Bochica

I loved this Colombian Gothic novel. I got so immersed in the descriptions of the area, I stayed up too late a couple of nights. It did my favorite thing for a book to do ( Google things madly ). I also enjoyed the Spanish chapter titles, nice touch. I really didn't want it to end, sigh

3.5 ⭐️Bochica started incredibly strong. We are introduced to our main protagonist, Antonia, while she’s teaching young girls in a catholic school run by an unlikeable character number one. The visual oppression Florez-Cerchiaro can create within the imagination of the reader for the story felt palpable. Every word was relatable and easily reminded me of how unforgiving the weight of being a woman, a person, can be in the world.“A world that would censor merely because of their being female. To have been born a female in this world that punished women was their haunting. It was Antonia’s as well.” Pg 199. Florez-Cerchiaro builds a world around mysticism, intrigue, and history. One of my favorite things about this book was the way it connected heavily to the roots of Columbia, introducing the reader to the folklore and culture with every page. I genuinely enjoyed learning about the Wiccan mother and the stories centered around her beliefs and the svetyba and the way it generationally plagued the mother and daughter. The story of Bochica and how she was the protector of the people giving them wings to escape the slavery that kept them down.The only reason this fell short of being at least a four-star read for me is that there were moments the formatting of the book and certain scenes that occurred that felt unpolished. The transition from when Antonia finds her papa felt incredibly jarring, with this happening a few more times in the book. The relationship between Antonia and Alejandro also felt disingenuous and rushed, lacking the necessary sense of familiarity and decency we can get to know before we jump to the conclusion to fawn over them.All in all, I truly enjoyed the experience I had reading ‘Bochica’ and would recommend this to fans of Silvia Moreno-Garcia’s “Mexican Gothic”. Thank you to Netgalley and Atria Books for this advanced reader copy.

Bochica totally surprised me, in the best way! The story is fresh, heartfelt, and full of cultural depth, with just the right touch of magic. You can feel the passion and creativity in every chapter.The author may be young, but wow! what a voice! She writes with confidence, emotion, and style. I couldn't stop turning the pages. If this is her debut, I cant wait to see what she comes up with next. Definitely keeping an eye on this rising star.Love it!!!!

Slow moving. Uninteresting. Characters are weak. No redeeming qualities. Had to speed read to get through most of it. Life is too short to waste on such drivel

A haunting tale of a daughter seeking to find out what really happened to her mother. The mansion sits at El Salto, abandoned for the past three years following the tragic death of Estela. Antonia and her father wanted nothing to do with it, trying to escape the sadness that has surrounded them, until a family friend decides to rent it out as a hotel. Thus, Antonia and her father are drawn back to the house and its secrets.A tragic and suspenseful story steeped with Colombian history, this was a quick read! Frightening with a dash of romance.Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing a digital ARC of this title!