Goodreads helps you keep track of books you want to read.
Start by marking “Testament” as Want to Read:
Testament
by
Gabe Espinosa, is trying to dig himself out of the darkness. Struggling with the emotional fallout of a breakup with his ex-boyfriend, Gabe returns to his job at The Rosebriar Room; the fine dining restaurant at the historic Sentinel Club Chicago Hotel. Already haunted by the ghosts of his severed relationship, he’s drastically unprepared for the ghosts of The Sentinel Clu
...more
Get A Copy
Friend Reviews
To see what your friends thought of this book,
please sign up.
Reader Q&A
To ask other readers questions about
Testament,
please sign up.
Be the first to ask a question about Testament
This book is not yet featured on Listopia.
Add this book to your favorite list »
Community Reviews
Showing 1-39
Start your review of Testament
A Joyfully Jay review.
3.5 stars
For me, this horror story dragged. Aside from the Epilogue, the whole story takes place over a twelve-hour period. Gabe is in his head for about 85% of that time, often rehashing his grief over the breakup with Kevin and his suicide attempt. While I could sympathize with his pain, I struggled to connect with this unreliable narrator; Gabe hides his true resentments even from himself. Gabe is frustrated with his life, has internalized self-hate for himself as a His ...more
3.5 stars
For me, this horror story dragged. Aside from the Epilogue, the whole story takes place over a twelve-hour period. Gabe is in his head for about 85% of that time, often rehashing his grief over the breakup with Kevin and his suicide attempt. While I could sympathize with his pain, I struggled to connect with this unreliable narrator; Gabe hides his true resentments even from himself. Gabe is frustrated with his life, has internalized self-hate for himself as a His ...more
So good! So worth reading! More please!
I received an ARC copy of this book from NetGalley
actual rating: 3.5
This was a pretty interesting book although definitely more character driven than I was expecting it to be. This worked well because a lot of the story focused on the main character's struggles both as a gay man and a man of color so it was nice to see a different perspective in an urban fantasy book and these things did tie into the haunting very heavily by the end of the story. I do think it could have been a little bit longer ...more
actual rating: 3.5
This was a pretty interesting book although definitely more character driven than I was expecting it to be. This worked well because a lot of the story focused on the main character's struggles both as a gay man and a man of color so it was nice to see a different perspective in an urban fantasy book and these things did tie into the haunting very heavily by the end of the story. I do think it could have been a little bit longer ...more
I don’t really feel qualified to write an objective review of this book, given that the author and I have been friends since we were eleven, but I will say that Jose has written a very effective, atmospheric little horror novel that sucks you in and doesn’t let you go as it barrels towards its inevitable conclusion. The pace is relentless, but given that the events of the story take place over the course of a single day, it absolutely works. And I’ll read anything set in Chicago, but this novel
...more
Blog | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook
You know that feeling.. when you see a book cover that just reaches out and draws your gaze? That's exactly what happened to me with this novel. The blood red tempest against the black and white Chicago skyline just pulled me right in. And it's not misleading, in the least. This is a book I feel secure saying, you can judge by its cover.
From the opening scenes, freshman author Jose Nateras easily immerses you in even the day to day life of Gabe Espinosa. The ...more
Three point five stars out of five.
Gabe Espinosa, two weeks off a suicide attempt, returns to his job at the Rosebriar Room, part of Chicago's Sentinel Club, only to find an evil making itself known to him. He is attacked by a diner at the restaurant, finds the furniture in his apartment stacked upon itself, receives calls and voicemails from a voice exuding evil menace, and is in his roommate's Uber as a random jogger attacks the car, only to fall behind as they escape. Clearly, something is st ...more
Gabe Espinosa, two weeks off a suicide attempt, returns to his job at the Rosebriar Room, part of Chicago's Sentinel Club, only to find an evil making itself known to him. He is attacked by a diner at the restaurant, finds the furniture in his apartment stacked upon itself, receives calls and voicemails from a voice exuding evil menace, and is in his roommate's Uber as a random jogger attacks the car, only to fall behind as they escape. Clearly, something is st ...more
What a terrifying ride this novel is! so let’s see... Gabe is returning to work after a suicide attempt, he’s recently broken up with his boyfriend... so things are pretty raw for him on all fronts. I don’t mean to minimize what happened to Gabe...but I don’t want to give away too many details about what is revealed in the novel.
Gabe returns to work but he’s unsettled. Of course, he’s still missing Kenny - the partner who cheated on him and moved out of their home - but he’s feeling unsettled in ...more
Gabe returns to work but he’s unsettled. Of course, he’s still missing Kenny - the partner who cheated on him and moved out of their home - but he’s feeling unsettled in ...more
A brisk and entertaining #OwnVoices story that weaves together hauntings, racial exploitation, and post-break-up depression, which probably sounds like an odd combination. But what Nateras has to say about the positionality of Latino men in the gay community (and beyond) is at least equally important to the story as the harrowing journey of his lead character.
I was once told by a writing instructor: Never begin a story with a hero who's depressed. I often appreciated the wisdom in that. Depresse ...more
I was once told by a writing instructor: Never begin a story with a hero who's depressed. I often appreciated the wisdom in that. Depresse ...more
Sometimes a book just grabs you by the hand and drags you through its story. This is one, and I loved every minute of it.
Gabe struggles with a lot. Both paranormal, supernatural weirdness, amd his own internal problems. Queer and brown in a world that doesn't care for either of those, he nonetheless searches for community, acceptance, love.
This book does a marvellous job at depecting these struggles. The way the supernatural elements mirror and highlight Gabe's frustration and journey is very we ...more
Gabe struggles with a lot. Both paranormal, supernatural weirdness, amd his own internal problems. Queer and brown in a world that doesn't care for either of those, he nonetheless searches for community, acceptance, love.
This book does a marvellous job at depecting these struggles. The way the supernatural elements mirror and highlight Gabe's frustration and journey is very we ...more
I devoured this book in just two days. I found the story compelling and spooky. Like the best of the genre, the book also raised larger questions about society. The place-making in Testament makes the whole city of Chicago eerie and rich with its complicated history.
The narrator is a queer Latinx man and brings a unique and important perspective to the story. During a time of great racial introspection in America and abroad, this book touches on racism in the gay community and the danger that b ...more
The narrator is a queer Latinx man and brings a unique and important perspective to the story. During a time of great racial introspection in America and abroad, this book touches on racism in the gay community and the danger that b ...more
Some hesitations: Stiff writing (more at beginning), inconsistencies in time/weather description, elements of "Magical Negro" figure that didn't ring true. But overall hugely compelling. Sucked in by Chicago setting at first, then repeatedly moments of surprise that had me gasping, and I was much satisfied by the ending - the mystery and threat are still out there but some justice prevails and our hero is well. Also appreciated his friends and his self-reflection/discovery over the course of the
...more
Thanks to Netgalley for the free ebook to review!
This fast paced horror was interesting. I enjoyed that it was easy to read and fast paced most of the time. I thought it was interesting that it took place in a day. I thought the author did a great job weaving other important things into the story-sexual assault in the workplace and a small glimpse of what it’s like to be LGBTQ and latinx in a city. Overall I thought it was well written and interesting.
This fast paced horror was interesting. I enjoyed that it was easy to read and fast paced most of the time. I thought it was interesting that it took place in a day. I thought the author did a great job weaving other important things into the story-sexual assault in the workplace and a small glimpse of what it’s like to be LGBTQ and latinx in a city. Overall I thought it was well written and interesting.
I really and truly enjoyed this novel! Reading about a person of color being the main character in the book, as well as this character being a part of the LGBTQIA+ community, it was wonderfully refreshing to see a take on a horror novel with those eyes at the helm. And it was scary at that! Thumbs up from me!
It's not often that a book terrifies me, but wow did this one. Not to mention, as a queer woman, it was terrifying on two fronts, the paranormal activity and the thought that past evils of privileged groups of people can have lingering effects on a place, on a society. Honestly, that thought scares me more than the paranormal activity. The thought that, despite all of the advances we have made as a society, our dark past can never be undone, and it will never stop haunting those people still aff
...more
There are no discussion topics on this book yet.
Be the first to start one »
Readers also enjoyed
Hailing from Chicago, Jose Nateras is a Los Angeles based based Actor, Writer/Novelist, Teacher, and Director with experience in everything from Shakespeare, to Sketch Comedy, Improv, Puppetry, TV/Film, Stand Up, and more. He has his MFA in Writing from The School of the Art Institute of Chicago (SAIC), and always has new and exciting projects in development.
Instagaram @JLorca13
Facebook: www.faceb ...more
Instagaram @JLorca13
Facebook: www.faceb ...more
Related Articles
If you ask us, it's always the perfect time to lose yourself in a page-turning mystery. To help you sleuth out a new read, we asked the...
84 likes · 79 comments
No trivia or quizzes yet. Add some now »
