For those of us who love to read, we all recognize the qualities of a good book. Of course, each person differs in their opinion and preference when it comes to reading, but the understanding is there. And every once in a while, we will come across a book that will leave us devastated in the best way possible, a book that we know is one of those rarities that we will revisit over and over again. "Labyrinth Lost," an upcoming release written by Zoraida Cordova, is one of those books.

Plot summary:

Alex is a bruja, the most powerful witch in a generation...and she hates magic. At her Deathday celebration, Alex performs a spell to rid herself of her power. But it backfires. Her whole family vanishes into thin air, leaving her alone with Nova, a brujo boy she can't trust. A boy whose intentions are as dark as the strange marks on his skin.

The only way to get her family back is to travel with Nova to Los Lagos, a land in-between, as dark as Limbo and as strange as Wonderland.

Positive points:

There are so many great points about this novel— where do I begin?

Let's talk about Alex. She is a teenager who has suddenly found that she has this great power. Now, instead of accepting her destiny with only a few moments of questioning as is common in other young adult novels, we are presented a character who literally wants absolutely nothing to do with the magical powers that she has been given, and instead fights her destiny and almost destroys her family in the process. We are given this beautifully complicated and complex character to read from, and it's very refreshing to read compared to other young heroines who readily accept their powers.

Another great aspect of the novel is that each character is equally as dynamic as Alex. All supporting characters have their own voices, personalities, and flaws. None are reduced to any type of stereotype, and having such well fleshed out characters are, in general, one of the main ways that this novel stands out from others in it's genre.

Another thing; this book primarily focuses on the cultures and traditions of those in the Latino(a) community. The majority of the characters and world building in this novel are pulled from cultures that I personally don't see enough of when it comes to popular culture.

Not-so positive points:

There is a short time in the beginning where it almost feels like it takes too long for the action to begin, but at the same time as this is the first novel in the series that is something to be expected.

Final thoughts:

I have a physical copy of this book already from when I went to BookCon in May and was able to grab an ARC (advanced reading copy, for those of you not in-the-know).

This book officially releases in September 2017, and I implore those of you who are looking for a different kind of fantasy to buy it when it does.

Overall rating:

Title: "Labyrinth Lost"

Author: Zoraida Cordova

Rating: 5/5 Stars

Genre: Urban fantasy

Pages: 336

Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire

To be published: Sept. 6, 2016