I don't know what Silvia Moreno-Garcia puts in her novels but they are always gold. I always find myself savoring them and taking a little extra time with them, both waiting to see how the story is going to come together and not wanting it to end.

The Bewitching was beautifully written and weaved together. We follow this gothic story along three timelines. Our first with Minerva, a graduate student unraveling a mystery that surrounds a lesser known author, Beatrice Tremblay, and the mysterious disappearance of her roommate, and finally Minerva's grandmother Alba in her youth.

Silvia's storytelling is top notch and really shines here as we watch these timelines unfold with similar occurrences. The eerie haunting in these stories keeps you turning pages and unsure of who to trust, who is friend, and who is foe?

This was a stunning novel, I can't wait to add it to my collection when it is published. I highly recommend you pick this up. Easily a five star read!! Thank you to the publisher for providing an advanced readers copy via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

A slower, more creepy and atmospheric horror story focusing on the bewitching of 3 different women during different time periods. The truly horrible supernatural events that these characters went through were pretty upsetting (which I loved), and the different settings really worked for me. I will say that I wasn't surprised at any of the major revelations, it isn't too difficult to identify the likely suspects throughout the story, but I very much enjoyed this and highly recommend it to lovers of gothic horror.

Back then, when I was a young woman, there were still witches.

So says Minerva's great-grandmother, Alba. Minerva will learn that witches are still around her. This is actually three stories, occurring in three different eras and features incredibly strong female protagonists.

We are introduced to Minerva first, in the year 1998, at a small New England university near Boston. She's traveled from her native Mexico to study at Stoneridge and to write a thesis focused on Beatrice Tremblay, who has authored of a novel based on the real-life disappearance of a young woman she knew who went missing from Stoneridge in 1934.

The earliest story contained in this novel focuses on Alba, in 1908, in Mexico. I found Alba's account to be the most intriguing part of this book, though also the most triggering, in the creepiness and gore departments. It is she who has given Minerva the curiosity and fascination with witches and the horror genre, in general.

There are obvious parallels in the happenings in these three eras, some interesting, some predictable. What should have been the most mysterious reveal became predictable a little too early, in my opinion. Still, the details that were filled in, in the end, were engaging.

I certainly enjoyed this novel, my first experience with Silvia Moreno-Garcia, and will definitely read her work again. Thank you so much to Netgalley and Random House Publishing Group for the opportunity to preview this novel in exchange for an honest review.

Absolutely great book. The author as always is very good at being the perfect balance of not too flowery not too plain writing that fits so well with this sort of slowly creepy novel. I really enjoyed this book and think anyone who likes witchy tales that are smart would
Enjoy this book.

I don’t always like the multiple timelines and pov but this author can weave a great tale and every character was clearly well thought out as the MC.

As always thank you to net galley and the publisher for this review copy.

Another absolute stunner from Silvia Moreno-Garcia. I'm convinced there's nothing she can't do. The Bewitching captivated me from the first page and didn't let go until the last (and I'm still thinking about it weeks later). At turns poignant and maddening, there were also a few genuine scary moments. Once again, I will be putting this into the hands of everyone I know.

This was an intense gothic horror story told over three timelines, from the points of view of three women who find themselves caught up in the webs of bewitchment. It took me time to follow the storylines at first, but once I really settled in to read, I was drawn in. Minerva is a student at a fictional college in MA, researching the history of a horror author who never got her due, but when she digs into her legacy she discovers much to be afraid of in the past, and now. Chapters alternate between 1998 from Minerva's perspective, 1908 from her great grandmother Alba's point of view, and once Minerva has access to her papers, we visit 1934 when Beatrice Tremblay documented her time in college, and the strange disappearance of the woman she loved. Moreno-Garcia wove the story well, taking us through jumps in time with enough information to follow the story, but still feel shocked at the twists and turns.

I don't know if the book will be published with content warnings, but a note that this does contain incest and sexual assault, in addition to descriptions of murder and gore.

In her note at the end of The Bewitching, Silvia Moreno-Garcia recalls stories about witches that harken back to old fears about people who would (if you crossed them) make your life absolute hell. Animals die. Crops are blighted. Strange things happen. That inspiration leads to a hair-raising set of linked stories of fear and courage as Alba, Beatrice, and Minerva take on the monstrous witches who will stop at nothing to get what they want.

Minerva lives a lonely life of scholarship at Stoneridge College in Massachusetts in the winter of 1998. She’s struggling with her thesis on Beatrice Tremblay, a mostly forgotten pioneer of horror and weird fiction who is known for one novel, a handful of stories, and a brief correspondence with H.P. Lovecraft. Minerva has a theory that Tremblay’s book is based on a real-life disappearance but, until she manages to access Beatrice’s archives, she can’t prove anything. Thanks to a drunken invitation from a scion of the wealthy Wingrave family, Minerva manages to gain access to Beatrice’s journal and a gold mine of other information that unlocks the truth of a long-ago and very mysterious vanishing in 1934. Unfortunately, Minerva learns enough to anger a powerful witch.

Minerva knows a bit about magic and witches from Nana Alba, who helped raise her before she moved north from Mexico. As Minerva, Alba, and Beatrice alternate chapters, we learn just how dangerous witches can be. I loved how Moreno-Garcia blended historical folk beliefs—witch marks, charms, talismans, the power of blood—into this story. (I’m a sucker for the idea that forgotten lore could turn out to have real power.) Alba turns to the witches of Los Pinos for aid, though they are very clear that they can only do so much. Beatrice is caught between wondering if it’s madness or wisdom to turn to the knowledge of the past. Minerva, armed with her grandmother’s stories, has more to work with than doubting Beatrice. For the most part, the trio are on their own because who would believe them that a malevolent witch is on the loose? Asking that kind of question is a good way to end up in an asylum.

Because Moreno-Garcia tosses out so many of the contemporary tropes about witches, she’s able to create twists and turns that I couldn’t predict. (I’m also a sucker for stories that are original enough that I can’t puzzle out the conclusions ahead of time.) She’s also able to ratchet up the tension of the Alba, Beatrice, and Minerva’s tales to a fever pitch as these characters scramble for anything that might help them save themselves and the ones they love. Moreno-Garcia pulls no punches in The Betwitching, making it one of the scariest books I’ve read in a while.

Thank you to NetGalley and Del Rey for my free copy of this book.

Content Warnings: incest, animal abuse, blood, death, and sexual content and assault

Minerva’s love of horror stories started with her great grandmother Nana Alba telling her stories about witches. This leads to her writing her thesis on Beatrice Tremblay, a female horror author who is not well known. While doing research on Beatrice’s famous novel The Vanishing, Minerva finds that it is actually based on a true story. At a time when Beatrice attended the same college, and her roommate went missing, never to be seen or heard from again. While reading a manuscript of Beatrice’s, Minerva believes that what happened on campus all those years ago might still be happening. And that it seems familiar to a story Nana Alba used to tell, about a witch encounter in 1900s Mexico. How do all of these stories connect? What will Minerva discover in her academic pursuit?

The way Silvia Moreno-Garcia is able to take three stories and weave them together is amazing. Though this is not your typical tale about witches. It is dark, emotional, and a bit creepy which I absolutely loved! Told from Minerva’s, Beatrice’s, and Alba’s POV, we get to see how these three women go through different lives but that they connect as well. I thought the story was interesting and the author did a good job of making me feel creeped out and unsettled. I did figure out what was happening pretty quickly, but that did not make this any less enjoyable and entertaining. If you enjoyed her book Mexican Gothic you will enjoy this one. But please read the content warning at the top to make sure it is something you will want to read. Overall I loved this book and can’t wait for it to come out so everyone can enjoy it.

I enjoyed this horror book and it’s a subtle slow creep. This story reminds me of stories I have heard as a child growing up very typical of South America, we all have grown up listening to stories from our elder generations and they’re great stories and this book captures that essence. This is a three timeline story that can be confusing for some people but the author does it well. I want to give a huge thank you to @netgalley @delrey @randomhouse and of course the author @silviamorenogarcia for putting a voice to our Latino community with your unique storytelling.

I absolutely love love this book! I’m a witchy girl so this is a book I was really looking forward to reading and it did not disappoint me. It was eerie, mysterious, dark and emotional. This book has multiple timelines, which I love and everything was weaved together perfectly! I can’t wait to add the physical book to my home library!

It's probably no surprise at this point, but I really enjoyed this book! Witches are one of those paranormal themes that easily crosses genres between fantasy and horror, so between the subject matter and the author in question, this was a match made in heaven for review!

Sometimes I struggle to fully become invested in stories that follow different characters in different time lines. Too often, one or more feels less fleshed out than another and I feel the urge to speed read sections. While I did have favorites here, however, all three timelines and stories were interesting in their own ways. You know the tragedy that is written on the wall for some of them, but even knowing this, I was drawn in to the details of their individual stories. It's the kind of horror that hides in plain sight: you know what's coming, and that makes the building dread all the worse.

Like many of this author's novels, the story is a slow-burn affair. She takes her time fully setting the stage, between the various time periods, locations, and women involved. That being the case, the pacing is definitely on the slow side. However, the payout for all three times lines all pulls together in the end in a fantastic manner, so it is well worth the wait. And, as I mentioned earlier this slower pacing works well to increased the suspense (another factor that is easy to identify as quintessentially Moreno-Garcia's style).

Overall, I really enjoyed this read. It was creepy but mostly in a way that I could handle (though one scene was a bit much for me), and I was fully invested in the story by the time we got to the end. Definitely check this one out if you're looking for an interesting take on witches!

Kate's Rating :

Serena's Rating 8: As always, Moreno-Garcia delivers with fantastic, multi-generational story of witches and brewing dread.

Link will go live on The Library Ladies on July 14

The Bewitching is a story that follows 3 different women in different periods of time and their experiences with dark witchcraft that is hunting them. I wanted to like this book so much but ultimately it fell a little flat for me personally. I didn't hate it and I was curious enough to see how it ended to finish the book but I found myself feeling bored more than once. There were moments that I was enjoying the book and getting into the story while trying to solve these mysteries but my overall thoughts were just, meh.
I think the different storylines just made the story feel a little choppy because whenever I would get into one storyline, we would jump to the next one and I would lose my momentum. And I did feel like the resolution to the mysteries, in terms of who the bad guys were, was very obvious and I'm not sure if it was meant to be suspenseful or not because it just felt very obvious who was behind the witchcraft.
I've struggled with other books by Silvia Moreno-Garcia before so I wasn't sure how it would go with this book but I wanted to give it a try anyway because the premise was interesting. But unfortunately, I am coming to the conclusion that this author may not be for me. I think fans of slightly historical and literary horror will enjoy this book. There was a lot of interesting elements to the book, it just didn't work for me personally overall.
Also, I just need to say that I do not know why almost no one seems to be mentioning the incest element of one of the time periods enough. It is not being addressed enough in my opinion and I found it highly upsetting to read each time that timeline came up. And I don't think that's a spoiler because that character makes it very clear from the moment they start interacting that they are having these gross feelings for a family member.

nobody out there is writing across genres and tones like silvia moreno garcia. consistently strong output in everything i've read by her. the bewitching is for fans of mexican gothic and gods of jade and shadow. fantastic.

I’m convinced Sylvia Moreno Garcia could make her grocery list addicting. I have loved all of her books, and this one was no exception.

This book gave me chills while I was reading it! it was dark, it was gothic, it was horror! The book follows three women - Minerva, Beatrice, and Alba—across different timelines and generations, all tied together by witchcraft, secrets, and an old manuscript that should’ve stayed buried.

Minerva, a grad student in the '90s, is researching the writer Beatrice Tremblay, and the deeper she digs, the more tangled things get. Witches in this story aren’t misunderstood, they’re terrifying. The slow dread that creeps in and the writing is super atmospheric.

It blends Mexican and New England folklore in a way that feels fresh and genuinely spooky. I loved how all the timelines came together and how the story explored family trauma, the pressure of academic life, and the haunting power of stories. It was a bit predictable in my opinion, but never the less, it was enjoyable!

Perfect if you’re into gothic horror, dark academia, or just want a book that makes you a bit scared to turn the lights off.

I really, really enjoyed this one - up to a point. It's one of Moreno-Garcia's most atmospheric reads in years, weaving between three separate time periods to tell a story of a family haunted by evil, bloodsucking witches. I usually have difficulty with books that bounce around time periods; however, Moreno-Garcia does a great job of keeping all three stories interesting with a rich cast of characters. My only issue is that I guessed who the witches were about 30% in, and why - and when I was right at the end of the book, it felt a little too simple. I was certain there had to be something *more* at play. No, it was just a little predictable!

This book is fantastic.

So different than anything I have read recently or really ever. Can’t wait for it to roll out in July!

I suppose you could call this Horror/Fantasy/Dark Academia. Huge fan of the writing and the concept. I love “lore” and really enjoyed reading a story about the old beliefs in Mexico re witchcraft. I have always been interested in the intersection of the same concepts that we see all over the world (witches, vampires, fairies etc) and how differently they manifest in different cultures. All of these practices and beliefs were new to me here and so much fun to learn about through this story.

Did unfortunately predict about halfway how this one was going to go - but it didn’t make it any less enjoyable. Would reccomend to anyone who reads fantasy with a little spook.

Still a very easy read, and kept me wrapped up in it. I will definitely be reading Silvia Moreno-Garcia’s other work now!

I have no notes.

Normally, when I'm done with a book, I think to myself, "I loved it, except for this one thing..." Nope. Not with this one. This was the perfect spooky, slow-burn, witchy story I've been craving!

Often when I read a book that switches back and forth between timelines (this has three), I want to just keep going with one and skip the others. In this book, I couldn't decide which was more compelling! Each plot was so well-introduced and carefully spun out so that it threaded seamlessly with the others, even when they did not directly intersect. I would not have guessed that a story set in the Mexican countryside could blend so well in atmosphere and tone with one set amid the derelict bones of old-money New England. Also, my nerdy, bookish self just really vibed with Minerva.

Did it break new ground? Not really. Was it still fantastic and compelling? Yes, yes, yes! I would recommend it to fans of Weyward or Slewfoot, given the pacing and historical setting. Honestly, come this fall, I will probably be recommending it to just about everyone.

Thank you so much to Del Rey and NetGalley for this eARC!

The Bewitching is a beautifully written, eerie tale of three women across three different time periods who come face to face with evil forces. As they try to solve the mystery of who is working against them, they get closer and closer to the nefarious character, and further and further from their grip on reality. I loved the style Silvia chose to write in with the three different time periods.

I’ve been in a slump so I didn’t enjoy this as much as I wanted to. I think the slump could be part of this so I will be revisiting this book again and I did like the premise of it and the writing was fantastic. This is one I need to reread when the slump is over.