Happy Saturday, bookworms! As I am posting my Bruja Born review tomorrow, I thought I would also post my review of the first book. This was originally posted on my old blog about two years, ago, so I thought I would resurrect this review by posting it here. I hope you enjoy!

“For the longest time I feared this magic would get loose, and now it has. Everyone keeps telling me that this is a normal part of being a bruja. That I can’t stop this from happening. And for the first time, I wonder: What if I can?” 

Title: Labyrinth Lost (Brooklyn Brujas)

Author: Zoraida Córdova

Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire

Genres: Fantasy, Young Adult

My Rating: 4 out of 5 Stars

Synopsis of Labyrinth Lost:

Nothing says Happy Birthday like summoning the spirits of your dead relatives.

Alex is a bruja, the most powerful witch in a generation…and she hates magic. At her Deathday celebration, Alex performs a spell to rid herself of her power. But it backfires. Her whole family vanishes into thin air, leaving her along with Nova, a brujo boy she can’t trust. A boy whose intentions are as dark as the strange marks on his skin.

The only way to get her family back is to travel with Nova to Los Lagos, a land in-between, as dark as Limbo and as strange as Wonderland…

My Review

Labyrinth Lost just blew me away. With wonderful imagery and frightening creatures and magical components, I was hooked from the first page. I fell in love with the characters and the world and Zoraida’s compelling storytelling. Zoraida does a fantastic job of bringing the fantasy to life and entwining it with a fascinating culture.

What I liked most about Labyrinth Lost was the world. It was absolutely breathtaking and beautifully crafted and, of course, magical. This world, although terrifyingly daunting, was exquisite and captivating. I loved the Devourer and the chaos she wrecked on the Mortiz family. The Devourer is definitely someone I do not want to find myself up against but she was interesting, nonetheless. I loved Los Lagos and everything the world had to offer, whether it was good or bad. Los Lagos was similar to the Underworld, but much more fascinating, and I truly enjoyed the time the characters spent in the dark and mysterious Los Lagos.

The characters are well described and entirely unique. Each character has their own personality and beliefs and those are clearly stated in the way each character talks and portrays themselves. Relationships are built and relationships are destroyed. The main character has such a tight relationship with her family that she wants out of it; she does not want the powers that come with being a bruja. And she doesn’t realize she needs her family until her family disappears.

Overall, I fell in love with this wonderful story that’s about accepting who you are and being courageous.

I highly recommend Labyrinth Lost for all fantasy readers who love world building mixed with wonderfully crafted characters!

♥Nikole