4.5 stars

I've been really enjoying this series and usually, I ended up liking this second book even more than the first one, perhaps because I was already familiar with some of the mythology, so there wasn't as much of a learning curve. This book takes place about 6 months after the first book and it starts out very differently from the first one. In the beginning, Paola is barely speaking to her two best friends, her mom has a new boyfriend so she's barely speaking to her, and with the increasing frequency of frightening dreams, she feels more alone than ever. When Dante's Abuela suddenly falls into a coma of a mysterious illness, Dante blames her and she vows to do what she needs to do to find out the answer. She ends up teamed up with a reluctant Dante and a snarky Naomi (from the first book) to not only save Dante's Abuela but also find her father, who she thinks may hold the answers to everything. I found this to be a very engaging adventure and I was kept guessing for much of the story and definitely freaked out by some of the monsters/phantasms. I love Paola and look forward to the next book!

I received an advance review copy from NetGalley for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

I enjoyed this book so much! I had really enjoyed the first one as well, but I think this book was even better. Maybe it's because we didn't have the same level of introduction as in the first book (although there were still obviously things that needed to be explained), but whatever the reason, this was such a good read.

This takes place about 6 months after the events of the first book, and we see a very different scenario than where the last one ended - Paola's mom has a new boyfriend, and Paola is barely speaking to her two best friends, Dante and Emma. But when Paola starts having weird dreams again, this time with her father who left years ago, and then Dante's abuela falls into a coma, Paola reconnects with Emma and talks Dante into traveling to Oregon with her to figure out the meaning of her dreams and save his grandmother.

There was so much action in this book, but there was also a lot of emotion, and I felt like the balance was really good to keep the story moving. I constantly was curious to know what was going to happen next. Paola had so much growth in this book, even more so than the first book, and she went through so much, but she never gave up. I really enjoyed getting to see her journey, and how her relationships with her friends changed. I also liked that we got to see more of Naomi and to see her friendship with Paola grow as well.

I really enjoyed how this book expanded on the mythology as well, and it's something I just find really fascinating. Despite having heritage from South America, I did not grow up knowing all of the different myths and fables, so reading this series has been so much fun for me to learn more about them. I am sure that this is also a series I would have enjoyed when I was in middle school, especially with the focus on fantasmas, which is something I am fascinated with now, and would have really loved to read about then. I think this is a great middle grade series, and I can't wait to see what's to come in the next book!

I really enjoyed this second installment of Paola's adventures. This one didn't have quite as many legend characters in it, but mostly drew on the those from the first book. I would highly recommend that students read the first book before picking up this one, it would help fill in gaps that the reader may not understand without reading the first book. This one also ends on a bit of a cliff hanger, so I'm anticipating a 3rd story! I liked that it wasn't just happily ever after at the end of the story, and Paola herself is tough to like at times. She really shows a lot of the struggles facing a young teen, such as friend issues and dealing with a single parent dating. She also has fantasy related problems, which keep it from getting too serious, and some parts are very funny as she deals with the ghosts and gnomes from Mexican legends.

YOOOOO. It's rare that I enjoy the second book in a series more than the first book. Tehlor Kay Mejia does it again, baby! The story went where I expected it to and I thoroughly enjoyed the ride getting to it. Great characters, great plot, great pacing. The second book picks up after a time skip from the first book and drops us off as Paola and her friends deal with the repercussions of the first book. It was enjoyable to see a story where things aren't going well after a major adventure where everyone almost dies and people have to deal with tough subjects afterwards. It gave me strong Steven Universe Future vibes. Loved this!!!!

Paola Santiago and the Forest of Nightmares is a wonderful sequel! It continues Pao's story by exploring her powers while also diving into changing friendships and changing family arrangements! I loved the social commentary that is so smartly woven throughout the story, and all of the amazing representation that this book provides! This one was a bit "darker" than the first book, but it was just as amazing and is definitely a series a would have been obsessed with when I was younger!

Thank you to NetGalley and Disney Publishing Worldwide for the e-ARC of this book in exchange for a review. As usual I am so thankful for Rick Riordan presents for bringing another culturally rich middle grade novel into the world through the words of what is becoming one of my favorite authors, Tehlor Kay Mejia. This is book two in the Paola Santiago series. The first book Paola Santiago and the River of Tears was published in August 2020 and my favorite middle grade novel of last year. This book is full of so many things that ALL middle grade novels need and that's some incredible representation. We've got our main characters Paola and her family and Dante and his abuela who are Mexican-American and then we've got Emma and her friends the Rainbow Rogues which are an LGBTQIA+ club that Emma is now a part of. We get to revisit the legend of La Llorona with the addition of The Hitchhiker which is another urban legend which has been around for many many year. We get to learn more about Dante's past and how he came to live with his abuela and how connected to the paranormal she really is. The Ninas are back in this book and we get to learn more about Naomi and what she has been up to since their adventures in River of Tears. One of the things that I really love about this book is the little nuggets that are dropped through out that are so powerful. It touches on so many different social justice issues, it reminds us that abusive behavior of any kind is never ok, and it reminds us of the importance of empathy and family whether is be the one we are given or the one that we choose. Tehlor's voice is a powerful one that is very much needed in this world and this is another incredible book to add to your shelf.

*This is a voluntary, honest review in exchange for an E-ARC thanks to Disney Publishing Worldwide, Rick Riordan Presents, and NetGalley.

For me, typically the second book in a series is not my favorite of said series. This is totally not true of Tehlor Kay Mejia’s Paola Santiago and the Forest of Nightmares. There is all the paranormal/supernatural/magic that we witnessed in Paola Santiago and the River of Tears, and the characters we love: Pao, Dante, Emma, Dante’s Abuela, Pao’s Mom, Naomi, The Niños de la Luz, and of course Bruto. There are some new characters to love and some to hate.

The narrative picks up six months following the narrative of Paola Santiago and the River of Tears. (Although Mejia does a good job filling in the information in case the reader has not read . . . River of Tears, I suggest reading it first in order to gain full immersion into the world.) Paola and Dante are seemingly not as close as they once were; Emma, though still good friends with Paola, has some interests that take her time, and Pao is feeling very alone. On top of all of that, Pao has begun having nightmares again. This time she’s in a forest and sees her father--that walked out of Pao and her mom when Pao was 3--in silhouette, hears a voice calling to her, and even encounters Dante’s Abuela in one of them. Of course she tells no one of these dreams.

Always the scientist/researcher, Pao tries to “logic” her way through what is happening, but when Abuela lands in the hospital in a coma, and Pao and Dante are chased in the hospital by fantasmas, Pao knows from experience that she cannot rely on science this time. With Dante, growing ever more moody and distant embark on a journey to Oregon, accompanied by Naomi, who is not sure she wants to be on this journey.

I’m stopping there, because I do not want to give anything away!

I think I like Paola Santiago and the Forest of Nightmares better than the first in the series because of the human drama (accompanied by the folklore, ghosts, etc.). Pao and Dante do not go leaping into the new adventure with hands joined, the celebrated heroes. Naomi is unsure whether she wants to accompany them because of her feelings about Franco and Marisa. Naomi and Pao do not always get along. Plus, Mejia with a dexterous touch weaves in the bigotry and racism that brown people, more specifically young brown people, often face from white authority figures. While this is not the focus of the plot, it is always there, and it is infuriating, just as it must be in real life for the young people--and older--who must face it day after day.

Fans of Riordan will like this book, as will fans of any other of Rick RIordan Presents novels/series. I definitely will recommend this to my Mexican and other Latinx students because it is so ripe with Mexican folklore and culture, plus I just think they’d love to read the Spanish words and phrases intertwined in the narrative. (For non-Spanish speakers, Mejia does a great job either out and out translating or embedding context clues, so those--like me!--are not lost.) This is an important novel, an important series, because it allows Latinx readers to see themselves on the page as heroes.

Paola Santiago and the Forest of Nightmares is the exciting follow-up to Paola Santiago and the River of Tears by Tehlor Key Mejia. Pao Santiago has always had terrifying nightmares. Little does she know that these nightmares are actually visions of a place called the void. The void is a place were beasts and fantasmas (ghosts) live, and Pao’s life is inexplicably intertwined with it. This is not a particularly easy thing for the science loving Pao to accept.

Pao’s story continues in this sequel. After defeating La Llorona and rescuing her two best friends, Emma and Dante from the void, Pao should be on cloud nine. However, a few months after that journey, Pao has distanced herself from Emma, Dante seems to be avoiding her, and her mother has a new boyfriend. To top it all off, Pao has started having nightmares again, and the common theme of these dreams is her father, the man she hasn’t seen since she was three years old. When her beloved neighbor (and Dante’s grandmother), Senora Mata, falls ill, Pao can’t seem to shake the feeling that the illness is connected to her dreams, and that her father will have the answers she needs to save Senora Mata (and to figure out who she truly is as well). So, Pao sets out on the longest journey she’s ever taking, leaving Arizona in search of her father in Oregon, with her best friend Dante (though maybe she should say former best friend?) and the only member of the Ninos de la Luz (a group of immortal children dedicated to protecting the mortal world from fantasmas and the void) left in Arizona, Noemi.

A very minimal amount of the book is actually set in “the forest of nightmares,” the majority of the story taking place on the road. Traveling that many miles, is not an easy task for a couple of teenagers, so they are bound to run into some hiccups along the way. While these various mishaps and obstacles along the way kept the story interesting, it did get a bit frustrating that it took the characters so long to even get to the titular setting. And, once they did arrive, very little time was spent there. We do experience “the forest of nightmares” through, you guessed it, Pao’s nightmares, but I felt it only made it that much more frustrating that we only spent a few chapters in this place that is supposedly super important to the plot.

What I really loved about this book was the portrayal of middle school friendships. Middle school is a time of finding yourself and change, so friendships often shift, change, and even end. Mejia portrayed this really well. In Paola Santiago and the River of Tears, the friendships and relationships portrayed were fairly basic and standard for a middle grade book, but in the Forest of Nightmares things have changed for Pao. Both of her two best friends are finding there place in middle school, Dante with the soccer team and Emma with the Rainbow Rogues (an LGBTQ+ group), and Pao doesn’t really fit in with these new groups. For this reason, Pao decided to distance herself from Emma, and Dante has distanced himself from Pao, leaving Pao feeling very lonely. Throughout the book Pao grows a new friendship, re-establishes an old one, and loses one friendship probably for good. Overall, a good follow-up to the first in the series, and got me excited for the next (final?) installment. Definitely will be recommending this series to middle grade readers looking for something a little spookier.

I enjoyed this one but it didn’t definitely felt like the middle book in a trilogy. I enjoyed the plot of the first book more. Also I understand friends fighting, and the reason for the fighting gets explained towards the end but dang if the words used weren’t down right cruel. But then again, that’s middle grade aged children sometimes. I read this books for the friendships, and yeah friends fight, but her other friend Emma wasn’t even in the majority of the book. I look forward to seeing where the story goes in book three regardless.

Thanks to NetGalley and Disney Publishing for this free digital copy in exchange for an honest review. This book is out 8/3!

After reading and loving the Tehlor Kay Mejia's first book in this series, I was so excited to read the second!! It didn't disappoint. I think Paola is one of my favorite characters in the Rick Riordan Presents line (although they are all SO wonderful) and I felt she grew so much as a character--both in terms of understanding herself and those around her. One of my favorite aspects of this book is that not only is she dealing with the supernatural, but she is dealing with very real and relatable "mundane" problems and the transitions and anxiety that come with starting middle school. I absolutely love the descriptions of the "monsters" and creatures from Mexican folklore...some of which I don't want to dwell on too much because I don't want to end up with nightmares like Pao!

If you are a fan of middle-grade stories and the RRP line, I absolutely recommend! As always, please read the series in order; the first book is called Paola Santiago and the River of Tears. This will definitely end up in my classroom!

Thank you for giving me the opportunity to read an ARC of Paola Santiago and the Forest of Nightmares!

Although I haven't read the first book in the series, I enjoyed this book immensely. It's a fun middle-grade fantasy steeped in Mexican mythology. The main character, Paola, has to deal with a number of challenges, both fantastical and mundane. She is fighting with her friends, and she has to figure out how to interact with other people while still staying true to herself. She also has to deal with her nightmares and the very real monsters that she finds in them. She goes on a quest to find her father, who she hopes holds the answers to many of her questions. The story is fast-paced, and Paola is a great heroine. The supporting characters are all interesting and unique as well. I loved the mythology and the way that the author was able to weave the mythology into the modern world. I look forward to reading other books in this series!

Highly recommend!

Paola Santiago and the Forest of Nightmares was the perfect continuation of the series and easily fits within the canon of Rick Riordan Presents imprint. Picking up not too long after the events of the first novel, Forest of Nightmares explores more of Paola’s family history and how she manages to keep finding herself drawn to mystical situations and mysterious quests. Like with the previous book, Mejia expertly incorporates elements of Latinx and Chicanx culture, history, and mythology into her work. I’m so happy to see such love for the culture in a book aimed at young readers, and I’m thrilled that there now exists so many literary role models for children to read and see themselves in. If you’re a fan of Rick Riordan’s brand, Paola Santiago is a must-read.

Thirteen-year-old Paola is at a loss after defeating La Llorona. Her best friend, Dante, won't speak to her, and her other friend, Emma, is caught up with her new friends after coming out. Pao can't focus at school or talk to her mother, especially since her mother is dating a new man. Pao's dreams have started up again. This time, she is seeing images of her father who she has not seen since she was small. Dante's grandmother may have the answers, but when Pao visits, Senora Mata passes out and goes into a deep coma. Pao joins forces with a reluctant Dante, her friend Emma, and other allies from her past to face fantasmas and other creatures straight from Mexican folklore in order to find her father, release Senora Mata from her coma, and close the rift between the worlds before the evil creatures kill the people Pao loves. Middle grade fantasy readers will enjoy picking up where they left off from the first book in the Paola Santiago series. Racial and socio-economic differences are encountered, including how minorities and the poor are treated by the police and by health care services versus the middle to upper class white. Emma's character, although supportive of Pao, is not as well-developed and is often used to emphasize the racial and financial differences between Emma and Pao. Emma recently came out and gets involved with her LGBTQ+ school club, the Rainbow Rogues. This causes Paola to be more aware of the unfairness of gender bathrooms and other issues faced by the LGBTQ+, but it also causes Pao and Emma to grow apart even though Pao is supportive of her friend. The ending leaves an opening for another book. Pao will need to once again cross the rift to save a friend.

I didn't have to worry about diversity at all and that was a bit of relief. I loved the voices of the characters and Paola is a fiery child with a big personality.

She reminds me of my younger sibling and is a bright and strong protagonist. When it comes to the other characters they're vivid as well. None outshine Paola however and I love that. There are instances in other books where the side characters overshadow the main character and that's not the case here.

I didn't read the first book and didn't know this was the second in a series. That said, I had no problems catching up on what happened in the first story. The author explained it so well in such a creative way as Paola was going through the story. None of it felt forced, there were no info dumps and it was great.

I will absolutely recommend this to young readers. It's something I know my young family members would like.

Plus, the chancla being a club made me laugh so hard that I snorted. I told a family member about it and he started laughing and telling me about his cousin when they were both younger and the chancla featured heavily.

A chancla club was absolutely hysterical and amazing.

Thank you to NetGalley and Disney Publishing Worldwide and Rick Riordan Presents for the advance reader copy, Paola Santiago and the Forest of Nightmares by Tehlor Kay Mejia in exchange for an honest review. This second in the Paola Santiago series was thrilling with heart pounding adventures for Paola, her nightmares now in a forest and it seems her father is involved somehow. Is this good or bad? My heart ached for Paola in this second book as she experienced friendship drama, mother and new boyfriend issues, and trusting her scientific mind over and above her new reality. As Paola is plunged into new nightmares, her best friend Dante seems to be angry with her all the time and won’t let her come over to his house and visit with his abuela. When Dante is at soccer practice she sneaks over and what happens sends shockwaves through her! Dante’s abuela addresses her as Maria (her mother!!!) and warns her against the bad men in her life. When his abuela passes out, Paola is devastated and reaches out to her friend, Emma, for help. I could not stop reading this suspenseful sequel that packs so many punches and psychological dilemmas for Paola as she revisits the missing boys and their leaders, monsters with green eyes and powers from the Highwayman that are beyond brutal. As Paola valiantly tries to wade through the mysteries, disappearing friends, and vanishing family, the reader will be plunged into her world of doubt, betrayal, lies, and mysteries. This is a must read, highly recommended for middle grade mystery lovers!

"I'm a selftaught seventh-grade scientist, not a white lady with a podcast about true crime!"

Rating: Really Enjoyed It

I really enjoyed this book! i loved the first installment telling the story of Paola's stand against La Llarona, and this one picks up not too long after the first book. However, things are different. Emma came out to her parents and joined the LGBTQIA+ group at their school, and Pao has drifted away from her, feeling that she doesn't fit in with her new, rich, white friends. Dante has been stand-offish for a while, and Pao doesn't really know why, attributing it to some boy-girl weirdness when they tried to maybe be more than friends. And to top everything off, her mother is dating a guy named Aaron and is not paying much attention to Pao other than to force her into bonding sessions over pizza with the new guy. When Dante's grandmother is in trouble, the three friends come together to once again set off on a quest to deal with the supernatural.

I thought that this was an excellent sequel - it tied up some of the loose ends that we had from the first book relating to Pao's questions about her dad. We get to see the Ninos again, and meet some new supernatural creatures along the way. I love the incorporation of the lore and the fact that Paola herself doesn't know it very well and is trying to put all the pieces together as she is going on.

This book deals with ideas of friendship, betrayal, and acceptance of who you are as a person. I loved seeing Pao make some new friends and come to the realization of exactly how she should be treated. There are also bigger themes relating to social inequality and racism, but they are just part of Pao's life and aren't super preachy.

I personally enjoyed the supernatural escapades perhaps a bit more in the first one, but this was definitely fun. There were some pieces at the end that I didn't quite understand, but that didn't really lessen my enjoyment. We have an opening that points to where the next book will likely go, and I look forward to that adventure as well!

Thank you to NetGalley and Disney Publishing Worldwide/Rick Riordan presents for an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. Any quotes are taken from an ARC and may be changed in the final version.

Paola Santiago and the Forest of Nightmares releases August 3, 2021!

Thank you SO much to the author, publisher and Net Galley for providing me with a free e-book ARC of this book.

I loved this book. I cannot even lie, I loved this book. I started reading Rick Riordan's books when my kids were younger, and they are some of the few books that I continue to follow, even on my own. When the Rick Riordan Presents line came out, I gobbled them all up - I love learning new authors and all of the options myths.

I devoured this book. I'd just listened to the audiobook of book 1 in this series before being awarded the ARC, so the story was fresh in my mind. I enjoyed catching up with Pao and her story and cannot wait for (hopefully!!) book #3.

I am rating this one 5 of 5 stars. I can fully see myself recommending this book to others with younger children, especially, and even listening to the story together with my family as well.

Paola doesn't understand why Dante won't talk to her, Emma is to busy with her new friends, and even her mom is busy with a new boyfriend, so there is no one to talk too about her new nightmares that are coming almost every night. What is worse in the middle of her nightmares about this creepy forest is her dad who she has not seen since she was six. But when Dante's abuela falls ill and the doctors are stumped Paola knows what she must do with or without her friends, she must find and face that forest and see what her dad is trying to tell her.

This is a awesome second book to the series and has even more action and suspense than the first book. The story and its addition of the Latino culture really makes this a refreshing read one any age will love. I think this would also be great for a reluctant reader.

This review will appear on my blog on Aug 3rd

I thought this was a great sequel to the first book. I loved how Paola was trying to figure out her friendship with her friend and getting his grandmother out of the coma. I loved how brave she had to be the entire time. I want to add this to my shelf at my middle school because of the Spanish that is in the novel. I hope more of our students will read books that incorporate a foreign language into the story.

Whew! Paola went through a lot in book 2!! From barely talking to Dante and Emma, to her mom's new annoying boyfriend to her nightmares coming back worse and full of her estranged father. As weird as it is to say, I enjoyed watching Paola struggle with her friendships; it shows miscommunication happens at any age. My favorite folklore in this book is Estrella, a duendecillo, who helps Paola and her friends in the forest. This was a great story about learning to embrace all the parts that make you an individual, even if you are unsure about who you want to become. Just what middle school students need!
Thanks NetGalley!