This is the perfect read for those who are fans of Old Hollywood glamour with all its success stories that fueled American imaginations, envy and all the dirty secrets and scandals that are lore. It is the tale of two Hollywood actresses-a Mexican ingenue plucked from obscurity cast to play the coveted role of Salome and a bit player actress who is jealous of her opportunity and natural talent. The third segment of the book weaves in the Biblical tale of Salome. If you liked the Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo, this is book is for you!
I highly recommend giving it a read!

I love Sylvia Moreno-Garcia's settings, the 50s, the glamor, the Mexican heroine. Her voice is unique and this book is no exception.

At first I thought this book wasn’t going to be for me. Boy was I wrong. This book was wonderful, I loved the plot, I loved Vera. It’s set in the 1950s but the tribulations that Vera constantly go through is still relevant in today's world. Women of color are still treated poorly and when they finally get something good going for them, there will always be a white woman so filled with envy that they’ll do anything to ruin it.
The Salome parts were interesting, I liked how Moreno-Garcia wove in the story with our main characters in their present time. It really made Salome and Vero similar making it all the more great to read.
I am so happy I read this book!

This is the second Silvia Moreno-Garcia novel I've read and while this one has little in common with the other (her debut, Signal to Noise), what they do have in common is the fact that this author can tell a compelling story. This book is a historical fiction, mostly set in 1950s Hollywood and focused on an unknown Mexican actress who lands the leading role in a swords-and-sandals epic about Salome, and interspersed with snippets set in biblical times centered on the real Salome. A story of navigating overt racism, the studio system, a chauvinist leading man, gossip rags, jealous extras, an overbearing mother, and a tragic romance. The author does a great job of hinting and foreshadowing where the story is headed, so the ending isn't all that shocking, but the journey is well worth it. Highly recommended for anyone interested in classic Hollywood or the story of Salome.

Silvia Moreno-Garcia never misses and she always does something unexpected.. The film within the book -- I want to watch it! I loved the old Hollywood glamour told through her perspective. What a breath of fresh air.

I love everyone of Silvia Moreno-Garcia's books. This is no exception. Seeing both women's POVs was a great choice. This had me gasping out loud.

Nancy was the perfect villain.
I legit hated her and was actively rooting against her.
My issue was that a very large portion of the book was dedicated to Nancy and I wanted more with Vera. Maybe I found Vera so fascinating because I didn't get enough time with her?
I may never know.
The story within a story is always a nice touch and Silvia does it well.
The two stories blended together seamlessly!
I will always recommend Silvia's books and this is no exception.
Much love to NetGalley & Random House Publishing Group for my ARC.

Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars (rounded up)

I was really intrigued by several aspects of this novel, including the old Hollywood, 1950’s setting, and the movie star/film industry element! Mostly, I was excited because SMG is a fantastic author and I was looking forward to her new book!

I really enjoyed Vera’s character and found her endearing and authentic. I was rooting for her and loved her dynamic especially in comparison with the other characters, like Nancy. I also really enjoyed the setting and peeling off the glamour of Hollywood to to glimpse the dark, destructive underbelly. It was atmospheric and set the mood well.

I did struggle with the format of the POV shifts and timelines. I’m not sure if it was exacerbated by how my ARC came through on my kindle (the formatting seemed off) but it was at time difficult to follow and I had to back track to figure out where I was. While I don’t mind a slower pace, at times I struggled to connect with what was occurring for too long where I noticed I was losing interest. It would often pick back with a the next shift, though!

Overall, this was an enjoyable book and I’m, as always, blown away by SMG’s writing. It is just beautiful. I think this particular story didn’t capture me as much as her others with more paranormal/magical realism elements, but I could still appreciate its beauty!

Thank you so much to Silvia Moreno-Garcia, Random House Publishing- Del Rey, and NetGalley for an ARC of this book and an opportunity to read and provide my honest review!

The author continues to have phenomenal writing that really immerses you in the world she built. I truly enjoyed following the 3 women's story lines. In the beginning, I did not think they had anything in common. I was surprised to see that throughout the story they were driven by the same motives and desires. The 1950's hollywood setting felt so realistic and I will always appreciate the way Silvia moreno-Garcia researches her scenery that make it feel that much more authentic. I love to see the author branching out to other genres. Unlike the author's previous work, this took me a while to get into. Something about this story was not clicking for me, it was just so different from the supernatural horror that I'm used to. It's not necessarily a bad thing, just exactly what I was looking to read. I still enjoyed the read just wished I would have picked it up at a different time. Overall, I will always read anything this author writes.

Silvia Moreno-Garcia is an autobuy author. She writes in a variety of genres and everyone will find a favorite. The Seventh Veil of Salome was a beautifully written book told in multiple POVs. This allows the reader to grasp all aspects of each of the characters. We have great character grown from Veera as we follow her finding a voice for herself. The ending was not what I was expecting at all, but it was a satisfying ending.

"The Seventh Veil of Salome" is a carefully paced novel that touches on the issues of race and class that Sylvia Moreno-Garcia is known for while also providing a candid look at the darker side of Hollywood in the 1950's. Set during the filming of a grand "sword and Sandals" epic the book juxtaposes the lives and experiences of a gifted Mexican Ingenue and a failed would be starlet, who has already been half destroyed by the studio system, while nominally focusing on the developing drama behind the making of the film. Whereas the the growing conflict between competing actresses is well worth the attention of readers, the real bright spot in this book is the depiction of Salome herself, who emerges as the true protagonist of the book.

This book is firmly recommended for existing fans of Sylvia Moreno-Garcia and anyone looking for an unvarnished look at Golden Age Hollywood from a new perspective.


4.5 stars rounded to 4.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher, Random House Publishing Group , for providing me with an eARC in exchange for my honest review.

Thanks to Random House and Netgalley for this advanced copy.

Moreno-Garcia hits the mark AGAIN! Her books are always such a journey and I really liked this one. Telling the story of the actors attempting to film a movie about Salome, with the story of Salome intertwined, she ramps up the tension and shows how the politics of old school Hollywood for what they were: racist, sexist, and a world where a woman has to do what she has to do. Her ending was impeccable and her characters are so vivid. I can't wait for her next novel, which genre will she tackle next?

The Seventh Veil of Salome is a slow burn, old Hollywood story in which Moreno-Garcia expertly builds subtle tension throughout the storyline, while simultaneously infusing the narrative with cultural nuances that ring so familiar for her Latine audiences. I was quickly invested and unable to get through this one fast enough. Moreno-Garcia continues to knock it out of the park as far as I’m concerned.

This is a little bit different than the author’s normal paranormal fare. I guess on could call the 1950’s the Golden Age of Hollywood but this author shows it dark, nasty dirty underbelly.

There are two threads to the novel one is set in 1950’s Hollywood where a famous director is remaking the story of Salome who supposedly through a seductive dance for King Herod which wound up with her asking for the head of John the Baptist.

I really liked the story set I the 1950’s where you had the reluctant, shy Vera Larios, an unknown Mexican beauty with talent landing the coveted role of Salome in a big budget film. She had a lot of self-doubt, and it was not her dream to be an actress. Her reluctant and innocent and maybe naïve character was endearing.

But then you have the nasty, promiscuous, mean hearted, let’s just say evil Nancy Hartley with the looks but not the talent or personality to pull off the big roles. Her insane jealousy of Vera leads to a dramatic conclusion to the novel.

I frankly never quite got into the other thread featuring Salome and the court intrigues that lead to the beheading of John the Baptist. It was more a distraction to me than entertaining.

Nonetheless overall I enjoyed the novel and especially the Vera Larios character.

Thank you Netgalley for the advance reader copy of The Seventh Veil of Salome by Silvia Moreno Garcia in exchange for an honest review. The tale of Salome is not one I remember. I really enjoy how much Moreno Garcia pulls you into any story, gets the reader to invest in the characters, even a bible story that somewhat parallels a Mexican actress in Hollywood. Beautifully written, the stories of Salome and Vera, make you wish you could crawl into the pages and help both women. Another winner by Silvia Moreno Garcia.

Not a surprise that this was a captivating novel. The author is a master world builder and I loved being in the early Hollywood days. (I used to watch a lot of black and white films.) I also liked how there were multiple POVs.

A young woman named Vera Larios wins the role of a lifetime as Salome in a big-budget film about a legendary heroine. As she rises to fame, she becomes the envy of Nancy Hartley, a struggling actress willing to do anything to reclaim her spotlight. Set against the backdrop of 1950s Hollywood, a place brimming with gossip, scandal, and intrigue.

I was so excited to receive an ARC of this book. The synopsis sounded really good, and I’ve enjoyed old Hollywood stories in the past. Unfortunately, I did not enjoy this book at all.
I’m not even sure where to begin. I had read one previous book by this author that I didn’t love, but the premise of this one sounded much more promising and right up my alley. The story really struggled with a strong start. It was hard to keep track of the chapters because the narrative isn’t divided by chapters; it’s broken up by different POVs. And there are a lot of POVs. So many that it became confusing and hard to follow the storyline and figure out the timeline of events.

The story is told in multiple formats by multiple points of view from various times. Throughout most of the book, it was hard to determine where we were in the timeline. There were interviews that seemed to take place in present day with people reflecting on past events, but it was unclear when "present day" actually was. There were also clips from magazine articles from when the movie was being filmed, as well as what seemed to be excerpts from the movie's script. Finally, we had perspectives from Vera, the lead actress, and Nancy, an extra who wanted the lead role.

Because of the constant jumps from POV to POV and from present to past tense, the story felt very choppy and difficult to follow. The format of this book and the way it was written took away from the story itself. With all the shifting POVs, the pacing was slow, and it seemed like it was leading up to something big, but it just never got there. The ending felt abrupt, and the different storylines never came together in a way that made sense to me, which was very disappointing. I kept thinking that the unconventional structure would lead somewhere significant, but it didn’t.

I’m still not 100% sure what to think of this book. I had zero emotional connection to the story or any of the characters. The Salome storyline didn’t seem to add anything to the overall narrative. The alternating timelines were slightly confusing; it was hard to know when everything was happening. It was clear that the interview POVs were set in the future, but it wasn’t clear how far in the future until the last few pages revealed it was 40 years after the events surrounding the film.

I absolutely hated how many POVs there were in this book. Some felt unnecessary and just made things messy and confusing. It was tough to keep track of each POV and how they tied into the story, especially since some only showed up once. I don’t think the story came together neatly at all. While Nancy and Vera’s narratives intertwined, Salome’s story felt completely out of place.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an early copy in exchange for an honest review.

Truly amazed at how unique each individual title from Silvia Moreno-Garcia is and this is no exception. I will always be a fan of her writing. While this title doesn’t break top two from her, it will always be memorable and enjoyable. I like that romance isn’t the focus of her writing but it is still present. She does a good job of making the plot creep by in an intentional way without being boring. Always always always a fan.

I'm super hesitant going into historicals because I can be kinda picky, but give me Hollywood drama and I'll read it all day long. Silvia Moreno-Garcia is able to infuse intrigue, mystery, drama, and glitz into a tight and concise story with depth and characters you are drawn too.

Silvia Moreno-Garcia has such a range. This particular work does not dive into the supernatural, instead we find ourselves wrapped up in a story about Salome and old Hollywood.

Perspectives from Vera, Nancy and Salome are all woven together quite nicely and it is easy to see parts of Salome in both contemporary characters.

I loved the tinsel town details and the inner workings of the business during the ‘50s. It was clear that the author did her research here. I enjoyed this compelling work of historical fiction!