Bild på författaren.

Kaela Rivera

Författare till Cece Rios and the Desert of Souls

3 verk 121 medlemmar 7 recensioner

Serier

Verk av Kaela Rivera

Taggad

Allmänna fakta

Nationalitet
USA

Medlemmar

Recensioner

3.35⭐ This second installment doesn’t shine as brightly as the first. Read my thoughts here.
 
Flaggad
joyblue | Feb 3, 2023 |
I love how this book is solidly grounded in traditional tales and yet is an absolutely fresh imagining. The world building and magical systems are interesting and relatively solid. The relationships are supportive, if a bit superficial. On the whole, I enjoyed reading it -- here are the bits that bugged me: (would they bug a middle grade reader? I don't know)

What is Cece supposed to be doing all day? She seems very much at loose ends, while her parents are out working the fields and helping with hunting parties. It makes it easy for her to sneak around and get her bruja-self together, but it's also a bit confusing.

There's a certain inconsistency in the space that the family and town and magical shenanigans occupy -- there doesn't seem much to keep Cece from going out and rambling around without being caught, but she also just gets magically carried around a lot.

I thought it was kind of brilliant for the Bruja fights to resemble Pokémon battles, but I also felt like the "death" situation was unclear -- the criaturas only need to be knocked out to be eliminated, but the desert rises up to consume them regardless of whether it's injury or the type of death that causes their soul stone to be marked.

Why on earth doesn't she free her familiars at the end? If she's such a caring Curandera, surely they could choose to help her without being tied to her by their soul stones. It was an off note in an otherwise solid message of how not to a be a jerk when you have power over someone. They help her, but they don't receive the reward of debts paid.

5 stars for world building and imagination, 2 stars for plot holes and questions that seem to be answered by "because". I didn't think the fire and water soul stuff worked very well. I wanted more actual interactions/resolutions with her family. I like the creature crew and some of their conversations, but there were too many things left unresolved and mysteries left hanging.
… (mer)
 
Flaggad
jennybeast | 5 andra recensioner | Aug 16, 2022 |
This novel is a 2022 Lone Star selection.

Cece lives in a desert town, Tierra del Sol, a descendant of the sun god. Cece, however, seems to be more water than sun because of an encounter with some creaturas when she was younger. Cece, unlike the other people in her town, refuses to live by hate and superstition. She lives by following her heart. The criaturas must be fought off by a dance that girl's train for. Cece's sister, Juana, dances the dance. However, when Cece runs off, Juana comes after her and is kidnapped by El Sombrerón, a powerful dark criatura. No one returns when taken by him. Cece determines that she WILL rescue her sister. To rescue her, Cece will have to train to be a bruja, someone who practices the dark arts and lives in Devil's Alley. To become a bruja, one must shave one's head and participate in fights. To participate, one must have a criatura who lives under your influence. Cece asks the Great Namer, Coyote, to be her criatura.

Cece must rescue her sister. She and Coyote must participate in multiple fights. Upon winning, she will join the other dark brujas and live in Devil's Alley. She can't, however, tell her mother or father. Cece's maternal aunt became a bruja and Cece's mother has never recovered from the betrayal. Cece's mom absolutely will not support Cece and her father is abusive, so Cece is truly on her own. She holds innate knowledge that her parents cannot access because of their own paths in life. Cece shows abilities unlike any bruja before her. Still, can she save Juana from one of the strongest and darkest criaturas.

I ended up enjoying the journey this novel took me. Cece shows grace under pressure and the ability to tap into courage she doesn't know she possesses. One of her most important traits is one of kindness. Perhaps light can vanquish the dark?
… (mer)
 
Flaggad
acargile | 5 andra recensioner | Apr 11, 2022 |

Listor

Priser

Statistik

Verk
3
Medlemmar
121
Popularitet
#164,307
Betyg
½ 4.3
Recensioner
7
ISBN
17

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