Wayward Witch

Starred review from July 1, 2020

Gr 9 Up-C�rdova's conclusion to the award-winning "Brooklyn Brujas" series offers readers the plot-driven, thrilling fantasy tale they have come to expect. Rose Elizabeta Mortiz, the youngest of the three Bruja sisters, feels uncertainty since discovering her newfound powers as a "magical hacker." On the evening of her Death Day party, she realizes her father lied about his memory loss. After confronting him, they are ambushed and forced into a portal to the land of Adas, a fairy realm magically hidden in the Caribbean Sea. In exchange for her father's life, Rose (Lady Siphon) is forced by King Cirro to work with the Guardians of Adas to save the realm. During her journey she discovers how to manipulate the powers of other magical beings, the truth about her father's past, and how he saved their family. This sequel picks up shortly after the events of the previous installment, but from Rose's first-person perspective. As the Guardians of Adas hunt for answers as to why the fertile land is rotting away, they work together to restore the magical balance and save the kingdom. The ending leaves readers wanting more, and room for another book in the series. Pair with Jessica Spotswood's "The Cahill Witch Chronicles," Lily Velez's "Celtic Witches," or Sarah Henning's "Sea Witch" series. VERDICT A fast-paced adventure fantasy story infused with Latin American traditional elements. A must-have for any young adult collection.-Angelina Bair, Lakewood P.L., OH

Copyright 2020 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

July 1, 2020
The Mortiz sisters are back in this conclusion to the Brooklyn Brujas trilogy. Rose, the youngest Mortiz sister and a bruja with a newly found unique power, never expected to be a Chosen One or to go on her own adventure as her sisters did before her. But on the night of her Deathday party, Rose and her father are whisked away to the mythical Kingdom of Adas, the fairy realm where he was trapped for years and where Rose is welcomed by the king as Lady Siphon, one of the Guardians of Adas. Together with a misfit band of powerful companions, Rose must save the kingdom from the spreading rot that is destroying the land while her father is kept hostage. Rose fights to survive, defeats multiple adversaries, and makes new friends and allies, simultaneously contending with the secrets her father had been keeping from their family and learning to control her powers without letting them consume her--all while struggling not to lose herself and her memories of home and family. Infusing her story with Latinx traditions and characters, C�rdova beautifully wraps up the series through the self-assured narration of a 15-year-old girl who finds herself as she learns to control her powers. Readers new to the series will find the book easy to follow and discover much to love in the immersive, diverse world of the close-knit Mortiz family. An engrossing read. (map, author's note) (Fantasy. 14-18)

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August 1, 2020
Grades 9-12 This third installment in the Brooklyn Brujas series introduces the third Mortiz sister, Rosie, whose power has yet to be unraveled. Rosie and her recently returned father are pulled into a dark, twisted adventure in the faerie land of Adas, where humans and brujas alike risk being trapped forevermore. When Rosie learns that her power is coveted by the king of Adas, she must make a dangerous bargain with the fae to ensure her and her father's safe return to their family's new home in Queens. As Rosie forges her own path through los monstros, la m�gica, and even el muerte, this presents another gripping journey full of recognizable faces and fantastical new characters. C�rdova interweaves details of the brujer�a and Latinx culture that will resonate with fans and intrigue newcomers. Including a gender-nonconforming brujex, battle-lustful mermaids, and a charming Adas prince who gives Rosie the butterflies, this latest entry is full of surprises, as well as the meticulously detailed creatures and settings that series fans have come to adore.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2020, American Library Association.)