Reviewed by Jessica Barbosa for Readers' Favorite

Goddess of Everything is a horror story by Paul DeBlassie III. Gabriél de LaTierra had the sight. He saw into the spirit world, his mother, Juana de la Cruz, Superior of the Nunnery and the Orphanage, said. This power troubled his mother and her friends told her that he would be a dangerous boy to raise. He had to be broken early, they said. Mother Juana had trained, taught, demanded that Gabriél live a single-hearted life. Sons were to do as their mothers said, not question. Work and a mother’s love were sustenance enough. Years passed since the death of Gabriél’s father and Gabriél is devoted to his unending love for his mother and work. However, his wife, Consuela, expresses her doubts and Gabriél starts to feel uneasy. Propelled by Consuela’s view, he worries that things may not be as they appear.

Paul DeBlassie III’s Goddess of Everything is a mysterious, eccentric tale that weaves together various supernatural elements to create a distinctive storyline that kept me on my toes as I read. Paul DeBlassie III accentuates the dark, magical fantasy with warped power, nightmares, mysterious nuns, and secret rituals. These elements put a dark twist on the story that really makes it stand out among others in the same genre. The story starts with a full moon and howling night winds to complete the ambiance. It is a bone-chilling prologue that will have you hooked on the very first page. Gabriél de LaTierra is confused, afraid, and heartbroken by the death of his father but his mother is a constant presence beside him. ‘Te quiero mucho, mijo. I love you, my son,’ is his mother’s constant mantra to him and the scared young boy clings to this thought then and he clings to it even years later.

He is a devoted, loving son to his mother but it all changes when his wife Consuela persuades him to face his denials about what type of woman his mother really is. Consuela is a strong woman who is not easily cowed and she has my respect. Gabriél should count himself lucky to have her. The book’s unique characters define the tale and make it even better. They are the foundation of the plot and the setting is a good complement and representation of what the characters are going through. Goddess of Everything took me on a thrilling, dark adventure I will never forget.