**spoiler alert** First I want to say thank you to NetGalley and Wednesday Books for the arc.

When I first say this book I immediately got excited since I am a huge fan of the Zorro movie and was intrigued in this version. I also saw that Amparo talked about it on her socials and I love her and take her recommendations.

Overall for me it was a good and enjoyable book even though the beginning was kind of slow for me. I did want to find out how Lola’s papi fell to Hernandez in terms of if he used any powers or anything since that left me with questions. I feel like maybe we could’ve gotten more in about how Lola and Victor first began Salvación.

I would rate this book to be a 3.5/5 rating and leaning more towards a 4. (less) [edit]

First and foremost, thank you to the publisher and the author for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review. I loved this story and it was definitely worth the read!

This cover by Roxie Vizcarra is what seduced me to read the book. It’s gorgeous. I love strong women in books and Lola is amazing on this cover.

I have to admit that the story itself didn’t grab me right away. I was frustrated with Lola because she is very naive yet keeps saying she isn’t. I wanted her brother Victor to slap her upside the head a few times - oi vey! I kept trying to give her the benefit of the doubt, but she wasn’t thinking long term about her actions and that frustrated me for the people of Coloma. Sure she was chasing off “bad guys”, and some said they would come back and seek vengeance. They may have, but Lola was thinking that she was so scary that they wouldn’t. Plus, “sometime soon we’ll go back to Sonora” (Loc. 376) was a constant refrain. So she takes this major action and leaves the townspeople of Coloma to deal with the consequences?! Yeah no, that doesn’t work for me. That’s not a hero.

Sandra Proudman does an amazing job of writing the history of the area of California in this time period. The impact of colonialism and the raping of the land. How people who lose their homes in violence respond in the aftermath. Fear can affect people in different ways and Proudman shows this with the La Peña family, Hernández, Alejandro, and other secondary cast members.

I was raised Native American and have heard of the magic of minerals. I fully believed that Miriam was able to heal people. Some healers are naturally gifted. Plus, you have the people who have faith that they can be healed. So even though this book is listed as a fantasy, this one is totally plausible to me.

There is a romance in Salvación and once again it gave me pause. Now if you feel a particular zap when someone touches you and then that person is in disguise and touches you then that is what gives their disguise away. That does not happen here. Plus someone directs Isabel to Salvación, but it’s never told how that person knew of her. Which is one of the first questions I would have asked after everyone found out who I was. Just saying.

Going through hardships that include violence and near-death experiences can change you. Lola goes through tremendous changes and I think for the better though there is nothing wrong with who she was before she left Sonora. I love a strong female character who feels comfortable in their own skin and is willing to fight for themselves.

Salvación is a trip into the past with a touch of magic and Latinx Zorro to take on the bad guys.

Thank you to the publishers for an early copy of SALVACIÓN, a genderbent Zorro-inspired YA fantasy.

Alas, for a book billed as a Zorro retelling, there is very little epic sword-fighting, humor, and hijinks in this book!

Our not very Zorro-esque heroine, Lola de La Peña, spends her days pretending to be delicate and proper while watching her mamá cure the sick and injured with a newly discovered magical salt. But by night, she is Salvación, the free-spirit lady vigilante protecting her town from those who threaten its peace and safety among the rising tension in Alta California after the signing of the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo.

When a mysterious band of men rolls into town encouraging rebellion against the USA, Lola discovers a threatening new form of magic while falling in love with the ringleader’s right hand man.

I really appreciated the creativity of this setting and the author’s nuanced portrayal of colonialism. Unfortunately, the plot starts out extremely slowly and most of the events discussed in the summary only get going at around a third of the way into the book. The romance is also extremely subtle (I really wish publishers would stop saying “romantasy” when the romance is a small subplot).

Instead of seeing the characters’ development for ourselves, Lola tells us repeatedly how much she and her family have changed since coming to Alta California. Her disgust and rebellion against the strict gender roles of her era could’ve been an interesting journey through gender expression, but it felt too “Not Like Other Girls” for my taste.

If I had been rewarded with swashbuckling, epic sword fights and shenanigans I think I could’ve forgiven all the plot holes in this book, but as I found my suspension of disbelief fading away with every repetitive phrase, I couldn’t help but hyper focus on the book’s flaws. I kept wondering:

Why does no one connect the dots that Lola is the vigilante when there’s literally only THREE women in the whole town?

Why is Lola’s mother portrayed as suffering severe side effects/draining all her energy to heal people with the black salt when other characters use its healing properties with zero consequences? (Also... If anyone can heal themselves with the salt, why does she need to be the one to heal them??)

I would definitely check out the author’s next book as I think the writing has a lot of promise, but I can only hope it gets better editing and marketing!

A brilliantly crafted story built on strong family ties, culture, and magic.

The way that Spanish is seamlessly woven through the story is *chef's kiss* As a native Spanish-speaker, I was pleasantly surprised by the craft. It's rich and authentic. It also serves as a way to perfectly capture Lola's range of emotions as our titular character is fighting societal norms placed upon by her family, while hiding her secret identity from her community. She has put a tremendous weight on her shoulders to protect everything and everyone she holds dear. And that safety is threatened when sal roja, the counterpart to sal negra which heals, is discovered by a man who plans to use it for war and destruction.

What comes next is a story of complex family dynamics, colonialism, righteousness, and a splash of romance that is unforgettable. The action is perfectly balanced with mystery and social commentary. The romance? A slow burn that you'll be rooting for. The GASP I let out at the secrets and betrayals had me on an emotional roller coaster. I simply could not stop listening.

You're going to want to read this one ASAP. Salvación is a wonderful debut!

*This review has been slightly edited from the ALC format and posted here.

“I’d left my dress at home, and I was no longer Lola de La Peña, but salvación.”

By day, Lola de La Peña conforms to the expected standards of a young señorita, but by night, Lola becomes Salvación, a vigilante who has sworn to protect her town from those who endanger the safety of the community. Lola and her family came from Sonora to Coloma because of a call her mother received from a magia (magic) present. This magia was the sal negra (black salt), with the ability to cure the sick and wounded. But with every bit of good magic, there is bad magic along with it. With the safety of the city threatened by Yankees and vengeful men, Lola learns of a sal rojo (red salt) that can destroy just as easily as sal negro can cure. Teaming up with her brother, Víctor, and an unlikely ally, Lola is tasked with saving the historical town of Coloma.

I was excited for a gender-bent Tales of Zorro and liked the pacing of this novel, but despite my enjoyment, there was a lot that left me confused and a little disappointed. Lola’s relationship with her brother is endearing, and the two joining forces to both become the famed Salvación was quite moving. I also appreciated the bilingual aspects of this novel, which offer representation of the Spanish language and the colonization of Hispanic communities in America. Finally, I thought that the sal negra being a replacement for gold in the gold rush era was a creative idea that added some realism to this fictional tale. But for everything I enjoyed about this book, there were things I felt a little underwhelmed by. First, I was confused why Lola’s mother is the only one who can use sal negra to cure the sick, because it later becomes apparent that anyone can use it. Additionally, there are only three women in Coloma, including Lola and her mother, so it is unclear why no one knows who Salvación is. I was also a bit disappointed by the writing style. The book aims for a young adult audience, but reads a bit younger, with far more telling than showing and several lines repeating the same sentiments. These sentiments are important, such as not all women want to wear dresses and evil must be stopped, but they are said so frequently that it detracts from the underwritten world-building. Ultimately, I think this is a good book for younger teenage audiences interested in Latinx female heroines.

Thank you to wednesday books for this copy!

🌕 Salvación, releasing on May 20th, 2025, is a Latinx YA fantasy set during a fascinating historical moment, right after the signing of the Treaty of Alta California. Lola and her family have left their hometown for a new place, where her mother, a healer, must be protected at all costs. When strangers with dangerous motives enter the town, chaos begins to unfold.

On paper, this book had everything I usually love magic, drama, high stakes, and that classic Zorro-style energy. I went in expecting a thrilling ride. However, I’d actually recommend skipping the synopsis before reading; it gives away almost the entire plot. There aren’t really any twists or hidden secrets, it’s all quite straightforward.🌕

🎭 While the writing is solid and kept me reading, I struggled a bit with the Spanish (as a non-speaker) and found the world-building a little confusing and underdeveloped. The story felt a bit flat for me personally. That said, I do think this book could work well for younger YA readers, especially those looking for historical fantasy with cultural roots.🎭

I was really excited about the idea of this book. It seemed like it would be a really fun action and magical adventure. I unfortunately just did not like how it was executed. It might just be because I had just outgrown this age group. I didn't really like the characters and I didn't like how some of the plot developed. I just wasn't the biggest fan.

as a hispanic reader this was an exciting book to pick up but it unfortunately fell flat and doesn’t seem to be my cup of tea and i will sadly be dnf’ing.

DNF at 69%. I couldn't keep going, even after I put this down and picked it back up 3 different times. I really did want to love it. I love the Zorro myth and have read other retellings with this motif, so I was disappointed that this one does not work.

My primary issue with the novel is that I kept getting confused. I actually went back and reread sections to make sure that I hadn't glossed over or misunderstood something. The problem was not me. 🤪

The premise here has a lot of potential. The idea that there are two opposing magical elements (black salt and red salt) that can heal (black) and kill (red) is intriguing. I just couldn't make sense of the plot. We are told many times that the FMC's family left their luxurious home in a large city to make a dangerous journey across Mexico to a small mining town where sal negra had been discovered. But there is no actual information in the story about the journey, so why do the characters keep referring to how dangerous and horrible it was? Apparently the FMC's mom was "called" via some sixth sense to find the sal negra? But it was already being mined when they arrived and the mining claim was owned by the FMC's grandfather? The mom is called a healer by administering the sal negra to travelers who have come for a miraculous healing. But everyone in the town is mining it, carries it around, and uses it themselves, so what makes the mom special? There are only three females in the town, but the town's mysterious, masked defender, Salvacion, is not recognized immediately as being the FMC? There are several big scenes at the beginning of the book where a desperado shows up and demands to be healed, and then threatens to shoot the townsfolk. Salvacion runs him out of town and steals his weapon, prompting the desperado to vow retribution, but then we never see or hear from him again? Sal roja becomes a thing all of a sudden despite all of the mining that has been going on in the area for months?

There was just so much going on, and the fact that the FMC's parents don't have a clue about anything it seems, leaving an 18 y/o girl and her brother to save their town from an army of thieves who wish them harm... for some reason?... is supposed to make me more invested in the heroine's journey? I'm tired.

I was trying to piece all of these loose ends together into something in my mind, only to realize that I really don't care about any of the characters to put any more effort into figuring it out.

Thanks to SMP for the opportunity to read and review this novel prior to publication. I was not compensated in any way, and all of the opinions expressed are my own.

The Mask of Zorro meets Practical Magic, Salvación is an action-packed page turner that draws inspiration from American history and classic pulp fiction. It reimagines a familiar narrative from the perspective of a young woman, and seamlessly meshes both English and Spanish colloquialisms to flavour its dialogue into something unique. However, while fun it is not without fault.
The pacing of Salvación is something to be commended. The story not only gives thorough context to the political situation Lola and her town are in, but it also manages to build a complex magic system based off of natural resources, that then parallels the mining operations and exploitation of Alta California in the 19th century. Yet, the plot never feels like it is over burdened or slowed, even with the frequent and many action sequences interspersed throughout.
My only real complaint regarding this book is that it feels like it reads a lot younger than it is meant to. While Salvación is YA, based off of the protagonist’s age and the complexity of the content—both factual and fictional—I would put the intended demographic to be around mid to late teens. However, the tone of the language used, Spanish inflection aside, is incredibly blunt and basic. The overtness of the tone reads more middle grade, and gives the impression that the novel is for a younger audience. While not a problem unto itself, the fact the narrative lacks a lot in the way of subtext feels like a disservice.
In conclusion, I am sort of on the fence with this one. I would probably only recommend it to a younger reader, or someone who enjoys both YA and middle grade books with the caveat that the writing is in no way embellished and very surface level—sort of like an action movie.

Pre-Read notes

I was attracted to this one purely by the cover. A dazzling young woman in mostly shadow, but obviously dressed like a hero, like Zorro. I really just couldn't resist. I'm enjoying it so far, the style offers a few bits of its own magic! I'm in love with Salvación, the caped crusader and magical healer!

Final Review to come

No one would unmask me unless they caught me— and I was not one to be easily captured. p94

Review summary and recommendations

Without people, rooms were meaningless. p123

Reading Notes

Five things I loved:

1. Wonderful theme work! I’d been called “a lady” all my life outside my home: señorita Lola this and señorita Lola that. Back in Sonora, las monjas at school demanded that I talk, act, walk, eat, sew, cook, like a señorita. My tutors were just as adamant. But out here in Alta California, at least at night, at least while I was Salvación, I’d become the type of girl I wanted to be: free as the wind to be whomever I pleased, no rules holding me back just because I was female. My whole body felt better when I was dressed as Salvación; even the knot at the back of my neck, always so painful in Sonora, was gone. The first time I realized this, I also understood I deserved to feel this way: completely unburdened. p24 It's a great way to invite the character to be vulnerable with the audience, also, making her more relatable.

2. I really love how the authors weaves in Spanish here. Often, a rough translation is possible from the context on the page. This approach engages the audience and sometimes teaches them something new. Like Dora, like Lola!

3. Her motion made me reach for my pistol too. It was strange, to be face-to-face with someone who wasn’t white, who was Mexican, and still feel imminent hostility. The hair on my neck stood straight. My head tingled with anticipation. p90

4. This book uses style and story and character development to create a sophisticated YA novel that doesn't write down to its audience.

5. Papá once said that bears live in the trees. That they were up there, you just couldn’t see them. p94 What an excellent metaphor, and delivered with subtlety. Figurative language is strong here in general.

One quibble:

1. I've read a lot of reviews complaining about the writing style in this book, but I found it completely appropriate to the story and intended audience.

Notes

1. This book is inspired by El Zorro, a Mexican myth about a caped crusader who helped those being oppressed.

2. genre: YA magical realism

Rating: 🦸🏻‍♀️🦹🏻‍♀️🦸🏻‍♀️🦹🏻‍♀️ /5 caped crusaders
Recommend? yes
Finished: May 1 '25
Format: accessible digital arc, NetGalley
Read this book if you like:
🦸🏻‍♀️ heros for the common good
🪁 elevated YA
😍 love at first sight
💪🏻 strong female characterization

Thank you to the author Sandra Proudman, publishers Wednesday Books, and NetGalley for an advance digital copy of Salvación. All views are mine.
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Lola didn’t question her mother when she up and moved the whole family to Alta California, claiming to be following a magical pull. But then, in Alta California, they discover sal negra, black salt, which has magical healing properties, able to cure anything from a broken bone to blindness in just a few minutes. But when something so magical is found, of course it is threatened. It doesn’t help that a new treaty has been signed, granting land that was once Mexico’s to the new United States. Lola’s family is living on borrowed time, but for now, the threats are minor. To deal with these threats, Lola and her brother come up with the idea of Salvación, a masked vigilante who defends the sal negra from those who would abuse it, and keeps the small town safe. But when an army arrives, promising to make the land Mexico’s again, all while carrying a dark secret, Lola wonders if Salvación will be enough to save the people she loves.

I received an advanced reading copy of Salvación in exchange for an honest review.

Salvación is a young adult fantasy novel by Sandra Proudman, and I loved that while this is fantasy and has magic, it takes place in a historical real-life setting: California after the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo, which is when Mexico lost land to the United States after the war between both countries. I think this helped the novel, despite being fantasy, it felt very grounded.

Something else that helped Salvación feel so grounded was the focus on family. Lola comes to Alta California with her parents and her brother, and her relationship to her family is not the easiest, but you can tell there’s real love there, even as she questions some of her parents’ decisions, or is frustrated by some of the beliefs they impose on her, such as the need for her to be a proper lady when all she wants is to throw on pants and ride around town, saving people as Salvación. Her relationship with her brother was particularly special, and since I absolutely love siblings in books, this might have been one of my favorite parts in the whole story.

Of course, this being a young adult novel, there’s also a blossoming romance! With the arriving army comes a boy with compelling brown eyes, Alejandro, and something draws Lola to him. Alejandro turned out to be a very complex character, with a lot of history, and seeing Lola slowly peel back his layers to get at who he truly was, all while keeping her own secret identity of Salvación, was very fun.

Salvación was a quick read, and one I’d recommend for anyone looking for a lightly magical story set in a historical context. I look forward to what Proudman writes next!

Salvación will be released on May 20. You can preorder it from Wednesday Books here.

Sandra Proudman's novel, Salvación, captivates readers with its stunning world-building and the compelling voice of Lola. From start to finish, Salvación is a book that is hard to set aside. As you follow Lola and her devoted family, the world they inhabit, rich with salt magic, immerses you in its depths, leaving you feeling as though you are part of their journey.

Salvación is a female Zorro-inspired fantasy set in a part of Mexico turned Alta California during colonization. The magic in this story was found in the healing sal negra and the destructive sal roja. Without humans these salts are simply part of nature’s balance. Add humans and you have a battle.

At first I struggled to get into it, but the story eventually became pretty intense and I was swept up rooting for good over evil. The writing style was definitely YA (as is as the FMC). if you’re like me and cannot move past a word you don’t know, unless you’re fluent in Spanish, you’ll appreciate reading the ebook version for quick translations. I do think you would be fine without doing that though. Overall I’m glad I read this book and would recommend it. 3.5 stars rounded up.

I was really excited about the Zorro inspiration and looked forward to the gender swapped roles. The story was good and it is written in a way that makes sense for the storytelling presented. (I personally didn’t love all the ‘Spanglish’ back and forth - there are areas that are more powerful, but I understand how it does support the story overall.)
I loved the FMC’s battle between the lady she is expected to be and being true to herself. She goes against her parents in a way that is authentic to herself and the story and not just for rebellion.
Another theme that shows up beyond Loli/Salvacion is that all is not what it seems. It shows in the idea that those coming to take Alta California are Yankees, but when El Demonio comes to town it as unexpected as a wolf in sheep’s clothing. It also shows up in Alejandro as the second/right hand man/boy to Hernandez who is intrigued by Salvacion.
Thank you NetGalley, the author, and publisher for the advanced electronic copy of this story. All opinions are my own.

I ended up DNFing this one at around 50%. I really wanted to love this book because 1) we need more latine characters written by latine authors and 2) I love a Western and the concept of a gender bent Zorro was super appealing to me. Unfortunately the downfall of this story, for me, was really the writing style and the author's tendency to do a lot of telling without showing. We are supposed to believe that Salvación is a savior for the people, but we only see her run one man out of town in the first 50%. Supposedly she has done this several other times, but we don't get to see any of that. Most of the story is spent with Lola dreaming about either being a woman of the people and fighting off the bad men, or going back to her home town and I guess leaving the people behind? I didn't really understand what her motivation was or what her goals ultimately were. I think this book had a lot of potential but I just could not get into it and decided that it was not for me. I am giving this story 3 stars despite me DNF'ing because I think part of this is a me problem and that other readers will enjoy it. I do hope to see more of this author's work in the future and hopefully she will tell stories I will enjoy more.

An amazing retelling that showcases Proudman’s immense talent in creating a compelling story fit for any reader.

First I want to said thanks to NetGalley and Sandra Proudman for ARC of book.

Salvación
📚: Salvación is a historical romantasy with magical realism and is also inspired by El Zorro. Lola de La Peña is the masked heroine Salvación who protect her family and the town from outsiders who want to stole Sal negra with help her brother. Sal negra (black sand) can heal the sick and injured. A stranger woman come to warned Lola/Salvación about a man name Hernández with fifty men. When she try warn her family about Hernández, nobody believe her. So when her father welcomed Hernández and his men to town, Lola determine to stop him and save her love ones from him. What she didn’t count on Alejandro who is with Hernándze. She have found out if Alejandro is real on Hernándze. If not she have to work with stop Hernándze and try not to fall in love with him.


💭I enjoy reading Salvación and can’t wait this to coming out. I love everything about book. I love how she write the family relationship with each other. I really want talk about the end but I don’t to spoilers it so I will just wait.
4.5 ⭐️
May 20 25

"Sometimes doing what's right takes sacrifice."

It was emotional, exhilarating and full of magic.
It kept me engaged from the beginning. The sal negra and the sal roja play a big part in this story, the magic in between the pages. I also loved the culture, the connection between family.