The Witches of El Paso" by Luis Jaramillo has an intriguing premise that sets a tone of magic and mystery against the peculiar backdrop of El Paso; still, I could not connect to the characters or become immersed in their stories. The plot was vaguely familiar and did not add originality or depth that I was expecting. Also, spanish is my native language and i just couldn't deal with the spanglish, if felt overly used. It might work for readers in love with atmospheric settings and witchcraft-themed tales, but alas, it was not the right read for me.

This was an interesting story of family legacy. I liked the use of magic or witchcraft as an element passed down through the women in a family. I really enjoyed Nena's story. The switching between timelines took some getting used to, but overall Nena was an engaging narrator. I found her experiences and emotional journey to be moving. Marta's story was not as strong to me. I enjoyed her relationship with Nena, however I found her work experiences and family tensions less convincing. I was not as strongly connected to her, and therefore found her journey to be flat.

Even though the story didn't completely work for me, I am very interested to read more from Luis Jaramillo.

Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books for providing an eARC in return for my honest thoughts.

This was such a fascinating novel. A multi-timeline, multi-generational novel that flicks between the modern day, the 1940s and the 1700s, it's set in El Paso, a city straddling the border between the US and Mexico.

This is not a part of the world I'm familiar with, so the vibrant descriptions of the barren desert landscape, adobe architecture and the interweaving of Mexican culture and folklore throughout the story added real depth to the story. Blending magical realism with thought-provoking social commentary The Witches of El Paso by Luis Jaramillo tells the story of Marta and Nena, two women learning to navigate supernatural powers that they don't wholly understand or want.

The story alternates between each woman's perspective which was occasionally jarring, and the ending itself felt slightly rushed after so much build-up of tension and mystery but I enjoyed it immensely nonetheless.

It's an intriguing story that explores ideas of identity and female power through the medium of witchcraft and I'll definitely be watching out for what Luis Jaramillo writes next.

High level;
Third person
Single POV
Slow paced
Descriptive writing


Overall solid read, but not my preference for writing style. I absolutely do not believe in bombing reviews of the reason I didn’t love a book had more to do with me than the author. For that reason, I’m giving this read 3 stars.

The magical realism, multiple timelines, generational stories, empowered women, and vivid descriptions of locations made it difficult for me to put this book down. The author did an amazing job weaving together the characters and propelled the story forward across different timelines and spaces. The descriptions of the locations and people were so vivid and tangible, I was immediately transported each time.

This book is definitely for fans of The Inheritance of Orquidea Divina, Mujer de Luz, and La Hacienda.

Thank you to Atria and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

1943 El Paso. Colonial Mexico. Present day. The Witches of El Paso follows a women and her elderly great-aunt and their powers. I loved every minute of this book. Jaramillo did a masterful job of portraying intergenerational trauma (and love).

A huge thank you to Luis Jaramillo, NetGalley, and Atria Books | Atria/Primero Sueno Press for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

The Witches of El Paso was a nice addition to my fall reading list, and it was a book that I enjoyed, though I almost immediately forgot many of the details upon finishing it. Magical realism can often be a challenging genre for me, but I quite enjoyed the magical elements of this book. Jaramillo also jumps back and forth in time, which I often find confusing, but I felt it was navigated well in this book, and I was invested in both narratives. I did find the ending to be a bit anticlimactic, and I just wanted a bit more, but overall I'm glad I had the opportunity to read this book.

Thank you to NetGalley for my advanced reader copy.

The Witches of El Paso by Luis Jaramillo is a unique and thought-provoking novel that blends magical realism with sharp social commentary. Set in the Texas borderlands, it follows a group of women with supernatural powers as they navigate both the magic of their heritage and the challenges of living in a world that doesn’t fully understand them. The novel deftly explores themes of identity, belonging, and the complexities of culture, while weaving in elements of witchcraft and mysticism.

Jaramillo’s writing is vivid and poetic, grounding the fantastical in the everyday struggles of his characters. The women at the heart of the story are compelling and multifaceted, each one dealing with personal struggles while grappling with the legacy of their powers. The book’s pace is steady, building tension while also offering moments of introspection and emotional depth.

Told in alternating timelines and from the perspective of two different women, this novel is magical realism at its finest. In the 1940s, Nena wants more out of life amidst her discovery of unwelcome magical powers. In present day, Nena’s grandniece, Marta is not necessarily unhappy, but is unfulfilled - taking care of her children, feeling a disconnect from her husband and working at a legal aid practice where she feels unappreciated. When Nena, in present day, comes to stay with Marta, she tells her of the impossible: when she was young, she was transported to colonial Mexico, in order to learn how to be a bruja by the nuns there. During her time in the past, Nena not only comes into her own powers but falls in love and has a child - who she left in the past. Nena now wants Marta’s help going back.

Impossibly hard to put down, this was a spectacular journey of the imagination grounded in reality. Highly recommend!

This is a really unique mix of historical fiction, magical realism, and family drama, with multiple timelines and a lot of cultural depth. The atmosphere and concept are really interesting, but it can be a bit tricky to fully connect with all the moving parts and characters.

This story was so beautifully crafted. While many books use multiple storylines and narrators to tell their story often it only succeeds in confusing the reader about what is happening. But both Nena and Marta have unique voices that make them easily distinguishable from each other. Furthermore, the separate storylines are integral to the full art of the story and when they finally converge, it is truly magical. While I admit that I may be a bit biased, I am from the city in which the novel takes place, this novel is so much more than just the location; though it does provide a beautiful backdrop for the magic of this story.

A deeply magical tale of two women navigating the terrain and expectations of El Paso in the 2000s, 1940s and 1700s. This time travel novel is full of Spanish and Indo American belief and culture and challenges of the place of women and female power. I really loved the family dynamics, the spiritual connections and the atmospheric setting.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for my copy. These opinions are my own.

The Witches of El Paso is part historical fiction, part magical realism, as well as part family drama, part time travel novel. In short, there’s a lot going on here!

I have mixed feelings on this one… As for what I enjoyed - I did love the atmosphere that Jaramillo was able to create with his use of language and sense of time and place. I also liked the overall concept, as well as the novel’s darker tone and themes. I liked this take on generations of witches and the specifics of their power.

I don’t actually have any major complaints, but I just wasn’t able to fully connect with the story for some reason. I’m not even sure I could identify what the problem was for me, other than maybe there was just too much going on for me to really connect with the characters, and I am usually pretty character-focused as a reader. That being said, I would definitely pick up another book by this author.

If you like witches, multiple timelines, intergenerational stories, and/or family secrets, this might be the book for you!

*Thank you to NetGalley and Atria/Primero Sueno Press for the complimentary eARC for the purpose of an honest review!*

The Witches of El Paso is a multigenerational story that is magical. It follows the growth of two women related in family and strengths.

This story was well written, the story unfolding in an intriguing and well paced way. There are many thought provoking lines, and details that make the story fantastic.

Thank you NetGalley and Simon & Schuster Atria Marketing team for this advanced readers copy.

Told from multiple timelines, this story weaves cultural and supernatural elements into a new take on witches. I found the story intriguing as an avid fantasy reader and loved the novel take on the magic in the book.

Such a rich and beautifully told book about intergenerational love and pain, and how the characters are tethered to, but separate from, each other.

This book has some magical realism, some time travel, lots of family stuff, even a bit of political commentary. It was an interesting and sometimes odd mix. A second odd thing is that magic doesn't seem to be good for very much in the book. I wonder if these characters needed to be witches at all, honestly.

The author knows their Texas history, and those who worry obsessively about brown people who speak Spanish and will both come to take their jobs and commit horrible crimes might benefit from reading about characters that feel very true to life, Latino characters who are accomplished, smart, and whose families have been here longer than white colonists have. In a way, this book was a love letter to the rich history and culture of these people.

The reason that I didn't rate the book higher is that it didn't really have much of a plot. There's the modern day slice of life and then the wtich/nun story that takes place in the past. A lot of the story felt kind of soapy, and it was a little too slow for me. The story is circular and that meant that I never felt a lot of tension. But I think this author has a lot of skill and I'd be willing to try another book by them.

What a fun, spooky, witchy read! I loved the themes of this book - life and death; boundaries and liminalities; the power of family and nature; etc, etc. The complex relationships between women were especially moving to me - I love reading family focused supernatural fiction, and the complexities of these women really made this prose shine. For a male author, the "constant unease" (as another reviewer put it) evoked by men is masterful. Honestly, I don't have any major complaints! If you enjoyed any of the comp titles, I would highly recommend this.

It's been a difficult week for reading (for me) so it was nice to hit a book that had such female strength, love, and compassion. I liked learning about the family, the lineage and to read the back and forth. It was a good story, one that I wasn't instantly drawn to but slow burn brought into. The flipping back and forth is a little jarring at first but I found myself finally settling into it.

A huge thank you to the author and publisher for providing an e-ARC via Netgalley. This does not affect my opinion regarding the book.

This one was hard for me to get into. I tried, but nothing was keeping my engaged long enough to remember what happened and I was never excited to pick this one up. I liked the way Jaramillo wrote, so I might give it a shot another time, but right now it's just not the right book for me.