Genre Fiction
![Desideria Mesa - [object Object] author](https://res.cloudinary.com/readsomnia/image/upload/authors/a_a_desideria_mesa.jpg)
Bindle Punk Bruja: A Novel
Boardwalk Empire meets The Vanishing Half with a touch of earth magic in this sexy and action-packed historical fantasy set in the luminous Golden Twenties from debut author Desideria Mesa, where a part-time reporter and club owner takes on crooked city councilmen, mysterious and deadly mobsters, and society's deeply rooted sexism and racism, all while keeping her true identity and magical abilities hidden-inspired by an ancient Mexican folktale.
Yo soy quien soy. I am who I am.
Luna-or depending on who's asking, Rose-is the white-passing daughter of an immigrant mother who has seen what happens to people from her culture. This world is prejudicial, and she must hide her identity in pursuit of owning an illegal jazz club. Using her cunning powers, Rose negotiates with dangerous criminals as she climbs up Kansas City's bootlegging ladder. Luna, however, runs the risk of losing everything if the crooked city councilmen and ruthless mobsters discover her ties to an immigrant boxcar community that secretly houses witches. Last thing she wants is to put her entire family in danger.
But this bruja with ever-growing magical abilities can never resist a good fight. With her new identity, Rose, an unabashed flapper, defies societal expectations all the while struggling to keep her true self and witchcraft in check. However, the harder she tries to avoid scrutiny, the more her efforts eventually capture unwanted attention. Soon, she finds herself surrounded by greed and every brand of bigotry-from local gangsters who want a piece of the action and businessmen who hate her diverse staff to the Ku Klux Klan and Al Capone. Will her earth magic be enough to save her friends and family? As much as she hates to admit it, she may need to learn to have faith in others-and learning to trust may prove to be her biggest ambition yet.
Yo soy quien soy. I am who I am.
Luna-or depending on who's asking, Rose-is the white-passing daughter of an immigrant mother who has seen what happens to people from her culture. This world is prejudicial, and she must hide her identity in pursuit of owning an illegal jazz club. Using her cunning powers, Rose negotiates with dangerous criminals as she climbs up Kansas City's bootlegging ladder. Luna, however, runs the risk of losing everything if the crooked city councilmen and ruthless mobsters discover her ties to an immigrant boxcar community that secretly houses witches. Last thing she wants is to put her entire family in danger.
But this bruja with ever-growing magical abilities can never resist a good fight. With her new identity, Rose, an unabashed flapper, defies societal expectations all the while struggling to keep her true self and witchcraft in check. However, the harder she tries to avoid scrutiny, the more her efforts eventually capture unwanted attention. Soon, she finds herself surrounded by greed and every brand of bigotry-from local gangsters who want a piece of the action and businessmen who hate her diverse staff to the Ku Klux Klan and Al Capone. Will her earth magic be enough to save her friends and family? As much as she hates to admit it, she may need to learn to have faith in others-and learning to trust may prove to be her biggest ambition yet.
Editorial Reviews
"Bindle Punk Bruja is a book you will dive into, gorgeously addictive and impossible to put down. It will transport you through time to a 1920s world soaked in gin, glittering in gold and edged in danger. Luna is a hero with an indomitable will, navigating blood-soaked city streets with dark humor and cutting intelligence. Sharp, smart and utterly enchanting, Mesa's debut is a triumph that stayed with me long after I turned the final page."
- Greta Kelly, author of The Frozen Crown
- Greta Kelly, author of The Frozen Crown
Readers Top Reviews
Kim HeniadisAlma
It has been a long time since I’ve come upon a book that I knew was not going to get better no matter how much I read of it. I was really looking forward to this one since there is so much about it that I normally enjoy; the 1920’s, magic, history, and Latinx characters. To start off it was so depressing and really hit one in the face with Luna being out of sorts with her family and the rest of her world because of her lighter skin. And then it jumped from depressing to confusing. There are so many issues that are being tackled that it felt as if the author wanted to throw all of her opinions and research into one book in case this is the only one that she wrote. There are also so many questions that don’t get answered especially when it comes to the magic aspect. There is just too much going on in Bindle Punk Bruja. If Desideria Mesa had decided to turn this into a four or five book series (even with spin-offs of some of the characters, like Heck), I could see it turning out really well. Or maybe even changing it to a historical novel since there is so much research done. Or switch it to fantasy or a story with magical realism… I don’t know. Lots of potential, but her editors let her down on this one.
DesperadoKim Heni
Really good book with good fleshed out characters, I can see exactly what the author is writing and would love to see more from her.
Nikole (literaril
⭐️⭐️⭐️💫 / 3.5 stars This was a solid debut novel. I picked this title based off the blurb, the cover, and the author's Mexican heritage. After reading the description, I felt this was going to be right up my alley. The roaring 20s with flapper dresses, mobsters, and speakeasies mixed with a little Mexican Bruja magic; what's not to love? The author did a great job of fleshing out her main characters though there were so many side characters that at times it was hard to keep them straight as they tended to be very similar. The pace in the beginning was okay, getting the characters and their backgrounds established. Towards the middle it seemed to slow way down and I could feel myself losing interest, but just as I felt I wasn't going to be able to re-engage it picked back up and I was invested once again. The narration for the audiobook is very well done and lent to that aire of the 20s vibe.
ACE MoneyNikole (
I'm typically not a fantasy reader because I find that these types of books are often bogged down by overwrought world building that leaves the characters to get lost in the mix. That was not the case with Bindle Punk Bruja. Sure, there is magic and lore but it never once feels overwhelming. The author made the wise move of making me fall in love with the characters and the time period while sprinkling in the magical elements. I really enjoyed the book and the main character's journey. My fingers are crossed that a sequel happens sooner than later.
