I loved this! Probably, because I loved Zorro, and this has the Zorro vibes. Masked vigilantism, a mysterious villain intent on total destruction, magic, forbidden love, strained family ties - pretty much everything you want for an adventure. I would definitely read more like this from this author.

3.5⭐️
Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press | Wednesday Books for an advanced copy of Salvación.

The premise of Salvación was intriguing, I went in thinking the Zorro would be a more prominent mark in how the story developed, and it just didn't. I do think that Lola was an interesting character because despite her privilege, because make no mistake she was privileged, and she will not let you forget it. I do genuinely believe that she wanted to help the town. The sal negra (black salt) and the sal roja (red salt) magic was interesting and I would have loved to understand more the meaning and origin of these for those who were indigenous to the land (believe it or not Lola's family were settlers of the land, and even though they fight the "Yanquis" they still were settling on indigenous land, I digress.)

There are a few things that didn't quite work for me, the romance between Lola and Alejandro felt unnecessary to me, though I see how it would appeal to the intended audience. The book felt a lot softer in some areas than I would have wanted or expected. Something about this felt like either the main character needed a lot more charm or more feminine rage. I would recommend this for those who are looking for a book with some Zorro vibes (hidden identity), complex family dynamics, and found family.

In this brilliant Latinx YA fantasy novel, readers follow Lola de La Pena, a young woman who wants to shed the rules and expectations her society forces her to follow by becoming Salvación and defending her town and the magical sal negra. When Coloma receives a warning about sal roja -- a deadly magic that obliterates everything it touches -- and the man who wields it, Lola and her family must protect the sal negra and Coloma from Damien Hernandez even though he promises to return Alta California to Mexico. As Salvación, Lola must keep Damien from getting enough sal roja to conquer Alta California, Coloma, and Mexico, but Alejandro, a member of Damien’s gang, might provide the information Lola and her family need. With a fantastic magical system and brilliant world-building, readers will love this incredible and detailed new novel. The characters are absolutely the stars of the book, and Lola’s attempts to balance being Lola and Salvación will be really relatable to readers. The amazing details, well-written characters, high stakes, and complex relationships really bring the world to life in some fascinating ways, and readers will love this brilliantly complex and fascinating new Latinx YA fantasy novel from Sandra Proudman.

Sandra Proudman’s Salvación immediately drew me in with its intriguing connections to legendary tales like Zorro. Proudman’s debut novel has a promising premise, skillfully blending historical inspiration with the imaginative flair of YA fantasy.

The story’s foundation is solid, but the pacing could have been more dynamic. Some sections felt slow, making it hard to stay fully engaged. This might be because the novel focuses on detailed world-building, which is vivid, but sometimes takes precedence over the plot’s progress.

Character development is another area in which I had mixed feelings. The main characters had compelling backstories and motivations, but their emotional connections felt underdeveloped. I wanted deeper interactions and nuanced dynamics that could have made the story more impactful. This might be because YA novels often prioritize fast-paced action over intricate character exploration.

Despite these critiques, Proudman’s talent shines through in her descriptive prose and creative storytelling. Salvación is a strong debut that shows her potential as a writer. The novel’s unique blend of historical influence and fantasy elements is refreshing, and I’m excited to see how Proudman’s voice and style evolve in her future works.

I'm not too familiar with Zorro stories, so I didn't have high hopes coming into this one. I was pretty excited to read the story, though, as the premise sounded good. I was a bit disappointed as the middle of the story felt like filler, and everything was moving very slowly. I didn't care for the romance and felt like it shouldn't have been included, as it didn't add to the plot. I needed a bit more of world building as well as there were a lot of questions I had when I first started reading that made me feel like I missed a part one of the story.

I went into this read with high hopes. While I was never a big fan of Zorro I do admire the folklore around Joaquin Murrieta which the Zorro tales were inspired by and the character of batman whose creation was inspired by Zorro. I felt let down the entire read. Although there was a lot that was written very little was being said. Many of the main ideas were repeated over and over in blatant ways that felt draining to read. The world building left a lot to be desired, and the relationships of the characters to one another felt very two dimensional. Considering the main character was supposed to be a folklore hero of her village (which happened very quickly) the story lacks a lot of action and I came away from it not believing that she was a good shot, or a strong fighter. The story had a lot of potential but read like it was a first draft in desperate need of some heavy editing by someone who really loved the story.

I fell hard and fast for this one. YA Fantasy can often be so formulaic, and the characters from all the similar plot lines start to blur together. This was a breath of fresh air and I could not get enough. I really look forward to future novels from this author.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this eARC in exchange for my honest review.

This YA fantasy offers a fresh and culturally rich take on the vigilante hero story, with strong Latinx roots and a bold, Zorro-inspired heroine at its center. Lola is a compelling lead—fierce, passionate, and driven to protect her town and family. The world-building, especially the magic system with sal negra and sal roja, was original and intriguing.

Where the story fell a bit short for me was in pacing and character dynamics. There were moments when the plot felt uneven, with high-stakes action sometimes interrupted by slower or repetitive scenes. The romance between Lola and Alejandro had potential, but the emotional connection felt underdeveloped at times, making it hard to fully invest in their relationship.

That said, I really appreciated the historical setting and the exploration of identity, resistance, and legacy. It's a creative and empowering story that will resonate with readers who enjoy heroines in disguise, magical realism, and stories rooted in cultural heritage.

A solid debut with a lot of heart and imagination, even if it didn’t completely hit the mark for me.

So this wasn't the book I was expecting. When I heard that it took some inspiration from the legend of Zoro I thought there would be more physical action, but it ended up being a lot of inner monologue instead. Lola's struggle is more internal and philosophical than physically combative; more focus on what is morally right vs wrong. And I appreciated that even if it made the book's plot feel slower at times.

Instead of a fast, action packed story, Lola's story is more a coming of age story as she finds herself in a war-time scenario that challenges everything she has ever known. She's losing her naivety about the world as she comes face to face with true evil in the world. I also appreciated how she is at that time in her life when you start to see that your parents aren't perfect and you start to understand their reasoning for imposing limitations in your life. It grounded the story for sure.

The romance was sweet, perhaps a little under developed, but it worked for the purpose of the story. And the magical elements are a good metaphor for the exploitation of the land and the power that comes for controlling it. You can draw a lot of parallels to the various conflicts throughout the world right now.

I think if you are looking for a human story set in a world of magic and metaphors, this is a great book for you. But if you want more action and a more developed romance, look elsewhere.

I really loved how the female protagonist in this book was so strong and it really is who led the books story from start to finish. She had obstacles and yet she got through all of them as well as challenging relationships too.

By day, Lola de La Peña is the perfect Mexican señorita. She is graceful, polite, and proper. By night, she is Salvación, the masked vigilante protecting her town with a blade, a secret, and a whole lot of fury. In tandem with her brother Victor, they are able to build the legend.
People from the region line up for hours to be cured by Lola’s mother, a healer who has harnessed the power of a magical black salt called sal negra. But we all know the rules of magic: where there is good, there is also evil, where there is healing, there is also destruction. The bad is Damien Hernández, and with his arrival also comes news that sal roja is obliterating entire towns. Hernandez is charming, deadly, and ready to claim Alta California for himself by using sal rojo, or red salt.
Alejandro is Hernandez’s young employee, and Loli finds him mysterious and attractive, but where does his loyalty lie?
If you like your heroines masked and unafraid, Salvación, by Sandra Proudman is the perfect YA fantasy! Think Zorro, but gender flipped. Add magic, sibling vigilantes, Spanish-English storytelling, and a dash of historical rebellion. I’m currently rereading the audiobook and it is fantastic! Both the book and audio are available now at Bookshop.org and your public library,
Thanks to the author and Wednesday Books for the physical arc and NetGalley for the audiobook arc.

⋆.˚✮ 3.5 stars ✮˚.⋆

⤿ Thank you to Wednesday Books for the arc through netgalley and a physical arc in exchange for an honest review!

while i know the classic story of El Zorro, i have never read a retelling of it, and so i was very intrigued to see what this story would be like. also, as someone who is bilingual in Spanish, i was very excited to see how many words of this story were in that langauge. if you aren't a speaker- don't worry! the story explains what each term means by either giving you a definition or giving context clues, it was just really rewarding as someone who is bilingual to read a book like this. me gusta leer in espanol, especialmente historias españolas, porque es importante en el contexto del presente.

the concept of the Legend of Zorro with a woman lead and magical salt that can cure ailments that comes from the earth sounded really unique. i always love when authors are able to come up with new magic-like systems, and while this one was very rudimentary, i still liked how the salt was used in everyday use, and how the main characters discovered more about it. the protection of familia and the pueblo was really important for the story too, but i thought it also really important the author recognizes how complicated family can be. my heart hurt sometimes for lola and her family, not just with what they were going through in THEIR relationships, but the threat of manifest destiny for the United States on their doorstep. while none of them are perfect people, i think this was actually one of the main drivers of the story, as it showed they were real people.

unfortunately, the actual plot itself felt really slow, and there were multiple plot points that didn't feel fully developed or were plot holes that were just a little too much for me to completely overlook. in the beginning for example, Lola takes away the guns of some man that was threatening her family, and he vows to come back as they were an heirloom. while of course he could have decided not to, it just felt like a strange beginning, as it made the threat that came later feel less intense- if this man was too scared to come back just for someone in a costume. other than that, the plot dragged at points and i wish there had been even more happening at some points, other than just the same thing over and over.

beyond the plot, i did not see the chemistry between Lola and the male lead Alejandro. i understand it's possible, and enemies to lovers does sometimes in situations that may be ridiculous but i end up loving, but i didn't see the chemistry in this case. especially when we find out more about the male lead and his past, i thought that it would have been just too much of a gap between the characters to fully connect. (view spoiler)

i did like the representation in this book, i thought it was well done for the latinx individuals. i will say though - i wish there had been more discussion about the indigenous people that appeared in this story, and more follow up with trying to get their land back. the main character encounters an indigenous man who helps her, and she vows to help him, but it's not followed up on so i was a bit disappointed by that- as an indigenous woman who is very aware of the history of my people on now American land. i did appreciate the mention of the atrociiteis that my ancestors faced though, i just wish there was a little more too it.

while i think this story was interesting still, i think it falls short in quite a few areas. it was a quick read so that was good, and i will definitely keep my eye out for other books this author writes.

↬ trigger warnings: death of parents and parental figures, war themes, injury and violence, murder and torture, mass murder mentioned

This book had the potential to be a fantastic young adult fantasy book. However, I had a few problems, like the pacing or the world-building, which is very important in fantasy books. I felt that I was reading the book in the middle instead of the beginning. I was a bit confused about what the world-building was or why things were explained in the beginning. It brought out some confusion that made the read frustrating to read. I still enjoyed it, just a bit annoyed as well.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the eARC of this novel. 3.5ish/5 stars.

Technically, I did read a physical version of this (the owlcrate edition is stunning). Overall, I really liked this and the vibes it gave off with Lola and being Salvacion (with her brother). I don't think the romance was developed well at all though, and the worldbuilding needed more. It also ends like there is going to be a sequel or more in the world? The idea of magic colored salt is definitely interesting though, and I did also appreciate how it would just slip into Spanish f0r some words and phrases in the middle of the sentence. It is a quick read though!

Salvacion by Sandra Proudman takes a whole new spin on the tale of Zorro by casting a young Mexican teenage girl and her older brother trying to protect their small town in historical California, right after Mexico loses California to the United States.

Can Lola stop Hernandez from getting some more sal roja?

Lola de La Pena
Lola de la Pena and her family came to Coloma, a town her grandfather had bought, to obtain sal negra and discover why her mother was drawn to it. She tries to do what her parents tell her to do, but like any teenager, that honestly doesn’t always happen. Lola acts like what they want her to be like during the day, but by night, she is Coloma’s angel by the name of Salvacion to protect the townsfolk from those who want to take what the others have. She is a great character, and I loved how protective Lola is of her family, her town, and of justice.

Sal Negra and Sal Roja
In this fantasy time setting that takes place in a historical moment, there are two kinds of salt in the forefront. Sal Negra is a black salt that heals people, and the duration of the healing process depends on the severity of the ailment, the length of time it takes, and the dosage required. Lola’s family has figured out that if you mix the sal negra with some water, it helps even more. The other kind of salt is sal roja. Sal Roja is a red salt that kills people. The sal roja to activate needs only a single grain, and then it's all over, even if you have some sal negra with you, since it takes a lot of sal negra to attack and stop the sal roja.

The magic system that Ms. Proudman introduces with this type of magic is so interesting. I loved every minute of it since it’s different, and it's awesome how it all works.

Five Stars
My rating for Salvacion by Sandra Proudman is five stars. I recommend it to anyone who wants a different take on the Zorro tale with a fantasy twist. Ms. Proudman had me on the edge of my seat, wondering what would happen next throughout the whole book. I loved every minute of being in this book. Ms. Proudman took me out of Texas and back to California just in the past. It was honestly a thrill to picture how different California was back then.

I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

Thank you for dropping by! I hope you enjoyed this review of Salvacion by Sandra Proudman.

Until the next time,
Karen the Baroness

If you would like to see other reviews like this one, check out Baroness Book Trove.

I really enjoyed this book, it wasn't quite what I was expecting, but it kept me reading. A really entertaining YA book.

I absolutely loved this book. It has been a while since a YA book has kept me interested throughout the whole story and this one did just that. A must read for sure.

Salvación is a powerful and emotional story that explores faith, identity, and the search for redemption. I've never read anything by Sarah Proudman before, and I found her writing to be both honest and heartfelt.

Lola must fight against those who are trying to steal from her community. Is everything as it seems, or will she discover new secrets? I loved how sure of herself Lola became as the story progressed, and even though many didn't believe in her, she never gave up and fought against evil. Not only is there a lot of history, but there were also two different salts that served two distinct purposes, which was quite interesting.

Thanks to Wednesday Books for the eARC and paperback copy and NetGalley!

The setting of this book took me back to my childhood memories of watching Zorro episodes on TV. It’s set in California in a town built up around a mine where someone has discovered a salt with healing power. Lola lives a privileged life in her town, but she wants nothing to do with the fancy dresses and future romance that her family might want for her. Instead, she wants to help others. Particularly, she wants to protect the people in her town from those who would harm them.

The story doesn’t follow a stereotypical superhero path. For one thing, though Lola has a secret identity as Salvación, she shares the identity with her brother. The two of them work as a team, but he stays in the shadows. As Salvación, she’s the face of their team.

I liked exploring the teamwork and their relationship as brother and sister within the story. Lola also isn’t the kind of hero who charges into danger with a sword every time there’s trouble. She does background investigating. She forms relationships. The girl has layers! I love that.

On the whole, I enjoyed the book. It really delivered the vibe of the Zorro TV episodes I watched as a little kid while telling a Latinx-centered story. If you like historical fantasy, you’ll want this one on your reading list.