While this book was a bit on the younger side, I am glad it exists! I don’t think I have ever read a Filipino inspired fantasy story and really glad I did! The way the mythology and magic is weaved in is really well done! This book brought some new life to the age old idea of Fae courts. I really enjoyed reading about the Filipino side of things and was eager to learn more. The world building was one of the best parts of The Encanto’s Daughter.

For MJ, I thought she acted younger than her 17 years and made a lot of dumb decisions that grated on my nerves. It was nice to see her growth throughout the book from that point to see her come into herself as a ruler. The plot of the book was easy to follow but still engaging. The mystery of MJ’s father’s death was very compelling and I spent all that time along with MJ trying to figure it out. Overall, this is a fun and fast paced read with a great balance between magic, character development, and the plot. The romance was nice, and I always enjoy a good enemies to lovers.

The main reason for the rating is I do think this book fits in more with middle grade or a lower YA audience. MJ’s age suggests upper YA but plot lines suggest otherwise. I think a younger me would have enjoyed this more. 3.75 stars from me!

I love Melissa De La Cruz’s books, but the first half of this book is her finding out that her father/ruler does and that now she has to take over while holding the fact that she does not have her power yet. She’s then made to go to a magical school to learn, and everyone they bullies her, decide they all had to work hard while the position of Encanto was handed to her. I really wanted to like the story more

***Thank you to NetGalley and to the publisher for providing me with a digital copy of this book to review.***

I really enjoyed the Filipino mythology that was the foundation of this book, especially since the author made it both central to the plot and easy to understand as part of the worldbuilding. The main character MJ was pretty relatable, though it was frustrating that she repeatedly mentions how her coronation is ___ days away and ''I still haven't found my magic," but spends no time trying to fix that.

But overall, it was a fun story with enough twists and surprises to keep me reading to the end. The ending did feel a bit rushed, and some things happened quite conveniently so it didn't quite feel earned.

I'll probably pick up the next in the series if I come across it, but I won't go out of my way to make sure I buy it when it's published.

This was such a fun one and a good start to this series. I'm excited to jump into book 2!

MJ has grown up hidden away in the human world only to be thrown into the Encanto world when her father dies and she is required to claim the throne as the Queen of her people. She is half encanto, and she has a lot to learn about this world that she did not grow up in.

There is a bit of a mysterious element to this book and a very sweet blooming romance.

In this book there is --
-young adult fantasy w/ Filipino mythology (easy world building to understand!)
-politics
-murder mystery
-sweet young romance
-mythological creatures

I'm looking forward to reading book 2! Book one ends on a little cliff hanger so I'm anxious to see what happens next!

Not what I was hoping it would be. This felt more like a typical fare kind of fantasy in the lines of Holly Black or Sarah J Maas, than a Filipino mythology inspired fantasy. It'll definitely still have an audience in the YA section, it's just not me.

This book was so much fun! I loved the magic system and how the author pulled from her heritage as inspiration for this novel. The characters were great and so much fun. I did wish the big fight at the end was bigger and just more. It fell short for me and that's what is keeping this from being a full 5 stars for me. I enjoyed every other second of this book and I loved it!

This is an interesting story imbued with Filipino mythology. When the King of the fairyland dies, his daughter MJ is whisked back to the lands to prepare to ascend the throne and take her rightful place as the new leader. All the while, she questions her father's death and tries to figure out what truly happened. Filled with court intrigue and politics, it's an entertaining read that ends in a cliffhanger.

I hadn't read fantasy in a while, so it was nice to get back to it. This book was engaging with great characters.

The Encanto's Daughter by Melissa de la Cruz is a fantasy book for young adults. If the number of books this author has written and published is any indication of her popularity, this age group must love her books. This is the first one I have read.

I found the characterization to be very good with a few inconsistencies. The main character, MJ, is half human half encanto. After being raised by a human mother in the human world, and spending most of her life on the run and in hiding, she is summoned to the palace because her father the King has been murdered and she is to be queen. She is quite childish and doesn't easily take the advice she is given, preferring to think she knows best in a place she is not familiar with. Her childishness is a bit irritating at times.

Besides the characterization flaws, the plot is well done with some twists and turns that are quite intriguing. The descriptive details are also a nice addition. Overall, I think this is a three star book.

"The Encanto's Daughter" promises a captivating journey through a realm steeped in Filipino mythology, where a young woman must navigate treacherous politics and dark magic to claim her rightful place as queen. Melissa de la Cruz's masterful storytelling weaves together elements of romance, fantasy, and adventure, creating a rich tapestry of intrigue and suspense.

This book is more than just a fantasy novel, it's a celebration of Filipino culture and mythology, offering readers a fresh and captivating perspective on the genre. With its compelling characters, lush world-building, and heart-pounding suspense, this enchanting tale is sure to leave readers eagerly awaiting the next installment.

Thank you to the publisher and netgalley for the arc of this book. all opinions are my own.

This was fantastic. I really enjoyed it! I'd recommend it.

I was waiting for this book to come out ever since I first saw it. I was so happy when I got approved to read and review it. This book was an enchanting novel from start to finish. I like how the book started out with action and kept me entertained throughout the whole story. I really like how the book incorporated Filipino culture without being overwhelming. Would definitely recommend this book.

This is the first book in a new YA fantasy duet from @penguinteen. The story is inspired by Filipino mythology. MJ is half encanto and next in line to the throne after her father dies. The inhabitants of her father’s world don’t take kindly to a half-human taking the throne and MJ must fight for her position.

I liked MJ a lot and watching her unravel the mystery of what happened to her father. The world MJ enters is explained very well throughout the book and we get a sense of who everyone is. I’m really excited about book 2.

Thank you to @PenguinTeen and @NetGalley for a review copy.

I really enjoyed this book! Melissa de la Cruz is a favorite author of mine, and this book did not disappoint! I love romantic fantasy books with mythology and a bit of mystery, and this one was wonderful! I loved the Filipino rep in the book too! I truly enjoyed the world building. I quickly got drawn into the story. I need the sequel now, especially after the twist at the end!

MJ is a lovely, relatable character. She’s strong and stands up for what she believes. She knows she’s got a lot to learn and tries her best. Nix is a great addition as her friend. Lucas is a great knight and handsome with a good heart.

Overall I really enjoyed the book and definitely recommend!

3.5/5 Stars

MJ Rodriguez is a half Encanto , who has been hiding in the human world. After her father, the King dies, she returns to his land as the rightful heir to the throne. When she discovers that his death may not have been as natural as she was told, she wants to find out who was behind his demise.

This is a story based on Filipino mythology, and I loved that aspect of the story. I do think that the characters read a bit younger then the 17/18 years they were meant to be. MJ grew a lot through out the story, and I loved watching her develop as we learned more about the kingdom and its dynamics. I thought that the relationship between MJ and Lucas was cute, but it was a bit rushed in my opinion. I really liked MJ's friend, Nix. I thought she was a great addition to the story. It was a very quick read, that I finished in a few hours but I will say a lot of things seemed to occur very conveniently.

Will probably pick up the second book, but won't be going out of my way to get my hands on it.

It felt like the author couldn't figure out the age range of her audience was it middle school or high school? The premise was good, it was the execution that was sorely lacking. There were too many inconsistencies for me to really enjoy the book. This was a let down.

I feel so bad but I just did not enjoy reading this book. I thought the writing was very plain and the same with the characters. The world was very cool and I enjoyed getting to see Philipino mythology coming to life, but unfortunately I think the other aspects of the book held it back a lot more. A lot of the story didn't fit for me logically. Things would be jumping from one thing to another, which made them seem less important. The climax of the story was barely that and was over within a few paragraphs. So disappointing, but I just did not enjoy reading this book.

Thank you to Penguin Teen for sending me this advanced readers copy! (I'm so sorry).

I really wanted to like this one, especially because I have not read many books inspired by or about Filipino culture/folklore. Unfortunately, the plot was very slow and felt flat for me and I couldn’t relate or care about the characters. I read until about 70%, but my feelings didn’t really change. I would definitely read other YA Filipino inspired books though, this one just wasn’t for me.

MJ Rodriguez has a secret. Her secret has prevented her from living the life of a typical teenager. MJ’s secret? She is half encanto. She is also the heir to the throne of the Sirena Court. When her father, King Vivencio, dies, MJ must travel to Biringan and claim her rightful place upon her throne, but not everyone is pleased about her ascension, especially the council who isn’t immune to trickery and backstabbing. When it seems like things can’t possibly get any worse, MJ learns that her father’s death might have been the result of a curse inflicted by a sorceress,and she might be next.

I had really high hopes for The Encanto’s Daughter, but it fell a little short for me. It almost seemed like it was trying to be too many things at once–thriller, mystery, romance, fantasy–causing many of these to be lacking and not fully developed. I never really felt a connection to any of the characters, almost to the point where I didn’t care what happened to them. I also felt that, with the target audience being teens/young adult, the writing didn’t quite vibe with that audience. I think the story itself had a lot of potential, it just didn’t quite hit the mark and was poorly executed.

Recieved as an ARC from Netgalley.
It was a great book. But given that the character was 17, almost 18, it did have more middle school vibes and was not as complex as it could have been.