The Bewitching by Silvia Moreno-Garcia

Title: The Bewitching

Author: Silvia Moreno-Garcia

Publisher: Del Rey 2025

Genre: Horror

Pages: 357

Rating: 3/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Read Around the USA - Massachusetts; I Read Horror - Folk Horror

Where I Got It: Library

“Back then, when I was a young woman, there were still witches”: That was how Nana Alba always began the stories she told her great-granddaughter Minerva—stories that have stayed with Minerva all her life. Perhaps that’s why Minerva has become a graduate student focused on the history of horror literature and is researching the life of Beatrice Tremblay, an obscure author of macabre tales.

In the course of assembling her thesis, Minerva uncovers information that reveals that Tremblay’s most famous novel, The Vanishing, was inspired by a true story: Decades earlier, during the Great Depression, Tremblay attended the same university where Minerva is now studying and became obsessed with her beautiful and otherworldly roommate, who then disappeared under mysterious circumstances.

As Minerva descends ever deeper into Tremblay’s manuscript, she begins to sense that the malign force that stalked Tremblay and the missing girl might still walk the halls of the campus. These disturbing events also echo the stories Nana Alba told about her girlhood in 1900s Mexico, where she had a terrifying encounter with a witch.

Minerva suspects that the same shadow that darkened the lives of her great-grandmother and Beatrice Tremblay is now threatening her own in 1990s Massachusetts. An academic career can be a punishing pursuit, but it might turn outright deadly when witchcraft is involved.

Moreno-Garcia is such hit or miss author for me. I absolutely loved a few of her books and then I really really disliked a few of the books. The summary of this one really caught my eye. I love witch themed books and was looking forward to a fun spooky mystery book. The first few chapters were intriguing. But as the book went on, I was less and less interested. The story seemed to just drag and drag. There were a few spooky things here and there, but mostly nothing for the longest time. I just wasn’t compelled to keep reading. I kept at it because it was a book club selection, but mostly I was just really really bored.

Next up on the TBR pile:

The Beautiful Ones by Silvia Moreno-Garcia

Title: The Beautiful Ones

Author: Silvia Moreno-Garcia

Publisher: Thomas Dunne Books 2017

Genre: Fantasy

Pages: 323

Rating: 2/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Currently Reading - Called to Me at the Library

They are the Beautiful Ones, Loisail’s most notable socialites, and this spring is Nina’s chance to join their ranks, courtesy of her well-connected cousin and his calculating wife. But the Grand Season has just begun, and already Nina’s debut has gone disastrously awry. She has always struggled to control her telekinesis―neighbors call her the Witch of Oldhouse―and the haphazard manifestations of her powers make her the subject of malicious gossip.

When entertainer Hector Auvray arrives to town, Nina is dazzled. A telekinetic like her, he has traveled the world performing his talents for admiring audiences. He sees Nina not as a witch, but ripe with potential to master her power under his tutelage. With Hector’s help, Nina’s talent blossoms, as does her love for him.

But great romances are for fairytales, and Hector is hiding a truth from Nina ― and himself―that threatens to end their courtship before it truly begins.

Oh what a disappointment! After absolutely loving Mexican Gothic and Gods of Jade and Shadow, I thought I would at least enjoy this previous work from Moreno-Garcia. Unfortunately, this is a slow-moving pseudo-fantasy novel filled with insufferable characters. Basically nothing happens for the at least the first half of the book. The characters go round and round rehashing the same arguments and sentiments. They move to a different house, but it’s still the same. I enjoyed Nina, but at a certain point, I really wanted her to run away from all the other characters and pursue her science interests. Maybe find a kind and loving male scientist to marry. But no, she stays with Hector even after Hector’s true feelings for Valérie come out into the open. I just found everyone to be very dislikable. And let me mention that the fantasy element (the telekinesis) is such a minor thing. Why is it even in the book? I have no idea. The one redeeming quality of the book is Moreno-Garcia’s writing style. Her prose just glides over the page. Thank goodness she kept at it and wrote much more intriguing books later.

Next up on the TBR pile:

Gods of Jade and Shadow by Silvia Moreno-Garcia

Title: Gods of Jade and Shadow

Author: Silvia Moreno-Garcia

Publisher: Del Rey

Genre: Fantasy

Pages: 384

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Unread Shelf Project; Monthly Theme - May

The Jazz Age is in full swing, but Casiopea Tun is too busy cleaning the floors of her wealthy grandfather’s house to listen to any fast tunes. Nevertheless, she dreams of a life far from her dusty small town in southern Mexico. A life she can call her own. 

Yet this new life seems as distant as the stars, until the day she finds a curious wooden box in her grandfather’s room. She opens it—and accidentally frees the spirit of the Mayan god of death, who requests her help in recovering his throne from his treacherous brother. Failure will mean Casiopea’s demise, but success could make her dreams come true.

In the company of the strangely alluring god and armed with her wits, Casiopea begins an adventure that will take her on a cross-country odyssey from the jungles of Yucatán to the bright lights of Mexico City—and deep into the darkness of the Mayan underworld.

I absolutely loved Moreno-Garcia’s latest work, Mexican Gothic, and was extra excited that Girly Book Club chose this one for September’s book. It’s a very different book, but still such an amazingly told story. This is a fantasy/fairy tale-esque journey. Casiopea immediately grabbed hold of my heart and didn’t let go. I wanted to see everything good happen to here but knew that there would be danger along the path. Thankfully she was a protector/guide of sorts with a Mayan god of death. I loved seeing how they both changed and grew while on the journey. And the last setting in the underworld was a perfect way to conclude the journey. I loved learning more about Mayan stories and myths as well as more modern Mexican culture. Highly recommend.

Next up on the TBR pile:

Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia

Title: Mexican Gothic

Author: Silvia Moreno-Garcia

Publisher: Del Rey 2020

Genre: Horror

Pages: 320

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: UnRead Shelf

After receiving a frantic letter from her newly-wed cousin begging for someone to save her from a mysterious doom, Noemí Taboada heads to High Place, a distant house in the Mexican countryside. She’s not sure what she will find—her cousin’s husband, a handsome Englishman, is a stranger, and Noemí knows little about the region.   
 
Noemí is also an unlikely rescuer: She’s a glamorous debutante, and her chic gowns and perfect red lipstick are more suited for cocktail parties than amateur sleuthing. But she’s also tough and smart, with an indomitable will, and she is not afraid: Not of her cousin’s new husband, who is both menacing and alluring; not of his father, the ancient patriarch who seems to be fascinated by Noemí; and not even of the house itself, which begins to invade Noemi’s dreams with visions of blood and doom.
 
Her only ally in this inhospitable abode is the family’s youngest son. Shy and gentle, he seems to want to help Noemí, but might also be hiding dark knowledge of his family’s past. For there are many secrets behind the walls of High Place. The family’s once colossal wealth and faded mining empire kept them from prying eyes, but as Noemí digs deeper she unearths stories of violence and madness. 
 
And Noemí, mesmerized by the terrifying yet seductive world of High Place, may soon find it impossible to ever leave this enigmatic house behind.

Our book club selection and this was just what I needed this week. I dove into this book wondering if everything was in Noemi’s head or if weird things were really happening. The tension built and built and built over the course of the book. I just wanted to keep reading until I got to the end. The was incredibly creepy. I love how much the house became a character in the book. I could see every inch of High Place, all of the creepy darkness and moldy walls. The characters are appropriately sinister. Of course we know that Virgil is a bad guy from the first chapter. But I loved how much was kept hidden until right towards the very end. And Uncle Howard! Goodness he was beyond creepy. The ending was incredibly satisfying. I will definitely have to revisit this one someday.

Next up on the TBR pile: