I loved the first two books in this series and have been waiting eagerly for this third and most likely final story. It had been a while since I’d read them though it seems, so there was a bit about Rose that I didn’t necessarily remember from before. As with other books like this during this crazy pandemic time, my mind had a bit of a struggle keeping on track with the story, so that is part of why I gave it 4 stars probably.

The world the author wrote for us in this book was beautiful and vivid and so colorful. I know part of the time it took me to read was spent stopping and trying to make pictures in my mind by rereading the details in the descriptions of each of the Adas, or fairies of this world that Rose ends up in with her father.

The book began and I wanted to shake Rose for doubting everyone, but of course like her sisters she had to cast a spell that would lead to a little bit different result than she’d hoped. She found out that there may be something to her feelings. And when she and her father got taken to the other world we learned just what her father had actually been through in his time when he’d been lost there before, and it made sense why he’d been so withdrawn and different when he’d come back and even still after he seemed to be getting back as part of the family.

All the characters we met were unique and so full of life, and made the story so much more. I also did really like the way the whole debacle was solved in the end, a very creative way that I was unsure how it would even happen until it did. And the extra things Rose learned and gained in the land of Adas made the book that much better.

Now while I think this is the final book in the series I have to wonder if we will get a book for one of the characters from the first book, Nova. I’d love to see what happens to him on the path he chooses at the beginning of this book.

I did not know going into this book because it is part of a trilogy, the Brooklyn Brujas series. Where the focus was on Rose Motiz, I feel there was not as much confusion, each novel focusing on one of the sisters. I will be going back to read the trilogy for sure. To see if there is a significant difference when I re-read this book.

Rose's story is infused with her father's complicated relationship, feeling the responsibility to be the family's fixer, and trying to find herself in her new magical role. I enjoyed reading about the land of Adas, and the adventure found there. Also, the modern twist of Rose calling her magical abilities like being a 'Magic Hacker.'

This book is beautifully written and includes Latinx traditions, non-binary character, and so much more.

Thank you to NetGalley for the eARC.

Adored this, this is the third book in Zoraida’s Brooklyn Brujas series and I was so eager to jump straight back in, this focuses on the third of the sisters Rose. As usual you can expect absolutely fantastic writing from Zoraida, amazing world building, realistic and well developed characters along with a ton of Fantasy interwoven with Latin mythology and cultural references. Immerse yourself in a fantastic world full of adventure, witches, strong female characters, humour, fantasy and mystery, you won’t regret it for a single second, treat yourself to a read from one of the best writers around. (But go the the first two books first ) I am hoping for a fourth book to come

Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for a free copy for an honest opinion

Zoraida Córdova’s new novel Wayward Witch is the third installment in her Brooklyn Brujas series. For those familiar with this magical series, this book follows Rose, the young Mortiz sister. Events from the prior books have transformed Rose’s powers into something that is wholly unfamiliar to her. Add to that the return of her father after an unexplained seven year absence and it’s easy to see why Rose is feeling off kilter. In the middle of an argument with her father, the two of them are kidnapped and dragged off to a fairy realm called Adas. There she is told that the realm is in danger and she’s the only one who has the power to save it. Since Rose doesn’t even know what her power is anymore, she’s not sure how that’s supposed to work, but when her captors lock her father in a tower, she decides she better figure it out.

What I have loved about every book in the Brooklyn Brujas series is the focus on family and that same focus is present throughout this book. Rose is desperate to get back to her sisters and her mother, just as she is equally determined to confront her father about leaving them alone for so many years. The family dynamics are very complicated in the Mortiz house but as always, the emotions feel so authentic.

I also loved following Rose on her adventure to save the fairy realm. Córdova’s worldbuilding is exquisite, filled with vivid details and infused with mythology as well as Latinx cultural references. I especially loved the contrast between the healthy parts of the realm, which are lush and vibrant, versus those parts that have been ravaged by a destructive and evil rot that threatens to consume them all. Rose is charged with finding and destroying the source of this mysterious rot, and I was completely invested in her journey, both the physical journey and the psychological journey as she discovers who she is as a Bruja now that her powers have so drastically changed.

I believe Wayward Witch is the final installment in the Brooklyn Brujas series and if so, it’s a very satisfying conclusion to the series. If you enjoy witchy stories that also focus on family and sisterhood, along the lines of Charmed, I definitely recommend this series.

Wayward Witch is the third installment of the Brooklyn Bruja series and follows the youngest of three sisters, Rose, as she has her Deathday to help control her newfound powers. There was a pretty major reveal, which supplied some answers, while another event left me with questions. This is a wonderful epic fantasy partly set in New York City and the magical fairy realm of Adas. If you are a fan of epic fantasies, action, magic, complicated relationships, and coming of age stories, then read this book!

Yeah! It was really fantastic to read this book, to get the story of the final Mortiz sister's story! And we got to travel to the land of Adas which was first mentioned in Labyrinth Lost, and explore what happened to their dad while he was gone. So that was really great!

This book is pretty similar to the first, in that it doesn't take place in our world, and there's a quest and such. But it's different, because Rose and Alex are different people, Rose is very sassy and fun to read (not to say that Alex wasn't fun to read, but she was more worried about getting her family back and dealing with guilt), and they face different struggles, even if they're both wildly powerful with rare gifts.

Though it's the final book in this series, we do get to learn so much in this book. After all, Rose has this unique gift that hasn't been seen before, and we explored that. Plus there were the different relationships that Rose had, with her family and with the gang that helped her on the quest. And one or two really big twists/reveals, and were so unputdownable!

I'm honestly hoping for a companion book, or even a spin off series. I mean, where things left off with Nova, well, I need more, to know what's going to happen to him next! Plus there's Lin, who I would be interested to having their own story!

I really enjoyed this book, it was a fantastic read and a great end to the series!

A really fun book. More fantasy than what I usually read, but I really enjoyed it! Great writing and a great story with fun characters

Wayward Witch is the third novel in Zoraida Cordova's Brooklyn Brujas series, and it is a whirlwind of a read. This novel is the epitome of change.

Things have been changing in Rose's family, and while everyone seems to want to act like it's for the better, Rose can't seem to let it go. Everything seems perfect, until you stare too long at it. Take the reappearance of her father.

She just knows there's more going on there. That he truly does remember what happened during the time he was gone. Then there's that whole mess with her new powers, which she has yet to fully get control of.

“I take a deep breath, trying to figure out how to explain what I'm feeling. My sisters are pretending everything is square, just like our parents. It's like we got to the end of the storybook and everyone has their happily-ever-afters.”

Before I dive into my review, I need to make a confession. I didn't realize that this was the third book in a series. Bad me! So I actually have not read the first two books (Labyrinth Lost and Bruja Born). Both of these are now on my TBR list (and I plan on rereading Wayward Witch at that point as well).

Despite that goof, I really did enjoy Wayward Witch. It was a fun and thrilling read, and it actually did a great job of allowing new readers to dive on in. It felt like Zoraida Cordova took the time to drop details and backstory here and there, all of which helped me follow along. More than that, it helped me enjoy the story and the characters within.

“Listen to me. I love you, Rosie. You need to know that I love you and I'm going to do everything I can to keep you safe. But I need your help, or they're going to find us. You have to get up.”

Wayward Witches is the third novel in this series, and as such it has a lot to get done in a limited amount of time. Not only is there a ton of stuff going on within this novel (all revolving around Rosie, as well as her family), but it has threads from the previous novels to wrap up as well.

It's a book full of amazing characters, with great elements and worldbuilding. There's a lot of culture portrayed within it, all of which made the story come to life. I only got a glimpse at some of the other characters (again, I failed to read the first two books first), but it was enough to get my curiosity going. Meanwhile, I really did enjoy Rosie's perspective. She was a charismatic and sassy character, and it was basically impossible not to enjoy her journey because of it.

All things considered, there was a lot going on in this book. Sometimes I had just a tiny bit of trouble following along, but honestly not as much as I would have expected (diving into the third book like I did).

In particular, I found myself enchanted by the magic within this novel. More importantly, the amount of variety in magical abilities. It was impressive and showed how much thought Zoraida Cordova put into the world.

If there's one thing I know, it's that I'm clearly going to have to go back and read the rest of this series. I regret not having read them in order, but at least I was still able to enjoy Wayward Witch.

Going back to the Mortiz family is always refreshing and you know you are in for a ride!

On this, the third installment of the Brooklyn Bujas series, we follow the traditional formula of Zoraida Córdova and accompany the journey of Rose, the youngest sister.

After all that her family is being through, is Rose's time to discover what it means to be a Bruja, and in her journey she will learn about her new found power (all happening in Bruja Born), the back drop of her father's disappearance (a mystery so far), will gain new friends, brush love and, as expected, embrace the power that her family ties entitles.

With an amazing fantasy world building, the books takes us to the fantastic fae realm and face the young characters to a devouring disease that threatens to make all disappear.

Reading this book, was a nostalgic experience, remembering the beautiful, yet crazy, family dynamics and heritage, and extensive lore (hinted at the beginning of each chapter with the quotes from the book of DEOS and the Diaries), learning about one self, pushing boundaries and at the end of the day, closing an atmospheric and lovely trilogy.

Highly recommended for fantasy lovers of all ages!

An ARC of this book was kindly provided by Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Disclaimer: I received this e-arc from the publisher. Thanks! All opinions are my own.

Book: Wayward Witch

Author: Zoraida Cordova

Book Series: Brooklyn Brujas Book 3

Rating: 3/5

Recommended For...: urban fantasy, paranormal, witches, magic

Publication Date: September 1, 2020

Genre: YA Fantasy

Recommended Age: can’t recommend, dnf-ed

Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire

Pages: 384

Synopsis: Rose Mortiz has always been a fixer, but lately she’s been feeling lost. She has brand-new powers she doesn’t understand, and her family is still trying to figure out how to function in the wake of her amnesiac father’s return home. Then, on the night of her Deathday party, Rose discovers her father’s memory loss has been a lie.

As she rushes to his side, the two are ambushed and pulled through a portal to the land of Adas, a fairy realm hidden in the Caribbean Sea. There, Rose is forced to work with a group of others to save Adas. Soon, she begins to discover the scope of her powers, the troubling truth about her father’s past, and the sacrifices he made to save her sisters.

But if Rose wants to return home so she can repair her broken family, she must figure out how to heal Adas first.

Review: DNFed at 23%. While you can read this book as a standalone I kept getting the feeling that I should start at the beginning of this series instead..I blame netgalley again for not letting me know lol. The writing is great and the plot seems interesting but I kept getting tripped up on the details and characters. Will definitely try again in the future.

Verdict: It’s good, but I want to start at the beginning.

Wayward Witch follows the third Mortiz sister, Rose, as she follows in her sister’s footsteps and dabbles in magic that she shouldn’t.

I’ll preface this with saying that I really don’t like the way these books lead off of each other. The end of the last book didn’t line up with the beginning of this one and it almost immediately ruined my reading experience for me. The last book ended with the family doing a canto to bring back their father’s memory and a voice saying something like “no one escapes my realm” or something like that.

There was zero mention of the voice and only a passing mention of the ritual that was done. I have a hard time when a book ends in a plot twist and then it doesn’t pick up with that in the next book. It makes it feel like the build up was for nothing.

Frankly, this book was kind of boring. I liked Rose’s voice in the first couple of chapters, but as the book went on, it seemed to change. I can’t even fully describe what it was that changed, but it wasn’t a good change. The rest of the story was just kind of dull. Like I never really got pulled in enough to care about who was living or dying. I think there were just too many characters that were meant to be important, but not enough characteristics about them that made them important. It just fell short for me.

One of the cool things was the inclusion of a non-binary characters. I thought that was cool and I liked Lin as a character a lot. They were very sweet and loyal. I don’t think Rose would have made it through the things she did without them. I think the plot line between Lin and Rose’s dad was a little unnecessary, but it is what it is.

There was a part at the end that was really confusing continuity wise. And this is a spoiler, but at the end when Prince Arco dies he keeps being mentioned as being with his sister and what not after they bury him. It’s never clear if he is actually dead or not. I mean even his death scene ends with him coming back to life and talking. It was never clear and honestly made me extremely frustrated.

All in all, I think this was not at all a satisfying end to the series. I think it was because there was no real linear plot to the books. Wayward Witch also still left off with the question of what happened to Nova and whether or not he was going to be able to fix his powers. I, as a reader, was not satisfied with this end.

Wayward Witch, the conclusion to Zoraida Córdova’s Brooklyn Brujas series, transports readers to a world that is equal parts beautiful and deadly as the youngest of the Mortiz sisters, Rose, must find a way to master her newly discovered power or find herself lost to her family forever. Rose’s Deathday party should be one of celebration, but she can’t shake the feeling that something isn’t quite right. Her family has done its best to move on from their experiences with Los Lagos and the casimuertos, but Rose can’t let go of all the unanswered questions she has about her father and his missing years and her own new power. When Rose and her father are kidnapped and brought to the Kingdom of Adas, a fairy-land full of creatures both enchanting and cunning, she is ordered to help stop the Rot which has been spreading over its realm. On her journey, Rose grapples with her newly discovered power and the darkness within herself that’s getting harder and harder to deny. Rose’s love for her family and particularly her sisters, Alex and Lula, is apparent, but there is always that voice in the back of her head that says she isn’t as strong or resilient as they are. I loved that Córdova’s fairyland isn’t just a mythical place, but one that has ties to Rose’s realm as it was once an island in the Caribbean. I really enjoyed Rose’s relationship with Iris, the princess of Adas. She is everything Rose doesn’t believe she can ever be. There is a respect that builds between the two that is important to each of their arcs. The author also introduces a non-binary character who calls themselves a brujex and I would love to get another book with Lin at the helm. Wayward Witch is an imaginative and dynamic novel that gives fans of the series a satisfying ending but also a thirst for more books in this world.

Fans of the first two won't be disappointed.

Wayward Witch is pretty much everything you've come to expect from the series, and I really hope we get a fourth book, maybe from Nova's POV.

I was really excited for Rose's book, and I wasn't disappointed. Her voice is strong and funny, and I really loved how she struggles with accepting her Dad back into her life in her realm and in the fairy realm they're transported to. In general, I'm not a fan of fairy stories or anything involving the fae realm, but this was so well plotted and the pacing was so intense, my normal dislike wasn't present. There was enough weirdness and grossness to keep me happily reading.

An excellent addition to the series.

Wayward Witch by Zoraida Cordova is the 3rd book in her Brooklyn Brujas series. I have not read the first two books in this series, and was not sure how that would affect my reading this book. However, I am happy to say that Cordova gave us a glimpse at the family characters early, and Wayward Witch read very well as a standalone. In each book, each Mortiz sister (there are three) takes center stage, and in Wayward Witch, the story revolves around the younger sister, Rose.

The story starts out with Rose’s family having her Deathday party, as well as with them all dealing with their father returning and not remembering where he had been. Rose is also trying to come to terms with her new found power, which is hacking magic from others. Almost immediately, when she is talking outside with her father, they are both grabbed and transported through a portal to Adas, a magical fairy realm to help stop the rot that is destroying the land. The King of Adas wants Rose’s powers, and has her father locked up to ensure she helps them, since the father supposedly was partially responsible for this issue.

Rose will begin to train with a group of others that have magical ability, with Iris (King’s daughter and commander) and Arco (King’s son) leading the adventure to save Adas. There were a number of very good characters created by Cordova, especially the team, and the bad King. At first I thought Iris was too tough, but over time I really got to like her, as she was a very good heroine to work with Rose. I also loved Lin, who became her best friend, as well as Arco, who was not only cute, but a friend to help them find the dark rot and destroy it. Iris and Arco know their father is evil, and will think nothing of eliminating anyone who disagrees with him.

What follows is an exciting, action packed, intense adventure with Rose able to use some of her powers to save her new friends, and especially Iris. Though at times, some of them become resentful that she is able to pull on their powers, but it is Rose who will find the truth about the dark rot, and pull them all together to right a wrong and save the land. Wayward Witch was a wonderful intriguing story that not only captivated me, but kept me unable to put the book down. This different world was so very well written by Zoraida Córdova. If you enjoy fantasy, great world building and exciting adventure, you need to read this book. I for one plan on going back and reading the first two books.

I started reading Labyrinth Lost two weeks ago, and I instantly fell in love with Córdova’s universe and writing. I read Labyrinth Lost and Bruja Born very quickly and was so excited to get to Wayward Witch. And it met all my expectations.
After Bruja Born I couldn’t wait to see more of Rose, and with that last book I can honestly say she’s become my favourite Mortiz sister. I love how sarcastic she is, I love how we see her get anxious and see her thoughts spiraling, it felt so relatable. She’s such a fantastic character, with a lot of fears and even more courage.
After Bruja Born happening in New York I was also eager to discover a new world again. And the Kingdom of Adas was so wonderful, I loved the world building, loved all the different regions, and I loved learning about the history of that new realm. I so want to read all the Books of Deos, Adas tales and stories, witchsongs, and all these other books we get to see quotes of at the beginning of each chapter.
I believe Wayward Witch is the last book in the Brooklyn Brujas trilogy, and it’s a lovely ending, but if Córdova plans on publishing other books about the Mortiz and all these realms I’ll be the first to buy them!

A riveting ending to a wonderful trilogy of family bonds, sisterhood, culture, adventure and of course magic! The youngest brooklyn bruja Rose is sassy smart and courageous who takes center stage and she lived up to all expectations and beyond.

*eARC provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. I also received a physical ARC from my local indie bookshop*

The first two books of the Brooklyn Brujas series came into my possession in a mix of cover buys, the fact that I had seen Labyrinth Lost years ago but never bought it, and the fact that I was meeting Zoraida Cordova in a few weeks. But when I read them, my response was that they were okay. Not great, not bad, just okay. I love the world building and culture and the magic system. This is a world of Latinx magical realism, and it's brilliant on that front. It's just not as great on the plot front.
Labyrinth Lost- 3 stars
Bruja Born- 3.5 stars

And now onto Wayward Witch. I decided to give this one a chance because Rose was my favorite sister of the three and WW is written from her POV, Also, this one takes place in the fairy realm of Adas and I love me some fairies.

It started off strong. The Mortiz family is still recovering from the events of the first two books (being stuck inside of tree and dealing with zombies). The dad is back and Rose is dealing with the fact that her powers aren't what she thought they were. In the midst of her Death Day party, fairies show up and kidnap her and her dad. Their realm is dying and they need her to stop it.

What follows is an adventure across the island of Adas, filled with strange creatures and people, self-discovery, and the revealing of unconventional truths. The story delves into found families and real ones, which is the strong rock that all of the books are based on. There is LGBTQ rep, non binary characters, and the main character is Latina. In short, all wonderful things, but it fails where the previous books fail: the plot. It is a series that is character driven and not plot driven, which just isn't the right fit for me.

Buy this for the representation and magic.

3.5 stars

I really enjoyed the last installment of the Brooklyn Bruja series. I really enjoyed the evolution of the sisters and Rose's story was in my opinion the most developed. I really liked the world building and people in the Kingdom of Adas. I also like how it wasn't super romantically involved. Oh how I wish this series could go on.

Wayward Witch is about coming to terms with the past; fixing what you can and forgiving where you must. It continues the trilogy's emphasis on family while expanding all the wonderful things that can mean. Filled with fairies and a whole new realm to explore.

Bruja Born left me feeling like I needed to know more, and Wayward Witch gave me answers in a way I wasn't expecting. It would have been easy to give answers about Rose's dad in a way that pushed her to the side, but instead she really shines here and I love it. I like how this is a journey story like Labyrinth Lost while still being its own thing. Rose was in the previous two books and I really enjoyed her as the POV character for this one. She gave me a new person’s perspective on characters I already knew, plus a different way of thinking about the book’s world. She really got out of her siblings' shadows and had her own thing going on. I'd been wondering what her book would be like back when I read Bruja Born and enjoyed how Rose felt like a full person even though we hadn't gotten her side yet.

In any story where the protagonist is uncertain of their memory it can be difficult to portray memory gaps in a way that feels natural when reading. This book manages that balance splendidly. It’s subtle enough that I felt good when I first noticed it, like I’d caught this great bit of story by paying attention. I love the story, there’s a lot of characters but it stays pretty focused by making each one either really memorable and very important or okay to pay a little less attention to. There were several very moving and surprising moments, including one particularly great surprise towards the end that I loved.

The world-building really shines; it has a starting place from the previous two books, but rather than stay comfortably close to home it ventures out into a strange and wonderful place. I already knew the author is great at describing magical creatures (that was one of my favorite things in The Vicious Deep), but the fairies here are really amazing. I kept having a new favorite fairy every few chapters as subtle shifts in emphasis gave several of them time to stand out from the group.

I'm sad for the trilogy to be over but I suspect there will keep being more in this world, I certainly hope I'm right.

This is the third book in the series, but if you are not familiar with the other books, you need to know that each one focuses on a different sister and they each have their own adventures. So you don’t have to have read the first two books to enjoy this one, but it would help. Rose thinks a lot about her sisters and other family members and things that went on in the other books, which might leave you scratching your head a bit if you are not familiar with them.

Rose is the youngest of the sisters, but perhaps the most powerful in her magic. She is not entirely sure how to use it or control it for that matter. She has the ability to take other people’s magic for short periods and use it just as they would. This gets her into trouble quite often. She comes from a very strong and loving family though, that always have her back. So when she finds herself alone in the Fairy world she doesn’t quite know what to do. Thinking about her sisters and what they would say and do in the same situation helps to get her through the tough times though.

There are a lot of secondary characters, almost too many to keep track of and I often got them confused. The two that stood out the most were Arcos and Iris, the prince and princess. They are twins but are very different from each other. Arcos is very studious and is the court scribe, Iris is a warrior in every sense of the world. They both play important roles in the story. Lin is also a good character that befriends Rose on their journey. I liked Lin a lot and enjoyed watching their friendship grow.

The story itself was very typical of quests. A group of heroes goes on a long journey to save the kingdom. The heroine has lots of hardships and self doubts along the way, but saves the day in the end. There were times when the story got bogged down and quite muddled. This might have more to do with it being an ARC as there were lots of mistakes in grammar, spelling and time lines which seemed to get worse as the book went on. I am very much hoping that these things were caught before final printing, because it really did hurt the story. The ending also felt a bit rushed which left me a bit confused like I missed something.

I really did enjoy all three of these books and am a bit sorry that it has come to an end. I do hope that the author comes back to this world and this family at some point as I find the world that she created quite fascinating. (Am I the only one hoping for a story featuring Nova?)