I give it a 3.5 stars out of 5. I went into this book knowing nothing about the author and not reading the first book, as it was not required to read that before this one. After reading this, I definitely wish that I did read the first book. I felt like there was something missing when it came to the world this was set in, like I was missing vital information that would get me to enjoy the book more. While this, as a standalone, was a great book, it definitely would benefit more if you read the other first, from what i assume. The characters, writing style, and the setting were are really great, but I definitely felt like there was just some pieces missing. While I enjoyed what I read, i definitely reading the first instead of going blind into this like I did. You can read it as a standalone, but you'll probably feel like something is missing like I did.

I received this ARC from NetGalley for free in exchange for my completely honest review.

**Thank you Netgalley and Sourcebooks for giving me an e-book copy of the book for an honest review. All opinions are my own**

In Labyrinth Lost, the first book in the Brooklyn Witches series, Alex was the original protagonist. The black sheep of the family due to not having magic like her sisters. After the events of the first book, the point of view shifts to Lula Mortiz, the eldest sister of the family. In Labyrinth Lost, Lula was a confident witch with healing powers, but she undergoes a transformation in which she "loses" herself. Though this book deals with Lula, I love the maturity Alex gained from her experiences with Los Lagos. She seems more mature than the previous book. It is a shame that this book did not include a lot of Alex and Rishi moments. 

As much as I loved Labyrinth Lost, I completely fell in love with Bruja Born. This book is about the process of healing for Lula because of her scars, both mentally and emotionally. Lula has found herself in a dark place, and only she can get herself. What I loved about this book is that Lula had an encouraging support system of her sisters and family that loved her even when she didn't feel like herself. This is a beautiful journey of self discovery especially after losing her dearest boyfriend and the events of Los Lagos. Lula no longer feels joy and her connection to magic has severely changed. She is also learning to adjust to having her father back into her life after disappearing for many years. What I really loved about Lula is that she was raw, emotional, and mostly flawed. The author does not present a special snowflake, but rather someone relatable. It's refreshing to read about realistic characters rather than Mary Sue type characters. She makes a lot of mistakes, along the way, but it serves to improve herself for the best. I could relate to Lula's experiences of re-experiencing self love. The author portrayed Lula's emptiness so realistically despite being a work of fiction.

One of my favorite lines in the book. This shows the sass and the protection Lula has for her sister Alex:

You really think I'm going to betray my sister for you? Boy, bye. 
Though the setting takes place in Brooklyn, magic plays a heavy element to this sequel. New lore is introduced in this urban fantasy such as casi muertos (neither living or completely dead, somewhere in between. Others would say they are similar to zombies), vampires, and witch hunters. Magic is always has a price. Lula learns this the hard way. Resurrecting the dead is not possible, even with Lula's healing magic. She gains a new ability, but pays the ultimate price. The stakes are really high in this book. I loved the action scenes, and the magical alliance between different magical folks. This book presented a showdown and really delivered! I really hope that the author continues this series. I would love to see the Mortiz sisters once again. And I hope that Rose gets a perspective too! 

Rating: 4.5

This book was everything I'd hoped for. Despite not reading Labyrinth Lost, I could easily keep up with Bruja Born. That's a great selling point, that this book is just fine as a standalone! It skews more urban fantasy to me than straight fantasy or paranormal, but everything about it worked. I'll be recommending this to my teens who love authentic urban fantasy stories.

Zombies, witches, and other assorted paranormal entities clashing all over Brooklyn - what's not to love? In Bruja Born we follow Lula, sister to Alex who was the heroine of Labyrinth Lost. Reeling from an accident that puts her in the hospital and critically injures her boyfriend, Lula convinces her sisters to help her use magic to heal him, with dire unforeseen consequences. Racing against time, Lula must try to right the chaos her actions have caused, even though that may mean letting go of someone she loves and perhaps her own life.

Bruja Born is a diverse, fast-paced urban fantasy that balances lots of action with well-rounded characters. Lula's relationship with her family plays a strong role in the story, anchoring the fantastic with relatable themes and Lula's grief and guilt are portrayed realistically throughout. Though at times violent, most of the stomach-turning gore is implied rather than described, so squeamish readers can pick this up without too much worry. I feel like zombies have been overdone in both tv/film and literature, but this book still manages to bring something new and interesting to the table through framing them in Latinx culture.

As the characters continually reference happenings from Labyrinth Lost, readers who haven't read the (wonderful) first book in the series before starting this one are bound to be a bit confused and should start there instead.

This is the first book I've read by this author but reading the other story about the Mortiz sisters first wasn't required. I enjoyed the unique world which is deeply details and yet easy to follow. Each sister holds unique powers and after a horrible bus crash that kills her boyfriend, Lula will need them all and more. A fun YA book that readers who enjoy vampire (though not a vampire story!) or magic books will enjoy.

Plot: Even though Bruja Born was a sequel to Labyrinth Lost, it read more like a companion. There was a quick summary to remind readers what happened in Labyrinth Lost with the focus being Lula Mortiz and Lula royally messed up Bruja Born. After the happenings in Labyrinth Lost, Lula had both emotional and physical scars. This led to relationship difficulties with her longterm boyfriend Maks. After a fatal traffic accident that left Maks dead, Lula attempted to bring Maks back from the dead in hopes that she could repair their relationship. Instead of bringing back her loving boyfriend, she brought back a horde of zombies. Do I have your attention now?

Just like Labyrinth Lost, Bruja Born was told in three parts with the third part having the most action. I loved the pacing overall and I was surprised by how much more there was to learn about Lula's family and the dynamics between the different paranormal sects. In my opinion, Bruja Born had me with more questions and provided almost no answers which only has me antsy for Rose's story.

Characters: Lula was very different from Alex and I was surprised by how much she encompassed second-child characteristics. She was vain and still upset with her sister for having her trapped in the magical world of Los Lagos. Much of Bruja Born focused on Lula's relationship with her family which made me invested in this series.

Worldbuilding: What I loved about Bruja Born was that it all took place in New York City so it felt more like an urban fantasy compared to Labyrinth Lost. I especially loved that we got to explore the alliance that kept the peace between the brujas and other magical creatures. There were vampires y'all! And for the Supernatural crowd, we were introduced to a group of hunters who appeared when the peace was disrupted.

Short N Sweet: Bruja Born was even better than Labyrinth Lost, all urban fantasy readers will love this!

Oh My!!! First off - I Absolutely love books about witches -- excuse me Brujas. Especially ones as well written as the ones by Zoraida Cordova! I will say that I enjoyed this book more than Labyrinth Lost. There was just something just more magical about this story, more heartfelt and entertaining. You could really feel everything Zula was going through, being torn between family and love, her power, her fears and all her emotions through the entire story. I definitely couldn't put it down. Anticipating the next book!!!

Labrynth Lost was one of my favorite books of the past few years so I was looking forward to book two in the Brujas series. This next story is told from the older sister’s POV and takes place in New York. Depressed and physically scarred, Lula can no longer be the bright and beautiful cheerleader she was before the events in Los Lagos (book 1). Everything seems to be going wrong in her life and it’s making her a bitter, young woman. When tragedy strikes Lula and her friends, she makes some ugly decisions because it just doesn’t seem fair that she should be the only one to always lose someone or something. The living dead, supernatural alliances, and Men in Black types dominate the rest of the book. The writing is still stellar and there’s plenty of action to keep it all interesting but I could not connect with the main character or her bf, Maks, which of course, made the book drag for me. When the other sisters or parents were engaged into the book, the story would take off temporarily but then that same loop of Lula and Maks would return and the momentum was lost. Lula’s best moments came at the end when she stopped feeling sorry for herself and acted liked the big sister she was. I loved the new supporting characters, especially Rhett, and wished the author had only devoted a small part of the story to Maks and dove right into the Bruja sisters and the new romance with Rhett instead of making us wait. I would still recommend because the Bruja sisters’ stories are addictive and so I will definitely keep reading the series.

*ARC provides through Netgalley for honest review*

I was a huuuuuuge fan of Brooklyn Brujas and was so excited for the sequel. It did not disappoint!

Lula Mortiz and her sisters, Alex and Rose, are still recovering from their trip to Los Lagos. She finds comfort in her boyfriend, Maks, until he breaks with her. Shortly after, a horrific bus accident drives Lula to bring him back from the dead, not realizing the disastrous consequences that will come.

It was amazing. The story pulls you in so fast and shows how each sister is trying to adjust to their new normal after the trip to Los Lagos. Lula feels like a real teenage girl through the entire book, which is rare, at least in my eyes. It’s what really kept me going though. Lula’s determination to do things the way she wanted. Sometimes it worked out, and sometimes it didn’t. She was stubborn and had the teenage “Im right” mentality.

The expansion of the world of the Brujas happens in this book as well, bringing in The Thornhill Alliance and the Knights of Lavant. The introduction of new characters kept the story interesting and gave people for the sisters to play off of. The epilogue hints at another book and I can’t wait for that!

**Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with this ARC in exchange for an honest review**

I devoured Labyrinth Lost the day before I started Bruja Born. So, I started Bruja Born with incredibly high expectations--and I was not let down. I loved everything from the characters to the plot to the dialogue.

This book follows Lula, the eldest Mortiz sister. It's been 8 months since the events in Labyrinth Lost and Lula is deeply scarred--mentally and physically. She tries to act as if she's okay, but everyone knows she's not. On the way to a soccer game Lula, and her boyfriend, Maks, along with the rest of the team get in a huge car wreck. Heartbroken, Lula beseeches her sisters to help her heal Maks against the Circle's wishes.

Similar to the last book, Lula realizes she has made a grave mistake. You cannot interfere with Death and not expect consequences or payment. Soon, the Mortiz sisters are running all over town in hopes of eradicating the havoc they caused. Throw in some paranormal beings such as: casimuertos (basically zombies; they are half alive and half dead), vampires, and shape-shifters and you have the recipe for an amazing story.

"Everyone wants me to be better, feel better, without giving me the time to do so."

I adore Lula. Her voice is incredibly distinct and unique from Alex's in the last book. The author did an amazing job in fleshing out and developing Lula's character in this book. It was such a heartwarming and fulfilling experience to watch Lula find herself again. I smiled at every sarcastic remark. I cheered for her at every obstacle. It's impossible to not love Lula--which was my biggest complaint about Alex in the last book. In my opinion, Lula is a much more likeable protagonist--however, I did enjoy Alex as a side character in this book!

Overall, this book is about the power of love and family. You get to see all 3 of the Mortiz girls fight together, protect each other, and sacrifice for each other. It's beautiful. Zoraida Cordova does a phenomenal job of painting a picture of what unconditional love looks like. I cannot wait until the next book!! Rose's story is going to be epic.

I love books featuring a strong bond between sisters and Cordova delivers. I was hesitant about this book when the ARC became available simply because zombie stories are usually overdone or cliche. But Cordova weaves such an intricate tale with the lore and brujería tied to that love we feel we can’t let go of at a young age that it’s both entrancing and immersive.

Latinx fans of Charmed looking for brujas that look like them, should not miss this series.

The podcast is in the link, but this was an amazing book! Good tension made me want to never put this book down, there was good characterization, and all in all it was a complete joy to read!

Oooo what a sequal this was. As the second book in The Brooklyn Brujas series I could not wait to start reading this. Labyrinth Lost was such a hit that this one was sure to follow in the steps of its predecessor, right?
It picks up not long after the Mortiz family comes back from Los Lagos. Everyone is still adjusting after their traumatic adventure. You see it most in Mr. Mortiz (their newly returned father) and in Lula herself. Whom the POV in this book comes from. Lula struggles tremendously with her physical and emotional scars which left deep impressions on her. She simply isn’t the same anymore and everyone has taken notice. Not long into the book her schools bus crashes. Leaving many dead or severely injured in the hospital. Including Lula herself. When she hears that there’s even an inkling of a chance for Maks to live she doesn’t hesitate to do everything in her power, and the power of her sisters, to save him. When the magical canto they perform goes horribly wrong Lula, Alex and Rose are left running around fervently to clean up the mess they made.
It’s actually kind of ironic as at the beginning of the book Lula herself isn’t too different from a casimuerto (meaning almost dead). In the sense that she’s only half there most of the time, moping around day to day as though the life inside her is just gone.
What I really loved most was how the whole family came together. I’m a sucker for close family relationships. Alex, Lula and Rose share one of the strongest sibling bonds I’ve ever read in a book. They put each other first and are literally always there for one another. To get each other into trouble and to bale each other out again.
What I didn’t like, was Lula. Actually I shouldn’t say that. It’s more like she was a bit annoying? That sounds better. As the eldest sister she just seemed incredibly immature and selfish. Granted if I was in her shoes and the love of my life could be saved, I’d have done the exact same thing…….mmmm maybe. The results of what happened were really shocking. All I kept thinking was that this is all her fault! She is so so selfish!
Her character growth, while present, took so long that the book seemed to drag on for me. Where Labyrinth Lost had a consecutive timeline of events that made everything just flow right into place, this book seemed to take it’s sweet time getting to the point. Leaving the ending something to be desired. It’s like watching a really long, detailed movie and the end is only 2 minutes long out of the 2 hours you sat watching it. This for me, was kind of a big let down. No one really wants to have to sit there and push themselves to finish a book. But I did, because the first book was really good! So I didn’t hate this book, but I really didn’t love it either.
Despite my conflicting feelings about this book I’m still very excited for the third. You can kind of guess where it’s going to head due to the cliff hanger in the Epilogue, but the real excitement will be reading it from Rose’s POV. Especially after some of the changes that she goes through in Bruja Born.

The second entry in Córdova's Brooklyn Brujas series is an absolute thrill ride! Córdova grabs you by the throat in the first chapter and doesn't let go, following Lula Mortiz and her family through a harrowing trial. This is also a great story about the selfishness of young love -- and the beauty that comes with loving yourself and those who deserve your devotion. Highly recommend!

Note: I did not read book 1 of the series.

This is an enchanting story based around a trio of sisters who refuse to accept that "one way or another, Death always collects."

Full review will be posted at theeverydayk.com within the two weeks prior to its release. I adored this book and I know that fans of Cordova will not be let down. Thank you to the publisher for the opportunity to enjoy this read early!

I really enjoyed the first book in the Brooklyn Brujas series, Labyrinth Lost. However, Bruja Born is so much different than Labyrinth Lost — but in a good way! Labyrinth Lost took us on a journey through the magical realm of Los Lagos. Alex accidentally cast a spell that sent her entire family to ‘hell’, so she and a brujo named Nova enter that world to save her family.

Bruja Born doesn’t return to Los Lagos, but instead takes place in Brooklyn, NY. It’s definitely more of an urban fantasy, but in my opinion, packs a bigger punch. In Bruja Born we get so much more paranormal lore such as casimuertos (people who are similar to zombies; they’re stuck between being dead and undead), vampires, shapeshifters, and more heightened magic from our favorite bruja family.

Instead of Alex being our main character, this time it’s the eldest sister, Lula. Lula is still dealing with the aftermath of escaping hell, and she’s still coping with her father mysteriously returning. As she boards a bus with her boyfriend Maks to a soccer game, they get into a horrific crash. Lula barely escapes death, and she faces the tough decision of saving Maks with magic.

However, just like in the last book, the magic goes horribly wrong. Playing with Death comes at a heavy price with many strings attached. Lula and her sisters fight for their lives and race against the clock to contain the major disaster they created. Dead bodies disappear and reappear all over town, and there’s a mysterious person that keeps stalking the sisters.

The bonds of sisterhood, friendships, and family stood out to me the most in the midst of all the chaos. I am so excited to see where book 3 goes. I really hope we get a perspective from Rose, the youngest sister, because her powers fascinate me. She’s quiet but fierce. I love her.

I absolutely loved all the layers of plot and magic woven into this gorgeous book. I could not put it down. This entire read was exhilarating and kept me up until the wee hours of the morning. Zoraida Córdova once again proves she can weave such a magical, empowering story, while still making all the characters extremely relatable.

Bruja Born releases on June 5, 2018. Thank you to Sourcebooks Fire for providing a digital copy in exchange for an honest review.

If you haven’t read Labyrinth Lost, you should definitely give it a try. It was really a triumph in world-building by #ownvoices author Zoraida Córdova, who took inspiration from her Latina heritage and culture to create a world and magic system wholly unique and refreshing. It also has great queer representation with Alex Mortiz, the bisexual protagonist!

Bruja Born steers away from Alex, however, and focuses on her sister Lula. I don’t want to go into too much detail, as not to spoil the first book but I will say that I think this was a great direction to take the series. Each book in the series centers around one of the Mortiz sisters, who have grown up as a part of a powerful bruja (Spanish for witch!) family. I love the concept of giving each sister their own book and am really looking forward to learning more about Rose, the youngest sister, in the third book.

While Labyrinth Lost primarily took place in the mystical land of Los Lagos, the second book brings us back to Brooklyn and dives deep on the magical community living in the city. As I read, I couldn’t stop thinking about how I really felt like a mix of Charmed and The Mortal Instruments series with a Latina spin. Since I’m a long-time Charmed apologist, I was super into it!

I definitely feel like Bruja Born an improvement upon Labyrinth Lost, mostly due to the expansion of the magical version of Brooklyn (complete with vampires, knights, zombies and hunters!) and my love for vain, vivacious Lula.

ALSO, I’m now fully convinced this series needs to be a TV show ASAP. Hollywood, please make that happen. (Can’t be any worse than Shadowhunters, amirite?)

I requested this from Netgalley not expecting to get it, but I did and I almost died of happiness.

That being said, I now need the next book because I have so many questions and emotions about what is going to happen. I can already tell that Rose's book is going to be wild and I can't wait.

You can tell right away that this book is going to be different than Labyrinth Lost was, because Alex and Lila have different ways of telling a story and this has it's own feel to it. It's Lula telling the story, and you can tell.

Lula knew she messed up and she doesn't try to deny any of it. She knows what she's done and does her best to fix everything and I'm so proud of her for everything that she's done and how she's grown through this book.

We get new characters in this book! I love new characters because that means new people to love and adore and I love the new ones in Bruja Born and how they're all different and have pasts that I want to know about. I would literally read separate books about all of them if given the chance.

Another favorite part of this book for me was Nova, because I had a huge not so secret soft spot for him and always wanted good things for him and I hope that from where he is now he gets a good ending that leaves him in a good place.

I don't know if Rose's book is going to be the last book, and I hope it isn't, but I'm looking forward to it and her point of view because I know that it's going to be as amazing as these last two have been.

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.