The Ghosts of Rancho Espanto

by Adrianna Cuevas

A new middle grade contemporary fantasy from Adrianna Cuevas ― author of the Pura Belpré Honor Book The Total Eclipse of Nestor Lopez ― about a Cuban American boy who's sent to work on a ranch as punishment for a school prank gone wrong, where's he's confronted with a mystery as inexplicable as it is familiar and discovers that uncovering secrets will lead to learning hard truths about himself, told with Adrianna's signature self-deprecating humor.

Rafa would rather live in the world of The Forgotten Age, his favorite fantasy role-playing game, than face his father’s increasing restrictions and his mother’s fading presence. But when Rafa and his friends decide to take the game out into the real world and steal their school cafeteria's slushie machine, his dad concocts a punishment Rafa never could’ve imagined―a month working on a ranch in New Mexico, far away from his friends, their game, and his mom’s quesitos in Miami.

Life at Rancho Espanto isn’t as bad as Rafa initially expected, mostly due to Jennie, a new friend with similarly strong opinions about Cuban and Korean snacks, and Marcus, the veteran barn manager who's not as gruff as he appears. But when Rafa's work at the ranch is inexplicably sabotaged by a man (or a ghost) who may not be what he seems, Rafa and Jennie explore what's behind the strange events at Rancho Espanto―and discover that the greatest mystery may have been with Rafa all along.

Genres: Middle Grade, Mystery, Fantasy, Time Travel, Science Fiction, Childrens, Audiobook

295 pages, Hardcover

First published April 4, 2023

About the author

Adrianna Cuevas is a first-generation Cuban-American originally from Miami, Florida. A Spanish, ESOL and TOEFL teacher, Adrianna currently resides in Austin, Texas with her husband and son. When not working with TOEFL students, wrangling multiple pets including an axolotl, and practicing fencing with her son, she is writing her next middle grade novel.

Reviews

[Julie · Rating 5 out of 5]

My official review!

"The Ghosts of Rancho Espanto is funny, moving, and heartwarming. Adrianna Cuevas deftly weaves together friendship and mystery in a tale that is not just about the ghosts of the departed, but also of love, loss, and lingering grief. Her writing shines with a wry touch of humor, and Rafa is a delightful protagonist!"

[Shirley Ruiz · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was not prepared for the way this book tugged at my heart Pollito? Are you kidding me 😭 Such a great combination of spookiness with friendship, humor, and love.

[Beth · Rating 4 out of 5]

The cover is a bit deceiving. This isn’t a ghost story, it’s a mystery that takes place as a Florida kid is acclimating to life on a New Mexican ranch. There is pathos: a sick mom, a friend mourning her father, a vet battling ptsd, there are strange occurrences from an occasionally invisible man to green chiles losing their spice, and there is grappling with fate and opportunity.

[Dawn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rafa and his besties love to play a dungeons and dragons-esque game to pass the time, and he needs the distraction, since his mom has been diagnosed with cancer and is not doing well. But when they try to bring a mission (stealing a slurpee machine) to the real world, they get caught, and Rafa gets shipped off to a New Mexican ranch owned by a friend of his dad.

Rafa tries to make the most of ranch life, befriending the horse minder (a veteran who suffers from PTSD) and the daughter of the librarian (a girl his age who is still struggling with the death of her father). But weird things start happening almost as soon as Rafa arrives, and things get worse when he starts being blamed for these odd incidents. Rafa thinks he is being haunted by a ghost from ranch folklore who no one else can see and who is always yelling that Rafa doesn't belong there. Things get a LOT weirder before Rafa finally figures out the truth.

I really liked this book (audiobook was also well done), but it could be hard to recommend. It's cover and description make it seem like a spooky ghost story, but the many plot twists end up twisting away from ghosts and the spookiness is more about questioning life consequences than ghost hunting. But you also can't explain what the book is actually about without ruining the twists!

The "ghost" is actually Rafa from the future who has discovered time travel and decides to go back in time to see his mother one more time before she dies. Unfortunately, he is tethered to the present Rafa, so he ends up in New Mexico, instead of Miami, and so he doesn't get to meet his mom (except via videochat) before he travels back to his time. Also, future Rafa's mom and present Rafa's mom have different occupations, so they are living in different timelines, which is extra confusing, but does give some hope that maybe present Rafa's mom won't die as soon as future Rafa's mom did. I really felt for poor Jennie, who had her mom transform into a different person. Such a freaky thing to think about!

[Andrea Beatriz Arango]

Well. I finished this one on audio while doing some driving this past weekend and ended up crying on the highway 🤣.

Yes, there are many funny discussions on whether Cuban or Korean snacks are superior. Yes, there are spooky hijinks like color-changing horses and language-switching books. And yes, there is loads of d&d-like content. BUT also there is one kid with a dead dad and one with a sick mom sooooo.... The grief stuff is kinda everywhere too.

(If you read this one, did you cry during that one library computer scene at the end? Cause that's the one that did me in 🥲.)

Anyways, this is definitely another winner by Adrianna, and I'm not just saying that cause of all the horses. (Mostly 👀.) I think a lot of kids will enjoy the mystery at its center, and for those thinking about the audio, Anthony Rey Pérez does an excellent job narrating.

Highly recommend ✨

[Christina · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Ghosts of Rancho Espanto is filled with mystery, humor, unexpected twists and turns, and unexpected moments of exploring grief of past things, future things and everything in between.

It made me laugh, but it also made me cry big time. The climax is a fantastic ride and the conclusion is sweet.

A grief warning of sorts-it may cause extra emotion for anyone who has lost a parent! While I was an adult and it was my mother-in-law, hearing news of cancer and seeing someone being taken away by it is excruciating and my husband has never been quite the same after. I can't imagine it being my own mother. While there is a tiny bit of hope for Rafa's mom at the end, the way it went for some others brought back all those sad feelings and made me cry even more than I might normally. It's a difficult situation to face!

[Maritere Rodriguez Bellas · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Ghosts of Rancho Espanto is an engaging, smart, descriptive, I want more kind of book! I couldn't put it down! Adrianna Cuevas does an amazing job at keeping the readers excited at the story of a Cuban American boy and his adventures in a New Mexico ranch. The book has it all, friendship, mystery, humor, culture, love. Highly recommended for middle-graders and up!

[Charlotte · Rating 5 out of 5]

a really fun mg time travel with lots of twists and lots of heart.

[Sasha · Rating 4 out of 5]

I didn't read anything about this book before I picked it up. I was surprised by the genre, but was happy to have picked it up.
It deals with some tough things, but with enough whimsy and heart to make it not drag.
The sci-fi aspect caught me off guard but it was done well. Not so sciencey so it takes you out of the story, but enough to make the plot plausible.
Would I rec to a kid? yes, one with a lot of empathy
Would I read another by this author? yes

[Candice · Rating 5 out of 5]

What is really haunting Rafa?

-the regret of a stolen slushie machine?
-spicy green peppers?
-his mom's quesitos?

something else I never saw coming?

With RPGs, healing with PTSD, and friendship, this middle grade has it all--depth of emotion, adventure, and lots of fun snacks.

[TheNextGenLibrarian · Rating 5 out of 5]

The perfect book to highlight for #latinxheritagemonth & spooky season!
👻
When Rafa and his friends conspire to steal the slushee machine from the school cafeteria, his dad banishes him to New Mexico to Rancho Espano (Terror Ranch). That’s actually fine with Rafa since his mother is sick and the air feels so heavy in Miami, he can’t breathe. But once he gets to the ranch for scientists and artists, weird things start happening. Rafa, along with his new friend, Jennie, begin exploring what (or who) is causing these things to happen. What he discovers impacts his future forever.
🐎
Oh, my heart! @adriannacuevas is one of my favorite MG authors so I’m always hoping to grab an ARC of her novels so when I could get my hands on this one, I jumped at the chance. Cuevas created something so special with this book that is part paranormal, part mystery, part sci-fi, part historical-fiction, part adventure, and a whole lot of love. Books that defy genre always end up being my favorite and this one definitely fit the bill. I can’t wait until this #novel is out in the world April 4 so I can recommend it to so many students. Be sure to read the Author’s Note at the end. *On a personal note some faves include: Korean snacks/language, Cuban recipes, a love of librarians and graphic novels & the hope for a female President! This is one of my top reads of 2022!

CW: death of a parent, cancer, vomit, grief

[Melissa · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cuban American Rafa and his friends planned to end sixth grade with an epic prank based on their fantasy role-playing game. What Rafa got was an epic fail and a one-way ticket to spend the summer working on a ranch in New Mexico. There, amidst the horse poop, dust, and spiders, he teams up with Korean American Jennie, whose vibrant energy matches Rafa’s colorful imagination. Can the pair get to the bottom of the supernatural changes afflicting the aptly named terror ranch? The friendship feels real and the pair’s connection to the African American disabled vet who runs the stable is affecting. What doesn’t work well is the goofy mishmash of supernatural occurrences that feels more Scooby Doo than middle grade. Equally unbelievable is a pivotal fifty-two-year-old character who behaves and sounds like a twelve-year-old, and adults who unquestioningly believe serious allegations from a random stranger. Thanks to Farrar, Straus & Giroux and NetGalley for an ARC in return for an honest review.

[Ms. Yingling · Rating 3 out of 5]

E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus

Rafa and his friends Beto and Yesi in Miami are heavily investsed in the role playing game The Forgotten Age, and at the end of the school year decide to take their adventures into the real world by stealing the slushie machine from the school cafeteria. They're caught, of course, and Rafa's father decides to forego the usual punishments of taking away Rafa's electronic's, and sends him away to his friend's ranch in New Mexico. Jonas, the director, knew his father at the Univeristy of Miami, and agrees to have Rafa work with him. There is another reason that Rafa's father might want to send him away; Rafa's mother is fighting multiple myeloma. Right away, Rafa meets Jennie Kim, whose mother is the ranch librarian, and whose father was a college history professor before he passed away. Rafa doesn't mind feeding the horses and mucking out stalls, but something is not right on the ranch. He keeps seeing a man in a green sweater around the ranch, and things start to go wrong. The Gearheart brothers cooking is making people sick, cows are disappearing, paintings change, and even Jennie's hoodies are affected-- they no longer have the names of universities she knows on them. Rafa and Jennie try to research different ghosts from the area, but have no luck. Finally, they meet someone who has the clue to the mystery, but is it believable? Rafa and Jennie must then work to make things right without jeopardizing their future.
Strengths: Rafa's interest in an RPG was intriguing, and I liked how the game details were sometimes woven into the story. I also appreciated that his father sent him away to work after he tried to steal something! It was good for him to have a sidekick at the ranch, and Jennie is a calmer and more focused foil for his frenetic attempts at investigating. There is a lot of cultural connections to Rafa's family, and some Spanish words sprinkled through the story. The ghostly mischief is amusing, and this took an enormous twist that I definitely didn't see and don't want to ruin. Slight spoiler: this is really more of a time travel story than a ghost one!
Weaknesses: The cover is a little dark and vague, and it's not quite the flavor of ghost story my students request.
What I really think: This is a good choice for readers who like books with magical realism like this author's The Total Eclipse of Nestor Lopez or Urban's Almost Here and Almost Not.

[John · Rating 3 out of 5]

I wasn't a fan of this, but I'm going with 3 stars over 2 because I do think there is a good story here, but I might be missing something, the wrong reader, or something like this. Personally, the writing was not engaging and I didn't really get what the character was supposed to learn. Rafa also read a bit mature for his age, which was fine, except sometimes he would randomly act a lot younger for a line or two and that was a bit jarring.

The story is about Rafa. His mom is sick and father is distant while taking care of her. He spends a lot of time playing a role playing game, but gets in trouble trying to steal something IRL and gets sent to a ranch. While the title makes it sound like a ghost story, that's not really what it is - it's more a mystery, at least for the first half, where things are going wrong at the ranch and Rafa is getting blamed. The mystery element gets resolved pretty early in the book and it kind of becomes a different story. Without spoilers, I do think the second half had a lot of contrived conflict and the story wasn't really going anywhere.

By the end of the story, though, I was left wondering what was the point of it all. The mom being sick is central to the story, but she's in the book so little there's not much connection between her and Rafa. I think what Rafa is learning is that he needs to spend time with her, but I didn't get the sense he was avoiding her - he didn't want to go to the ranch, after all. Of maybe it was about learning to enjoy the ranch and make friends, but that was only a theme in the first half. And the ending was legitimately confusing, going on about how choices can lead to different outcomes, but since the ending didn't tell me what the character was going to choose, I didn't really the point. Usually, when I finish a story, I at least know what it was supposed to be about, but not with this one. But, maybe I just missed something and this will resonate with someone who has a sick loved one in their life.

As a final note, I wasn't a big fan of the table top role playing game stuff. I've been playing TTRPG's for 10 years and the author's portrayal of a TTRPG nerd felt off. She wasn't malicious or anything, but it did feel like she was writing off of stereotypes - it felt like someone who knew people who liked TTRPG's doing their best.

[Kokoro · Rating 3 out of 5]

:::::::::: ES POSIBLE LO EDITE MAÑANA :::::::::::::::

Hay varios tipos de fantasmas en el rancho; los de índole sobrenatural, los fraudulentos, y los personales siendo estos los más abundantes y peligrosos.

El protagonista, Rafa, quien intenta evadir su ansiedad y la realidad causada por una situación familiar. Marcus, el caballerango que lucha contra su trastorno de estrés postraumático. Jennie y su madre, quienes no encuentran consuelo tras una perdida.

Creo la autora da un buen mensaje en lograr seguir adelante, con esperanza en unos casos y fortaleza en otros, tanto con la ayuda de profesionales como de familia y amigos.

Me gustó leer sobre la comida y bebidas cubanas mencionadas.

Inicialmente sufrí con el “ño” ya que esta interjección pues su traducción depende del contexto en el que se usa, al final me rendí y no intentaba darle un significado.

Soy fan de Marcus.

Si bien deduje lo que ocurría con cierto personaje, no vi venir lo dicho en un intercambio de palabras entre este y Rafa. Fue todo un giro de tuerca inesperado y agradable de leer así como la explicación del porque ocurrió. Bien hecho autora.

Los capítulos son cortos, el lenguaje utilizado por la autora es sencillo.

Lo anterior representa lo que me gustó, en tanto lo que no me agradó del todo fue:

El fanatismo de Rafa por el juego de rol, lo usa para casi todo incluyendo relacionarse con otros personajes así como para toma de decisiones. Me gustó “ese” personaje le reclamara dicha obsesión pero, aun así continua.

El hábito de casi todos los personajes por guiñar el ojo.

La forma de hablar tan exagerada de Rafa y en especial de Jennie. ¿En serio así hablan los de su edad en la vida real?

La poca cantidad de fantasmas sobrenaturales.

Resumiendo, una historia entretenida que tiende más hacia la ciencia ficción que lo sobrenatural en la cual se muestra que para buscar un cambio primero debemos aceptar que lo necesitamos.

“Anything broken can be fixed. It may not look exactly like it did before, but it’ll be its own version of whole.”
Mamá de Rafa.

[Gabrielle Stoller · Rating 2 out of 5]

I have many feelings about this book.

Firstly, I dislike magical realism. I like realistic fiction. I like books with magical elements. But when you start throwing in wormholes and alternative (or are they?) realities and timelines, I'm just not a fan. I was hoping we would stick with the ghosts/supernatural elements of the story.

The highlighting of both Cuban and Korean culture was brilliant. I think it's important to show different ethnicities of people working so well together as both Rafa and Jennie do in this book. From the various different languages spoken, to the homage to popular snacks, readers will learn a lot about each group of people.

The Ghosts of Rancho Espanto has a lot of difficult themes lying under the surface, not the least of which is Rafa's mom dying of cancer. How this, death of a parent, and a soldier recovering from PTSD is addressed was one of enlightening normalcy. All of the human emotions found were present; no political messages were sent. The storyline was about grief and how the ripples effect us. You can't look past that.

It's unknown if Unknown Timeline Rafa and our character Rafa's final outcome with their mom is one and the same. The sadness of impending death does loom over the story. You feel the pain. And you know what, kids live with that also. So it is okay. <\spoiler>

So why is it a two?? It's due to the genre. That made this book just okay.

[Angie · Rating 3 out of 5]

If I could give half stars, this one would get 3.5 stars overall. Definitely a fun, exciting read.

I really enjoyed The Total Eclipse of Nestor Lopez so I was thrilled to get an advanced reader copy of Adrianna Cuevas's newest middle grade book (Thank you Macmillian Children’s Publishing and Netgalley)! My students are always asking for horror fiction and ghost stories, so I was particularly excited to get my hands on what I thought would be a good fit for those requests. There's definitely an aspect of creepy in this book, but it's more in the form of suspense and mystery, and less in the spooky paranormal. This book crosses several genres, fitting comfortably in mystery, magical realism, adventure, science fiction and finally ghost stories. It has plenty of humor, great relationships, real life challenges and real life consequences. Fun, interesting characters throughout the story. Jennie Kim was my favorite, and I loved the mix of Korean and Cuban culture brought about by her friendship with Rafa. This book wasn't quite what I expected and definitely had its share of twists and surprises. It kept me reading and engaged and I would have no hesitation recommending it to my students.

[Deke Moulton · Rating 5 out of 5]

I cannot even kvell enough about this book. It's got so much heart and humor and excitement (and seriously I was stumped about what was going on, so the mystery was so well done and untangled at the perfect pace). I loved every single character. Rafa was understandable as he struggled through a lot of unfortunate circumstances. Jeannie was hilarious and her over-wordiness was so well done and devastatingly real. Marcus was so awesome as a veteran character with PTSD who was not used as a 'teaching lesson' or 'inspiration' - let me tell you what a relief it is that no character arc in this book revolves around 'fixing' a perceived deficiency in their lives, but about learning how to lean on and rely on others to be there for you when you struggle. Cannot even say how glad I am to have picked up this book (I'm a huge fan of books that take place in real life places, and now I really want to visit Rancho Espanto, although the universe altering things had better not happened and I will probably not dare set foot in the prayer labyrinth, I will, however, be very interested to try the cooking).

HIGHLY HIGHLY HIGHLY recommended!

[Teresa · Rating 5 out of 5]

EDGAR WINNER 2024
Rafa is shipped off to a ranch in NM, run by his dad's old friend, after a D&D-type prank involving the slushie machine at school--he and his bFFs have been running quests IRL. His. mom is fighting cancer, and his dad can't cope.
The ranch, based on a real place that supports artists AND archeological and scientific research, is in the middle of nowhere. Rafa is supposed to help with the horses, but from the moment he gets there, someone seems to be stalking him/framing him for mishaps--a ghost of the nefarious brothers who ran it centuries ago? Then a horse changes color, palm trees appear, books in the library change--what is going on??
This is more fantasy than mystery, but there IS a mystery.
The author was a librarian at the real Ghost Ranch. Descriptions are vivid and suspenseful, Rafa is very likeable, and his fear and pain about his mom's prognosis is real. His friend Jennie (librarian's daighter) is loyal and funny (which culture has the best snacks: PR or Korea?) and Marcus, who runs the stable, suffers from PTSD but is kind and understanding, after a rough start. What Rafa learns at the ranch will help him cope with whatever is going to happen.

[Christine Letizia · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the third book I've read by the talented Adrianna Cuevas. The Total Eclipse of Nestor Lopez and Cuba in my Pocket were very different books from The Ghosts of Rancho Espanto, but they each capture the genuine struggles of preteens and their very real challenges with changing family dynamics.

The Ghosts of Rancho Espanto ranges from spooky to sci-fi but at it's core, it is a heartfelt story about a boy dealing with his mom's sickness. This book explores how far-reaching grief can be for kids and adults alike. But this is a story of hope and building relationships rather than losing them.

I really enjoyed how Rafa's world perception is colored by his obsession with his role-playing game, The Forgotten Age. His wonderful imagination helps him connect to others and make sense of the world around him. I also found his growing friendships with Jennie and Marcus to be my favorite parts of the book. Their comradery and honest emotions were beautifully written.

This was definitely another gem by Adrianna Cuevas!

[Hope Hunter · Rating 3 out of 5]

Rafa's dealing with a lot: his beloved mother is suffering from cancer and his father is working harder and longer hours while expecting Rafa to help care for her more and more. Rafa and his friends have a burst of immaturity and make the decision to steal a slushie machine from the school cafeteria. This choice - because of course they were caught - landed him at an artist's retreat ranch for the summer. Out of touch with his friends and favorite role playing game due to no internet connection, Rafa is forced to help the gruff ranch hand and hang with Jennie, the opinionated and eternally happy daughter of the ranch librarian. A spirit begins haunting Rafa, causing the ranch adults to blame him for several incidents he did not cause.

Good ghost story that will definitely find its fair share of readers. For me, there was a lot going on in this story and it was a bit difficult to wrap my head around the "spoiler," and explanation of the "ghost." I'm going to be interested to see what kids do with this book and their thoughts and opinions on said spoiler.

[Stacey · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of my favorite books of the year. Adrianna Cuevas does a marvelous job of layering many different elements in this story. The setting in the New Mexico desert is beautiful but a bit eerie, its isolation allows for beautiful friendships to form among various characters. This book kept me guessing all the way through. I had no idea who the "ghosts" were until near the end and I loved how it wrapped up. Adrianna Cuevas does a masterful job of capturing the spirit and mindset of teens and the dynamic between the MC and his ailing Mother made me cry but was also very sweet.
Cuevas took on two topics that are not very often tackled in middle grade lit - lingering grief and PTSD and she did so with a perfect touch. I have already recommended this to three students (just put it on the shelf 2 weeks ago) and they LOVED it. Grades 5+ and up. Many thanks to @fsgbooks and @netgalley for the ARC

[Jamie Henry · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rafa spends his time with his friends playing the table-top roleplaying game, The Forgotten Age, to escape the anxiety and grief of his mothers illness. A prank with a slushie machine and the game goes wrong sending Rafa to Rancho Espanto in New Mexico for a month to learn from his mistakes. Things on the ranch are not always what they seem - a ghost, things changing into something different - but Rafa finds a new friend and learns how to care for horses under a veteran suffering from PTSD. Things get even stranger and Rafa and his new friend, Jenny, try to find out what the truth is. There is action and horror and science-fiction mixed in with the fantasy of the RPG. Rafa's narration is unique and creative and the tricks he had to help him deal with his anxiety feel very real. The descriptions of New Mexico, how to care for horses, the RPG scenarios help bring readers deeper into the book without losing the anxiety, grief, and PTSD.

[Rebecca Shelton · Rating 3 out of 5]

"The Ghosts of Rancho Espanto" follows Rafa, a boy who prefers the fantastical world of his favorite role-playing game to the realities of his home life. When he and his friends steal a slushee machine from their school cafeteria as part of a playful adventure, his dad enforces an unexpected punishment—sending him to work on a ranch in New Mexico for a month. Although Rafa initially dreads the experience, he soon befriends Jennie, a fellow snack enthusiast, and Marcus, the ranch's barn manager. But strange things start happening at Rancho Espanto, leading Rafa to uncover mysteries he never imagined.

The novel is well written with an engaging plot and charming characters. The friendships and personal growth Rafa experiences are heartwarming, and the spooky elements add a fun twist to the story. However, while it was a cute read, nothing particularly stood out to me to make it a memorable or standout book in its genre.

[Chandler Taylor · Rating 3 out of 5]

On the last day of sixth grade, 12-year-old Rafa and his friends, Beto and Yesi, decide to take their RPG characters on a real adventure - which turns into real trouble for them at school. With his mom too sick to protest, Rafa’s dad sends him to an old cattle ranch in New Mexico for a month as punishment. As Rafa learns the ropes of Rancho Espanto, weird things start happening like horses changing color, green chiles losing their spiciness, and library books switching from English to Portuguese overnight. Did Rafa bring a curse with him to the ranch or did he awaken the ghost of the ranch’s former owner? More importantly, can he fix whatever is going on before it’s too late?

This book is full of surprises and maybe a few too many fart references. It is a love letter to Cuban snacks and the importance of memories and what we cherish as we go through the trials and tribulations of life.

[Carumbau · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rafa, our hero, is Cuban-American, as are both the author and myself. Rafa leaves Miami for New Mexico, just as I did when I was around his age. The author and I both live in the Austin area. So, lots of things in common for me to appreciate in this book.

When I was Rafa's age, however, I never would have held a girl's hand as often as he holds Jennie's.

Things at the Rancho get weirder and weirder, shifting from the paranormal (ghosts, haunted history) to sci-fi (time travel, parallel universe). The latter doesn't work as well. It's not so much science fiction as pseudo-science fantasy. It teaches the young reader that science is wild imagination with no need for internal consistency or correlation with reality. Come on, Cuevas: if you're going to bring science into it, do right by it.

[Terry Jennings · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dealing with a parent’s cancer can be devastating, but once again Adriana Cuevas validates a youngster’s experience, gives us a window into what a young person may feel while at the same time, weaving a wonderful yarn which keeps the reader riveted. What do the ghosts of Rancho Espanto actually want, and will they ever leave Rafa Alvarez alone? For me, the story’s setting was a bonus. It mimics the area of Ghost Ranch, near where Georgia O’Keefe made her home. I was familiar with the landscape and that made the book all the richer for me. Always in awe of how Adriana Cuevas can weave an important, even gut wrenching topic with a wonderful yarn. Thank you to the publisher for providing the advanced reader copy at NCTE.

[Larissa · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was odd. I will say it keeps the reader on their toes. I thought I had things figured out and then the book would take a very different direction. That being said, the message is a good one. Sometimes it is hard to accept things that seem like they are out of our power. When we are faced with possibly losing those that we love, it can be hard to know how you feel or where you fit in the world. It can feel like everything you once know, like the fact that a horse is a horse it can’t turn into a zebra, is just now upside down. I hurt knowing that Rafa was “banished” to a farm, taking him away from home. But I love the people and support he found.
Thank you so much to Macmillian Children’s Publishing and Netgalley for allowing me to read an advance copy of this title.

[Jeni Enjaian · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book. Right from the start, Cuevas gives such a unique voice to Rafa, a middle school age boy sent to a ranch after a school prank/adventure episode gone wrong. Rafa's love of a D + D like RPG weaves into the plot where things at the ranch start going wrong almost as soon as he arrives and also helps him make sense of his world which includes his mom's battle with cancer. Most of the side characters, except his dad and his dad's friend who owns the ranch, had their own voices and struggles which enhance the story as well. I even loved the ultimate explanation for the weirdness. I highly recommend this book and am now excited to read one of my SCASL (South Carolina Association of School Librarians Book Award) books written by the same author.

[Michelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

My first five-star rating of the year, and one that is well deserved. Based on what little I knew of the book going into it, I expected that I would love The Ghosts of Rancho Espanto, but it far exceeded my expectations (and absolutely broke my heart). I will definitely be introducing this book to my middle grade students. It's worth mentioning that this book is thematically very heavy, so if adding to a classroom or purchasing for a young reader, I would definitely recommend reading alongside your student(s).

What I loved:
- all of it, honestly
- diverse character representation
- mental health rep.
- the sweetest relationship between the protagonist and his mother
- the friendships
- the suspense' horror elements (middle grade appropriate)