Okay, so I did not expect to get this sucked into a book about witches, curses, and creepy vibes—but here we are! This horror occult fantasy totally surprised me in the best way. It jumps through three time periods (1908, 1934, and 1998), which usually confuses the heck out of me, but somehow it actually worked. Like, really well.

You follow three awesome women—Alba, Beatrice, and Minerva—who are all dealing with some deep stuff. Think generational trauma, dark magic, secrets, and a good dose of "oh no what is happening now?!"

The book has all the vibes: eerie, emotional, mysterious, and even a bit hopeful. I felt like I was holding my breath half the time. It’s not a super fast read, but it keeps you hooked without frying your brain. And the characters? Total queens. Strong, interesting, and the kind of people you'd follow into a haunted forest (well, maybe).

Also, this was my first time reading anything by this author, and I’m already hunting down their other books. The writing just worked—it brought the story to life in a way that felt effortless.

Overall? Solid 4 out of 5 stars. Would recommend to anyone who loves spooky stories, badass women, and just the right amount of historical weirdness.

Thank you to NetGalley and Del Rey publisher for this digital advanced reader’s copy in exchange for my honest review. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.

Thank you so much to NetGalley for a review ARC of this in exchange for an honest review.

This is my first book by this author and I absolutely loved it. I think I’ve read a couple of historical fiction/witch books this year, and I think this was my favorite. Spellbinding, suspenseful, and written beautifully. I think every secret and interesting background that Minerva discovered about her family was written beautifully, with just enough intrigue to keep me on my toes.

The Bewitching releases 6/15. Thank you Netgalley and Del Rey!

The Bewitching by Silvia Moreno-Garcia is a gorgeously woven tale of three women, three timelines, and one lingering connection that ties them all together through blood, magic, and fate. Rooted deeply in Mexican folklore and bruja traditions, the story brings everything you’d want in a great witchy novel: curses, potions, resilient women, intergenerational secrets, and a powerful undercurrent of mystery.

What I loved most: the richly layered storytelling, the feminist core, and the atmospheric writing that wraps around you like a spell. Each character feels real and relatable, and even when I began to unravel the mystery around the 60–70% mark, I still couldn't stop reading; it was that immersive.

If you're into witchcraft, folklore, and women reclaiming their stories through magic, this is a must-read.

1998, North Shore, Massachusetts. Minerva is a graduate student at a small college near Salem, where stories of witches and disappearances are thick in the atmosphere. She's there to write a thesis on Beatrice Tremblay, horror writer and alumna of Stoneridge, and stumbles upon the source material for her only novel, The Vanishing, inspired by a disappearance from campus in 1934.
1908, Mexico. Alba, Minerva's great-grandmother, is the daughter of a ranchero in a rural village. Her father recently passed away, and now it seems as though no one is setting the wards to protect the lands, and suddenly her brother has gone missing as well.
1934, Stoneridge College, Massachusetts. A region fame for its textile mills is struggling in the Great Depression. Betty Tremblay knows that college is the best way to advance her professional prospects. Her friend Virginia is there from the west coast to escape a bit of the past, but her spiritualist leanings turn darker as something stalks her in the campus woods at night.

A ghost story with traditions in Mexican and New England folklore is right up my alley. I don't tend to pick up historical fiction with a dual timeline, but for some reason three timelines works really well for me. Silvia Moreno-Garcia holds the main plot threads in the 1998 timeline, but ties them hauntingly well in the 1908 and 1934 timeline as well, so all hold equal story weight. To have well-developed main and side characters in all three timelines shows her incredible ability to create characters.

I listened to the audiobook, narrated by Gisela Chipe, and the hairs stood on the back of my neck at times. (It was a choice to listen to this on a walk at night near some New England woods...) I love listening to books written by Silvia Moreno-Garcia; I really connect with her prose and storytelling that way.

This is eerie and dark, and I cannot recommend it enough to lovers of the occult and ghostly witch stories across generations and cultures. It falls on the scarier side of horror that I can handle, with its creeping feeling and consistent fear that someone is watching. That fear is overridden by my desire to see just what Silvia Moreno-Garcia can do next, though! I love that this is a blend of her own experiences - of the witches of her Mexican family and those of her collegiate home (Endicott College, Beverly, Massachusetts).

The Bewitching is enticing, luring novel with beautiful writing that just grips you from inside. As a Mexicana in Mexico, it brings me so much joy and pride reading all these stories that Silvia Moreno-Garcia brings to life and bringing pride and joy to our culture.


3 women, 3 generations, and 3 stories that unknowingly intertwine with each other and create a dazzling horror/folklore story that is creepingly bizarre, sometimes unexplainable but always with a point and a dangerous twist.

1908: The story of our FMC Minerva's Nana Alba. A young woman with the gift of sight who is young and naive but who discovers a monster amongst her family. This monster has killed her brother Tadeo and her crush Valentin and their livestock as well. With the help of an old potion and lots of cunning, she devices a plan that may or may not work to lure this creature and attempt to kill it. She was my favorite character. We all have an Alba in our family, though we often negate her gifts.

1934: Beatrice Tremblay is worried about her friend Virginia Somerset,who seems mentally unstable. Their friend Carolyn believes that Beatrice is overreacting until Virginia goes missing, and no one cares about her whereabouts. There is a dark force inhabiting their college, and someone knows what happened to Virginia. The secret is so dark and dangerous that present day Minerva may pay with her life to find out the truth.

1998: Our FMC Minerva is a college student who also works for the college. When a student drops out unexpectedly, she begins to suspect that he may actually be missing. While looking for the student, she stumbles upon Virginia Somerset's story and her disappearance. Little does she know that both missing persons were taken by the same family of monsters! (gasps in horror)
Thank you, Netgalley and Random House Publishing Group/Del Rey, for this amazing ARC. All opinions are entirely my own.

The Bewitching dug its claws into me slowly but completely. I liked Mexican Gothic, but I loved this. The story takes place across three timelines, and I was fully invested in Alba and Minerva. Betty's chapters didn't grip me as much, but I get why her perspective was necessary.

The beginning was a bit slow, but by 40%, I was hooked. There were moments that were spooky, keeping my toes under the covers kind of spooky. I loved the way Mexican folklore blended with New England witchcraft and old family curses. This is yet another book that I feel was written for exactly my tastes and it’s a perfect Halloween read.

The ending was mostly satisfying. It tied up almost everything and ended with a sense of justice. If you’re into dark folklore and witches, intergenerational stories, and just the right amount of spooky, this one’s for you.

Thank you so much to Del Rey, Silvia Moreno-Garcia, and NetGalley for the digital ARC of The Bewitching. All opinions are my own!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

If you’re looking for an atmospheric, multi-POV horror novel, you are ABSOLUTELY in the right place. I had this one sitting on my NetGalley shelf for a bit, but I just finished reading another multi-POV, multi-timeline story and was in the mood for another. This story follows Minerva, an RA at a college in Massachusetts in 1998. She is writing her thesis focusing on female horror author Beatrice Tremblay. As she begins to delve further into her research, strange things begin happening. Things that happened long ago, in 1908, to her great-grandmother. Minerva finds herself skirting dangerously close to the truth of a vanished girl, Ginny (1934), and finds herself wondering if she’s the next victim.

I believe I’ve previously read one other novel by Silvia Moreno-Garcia, and I struggled with that one. The Bewitching was an entirely different case for me. I found myself up late and being bitten by mosquitos outside because I didn’t want to put it down. I normally struggle with multi-POV stories, but this one was well-done. My only qualm was that it did take me a little bit to get into the story, but once I was hooked, it was full steam ahead! Highly recommend!

As usual, Moreno-Garcia is great at blending folklore and the occult with gothic sensibilities, wrapped in a story featuring determined and likeable protagonists. I did enjoy the story here, and I appreciate the breadth and scope of spanning not just multiple generations but also multiple continents. The heart of this story beats strong, and it carries with its pulse themes of independence and self-worth. There is a continued idealism of those who may be disadvantaged by society but able to exceed their predetermined stations to excel, with the strength of family and the confidence of intuition and wisdom preparing their way.

All of that said, I didn’t love this story. While I enjoyed the three individual stories they felt like just that, individual, and their connections were incidental. There is one very specific thing about the 1908 storyline and one very specific thing about the 1934 storyline that helped our 1998 protagonist, and it felt like the entirety of those stories were just vehicles for that limited amount of information. I would have liked more weaving of experiences. To that same end, each of the three stories felt like it wasn’t given enough time or space to really flourish. What I have enjoyed most in past work by this author that I have read is how she creates these intimate characters and relationships between those characters, and that character (and relationship) depth are what allow the slow-burn stories to continuously increase in tension and keep the reader on the edge of their seat. All the characters, in all three stories, are interesting and complicated, and that goes for primary and ancillary characters, which is great. But we don’t really get to spend enough time really being with them, and with the relationships they create, because we are constantly moving timelines and it seems every new chapter is more concerned with hitting specific story beats than it is with really allowing for interior exploration. There are a handful of great ancillary characters in the main 1998 storyline and they get relegated to occasional car rides and stand-offs, whereas those relationships, especially if they were allowed some sort of glimpse into what our character was experiencing, could have really made this story feel robust and engaging. Instead, they were just kind of there, a little color but not used nearly to their full potential. Similarly, the writing felt almost prosaic. All three timelines felt the same, there was little in style or tone or character intentionality to distinguish them, which was a shame. A major benefit of having three distinct time periods in your story is to make each of them unique, and honestly, save for the riding of horses instead of cars, the differences in time and place did not feel as well-established or stylized as I would have hoped for. In general, the world-building felt secondary to the folklore, with the bulk of the main storylines world-building being done by listing the different bands the main character was listening to on her Discman. (Again and again and again mentioning the bands, and never the same one twice. It was a bit much, especially when combined with the repeated call outs to contemporary horror authors).

I wish I enjoyed the novel more. I think the ideas are great, and the introduction of Mexican folklore into a contemporary New England setting is exciting, and the characters are interesting and have a lot of potential. But the narrative connecting those things felt underserved, being divided into three which told variations on a theme that weren’t particularly additive to one another, so instead of one large, multi-layered story it felt like three small, mostly similar stories told in slightly different ways. While this is in no way a bad novel, I had high expectations, being a fan of this author, and felt a little underwhelmed. If you are interested in complicated protagonists and the collision of Mexican folklore and New England WASPs then there is certainly enough here to be interesting to you.

I want to thank the author, the publisher Del Ray, Random House, and NetGalley, who provided a complimentary eARC for review. I am leaving this review voluntarily.

ARC Review
Three women in three different timelines encounter witchcraft and the dangers that come with it in The Bewitching by Silvia Moreno-Garcia, and I can’t wait for people to get to read this incredible book.

In this book you will find chilling horror, outstanding writing, strong women, and an intriguing story. I really enjoyed the fact that Silvia perfectly leads you in the multigenerational plot in a way that you don’t get lost in it and you can easily follow it. You always know which pov you’re reading, and still find the connections between the three timelines.
Most importantly, I think the best thing about this book is the fact that from the beginning you can feel something dark and mysterious lurking in the back (much like the characters feel themselves), and it just highlights the mysterious and obscure elements of the story.

Thank you so much NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group- Del Rey for the e-arc of one of my most anticipated books of the year!

Thanks for the ARC!!!

I rate this book 4.5 out of 5 stars.

This book was sooo good. Even though it started a little bit slow, the pacing was building up. I wasn't a fan of the POV's at first, but I loved every story. My favourite was the 1908 one, gave me chills, and was the scariest. I didn't love Minerva's story, but the way she researched all of the things for her thesis was interesting. The plot twists in each story were so good and I predicted one of them, but I sat there and watched it happen. The book was written very poetically, and I loved the writing, but that didn't stop the book from being fast paced. I will certainly read more books from this author, and I definitely recommend this book.

Sorry if my review was bad, it's kinda my first one

Sincerely, Edi

Silvia Moreno-Garcia is a household name and an autoread author for me. And then you tell me she’s written about witches?? Obsessed. This book was so good, with what, three interconnected mysteries? I love that the author brought in Mexican witch mythology and included ties back to European/American witchcraft history. What a perfect book. Very spooky and highly recommend!

One of my most anticipated July book releases was Silvia Moreno-Garcia latest novel, The Bewitching. It sounded exactly like the kind of book I was basically guaranteed to like: witchcraft, literature, a timeline split between the past and the present. And, it was written well. But, unfortunately, The Bewitching just wasn’t for me. There was some stuff in it I wasn’t expecting, I bounced off the story pretty hard, and I never recovered enough interest to continue reading. Like I said, it just wasn’t for me. But, like always, I encourage readers to look at other reviews and make their own decision about The Bewitching.

Disclaimer: this copy of the book was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review, thank you!

Welp, this is definitely in my top three SMG books.

Before I begin my actual review, I'd like to thank Netgalley, the publisher, and the author for an ARC of this book. This review features my honest opinion.

Usually, when there's a book with multiple storylines, I find that one doesn't hold my interest as much as the other. In this case, all three storylines had me riveted. I didn't want to put the book down.

Steeped in folklore and witchcraft, Moreno-Garcia wends her tale with moments that sent a chill through me, layering each moment beautifully so that it built upon the next. This isn't a book that relies on gore or brutal descriptions to make you scared. The scares rely on disappearances, on things left unsaid, and on what lurks in the dark.

I also appreciate the afterword, which gives you insight into where the author drew her inspiration from.

I can't wait for more people to read this so that I can gush about it with them.

Thank you to NetGalley for an arc of The Bewitching by Silvia Moreno-Garcia. Overall a 5/5 stars.

Silvia has yet again created a story that kept me up at night dying to know what happens next. Managing three interwoven timelines was a unique storytelling element that kept things interesting. Her writing is eloquent; each time I read one of her books new words get added to my vocabulary.

An incredible horror read riddled with witches and Mexican countryside folklore.

Moreno-Garcia is back with a gothic, supernatural mystery. Set in the academic world of New England, the story is a multi-generational tale about three women all touched by the effects of witchcraft and magic.

Influenced by tales told to her as a child by her great grandmother, Minerva decides to focus her graduate studies on horror authors. While researching a particular horror author’s manuscript, she discovers missing persons cases that were never solved. Malign forces are revealed, the suspense escalates and a world of the macabre unfolds among past trauma and supernatural vengeance.

Each chapter is told in alternating timelines covering the early, mid and late twentieth centuries building the tension and the connection among the generations. The result is a heart-pounding, dark and spooky book perfect for fans of Gothic mysteries and witchy reads.

Thanks to NetGalley and Random House Publishing for the advanced reader’s copy.

Thank you to Del Rey and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review - I was beyond excited for this one and it didn’t disappoint.

The Bewitching is a slow-burning, atmospheric horror novel that seamlessly blends folklore, history, and simmering horror in a way that only Silvia Moreno-Garcia can. The three female protagonists are well fleshed-out and genuine, and the historical tale is permeated with sharp social commentary that is organic and still relevant today. The settings - from a New England college to the Mexican countryside - are richly drawn and deeply tied to the characters’ experiences. It’s not a high-octane horror novel, but the sense of creeping dread builds beautifully throughout. It culminates in a satisfying and well-thought-out ending that makes it even more effective. 4.5 stars, rounded up to 5.

The Bewitching is that perfect late-night read when you’re craving atmosphere over gore. Three timelines, three women, and one shiver-inducing legacy of witchcraft that’ll leave you double-checking the shadows. If you love gothic horror, supernatural mysteries, or anything that makes your heart beat a bit faster in a dark room—this is for you.

Minerva just wanted to write her thesis on a dead horror author. That's it. That's the whole dream. But instead, she cracked open a haunted Pandora’s box of multigenerational trauma, feminist rage, and blood-soaked folklore that goes full goth academia. “The Bewitching” by Silvia Moreno-Garcia isn’t just a witch story. It’s a Gothic nesting doll of historical horror that spirals through 1908 Mexico, 1934 Massachusetts, and the grunge-drenched angst of 1998, and yes, you WILL want to start wearing black velvet and muttering cryptic curses into your Discman again.

Let’s get one thing out of the way: this is not a fast-paced broomstick joyride. This book lurks. It simmers in shadow. It's a slow-burn incantation that’s more about the vibe than jump scares. But when it finally throws the match, the whole damn coven burns down.

Each timeline has its own flavor of cursed nightmare fuel. Alba’s 1908 era is a folkloric fever dream, grieving her brother, side-eyeing her shady uncle (yes, THAT plotline, and yes, it’s supposed to make your skin crawl), and facing a creeping evil in the Mexican countryside that smells like sulfur and old secrets. The air is thick with omens. There are goats. I feared for every goat.

Then we get Beatrice in 1934, a horror writer in training whose college roommate might’ve been communing with the dead or maybe just really into avant-garde oil painting. Beatrice is the quiet haunted girl who’s one mysterious disappearance away from becoming a true crime podcast. Her timeline is filled with the academic pretension of women's colleges and whispered séances. It’s sapphic tension and ghost story realness, and I was INTO it.

And then there’s Minerva, stuck in 1998 with a research grant, a cursed manuscript, and a vibe that screams “I just want to read in peace but the spirits won’t let me.” She’s antisocial, blunt, exhausted, and constantly interrupted by men who are either suspiciously helpful or just straight-up useless. Her growing dread is infectious, especially once she realizes her family stories, those bedtime witch tales from Nana Alba, might not have been metaphorical. Surprise! You’re the main character in a generational curse.

Here’s the magic trick: it shouldn’t work. Three timelines. Three protagonists. One big spooky knot of past trauma and supernatural vengeance. But Silvia Moreno-Garcia makes it click like the lock on a forbidden diary. It’s giving “Plain Bad Heroines” with less satire and more murder. It’s giving “The Craft” for people who actually read the footnotes. It’s part folklore, part mystery, part ghost story, and somehow still a character study about women clawing power out of the shadows handed to them.

There are some pacing stumbles. The 1998 plot meanders a bit too long in places, but honestly? I kind of loved that Minerva had a full moody girl soundtrack queued up on her Discman. If I were being stalked by witch ghosts, I'd also need a playlist that screams “existential dread in flannel.” The incestuous plotline in Alba’s section is... deliberate, but deeply uncomfortable. It’s meant to disturb, and it does, but if that’s a hard pass for you, consider this a glowing review with a side of caution.

Still, by the end, everything circles back with eerie precision. The conclusion ties all three women’s fates together with one big blood-stained ribbon, and it hits in the way only Silvia can deliver, equal parts literary and visceral. The real horror isn’t the witchcraft. It’s how easily women’s stories are buried under patriarchal dirt... until someone digs them up again and sets the whole thing on fire. This one’s a gorgeously crafted nightmare, and a four-star ride straight through the heart of generational chaos.

Whodunity Award: For Making Academic Research a Full-Contact Paranormal Sport

Huge thanks to Random House and NetGalley for the advance review copy. I will never write a thesis, but if I did, I’d want it haunted, cursed, and absolutely dripping in folklore.

Deeply atmospheric and wonderfully witchy. Silvia Moreno Garcia is top form, and I already can't wait for her next!

A fast paced historical fantasy that has elements of mystery in it as well. The Bewitching tackles complex topics beyond just the scope of the story premise through the handling of different timeperiod-relevant cultural issues in each part of the three different timeline/eras. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the advance copy.