was fun being in her brain. However, the premise just fell off in the second half. I found the character dynamics between Yolanda and Panchito were confusing. I couldn’t really grasp what she felt towards Panchito, and it affected the entire reading experience because it’s difficult for me to morally understand her. It reduced Yolanda to nothing but her own self when all I wanted was to feel her. Overall, this book has a lot of potential, more of the positive aspects than negative ones. It was not bad; it was not great either. I do wish that this book were marketed differently, perhaps in its own voice and language, so there’s more room for readers to meet Yolanda.

Actual rating: 3.25

[Maricruz Ramirez]

Thank you to NetGalley and Creature Publishing for this ARC.

Bruja’s Nest by Brenda LaTorre is a bleak and disturbing horror story that throws you into its uncomfortable atmosphere pretty much from the start. Readers who enjoy body horror, gothic settings, and stories with odd, chaotic vibes will probably find a lot to appreciate here. It’s definitely an uncomfortable read, so I’d recommend checking the trigger warnings beforehand.

One thing I struggled with was the characters. I didn’t find any of them particularly likable, which isn’t necessarily a problem on its own. My issue was that I couldn’t quite tell whether this was intentional or whether I was supposed to root for or connect with certain characters. That said, Yolanda is a fascinating protagonist precisely because she is so complicated. I disagreed with pretty much every decision she made (like, absolutely every single one), but I appreciated that she wasn’t written as a straightforward or easily understood female character.

I also really enjoyed the inclusion of Mexican culture, particularly the references to telenovelas and brujería/witchcraft. Those elements added another layer to the story and were some of the aspects I found most interesting.

I wouldn’t necessarily say that I enjoyed this book, but I also never felt bored or particularly wanted to put it down, if that makes sense. It’s a quick read, and despite how bleak and disturbing it gets, there was enough happening to keep me curious about where the story was going.

[Caitlin Theroux]

Thanks to NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for an honest review!

What happens when a young woman is mistreated by everyone in her life, blamed for the mistreatment, and then sent away to work her ass off as a servant rather than someone helping her survive and heal? You get a book like Bruja's Nest.

Yolanda idolizes a character in the telenovela she loves, and when she's sent to work for an inarguably crappy family, she decides that she is going to become the next matriarch of this house by marrying the son set to inherit, Valentin. One way or another, she'll do it.

How does she go about securing her place as Señora? Well, with the help of the local bruja, of course! So in this teensy little town, Yolanda decides, "Screw it. I'mma get my share." She doesn't leave Cesarea alone until the bruja decides that fine, she'll help the young'un get what she wants.

And boy, does it go poorly.

I want to say more, but at the same time, you really should go into this one without knowing too much beforehand. One of the strengths in this horror novel is the WTF moments. It's hard to catch me off guard, but Brenda LaTorre does a pretty dang good job of throwing in a few haymakers. This is female-driven horror sharpened to a fine point. (Especially in how women's bodies are dismissed, abused, and taken for granted at a WILD rate.)

Pick it up. Read it before bed. I promise you'll get the shivers.

[Fatima]

Phew!! I cannot beging to express the rollercoaster of feelings this book made me go through. 3.5 stars for me.

Let me say thank you to NetGalley and Creature Publishers for the chance to arc. These are my thoughts and honest review.

Listen, I'll be honest you'll dislike the main character. Yolanda is a nineteen year old who has gone through abuse from her family, unwanted by her mother, shaped by her environment, wanting a better life for herself, and thinking that her life would be like a telenovela (soap opera) Her goal is to be the señora of the house and to have the riches she deserves. Unfortunately things aren't always what they seem and they don't always go according to plan.

The story is a slow build up and possibly hard to get through as the story picks up towards the middle/end. There's magic realism, body horror, Santa muerte devotion, and a naive outlook from Yolanda who seeks a better life. Not to mention the gasp, and cringe moments Yolanda goes through as she experiences the birth of her son, her feeding him, and the lengths of accepting what he is and the reality that he will never be normal. I enjoyed the horror elements (even if I gasped and cringed) enjoyed the motherhood element and the lengths Yolanda went to protect her child. Even if it wasn't what she should of done.

Check your trigger warnings with this one.. As there topics that one might not like.