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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
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
caidyn's review
challenging
emotional
reflective
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
4.0
I liked this quite a bit more than the first one, mainly because the expansion of the world and how it showed even more diversity in the world. And I really can't wait to see the third book come out!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Homophobia, Lesbophobia, Misogyny, Sexism, Rape, and Xenophobia
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
bookishandlegal's review
adventurous
lighthearted
mysterious
medium-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? It's complicated
4.5
I absolutely loved Lobizona and this was one of my most anticipated reads of the year! I really liked this one, but I don't think I loved it quite as much as the first one. The pacing at the beginning felt a little off to me and the first section or so just didn't give me the same feelings I got when reading the first one. It's hard to explain, but it was just a little off--I was also in a not great head space when I started the book and that totally could have been contributing to those feelings!
Around the halfway mark I started getting really into it again and flew through the rest of the book. I loved exploring Manu and Tiago's relationship. There was also really good development and emotional/mental things going on with Saysa that I was really interested in and I wish this had been explored a bit more fully.
This book had a lot of great resistance and fight the power vibes that I really love. There were a lot of new characters and a few familiar faces from the first book. A lot of the lobizones from the first book that I really liked played smaller roles in this book, but that also lead to meeting new characters and going to new places. There were a lot of new characters introduced in the first half of the book that mostly disappeared in the second half (maybe that's what lead to the first half being a little off for me...phase 3/4 felt like a different book from 1/2 and that's partly because the setting and characters changed fairly drastically). I hope we see more of those characters in the next book.
The ending of this book was spectacular! Romina Garber sure can write a compelling and edge of your seat ending! The epilogue at the very end goes into Cata's POV and I absolutely LOVED that (also...hope that's a sign that in the next book we might get multiple POV's). I really love this story and world and I cannot wait to see where the story goes next.
Also...I feel like I should have guessed it since the name of the book is "Cazadora" but I totally did not see Manu being forced to become a Cazadore after going before the tribunal. Love that Cata and Tiago are joining too to be closer to her. Even thought I should have totally seen this ending coming I did not at all and loved that.
Around the halfway mark I started getting really into it again and flew through the rest of the book. I loved exploring Manu and Tiago's relationship. There was also really good development and emotional/mental things going on with Saysa that I was really interested in and I wish this had been explored a bit more fully.
This book had a lot of great resistance and fight the power vibes that I really love. There were a lot of new characters and a few familiar faces from the first book. A lot of the lobizones from the first book that I really liked played smaller roles in this book, but that also lead to meeting new characters and going to new places. There were a lot of new characters introduced in the first half of the book that mostly disappeared in the second half (maybe that's what lead to the first half being a little off for me...phase 3/4 felt like a different book from 1/2 and that's partly because the setting and characters changed fairly drastically). I hope we see more of those characters in the next book.
The ending of this book was spectacular! Romina Garber sure can write a compelling and edge of your seat ending! The epilogue at the very end goes into Cata's POV and I absolutely LOVED that (also...hope that's a sign that in the next book we might get multiple POV's). I really love this story and world and I cannot wait to see where the story goes next.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Homophobia, Lesbophobia, and Misogyny
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