Tag: Del Rey

Spoiler Free Review: The Bewitching by Silvia Moreno-Garcia

Title: The Bewitching

Author: Silvia Moreno-Garcia

Pub. Date: July 15th 2025

Genre: Horror/Historical Fiction/Paranormal

Format: eARC

Publisher: Del Rey

 Pages: 357

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SMG delivers YET again with The Bewitching, a truly spooky/bone-chilling multigenerational horror set between 1900’s Mexico, and 1930’s/1990’s Massachusetts. We follow three women in their timelines as they find themselves in mysterious circumstances. Nana Alba in 1900’s Mexico is a young woman whose family has seen many a misfortune that leads her to believe they have been cursed by a witch. Nana Alba made sure to pass these stories down to her great-granddaughter Minerva who in turn, is now a graduate student focusing her research on horror literature and the life of Beatrice Tremblay. The author Tremblay wrote macabre tales and a novel titled “The Vanishing” that was inspired by a true story. Beatrice was attending the same university as Minerva in 1930’s Massachusetts when her roommate disappeared without a trace and under very mysterious circumstances. We see Minerva begin to find the thread that connects her to Nana Alba and Beatrice Tremblay. She begins to feel as if those same entities that Nana Alba spoke about and Beatrice based her novel on, may now be stalking her and they mean her harm.

What better way to start spooky season than with a brand new SMG?!?! This one matched the energy Mexican Gothic left me craving even with it admittedly being much slower paced. You just can’t rush masterful storytelling, the atmospheric writing was 10/10! Set in Massachusetts , this is NOT your average tale of Salem witches. Instead we get Witches and their origins in Mexico but bring it to Massachusetts, I’ll tell you one thing! These witches scared the hell outta me and made me keep the lights on as I read. Frankly I got anxiety anytime Minerva had to perform her campus duties of making sure all was good in the dorms at night carrying nothing but a flashlight and a clipboard SMH. The Bewitching is cinematic, haunting, atmospheric, eerie and at times gory. Each timeline has a healthy dose of mystery and paranormal encounters blending the folklore of Mexican witches with that of the New England witchcraft lore. The reason for this story unfolding at a much slower rate makes all the sense once you know why these women are being hunted by blood thirsty witches. Alba, Beatrice, and Minerva have some things in common that make them prime targets. Ranking The Bewitching as my #2 favorite of Silvia Moreno-Garcia and HIGHLY encouraging book lovers add this one to their September Latinx/Hispanic Heritage Month TBR’s.  

★彡 “𝙱𝚊𝚌𝚔 𝚝𝚑𝚎𝚗, 𝚠𝚑𝚎𝚗 𝙸 𝚠𝚊𝚜 𝚊 𝚢𝚘𝚞𝚗𝚐 𝚠𝚘𝚖𝚊𝚗, 𝚝𝚑𝚎𝚛𝚎 𝚠𝚎𝚛𝚎 𝚜𝚝𝚒𝚕𝚕 𝚠𝚒𝚝𝚌𝚑𝚎𝚜. 𝚃𝚑𝚊𝚝 𝚠𝚊𝚜 𝚠𝚑𝚊𝚝 𝙽𝚊𝚗𝚊 𝙰𝚕𝚋𝚊 𝚞𝚜𝚎𝚍 𝚝𝚘 𝚜𝚊𝚢 𝚠𝚑𝚎𝚗 𝚜𝚑𝚎 𝚝𝚘𝚕𝚍 𝙼𝚒𝚗𝚎𝚛𝚟𝚊 𝚋𝚎𝚍𝚝𝚒𝚖𝚎 𝚜𝚝𝚘𝚛𝚒𝚎𝚜; 𝚒𝚝 𝚠𝚊𝚜 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚙𝚛𝚎𝚊𝚖𝚋𝚕𝚎 𝚝𝚑𝚊𝚝 𝚕𝚎𝚍 𝚒𝚗𝚝𝚘 𝚊 𝚛𝚎𝚊𝚕𝚖 𝚘𝚏 𝚜𝚑𝚊𝚍𝚘𝚠𝚜 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚖𝚢𝚜𝚝𝚎𝚛𝚒𝚎𝚜.” 彡★

 

 

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Spoiler Free Review: A Drop Of Corruption by Robert Jackson Bennett

Title: A Drop Of Corruption (Shadow Of The Leviathan #2)

Author: Robert Bennett Jackson

Original Pub. Date: April 1st 2025

Genre: Sci-Fantasy/Mystery

Format: eARC

Publisher: Del Rey

 Pages: 465

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☆☆ARC PROVIDED BY PUBLISHER IN EXCHANGE FOR AN HONEST REVIEW☆☆

The Highly anticipated sequel to The Tainted Cup (spoiler free review) is finally here! This is one I was counting down the days for release and after devouring it in two sittings I can say it was worth the wait! Our favorite foul mouthed genius Detective Ana Dolabra and her assistant Dinios Kol are back in full investigative mode as they travel beyond the Empire’s reach to Yarrowdale. This time an officer of the treasury has been murdered in the most unusual way, an abduction from his quarters while the doors and windows were locked. Every exit fully guarded and every departure/arrival is noted. He however has simply vanished leaving behind a bloody room with very little clues to what may have transpired. Strange cases call for the eccentric Ana and her partner Din but this case is different in ways that leave even Ana worried. Their killer seems to think like Ana and predicts her every move. A lot is at stake in this game of cat and mouse when they realize “The Shroud” is the target. Vastly protected and operated from within by augmented officers of the Empire, The Shroud is a mass that allows the Empire to study and dissect fallen Leviathans in order to harness their magical liabilities. Those that work within the Shroud have basically sacrificed their lives with no guarantee that they’ll be able to walk away. The Shroud is taxing on their minds and bodies, some have come to think that it would be best if it didn’t exist.

This one is going to be for the readers who enjoy a slowly unraveled mystery, it packs a ton of plot twists and turns that will keep you guessing at whether Ana could even solve this case. This time the killer is just as genius and presents her with a real challenge while also making it difficult to keep certain aspects of her identity and augmentations a secret any longer from her assistant Din. We see her physically ill while also insatiably hungry for the strangest foods that would poison the common man. We get some answers to the mystery that is Ana while also still seeing her serve raw and unfiltered commentary at the expense of Din and those he chooses to bed. They are the true definition of an odd pairing and it makes for such a good time! As always the sci-fi elements are in the background mostly seen in the setting of the story. At it’s core this is mostly a mystery with scifi/fantasy elements, the trifecta is easily one I can get wrapped up in and will definitely be revisiting when book 3 in Shadow Of The Leviathan series is released.

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Spoiler Free Review: The Seventh Veil Of Salome by Silvia Moreno-Garcia

Title: The Seventh Veil Of Salome

Author: Silvia Moreno-Garcia

Pub. Date: August 6th 2024

Genre: Historical Fiction/Romance/Latinx

Format: eARC

Publisher: Del Rey

 Pages: 336

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☆☆ARC PROVIDED BY PUBLISHER IN EXCHANGE FOR AN HONEST REVIEW☆☆

The Seventh Veil Of Salome is a dual timeline/multi-perspective Historical Fiction set during 1950’s Hollywood and Biblical times (with background appearances of Jesus who at the time is performing miracles on the townspeople.) We follow three women as their stories unfold: Vera Larios – an unknown Mexican ingenue who is cast in the lead role of Salome; Nancy Hartley – an actress whose career has run dry and is starving for a lead role that will grant her access to a life of fame and fortune; Princess Salome – in love with a prophet who has angered many of the higher officials looking to silence him but not before he speaks on the misfortune that is to come onto Salome’s stepfather.

We meet Vera Larios who’s just been cast in a swords-and-sandals biblical movie that is being directed by a notoriously difficult to work with director. Vera has no acting experience whatsoever but she caught his eye as the only ideal fit to play the role of the beautiful Salome. In the bible, Salome is known for the beheading of John the Baptist. Vera who has spent most of her life being overlooked or dismissed by her mother for her darker complexion saw this as an opportunity to step into the limelight and a chance to breakaway from the toxicity at home. On the film set and in the media she encounters misogyny and racism from men and women. The men objectify her, the women see her as stealing their roles with her “exotic” features, while the media portrays hers as an explosive unpredictable Latina. As the movie begins to film, we get an inside look at Hollywood during this time as the cast of Salome parties and gives the media the tea for their headlines. Nancy Hartley on the other hand is desperately trying to secure a lead role by any means necessary, Vera being a Mexican woman fuels her ire. We see an unhinged woman’s downward spiral powered by hate and racism. The cunning Salome has suitors lined up but she’s set her eyes on the one man she absolutely can’t have and whose days are numbered. will she choose love or power?

It wouldn’t be a SMG novel if it followed the same style of writing with each story she delivered. The Seventh Veil Of Salome is part documentary told through the lens of multiple characters reflecting on what transpired on the set of Salome. While also traveling back to the biblical times of Salome and John the Baptiste. Each of these ambitious women deliver such a captivating story that as much as I was enjoying the perspective I was in, I was also thinking of the other women’s situations. Whether you’re new to SMG or an avid reader of her books, the atmospheric writing alone will guarantee a rich reading experience. I’m not sure what is in SMG’s pen but no matter the time period/plot, the ease with which you are transported make all of their books a must read.

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Spoiler Free Review: The Warm Hands Of Ghosts by Katherine Arden

Title: The Warm Hands Of Ghosts

Author: Katherine Arden

Pub. Date: February 13th 2024

Genre: Historical Fiction/Speculative Fiction

Format: eARC

Publisher: Del Rey

 Pages: 325

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☆☆ARC PROVIDED BY PUBLISHER IN EXCHANGE FOR AN HONEST REVIEW☆☆

It’s 1918, Laura Iven has been honorably discharged from the Medical Corps as a highly decorated field nurse. Wounded while on the field, Laura returns to Canada where she receives word of her brother Freddie’s presumed death in combat. A box is delivered to her with his personal effects, Freddy is presumed to be dead because his body was never recovered. How then, have his belongings made it to her doorstep? Laura decides she must go back to active duty in Belgium if only to be closer to the front lines and get answers/certain proof of Freddie’s demise. What she isn’t anticipating is to be met with an alternate possibility. A man who has deserted the battlefield and is caught is then executed by the military. Did Freddy leave the battlefield? or could he still be alive? and is his fate worse than if he had been killed in the field? 

Told in dual point of view and past/present timelines between 1917 and 1918, we get Freddy’s account as he is trapped in a ditch created by one of the many explosives dropped. In this ditch is also a German soldier who has been severely wounded. Hans Winter should be his enemy but in these presumed final hours, he is a comfort. Together they help each other get out of that hole but are unsure of which way to go once out. They both can’t fathom the thought of returning to their respective front lines. In the chaos of raining shells and gunfire they meet a mysterious man who owns a hotel and has a penchant for creating music. The type of tunes that can make you forget the misery that surrounds you. An escape from the violence and senseless killings they’ve witnessed. For some soldiers the escapism being offered was too good to pass up. 

This was not the book I thought we’d get next from one of my favorite authors and yet this story will remain with me for years to come. Full transparency, I am never the one to pick up books set during WWI or WWII. That being said, it’s Katherine Arden! she can write the hell of a story and creates characters who leave their mark. If you love books with a speculative touch then this one is for you! it is slow paced within reason, every time I opened this book I felt instantly transported to the front lines and it terrified me. Heavily researched (notes and photos included in the Barnes & Noble special edition) and delivered by a skilled pen, it is haunting and feels like a story that needed to be told. In her author’s note Arden speaks of the juxtaposition of nurses in corsets while wearing gas masks while cavalry charged at tanks. It really doesn’t get any more real than that. It was the author’s note and photos of the graves she visited that hit hard and make for a powerful read. It’s a story about times of war but also hope where there’s none to be found. Grief and trauma as well as remembrance. There are feelings of repressed rage we see play out in characters like the mysterious hotel owner. The same rage Arden says can be felt to this day while walking alongside the final resting place of many French and German. A powerful read for fans of Arden who were patiently waiting for her next spellbinding tale.

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Spoiler Free Review: The Tainted Cup by Robert Jackson Bennett

Title: The Tainted Cup (Shadow Of The Leviathan #1)

Author: Robert Jackson Bennett

Pub. Date: February 6th 2024

Genre: Fantasy/Sci-Fi/Mystery/Queer

Format: DRC

Publisher: Del Rey

Pages: 351

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☆☆ARC PROVIDED BY PUBLISHER IN EXCHANGE FOR AN HONEST REVIEW☆☆

I couldn’t figure out what I was in the mood to read and kick off my February line-up, I found myself leaning towards Fantasy but also craving mystery. What I didn’t know was just how much The Tainted Cup would satisfy both of these cravings. It gives Sherlock and Watson Vibes paired with Knives Out, two things I absolutely love! We meet Dinios Kol, and Engraver who is magically altered to have perfect memory at the start of his assignment. Din is to work for the eccentric investigator Ana Dolabra. As her assistant, Din would go out to crime scenes and act as her seer. This is because Ana wears a blindfold and never leaves her quarters, but is considered to be the best in her field of work. When an Imperial officer is killed by a tree spontaneously sprouting from his body, Ana and Din are called to investigate. This WHODUNNIT had me invested! Din is so loyal to Ana even when some of her practices really pushed the limits. Although it’s not outright stated on the page (not likely to have a name in this fantastical setting), it appears Din struggles with Dyslexia. Despite his challenges with letters, Din is determined to graduate in rank as an Engraver. The eccentricities paired with her bold and direct way of speaking made Ana and instant fave. Ana and Din could not be more hilariously paired up but despite that, Ana was good for Din. In many ways she saw him for who he really is better than those walking around him not blindfolded. Lastly, the world-building left no stone unturned. Part Fantasy mixed with some elements of Sci-Fi and a healthy dose of mystery, The Tainted Cup is unlike any book I’ve read before. I was hooked on trying to figure out the villain(s) all the while feeling a sense if urgency for the people in this land who were gearing up t protect their walls from a Leviathan (giant sea creatures) attack. Extinction is a daily threat looming over the land building the climax while the mystery surrounding the spontaneous deaths unravels. Listed as the first book in the Shadow Of The Leviathan series on Goodreads, this is one that I’ll be eagerly anticipating!

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Spoiler Free Review: Silver Nitrate by Silvia Moreno-Garcia

Title: Silver Nitrate

Author: Silvia Moreno-Garcia

Pub. Date: July 18th 2023

Genre: Horror/Historical Fiction

Format: DRC

Publisher: Del Rey

Pages: 323

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☆☆ARC PROVIDED BY PUBLISHER IN EXCHANGE FOR AN HONEST REVIEW☆☆

I’ll be the first to admit I was unsure I’d be reading Silver Nitrate when we got wind of the premise. SMG is and will always be one of my top favorite authors and if there’s anyone who can get me to read a book based on horror films, it could only be Silvia Moreno-Garcia. Character driven and slower paced than some of her other books, Silver Nitrate is a blend of Horror and Historical Fiction set in Mexico City during the 90’s with references to the Golden Age of Mexican Cinema. Our main characters Montserrat is a sound editor who is stuck at a bad paying job where all the projects worth having are given to the owners favorites. Montserrat stays for the love of what she does but doesn’t do so silently, she’s tough and isn’t one to keep quiet at the inequality of it all. Her best friend Tristán who she’s been in love with since childhood, is a soap opera actor whose career is rapidly fading. After a break-up Tristán packs up and moves into a building and discovers his upstairs neighbor is the legendary cult horror director Abel Urueta. Montserrat and Urueta hit it off when he senses her real passion for horror films and so he tells them of the curse he believes is responsible for ending his career overnight. Urueta tells them of his involvement in a cult led by a Nazi occultist and how silver nitrate stock was being used in an effort to dispel magic through the screen. This of course backfired and cast a spell on all those working on the film, Urueta is one of the very few to have made it out alive. 

We really get to know Montserrat & Tristán once they decide to get involved with helping Urueta and start living through the repercussions. For Tristán it’s the ghost of his dead girlfriend and for Montserrat its the feeling that she’s being followed by a dark presence. It was around the 60% mark that I started feeling as if I couldn’t put the book down, I was engrossed in the paranormal happenings at this point. Our MC’s who are an odd pairing to say the least are also deeply connected to one another, there’s real care and concern coming off the page. Tristán is freaked out and would much rather close the door on all of this while Montserrat can’t turn away, it’s just not in her nature. She’s always had to play the tough role as someone who’s disabled and was bullied at a young age but never backed down. The contrast of personalities worked really well in getting me to care for these characters which in turn got me to get invested in the horror/historical elements that play center stage. SMG is a phenomenal writer! it was easy to reimagine Mexico City in the 90’s through her pen similar to the magic of Velvet Was The Night. Whether the muse behind this book was my jam or not doesn’t take away from the fact that this author continues to deliver quality story telling. Silvia Moreno-Garcia continues to prove that she cannot be boxed into any one genre and I’m here to read anything she writes! 

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Spoiler Free Review: The Haunting Of Alejandra by V. Castro

Title: The Haunting Of Alejandra

Author: V. Castro

Pub. Date: April 18th 2023

Genre: Historical Fiction/Horror/Retelling

Format: DRC

Publisher: Del Rey

Pages: 272 / 10hrs + 13 min 🎧

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☆☆ARC PROVIDED BY PUBLISHER IN EXCHANGE FOR AN HONEST REVIEW☆☆

When we meet Alejandra she is a wife and a mother living her days feeling invisible, under appreciated and unloved. She’s in a dark place and any moment of solace she comes across allows her the introspection that otherwise she doesn’t have time for. Mother to three children, Alejandra struggles with the feelings she’s having towards motherhood as a whole. Her third child was unexpected after a tubal ligation didn’t prevent her pregnancy.  She’s not exactly in a loving marriage, her husband dismisses her cries for help and feels she should be satisfied in the life he has provided her with. Her adoptive parents (father) were just as dismissive of her struggles with mental health while growing up, as her husband is now. No one seems to really understand or want to acknowledge that Alejandra is not ok and is struggling daily with some dark thoughts. Soon enough she starts seeing a woman crying  in ragged white gown, always catching glimpses as she leaves or enters a room. When her daughter mentions having seen the woman in white to a teacher, Alejandra is called in to discuss these dreams her child is having. This gives Alejandra the push she needs to seek therapy for herself.

In what feels like kismet, her therapist is also a Mexican Curandera and she knows all about the legend of La Llorona. As she begins to delve deeper into her family history, track down her biological mother and get in touch with her roots and spirituality, Alejandra discovers some truths. She is not alone in her struggles, the women in her lineage have all been haunted by La Llorona who is an angry vengeful mother who killed her own children. La Llorona has appeared to all of the women in her family and pushed them into dark places in an attempt to take them with her. This is one generational curse Alejandra will need help with breaking before she too has a tragic ending.

This was an audiobook read although I was also very lucky to have been granted a DRC from Del Rey. Immediately when I heard Alejandra’s voice narrated my first thoughts were this woman is tired. This woman is haunted. The bathtub scene in the first few pages where she’s just trying to get a few more minutes alone but her very young children need her and her husband is not trying to help was tough. Readers should really take care to look into content warnings, suicide ideation is prominent as is depression. This story is told in alternate timelines between present day Alejandra’s POV and one of her ancestors. Personally, I did find myself wanting to spend more time in the chapters told by her ancestor who was waging her own war against the patriarchy and reclaiming her body. These chapters have a different tone overall and gave me the break I needed from being in Alejandra’s main story line.

I appreciated how learning of her ancestors gave Alejandra the motivation to take the reigns in her own life. The road to this discovery however is heavy with the thoughts of a woman who is close to losing her mind. It was interesting to see the way V. Castro wove in themes of body autonomy or lack thereof for all of the women being haunted by La Llorona. I was expecting this story to lean in a bit more into the horror vibes tied to the Mexican folklore of La Llorona. We still get a healthy dose of the legendary woman in white but it’s definitely taken up a notch towards the end of the book. This could just be me since I do not watch horror movies AT ALL but do enjoy reading the genre, so I was surprised when I didn’t really find myself spooked whenever I was reading this story. I’d recommend The Haunting Of Alejandra to readers who enjoy psychological horror, motherhood explored, folklore, spirituality, and stories of breaking generational curses.

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Spoiler Free Review: The Daughter of Doctor Moreau by Silvia Moreno-Garcia

Title: The Daughter Of Doctor Moreau

Author: Silvia Moreno-Garcia

Pub. Date: July 19th 2022

Genre: Science Fiction/Fantasy/Historical Fiction

Format: eARC

Publisher: Del Rey

Pages: 320

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☆☆ARC provided by Publisher in exchange for an honest review☆☆╮

Characters: 10/10   Atmosphere: 10/10  Writing Style: 10/10  Plot: 8/10  Intrigue: 9/10  Logic/Relationships: 10/10  Enjoyment: 10/10

Rating: 67/9.6 =  ☆☆ 5 Stars☆☆╮

Rating system created by The Book Roast 

The genre blending Silvia Moreno-Garcia is back with another hit and this one has managed to dethrone Mexican Gothic for me! didn’t think it was possible, foolish me. This time we’re transported to 19th century Mexico in a reimagining of H.G. Wells The Island of Doctor Moreau. Carlota Moreau is growing up in a lavish estate alongside her father who’s genius mind pushes boundaries and defies ethics, a madman who was exiled from his birth country in Europe. Moreau’s work is centered on creating human-animal hybrids, his experiments have led to the creation of many that are deformed and suffering from the pain of their limbs/bone structure. The benefactor of the estate is beginning to apply pressure on results and has threatened to cut off funding. The Hybrids come to life, some with endearing personalities and others with a whole lot of heart and desire for something more than a life in hiding. Some have heard the rumors of a Mayan rebel leader who is fighting back against colonization out in the Yucatan Peninsula. They dream of escaping by joining his rebel groups and want Carlota to leave with them. When the benefactor’s son Eduardo Lizalde arrives at the Hacienda, it’s love at first sight and Carlota’s dad who is desperate for continued funding is overjoyed with their romance. The only person who stands in their way is the new Mayordomo in the Hacienda, Montgomery Laughton. 

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Friends, to say that I hated Eduardo is an understatement. A sleaze ball who sees Carlota more as a trophy he must win. In the other corner we have Montgomery Laughton who is the second POV we get in this story. Yes, he does have a LOT of demons and Yes I still ended up enjoying his broody drunk character. There’s an age gap between him and Carlota but he isn’t pressed to try and win her over even though he acknowledges the fact that he loves her. SMG gives us Gothic vibes in a historical backdrop where we have themes of colonization, human exploitation/experimentation and the ethics bound to it, racism towards the Mayans, abuse of power, and a feminist MC who could EASILY have become a better scientist than her father if she weren’t expected to conform to societal expectations. That being said, seeing Carolta’s evolution was satisfying on a whole other level! This is one not to be missed especially if you were on the fence over Mexican Gothic. I’d say give this one a go but be prepared to see yourself become over protective of Cachito, my favorite of the hybrids! ❤

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Spoiler Free Review: Velvet Was the Night by Silvia Moreno-Garcia

Title: Velvet Was the Night

Author: Silvia Moreno-Garcia

Pub. Date: August 17th 2021

Genre: Thriller Mystery/Historical Fiction

Format: eGalley

Publisher: Del Rey

Pages: 289 pages

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1970’s Mexico City is where we meet our MC Maite, a Secretary with a passion for romance comics and a love for music records crooning lyrics she can get lost in. She doesn’t see much excitement in her life and can’t imagine that changing anytime soon, so she escapes into her comics where she envisions herself as the woman being swept off her feet by a handsome and daring man. This all changes when her neighbor hires her to cat sit and then mysteriously disappears, Maite sees herself thrown into the hunt for Leonora during a very dangerous time in Mexico. Elvis is a criminal who loathes violence and loves Rock ’N’ Roll (Presley is his idol), he was picked up off the streets and trained as part of a Paramilitary group called “The Hawks” in squashing student protests by brute force. He comes across Maite when his latest job has him looking for Leonora aka the missing woman. He’s ordered to watch her and begins to fall for the many things they share in common despite her not being his usual type.
🔥👄🚬🎶🔥
As a backdrop in the city, Sylvia Moreno Garcia writes of the very real life Corpus Christi Massacre that took place in 1971. When 10,000 student demonstrators set to the streets to peacefully protest oppression and demand Democracy. This was during the time Mexico was governed by only one party known as the PRI aka the Institutional Revolutionary Party which was viewed as a dictatorship. The “Halcones” or Falcones were a real pay-for-hire group trained by the CIA.
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As I make my way through Silvia Moreno Garcia’s backlist, I will start ranking them in hopes of a dedication post for my favorite author. 𝑴𝒆𝒙𝒊𝒄𝒂𝒏 𝑮𝒐𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒄 still reigns in my heart as my favorite SMG, however I really enjoyed this book. Maite will NOT be everyone’s cup of tea but I personally enjoy unlikeable characters. This book is heavy on the events that took place in Mexico during the 60’s surrounding students & government. If you enjoy having a bit of Historical Fiction weaved throughout or in this case where it’s the back drop, then you’ll probably really enjoy this one. I felt the author nailed it when she described it as having a very Pulp Noir feel, I definitely got those vibes. We have a mystery at the core, political unrest in the background, two MC’s with a deep appreciation of older Rock N’ Roll and career criminals in the mix. Silvia Moreno-Garcia is known for her signature mark of blending multiple genres, Velvet was the Night is a mash up of Mystery Thriller and Historical Fiction. I have come to expect to be pleasantly surprised every time I pick up a SMG book because I know that it won’t have the same feel as any of her other books. It’s become a little thrilling in a sense to see what she has in store within the pages of the next book. If you enjoy music while you read, check out SMG’s Velvet Was the Night Playlist on Spotify!

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Spoiler Free Review: A Deadly Education by Naomi Novak

Title: A Deadly Education

Author: Naomi Novak

Pub. Date: September 29th 2020

Genre: YA Paranormal Fantasy

Format: eGalley

Publisher: Del Rey Books

Pages: 336 pages

GOODREADS | BARNES & NOBLE | AMAZON

🖤ARC provided by author in exchange for an honest review🖤

It’s really hard not to love a boarding school set Fantasy with young sorcerers in the making. Here’s one with what many will probably call, an unlikeable character. Galadriel aka El has been surviving in Scholomance, a school/castle that runs on magic sans the teachers. The school is home to many demons & monsters who prey on the youth snatching as many kills as possible. El is now in her second to last year before graduation and therefore well versed in the many inner school alliances being formed before graduation day. This isn’t your typical graduation…in Scholomance, making it through the great hall of monsters and the graduation gates without being eaten alive is a challenge many fail to accomplish. El doesn’t have any friends at the school, her moods are often dark & she’s not exactly the happiest person to come across. It was at a very young age that a prophecy was made by her very own grandmother that spoke of destruction at her hands. Still, to be in El’s inner monologue for me at least was a real treat. She has the type of dark sarcasm/humor I love in people & she doesn’t hold back. While others are busy forming alliances between enclaves (families in all major cities, sort of like covens) El is busy refilling her crystals with as much energy she can muster for the big day. We follow her as she lives in a perpetual state of annoyance with the student who can’t stop from saving her whenever her life is in danger. There’s more to El than many of the students can see and sometimes holding back is the best route to take…for the sake of others that is.

A Deadly Education is honestly NOT what I expected from Naomi Novak but I say that in the best of ways! I’ve read only Spinning silver but I LOVED that book simply because I appreciate a true story teller who can weave us a world lush with magic so well that it practically pulls you in. THIS is how I felt reading from El’s POV! as if it were me in a fight for my life in a school intent on killing me at every turn. Scholomance may not have teachers supervising however the curriculums are rigorous and intense with little room for slacking. Spells are learned/cast in many different languages as well as traded for favors between the students. I found the inner workings of the school & the trade system to be hella unique. Our MC has just the right amount of snark & the side characters gave it real bad a** Shadowhunter vibes. It isn’t the fastest read & the plot is legit just El & cast trying to survive in this school but it kept me flipping pages into the wee hours. Also, love the fact that we are set up to dislike El for being bit self centered but in reality that couldn’t be more far from the truth. Misunderstood & often dubbed nlikeable female leads are my bread & butter! I’m looking forward to the next installment…

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