These Vengeful Wishes - by Vanessa Montalban (Hardcover)

About the Book

"When her stepfather is arrested, aspiring artist Ceci moves back to her mother's hometown of Santa Aguas, an eccentric small town steeped in the legend of La Cegua, the specter of a wronged witch who appears on lonely roads at night, luring untrustworthy men to their deaths. Ceci and her mother take up residence in the abandoned manor of the Sevilla family, rumored to have been cursed by La Cegua, where she begins to uncover a past connected to her mother. The more she learns of the Sevillas, the more Ceci finds herself forming a strange affinity with the feared Cegua, who she suspects is the one inspiring her paintings of a mysterious door in the forest. When the very door Ceci has been painting appears in the woods, she ventures through it with her new friend, and maybe crush, Jamie. Together, they discover a well for granting wishes. The well of La Cegua. After learning others are also searching for the well, Ceci must confront the truth of her mother's past and prevent La Cegua's wishes from being used for the wrong reasons. Every wish has its price, and La Cegua never forgets the ones who have wronged her"--

Book Synopsis

"As the truth unfolds, readers will find themselves captivated, racing toward an unforgettable conclusion. Recommended purchase; hand this to fans of Trang Thanh Tran's She Is a Haunting and Krystal Sutherland's House of Hollow." --School Library Journal

A vengeful female spirit with a thirst for justice ignites a teen girl's rage in this new YA horror by award-winning author, Vanessa Montalban.

They think the dark can hide their wickedness. But I see into their rotten hearts.

When her stepfather is arrested, aspiring artist Ceci moves back to her mother's hometown of Santa Aguas, an eccentric small town steeped in the legend of La Cegua, the specter of a wronged witch who appears on lonely roads at night, luring untrustworthy men to their deaths.

Ceci and her mother take up residence in the abandoned manor of the Sevilla family, rumored to have been cursed by La Cegua, where she begins to uncover a past connected to her mother. The more she learns of the Sevillas, the more Ceci finds herself forming a strange affinity with the feared Cegua, who she suspects is the one inspiring her paintings of a mysterious door in the forest.

When the very door Ceci has been painting appears in the woods, she ventures through it with her new friend, and maybe crush, Jamie. Together, they discover a well for granting wishes. The well of La Cegua.

After learning others are also searching for the well, Ceci must confront the truth of her mother's past and prevent La Cegua's wishes from being used for the wrong reasons. Every wish has its price, and La Cegua never forgets the ones who have wronged her.

Review Quotes

"An immersive, eerie read that examines the historic mistreatment of women and the wounds they often carry." --Booklist

"A delightfully eerie exploration of curses and wishes." --Kirkus Reviews

"[A] captivating tale of horror that skillfully combines folklore, family secrets, and the dangerous allure of wishes. A messy but authentic protagonist, Ceci will easily draw readers into a world where the past influences the present, and every decision carries weight." --Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books

"Vanessa Montalban's voice shines in this wonderfully creepy gothic tale with hints of folklore. Dark secrets, love, and tragedy make this a gripping read. This is my first book by Montalban, but it won't be my last. She is a powerful Latina writer I want to read more of." --V. Castro, author of The Haunting of Alejandra

"This book has EVERYTHING! A main character you relate to and root for, realistic family struggles, small town vibes, a scary as hell supernatural threat, and a boy you're sure to crush on. A complete and total page-turner! LOVE!" --Ann Dávila Cardinal, award-winning author of Breakup from Hell and You've Awoken Her

"These Vengeful Wishes is a perfectly paced, atmospheric horror that's driven to its darkest depths by characters who are as enigmatic as they are intriguing. Montalban masterfully combines folklore, family drama, and haunted histories with voice and prose that are perfect for horror--and left me dying for more." --Terry J. Benton-Walker, bestselling author of Blood Debts and editor of The White Guy Dies First

"Eerie, gorgeously written, and with a swoon-worthy romance, These Vengeful Wishes is a must-read that will keep you up at night and obsessed for years to come, just like La Cegua and her wishing well." --Jamison Shea, author of I Feed Her to the Beast and the Beast Is Me

"This twisting story of family secrets and the unexpected price of wishes will pull you into a complex, layered adventure with a dark folktale at its heart. You may escape the clutches of La Cegua when you turn the final page, but you'll have a harder time forgetting Ceci and this haunting and atmospheric reminder to be careful what you wish for." --Ginny Myers Sain, New York Times bestselling author of Dark and Shallow Lies

"Creepy, compelling, & utterly captivating--I couldn't put this one down! I love the dark atmosphere, lush descriptions, multi-generational mystery, & headstrong & nuanced MC." --Romina Garber, author of Lobizona

"As the truth unfolds, readers will find themselves captivated, racing toward an unforgettable conclusion. Recommended purchase; hand this to fans of Trang Thanh Tran's She Is a Haunting and Krystal Sutherland's House of Hollow." --School Library Journal

About the Author

Miami-born Vanessa Montalban channels her wanderlust for far-off worlds into writing young adult fiction, including A Tall Dark Trouble, winner of the Florida Book Awards in the YA category.

She's a first-generation college graduate, and is hard at work creating a collection of stories. Her work has appeared in Diabolical Plots and Entropy Magazine, and her newest novel These Vengeful Wishes released in spring 2025.