I loved being back on the world created in <i>Labyrinth Lost</i> and how it's been developed outside of Los Lagos. I loved the expansion on anything we knew and what we didn't. Now, I didn't get a chance to re-read the first book before reading this, so my memory is a little shaky.

My major issue is with Lula. I alternated between disliking her foolishness and her attempts to recover what she had done. I had to remind myself multiple times that she's just 17/18 and a lot of her feelings are thrown together by that. However, I didn't understand why Lula did all of this knowing it was going to disrupt everything for Maks, a guy who broke up with her just before they're almost killed. Like I said, I don't know if it's the age thing, but it bothered me. She's willing to put her family in danger, but gets very sacrificial with herself. She annoyed me throughout and was disappointed when she continued to do something that put Maks in front of her family's safety.

I was super excited to get this book from NetGalley and started it right away. I like this series for several reasons - the diverse characters both ethnically and sexual preferences and the writing are what interested me the most when I started the series. The plot was something that really interested me. I love magic stories and following the stories of these characters back in Brooklyn and seeing what happens next. Also, the cover of this book is completely gorgeous and feeds into my cover loving self so so so much.

I was into it and followed along with it pretty well for about half the book before it started falling apart for me. I became underwhelmed with it and didn't know how to get out of that funk. I finished the book but I wasn't as into it as I wanted to be. I am sure that others will get pulled in and love it but I just wasn't into it as much this time around. I'm waiting for book three though to continue on with the story!

An exciting new chapter in the saga of the Brooklyn Brujas. A few minor quibbles about the plot, but just on things not explored as fully as expected, nothing to complain about concerning the plot we do get. Can't wait for the third book.

I liked this second installment of the Brooklyn Brujas series better than the first, perhaps because the Mortiz sister at the front of this story, Lula, is more relatable than her angsty yet brave sister Alex, who headed book one.
Lula is all about love. Love is what fuels her healing magic and her love life is the center of her world. She's been dating a sinmago (non magic person) named Maks for ever and despite the secrets she must keep from him, everything's going well. Until it isn't. Before they can work things out, Lula, Max, and the whole soccer and step dance team get into a horrible accident. Lula's not about to let her love go without a fight, but she'll soon find that messing with death has unnatural consequences.
This is not your average zombie story. The undead here are technically called casimuertos--almost dead--and they feed on hearts instead of brains. They are usually the result of an overwrought lover trying to go against the finality of death. It will take great sacrifice for Lula to put things to right before the casimuertos spread and take over all of New York.
Full review to come on ChaptersandCharms.com

I loved this book. The story flows well. It shows how Lulu overcomes her emotional past and makes it through. She's a strong relatable character. The family stands by one another through it all. The story is full of twists that will captivate the reader. I cannot wait to see what is next in this series.

This is another fantastic book by Zoraida Córdova!

After reading Labyrinth Lost, I was really looking forward to the next installment of the Brooklyn Brujas. Bruja Born certainly didn't disappoint.

This book reads like a movie. It's full of action and I could see it so vividly in my mind. Love it! Is it possible that I enjoyed this book even more than the first? Maybe. Possibly. Honestly, I think they're pretty equal on the awesome scale.

If you love magic, action, and would do anything for the ones you love, pick up this series! It's fantastic.
I can't wait to get my hands on Rose's story next!

Hey, book dragons! So I did it,Ii went and finished another book. Two this week something must be wrong with me. Or I'm just trying really hard to escape reality. But either way, I wanted to let you all know what I thought about Bruja Born by Zoraida Córdova  Now I have gifted this book through NetGalley. 

Ok, guys, I need to be honest here when I got this book I had no clue it was the second book in a series. All I know is that it sounded interesting and I wanted a new book to read. So keeping that in mind ill tell you what I think about it, and hopefully later when I read book 1 I can revisit this book and understand a bit more. 

Now I am not going to say this book was hard to understand but there were parts where I wasn't sure why a character was acting they way they were and it all boils down to it being book two. But I will say that this book was fast paced and it was interesting to read and I finished it in two days time. So it had a lot going for it. As of right now, I am giving this book a 3.5 but I am sure once I read book 1 it will go up higher. I really loved the way the sisters looked after each other, how they no matter what happened were there. And just the fact that this was so human in a way to where even though these are magical people you could totally get where they are coming from. 

But you know it was a good book, I enjoyed it but I'm just laughing at myself for not checking out the details sooner. So if you have read Labyrinth Lost, give this book a go! You will love it and you will understand everything. 

Till next time at the nook. 

E.

Loved this sequel to Labirynth Lost!
Lula is the narrator of this book, which was jarring at first (because I just loved Alex so much) but you will adjust quickly. This book starts fast and the pace is maintained through the book. I couldn’t put it down.

More magic, more sisters, more awesome. Read it. Buy as soon as you can!

Really, really loved this book! I was pulled into this book instantly just from the title and cover! This book was amazing from the first page and is a one click read! I was deeply fascinated by this books description and amazed at how much research the author put into this book. I really loved the small quote/excepts at the begging of each chapter. I hope this author does some spin offs with other characters!

YOU GUYSSSSSSS ZORAIDA DID IT AGAIN. If you remember back when Labyrinth Lost first came out, I wouldn’t shut the f*ck up about it. Excuse my French but that was basically the case. I love how we were given such a vivid, exciting story while also infusing it with so much Latin American cutlture. My heart was a bit crushed when Bruja Born but got pushed back but I appreciate Zoraida wanting to make the best book she can and let me tell you she delivered.

One of my favourite parts of the Brooklyn Bruja series is the amazing relationship between the Mortiz sisters. Yes, they fight and disagree and get at each other all the time but that’s the reality of siblings. They’re also infinitely supportive and fiercely protective of one another and that shines through again in Bruja Born. I feel like they are all extended parts of my family and have such an attachment to them. There’s also a moment at the end of this book that hits me right in the family feels.

As expected there is also a ton of magic. Alex using her powers like the bamf she is after the first book and making me feel like I’m infinitely powerful. Rose coming into her own (book 3 now, pls…I want to see her slaaaay too) and poor Lula learning more than she bargained for about brujería and the price of magic. I’m no bruja but I even know that bringing the dead is messy, Lula. I also loved how we got more of the lore behind the Deos and how much the rezos come into play for this story.

The new cast of characters really complement the story and as much as I was attached to the original crew, the newbies wormed their way into my heart as well. The leads are dynamic as ever but Zoraida is also great at writing secondary roles that make you care about their well-being as much as your most-beloved people of all time.

Final Verdict:

READ THIS BOOK. If you haven’t read Labyrinth Lost yet make sure you jump on this and get a preorder in for Bruja Born ASAP. Aside from an amazing fantasy story you also get themes of friendship, family, and love that are so beautifully worked into the story.

I loved this book! I previously read Labyrinth Lost and loved it so I was super excited to read the second book in the series. Bruja Born follows Lula, Alex's sister (Alex was the protagonist in Labryinth Lost) and I love how the author decided to shift to her POV. I oftentimes find myself wishing that I could read the side character's story and in LL, I was intrigued by Lula's character. In BB, Lula is the MC and it is awesome! Bruja Born is culturally immersive and lush. I would definitely recommend this book to everyone interested in witches and family relationships - our relationships with our families are tough, oftentimes exasperating, but ultimately filled with so much love.

Overall, I enjoyed this book. I like the world and characters created by Zoraida Cordova. I loved the premise of this sequel. However, the frequent references to what happened in and what characters felt about what happened in Labyrinth Lost bogged down the narrative and slowed the pacing. While the book was good, it wasn't one I didn't want to put down.

Fun, action filled look into the magic of Bruha's or witches in the Latino culture. I loved the look into the myths of the Latin-American culture. I haven't read the first book yet but I ordered it when I was half way through the book.

Very enjoyable addition to the Brooklyn Brujas series. I appreciate the characters' complex relations to the deos. Starts a little slow but picks up speed and definitely worth reading.

I have to be honest that I wasn't the biggest fan of Labyrinth Lost but I decided to try Bruja Born. **I was approved for an arc for am honest review from Netgalley**

When a bus crash kills and hurts many of Lula's classmates and her boyfriend Maks is seriously hurt she will stop at nothing to help including asking her sisters to help her bring them back. But be careful, what you bring back may not be what you were expecting.

I loved Lula's character better than Alex's character. I loved the storyline and the action. Thumbs up for a great book! I am now excited for the 3rd book!

Note: NetGalley gave me a copy in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Oh my goodness, friends. Here is a book I fell in love with from the first page.

I've seen Zoraida Cordova's name floating around on Twitter, but haven't read Labyrinth Lost. Still, I decided to pick this up when it came my way, and I have negative regrets. It's so good. I can't wait to go get Labyrinth Lost and see all the adventures I missed.

One mark of a really great book for me is when it's totally standalone, even in a series. Bruja Born does exactly that. Though the events in it are clearly related to LL, I never felt lost or confused while I was reading—Cordova gives you exactly the amount of information you need to know in order to understand what is going on. It's possible that if I read LL, I'd have appreciated some of the nuances of the story more, but as it is, I loved every moment of this read and never once felt lost, confused, or frustrated for it being a second book. I loved seeing that there was a lot of potential fallout from whatever happened in LL, but again, there was enough in BB that all of it made sense to me.

Cordova does several things really well: her descriptions pack a punch, her voice (or Lula's, anyway) is so strong and distinct that I felt like I could hear the character speaking, and her character development and inter-character conflicts are both so good. This book felt like it was set in our Brooklyn, like if I searched, I might actually find a bruja or two giving me weird looks. Cordova flawlessly integrates her world into a fabric we already understand.

As a character, Lula is so deeply human. She is petty, and jealous, and angry, and flawed, and I loved her. I loved the way she loved, which was deep and fiercely; I loved the way she grew by the end of the book. It is refreshing to see an angry and flawed female character, and Cordova executes it masterfully. What is so compelling about Lula is that she feels real. She reacts in believable ways to whatever is presented to her, and she reacts fully. Don't get me wrong, I don't agree with her guilt-tripping Alex, her "woe is me" attitude at the beginning, or with what she did on the bus. But that being said, I hoped that she would grow from these things, and Cordova did not disappoint. Lula is not the greatest person when the book starts, but she's very believable, and she's very much a teenager.

Something that a lot of YA does is write off the parents so that the kids do what they want, but Lula's parents—while admittedly gone for a lot of the book—are still there in very real ways, and her actions have consequences that affect them as much as they affect her. That's partially why I keep saying this book feels real. Lula's actions and decisions don't just affect her, they affect everyone she loves.

I also loved seeing the way her relationships with her family shifts throughout the book. She forgives her sister and comes to rely on both of them; she turns to her family for support. And it's so nice to see the very real dynamics of a family in action—her mother's simultaneous anger and deep love; her father's guilt and need to protect; both of her sisters following her despite thinking she's wrong, because they love her.

I would have liked to see how Lula copes with the aftermath of everything that happened—there is a ton of trauma there, as well as, I'm sure, guilt and blame—but I also imagine that will be addressed in the next book. (One note, though: I kept expecting the spell Lula weaves on the bus to have consequences. That never came back up, even to say that the spell failed, but I wish it had.)

The book ends on a cliffhanger, but the story itself was complete. It clearly just set up the next book. It wasn't entirely necessary, but I didn't mind the teaser since the rest of the book stood on its own.

I cannot recommend this book enough, even if you haven't read LL. An engrossing read from start to finish.

I was most interested in this series because of the cover. But I just could not get into this one. I am also not a huge fan of love triangles, I really feel like they can diminish characters and they just lower the overall appeal of romance for me.
I did enjoy the emotional growth of the MC though, considering everything she has been through.
But my favorite part was the culture, as a Mexican woman myself I did enjoy the aspects that really brought out the culture and significance of lore.

I was not sure I would actually like this book - I've never done well with the second book of a series and I do prefer my fantasy to be more fantasy than urban. BUT I wanted to know what happened to the Mortiz family and I was not disappointed in the slightest. While Labyrinth Lost was pure fantasy realm enjoyment, Bruja Born was urban fantasy well done. I loved the character development in the sisters and the worldbuilding. Lula is so good and I'm glad everything turned out well, if not the best. Cannot wait for Rose's book!

"One, we’re brujas. Witches. Magical BAMFS with powers gifted by the Deos, our gods. A house full of magic is bound to cause some friction, and after what Alex did, there is plenty of friction."


TW: Blood, violence, death, serious injury

This book was such an amazing rollercoaster ride for me. I was reading it during a very transitional period in my life, and it helped me escape into the world of Lula's mischief and her messy world. Labyrinth Lost will always have a special place in my heart as one of those books that really made an impact, but this continuation was done in an excellent way.

One thing that I appreciated a lot was the fact that there are emotional and physical effects because of the aftermath of the Los Lagos incident. Lula struggles with her mental health and her trauma that seems to haunt her, and that's so important to portray in YA. In the beginning of the book there's a car crash, and a tragedy befalls on Lula's life which is what sets this line of events down the path that it did.

I love the Mortiz family more and more, they're all so close-knit and supportive (most of the time anyway) and here we learn more about the world and also some political intrigue between underground organizations in the NYC area. This feels like it could me made into an awesome action movie that would have twists and turns that you don't see coming and that leave you breathless and gripping onto your rollercoaster seat.

One thing that was definitively expanded on was the human side of the magic system. There were many different supernatural things going on that were affecting the residents of NYC, and that exploration was building on what happened in the previous book. This book isn't romance-heavy, though love is a big motivation for the actions of these teens, and we also get to see a little bit of Alex and Rishi. But I do enjoy books more when they focus on the magic system/supernatural elements rather than just the romance.

All I can say is, that if you loved Labyrinth Lost this book really outdid itself. Go pick it up in stores this June!

**Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me a copy in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own**

I went into this book a little wary because after reading it's predecessor Labyrinth Lost, which I also gave 3 stars, I felt underwhelmed but when I read this companion novels blurb and saw its cover, I came running once again.

This story in particular is told from the perspective of Lula, the eldest of the Mortiz sisters. Bruja Born, has a great number of elements that Labyrinth Lost did. A strong female character, family dynamic but I did not feel connected. Something seems off.

When I think on summarizing the plot, I absolutely love it. Sister companionship, cultural background, even zombies. All themes I love. Except once again, all the deeper themes and potential for an epic story of love and self-discovery fell lazily to the side while we trekked along with Lula and her journey.

Though painfully obvious at times as well as convenient and extremely rushed, it told a tale of which I loved the idea, just not the delivery.