What a suspenseful and truly terrifying book!
The Bewitching tells the story of three young women all experiencing the same physical and physiological terror of bewitchment :

•Alba in 1908 who is mourning the loss of her father on their farm in Mexico when suddenly animals are dropping dead and people start disappearing…

•Beatrice in 1934 who is recalling the last few weeks of her friend Virginia’s life before her sudden and unexplained disappearance from an all girls school in Massachusetts….

•Minerva in 1998, the granddaughter of Alba who is researching Beatrice at the same school for her thesis and who soon sees Virginia’s story reflected in her own life….

This was such a spooky read! I found myself not being able to read it past dark and definitely not when I was home alone, the fear was slowly inching in chapter by chapter and building up to the big reveal.

The suspense for me was built upon the unraveling minds of the characters and that kind of psychological torment is worse than any scary witch or creature you could summon. You feel yourself loosing your mind alongside these women. Even though I figured out who was the big bad was halfway through, it didn’t make it any less horrifying.

The only part I did not like and made me put down the book for a minute for two was the relationship between Alba and her uncle Arturo. I found myself instantly uneasy at their clear attraction to each other early on in the book and as time went you could see Alba struggling with her feelings. When she decided to use herself to lure her uncle to his death it was absolutely disturbing for me. It did not feel like it was written as a sexual assault scene but as a love scene. The level of detail felt unnecessary and gross. Maybe that was the author’s intention, that Alba did not see what she did as wrong since she was grappling with her feelings anyways. But to have it happen twice…. No thank you.

Silvia Moreno Garcia is an auto read/buy author for me. I love the way she writes and can convey an atmosphere. This book was wonderful as I love a good witchy read. I enjoyed the back and forth between three different time periods. I will for sure be suggesting this one when it comes out! And thank you so much to the publisher for the opportunity to read it.

This is my first book by this author, and it won't be my last. Three stories from different time periods, witches, deceit. Loved it all! Wonderful setting, great characters. The female point of view during all three time periods is amazing. This book has all the elements for this genre -- cats, spirits, old buildings, timeless messages. Highly recommend.

Thanks to Net Galley and the publisher for an ARC. Woo who!! Finally got to a fourth star! I have been fortunate to get several of her books as ARCs and liked them all, but there was always something that held back that next star. This was told from the alternating perspectives of three women in timelines spanning 90 years. Two of them, a Mexican woman and her great grand-daughter have the ability to receive portents and are destined to do battle with witches. The oldest timeline was my favorite - Alba. Judged by her mother as a dreamer, but hiding an inner strength that surprised even herself. It reminded me most of Mexican Gothic and The Daughter of Doctor Moreau, which I really enjoyed. The "bridge" story in the middle wasn't quite as engaging, probably because the POV wasn't the actual victim, but it was wrapped up nicely at the climax. Silvia really excels at creepy, and I think this is her best one yet! Can't wait to see what's next!

"The Bewitching" was such an enjoyable read! It’s definitely more thrilling and horror-inspired than some of her other books, but it still has her trademark storytelling that draws you in.

One of the things I really loved was how the story moves across multiple timelines and places. It added so much depth and made the book feel bigger and more immersive. The mix of settings and time periods really brought the story to life.

The ending worked well and tied everything together, though I can’t say I was totally surprised by it. Still, the journey there kept me hooked, and I loved all the twists along the way.

If you like stories with a bit of a spooky vibe and lots of layers to uncover, this one’s a great pick. Silvia Moreno-García delivers another winner!

Silvia Moreno-Garcia does it again! This book weaves three storylines together in a brilliant fashion. Alba, Betty, and Minerva are determined women, struggling against deep evil. Many times books with multiple timeliness have one the falls flat, or doesn't move the narrative as much. This is not the case for this book. I had to know what happened to each and couldn't wait to get to the finale.


Many thanks to NetGalley for my digital ARC in exchange for my review.

I really really loved “The Bewitching” by Silvia Moreno-Garcia. It hit all of the right notes for me. The multiple timelines were all completely necessary and well thought out. I loved Alma’s timeline the best, I think, even though all three of them were fantastic. I’ve been going back to Moreno-Garcia since “Mexican Gothic” - which was a novel I wanted so badly to love, but just didn’t fully stick the landing for me. This book did. While I’ve really loved other books by her (“Silver Nitrate” and “The Daughter of Doctor Moreau”), this one has become my favorite. I can’t wait to recommend it to people.

I received a free ARC ebook of <I>The Bewitching </i> from NetGalley in exchange for an unbiased review.

This is the fifth book by Moreno-Garcia that I have read; it is one of her best. Three different plot lines in three different time periods weave together to form an unsettling read that will cause readers to hesitate at strange noises and shadowy rooms. Moreno-Garcia is a master of the slow burn. In each timeline, the horror grows slowly. Self-doubt, the unwillingness to appear foolish in the eyes of others, and few trusted resources make the three women easy targets for evil.

Only Alba, a young Mexican girl at the turn of the century, has familial support. But, that support comes with a strict sense of propriety as her family struggles with one disaster after another. For Ginny, a college student far from home in the 1930s, support comes from her roommate, who has her own secrets to hide and who can not understand the evil that is consuming Ginny. Finally, there is the 1990s plot with Minerva, Alba's great-granddaughter. Minerva is a struggling, impoverished student who grew up listening to Alba's tales but has few friends she can rely on. The abject aloneness of each young woman allows powerful evil to flourish.

The author writes supernatural, shape-shifting creatures as fully developed characters. It is easy to see how they fool everyone.

Silvia Moreno-Garcia's writing is always a treat to read and The Bewitching was no exception. I even rationed the chapters I read so I could savor it for as long as possible and I still devoured the last 30% in a single night. I loved the three storylines - they were each unique yet engaging and the way they all fell together was *chefs kiss*. The suspense was top notch, the setting was perfectly eerie, the dark academia/90s thriller vibes were perfect and the characters were so well developed! This will be the absolute perfect read for the Halloween season this year!
Slight trigger warning for animal death though!

Thank you to Net Galley for sending me a copy in exchange for a review.

This was everything I wanted; dark, mysterious historical tales of a three women battling witchcraft in many forms. Moreno-Garcia never fails to disappoint and has brought another spine chilling story to us in her usual atmospheric writing style. I was gripped by every timeframe, which normally doesn't happen, I usually want to skip ahead to a certain character or timeframe but each plot line was strong. I read this relatively quickly and highly recommend holing up with snacks to read this one in some sort of blanket fort as once you pick it up you won't want to put it down.

The Bewitching by Silvia Moreno-Garcia, a Mexican Gothic Horror about witchcraft and sorcery and fighting for all that is important to you.

Three women in three different eras encounter danger and witchcraft in this eerie multigenerational horror saga from the New York Times bestselling author of Mexican Gothic.

I wasn't sure what to expect from this gothic horror about witchcraft and spells but I'm glad I got the chance to read it.
The book spans 3 women almost 90 years apart as they struggle to fight against curses and witchcraft and the evil unleashed by those around them, and the final showdowns they must have to save all that is important to them.
Despite it jumping from past to present it's easy to follow the story and plot, there's enough of the supernatural to want a light on while reading but not enough to want a light on while sleeping.
Thanks to NetGalley and Random House for this e-book ARC. Due out July 15th.

I’m no big fan of horror so dwelling in The bewitching, I didn’t know what to expect.
As the story goes three women from different times confronts uncertainty and mystical occurrences. Not all three were equally enticing but serve a general purpose.
I surprised myself by wanting more macabre, hoping to take comfort under a blanket or leaving the light on after finishing it.
It’s a nice story for people who like the not so terrifying side of horror and it does gripe you to the end.

Whether you believe in witches, or not, this book is a fun read. I particularly enjoy Silvia Moreno-Garcia's artful weaving of a tale and creating an atmosphere for her readers. I might not have chosen this book. I haven't been reading much lately, but this novel pulled me in and reminded me of how much I enjoy a good story. As we journey with three women in three generations, we are invited into a world where witches truly do exist, and where their power influences the events and lives of people. Intriguing cat-and-mouse situations crop up for all three women, and they each must navigate spells and influences that average, everyday people pooh-pooh. Their struggles, triumphs, and tribulations take us on an unusual journey that gets us to consider how supernatural skills and abilities could impact us if they were real. Or is it all true? Thanks to Netgalley and Random House/Del Rey for providing me with the eARC of The Bewitching by Silvia Moreno-Garcia.

I've said it before, but I will read anything Moreno-Garcia writes. While this book was quite predictable (I knew our villains nearly immediately that one red herring was barely a red herring) I didn't even mind. I find the mind of Moreno-Garcia and her ideas to be so much fun, that despite having a good idea where things were going throughout, I was still excited to see how we get there. I found that each of the timelines in here were distinct, something many authors struggle with in similar books. I also appreciated how she wove in folk craft and cultural witch stories.

I’ve yet to read a book by Silvia Moreno-Garcia that didn’t love and The Bewitching is no different. There were moments in it that genuinely spooked me and I would have to put it down for a short spell and watch cartoons to calm myself down. Such a fun read, would recommend to any lovers of the horror genre.

Silvia Monreno-Garcia does it again! Her books are always incredible but this one was next level. The Bewitching was fun, the world was intense and lush, and the stakes had my heart racing.

Thanks to Netgalley and Random House/Del Rey for letting me read an eARC of The Bewitching by Silvia Moreno-Garcia. The Bewitching not only continues the incredible run that Moreno-Garcia has been on, but in my opinion, it delivers her best novel since Mexican Gothic. The characters of Minerva, Alba, and Beatrice are magnificently rendered on the page with an immersive world around them riddled with drama and a dose of the supernatural. The plot was very easy to follow even with the timeline jumping around and built up to a satisfying climax. The Bewitching is an absolute must-read for readers who love mystery, fantasy, and horror.

Three beautifully crafted and intricately connected stories making up one compelling overarching narrative. Each time period’s tale is haunting and mysterious in just the right measure. A syncretic and modern take on classic witch and vampire myths.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I've been chasing the high of "Mexican Gothic" for a while from Moreno-Garcia and unfortunately the "Bewitching" still falls short of expectations. Told in alternating timelines, the story of a modern researcher looking into an author's past leads down surprising and at times circuitous paths. While the story is plenty entertaining, the quality of the writing seems to have really dipped since her last book. I found the dialogues stale and prose clunky. It's unfortunate given the author's creative imagination; the execution just wasn't there for me.

A powerhouse of a horror novel with three interwoven storylines that each have incredible narrators. I enjoyed the way that the understanding of witchcraft in Mexico and New England intersected in this novel, and it was entertaining to see how those parallels came together at the end of the novel.

Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC. All opinions expressed are my own.