The Witches of El Paso

A Novel

De: Luis Jaramillo

Narrado por: Raquel Beattie

A lawyer and her elderly great-aunt use their supernatural gifts to find a lost child in this richly imagined and empowering story of motherhood, magic, and legacy in the vein of The Inheritance of Orquídea Divina and La Hacienda.

If you call to the witches, they will come.

1943, El Paso, Texas: teenager Nena spends her days caring for the small children of her older sisters, while longing for a life of freedom and adventure. The premonitions and fainting spells she has endured since childhood are getting worse, and Nena worries she’ll end up like the scary old curandera down the street. Nena prays for help, and when the mysterious Sister Benedicta arrives late one night, Nena follows her across the borders of space and time. In colonial Mexico, Nena grows into her power, finding love and learning that magic always comes with a price.

In the present day, Nena’s grandniece, Marta, balances a struggling legal aid practice with motherhood and the care of the now ninety-three-year-old Nena. When Marta agrees to help search for a daughter Nena left in the past, the two forge a fierce connection. Marta’s own supernatural powers emerge, awakening her to new possibilities that threaten the life she has constructed.

“Sexy, smart, and soulful, Luis Jaramillo’s The Witches of El Paso pulls us across borders and time to get to the essence of what it means for families to survive this beautiful, fractured world” (Mira Jacob, author of Good Talk).

©2024 Luis Jaramillo (P)2024 Simon & Schuster Audio

I loved this book and its perofrmance

When I listen to some books it seems that they were written to be read. The Witches of El Paso is such a book. Ordinarily witches and the supernatural and time travel are not my favorite genre, but Jaramillo makes it feel so right. It is full of sumptuous smells, tastes, sights, and intense feeling. I would be happy for a sequel--unless the magic is gone!

The beautiful woman of this world never cece to amaze me!

My most favorite book I have ever read. I connect with this book almost entirely!

Generational

Anyone else struggle to title their reviews? No just me? Loved this story of generations of witches and mothers and daughters.

Beautiful

This book was beautifully written, and it was easy to connect with the characters. I loved hearing the details of the region and my hometown

Family

It was an interesting story on witchcraft with some time travel. Story got a bit slow in some parts.

Mystical & Powerful

I loved this story. Just the right kind of beautiful, mysterious feel for understanding power and the rich history of Mexican & Indigenous cultures of the borderlands. Really loved that the narrator also pronounced the Spanish words with expertise.

Eh.

I couldn’t follow the story. It jumped from different people, places, and timeframes. It was too hard to follow. The story lacked a solid storyline. I felt like there were holes in the story.

Disappointed

This book was a challenging listen. The narrative often felt disjointed, making it difficult to stay engaged, and the reliance on stereotypical portrayals undermined the story’s potential depth. At times, the themes and characters seemed forced, as if ticking boxes rather than organically developing. While there were moments of insight and promise, they were overshadowed by a lack of cohesion. Overall, it was difficult to connect with the material, and finishing it felt more like a task than an experience.