I'm always up for a new book from Silvia Moreno-Garcia, but I definitely struggled with this one (see: taking four months to finish it, albeit with a very lengthy break around the 1/4 mark).

At times it felt like The Seventh Veil of Salome didn't know what kind of story it wanted to be. Most of the time we're either in Nancy Hartley or Vera Larios' third-person POV while events are unfolding, but we also get interview-esque segments from related characters that are clearly reflecting on past events. And then throughout all of those is interwoven Salome's story, presumably as Joe the screenwriter wished he could have told it.

I liked Vera's story, how she dealt with the racism of 1950s Hollywood as well as the colorism within her own family, and Nancy was absolutely (believably) nasty. The pace felt so slow, though, and as I've found with other Moreno-Garcia novels the tension ratcheted up 1000% in the last quarter of the novel only for the ending to feel too abrupt and rushed.

Silvia Moreno-Garcia can easily write in any genre and always add a perfect message in it along with all the atmospheric vibes. It has an incredible full cast audio if you want to go that route. and made for a super intriguing historical fiction story to a real historical figure. Loved the alternating timelines between Salome in the 1st century and 1950s Hollywood.

I honestly didn’t know what to expect when I picked this one up, but I have to say Silvia Moreno - Garcia is one of my auto-buy authors. I have loved every single one of her books. And this was no exception.

Set in 1950s old Hollywood we are introduced to Vera, an unlikely pick for Salome in an up-and-coming movie. As you can imagine, drama ensues. This was a multiple POV, which jumped around a bit, but did come together at the end. The character development was excellently done. We have character characters. We love to love and characters. We love to hate. I think I liked the ending, but felt that it was a little rushed like everything culminating at once in the last 5% of the book so I feel like there was a lot of buildup and only a little climax. This was the only thing that wasn’t my favorite in this one. I highly recommend adding this one to your TBR if you don’t have it already on there.

Thank you to NetGalley, Random House Publishing Group - Random House | Del Rey and Silvia Moreno-Garcia for the eARC of The Seventh Veil of Salome in exchange for an honest review. Publication Date for this one was 06 Aug 2024.

If SMG writes it, I will be reading it :)

As with other SMG books, the setting in the Seventh Veil of Salome is vivid. We are taken into a historical fiction set in the 1950s in Hollywood . SMG does a great job at capturing the reader's attention with her luscious prose and interesting characters. What I enjoyed the most was the structure of the book - interview snippets, different POVs; felt like a story within a story.

I'm not too familiar with Hollywood from that era or the story of Salome, but I think the author did a great job with setting the tone and groundwork for the story. Overall, this is a book that I would highly recommend!

950s Hollywood timeline; The Golden Age! Grandeur, Luxury, stardom; an entertaining era.
Vera is cast as Salome; the star-making role in a big budget movie. This is a historical drama and retelling of the biblical story of Salome AKA. 'Salome's Dance'. Yes, the very agent tot he beheading of John the Baptist in the new testament.
The story is written with multiple POV's, while the movie in being produced. Vera is a inexperienced new actress. Shy, soft-spoken whom you see start to connect with her role and develops into a powerful, determined and more confident woman. Nancy Harley, an actress desperate to make her big break in the leading role, is moved by jealously to pursue the big role from right under Vera's feet.
She is everything Vera is not; aggressive, confident, impulsive and driven to games, push limits to get what she wants. No matter the cost.
This is a plot with a lot of action, drama and various view points. Beautifully written and successfully executed. Easy to follow, entertaining, engaging and Just glamorous! BRAVO
Really loved this book. Highly recommend.

Thank You Netgalley for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

This is the perfect read for those who are fans of Old Hollywood glamour with all its success stories that fueled American imaginations, envy and all the dirty secrets and scandals that are lore. It is the tale of two Hollywood actresses-a Mexican ingenue plucked from obscurity cast to play the coveted role of Salome and a bit player actress who is jealous of her opportunity and natural talent. The third segment of the book weaves in the Biblical tale of Salome. If you liked the Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo, this is book is for you!
I highly recommend giving it a read!

I love Sylvia Moreno-Garcia's settings, the 50s, the glamor, the Mexican heroine. Her voice is unique and this book is no exception.

At first I thought this book wasn’t going to be for me. Boy was I wrong. This book was wonderful, I loved the plot, I loved Vera. It’s set in the 1950s but the tribulations that Vera constantly go through is still relevant in today's world. Women of color are still treated poorly and when they finally get something good going for them, there will always be a white woman so filled with envy that they’ll do anything to ruin it.
The Salome parts were interesting, I liked how Moreno-Garcia wove in the story with our main characters in their present time. It really made Salome and Vero similar making it all the more great to read.
I am so happy I read this book!

This is the second Silvia Moreno-Garcia novel I've read and while this one has little in common with the other (her debut, Signal to Noise), what they do have in common is the fact that this author can tell a compelling story. This book is a historical fiction, mostly set in 1950s Hollywood and focused on an unknown Mexican actress who lands the leading role in a swords-and-sandals epic about Salome, and interspersed with snippets set in biblical times centered on the real Salome. A story of navigating overt racism, the studio system, a chauvinist leading man, gossip rags, jealous extras, an overbearing mother, and a tragic romance. The author does a great job of hinting and foreshadowing where the story is headed, so the ending isn't all that shocking, but the journey is well worth it. Highly recommended for anyone interested in classic Hollywood or the story of Salome.

Silvia Moreno-Garcia never misses and she always does something unexpected.. The film within the book -- I want to watch it! I loved the old Hollywood glamour told through her perspective. What a breath of fresh air.

I love everyone of Silvia Moreno-Garcia's books. This is no exception. Seeing both women's POVs was a great choice. This had me gasping out loud.

Nancy was the perfect villain.
I legit hated her and was actively rooting against her.
My issue was that a very large portion of the book was dedicated to Nancy and I wanted more with Vera. Maybe I found Vera so fascinating because I didn't get enough time with her?
I may never know.
The story within a story is always a nice touch and Silvia does it well.
The two stories blended together seamlessly!
I will always recommend Silvia's books and this is no exception.
Much love to NetGalley & Random House Publishing Group for my ARC.

Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars (rounded up)

I was really intrigued by several aspects of this novel, including the old Hollywood, 1950’s setting, and the movie star/film industry element! Mostly, I was excited because SMG is a fantastic author and I was looking forward to her new book!

I really enjoyed Vera’s character and found her endearing and authentic. I was rooting for her and loved her dynamic especially in comparison with the other characters, like Nancy. I also really enjoyed the setting and peeling off the glamour of Hollywood to to glimpse the dark, destructive underbelly. It was atmospheric and set the mood well.

I did struggle with the format of the POV shifts and timelines. I’m not sure if it was exacerbated by how my ARC came through on my kindle (the formatting seemed off) but it was at time difficult to follow and I had to back track to figure out where I was. While I don’t mind a slower pace, at times I struggled to connect with what was occurring for too long where I noticed I was losing interest. It would often pick back with a the next shift, though!

Overall, this was an enjoyable book and I’m, as always, blown away by SMG’s writing. It is just beautiful. I think this particular story didn’t capture me as much as her others with more paranormal/magical realism elements, but I could still appreciate its beauty!

Thank you so much to Silvia Moreno-Garcia, Random House Publishing- Del Rey, and NetGalley for an ARC of this book and an opportunity to read and provide my honest review!

The author continues to have phenomenal writing that really immerses you in the world she built. I truly enjoyed following the 3 women's story lines. In the beginning, I did not think they had anything in common. I was surprised to see that throughout the story they were driven by the same motives and desires. The 1950's hollywood setting felt so realistic and I will always appreciate the way Silvia moreno-Garcia researches her scenery that make it feel that much more authentic. I love to see the author branching out to other genres. Unlike the author's previous work, this took me a while to get into. Something about this story was not clicking for me, it was just so different from the supernatural horror that I'm used to. It's not necessarily a bad thing, just exactly what I was looking to read. I still enjoyed the read just wished I would have picked it up at a different time. Overall, I will always read anything this author writes.

Silvia Moreno-Garcia is an autobuy author. She writes in a variety of genres and everyone will find a favorite. The Seventh Veil of Salome was a beautifully written book told in multiple POVs. This allows the reader to grasp all aspects of each of the characters. We have great character grown from Veera as we follow her finding a voice for herself. The ending was not what I was expecting at all, but it was a satisfying ending.

"The Seventh Veil of Salome" is a carefully paced novel that touches on the issues of race and class that Sylvia Moreno-Garcia is known for while also providing a candid look at the darker side of Hollywood in the 1950's. Set during the filming of a grand "sword and Sandals" epic the book juxtaposes the lives and experiences of a gifted Mexican Ingenue and a failed would be starlet, who has already been half destroyed by the studio system, while nominally focusing on the developing drama behind the making of the film. Whereas the the growing conflict between competing actresses is well worth the attention of readers, the real bright spot in this book is the depiction of Salome herself, who emerges as the true protagonist of the book.

This book is firmly recommended for existing fans of Sylvia Moreno-Garcia and anyone looking for an unvarnished look at Golden Age Hollywood from a new perspective.


4.5 stars rounded to 4.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher, Random House Publishing Group , for providing me with an eARC in exchange for my honest review.

Thanks to Random House and Netgalley for this advanced copy.

Moreno-Garcia hits the mark AGAIN! Her books are always such a journey and I really liked this one. Telling the story of the actors attempting to film a movie about Salome, with the story of Salome intertwined, she ramps up the tension and shows how the politics of old school Hollywood for what they were: racist, sexist, and a world where a woman has to do what she has to do. Her ending was impeccable and her characters are so vivid. I can't wait for her next novel, which genre will she tackle next?

The Seventh Veil of Salome is a slow burn, old Hollywood story in which Moreno-Garcia expertly builds subtle tension throughout the storyline, while simultaneously infusing the narrative with cultural nuances that ring so familiar for her Latine audiences. I was quickly invested and unable to get through this one fast enough. Moreno-Garcia continues to knock it out of the park as far as I’m concerned.

This is a little bit different than the author’s normal paranormal fare. I guess on could call the 1950’s the Golden Age of Hollywood but this author shows it dark, nasty dirty underbelly.

There are two threads to the novel one is set in 1950’s Hollywood where a famous director is remaking the story of Salome who supposedly through a seductive dance for King Herod which wound up with her asking for the head of John the Baptist.

I really liked the story set I the 1950’s where you had the reluctant, shy Vera Larios, an unknown Mexican beauty with talent landing the coveted role of Salome in a big budget film. She had a lot of self-doubt, and it was not her dream to be an actress. Her reluctant and innocent and maybe naïve character was endearing.

But then you have the nasty, promiscuous, mean hearted, let’s just say evil Nancy Hartley with the looks but not the talent or personality to pull off the big roles. Her insane jealousy of Vera leads to a dramatic conclusion to the novel.

I frankly never quite got into the other thread featuring Salome and the court intrigues that lead to the beheading of John the Baptist. It was more a distraction to me than entertaining.

Nonetheless overall I enjoyed the novel and especially the Vera Larios character.

Thank you Netgalley for the advance reader copy of The Seventh Veil of Salome by Silvia Moreno Garcia in exchange for an honest review. The tale of Salome is not one I remember. I really enjoy how much Moreno Garcia pulls you into any story, gets the reader to invest in the characters, even a bible story that somewhat parallels a Mexican actress in Hollywood. Beautifully written, the stories of Salome and Vera, make you wish you could crawl into the pages and help both women. Another winner by Silvia Moreno Garcia.