The Queen of the Cicadas

"In the age of phony fiction, V. Castro is the voice of authenticity; una voz que lucha por la igualdad. Dark, atmospheric, sexy, and dangerous, her fiction brings readers her unfiltered Latinx essence and a unique pulpy flavor. Her work matters. Read it."

"In The Queen of the Cicadas, there's a thin, bloody veil between worlds, the past isn't past at all, and you can feel your heart beating in the pages, the words pulsing with life. Touch them if you dare, and don't be surprised if they quiver into flight all around you."

“V. Castro writes like her blood is in the ink. Queen of the Cicadas is the best urban legend story since Candyman, layered and dark and hideously beautiful. It will get way under your skin. If Castro’s not already on your radar, she should be.”

"Writing in breathtaking, atmospheric prose, Castro (Hairspray and Switchblades) merges brutal realism and supernatural terror to create a fierce, memorable tale of Mexican folklore and horror."

"Castro's novel shifts seamlessly from deliciously gory horror narrative to family saga to a tale of righteous vengeance, all while maintaining its unflinching condemnation of colonialism on both sides of the Mexican-American border. A tightly paced story of anti-colonial resistance and shared history that begs to be read in one sitting."

"A riveting #ownvoices novel exploring Mexican folk tales and legends mingled with the history of Texas [...] Castro does not pull any punches. Readers seeking originality and a fresh take on well-worn horror tropes should pick up this novel by a dynamic and innovative voice in horror.

"The Queen of the Cicadas is a supremely creepy story that feels like it is creeping into the real world as it is being read."

“Layered and complex, this story takes a creepy urban legend, adds some supernatural horror and a healthy portion of feminist rage and serves it up as a satisfying dish of dark horror and vengeance."

“Queen of the Cicadas is an unnerving story that often blends the line between fiction and nonfiction. You get the horror of reality coupled seamlessly with the horror of a campfire tale. You’ll fidget and feel uncomfortable. You’ll hold your breath and feel electricity. V. Castro has a vivid imagination and a wonderful way with words, so you can bet this reader will be paying attention to anything with her name attached."

"Castro delivers an unflinching, honest, raw, and thought-provoking horror tale that is both serious in its social commentary and fun to read. For fans of gruesome, vengeance-themed horror that is deeply tied to its place and the marginalized identities of its protagonists"

"Castro’s expert storytelling upends classic horror tropes to make 'The Queen of the Cicadas' an exhilarating and frightening literary ride."

"A deliciously sinister story"

''Mexican-American author Violet Castro delivers a powerhouse horror novel with The Queen of the Cicadas [...]"

"A truly original and surprising work of fiction [...] plot descriptions don't do this debut novel justice as Castro weaves several familiar tropes from the slasher and ghost story sub-genres into a blood-drenched (literally) story of both personal and cultural reclamation."

"A keenly written work of suspense that also reflects upon humanity's capacity for good and evil, The Queen of the Cicadas is a compelling page-turner for connoisseurs of the genre. Highly recommended."

"V Castro builds her own heritage into the mirror mythos, creating a raging revenge novel seeping with vengeance. It's a story of rebirth from the seeds of hate, and how despite that there is still the potential for hope. Oh and it's obviously a horror novel so it's brutal and bloody and buzzing.”