My Mother Cursed My Name follows the Olivares women, whose destinies are shaped by their names. After Angustias leaves her mother Olvido’s home as a teenager, Felicitas meets her estranged grandmother—now a ghost. Before moving on, Olvido has unresolved business.

Reyes creates relatable, stubborn characters with humor and depth. The plot is slow to start but engaging, exploring generational resentment and healing. Though serious, the story balances dark moments with lightheartedness.

With strong themes of grief, faith, and family, the novel delves into the complex mother-daughter bond and the power of forgiveness. A beautiful debut, inspired by Reyes’ own family. Overall, a charming read. 3.5/5 stars.

This was a moving, lyrical debut about three generations of strong Mexican American women told from alternating POVs as they navigate their complicated mother-daughter relationships, deal with intergenerational trauma and grapple with what it means to be women of color in America today. I really enjoyed this on audio, thought the characters were raw and relatable and enjoyed all the food descriptions! Highly recommended for fans of books like Ann Napolitano's Hello, beautiful or The inheritance of Orquídea Divina by Zoraida Córdova. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early digital copy in exchange for my honest review!

A powerful and evocative novel that explores the lives of three generations of Mexican American women. The story delves into generational trauma, healing, and the search for home. I loved it from the first page.
Many thanks to Atria and to Netgalley for providing me with a galley in exchange for my honest opinion.

In My Mother Cursed My Name by Anamely Salgado Reyes

Anamely Salgado Reyes delivers a heartfelt debut novel about family, magic, and healing across generations. My Mother Cursed My Name follows the Olivares women as they grapple with their shared history, blending magical realism with poignant themes of forgiveness and self-discovery. I loved how each generation of women—mother, daughter, and granddaughter—brings their unique voice, navigating their relationships and the power of family ties. The magical elements felt both whimsical and deeply moving, making the story both captivating and heartwarming.

So, "My Mother Cursed My Name" by Anamely Salgado Reyes came highly recommended, and a lot of people seem to really love it—but for me? It was just okay. Now, don’t get me wrong, the writing is top-notch, and the story itself is solid, but I just couldn’t fully connect with it for some reason. That being said, I’m definitely not trying to knock the book because I really think it’s one of those reads where you’ve got to check it out for yourself and decide.

Personally, I need a book to hook me in fast and take me on a ride, so slower pacing or a story that takes its time doesn’t always work for me. But I can totally see a lot of readers falling in love with this one. It just didn’t do it for me.

Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books for an advanced readers copy in exchange for an honest and thoughtful review.

Thank You to Netgalley and Atria Books for the Arc

My Mother Cursed My Name is a truthful story for many Mexican Americans. However, Reyes uses magical realism to weave her story into the collective history of the intergenerational trauma passed down from mother to daughter. This hit home in many ways: being a third-generation American and like Felicitas, my experiences with Mexico have been filled with grief and anger, not knowing if I should lash out for leaving behind such a large part of me or be grateful for the sacrifices made for me.
I adored this book, and the prose was phenomenal. I would recommend this novel to anyone who is trying to reconnect to their heritage or was traumatized by Disney's Encanto.

Reyes really hit the mark with this rich, magical realism story. La familia por siempre. This is a story of family and magic and rich histories. Something about the story reminded me of Ink Blood Sister Scribe in the best way possible!

4/5!

This was just a lovely read! As a daughter of immigrant + Latinx parents, this really hit home for myself. Reading about the generational trauma of each of the Olivares women and the way that Anguistas + Felicitas were trying to break away from it, really touched me.

I loved the touch of magic there was in this book! It reminded me of Encanto where everyone had their own specific magical power. I’m not sure if I’m just in a fantasy mood but I wish we got to explore that a bit more! Other than that, I really liked this!

10.10 points for this book. Thank you for the ARC, I also ordered a physical copy to share with my daughter and mom. This book had me in all my feelings. I laughed and cried and longed for my Grandmas and to be closer to my mom and share more with my daughter.
Thank you. This is now my new favorite book.

I really enjoy novels that have a "magical" element to them that seem almost realistic. I also really enjoy novels that give insight into different cultures or lifestyles, and this novel did both of those things. The different perspective changes actually seemed necessary, whereas with a lot of novels it can be jarring to switch back and forth.

My Mother Cursed My Name is a beautiful story of mother and daughter relationships, learning to forgive and accept, and learning to communicate.

We follow the point of view of three Olivares women: Olvido, who worried all her life, and even now in her afterlife, is still worrying; Angustias, who used to be a carefree spirit, but is now burdened with the loss of her mother and the responsibilities of parenthood; and Felcitas, who is tired of being the odd girl out and is looking for a place where she can belong. All three are searching for a path to happiness and peace that will only come about when family secrets are revealed and personal truths are brought to light.

I greatly enjoyed this book! The mother-daughter relationships were incredibly realistic, and I was rooting for them to be able to have the courage and patience to listen and talk to each other. I adored the magical realism aspects, and how they played a part in disrupting or improving each woman’s life. The meddlesome neighbors in the small town were a hilarious addition and provided some needed levity to the story.

My only gripe is that I wish the final conversation had been longer and provided greater closure for each mother-daughter pair. I feel like I was cheated out of an apology conversation between two of the characters.

But other than that, this was a funny and poignant story. I highly recommend!

Thank you Netgalley for the arc of this book.

I knew that I’d like this plenty since I have read the blurb for the first time.
We get into the minds and lives of three generations of Mexican-American women.
I am not Mexican-American, though the dynamics between these women resonated a lot with me.
I also liked the use of the Spanish phrases and the wonderfully done magical realism. Actually, it is the author’s craft and mastery of the family dynamics and the magical realism elements that differentiate this title from similarly themed books (I read several books about generations of families, women from different generations of the same family, mother-daughter relationships these days, plus the multiple POVs and timelines - I have started to become more demanding and love to see nuances, layers and fresh takes).

Plot 3/5
Characterisation 4/5
Prose 4.25/5

Thank you Atria Books for the #gifted finished copy and thank you Simon Audio for my #gifted listening copy of My Mother Cursed My Name! #AtriaPartner #atriabooks #MyMotherCursedMyName #AnamelySalgadoReyes #simonaudio

𝐓𝐢𝐭𝐥𝐞: 𝐌𝐲 𝐌𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐂𝐮𝐫𝐬𝐞𝐝 𝐌𝐲 𝐍𝐚𝐦𝐞
𝐀𝐮𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐫: 𝐀𝐧𝐚𝐦𝐞𝐥𝐲 𝐒𝐚𝐥𝐠𝐚𝐝𝐨 𝐑𝐞𝐲𝐞𝐬
𝐍𝐚𝐫𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐬: 𝐘𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐥𝐢 𝐀𝐫𝐢𝐳𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐢, 𝐌𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐚 𝐁𝐥𝐚𝐤𝐞, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐊𝐚𝐫𝐥𝐚 𝐒𝐞𝐫𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐨
𝐏𝐮𝐛 𝐃𝐚𝐭𝐞: 𝐉𝐮𝐥𝐲 𝟑𝟎, 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟒

This book was absolutely incredible! It was powerful and magical and I loved the focus on family and healing. This was a story about three generations of Mexican American mothers and daughters who were trying to survive their own grief and generational trauma. It’s the type of story that will stick with you for a long time. Each of the three main characters were so well-crafted, that you couldn’t help but fall in love with each one of them. They were just so real and vulnerable and I just really could not put this one down.

🎧I listened to the audiobook, which was narrated by three amazing narrators: Yareli Arizmendi, Marisa Blake, and Karla Serrato. I loved how each one did such a great job bringing each of their respective characters to life and truly were just so dynamic in their roles. Each voice was so distinct and made following along on audio so easy to follow. I highly recommend this one on audio if you are looking for a beautiful and tender story to get lost in.

Posted on Goodreads on August 7, 2024: https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/144922955?ref=nav_profile_l
**Posted on Instagram - Full Review- on or around August 8, 2024: http://www.instagram.com/nobookmark_noproblem
**Posted on Amazon on August 7, 2024
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As a Book Club leader, I am always on the lookout for books that not only tell a compelling story but also offer rich themes for discussion. "My Mother Cursed My Name" by Anamely Salgado Reyes is a debut novel that delivers on both fronts. It beautifully intertwines the magical realism tradition with the poignant narrative of three generations of Mexican American women. This book promises to spark deep conversations about family, heritage, and the complexities of mother-daughter relationships.

I really enjoyed this book. Such an interesting look at women in a family line and how names can mean a lot. I loved the magical realism aspects. A very talented author who o look forward to reading more from.

This was a beautiful magical realism story between 3 generations of Mexican American women. It touched on generational trauma and intertwined the past with present. It was a slow burn and lots of 3rd person. All around, I enjoyed the quirks of the specific "gifts" and found it interesting.

My Mother Cursed My Name is such an incredible story. The three generations of women in this family are so detailed and unique, yet weave together like traits do when handed down from mother to daughter. The dynamics between the three women deliver a punch of emotions, making the reader feel many things at once.

In addition to well crafted characters, this story provides cultural perspectives that are rich with detail. I loved learning the differences between the Spanish and English languages, and how there are words in Spanish that cannot be easily translated.

This story is a must read! It will surprise you, entrance you, and keep you invested past the last page.

Thank you NetGalley and Atria Books for this advanced readers copy.

Felicitas Olivares meets her grandmother for the first time at her funeral, as the family tries to honour her wishes by burying her in her home town in Mexico. Grandmother, Olvido's spirit hovers around guiding Felicitas through the process as she realizes her granddaughter can see her as though she is still living. Olvido's daughter is deep in a confusing grief, while the town rallies around her pushing her to find the life her mother always wanted for her. Through this unconventional connection, the three Olivares women will learn the true meaning of mother-daughter connection and how to love one another amidst the expectations and well meaning mistakes that have occurred over generations.

A slow paced delicious story featuring strong female characters and beautiful prose. Reyes' debut skillfully narrates its characters and weaves through magical realism that touches the heart and motivates you to turn the page. It is one of those books that I describe the phrasing as delicious, and unforgettable. While I enjoy slow pacing, it makes the book feel slightly longer as it's really the first three quarters of the book that moves slow. While I loved the characters it is something that I would recommend reading on a poor weather day as it cannot be binged and must be enjoyed. The last little bit of the book is wonderful!

I highly recommend!

I really loved reading this book and getting to know the characters in the story. The main characters in this book include a Grandmother, a Mother, and a daughter. If you are generally not a fan of different POV's in a story, don't worry. This book is written so that you don't get confused and the story line is very fluid and easy to follow.

My Mother Cursed My Name is a coming of age story regarding the women in this family and what they have had to go through and the generational trauma that they each are currently dealing with. It was very refreshing to see a book written this well. The characters were so easy to fall in love with and relate to.

This book kept me hooked and on the edge of my seat. For me, it was also a very quick read as I couldn't put it down. I will for sure be recommending this book to everyone and we will for sure be reading this book as a book club book!

Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books for a copy of this book in exchange of an honest review.

If this became a movie, I would 100% be there to watch it in theaters! Getting all three Olivares women’s POVs was amazing. I think this book did such a great job of displaying the complexities of parent/child relationships. I think Felicitas’s POV was my favorite and how snappy she was, especially to Olvido! I also love the comedic relief of the small town population being so nosy in Angustias life.

One of my favorite parts of the book was in one of the last scenes in the car where all of them are forced to communicate, especially Felicitas and Angustias. So good.

CW: death, death of a parent, grief, abandonment