“Ana fell asleep instantly, only to be awakened in the middle of the night by continuous rapping on the built-in dresser's elaborate system of drawers and secret compartments.” - restless spirits on the hill, Neni Sta. Romana-Cruz

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I still remember when my family moved into a new townhouse in Hulo, Mandaluyong. From my third-floor balcony, I had a breathtaking view…sure, picturesque by day, yet, eerie as hell by night. Because, of course, beauty comes with a price, and in this case, it was a never-ending horror show of paranormal activity that to this day, still sends chills down my spine. Now, I’ve had my third eye open since I was four, so ghosts are nothing new to me. But never in my life have I been this terrified to share living space with supernatural freeloaders, especially Kutong Lupa and whatever else decided to crash at our abode. As if that wasn’t enough, we later found out that our lovely townhouse was conveniently built right next to an abandoned railroad track infamous for tragic accidents. We threaded cautiously among the orchids and, we left the townhouse after eight months.

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So, if you’ve ever wanted to confirm your suspicion that ghosts are everywhere and that your house is probably haunted, “The Uninvited Guests from Bikol: Gothic Tales” is the book for you. Neni Sta. Romana-Cruz, an award-winning journalist and author, has masterfully compiled a collection of ghost stories that’ll make you side-eye your furniture and question every weird noise it creates at night.

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This book doesn’t just throw the usual jump scares at you. Oh no no. It presents supernatural horrors with the matter-of-fact tone of a Filipino family that’s too busy to be bothered by minor inconveniences like a spectral being staring at you from behind the curtains or tiny creatures demanding respect. Each story is unique yet united by a common theme: spirits just won’t leave us alone. And they all have the “I swear this really happened” energy, which somehow makes them even creepier. From a haunted farmhouse in Nueva Ecija where mischievous duwendes play pranks, to a university haunted by the ghost of an American soldier who refused to move on, and more (because why not?), Neni Sta. Romana-Cruz’s storytelling is so convincing that even skeptics might start keeping a stash of holy water just in case. Filipino families, in true fashion, decides that as long as no one gets possessed, they’ll just live with it. So, now you know why we decided to leave our townhouse in Mandaluyong. 

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Even better? This book has been translated into Czech (Nezvaní hosté z Bikolu), which means our ghosts are now haunting Europe. A true win for Philippine paranormal representation. Also, major respect to John Sherwin Acampado & Ryan Cuatrona for making sure this book looks as terrifyingly good as it reads.

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You ever read something that makes you want to sleep with the lights on? “The Uninvited Guests from Bikol: Gothic Tales” is one those of books. Read it at night if you dare, but don’t come crying when your bedroom door creaks open by itself… because ghosts have zero chill and will mess with you just because they can.