The Bewitching twines three narratives together to tell the tale of three women who have to reckon with circumstances that defy explanation. As a New Englander it was delightful to read, as the college prominently featured is located in a MA town is lovingly rendered. The way SMG meticulously researches and fabricates a narrative involving an unsung horror writer, the family lore of a graduate student struggling with her sense of purpose creates a tension that is both existential and imminent. She takes her time to build a trajectory of suspense that kept me on the edge of my seat. I love works by this author and continue to be excited to read anything she writes.

Blurb: '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.

My opinion: This book was a blast! I was really sad I had to work and do some housework duties, as it interrupted my reading. The story, told by three different PoVs, hooked me from the beginning.

Moreno Garcia's writing style is so dark and beautiful, it made the story a real page turner. I needed to know what had happened to Ginny and who murdered her. Also, as Minerva was doing research, she seemed bewitched as well. For her surrounding, she might have gone crazy. It was very interesting to get to know more about farm life in Mexico in the early 20th Century and about Mexican supernatural creatures and folk beliefs. Witches are known in every culture, but the way they are described and the abilities they have, vary. This tory is built the way you have to eat one chapter told by one PoV, and need to read two other chapter told by different PoVs. So if one chapter ended with a cliffhanger, you read two more chapter to get to the chapter after the cliffhanger. This was a real smart move! Also, the American setting is in New England, a typical location for horror writers. Loved it!

I would recommend this book to horror reader and readers who love mystery and stories about witches, as well as female power and rage. Silvia Moreno Garcia is definitely one of my favorite authors!

I read her other book "Mexican Gothic" and enjoyed reading this new offering. I loved how all three of the story lines were woven together to form a wonderfully scary story. All three of the main female characters in this book were wonderful to see them grow throughout the story. The reveal was one I did not see coming. Thanks again NetGalley for the chance to read this book.

I’m convinced that this author cannot write a bad book. At this point, I’ll read anything this author writes. This was definitely one of my favorite books by this author. It was not quite as good as Mexican Gothic but it was definitely top tier. The chapters told from Alba’s POV reminded me of Mexican Gothic. Alba’s story was the story I enjoyed reading about the most. I also liked the chapters told from the POV of Beatrice and Minerva. However, I loved Alba’s character and her story the most.
Like Mexican Gothic, classism was a key theme in this book. I liked what the author had to say about privilege and wealth. City life vs. country life was also a theme that the author discussed in this story. The author touches upon xenophobia in this book, too. I appreciated that the author included LGBTQ+ characters, like Hideo and Benjamin.
It was kind of obvious who the villains were. Still, I enjoyed reading about the witches/vampires. The story was sometimes scary to me. Unlike Mexican Gothic, it wasn’t gross. However, this story was very creepy.
I cannot wait to read whatever this author writes next. I hope other readers enjoy this book as much as I did.

A really solid story. It really got to the heart of how we’ve failed women throughout history by refusing to listen to them and believe in them when they tell us they are being hurt or in danger or worried about something.

Moreno-Garcia did a fantastic job of flipping back and forth between the three timelines and I really enjoyed how they bounced off each other at the right points. However, I will say that I expected to be more of a connection between the 1908 and 1998 timeline other than the just the two main characters being related to each other. It felt like the story was building to a stronger connection or crux between the two stories that didn’t really feel like it paid off at the end.

Overall, though, I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book. Most of it is set in summer of 1998 but it reads like a fall book. It was cozy and dark and creepy at the right times.

This is going to be a hit. I have no doubt in my mind. The atmosphere layered with the mystery of it all kept me engaged and unsettled throughout. She weaves each generation into each other so well and the story unfolded so beautifully. I’m never going to stop recommending this book!

Being a fan of Silvia Moreno-Garcia's book Silver Nitrate, I was stoked to get an ARC of her next horror story, The Bewitching. My enthusiasm was rewarded with a gothic novel of folklore, witches, and dark academia.

Content Warnings:
The Bewitching is a horror novel revolving around missing persons cases and murder.
Be mindful that there are instances of body horror, classism, incest, and rape.

The Bewitching is the tale of women connected across time and distance by blood, witchcraft, death, and the determination not only to survive but to destroy the danger posed to them. We begin with Minerva Canterras in 1998 at a New England college. She is studying for her Masters degree and hyperfocused on an unknown (fictional) author, Beatrice Tremblay. Then we have Minerva's great-grandmother, Alba, in 1903 who is visited by her beloved uncle after the death of her father. She desires a better life away from farming and country sensibilities. Finally, we have Beatrice Tremblay in 1934, a writer who is in love with her roommate Virginia, a spiritualist who's disappearance creates a ripple through time.

Silvia Moreno-Garcia showed what a horror movie geek she was in Silver Nitrate. Now she shows us that her geekdom doesn't end with film but branches out into classic horror literature. As a fellow horror geek, I loved this.
The Bewitching's chapters set in 1998 with the character Minerva are my favorite. I am a huge fan of retro nostalgia in horror but also related to Minerva as a horror fan and general weirdo among her peers. Because of this, I decided to geek out a bit and create Minerva's play list (she constantly has her Discman with her and makes burned CDs for other characters) as well as a list of books that are or might be on her bookshelves. Not included is the list of movie and tv show references like Pink and the Brain, Kwaidan, The Real World, and Poltergeist.

Dark academia fans will love The Bewitching. Minerva and Beatrice both walk in the shadows of stone campus buildings, linger in archives and libraries, and are caught up in occult studies one way or another. References to early weird horror writers and horror classics abound. Discussions of classism and finding, missing students, scholar burn out, and more fill pages between lurking and whispering ghosts.

We also have a gothic story of folk magic, vampires, and mystery, particularly in Alba's story in 1903. This part of the book felt like a lush black and white silent film. I could imagine Alba, in her mourning veil, eyes wide with terror as she faced dangerous creatures, witches, and men who loved her too much. It had the drama, the body horror, and the painful twists and turns that I felt hard as the reader.

I am a fan of Silvia Moreno-Garcia's work and The Bewitching definitely earns its place on the shelf among my most beloved horror novels. I highly recommend it for fans of her earlier work as well as fans of dark academia, gothic romantic horror, and horror mysteries.

Multigenerational horror saga you say? Well yes. I will be picking up and devouring this book. Silvia Moreno-Garcia, the author you are. The Bewitching is such an interesting blend of a folktale, a work of historical fiction, and a family history. I was hooked in from the start. Jumping among the timelines was such a cool way to build this story up to its climax. I will absolutely be recommending this.

An engrossing witchy tale full of folklore and history. Silvia Moreno-Garcia is a master at crafting unsettling and atmospheric stories. Each chapter leaves you with more and more building tension. The three timelines are woven together perfectly and so satisfying as the pieces start to come together. There was one part I could have done without, though I do fully understand why it was included and the impact it had. (I'm just a softie for animals.)
I did throughly enjoy reading this story, it's excellent blend of mystery and horror that will keep you wanting more.
Thank you NetGalley and Del Ray for the eARC!

(My actual rating is a 3.5)

Silvia Moreno-Garcia is an amazing writer, in my super humble opinion. She has a wonderful way of weaving a story with everything a goth girly could possibly want. She writes moody women whose main interests almost never include men. She writes scenes filled with ancient magic, gothic architecture, and old evils.

The Bewitching is no exception to her ability, but unfortunately due to the nature of one bit of content, I wasn't as thrilled with this book as I have been with others.

The story centers around 3 different women in 3 different time periods and has horror elements involving witchcraft, curses, and the like. The characters are painfully human and all serve their part in the story quite well. Often I don't like POV and time switches, but SMG did a rather good job of keeping the story engaging in each.

Overall, I think this is a well-written and captivating story. I just really wish that a certain aspect had been left out. I understand its purpose...and for that I guess I'd have to say she did a great job making me uncomfortable lol

I found The Bewitching to be an intriguing book, but for some reason it never fully captured my interest. Similar to "The Seven Veils of Salome", Moreno-Garcia tells this story from the point of view of three different characters, who are undergoing parallel events despite being separated by years and geography. The stories are all tied together at the end. I think the execution of the style was done better here than in Salome though.

I loved the small New England college town setting of 2/3 of this book, it was exactly the atmosphere a witchy story like this needed. I also enjoyed the parts set in Mexico, and the inclusion of Mexican folklore around witches. It's interesting to see how much overlap with vampires there was. Unfortunately, I did figure out who was cursing the protagonists about half-way through, which then made the shocking reveals at the end somewhat less shocking. I do think Moreno-Garcia is at her best when writing the gothic horror genre though. She excels at atmospheric world-building and incorporating magic into the mundane.

I was, as always, thrilled to have the opportunity to read this, and look forward to sharing it with friends and library patrons when it's released.

Silvia Moreno-Garcia's The Bewitching is an atmospheric and captivating blend of history, folklore, and magic. Her lush writing brings both the eerie ambiance and complex characters to life, making the world feel immersive. Themes of female power and identity weave throughout the narrative. For those in academia, they will recognize and empathize with the main heroine's feelings which veer between mental exhaustion & determination, as well as imposter syndrome & competence.

The novel cleverly weaves between three time periods and three female main characters, each with her own story that gradually intertwines and come together to impact the outcome of the events of the present day. This narrative format adds depth and intrigue, as the different perspectives and eras shed light on the mystery and the horror at the heart of the story. The Bewitching will be a solid and engrossing read for fans of Moreno-Garcia's previous novel, Mexican Gothic.

✨ARC Book Review:🖤

The Bewitching by Silvia Moreno-Garcia is a masterful tale of dark academia and supernatural horror, woven across three distinct timelines. This enthralling novel takes readers on a spellbinding journey through 1908, 1934, and 1998, with three remarkable women at its core, each confronting a creeping darkness that binds their lives in unexpected ways.

A Story That Haunts Across Generations:
* Timeline 1 (1908): Alba, a young woman in rural Mexico, struggles with the mysterious disappearance of her brother, Tadeo, and whispers of a curse befalling her family.
Determined to uncover the truth, she finds herself drawn into a world of malevolent forces and dangerous witchcraft.
* Timeline 2 (1934): Beatrice Tremblay, an ambitious college student and budding horror writer, becomes obsessed with the disappearance of her eccentric roommate, Virginia, a rumored spiritual medium. Her debut novel, inspired by these events, gains fame, but Beatrice remains haunted by the ghosts of her past.
* Timeline 3 (1998): Minerva, Alba's great-granddaughter, is a graduate student researching Beatrice's unpublished manuscript for her thesis. But as she delves deeper into the mysteries of the past, she awakens a malevolent presence that begins stalking her—one that no one else can see.

A Narrative Intertwined With Folklore:

Moreno-Garcia weaves these three timelines into a seamless narrative, skillfully interlacing elements of Mexican folklore, mysticism, and gothic horror. Each timeline is richly atmospheric, from the eerie rural landscapes of 1900s Mexico to the haunting corridors of a 1930s New England college and the moody, nostalgia-tinged vibe of the late 1990s. The transitions between timelines are tlawless, making the connections between the women's lives and the dark secrets they uncover all the more compelling.

Themes of Survival, Witchcraft, and Power:

Through Alba, Beatrice, and Minerva, Moreno-Garcia explores themes of survival, the resilience of women, and the omnipresent shadow of unseen forces. The witches in this story aren't merely symbols of evil-they are complex, deeply embedded in the cultural and historical fabric of the narrative. The novel asks probing questions about the nature of curses, fear, and the human capacity to face what cannot be fully understood.

Why You'll Love It:

This is not just another witchcraft story-it's a deeply layered, ambitious saga that mixes historical intrigue with supernatural terror.
Moreno-Garcia's ability to create an atmosphere of creeping dread is unparalleled, making this novel both gripping and terrifying.
Her rich characterizations bring each timeline to life, ensuring that every twist and revelation lands with emotional weight.

Final Thoughts:

The Bewitching is a testament to Silvia Moreno-Garcia's brilliance as a storyteller.
Fans of her previous works, like Mexican Gothic or The Daughter of Doctor Moreau, will relish this chilling, beautifully crafted tale. The novel's seamless blend of folklore, dark academia, and multigenerational mystery makes it a must-read for anyone who loves atmospheric, supernatural fiction.

Highly recommended to fans of supernatural horror, dark academia, and gothic fiction.
Don't be surprised if you end up leaving your lights on after finishing this one.

Many thanks to NetGalley, the author, and Random House Publishing Group/Del Rey/Inklore for providing a digital reviewer copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinions.

This was an intense and wonderful horror story but I hated switching between the storylines. Felt like the pacing was off because of that. However, the prose translated gothic horror at its peak! 4 stars

Was lucky enough to get an early copy of this, and ended up reading it in the liminal space at the end of the year. It's fascinating to see Moreno-Garcia weave together the various time periods and the people in them, and use the knitting thread of a girl going through the archives of a little known New English folk writer and the story of a witch and a haunting that unfolds across generations. I did end up seeing some of the technical strings of how she did what she did this time around, but this was still a great read. Pick this up when it comes out this summer!

This author has written the best stories I’ve ever read. I highly recommend this book to anyone. And I cannot wait till it comes out to own it myself. 10/10

I don’t love horror, but I do love Silvia Moreno-Garcia so I’m glad I gave this a try! It was scary and I couldn’t put it down. I love all of the different narratives, but I felt frustrated every time it switched to a new timeline because I was desperate to find out what happened in each one!

Silvia Moreno-Garcia wrote another fantastic book. I was a little concerned at first, It seemed to start off slow, but the three POVs kept me entertained and captivated as to what would happen next. It was fascinating how she wove the three stories together by the end. This book falls in line with many of Moreno-Garcia's previous works. She does a marvelous job of maintaining a suspenseful and mysterious aura in her book, that keeps you turning the page until your questions are answered. I read this in almost one sitting due to how interesting it was. As always I am looking forward to whatever she does next!

Silvia- Moreno Grace quite simply never misses and here is no exception. This has all the intense horror that I have been waiting for since the end of Mexican Gothic.

I LOVED this book. I've previously read Gods of Jade and Shadow and Mexican Gothic, so I was really intrigued by the premise of this book, as SMG has books in a variety of genres. It was a little of a slow start, and it took me a while to see how the three timelines all tied together. I thought SMG did a great job of weaving everything together, and dropping little hints here and there about where the story was going. The story was suspenseful, and definitely had very creepy vibes. I was a little curious about the type of blood drinking witch they mentioned in the book, and how that might be different than a vampire, but that's also research for another day. I thought the pacing of the book was solid. I have already started recommending this book to my friends who are also fans of SMG!