The Bruja - Michael Molisani

The first thing that made me want to take a look at this book was the rather creepy cover. It definitely exudes and aura of horror which is exactly what I was in the mood to read. Bruja is the Spanish word for witch and Maggi is a battlewitch nearing the end of her life. Before she passes on, she wants to make sure her beloved son is as safe as possible now and in the future. To ensure his safety, she will need to kill the entities who have been chasing her since before the collapse of mankind which has turned America into a land of desecration and where everyone has to fight for their survival. The story alternates between the present-day apocalypse and Maggi’s past life before she realized exactly who or what she was. Both story lines are equally entertaining, and the author uses this style of story telling to not only introduce characters from Maggi’s past but also to develop the main character from a young street hood to a formidable battlewitch. Often, when an author alternates storylines, one will be really good and the other will be a bit “blah”. In The Bruja, however, it really works and both stories are really well written.

                I found the character of Maggi to be a strong and realistic woman who has to adapt to the changing times without losing her humanity. She struggles with it, but I found her to be much more human than she sees herself to be. I actually liked her and I’m not usually a fan of this type of character. The author has given her a softness that she tries to hide in a world where weakness means death. The other characters are interesting but not particularly developed and, honestly, they don’t need to be in this particular book. I would have liked to have seen more of a couple of them but I hope that will be the case in future books in the series. Maggi’s foster daughter, Mayy, is an interesting individual who, as I found out by the end of the story, will play a huge part in the second book of the series so I hope to see her become a lot more developed. The settings in the book, both past and present, are well detailed and the world of war and destruction in the future is created uniquely in a time when apocalypse books are a dime a dozen.

                I really didn’t expect to enjoy this book as much as I did and I think it was due in great part to my enjoyment of the character of Maggi. It is definitely a great read for anyone who enjoys a bit of magic and a lot of the apocalypse.

                I read this in digital format and it worked perfectly.