WOW. i absolutely adore moreno-garcia's works and this is no exception. even when things got uncomfortable and tense, i was so sat. there aren't enough words

If you're patient, The Bewitching is a spooky read that unfolds across three timelines. The first half-ish contains a lot of set-up for the second half.

Content Warning: violence, death, murders, incest

+ This story is told in three timelines and I found each era fascinating. Minerva is a college student in the late 1990’s and writing her research on witchcraft. So the timeline follows her grandmother, Alba’s story in 1908 and her experiences of encountering witchcraft. But Minerva is also researching a mystery of a girl that disappeared from campus, so there is another timeline of the events concerning that time on campus in 1934.

+ I really enjoyed how the author captured the late 90’s since I was also a college student at that time. And it felt nostalgic to see Minerva using a discman and listening to bands I listened to at that time. Loved that! I also liked Minerva’s character and how she’s into horror novels.

+ Most of the horror comes at the end of the story and I did enjoy that part.

~ I did not like the incest that occurred in the book between Alba and her uncle. I actually had to go back to the beginning of the explanation of the family tree to make sure I was reading it right and I didn’t miss that he was just like an Uncle because he was a family friend. Nope. Alba and her Uncle Arturo are only a few years apart in age and it just made me feel gross.

~ As much as I found the three different stories fascinating, I felt like everything moved too slowly in this book, especially in the middle. So I did skim a little to get to the horror and action part, which was near the end of the book.

Final Thoughts:

This might be my least favorite book I’ve read from this author. The writing is great as usual and I found the timelines really intriguing but for me the pacing was too slow and also, I was uncomfortable with the incest. I think true horror genre fans would love this because Minerva is a character who is a horror fan and mentions certain authors that I am not very aware of. I was not the right audience for this one but I still look forward to reading her next book!

⭐️: 3.75 / 5

Publication Date: July 15, 2025

I want to thank Del Rey and Net Galley for allowing me to get an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review!

Some of the coolest aspects of this story were the vivid descriptions used throughout. It helped me get sucked into the atmosphere and setting of each of the 3 points of view. There’s a lot of witchy spookiness throughout, which I absolutely loved. The setting of the story is split between the New England area and Mexico, which was an interesting juxtaposition to see different folklore related to witches in each of those places.

As for my reservations, I hated one of the choices for a character to be attracted to a relative. I thought it was gross the whole time, and the ending was disturbing. When the villains were revealed, I didn’t think any of them were all that surprising. They seemed to be pretty obvious reveals, which is still better than ones that are out of nowhere.

Overall, I enjoyed the premise. I thought it was unique and cast witches in a whole new way. I had a big issue with the incestuous nature of one of the POVs. I wish it had been handled differently because if it had, this would have been a much more enjoyable book. I would say for people who this may impact, to take caution, and to give this book a chance.

Would recommend for those who are fans of:
- Nonlinear timelines
- New England/Mexico settings
- Character-driven stories
- Witchy stories

⚠️ incest, horror, gore

Characters: 8
Atmosphere/setting: 10
Writing style: 9
Plot: 9
Intrigue: 10
Logic: 8
Relationships: 5
Entertainment: 10
Total: 3.8

I wish I’d had more time to focus on this because the separate tales were all engaging and had truely unique characters. This is what I would almost label as historical tragedy more than horror in some ways. There are witches and magic abound in plenty to be true, but the human reactions to the witches can often be disheartening. That being said, without too many spoilers, I felt a little bit of all my favorite witch related tales here and there from The Craft to practical magic to The Witching Hour in so many different little ways but the ladies in this tale or tales are unique and deserve recognition of their own. Fun spooky reading.

I fell in love with Silvia Moreno-Garcia's writing after Mexican Gothic and since then will always pick up a new book she releases, however some are grand slams and some strikeout with me. THE BEWITCHING is more critical for me than Moreno-Garcia's other works.

While researching her thesis, Minerva uncovers a chilling and ironic connection with the famed author Beatrice Tremblay and a decades-old disappearance. Tremblay’s novel The Vanishing appears to be based on a true event: during the Great Depression, she became obsessed with her ethereal college roommate, who vanished without a trace. As Minerva digs deeper, she begins to suspect the same dark force that haunted Tremblay may still be lurking on her campus.

The story spans three timelines, weaving in Minerva’s great-grandmother Alba’s youth in 1900s Mexico, where she encountered a witch and fell under a terrifying curse. Of the three perspectives, Alba’s was the most compelling and unsettling. Silvia Moreno-Garcia has a gift for writing women who evolve from seemingly fragile figures into ones of great strength. No matter what Moreno-Garcia writes, she will continue to have me turn the pages.

Despite the witches premise (which I love as a storyline BTW), the pacing was way too slow, especially in the 1990s chapters. The repetitive scenes and Minerva’s storyline didn’t grip me as much as the other two timelines. Still, I appreciated the atmospheric storytelling and setting that Moreno-Garcia always provides. While THE BEWITCHING didn’t reach the heights of Mexican Gothic or The Daughter of Doctor Moreau for me, Garcia’s talent remains undeniable, and I’ll always pick up whatever she writes.

RANKINGS:
1. Mexican Gothic
2. The Daughter of Doctor Moreau
3. Silver Nitrate
4. Certain Dark Things
5. Gods of Jade and Shadow
6. The Bewitching
7. Velvet Was the Night
8. The Seventh Veil of Salome

The Bewitching follows three perspectives/time lines: Alba in the early twentieth century, Beatrice in the mid twentieth century, and Minerva in the late twentieth century. I enjoyed Alba’s chapters the best because I could feel the dread created by whatever or whoever was haunting her. It was a slow build, but there were clues along the way that pointed toward what/who was behind her misery. Although the direction her story went in was gross, I found it interesting and was completely absorbed by her story. Beatrice’s chapters also pulled me in, but I found her ending lack luster and was a bit let down. The final confrontation Minerva has had me on my toes! But again, I was a little let down by the big reveal. The Bewitching has a perfectly spooky vibe that crescendos in intensity as you go along. This will be the perfect book to read at the start of fall!

Thank you to NetGalley for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

Thanks to Del Rey for the gifted copy of this book!

Silvia Moreno-Garcia is one of my absolute faaaavorites and I also LOVE a witchy read, so I was all in for this combination. THE BEWITCHING is a haunting multigenerational saga filled with history, macabre tales, missing people, family drama, and witchcraft. While not quite as dark as MEXICAN GOTHIC, this does go toward the darker side of Silvia's works, and keeps her slowburn horror vibes. The witchcraft in this hits a little differently than most witchy books, and I loved the unique spin amidst the paranoia and superstition. It worked really well for the book. I appreciated having three timelines, but did find them a bit repetitive at times, making the book feel a little longer than it should. Overall, I'll still read Silvia's grocery list.

3.5 stars rounded up.

Thank you to the author and NetGalley for giving me an ARC.

I really liked the format of the book. Having each chapter associated with a specific time period set up a really interesting dynamic, with the potential for a lot of characters to be introduced. I liked Minerva as a character; she was extremely strong-willed and I liked that she got the answers she was seeking.

I do feel that the changing between time periods made it a little jarring at times. It was difficult to follow each of the narratives when it kept changing. I also found the book extremely slow to start, which meant I wasn't always fully engaged with what was going on.

The overall plot was great in theory, but I'm not entirely sure it worked in practice. It was a very atmospheric novel and it had excellent parts that felt very creepy.

The Bewitching follows three timelines. In the late 1990s, Minerva is working diligently on her graduate thesis, working to piece together the puzzling truth of a disappearance on that campus that inspired a horror novel. She reads the firsthand account of the author in the 1930s and the events leading up to her roommates disappearance. In the early 1900s, we learn about Minerva’s great grandmother Alba and their family history with witchcraft.

Silvia Moreno-Garcia wrote a fantastic novel that I thoroughly enjoyed! All three timelines were engaging and converged so masterfully at the end. Not a single detail was unnecessary, it all felt so brilliantly crafted. I highly recommend for fans of Moreno-Garcia’s work like Silver Nitrate or Mexican Gothic!

A detail I found particularly interested was the lore about the blood-sucking witches. This story was not at all what I was expecting, which was definitely a treat for me to enjoy. There was a lot of building paranoia and anxiety mixed in with mysticism and superstition that I appreciate. The framing of the story really inspired me to want to learn more about this topic and the cultural roots.

I think I found a personal connection with Minerva, our protagonist. As someone who just completed their master’s degree and spent a good deal of their time surrounding themselves with books any time they weren’t at work. She brought such an air of rationality and practicality to the story that I find refreshing for horror protagonists. I genuinely appreciate her dedication to her work and aversion to people- though this is a trait I seem to see often with Moreno-Garcia’s protagonists.

If you would love to read a chilling tale about blood-sucking witches, missing student conspiracies, and atmospheric dread mixed with paranoia and superstition, then The Bewitching comes out on July 15th!

Thank you to Del Rey and NetGalley for providing me with a digital ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I would read a book of to do lists if it were written by Silvia Moreno-Garcia.

In “The Bewitching” we follow three women, across three timelines, whose lives are intertwined. In 1998, we follow Minerva as she navigates researching Beatrice Tremblay’s connection to a supernatural experience while writing her thesis. In 1908, we follow Alba, Minerva’s great-grandmother as she encounters a witch of her own. And in 1934, we follow Beatrice Tremblay and the event that inspired the book that served as the origin of Minerva’s thesis.

Two of the timelines are told in third person, while the third timeline is told in first person as a journal entry. This book is very clearly Silvia Moreno-Garcia coded.

I really enjoyed reading this book - as I usually do with Moreno-Garcia’s works. However, there were a few factors that gave me the ick, and one of them is a spoiler, so I won’t say what it is (just know it’s partially a motive that comes out in the end). The big factor that made me uncomfortable and a bit annoyed that it was in this novel in the first place is the element of incest. To be clear: in no way is the writing in support of it. If I had known ahead of time that that was a detail, I would have probably passed on this book.

Despite my main issue with the book, I still recommend this novel. It doesn’t take away from the writing, or the investment the reader can make in the characters and plot. As always, Silvia Moreno-Garcia’s writing itself is bewitching.

There are a few pacing issues but the book really picks up in the final act. Just on a personal level, I don't always *love* books with the different timelines as I usually find the individual storylines aren't as well developed as I'd hope (as in, I usually feel left wanting more). All that aside, the novel is successfully atmospheric and Moreno-Garcia continues to be the master of mixing genre fiction with socio-historical commentary. Her characters are always rich and her plots exciting. This is no exception.

I loved Mexican Gothic and was very excited to read Moreno-Garcia’s latest book. Especially given that it’s a multi-timeline horror story about witches-sign me up!

The story had a slow start with a lot of info dumping in chapter one, so it took me a while to feel fully engaged. While I loved the eerie atmosphere and general plot, the writing didn’t work for me at all. Most of the time it was stilted with telling over showing rather than letting us fully feel immersed in the story. It could also be SO REPETITIVE 😭 I highlighted two separate occasions where it was unnecessarily repeating things (one character said at least 4 times in a single chapter “I’m going to die” 🙃).

I love books with multiple timelines/POVs but i didn’t always love the ‘98 and ‘34 timelines (especially at first) the only consistently good timeline was the 1908 chapters. The characters are interesting, if a little flat at times-especially Minerva as she mainly served as a vessel to tell the other two stories.

The novel isn’t exactly a slow burn but also not fast paced and tense. It was engaging enough to stay focused and want to finish the novel, but the momentum and tension just wasn’t there. The horror elements were excellent when present but there were far too few of those creepy, edge-of-your-seat moments for my taste! The revelations were also Predictable-I guessed most things from the beginning so it was like a balloon deflating once the climax and resolution occurred and I was correct about everything (curse my pattern recognition).

Overall this was an atmospheric horror with a lot of good ideas but lacked a fulfilling execution.

Rating: 3.5 stars

Thank you so much for this e-arc!
It's genuinely a hard feat to weave 3 stories and 3 timelines into such a gripping, enticing and atmospheric setting for me. I've been out of reading for a while, honestly, but this was the kind of book that is able to suck you in from its first page. Moreno-Garcia wrote a book that felt like it was *for* its readers. I'm generally not a fan of historical fiction but this makes me want to pick up more, if only to feel the same way again: completely enchanted:

The Bewitching by Silvia Moreno-Garcia is a story about witches, folk lore, and the thin jagged line between truth and fiction.

In 1998 New England, Minerva is studying horror literature, specifically the work of Beatrice Tremblay, who wrote an obscure tale about a witch that was inspired by a true story. When Minerva begins researching this mysterious book, she discovers many parallels to the stories her great-grandmother told her as a child, stories about witches, hauntings, and evil. At the turn of the twentieth century Mexico, Alba is haunted by a evil presence at her family farm's involving local folklore about witches. In 1930s New England, Beatrice Tremblay befriends a young woman obsessed with the occult who mysteriously disappears under witchy circumstances. Curses and family legends tempt and taunt the women in this eerie story.

This story had plenty of folk magic and folk horror which I really liked, especially from the Mexican perspective. Alba was the most interesting character for me, she was brave and naïve, tricked by her own desires. It was pretty obvious who the witch was, so I would have preferred a bigger surprise. Minerva's story was less interesting to me, it was a bit slower paced and not as suspenseful. It was also obvious who the witch was in her life, so it lost the creepiness for me. The character reveal in Minerva's story lacked enough background information for it to make sense. The focus were on other characters that didn't really have any significance by the end of the story.

I appreciate the author opted for a different take on the multi-generational plot by focusing on characters who were not related, but I also think this is why the story was a little problematic for me. With such a strong focus on Mexican witches and folk lore, it didn't make sense to me why the witch character reveal was not directly connected to this.

Overall, fans of dark academia, folk horror, and occult fiction should read this book.

I hate historical fiction. BUT. THIS. ATE. DOWNNNNNNNN. OMG... It's 3 stories in one, spanning a century, connecting 3 women! This novel has horror, witchcraft, and enchanting vibes that are IMMACULATE!! The writing was amazing and I was continuously entertained. Which, given the fact that I usually hate this genre, IS AMAZING! EVERYONE PLS READ!

I absolutely love this story! The way Silvia weaves the three timelines is perfection. Her stories are always so eloquent and this is no exception.
I loved following each separate timeline. I felt the two past ones and the one in 1998 wove together beautifully to give me a very detailed powerful story.

I went into this book knowing it was horror, multiple timelines, and full of witchy elements- that was it. ((Also, pretty cover distracted me... I'm a sucker for a good cover.)) I'm glad I went into mostly blind because The Bewitching was such a fun storyline to uncover. I usually won't go into witchy books without doing some digging, but this time I was not disappointed.

Without going into spoiler territory, ((You know I would never do that to you.)) let's chat about what worked for me. The three timelines are each compelling in their own right and unique without feeling utterly disconnected. We also get a clear vision of the main characters of each timeline, which isn't always done well with multi-POVs but is excellent in this book. While I did enjoy two of the timelines more than the other, I will say that all weave together nicely and are all important to help bring the story full circle.

While the pacing may not be ideal for everyone, I enjoyed it. If you need everything to charge forward at breakneck speed, sit this one out. Slow burn fans? This is also not for you. The Bewitching is for my "Goldilocks readers"- the ones who want that sweet spot in between.

If you're a fan of witchy lore, occult elements, varied timelines, and supporting women's rights AND wrongs, get this one on your TBR, in your cart, or reserved at your local library/on your favorite app.

((While the viewpoints shared are my own, I want to thank NetGalley, Del Rey, Random House Worlds, Inklore, & Silvia Moreno-Garcia for this complimentary copy.))

Thank you Del Rey for my gifted copy!

There is nobody quite like Silvia Moreno-Garcia. She creates such a rich atmosphere with her writing. Packed with history and heritage, it’s hard to not feel transported by her words, through time, space and other realms. I think The Bewitching might be my favorite of hers, because it was just incredible.

Another moody 90's novel by the brilliant Silvia Moreno-Garcia. I was excited to see her release a new book, and even more excited when I received the chance to read it ahead of its publication time. This novel is told in 3 different POVs (2 in 3rd person and the 3rd in a limited first person via manuscript). Minerva is working on her thesis -a look into Beatrice (hola tocaya!) Tremblay's written works. However, things are not all they seem as something evil lurks in the corner. One of the points of view is the manuscript of Tremblay herself. The last POV is of Minerva's great grandmother -Alba. All have one thing in common: there's something sinister in their midst and they're unsure of what it is.

Each POV was carefully woven into the next, with the story tying up nicely as a whole in the end (although I would've liked to know more on how things ended with Conrad). This book was paced perfectly in my opinion.

Now look, I'm telling you now that if you don't like taboo topics such as incest, this might not be the one for you. BUT, if you're a fan of suspenseful horror, or a fan of Moreno-Garcia's previous works, then I HIGHLY recommend picking up this bad boy.

Thank you to NetGalley & Del Rey Publishing for allowing me the opportunity of reading this novel before its release.