I really enjoyed the first book in the Brooklyn Brujas series, Labyrinth Lost. However, Bruja Born is so much different than Labyrinth Lost — but in a good way! Labyrinth Lost took us on a journey through the magical realm of Los Lagos. Alex accidentally cast a spell that sent her entire family to ‘hell’, so she and a brujo named Nova enter that world to save her family.

Bruja Born doesn’t return to Los Lagos, but instead takes place in Brooklyn, NY. It’s definitely more of an urban fantasy, but in my opinion, packs a bigger punch. In Bruja Born we get so much more paranormal lore such as casimuertos (people who are similar to zombies; they’re stuck between being dead and undead), vampires, shapeshifters, and more heightened magic from our favorite bruja family.

Instead of Alex being our main character, this time it’s the eldest sister, Lula. Lula is still dealing with the aftermath of escaping hell, and she’s still coping with her father mysteriously returning. As she boards a bus with her boyfriend Maks to a soccer game, they get into a horrific crash. Lula barely escapes death, and she faces the tough decision of saving Maks with magic.

However, just like in the last book, the magic goes horribly wrong. Playing with Death comes at a heavy price with many strings attached. Lula and her sisters fight for their lives and race against the clock to contain the major disaster they created. Dead bodies disappear and reappear all over town, and there’s a mysterious person that keeps stalking the sisters.

The bonds of sisterhood, friendships, and family stood out to me the most in the midst of all the chaos. I am so excited to see where book 3 goes. I really hope we get a perspective from Rose, the youngest sister, because her powers fascinate me. She’s quiet but fierce. I love her.

I absolutely loved all the layers of plot and magic woven into this gorgeous book. I could not put it down. This entire read was exhilarating and kept me up until the wee hours of the morning. Zoraida Córdova once again proves she can weave such a magical, empowering story, while still making all the characters extremely relatable.

Bruja Born releases on June 5, 2018. Thank you to Sourcebooks Fire for providing a digital copy in exchange for an honest review.

If you haven’t read Labyrinth Lost, you should definitely give it a try. It was really a triumph in world-building by #ownvoices author Zoraida Córdova, who took inspiration from her Latina heritage and culture to create a world and magic system wholly unique and refreshing. It also has great queer representation with Alex Mortiz, the bisexual protagonist!

Bruja Born steers away from Alex, however, and focuses on her sister Lula. I don’t want to go into too much detail, as not to spoil the first book but I will say that I think this was a great direction to take the series. Each book in the series centers around one of the Mortiz sisters, who have grown up as a part of a powerful bruja (Spanish for witch!) family. I love the concept of giving each sister their own book and am really looking forward to learning more about Rose, the youngest sister, in the third book.

While Labyrinth Lost primarily took place in the mystical land of Los Lagos, the second book brings us back to Brooklyn and dives deep on the magical community living in the city. As I read, I couldn’t stop thinking about how I really felt like a mix of Charmed and The Mortal Instruments series with a Latina spin. Since I’m a long-time Charmed apologist, I was super into it!

I definitely feel like Bruja Born an improvement upon Labyrinth Lost, mostly due to the expansion of the magical version of Brooklyn (complete with vampires, knights, zombies and hunters!) and my love for vain, vivacious Lula.

ALSO, I’m now fully convinced this series needs to be a TV show ASAP. Hollywood, please make that happen. (Can’t be any worse than Shadowhunters, amirite?)

I requested this from Netgalley not expecting to get it, but I did and I almost died of happiness.

That being said, I now need the next book because I have so many questions and emotions about what is going to happen. I can already tell that Rose's book is going to be wild and I can't wait.

You can tell right away that this book is going to be different than Labyrinth Lost was, because Alex and Lila have different ways of telling a story and this has it's own feel to it. It's Lula telling the story, and you can tell.

Lula knew she messed up and she doesn't try to deny any of it. She knows what she's done and does her best to fix everything and I'm so proud of her for everything that she's done and how she's grown through this book.

We get new characters in this book! I love new characters because that means new people to love and adore and I love the new ones in Bruja Born and how they're all different and have pasts that I want to know about. I would literally read separate books about all of them if given the chance.

Another favorite part of this book for me was Nova, because I had a huge not so secret soft spot for him and always wanted good things for him and I hope that from where he is now he gets a good ending that leaves him in a good place.

I don't know if Rose's book is going to be the last book, and I hope it isn't, but I'm looking forward to it and her point of view because I know that it's going to be as amazing as these last two have been.

I loved being back on the world created in <i>Labyrinth Lost</i> and how it's been developed outside of Los Lagos. I loved the expansion on anything we knew and what we didn't. Now, I didn't get a chance to re-read the first book before reading this, so my memory is a little shaky.

My major issue is with Lula. I alternated between disliking her foolishness and her attempts to recover what she had done. I had to remind myself multiple times that she's just 17/18 and a lot of her feelings are thrown together by that. However, I didn't understand why Lula did all of this knowing it was going to disrupt everything for Maks, a guy who broke up with her just before they're almost killed. Like I said, I don't know if it's the age thing, but it bothered me. She's willing to put her family in danger, but gets very sacrificial with herself. She annoyed me throughout and was disappointed when she continued to do something that put Maks in front of her family's safety.

I was super excited to get this book from NetGalley and started it right away. I like this series for several reasons - the diverse characters both ethnically and sexual preferences and the writing are what interested me the most when I started the series. The plot was something that really interested me. I love magic stories and following the stories of these characters back in Brooklyn and seeing what happens next. Also, the cover of this book is completely gorgeous and feeds into my cover loving self so so so much.

I was into it and followed along with it pretty well for about half the book before it started falling apart for me. I became underwhelmed with it and didn't know how to get out of that funk. I finished the book but I wasn't as into it as I wanted to be. I am sure that others will get pulled in and love it but I just wasn't into it as much this time around. I'm waiting for book three though to continue on with the story!

An exciting new chapter in the saga of the Brooklyn Brujas. A few minor quibbles about the plot, but just on things not explored as fully as expected, nothing to complain about concerning the plot we do get. Can't wait for the third book.

I liked this second installment of the Brooklyn Brujas series better than the first, perhaps because the Mortiz sister at the front of this story, Lula, is more relatable than her angsty yet brave sister Alex, who headed book one.
Lula is all about love. Love is what fuels her healing magic and her love life is the center of her world. She's been dating a sinmago (non magic person) named Maks for ever and despite the secrets she must keep from him, everything's going well. Until it isn't. Before they can work things out, Lula, Max, and the whole soccer and step dance team get into a horrible accident. Lula's not about to let her love go without a fight, but she'll soon find that messing with death has unnatural consequences.
This is not your average zombie story. The undead here are technically called casimuertos--almost dead--and they feed on hearts instead of brains. They are usually the result of an overwrought lover trying to go against the finality of death. It will take great sacrifice for Lula to put things to right before the casimuertos spread and take over all of New York.
Full review to come on ChaptersandCharms.com

I loved this book. The story flows well. It shows how Lulu overcomes her emotional past and makes it through. She's a strong relatable character. The family stands by one another through it all. The story is full of twists that will captivate the reader. I cannot wait to see what is next in this series.

Note: This is the second book of the BROOKLYN BRUJAS series. There will be minor spoilers!

Step back into Cordova’s twisted world where brujas and casimuertos roam the land, and your friends and family may not be who you remember them to be…

BRUJA BORN picks up a little bit after LABYRINTH LOST, the first book to this trilogy. This time, we’re reading from the first person POV of Lula, the beautiful sister who can heal. While last book we focused on Alex saving their father from Los Lagos, in this book we try to fix the zombies-like people - or casimuertos - who are plaguing the land after one of Lula’s mistakes. The magic was executed so brilliantly, and I really grew to like all the characters (although I’m so sorry, Lula is probably my least favorite of the sisters). Nonetheless, I thought this was a solid sequel to the series and absolutely cannot wait for Rose’s story!

We start the book with Lula feeling very… lost. Ever since her incidents in Los Lagos in the previous book, she’s been very out-of-sorts and is quite vulnerable due to the fact that her once gorgeous face is now marred by a scar. This vulnerability gets tested when her longtime boyfriend, Maks, breaks up with her. But just as they were to continue on with school, a nasty auto accident happens where most of the students were fatally injured. In order to save Maks, Lula selfishly breaks the rules and tries to revive him, causing the Lady de Las Muertes (the Goddess of Death and the Mortal Earth’s Dawn) to get stuck in between realms and for casimuertos to arise from the dead, seeking human hearts.

“My aunt Maria Azul told me beauty was power. My mother told me beauty was a gift. If they’re right, then what am I now? All I know is I left fragments of myself in Los Lagos and I don’t know how to get them back.”

Lula was a very flawed and genuine character. I was quite empathetic to her struggles… to an extent. Because of her deep capacity to love and be loved, she ends up trying to save and preserve Maks out of this intense feeling. Me though? I’m not a fan of a romance that causes so many problems, and it kind of left me disgruntled. So while I can say I appreciated how this turn of events made it for a NON-love story (it really isn’t, huzzah), the initial justification behind certain actions was a bit iffy. Just personally.

I also enjoyed how Cordova mentions the different TYPES of love: romantic, platonic, familial, and everything in between, without putting down the other. I always like seeing that in stories because I feel like especially with YA, romance gets put before a lot of other relationships. Which honestly shouldn’t be true in real life. And the family elements in this story are very heart-tugging and as sweet as a sugar skull. The sisterly bond between Rose, Alex, and Lula is honestly the highlight of the story.

“‘Because you’re my sister. You might be a pain in the ass, but you and Rose are all I’ve got. I’d do anything for you.’”

While BRUJA BORN cuts back on the romance and instead focuses on the adventure and other character relationships, it still made for a fun and fast read. I especially adored how Cordova resolved everything and the set-up she brings for the next book, as well as really cool twists that I’m here for. I just know Rose’s book is going to be a blast!

“My strength is different from my mom’s. It’s different from my sister’s too. And maybe that’s okay because after everything I’ve done has led me back to the place where I belong - with my family.”

Filled with family love and brujx magic, BRUJA BORN will send readers to another thrilling adventure that stems from a single mistake. Lessons are learned, and hearts are forgiven. But will the bruja sisters’ magic be enough to save the population of Brooklyn and beyond? I really urge fantasy YA readers to pick this series up and fall in love with these flawed but emotional and so very real girls and their shenanigans!

Content Warning: mild violence, death, blood/gore

Thank you Sourcebooks Fire and Netgalley for the review copy!

Loved it. Bruja Born gave me everything I was wanting after reading the promising first book, Labyrinth Lost.

Bruja Born is set in Brooklyn, so it doesn't have the Alice in Wonderland style of the first book. I think this is a good thing because the bits of the first book that were set in the real world were actually my favourite bits. I like to see magic brought into a real-world setting and it was done almost perfectly here.

This book also had more magic in. Lula is not as powerful a Bruja as her sister Alex is but she uses magic more as part of her everyday life. And I loved the character of Lula. She's gone from being the perfect older sister that Alex saw her as into a real person with strengths and flaws. She makes some big mistakes and her misuse of her magic has impressively destructive consequences, but it's her love for her family and friends (and her perfectionist streak) that drives most of her decisions. I was cheering her on inside the whole time I was reading.

The Brooklyn setting is just perfectly suited for the atmosphere of this series. This time around there is so much more world building - it doesn't feel like the sisters exist in a vacuum anymore. Bringing in the girl's friends and the other Bruja families makes their world feel real and alive like somewhere I can imagine actually existing.

I liked the style, the atmosphere, the characters and the magic. There are some big surprises that I just did not see coming! Romance is not the focus at all, it's the love of a family and the strength of sisters looking out for each other that is the main theme running through the story. It's good to read a young adult book that isn't all about finding the perfect boyfriend.

I have nothing bad to say about this at all. Bruja Born is fun, it has masses of personality, and I enjoyed it a lot more than that other series about teenagers using magic in Brooklyn! This deserves to become a very popular series and I can't wait for the next book.

This is another fantastic book by Zoraida Córdova!

After reading Labyrinth Lost, I was really looking forward to the next installment of the Brooklyn Brujas. Bruja Born certainly didn't disappoint.

This book reads like a movie. It's full of action and I could see it so vividly in my mind. Love it! Is it possible that I enjoyed this book even more than the first? Maybe. Possibly. Honestly, I think they're pretty equal on the awesome scale.

If you love magic, action, and would do anything for the ones you love, pick up this series! It's fantastic.
I can't wait to get my hands on Rose's story next!

Hey, book dragons! So I did it,Ii went and finished another book. Two this week something must be wrong with me. Or I'm just trying really hard to escape reality. But either way, I wanted to let you all know what I thought about Bruja Born by Zoraida Córdova  Now I have gifted this book through NetGalley. 

Ok, guys, I need to be honest here when I got this book I had no clue it was the second book in a series. All I know is that it sounded interesting and I wanted a new book to read. So keeping that in mind ill tell you what I think about it, and hopefully later when I read book 1 I can revisit this book and understand a bit more. 

Now I am not going to say this book was hard to understand but there were parts where I wasn't sure why a character was acting they way they were and it all boils down to it being book two. But I will say that this book was fast paced and it was interesting to read and I finished it in two days time. So it had a lot going for it. As of right now, I am giving this book a 3.5 but I am sure once I read book 1 it will go up higher. I really loved the way the sisters looked after each other, how they no matter what happened were there. And just the fact that this was so human in a way to where even though these are magical people you could totally get where they are coming from. 

But you know it was a good book, I enjoyed it but I'm just laughing at myself for not checking out the details sooner. So if you have read Labyrinth Lost, give this book a go! You will love it and you will understand everything. 

Till next time at the nook. 

E.

Loved this sequel to Labirynth Lost!
Lula is the narrator of this book, which was jarring at first (because I just loved Alex so much) but you will adjust quickly. This book starts fast and the pace is maintained through the book. I couldn’t put it down.

More magic, more sisters, more awesome. Read it. Buy as soon as you can!

Really, really loved this book! I was pulled into this book instantly just from the title and cover! This book was amazing from the first page and is a one click read! I was deeply fascinated by this books description and amazed at how much research the author put into this book. I really loved the small quote/excepts at the begging of each chapter. I hope this author does some spin offs with other characters!

YOU GUYSSSSSSS ZORAIDA DID IT AGAIN. If you remember back when Labyrinth Lost first came out, I wouldn’t shut the f*ck up about it. Excuse my French but that was basically the case. I love how we were given such a vivid, exciting story while also infusing it with so much Latin American cutlture. My heart was a bit crushed when Bruja Born but got pushed back but I appreciate Zoraida wanting to make the best book she can and let me tell you she delivered.

One of my favourite parts of the Brooklyn Bruja series is the amazing relationship between the Mortiz sisters. Yes, they fight and disagree and get at each other all the time but that’s the reality of siblings. They’re also infinitely supportive and fiercely protective of one another and that shines through again in Bruja Born. I feel like they are all extended parts of my family and have such an attachment to them. There’s also a moment at the end of this book that hits me right in the family feels.

As expected there is also a ton of magic. Alex using her powers like the bamf she is after the first book and making me feel like I’m infinitely powerful. Rose coming into her own (book 3 now, pls…I want to see her slaaaay too) and poor Lula learning more than she bargained for about brujería and the price of magic. I’m no bruja but I even know that bringing the dead is messy, Lula. I also loved how we got more of the lore behind the Deos and how much the rezos come into play for this story.

The new cast of characters really complement the story and as much as I was attached to the original crew, the newbies wormed their way into my heart as well. The leads are dynamic as ever but Zoraida is also great at writing secondary roles that make you care about their well-being as much as your most-beloved people of all time.

Final Verdict:

READ THIS BOOK. If you haven’t read Labyrinth Lost yet make sure you jump on this and get a preorder in for Bruja Born ASAP. Aside from an amazing fantasy story you also get themes of friendship, family, and love that are so beautifully worked into the story.

I loved this book! I previously read Labyrinth Lost and loved it so I was super excited to read the second book in the series. Bruja Born follows Lula, Alex's sister (Alex was the protagonist in Labryinth Lost) and I love how the author decided to shift to her POV. I oftentimes find myself wishing that I could read the side character's story and in LL, I was intrigued by Lula's character. In BB, Lula is the MC and it is awesome! Bruja Born is culturally immersive and lush. I would definitely recommend this book to everyone interested in witches and family relationships - our relationships with our families are tough, oftentimes exasperating, but ultimately filled with so much love.

Overall, I enjoyed this book. I like the world and characters created by Zoraida Cordova. I loved the premise of this sequel. However, the frequent references to what happened in and what characters felt about what happened in Labyrinth Lost bogged down the narrative and slowed the pacing. While the book was good, it wasn't one I didn't want to put down.

Fun, action filled look into the magic of Bruha's or witches in the Latino culture. I loved the look into the myths of the Latin-American culture. I haven't read the first book yet but I ordered it when I was half way through the book.

Very enjoyable addition to the Brooklyn Brujas series. I appreciate the characters' complex relations to the deos. Starts a little slow but picks up speed and definitely worth reading.

I have to be honest that I wasn't the biggest fan of Labyrinth Lost but I decided to try Bruja Born. **I was approved for an arc for am honest review from Netgalley**

When a bus crash kills and hurts many of Lula's classmates and her boyfriend Maks is seriously hurt she will stop at nothing to help including asking her sisters to help her bring them back. But be careful, what you bring back may not be what you were expecting.

I loved Lula's character better than Alex's character. I loved the storyline and the action. Thumbs up for a great book! I am now excited for the 3rd book!