This book wasn't for me, but I'm a mood reader and think I wasn't in the best mind frame for it. I did really enjoy the lore and storytelling. The story deals with issues of identity, immigration, and family. The story is told as magical realism so readers are taken from a world they recognize into one with magic and mystery. The writing was beautiful. I'm glad the author included Spanish dialogue and the translations by the text or context were fairly seamless.

Scheduled to post 7/28/20.

I kind of adored LOBIZONA. I love how it's a more authentic-feeling Harry Potter. I can't really articulate that feeling better than that. I felt more deeply connected to LOBIZONA. It felt more real. There are parallels between Manu and Harry, for sure, but Manu is such a better character. Better fleshed out, more likable, actually does things on her own instead of relying on her smarter friends to do them for her. You know. Better. And for those of you wondering why the hell Harry Potter is even coming up, it's a thread throughout the book.

Manu is such a genuinely sympathetic character and my heart couldn't help but break for her and her family. And just when she thinks she catches a break, it gets stomped on and I got crushed a little more. Her situation in Miami was heartbreaking and all too real for a lot of families. But once she gets to the camp I got to watch Manu bloom and it was such a glorious thing to see.

I love the world Garber created. A little disorienting at first, but once I got my bearings it was lush and lovely and at times terrifying. You get to watch how everyone already familiar with the world basically took it for granted while Manu soaks it all in, cherishes it, and revels in the layers she uncovers about herself and her family. It was like watching a field of flowers bloom.

I didn't see the end coming, and even in hindsight I still didn't see it. So I think it'll be a shock to a lot of people. And I liked how realistic it was, all things considered. I speak more about the decisions people made when it came to decision-making time. I'll save the spoilers, but it felt authentic and people's reactions to what was going on more reasonable and rational.

Normally I'm not a big fan of werewolf stories. That was just a creature that never piqued my interest, aside from Ginger Snaps (great movie, BTW). But I loved what Garber did with it, and didn't do with it (no alpha romance love stories here, thank GOD). LOBIZONA isn't just about Manu understanding who she is and where she fits in this world. It's a feminist manifesto, a LGBTQ+ battle cry, and the sound of chains breaking on a society that needs to step into the 21st century. A great read and I look forward to book two!

5

Discover a magical new world in Lobizona by Romina Garber


You need to read Lobizona by Romina Garber.

I’m indeed a sucker for a good YA story, but I don’t feel the same about fantasy novels. I tried reading Harry Potter and only made it halfway through the first book. (I recognize I’m probably missing out.) Only watched Twilight (starting with the second movie) because 2012 was sold out that night at the movie theater. (I found it very problematic.)

I devoured The Hunger Games and Divergent series, but it was because I love to feed my dark side with the real scary stuff — collapsed social systems, chaos, and despair. Dystopian fiction is more my jam than anything that includes vampires, werewolves, or magical beings. (Are these even part of the same genre? I digress.)

It’s not that I think I won’t like it. I’m just not curious enough to want to invest time in reading it.

So, imagine my surprise when Lobizona by Romina Garber fell into my lap (actually, into my Kindle), and I couldn’t put it down.

Werewolves and witches that speak Spanish have captured my heart
Lobizona is the story of Manu, an undocumented immigrant from Argentina living in Miami, FL. Manu rarely leaves the small apartment she shares with her mom and their friend Perla for fear of being discovered by authorities. She doesn’t go to school or have friends. Books and trips to her building’s roof where she can look out to the world are her only escape.

When ICE takes her mother, Manu is forced to start making decisions on her own. Her instincts draw her to the back of a pickup van of a man she had seen wandering around her building. And, as she gets further and further away from the few blocks she’s existed in for most of her life, Manu feels like she might be getting closer to some of the answers that she has been seeking her whole life. Why is she different? Why has her mom been lying to her? Who is her father?

Manu already carried the heavy burden of her illegal immigration status in the United States. Similarly, in her search for answers, she finds her existence breaks other laws. Her quest for belonging might mostly take place in an imaginary realm, but her genuine struggle to define her identity and find her place in the world is one immigrants everywhere will recognize.

But, you don’t have to be an immigrant to love this book. Lobizona explores some very real struggles for teens coming of age in our sometimes intolerant and traditionalist world. You don’t have to be a teen either. Even my thirtysomething butt struggles with how rigid and unforgiving society can sometimes be.

How have you not preordered it already?
This book was beautifully narrated and is rich in Argentian folklore and culture. Garber is imaginative and detailed in her descriptions of scenery and feelings. My mind traveled to new and colorful places I would’ve never been able to visualize on my own.

As I read Lobizona, I appreciated how other popular YA novels, as well as Garber’s love for literature, are weaved into the story. She includes nods to the works Gabriel Garcia Marquez, Jorge Luis Borges, J.K. Rowling and Jane Austen throughout her book.

I hope you will decide to explore Manu’s world. I can guarantee you an exciting journey through the courage of self-discovery, heartwarming first loves, unbreakable friendships, and unforgettable magic.

Lobizona, out August 4, 2020, will be the first book in the series by Romina Garber Wolves of No World.
4.5!!

This book is a perfect example of a fantasy book that allows us to explore our own society's flaws in a safe space. I really enjoyed reading about Manu's story. It is cool how the author blended the real world with the fantasy one. I am deeply impressed by the authors writing and how much she was able to convey about the immigrant experience. Looking forward to the next book!

“You’re saying if no one’s told my story before… I get to tell it the way I want?”

Behold! Marvel at this cover art! Read the synopsis! Isn’t this promising? Doesn’t this make you wish you had a copy? Because, yes—after seeing the cover art and the synopsis, I desperately wanted to read this book. I needed this book.

In Lobizona, we follow Manuela (Manu) as she navigates life without detection. Hiding from both the US government and from the people of her father’s past, Manu is undocumented and unprotected. Isolated due to hiding, secrecy is Manu’s constant companion besides Perla and Ma. But hiding Manu isn’t the only secret that gets discovered. When Manu’s mother is taken by ICE, Manu discovers a magical world that is eerily familiar… Now in a magical world, Manu wages forward to uncover the secrets that gnawed on her since childhood. And just like the secrets that fought so hard to remain hidden, Manu must fight harder to uncover the truth.

Plot
The book weaves Argentinean folklore surrounding lobizon and bruja into Manu’s world which presents an interesting aspect into the novel. I liked how Argentinean culture was incorporated into the storytelling. Garber naturally incorporates Spanish into the dialogue. I appreciate how flawless and natural it was. However, the Spanish can make the reading experience disjointed if you’re not familiar with the language. There were times where the narrator (Manu) will translate, and other times where you must gauge the meaning from context and times where you won’t get it. I’ll be honest, I’ve never formally learnt Spanish nor learnt how to read it but can only understand and pick it up from sound (because that’s how I learnt—when a family member spoke). Often, I’d have to pause and read passages aloud for my two brain cells to figure out the translation (Yes, I’m a child of immigrant parents and as a result lost my mother’s tongue to assimilating to the culture I lived in… I’m like the meme: ‘Me? Bilingual? More like, bye-lingual’). Therefore, pausing and rereading some phrases often impacted my reading experience. I’m already a slow reader haha...

Lobizona is broken down into four phases. I won’t say much to spoil the story; however, the story really picks up in phase two for me. In phase two, we discover more about this magical world. The world-building felt a little thin and due to that, the story felt more of magical realism rather than fantasy.

This book takes a while to get into the promised action. After the 40%, that’s where all the action began and it was great. The pacing felt disjointed at times. For example, the first 40-50% of the book we are dragging our feet to this magical world. And then, at the last 15-20% action happens! All! At! Once! I’d appreciate if there were moments for the audience to process all that is going on.

Despite the pacing, I did appreciate Garber's writing style. Garber weaves emotions well into her characters without weighing down the narrative with too many descriptions.

Characters
I love an underdog character. With everything going on, you can’t help but root for Manu! I was invested in her and her dreams. Manu is determined despite all odds. She dreams and yearns for more and when an opportunity shows itself, she’ll take it. However, the chosen one trope is strong in this one. If you’re not a fan, you may not enjoy the incessant specialness of Manu. (I’m a fan of the chosen trope so I’m never really bothered by such things).

Other than Manu, there is a large cast in this book (I can’t remember all their names but I remember Cata and Sasya—the two other girls). I enjoyed Manu’s and Sasya’s interactions. Sasya is a kind and gentle soul, the welcoming friend to Manu. Whereas, Cata is perceived to be the 'mean girl' who is ruthless to Manu. I wasn’t a fan of how that part was portrayed like the typical 'popular girl mean to the new girl' trope.

Another aspect I didn’t enjoy was the romance. long sigh yes, the romance. I didn’t like how the romance gave a forbidden vibe to it (spoiler-y: more like almost cheating vibes). And when the truth came out it felt convenient and cheap. Also, I couldn’t understand why the love interest and Manu had feelings for each other? It felt superficial. I would rather focus on other pressing matters, such as Manu's mother and Manu's discoveries.

Enjoyment
Aside from that, there were some aspects I liked. I liked how alienation and challenging the norm was a major factor in this book. I liked how the themes of alienation and immigration were woven in the story. Manu’s fear of discovery rings true to too many people. Garber writes well, enveloping the reader into Manu’s world that you feel the constant fear and even the threat in living. But despite the fear, there’s the unyielding hope. It was hope in the characters that I liked in this book. Lobizon grapples with various themes such as misogyny, privilege, undocumented immigrants, amongst many more.

I, myself am a child of immigrants and I have experienced cultural assimilation so on one side, parts of this book resonated with me. I liked how powerful Garber wrote various aspects. However, on the other hand… I just wished there were more. In actuality, I think I had higher expectations due to wanting to really love this book. Despite that, I'm very curious to see where this will go.


Recommended for: fans of fantasy schools with magical creatures, fans of YA fantasy, and readers

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Content warning: xenophobia, sexism, bullying, trauma, misogyny, minor homophobia,

I enjoyed reading several aspects of this book! The pacing was wonderful, characters were well drawn, and the reading experience on the whole was delightful.

Thanks to Goodreads and NetGalley for the ARC copies of this book.

Werewolves, witches, fantastic world building? What more could I want from a book. As an avid reader of fantasy and fiction, I've seen many books that feature special, female werewolves who are trying to stay away from marrying the "alpha male" of the pack, all the while falling for a sweet, soft boy who usually has a name similar to "Shay" or something and giving all of it up to run away with him.

This book has none of it and I'm wholly here for it. Manuela has spent her entire 17 years of existence hiding who she is based on her mother's fear for her. It's not easy to be an undocumented immigrant, as well as having eyes that more than make her stand out in a crowd. She suffers from pretty horrible menses which are only tempered by a medication that her Mom prescribes to her on the nights that coincide with the full moon.

However, when the clinic that Manuela's mother works at is raided by ICE and a dramatic fall forces their elderly roommate into the hospital, Manuela finds herself on her own with the prospect of not getting caught by ICE and deported, but also understanding what weird changes happen to her during the full moom. But that's when the adventure really starts.

I won't spoil what happens after her encounters at the clinic and how she manages to escape and come into her own, but Lobizona is a perfect OWN VOICES book that I think every teenager and young adult needs to read. The world building and characters are vibrant and it's good to read about the appearance of Afro-Latinos as well.

I loved this book and it was an honor to receive these copies. I hope that Romina Garber comes out with that sequel soon!!

I ended up really, really enjoying this one. Manu is such a strong, but flawed character. I loved her so much. I also really loved her friendship with Saysa and her frenemies situation with Catalina (who honestly is tied for a favorite character). The one character I didn't care for was Tiago, and I have no idea why. He is a perfectly fine character, but I just wasn't feeling him. I also really liked Diego, but we barely have any scenes with him. I just liked him. I didn't love the romance that was brewing. I just wasn't feeling the chemistry between the two love interests.
Something that was so great and so intricate was the worldbuilding. We get this beautiful interweaving of what life is like for Manu and the "myth" of the lobizones and the brujas, the harsh realities of what some people go through just to try to build a better life, the parallels between both her lives. It was wonderfully done. I am very interested to see where this goes in the next book.

Wow. What a magical book! I don't know exactly what I expected when I first started this book, but the story I read was certainly not it. LOBIZONA by Romina Garber was rich with beautiful worldbuilding, magical storytelling, and offered a unique perspective on the world that normally I wouldn't have actively sought out. (But I'm glad I did.)

Manu is a girl who belongs nowhere. She doesn't belong in the US where she's at risk of being discovered by ICE for living in the country undocumented, but also has these fiery eyes that mark her as someone different. What she discovers in the course of her journey is that her father is a werewolf, her mother human, and after discovering a secret world of witches and werewolves, Manu thinks she's finally found out where she belongs. But her very existence in the supernatural world is a crime. So, Manu, the girl who belongs nowhere, seeks out to prove that she does belong and discovers friends and family in the process.

While the story blew me away, Garber creatively wove socialist ideologies into the fabric of her novel. It offered a unique perspective and insight into the author's own worldview and how that influenced the mythology and the story she told. As someone who disagrees with those ideologies, it didn't sit well with me. I was fascinated by how it affected storyline and how it could potentially affect the arc of the plot, but I worry it will take the story in a direction that I, personally, may not like. That's my opinion, so take that for what you will, but the powerful story of searching for belonging really was what held me captive throughout the book.

There were moments in the worldbuilding where some parts felt a little rushed and underdeveloped, especially when the characters visit Lunaris. It was hard at times to follow or fully understand what was happening and could have been developed a little bit more, but didn't deter me much. One thing I did love about this book was its use of Spanish in the text. The smaller Spanish phrases were rarely translated into English and the longer ones most often were. This added a sense of authenticity to the book for me that I really enjoyed.

Overall, some parts of this book left me a little unsettled, but I thoroughly enjoyed the story. LOBIZONA is truly, a creative story, and one that will definitely be loved by Gen Z.

3.5/5 stars

Lobizona is a fresh take on werewolves rooted in Argentinian folklore. It's fact paced, timely and a brilliant premise. I loved the parallels of Manu being an "illegal" immigrant as well as an "illegal" type of supernatural creature. There were so many cool aspects about this story from the unique look of Manu's eyes that mark her, to the portal like realm of Lunaris that can only be reached when they transition. I also liked the depictions of lunaritis and painful period rep.

The only downside of this book is the ending felt a bit rushed and didn't quite wrap up all the threads. I don't know if there will be a second book, but I'm eager to read more of Garber's work!

Thank you Netgalley for providing me with the arc in an exchange for an honesty review.

First of all I want to mention that the cover is gorgeous!

The story follows our main character Manu who is always trying to lay low because her family is illegal. She must wear dark sunglasses at all time especially in public. The father is not in the picture and her family have been hiding from him for many years from what she knows of. She thinks that her family is embarrassed of her eyes but soon she will know that she’s different and they just wanted to protect her identity. There are so many secrets that are later revealed throughout the book. I love that it has that family relationship and are doing the best to protect one another.

I am an American but my parents are Hispanic and so I know Spanish. I really appreciated the Spanish inside the book and the references to Borges and Gabriel Garcia Marquez. When I took Spanish courses in high school, I was introduced to the authors and it brought back memories. It’s been awhile since I read something by Borges and Gabriel Garcia Marquez but this book got me in the mood to relieve high school memories.

I love the fantasy side of the book that it provided. It almost felt like Harry Potter and Twilight and I love both those books.

I truly feel this book is for everyone because many times I have felt lost and I’m sure I’m not the only one. People feel lost and different because of race, language, sexuality, disability, and so on. Manu didn’t know where she belonged but towards the end she finds home and I can’t wait to read the second book.

Lobizona is a richly layered narrative that is at once a mythological retelling, a coming of age story and social commentary. It's interesting that the opening scene in the novel shows an ICE raid, the thing that Manu's family and community fear the most. Manu and her family have well-practiced strategies for hiding from the government authorities bent on hunting down undocumented people and apprehending them for forced repatriation. The fear for ICE is on par with the danger represented by the supernatural elements Manu encounters throughout the novel and that, in itself, was a powerful statement about the fear too many in this country are forced to confront.

Manu is a wonderful, rich representation of the gifts that immigrants carry with them, gifts that make them so indispensable to the new countries they call home. She is bilingual, reads voraciously, and dreams of one day working for NASA as an astronaut. Originally brought to the US by her mother from Argentina, Manu has never met her father and this theme of identity occupies the first part of the novel, together with the harsh realities and fears of living as a undocumented person.

Lobizona is very successful at conveying the immigrant experience and all its terrors and triumphs. There is relentless hope even as Manu's family fears discovery, and they rely on their dream that somehow, things will work out for them, the way it has worked out for so many others.

But Lobizona is also a young adult fantasy novel - and it is true to its genre. It relies heavily on Argentinian folklore which, after the millionth retelling of Cinderella and Beauty and the Beast, is a refreshing change of pace. The magical realism spliced with portal fantasy, the world-building and the use of Argentinian Spanish did my multi-culti heart so much good. I want more books featuring other Latin-American cultures and in this, the book delivers.

Manu is unique, as we discover. She blacks-out for three days during her monthly cycle, during which she occupies a dream world. She is the seventh daughter, so she should be a witch, but instead she is a Lobizona or a female werewolf, in possession of powers usually reserved for the seventh son. She has silver, star-shaped eyes she must cover with sunglasses because they are so odd. She comes into possession of super hero - like powers like supernatural strength, speed and overdeveloped senses.

Without spoiling the remaining plot points, there is a forbidden love, a very cool friend group, and excellent queer representation. This story grapples with the big issues: the ethics of assigning legal status to humans for any reason, immigration, and the fascist nature of ICE. It also confronts issues of misogyny, the flaws of a binary gendered system, and the way privilege is awarded and the harm it brings to everyone, whether that privilege is in the world we live in or the world where magical beings vie for meaning and power.

I look forward to reading the next installment of this series.

ARC provided by Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

this was a fantastic read, I really enjoyed it and I really can't wait to read more from the author.

LOBIZONA is a YA contemporary fantasy that uses Argentinean folklore and Spanish slang from multiple Latin American countries, which I found very interesting since my first language is Español. The story deals with werewolves, witches, and something in between. But before getting to that part, we spend the first quarter of the story or thereabouts with Manu in her current world: She and her mother are illegal immigrants and are afraid ICE will snatch them away any time. To make matters worse, they cannot go back to Argentina or else...

Then Manu discovers hombres lobos and brujas.

From here, there's some sort of boarding school involving a unique game. Sounds familiar? I see a Harry Potter influence, which I found a bit peculiar. Of course, it isn't the same. This is a school for young werewolves and witches. No magic wands involved.

Overall, a good read with an interesting ending, an ending with a hook to the next book in the series.

Lobizona by Romina Garber transports readers into a uniquely magical world filled with the brujas and lobizones of traditional Argentine folklore. Our main character Manu has spent her life in hiding. As an undocumented immigrant living in Miami, Florida her life is shadowed by fear of discovery. But it's Manu's unusual eyes, like little golden drops of sunlight, that require her to stay within the safety of her surrogate grandmother's tiny apartment.
But those unusual eyes aren't the only thing Manu inherited from the father she never met. When mysterious strangers begin poking around their home, and Manu's mother is suddenly detained by ICE, Manu finds herself thrust into the magical world of her father's past. She seeks refuge at a magical school, hidden amongst brujas and lobizones who have eyes just as strange as Manu's. Once again Manu finds herself hiding from the label "illegal." And if she cannot unlock her apparently dormant powers before the next full moon she'll be discovered for sure.

This is the first werewolf centric book I've read that I actually enjoyed. I think they're typically found in urban fantasy, which I'm not a huge fan of, and the world-building around them seems pretty stale to me. This was NOT the case for Lobizona. I was absolutely enthralled by this magical world hidden in the depths of the Everglades. Garber struck a perfect balance between contemporary and portal fantasy. Manu's voice was fresh and relatable, but the magical world she found herself in felt very grounded in history and tradition.

I loved how many of the characters Manu interacts with turned out to be more than meets the eye. Like Cata, who I fully expected to be a traditional Mean Girl, but who actually turned out to be one of my favorite characters. I actually really enjoyed seeing Manu's friends struggling with the moral implications of helping her, and each of them having a different motivation or idea of what she could accomplish or should aspire to. Often times in YA groups tend to get on the same page too quickly or put a lot of faith into a Chosen One for seemingly no reason. Although we don't always fully understand her friend's motivations, their decision to help her never seems too unreasonable.

There were so many little world-building details that I loved. But the concept of Septibol was a really cool one. I don't typically enjoy reading sports scenes, especially made-up ones, but Septibol made logical sense to me. And the added magical elements were really cool to envision. Plus I loved the pack dynamic of the lobizones and seeing them mess around with Manu.

Overall I loved this book and would 100% recommend it. Especially for fans of books like Labyrinth Lost by Zoraida Córdova or Crown of Feathers by Nicki Pau Preto.

Unfortunately, I cannot review this book. I had to DNF it as it was nothing that I was expecting it to be. It was way too slow to get into and I just cling force myself any further.

My goodness, I don’t know how I will survive waiting for book 2 . I absolutely loved this book. I love the Latinx cultures woven into it, and the characters and the whole story line. I got that feeling that I got when I first read Harry Potter. This is definitely going to be one of my top series.

This book had such a dynamic mc! The journey she went through was so well written. Romina truly has a masterpiece on her hands. Also, the real life topics she integrated into her story was so well done. The plot was solid. Character arc amazing!

Normally I'm not as big a fan of werewolf stories, but Lobizona is definitely one of the exceptions. This was such a fun story, filled with great writing and compelling characters. There were only a few things that stopped this book from being a five-star-read for me.

I did really like the characters. Each one was so well-developed and fascinating. And seeing Manu grow throughout the book was so much fun. That being said, there were a few cliches involving the characters that drove me a little crazy. One of which being a bit of insta-love, which is generally a massive pet peeve of mine. But aside from that, I adored these characters and loved watching their stories unfold!

The beginning also moved a little slow for my taste. But, once the pace picked up, I was completely drawn into this story. The plot and the world are so interesting that even with the slower beginning, I still ended up loving this book!

I would definitely recommend giving Lobizona a read! It's fun, well-written, and is just a great story. I'm excited to see what happens next!

This was really good!! At times I was a tiny bit bored but overall, so good. Romina wove such a gorgeous story!!