V. Castro: Mestiza Blood [Spotlight]
Weaves urban legend, folklore, life experience and heartache in this intimate anthology of modern horrors.
From the lauded author of The Queen of the Cicadas (which picked up starred reviews from PW, Kirkus, and Booklist who called her “a dynamic and innovative voice”) comes a short story collection of nightmares, dreams, desire and visions focused on the Chicana experience.
V.Castro weaves urban legend, folklore, life experience and heartache in this personal journey beginning in south Texas:
a bar where a devil dances the night away
a street fight in a neighborhood that may not have been a fight after all
a vengeful chola at the beginning of the apocalypse; mind swapping in the not so far future
the keys to Mictlan given to a woman after she dies during a pandemic
The collection finishes with two longer tales: The Final Porn Star is a twist on the final girl trope and slasher, with a creature from Mexican folklore; and Truck Stop is an erotic horror romance with two hearts: a video store and a truck stop.
Buy Mestiza Blood from Amazon.
“In the age of phony fiction, V. Castro is the voice of authenticity. Dark, atmospheric, sexy, and dangerous, her fiction brings readers her unfiltered Latinx essence and a unique pulpy flavor. Her work matters. Read it.”—Gabino Iglesias, author of Coyote Songs
“V. Castro writes like her blood is in the ink. If Castro’s not already on your radar, she should be.”—Christopher Golden, author of Ararat and Red Hands“Writing in breathtaking, atmospheric prose, Castro merges brutal realism and supernatural terror to create a fierce, memorable tale of Mexican folklore and horror.”—Publishers Weekly Starred Review
“For fans of gruesome, vengeance-themed horror that is deeply tied to its place and the marginalized identities of its protagonists.”—Becky Spratford, Literary Journal
“This collection will rip readers apart in the best way possible.”—Booklist Starred Review
