Time travel books are not my favorite, but I wanted to give this a try to make sure I still felt that way—I very much do. Jaramillo is a skilled storyteller but his prose dragged on and on for me and I found this to be slow and boring in many parts. This attempts to weave together family, witches, magic, and history and while I enjoyed the family aspect, the rest didn't quite work for me. For such powerful witches they seemed to miss a lot of important details. The themes explored were wonderful!

3.5 ⭐️s
Thank you to Atria Books, Primero Sueno Press, and NetGalley for providing an ARC!

I'd give this one 3.5 stars. I loved the idea of it, but the time travel left me with questions that were unanswered. Like if she time traveled and came back, did no time pass? It seemed like that was what was implied as no one questioned where she was... they only listened to her story and put her in the mental health ward. On that same train of thought... if she said she went to another time and gave birth and came back with symptoms of having given birth, how was that not addressed or at the very least questioned in a medical facility? I mean I understand that even in the present time of her youth it is our past time so medical/mental health ideas still had some evolving to get to where we are today, but still. No one thought huh, her story sounds crazy but it DOES look like she gave birth? I mean even her granddaughter was more inclined to believe her and she didn't SEE the symptoms.

Anyway. Looking past what brought up more questions for me than it did answers, the story itself was wonderful. The generational discovering of who you are and who your grandparents and ancestors are can be powerful. Sometimes in good ways and sometimes in bad ways, but powerful. I don't have the same heritage as our main characters but I very much enjoyed those aspects of the story. I would recommend it to others to read.

On a side note, it did not affect my rating and I assume it's an ARC issue that will be fixed in the print edition... I had two chapters in a row that were the same. :)

If you like stories with witches, magic, storylines through generations and different timelines, this one is for you! I loved so many things about this book.

The Witches of El Paso is a journey that weaves together magic, family, and different timelines. We follow Nena who discovers her powers and is transported to a timeline where she could never imagine what would happen. While in present time, her grand neice is discovering the truth about Nena and learning family secrets.

I loved the writing and the unraveling of the past and present storylines.

Highly recommended for anyone seeking a beautifully crafted narrative that celebrates the complexity of family and the magic within us all.

Genre: witchy multigenerational saga, historical fiction
El Paso, 1792, 1943, present day

Martha is a lawyer at Legal Aid working on a major case, balancing motherhood and her career, with a handsome, if slightly detached doctor for a husband. Her great aunt, Nena, is moving in with them. Martha feels something brewing inside of her - an encanto, calling on her. It's something Nena knows too, and when she was a teenager in 1943, desire and impetu0usness sent her hurtling through time to 1792 Mexico to a nunnery where she can learn a little more about her magic. The Nena and Martha's timelines converge as they use their magic to find a lost child.

I really liked the themes that Luis Jaramillo employs here. He's exploring magic through family connections with religious overtones. This is Nena's story, though Martha feels like the main character in the present day timeline, as Nena exists in all three times, and it's her story that must close the gap. The Witches of El Paso leans on the landscape of El Norte, and themes of power and motherhood, to spin a desperate tale of passion and magic. While the vibes work for me, historical fiction will always work better for me when it doesn't have a present day timeline; the modern connection jars me out of the past. Jaramillo's present day works well for the story he is telling, and I like Martha and her family as characters, so this is a personal preference. For those who enjoy a modern timeline, this will work well.

Thanks to NetGalley and Atria Books for this copy of "The Witches of El Paso."

I adore stories with time-travel elements and this one has the added fun of magic and "witchcraft" that is passed from generation to generation.

We meet 40ish lawyer Marta who lives in El Paso and daydreams about her wild and carefree youth. She cares for her aging great-aunt Nena who tells Marta that they need to find a child lost in the past.

Marta and Zena's stories about finding their magic "witchcraft" are told in alternating chapters so they're easy to follow. But it's no spoiler to tell you that Zena is the more delightful, colorful character.

The Witches of El Paso took me by complete surprise – it wasn’t at all what I was expecting, but in the best way! Told in two timelines (or three, depending on how you look at it!), we meet Nena in 1943 as she unexpectedly meets a nun who helps her move through time to colonial Mexico, where she begins to discover more about her magical abilities. Meanwhile, in the present day, her grandniece Marta is a lawyer fighting a high-stakes case while also uncovering her own inherited powers with Nena’s guidance. Nena has a personal request, too: help find the daughter she left in the past long ago.

It has a little bit of everything – magic, family bonds and legacy, a troubling legal case, and even time travel! This isn’t your typical witchy, spooky-season book – this is a beautiful story full of cultural history and emotion. Highly recommend!

The Witches of El Paso combines historical fiction elements with mystical/magical elements in a way that is intriguing. We follow a woman and her granddaughter in two different timelines as they each discover their witch-related powers.

As sometimes happens in books with a dual timeline, I found one timeline much stronger than the other. In this novel, it was the timeline in the past, focused on the grandmother. The current day timeline felt less developed, as did the overall story for the granddaughter. I also had some difficulty in the last portion of the novel as the magical elements came together. For me, the pieces didn't come together as I hoped they would. I found that I was unable to link them together and understand what had happened in the story. I think that developing the granddaughter's story more fully and adding more explanation in the end would have resulted in a more fulfilling read for me.

I’ve never been a fan of time travel stories and unfortunately this book is not an exception to that. Found it too convoluted to get into and was not connecting to any of the characters.

I was not aware what I was getting into but I truly enjoyed every minute of this story. I want to read it again immediately and I can’t wait sit to read more from this author.

This book follows multiple timelines with no indication which timeline it was in when it switched perspectives. I found it difficult to follow and it made me feel disconnected to the story.

DNF around 17%.

To be honest, I felt like every time I tried to read this, my brain did not compute. My mind was either wandering or I was trying to keep track of the characters and how they all connected to each other. Unfortunately, the writing style just didn't hold my interest and, overall, it wasn't what I thought it would be.

Thank you, regardless, to NetGalley and Atria for giving me an advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review. This title published October 8, 2024!

i really liked the concept of this book (and the title and the cover), but so much of it didn't add up to me. the character motivations didn't track, and the ending felt terribly abrupt.

Short but completely emersive. This is: tejas gothic, atmospheric, haunting magic, and dual pov. It takes place in 3 different times and has everything from Catholicism to Brujas. It’s perfect for spooky season.

# The Witches of El Paso
# 10/23/2024 ~ 10/24/2024
# 4.5 / 5.0

I love a good witch story, especially one that blends eerie supernatural elements with magic. The Witches of El Paso certainly dabbles in all of those areas—witchcraft, time travel, and even some cultural and historical layers—but, unfortunately, it didn’t quite capture my interest the way I had hoped.

There were moments where the book showed real potential, particularly with its strong cultural presence and historical depth, which I’m sure many readers will appreciate more than I did. However, the pacing felt slow at times, and I found myself losing interest. While I typically enjoy stories told from multiple perspectives, the mix of time travel and the lack of clarity in some parts of the plot left me confused and disconnected.

At its heart, this is a mother-daughter tale of lineage and power, and I found Nena’s story from the past the most compelling. I wish the focus had remained on her, as Marta’s character in the present didn’t feel fully fleshed out. Some parts of her story felt unresolved and even irrelevant to the main plot.

While this wasn’t a book that worked for me, I’m hopeful that other readers will find enjoyment in its unique blend of witchcraft, history, and culture.

Thank you to Atria and NetGalley for this e-galley.

{3.5 stars}

Thanks to Atria Books for gifted access via Netgalley. All opinions below are my own.

The Witches of El Paso is a historical fiction novel with a bit of time traveling magic. Marta is a modern day lawyer trying to balance out family life with her cases. She has always been an advocate for the women in her town and those who are mistreated but she finds herself wanting more. When her aunt has what appears to be an accident in her home, she begins to learn more about her aunt's magical past and how she is connected to it.

I always love a time slip story and what really shined for me here was the juxtaposition between modern day and old world Spanish convent in pre-American times. Seeing how women were treated and are still treated and the resonance of that made this an important read. That said, the moving through time was sometimes more jarring than I wanted it to be. I also hoped for a little more meaning in the end, it felt like it wrapped up a little too quickly for me.

The Witches of El Paso by Luis Jaramillo
Rating: 3 stars

Luis Jaramillo is a new author for me, and I was drawn to this book because it’s about witches—something I always love reading about! The story is told in two timelines, intertwining Nena’s journey in 1943 with her grandniece Marta’s life in the present. The magic and supernatural elements were unique and kept me interested, especially with the multicultural layers woven into the plot.

While it wasn’t my favorite, it had some beautiful moments of magic, family, and love. I think fans of the supernatural and magical realism would enjoy this!

Tropes

🔮 Witches
⏳ Dual timelines
🌎 Multigenerational family drama
💫 Magical realism
💖 Self-discovery

Thank you, NetGalley and Atria Books | Atria/Primero Sueno Press books for this book for review. This book was perfect to read for October and spooky season with witches and time travel and the power of family. This book was fantastic, and I couldn't put it down. It is compared to The Inheritance of Orquídea Divina, and I would agree with the themes of magic and family throughout. Beautifully written and I will remember this book. I will definitely keep an eye out for this author in the future.

This was a wonderful historical fiction book about a family of witches. Told in multiple POVs and multiple timelines spanning the 1790’s, 1940’s, and present day. The magical power of the women was unique and I enjoyed the theme of feminine power against patriarchy across time. The plot was propulsive, and the I stayed up late flipping the pages to see the storylines merge. Perfect for readers who enjoy witches, family drama, and suspense.

Luis Jaramillo's The Witches of El Paso is a dual-timeline story about family, motherhood, and magic. The magic system is very unique and incredibly compelling!

This book was a great read! Firstly, the cover is beautiful - can't go wrong with a great cover. Secondly, the story follows a family of witches but like others have said in their reviews, I wish there were years in the chapters to dictate what timeframe we are reading. Overall though, this was a light, fun read and I would recommend it! Thank you Netgalley and Atria for the ARC!