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roseleaf24's review
adventurous
challenging
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
This is the second book in a duology, but it does not resolve. The ending feels like there's a book 3, but there are not currently plans for one. I felt unsatisfied throughout the book. Manu is on her own. The book is gripping and engaging, but it's a string of Manu telling people she trusts what she wants, being ignored while a plan is made around her, plan going wrong, Manu doing what she feels is right, new problem coming up.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Deportation, Bullying, Fire/Fire injury, Misogyny, Abandonment, Xenophobia, Confinement, Racism, and Sexual content
bookishmillennial's review against another edition
disclaimer: I don’t really give starred reviews because I don’t like leaving them. I enjoy most books for what they are, & I extract lessons from them all. Everyone’s reading experiences are subjective, so I hope my reviews provide enough information to let you know if a book is for you or not. Find me on Instagram: @bookish.millennial or tiktok: @bookishmillennial
This was such a fantastic sequel & I don’t know when the third book is coming but *I NEED IT ASAP* !!!! (Who am I kidding, I have plenty of books on my TBR to keep me busy in the meantime but truly, this continues to be such an incredible series!)
This book spends a lot of time in the magical world of the Argentinian folklore, while Manu and her friends are on the run from the authorities and trying to protect Manu at all costs. Manu continues to struggle with her identity, misnomers, worrying over her parents’ statuses, and navigating a new romantic relation with Tiago. Manu also continues to contend with her new reality of her period being so violently horrible, and I really appreciated this representation. So many of us do struggle with reproductive system issues, and it’s almost an invisible illness that no one else understands.
I felt this book focused a lot on the friendship and relationship dynamics, and character building, which was done so delicately and with such great care! I especially appreciated the sex positivity we see with Manu and Tiago’s relationship. We need more of that in teen stories!
The commentary on what language they should use for Lobizonas and every other paranormal identity marker was fascinating, and it reminded me of the conversation the Latine community is having about whether to use Latino or Latine when describing entire communities. Romina Garber has such a special talent in illustrating intergroup and interpersonal conflicts in this fantastical world that can easily translate into real-world discourses we are having!
cw: sexism, postpartum depression, panic attack, self harm, miscarriage, menstrual cycle issues and pain, figures of authority abusing their power, racism, xenophobia/strong anti-immigrant sentiments, colorism, homophobia, death of a friend, stress and high tension that comes with being labeled as “wanted” by authorities and on the run, mentions of deportation and ICE, body horror (werewolf shifting), mentions of teen pregnancy as a result of rape (rape does not happen, but is threatened)
This was such a fantastic sequel & I don’t know when the third book is coming but *I NEED IT ASAP* !!!! (Who am I kidding, I have plenty of books on my TBR to keep me busy in the meantime but truly, this continues to be such an incredible series!)
This book spends a lot of time in the magical world of the Argentinian folklore, while Manu and her friends are on the run from the authorities and trying to protect Manu at all costs. Manu continues to struggle with her identity, misnomers, worrying over her parents’ statuses, and navigating a new romantic relation with Tiago. Manu also continues to contend with her new reality of her period being so violently horrible, and I really appreciated this representation. So many of us do struggle with reproductive system issues, and it’s almost an invisible illness that no one else understands.
I felt this book focused a lot on the friendship and relationship dynamics, and character building, which was done so delicately and with such great care! I especially appreciated the sex positivity we see with Manu and Tiago’s relationship. We need more of that in teen stories!
The commentary on what language they should use for Lobizonas and every other paranormal identity marker was fascinating, and it reminded me of the conversation the Latine community is having about whether to use Latino or Latine when describing entire communities. Romina Garber has such a special talent in illustrating intergroup and interpersonal conflicts in this fantastical world that can easily translate into real-world discourses we are having!
cw: sexism, postpartum depression, panic attack, self harm, miscarriage, menstrual cycle issues and pain, figures of authority abusing their power, racism, xenophobia/strong anti-immigrant sentiments, colorism, homophobia, death of a friend, stress and high tension that comes with being labeled as “wanted” by authorities and on the run, mentions of deportation and ICE, body horror (werewolf shifting), mentions of teen pregnancy as a result of rape (rape does not happen, but is threatened)
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism, Xenophobia, Death, Mental illness, Body horror, Panic attacks/disorders, Self harm, Sexism, and Violence
yvo_about_books's review against another edition
4.5
Finished reading: August 24th 2023
“We are the narratives we tell ourselves. But do we shape language, or does language shape us? Do we define words, or do words define us? If everyone keeps insisting I'm this monster, how soon before I become her?”
It's true that I don't read a lot of YA fantasy anymore, but I couldn't resist joining the blog tour for the first book back in 2020 and I instantly fell in love with this Argentine folklore inspired high fantasy world. I've been meaning to read Cazadora ever since it was first published, but somehow it took me TWO years to actually do so. I'm definitely kicking myself now, because I ended up having another fantastic experience with this sequel! Cazadora offered all the things I loved in the first book, with the added bonus that you already know and care for Manu and her manada. The fantasy world itself is fantastic, and very much inspired by Argentina; the incorporation of both local folklore and customs brilliantly done. The Spanish phrases only add more authenticity to this story, and it definitely made my inner philologist happy. Most of the phrases are translated though, so it is still easy to understand what is happening even though you don't speak Spanish. The plot itself picks up where the first book ended; this is why I would highly suggest reading the books in order both to avoid spoilers and confusion about what is happening and how the high fantasy world works. There is plenty of new territory to explore in Cazadora though, and the story incorporates a lot of important topics along the way. The writing itself is simply fantastic, and I loved every single minute that I spent with this story. I'll be keeping my fingers crossed there will be another book in the future considering how things ended...
Content Warnings
Graphic: Deportation, Police brutality, Racism, Misogyny, Sexism, Homophobia, Transphobia, Death, Rape, Injury/Injury detail, Lesbophobia, Xenophobia, Bullying, Confinement, and Violence
ashleyreads88's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
I loved this and felt that it tied the duology together very nicely. The ending was something that I didn't see coming and I loved the shocking twist. I loved how much Manu and the other characters grew. The message that I got from this amazing duology is that there is always something to fight for.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexism, Homophobia, and Misogyny
Moderate: Panic attacks/disorders, Death, and Xenophobia
Minor: Racism, Violence, and Transphobia
readandfindout's review against another edition
adventurous
tense
medium-paced
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
3.75
Style/writing: 4 stars
Themes: 4.5 stars
Characters: 3.5 stars
Plot: 3 stars
Worldbuilding: 4 stars
Themes: 4.5 stars
Characters: 3.5 stars
Plot: 3 stars
Worldbuilding: 4 stars
Content Warnings
Graphic: Misogyny, Sexism, and Lesbophobia
Moderate: Homophobia and Death
Minor: Racism, Transphobia, Violence, and Rape
ehmannky's review
emotional
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
I love everything about this series. I think that Garber interweaves fantasy elements so seamlessly with real world concerns like immigration, binary thinking, racism, homophobia, etc. And it never feels heavy-handed, it just feels integral and natural to the story. I love Manu, and I love that she stays true to herself and damn the consequences to her life. It's just...a stellar series. And it sounds like the next book is going to be all about Manu and Gael doing some daughter-father bonding and that is a trope I am weak for and I just know that I am going to cry.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death and Sexism
Moderate: Homophobia
Minor: Racism and Violence
allisonwonderlandreads's review
adventurous
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
While Lobizona offered up a dazzling magical school and sport combo, its sequel spreads its wings and takes us to all kinds of new locales. Strap in for arboreal cities with secret passageways and a fungal information network, enchanted oceans with a giant shell of a submersible ship and a secret rebel base, and volcanic hideaways, midnight garden pocket dimensions, and hot air balloon rides.
I like a plot that doesn't stall out, and this one definitely keeps things moving. However, I think it offered fewer opportunities to feel connected to the characters than in the first book, where there were frequent moments of bonding, of internal struggle, of unfettered joy -- all requiring pauses from the action that were well worth it. In Cazadora, while the plot is undeniably punchy, it's ultimately a generic ya fantasy vehicle (chosen one against all odds, insta-love, revolution) for the spectacular world-building and meaningful messaging it attempts to carry.
The messages against false binaries and labels are far from generic for a ya fantasy universe. Also, the always relevant questioning of arbitrary borders and the concept of a person somehow being "illegal" through their mere existence are powerful. The author further drives home the non-fantasy importance of her story in the acknowledgments, referencing the many horrors the US has perpetrated against immigrants. I hope this book is successful with a young adult audience and that protagonist Manu helps some feel seen and helps others open their eyes to the experiences of their peers and the inequities of our laws and institutions.
Thanks to Wednesday Books and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book, out 8/17.
I like a plot that doesn't stall out, and this one definitely keeps things moving. However, I think it offered fewer opportunities to feel connected to the characters than in the first book, where there were frequent moments of bonding, of internal struggle, of unfettered joy -- all requiring pauses from the action that were well worth it. In Cazadora, while the plot is undeniably punchy, it's ultimately a generic ya fantasy vehicle (chosen one against all odds, insta-love, revolution) for the spectacular world-building and meaningful messaging it attempts to carry.
The messages against false binaries and labels are far from generic for a ya fantasy universe. Also, the always relevant questioning of arbitrary borders and the concept of a person somehow being "illegal" through their mere existence are powerful. The author further drives home the non-fantasy importance of her story in the acknowledgments, referencing the many horrors the US has perpetrated against immigrants. I hope this book is successful with a young adult audience and that protagonist Manu helps some feel seen and helps others open their eyes to the experiences of their peers and the inequities of our laws and institutions.
Thanks to Wednesday Books and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book, out 8/17.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Homophobia, Lesbophobia, and Sexism
Moderate: Death and Grief
Minor: Abortion, Colonisation, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, Racism, Sexual content, and Violence
readbetweenthespine's review
adventurous
challenging
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Homophobia and Police brutality
Minor: Racism
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