Tia witnesses a murder as she looked out of her window during the throes of an asthma attack. (Not a spoiler, this happens in the first chapter.) She keeps silent over fears that the murderer would return for her if she did not. Throughout the novel, Tia--usually accompanied by her best friend, Julius--begins to feel the murderer is following her, leaving her messages, sending her texts, and finally leaving a small figurine to frighten her into keeping silence. Throughout the novel, Tia is supported by her mom and dad, her grandmother, and several other neighborhood adults and "friends" from school.

There were parts of the book that I wanted author, Danette Vigilante, to explore more deeply. There were characters and bits of the plot introduced that seemed tangential, but tuck those parts of the novel away. They pop back up, and it doesn't detract from the main storyline.

I was really surprised by this little novel. As a middle school teacher, I tend to read for older middle grades and young adults, and I think this book would be suited for mature 4th graders through 6th graders. It could even be the right book for a 7th grader that is reluctant to read. It would appeal to any middle grades student that likes thrillers, murder-mysteries. or books with a strong family and friend support system. I really liked the Botanica aspects and loved that Tia's family background was Puerto Rican.

Thank you to Jolly Fish Press and NetGalley for the E-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Tia Lugo Speaks No Evil by @DanetteVigilante

The best way I could start my review is that, "Life can change in an instant" we all know that and trust me when I write this for this book and she has a deadly secret.

This is story about Tia, teenager how her all happy routined life change in an instant when one night she encountered something she shouldn't have.

Tia felt guilty when she thought she could've done something heroic that night but something inside her echoed that staying silent would've save her, the family she loved and Julius, her only friend (she likes him) but soon she'd learned that it was much more dangerous to stay silent than it was to tell.

"Being under pressure can sometimes make people do things they wouldn't normally do."
Couldn't agree more to this. A phrase, from the book itself.

This book also portrayed that botanical staffs aren't always bad or weird which most of people make a fuss. There are people, who believes in such thing and respect it. People need something or someone to lean on when nothing seems right.

Although, it's a middle grade suspense thriller but I can assure you that adults will enjoy this book as much as the kid or teenagers cause this book can teach you life lessons for real.

I learned that it's not always what it seems to be. Just like this there are plenty for that you really need to read this book for yourself.

The story has many twists and turns that you will enjoy through out the read. If you're a fast reader you can finish this book in one sitting. And trust me, YOU'LL NOT REGRET READING THIS BOOK!

Read and reviewed voluntarily, opinions expressed here are unbiased and entirely my own.

Thank you @NetGalley and @JollyFishPress for the #arc in exchange for an honest review.

Tia Lugo has a deadly secret. Tia Lugo considers herself an ordinary thirteen-year-old girl. She just wants to enjoy the end of summer, which means hanging out with her best friend and neighbor, Julius, and ignoring her Puerto Rican grandmother's embarrassing reliance on creepy candles, weird-smelling herb bundles, and eerie statues--all available for sale at the nearby botanica. But when Tia witnesses a murder late one night from her bedroom window, everything changes in an instant. Now, Tia is terrified to tell anyone what she's seen. What if the killer comes after her too? He knows where she lives. Even worse, Tia believes he's sending her secret messages, reminding her to stay quiet. Desperate to keep herself and her family safe, Tia turns to the last place she ever thought she'd go: her grandmother's favorite shopping spot, the botanica.

From start to finish I loved this! What a wee golden nugget of suspense, values, culture, tradition and family relationships.

Vigilante manages to write a novel with some compelling themes in a way that not only causes the reader to stop and think but also delves into them in a way that readers of all ages can grasp and enjoy.

Her characters are real and wholesome and her exploration of the complexities of family relationships, traditions and heritage is intriguing to read and also learn about.

There were times I forgot I was reading a YA novel as the thrills and suspense were so tense and grown up but the writing was also so engaging that it was such a fun read.

Este libro fue increíble, deberías leerlo!!

#bookreviewsbymrsc #tialugospeaksnoevil #danettevigilante

Tia is a thirteen-year-old Latino girl growing up in a close-knit family in Brooklyn. Her best friend lives close by, and so does her eccentric Gram, who she adores. Gram visits every day, and more often than not brings some odd potion, charm or statue from the local botanical store. Does Tia believe in the supernatural, too? She believes in her grandmother, so maybe there really is protection in colorful necklaces, bath oils, candles and statues.

It's a happy place to growing up - until late one night while Tia's looking for her asthma inhaler, she glances out her bedroom window and sees something that changes everything. And she doesn't dare tell anyone about it!

I remember being thirteen. I had a couple of dark secrets of my own, and I recall the burden of carrying them. I empathized with Tia and her secret, which she keeps for a very good reason—to protect those she loves. But what chance does a young girl stand against a full grown man who's committed murder... and knows he's been seen?

There's a strong lesson that threads its way through every page of this book. By emphasizing how frightening it can be to keep a secret, and what a relief it can be to let it go, readers may follow Tia's example when they're confronted with upsetting situations in their own lives.

As an adult, I found the story to be interesting enough to keep me page-turning to find out how everything would turn out for Tia. I also found it a little heavy-handed and melodramatic, as her agony goes on and on. But this book wasn't written for me. It was written for thirteen-year-olds who have to grapple daily with a grown-up world, and might have to carry some of the burden of our world inside of them. I hope the message is clear and helpful to those young readers.

My thanks to author Danette Vigilante, North Star Editions, Jolly Fish Press, and NetGalley for allowing me to read a digital advance review copy of this book. This review is my honest and unbiased opinion.

If you’re after an enjoyable page-turning, but not too scary thriller, then Tia Lugo Speaks No Evil is worth a look for kids at the top end of primary, or early secondary school. Very early in the story thirteen-year-old New Yorker Tia Lugo partially witnesses a murder outside her bedroom window, suffering from Asma, she finds herself away at odd times and struggles to sleep. The story is built around her failure to tell the police what she saw, fearful that the killer will target her family and at a certain point the killer does make contact. Adult readers will not find many surprises in this story, but I enjoyed Tia trying to negotiate what to do next, coming from a Spanish speaking family, with a grandmother who believes in herbal magic (and weird-smelling herb bundles, and eerie statues), the plot has some nice strands which are built around her close-knit family.

The nicest relationship is with her best friend Julius, who is the same age, and there is the early stages of romantic tension in the air, but the book keeps everything nicely innocent. Tia was a terrific main character, and although you will be screaming “go to the police!”, it was still very nice to have a Latin American central character, with the plot also taking in bullying at school and younger readers have an entertaining mystery to unravel, with a couple of red herrings thrown in along the way. Horror does not always have to be super scary, and this was a very enjoyable Middle Grade thriller with nice tension, atmosphere and family dynamics. AGE RANGE 8-11.

This is a Middle Grade Mystery/Suspense. This book is all about a girl seeing something she should not have see, and she is afraid to tell her parents and the police. This book is well written and the characters are so well developed. I felt the storyline was really good, and I feel that this is how some young kids would act. There is some small twists in this book, but I guess the twists before they where revealed. I do not think kids would not have guess the twist. I feel this is a good middle grade book for any kid that loves mystery or suspense in there books. I was kindly provided an e-copy of this book by the publisher (Jolly Fish Press) or author (Danette Vigilante) via NetGalley, so I can give an honest review about how I feel about this book. I want to send a big Thank you to them for that. This book is schedule to be release on August 17-2021.

Tia Lugo Speaks No Evil by Danette Vigilante
Jolly Fish Press Horror/Middle Grade/Multicultural Interest
Pub Date Aug 17, 2021

#TiaLugoSpeaksNoEvil #NetGalley
Tia Lugo has a deadly secret.

As a reviewer for Gram’s Book Club, I look for books to recommend to my grandchildren and yours. I enjoyed meeting Tia, a feisty girl who lives in the city and witnesses a tragic event from her window. The author created a believable family, and I loved the doting grandmother who is a bit eccentric. This story provides a cast of characters that provide positive role models with strong family values. Tia’s best friend is Julius, with a loyal friendship with sweet romantic tension. Tia makes some decision’s early on in the story that give us a sense of her budding independence and maturity that in real life should be shared with a trusted adult. Yet her decision to not share what she has seen takes the reader on an adventure with drama, tension and a thriller ending. Recommended for middle grade readers with a parent/grandparent conversation afterwards of Tia’s reluctance to tell anyone of her fears, even her best friend Julius.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher Jolly Fish Press for giving me an digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you Net Galley for the E-arc. This is such an absolute gem! A middle grade suspense/thriller/mystery book with loads of life lessons. I like the author’s writing style and story direction. The plot is simple yet grounded and very engaging. I managed to finish it quickly as it was intense thinking that young readers will be diving into this story. First love, importance of family, and having the courage to speak up are the gems that a young reader will get out of this book.

Liked:
Plot
Writing style
Fast pacing

Disliked:
Villain was predictable
I wanted more of Gram
Witnessing murder at a young age

Setting: 3⭐️
Character Building: 4⭐️
Writing Style: 4⭐️
Message: 5⭐️
Overall: 4⭐️

Overall, it was a very enjoyable and time worthy story that is highly recommended especially to young readers. It is full of lessons and it is very inspiring when it comes to courage and bravery.

~JaNnA~

Thank you so much to JollyFish Press and Netgalley for the Earc to read and review.

Tia sees a horrific incident right outside her window late one night and is threatened by the killer not to tell anyone. She becomes fear ridden, paranoid, scared, suspicious and guilty for not telling. The incident changes who she is forever.

I loved Tia she was such an amazing and important character we don’t get many characters like this in MG books but we should. She is first a Latin girl and secondly she has Asthma. Her asthma though doesn’t divine her, it doesn’t change the way she is treated by anyone, it’s simply a part of who she is. I loved that, we need more representation of illnesses being part of natural life in stories.

The story is such an interesting thriller, from when you first are with Tia witnessing what she sees, to the threats looming over young Tia and you become suspicious with her, all until the plot twisting very end it grips you wanting to solve who it is with the story.

I loved the use of the botanical store and how much her Gran believed in it all, in its healing and safety it’s brings. As in life though there were mean children bullying Tia, branding her a witch because of her grandma’s use of the botanical products and also mentions kids bullying her best friend for his speech impediment.

This was a really great suspense thriller book, with great characters leading you through the story, and fun but scary horror to unravel, an amazing best friend who knows Tia better than anyone, and so many suspects to keep your guesses going. If you are looking for a really cleverly thought out horror, suspense, thriller middle grade book then I recommend you give this a read.

This book was well written, but wasn't my kind of book. It was more of a thriller than expected. Tia seemed younger than thirteen.

Tia Lugo speaks no evil

At first glance this book is about a young girl who saw too much (a murder to be precise). At the core of this middle grade book though is a lot of heart. It’s about the bonds we share with family and friends. Throw in a bit of magic, suspense, a surprise twist at the end and you have a great story.

Immediately I was drawn in by the sweet friendship Tia Lugo shares with her gran who is also her best friend. I have always been close to my gran so could really relate. Their relationship felt authentic, warm and relatable. It had me reminiscing and a lot of nostalgia came up for me.

There are a lot of feel good moments and little nuggets of wisdom - “maybe sometimes people needed to feel connected to something bigger and stronger than themselves.. but the truth is you can’t buy magic or strength. Those things are inside all of us.” Tia goes through a lot of self development throughout the novel and learns about herself along the way. She is wonderful role model for pre teens because she is brave and wise but not perfect.

There’s a hint of romance in here but it’s completely age appropriate and quite sweet. Tia’s friendships were also lovely too.

Overall a really sweet feel good book which I would have no hesitation recommending to pre-teens.

Thank you so much Netgalley and the publisher Jolly Fish Press for giving me an eARC in exchange for review.

Tia Lugo Speaks No Evil was a fun fast-paced story that young readers will appreciate. It's a thriller so be prepared to be on the edge throughout the story.

This is a story about a young teen who witnesses a murder and says nothing, fearing the murderer will retaliate. More importantly, it's a story about a close-knit family and good friendships. And a dog.

There are also crappy people in the book, because crappy people are always clomping around annoying us whether in books or real life. Because Tia's grandmother visits a botanical store and believes in supernatural protection, the snotty kids in the neighborhood call Tia and her gran "witches." Was it magic or Tia's own wits guiding her through the outcome of witnessing a murder? Or a little of both?

This is a good story for middle grade and young YA. No bad language, some beginning attraction between boys and girls but no sex. The acceptance of people who are different than you, whether a different culture, a speech impediment, or having a grandma who thinks herbs and beads and candles will protect you. It's all done in a gentle way and nobody is over-the-top cruel.

Thank you to Netgalley for allowing me to read an ebook ARC in return for an honest review.

OH my goodness, Tia Lugo has my heart! This is not a fluffy MG read, that’s for sure. This is a story about a young adolescent who’s trying to find herself, but also finds herself in the middle of a murder scene. She’s the only one who knows some of the truth, and now she has to figure out what to do about it - and whom she can trust along the way.

I LOVED THIS BOOK. Tia is a strong protagonist but in a way that still honors the journey of so many kids this age as they deal with insecurity, fear about the future, pleasing others while trying to find and follow their own true north.

This is a suspenseful, fun, captivating read that I’m excited to share with MG readers!

Thank you so much to NetGalley and the publisher for this advance e-copy.

A MG suspense thriller. I think kids would love this book. It is fast paced, fun, and the characters are relatable and wonderfully written. The close best friend relationship between Tia and Julian that was slowly changing into something more was sweet, and well done. The mystery and Tia’s constant worry and glances over her shoulder kept you in suspense while you tried to figure out who the killer was. No gore. The violence was mild and kept to a minimum and wasn’t graphic. There were a couple things revealed towards the end that I though came across as a little odd, but I enjoyed the story, couldn’t put it down, and I think kids would like it too.

Thank you to Net Galley and the publisher for this digital ARC in exchange for my review.
#NetGalley #TiaLugoSpeaksNoEvil

✨Book Review✨
Is it possible to call a Middle Grade novel a thriller? Because for a 13 year old, I'm pretty sure that's exactly how I would describe this book!
🤍
After Tia sees something she shouldn't from her bedroom window, she is faced with an impossible choice.
💜
I love the way the author included so much culture and traditional beliefs into her novel. Although I am Italian, I recognized many of the customs, especially those of the very superstitious abuela.
💙
Tia is an excellent protagonist, and although a piece of her innocence is lost from the very beginning, it's great to see her grow and mature with her own values and beliefs.
💚
Thanks @fluxbooks and @jollyfishpress and @netgalley for this Advanced Reader Copy in exchange for an honest review.

Another great MG story that had me at hello. I LOVE it when there are a wider range of MG. This MG has so many fingers in different genre: fantasy, thriller, suspense. So much great storytelling in these pages. I thoroughly enjoyed it!

Free Netgalley book for review ~. I really enjoyed this one! (Although if I had been Tia I so would have gone to camp to get as far away as possible.). It’s suspenseful and even a bit scary. The magic bits definitely feel more background/does this stuff actually work in this verse— which is not at all the vibe I was expecting. Take that with a grain of salt... I enjoy going into books mostly blind, so I thought I’d be reading something completely different. I’m still happy with the book, but I was just startled!

Anyway, I loved Tia’s family and her friend and I thought her character was portrayed really well. In a similar situation I’d be freaking out for sure.

I do wish the setting had been fleshed out a bit more, but other than that this book is just about perfect. It might be too scary for a sensitive reader but probably anyone would love it.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. This book was amazing! It was not all that gory ( a little in the beginning ) and it suspense to keep the reader at the edge of their seat. I loved watching all of the little details in the book come together, the author is amazing at having insignificant details come back in a big way. It was easy to figure out who the killer was about half way though the book. But this is a middle grades book so it makes sense that their are not a million suspects. All in All a great read!

A unique and carefully crafted approach to middle grade suspense, Danette Vigilante’s Tia Lugo Speaks No Evil is warm and authentic and yet frightening and unexpected. As thirteen-year-old Tia wonders how to stay safe in the three days that follow a murder of which she is the only witness, she must face big questions about honesty, trust, family, morality, and more.

Author Danette Vigilante paints a clear and believable picture of Tia’s city home and the family life she leads there. Until now, Tia’s life has been relatively gentle, surrounded by people who love her and no arguments bigger than her dad’s disbelief in her grandmother’s botanica finds. This warmth makes the murder just outside Tia’s bedroom window all the more powerful as a plot point. Suddenly, nothing is as it seems, and Tia’s everyday routines take on new meanings. Seemingly innocuous events are now laced with threat, and Tia finds herself turning to the botanica for alternative remedies she would never have relied upon before.

Tia’s character is a valuable one in the middle grade market. Firstly, she lives with asthma, and while her condition is very relevant to her story, it doesn’t define the whole narrative; we need these kinds of representative books! Secondly, Tia undergoes a lot of personal growth throughout the course of Tia Lugo Speaks No Evil. She learns about who she is and who she wants to be, and she discovers the difficulties and politics of truth, honesty, fear, and family. Tia’s character arc is an important part of this book, which is refreshing in the suspense genre, which often favours plot-driven narratives.

Tia Lugo Speaks No Evil isn’t violent or gory because it doesn’t need to be. Instead, it relies on Danette’s clever writing style to portray the looming threat of an unknown killer and the internal debate of a murder’s young witness. Keep an eye out for a plot twist at the story’s end; Tia Lugo Speaks No Evil is anything but predictable.

If you’re looking for a clever MG suspense novel, consider adding Tia Lugo Speaks No Evil to your TBR!