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AudioBook information:
Author: Isabel CaƱas
Narrated by: Omar Leyva, Krysta Gonzales
Release date: September 29, 2026
Audiobook Duration: 8 h 19 min
Summary:Ā āThis is gothic storytelling with teeth: a lyrical and devastating tale of one maid caught in a spiderweb of loyalty, courage, revolution, and monsters both dead and alive.ā āMarissa Meyer, #1 New York Times bestselling author of The House Saphir
A stunning young adult debut from gothic master Isabel CaƱas, bestselling author of The Hacienda, Vampires of El Norte, and The Possession of Alba DĆaz.
Growing up in a city wracked by political violence and a home where sheās more likely to receive a beating than a meal, Minerva TreviƱoās cowardice has kept her alive for sixteen years. But even she has a limit. Hungry and desperate, she musters enough courage to run away and take a job as ladyās maid to a wealthy widow who supports the deposed viceroy.
Minerva is happy serving EncarnaciĆ³n del Valle. She has food in her belly and the safety of a warm house lit by magical chispa. Why should she care who runs the country or how her employer affords the magic?
When the viceroy sweeps back into power, Minerva retreats with her gleeful employer to the familyās mountainside stronghold to wait out the inevitable rebel slaughter. At la Casa de las Gardenias, Minerva faces new threats in the haughty servants and cruel, scheming del Valles.
But the living residents of the house are the least of her worries. As Minerva quickly discovers, the ancient estate is home to forces far older and more bloodthirsty than anything she could have imagined.
Reviews:
“This is gothic storytelling with teeth: a lyrical and devastating tale of one maid caught in a spiderweb of loyalty, courage, revolution, and monsters both dead and alive. Ygnacio and Minerva’s story will haunt you long after the last page is turned.” āMarissa Meyer, #1 NYT-bestselling author of The House Saphir
“Step into la Casa de las Gardenias if you dare! CaƱas has created a terrifying masterpiece and Minerva TreviƱo just became my new favorite gothic heroine. Full of unsettling politics, eerie atmosphere, and mysteries around every corner, this house will haunt readers long after the final page is turned.” āErin A. Craig, #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Thirteenth Child
“A hauntingly atmospheric Gothic read with dazzling prose and a heroine I would follow anywhereāeven into the darkness of the Casa de las Gardenias. Minerva believes she is weak and pitiable, dependent on others to care for her, until isolation forces her to discover an inner strength that crackles like chispa against the shadows threatening to consume her. Chilling, intimate, and steeped in dread, this is the kind of book you devour in a single sitting.ā
āRomina Garber, New York Times bestselling author of Lobizona
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“An immersive and mesmerizing YA debut…. Elegant depictions of a nationās struggle for democracy and chilling portrayals of class inequality result in a page-turning novel that exhilarates from start to finish.āāPW, starred review
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“The atmospheric worldbuilding and steadily mounting tension create a delicious genre-blended mix of gothic horror, historical fantasy, and anti-colonial fiction…. A brilliant novel with characters that linger long after the screams fade.”āKirkus, starred review
“A gripping historical horror novel sure to please both teens and adults. Highly recommended.”āSLJ
About the Author:
Isabel CaƱas is a Mexican American speculative fiction writer. After having lived in Mexico, Scotland, Egypt, Turkey, and New York City, among other places, she has settled in the Pacific Northwest. She holds a doctorate in Near Eastern Languages and Civilizations and writes fiction inspired by her research and her heritage. Her adult novels include The Hacienda, Vampires of El Norte, and The Possession of Alba DĆaz.