This is a YA fantasy with queer romance involving a deal with a devil. The beginning reminded me so much of Katniss if she was living in a paranormal world. I liked the traveling/adventure parts of this book a lot the world building/lore aspects were fascinating. But the best part about this was the deep relationships between characters!

DNF @ 25 percent. Struggled with the pacing, lack of character depth and at times confusing passages.

<I>First, a thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for allowing me to read this book.</I>

I was really hoping to love this book. Latinx heroes? A “main cast” of women? Sapphic? Sign me up!

But in execution, I found this book to be a bit lackluster. Lucha, our heroine, really seemed to waffle back and forth on her opinions of others, was indecisive at times, and honestly was a little hard to empathize with.

And the writing was also really back and forth; at times very good, some really nice one-liners, but other times felt a little too try-hard and like were we going for “deep” but it didn’t quite get there well enough to be sincere.

The plot was also a bit eh - like there was this big “epic” battle at the end that was over in like.. three pages? There was all this build up for like 50% of the book and then we were just… done?

I’m not sure what happened here. Maybe an editor was like nope too short gotta write more and then filler got put in… No idea.

Either way I was a bit disappointed. I think I would try something else by Mejia, but this just wasn’t it for me.

I really wanted to love this book but I just couldn't get into it. It started out strong with the main character giving me strong Katniss Evergreen vibes. I'm not sure if I'm just not the right audience for this one or if it's one that I'll circle back to and love.

Lucha's world has much in common with our own - poverty, drug abuse, employers who manipulate their employees via a monopoly, and more - but it is also different, because there is magic. Not everyone has magic, and those who follow Almudena, the Mother, and her magic are sought out and killed when they're found - unless they find their way home.

Like many of her peers, Lucha is alone, responsible for her younger sister while her mother is lost to the ravages of drug abuse. But she has magic within her, the magic of Almudena, as much as she'd prefer to deny it - and that magic may allow her to find and stop the source of Olvida, the drug that is destroying her world. But she will have to fight her way into understanding the truth about who created the drug, and how it is bound to both good and evil, a gift of magic from Almudena that has been perverted into an addictive drug that asks more and more each time an addict uses it. With her sister Lis and Paz, a healer met by chance in the city, Lucha will go on a quest such as her world has never seen.

Recommended for ages middle school to adult. I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Mejia continues to expertly weave fantasy elements, family, and love in this novel. Excellent world-building, atmosphere and characters you hope will make it to the final page.

3.75

I found myself disinterested at about the 3/4 point which is rough because the audience should definitely be drawn in and engaged by that point. The mythology was cool. The characters were fine. I think I would have enjoyed a prequel about the <spoiler> forest mother and her child more </spoiler>.

It might be for other's but it wasn't for me.

Lucha Moya was left to fend for her and her sister when her father died and her mother, unable to cope, wasted away on Olvida. Desolate and desperate, she does what she must to survive and save her sister. She is forced to make bargains with monsters and goddesses, all who want to use her, as a means to an end. Lucha must make her own choices, and wield magic her own way, embracing all that makes her human. While I love a good strong heroine, I loved that Lucha wanted none of the power and her priority was her sister. The sister bond depicted in this book is so touching and any siblings with absent/detached parents would relate. The world building was hard to grasp the first couple of pages, I felt like I was plunged without much background, but after the first 3 chapters I was fully absorbed. I loved the green goddess magic and the references to grounding and connecting with nature. It also managed to touch on important themes such as addiction, corruption and the imbalance of power, parental neglect, the burden children take on when parents are absent, and taking responsibility for the choices we make. I loved the queer representation, and I felt the end was bittersweet. The power of nature is a force to be reckoned with, if you're ready to embrace the magic and let it guide you on and adventure, go read this book!

3.5 - This book was such an immersive and fun read. I loved the powerful female MC and her relationship and interactions with the other characters. This YA Fantasy book was for the most part a very fun read, there were parts that I felt needed a little bit more development or explanation, but overall it is an enjoyable read

My first foray into Tehlor Kay Mejia’s books was their middle-grade series Paola Santiago and the River of Tears, so I was very excited to get the chance to read their latest young adult novel. Lucha of the Night Forest is a darker young adult fantasy book complete with a fierce sisterly bond, a budding queer romance, and a unique spin on the magic system.

Lucha’s love for her sister is evident, and serves as the driving force for most of the action in the story. Born and raised in Robado, Lucha has fought to keep her sister safe from the harsher realities of life, and keep a roof over their heads as their mother struggles with a drug addiction. After their mother’s latest episode results in the family losing their home, Lucha is forced into the dark forest surrounding the city and must make a bargain with a nightmarish figure straight out of legend to save that which she loves most.

The world-building is unique in many ways. First of all, there are the allegorical comparisons the author makes through the people and places present in the book. For example, the class disparity between the wealthy and the poor is mirrored in our own society. There’s also the magical element of the book. The forest is super creepy and ominous - it was interesting to see the reverence for Nature present.. Also, talk about fantastical Lucha is the ‘chosen one’ of sorts, gifted with the power of the forest goddess. However, she’s not interested in anything but saving her sister. In seeing both aspects I was reminded a lot of Katniss Everdeen in Suzanne Collins’ Hunger Games series. Neither ever set out to take up the ‘savior’-esque roles they found themselves placed in. All they wanted to do was save their sisters, and from the harsh cruelties of the world. They both have to make major choices about what role they want to take in shaping the future going forward.

Paz and Lucha are a unique pairing. Their connection to each other is fairly obvious as soon as they meet, but on paper they are opposite in every way. Lucha is hardened by the various trials and tribulations she’s had to face in taking care of her family, and she’s reluctant to let anyone close enough where they could hurt her. Paz, on the other hand, is fiercely loyal to her goddess and what she sees as her calling. I enjoyed getting to watch their budding romance grow; I wish that readers had gotten to see some of the story from her perspective as well.

There were a lot of highlights in the book, however one drawback was the pacing. It was very inconsistent and as such it made it hard for me to follow what was happening. Sometimes, it’s slow and other times the author drops readers straight into the middle of the action. If I hadn't been listening to the audiobook and reading the eBook simultaneously, I suspect I would have been very lost.

Overall, this was a great novel and a very enjoyable read. To the best of my knowledge, this book is intended to be a standalone - the ending ties everything up nicely and there are no loose story threads to be explored later. Elena Rey delivered a solid performance in the audiobook version of the book. If you’re the type of reader who enjoys sapphic young adult fantasy romances complete with strong familial ties and innovative magic systems you should definitely check this book out.

Thank you to the author, the publisher Make Me a World, NetGalley and the team at TBR and Beyond Tours for providing me with a complimentary review copy of the book as part of my participation in the tour. I appreciate the opportunity to read and review the book immensely. Please note - I voluntarily read and reviewed Lucha of the Night Forest. All opinions expressed in the review are my own and not influenced in any way.

CONTENT WARNINGS: Drug Abuse, Drug Addiction, Death

A brilliant, dark, twisted sapphic fantasy that had me on the edge of my seat the whole time. As always, Tehlor Kay Mejia's writing is beautiful, lyrical, and hard to put down. Highly recommend.

This was a lovely and beautifully written story. I fell in love with the characters almost immediately and found that the story wouldn't loosen its grip on me.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for a copy of this eARC in exchange for an honest review!~

"And Lucha wasn't a child, she'd never gotten the chance to be."

Characters - 9/10
I love characters that really cannot be stopped when they're fighting for their friends or family and Lucha is one of those characters. I liked Paz, but I do feel like she could have been fleshed out a little more. I love how their relationship changes along the journey, especially at that moment of confession, just for Lucha to find out she's been lied to just as much as she's been lying.

Atmosphere - 8/10
I really enjoy the setting of this! Spooky forests, hidden organizations dedicated to the goddess!! Ah, so much fun! Creepy setting always make things much more interesting in my opinion.

Writing - 9/10
Tehlor Kay Mejia has a way with words and I very much enjoyed their writing. The only real complaint I had with the writing was the lack of POV, I think it would have really pushed this book to another level. Other than that, it was a delight.

Plot - 8/10
The plot was also quite interesting. Girl makes a deal with a devil of sorts, Another girl tries to stop her from completing her end of the deal, Girl ends up being the key to destroying humanity or saving it. Devil creature is a whinny little man lol. I really liked the acolyte side of all of this, I really wish we could have learned more about them and their powers of the goddess.

Intrigue - 8/10
I will definitely be looking into Tehlor's other work! I had no issues picking this up to continue the story whenever I had free time!

Logic/Worldbuilding - 7/10
Logic makes sense, I just wish we could have dived more into Salvador and the Goddess' backstory and powers. The mushroom magic was absolutely incredible and definitely the first I've seen of it's kind. I would have loved to seen even more of it!!

Enjoyment - 8/10
I really enjoyed this! I'm hoping their other works are just as intriguing. I'm very happy with the ending and it seems like there could potentially be room for a sequel so we will have to keep our eyes peeled!! I highly recommend this one if you like creepy plant magic~

Overall 8.29/10 or 4/5 stars!

This book was not for me personally, not to say that it couldn't be for someone else. I DNFed within the first chapter or two because of the writing style. It was too descriptive and flowery for me, so I felt that I was stumbling through each word. Someone who likes a really descriptive book would probably think this writing style was very beautiful. I just tend to prefer a book where it jumps to the plot immediately, whereas this is not that type of book.

I thought I could handle the drug usage since it was a made up one, but the addiction portrayals were still too much for me. It wasn't because it was in detail, but because of the way I the author described it. it just wasn't a book for me.

This is truly an adventure story. From the beginning, the pacing is very quick and throughout the story it continues to move. Both Lucha and Paz are as interesting as they are different and Lis is a wonderful side character. There is an air of mystery that continues through the story even as points are revealed and I would love to see more books following what happens next! I definitely recommend this one for anyone looking for a Latinx fantasy or Sapphic YA story!

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Children's, Make Me a World for an eARC!

This. Book. Is. EVERYTHING!

It’s fast paced, it’s adventurous, it’s romantic, it’s queer! I love a good sapphic romance and, in combination with the authors writing style and incredible world building, this was a SOLID read.

I highly recommend Lucha of the Night Forest- must have for your TBR!

This book throws us into the plot right at the beginning. Lucha lives in a world where drugs ruled people’s lives. Drug lords controlled everything that happened in the city. Anyone refusing to listen to them and work for them will meet a terrible fate. Lucha’s mom being an addict doesn’t help matters for her or her younger sister. They’re thrown out of their home and left to work for one of the Drug Lord’s lackey.
When things go a little out of control between her and Alan, her powers manifest in her and helps her escape them with her sister. The journey from here is riddled with magic, new trials and an ancient force righting a wrong, thereby restoring the balance that was long lost when the drug was created.

While I enjoyed the premise of this book, it felt very fragmented to me. I was lost a couple of times with the new developments and had to remind myself about the plot whenever those developments happened.
I like a chose one trope in books but Lucha’s character felt too invincible for a teen.
She was more powerful than the forest goddess and that put her above everyone.
However her character was written well with grit and perseverance. She had taken too many hits but never gave up on herself. That was the most admirable character trait of hers.
I’d recommend this book to anyone looking for a soft-core queer fantasy with a strong mc who has to fight her world with everything she’s got.


Thanks to the publisher and TBR & Beyond Tours for providing the free DRC of the book!

Top 5 Reasons to read this book ~

✿ Firstly, just look at how gorgeous the cover is.

✿ This had a unique and vivid world with a magical, dangerous and mysterious forest, forgetting drug Olvida, mushroom magic too. It was incredible.

✿ Characters with depth and strong trait. Lucha with her self reflecting attitude is amazing and also with her dagger.

✿ Old gods into play, action, sisterly bonds with a beautiful writing. The author knows how to lure you in.

✿ Darker YA Fantasy with Latinx Queer Romance.

Lucha of the Night Forest is a beautiful novel about loss of innocence, addiction, and how far you are willing to go to save the ones you love.

Lucha is a perfect balance of jaded teen who has been forced to grow up before her time and naïve bearer of hope. Though living in a fantasy setting, the problems she faces (an addict mother, eviction, corrupt government and religious institutions) seem all too real. Her choices (good and bad), as well as her yearning for her mother's love despite deeply resenting her, felt genuine and made for a well-rounded character.

The plot was well-paced, though somewhat predictable (of course the bad guy was lying the whole time!). There were many messages a reader could take away from the story, "the road to hell is paved with good intentions" and "power corrupts" among them, along with messages of compassion for those suffering within systems of inequality and oppression. The sapphic romance was sweet and modeled well how two individuals can pursue their own differing paths while loving each other.

All in all, I highly recommend this title!