This book was an adventure and was non-stop! A very cool magic system that took me a minute to grasp, but we learn about it along with Manu. This book combines topics of immigration into a fantasy world. Definitely going to read book 2!

It might be reductive to refer to Lobizona as merely "the Argentinian Harry Potter," but at the same time, it would be remiss to pretend that a major part of the MG/YA fantasy canon has had no influence on Romina Garber's magic academy/chosen one/portal fantasy story...especially given that the protagonist, Manu, herself references Harry Potter and the similarities between their situations every couple of pages. But while the Harry Potter influence is explicit and unavoidable, it isn't alone; I'm not qualified to go into detail about the Argentinian folklore that Garber drew on for Lobizona's magical world, but there are also plenty of other literary references scattered throughout as well, such as to the works of Gabriel Garcia Marquez and Jane Austen. Furthermore, Lobizona expands on and interrogates the Harry Potter series and its place in the canon in a way that makes my heart sing.

Like the best portal fantasy novels, Lobizona uses its magical world to explore issues in our real world; in Lobizona's case, the predominant issue is the horrific treatment of undocumented immigrants in the US. Manu's mere existence is criminalized as an undocumented teenager in Florida, born in Argentina but with no memories of it; her existence is just as illegal in the magical world of brujas and lobizones into which she stumbles, like Alice down a rabbit-hole, and her adventures in that world are just as rife with cold-hearted law enforcement officers hunting her, a lack of legal paperwork, and the need to blend in and stay invisible in order to stay safe. The story also questions and condemns the sexism and binary, gender-segregated system of the magical world, in which girls are witches and boys are werewolves and the idea of bending or breaking that strict binary is both socially and legally prohibited.

These social issues and questions are woven totally organically into an action-packed story that takes off running from the beginning and rarely lets up - I was surprised by how fast I tore through its 400 pages. Manu is an appealing protagonist at the heart of the story, though she sometimes gets lucky with the results of choices that don't seem consistently logical, and she's surrounded by an ensemble of friends and foes equally intriguing. I wasn't totally sold on the romantic element between Manu and Tiago, whose chemistry fails to sizzle, but Tiago, Catalina, and Saysa - not to mention the more minor characters at El Laberinto, the magical academy - are fun and appealing characters to read about. One or two revelations I predicted (one, indeed, is the title), but another took me by surprise, and I'm definitely looking forward to the second book in the series, and to see more of this magical, flowery world, and Manu's journey.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the advance review copy!

This released today, August 4th 2020! 4 1/2 stars and I keep waffling back between four and five, but please do know I'm absolutely obsessed.

Lobizona follows Manu, an undocumented immigrant confined to her home both by ICE and by her starry eyes. When her life at home falls apart, she escapes to the magical world of Kerana, where she is still, regardless of appearances, wrong.

Manu lives at first with her mother and family friend Perla. In Garber’s Argentinian mythology, seventh sons become werewolves, lobizones, while seventh daughters become witches, brujas. Here, women are brujas, while men are lobizones. Manu, however, just as she has found a place where her eyes do not define her, discovers that as a hybrid, her existence is a crime: that even here, in the first place where she is not an immigrant, she is still considered illegal.

This book feels deeply vivid. From the harsh opening on, danger constantly feels real, present. Manu is at first hiding, and next a fish out of water, but at all times a fascinating narrator. When she escapes ICE to a new world, we root for her wellbeing, hoping for magical solutions. When it is revealed that even here, her entire existence is illegal to the powers that be, it is genuinely crushing.

Seeing her come into her own, though, is deeply satisfying. It helps that her relationships with other characters all hold different weights in the narrative: Saysa, Catalina, and Tiago have a wonderful squad dynamic with Manu, but still all feel like distinct characters. Saysa was my favorite. Catalina, though, is probably the one I find most interesting: in any other book, she could be a popular girl trope, but here she’s nuanced, developed, and fun to root for. She also has a full character arc, something missing for side characters in a lot of YA fantasy. The unfolding mystery of the fate of Manu’s father, Fierro, is excellent.

The dynamic between Manu, Perla, and her mother is also resonant. There's a particular scene where Manu almost goes home to Perla, and Perla tells her that she may make her own choices, just as her mother did. I appreciated that the narrative is both deeply sympathetic to Manu's mother and allows Manu to make her own choices. (And the scene made me tear up a bit.)

I try to avoid reading other reviews before writing my own, but I really liked what Adri said about this book in their review:
… she comes to represent everyone who's ever wrongfully been limited or boxed into labels that don't fit simply because it's more convenient for everyone else. I feel the story is about how if we let ideas, traditions, and laws matter more than actual people, we are creating a world that confines us—we are drawing a border between what is and what could be. Language and societal norms don't exist in a vacuum. They are not stagnant; they're things we engage with, create, and shape for ourselves.


It’s not a perfect novel; at times, the first half is fairly slow. More importantly, the romance felt a bit by-the-book at first: there's a romantic competition plot line that, though resolved in a creative way (I really liked it), definitely takes over the dynamic between Tiago and Manu. But this book went so hard, and I am so excited for more.

This is an excellent blend of magical realism and contemporary fantasy focusing on binaries and the space between them. I’m excited for more. This comes out on August 4th. I hope you'll love it as much as I did.

Don’t mind me I’m just over here drooling over how good this was!
I have yet to see a bad review about Lobizona and honestly after reading it I completely understand why. This was so freaking good and I devoured pretty much the entire book in one sitting. If you love stories with magic, lovable characters, beautiful writing, hard-hitting but important topics, impeccable world building, and lots of folklore this book absolutely deserves to be on your TBR and currently reading shelves immediately!

What I Liked

🌎 Dual worlds. I truly LOVED that this takes place in two worlds. The first being in Miami with Manu and her mother and the second is the world of the Septimus where all the magic happens – literally. The author does a great job of building both worlds to have both similarities and differences. Once Manu and her mother are separated and Manu is drawn to the world that has the magic I was 100% invested in everything about it and would happily still be reading about the world if this book was 1,000 pages long.

💖 Tugs on the heart. This book had me feeling emotional quite a bit. Manu and her mother are undocumented immigrants living in Miami who are doing everything they can to remain undetected and try to earn their citizenship in the U.S. (or so Manu believes). But when Manu’s mother is taken by ICE and the two of them are separated it truly broke my heart – especially knowing this happens to so many people every single day that are just trying to build a better life for their families. Their love for one another is so strong and I loved the dynamic of their relationship even if it wasn’t always perfect. Once Manu enters the “fantasy world” she quickly finds out that even though she finally feels like this is where she belongs she is also considered “illegal” there as well which tugs on the heart even more.

✨ Magic, mystery, and folklore. Women are brujas (witches) and men are lobizons (werewolves) in the fantasy world of this story. It’s been set in stone for quite some time, however, Manu quickly learns that the last person who tried to change that way of thinking was her father. As the story progresses Manu tries to pick up where her father left off all the while unraveling all the things she never knew about him Between the types of magic each witch possesses, the werewolves, the mystery of Manu’s father, and history of the folklore I truly never wanted to put this down. It might seem like there’s a lot going on but the way this story is written it all comes together so well, which brings us to the next thing I loved about this book.

🖋 Writing. From the minute I picked this up I knew I was going to like it just from the writing alone. It feels flawless, effortless, and dreamy all wrapped in one. The descriptions and world building of the fantasy world practically had me salivating at the mouth with how pretty it was and the best part was that it all never felt overly descriptive. It was just the right amount of flowy and informative. I’ll definitely be reading more from this author in the future, that’s for sure!

What I Didn’t Like

📈 Pacing. If there is one thing in this book that I feel could have been slightly better it would be the pacing. Even though I knew this was going to be an enjoyable read the beginning started off a little slow, however, once the story picked up it took off and never looked back. So, it’s not something that killed the story for me in any way but something I think is worth mentioning.

All in all, even though this book falls into the fantasy genre I would say it more so feels like a contemporary with magical realism. I adored the writing, the characters, and the overall themes that this book discusses. Y’all better believe I will eagerly be awaiting the sequel to this novel and anything else the author writes in the future!

“I stopped looking at the bars of my cage and started looking between them. If my life sucks, that just means it hasn’t peaked yet. I’m in the middle of my story. And every tomorrow could be my happily ever after.”

I just… I’m speechless! This book was so good!! I’m not really sure what I was expecting from this story, but it definitely wasn’t this. And I mean that in the best possible way. Romina Garber has blown me away and stolen my heart.

Admittedly, it took me some time to really get invested in this story. The first handful of chapters are slower moving and pretty normal, minus a few minor details. It read more like contemporary/magical realism, which caught me off guard, but intrigued me nevertheless. Around chapter 8-ish, however, the plot takes off running and I’m telling you I COULD NOT PUT THIS DOWN.

“I’m a passenger not just in this vehicle, but in my body, in this country, in my life. Defined by decisions I didn’t make.”

This is one of those books that gets better the less you know going in, so this is going to be weirdly vague. But man, what a ride. I can honestly say I had no idea where the story was going the entire time and I got thrown some MAJOR curveballs. It was great. I can’t wait to see what happens next in book two.

The characters were too precious and I found myself falling a little in love with each of them. Manu is such an amazing, relatable protagonist with a huge heart and watching her grow over the course of the story was amazing. And I would pretty much lay my life on the line for everyone in her little found family. Saysa is the best little feminist Tinkerbell, Tiago the most adorable story-loving protector, Cata who’s fiercely loyal, and everyone else in the manada. I JUST WANT TO GIVE THEM ALL HUGS.

And the world building! I’m so fascinated by the universe that Garber has created. It has pieces of familiar legends and fairy tales, but is something completely new. The descent into this new world was very slow and gradual, which I also really liked. It added to my urgency to keep reading because every new thing I saw made me want MORE. Lately it feels like every fantasy book throws you in head first and I have to struggle to keep up, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing, but it was so nice to get a break.

My absolute FAVORITE aspect of this book though, above all else, was the amazing way Garber wove important messages into the fabric of the story. There are so many different layers to this and I was continuously blown away about how it all connected together. This book is about so many things—immigration, not fitting in, feminism, being from two worlds, gender binaries, self-esteem, friendship, LGBTQ+, found family, and so much more. But it all bleeds together, just like real life. No one fits into a predetermined box, we’re all unique individuals and I LOVED seeing that reflected in this novel.

“Now go forth and shatter every convention.”

—FINAL WORD—

Such a fun and gripping story with some important things to say. I loved every second and can’t wait for the next book. If you love fantasy, then I definitely recommend.

I gave up on Lobizona three separate times before I finally managed to finish it, but if you think this is going to be the start of a negative review, you’d be wrong. Mostly. Lobizona, in comparison to that other book which I shall not name, is well-written (and not everyone it is describe as Hot! Hot! Hot!) and the author does a great job of giving us a new fantasy world to lose ourselves in. Once I actually slogged through enough of the story to get to fully into that new magic world, I appreciated the originality of it.

I think that most of my struggles to get involved in this book revolved around three things:

This pandemic destroyed my ability to read
I am not the right age group for this book. Now, I read middle grade fantasy and such on a regular basis and can get into it quite easily, so I don’t often consider age to be a factor. But teenagers in all their overly-dramatic, hormone-fueled *makes wide “everything” gesture* are something else entirely.
I am a CIS white woman who can only come close to understanding what it is like to be an illegal if I take the worst of my Aspergery-offness, get very drunk, and look at it sideways and upside down through my legs. In other words, I can’t. So trying to connect with a character where that is so much of her life was really, really difficult at first. Especially when the character is also a teenager.
So, that established, let’s talk about Lobizona as objectively as I can.

The Positives…

Romina Garber’s writing is solid. It lacked the suck-me-in magic, but I never once considered it to be badly written, even struggling with the first half like I did. Once she finally did hook me, I zoomed through the last half of the story in a single afternoon.

The main character, Manu, is a lonely teenager fighting for her very right to exist on top of other considerations such as finding a place she belongs (and things I won’t go into for spoilers). She’s awkward and unsure of herself and she messes up and it’s easy to care for her

The world-building that Garber gives us is a mix of familiar objects and traits that somehow manages to seem completely fresh. So much beauty and uniqueness to set the battles that Manu has against. I really enjoyed it once they’d hit the location of the big game (again with the vagueness because I don’t want to spoil anything) and felt like that was where her writing really shone.

There is just the right touch of sexuality and sex in Lobizona. There are same sex relationships right along side the hetero ones. While Manu does have your typical five-gallon bucket of hormones, it’s not in every single page of the book. But when the hormones do hit, be prepared to fan yourself! (But there’s nothing so spicy you’d feel awkward reading it in public.)

The Negatives…

I have to say I just did not buy the big reveal. Not even a little bit. It felt a little like a cop-out, and that was disappointing. If you’ve read it, I’d be interested in hearing your thoughts about it.

I’ve read other books featuring illegal immigrants, and those ones did a better job of driving home how different that life is from the life of a white American citizen. This did not do that. Maybe because everything was so dramatic that there was just no real chance to highlight the subtle differences, and sometimes the subtlest can be the strongest, I think. However, those other books were for adults, this is not an adult novel. That may factor into it.

Overall, Lobizona was a good read in the end. Hard to get into, and not as rewarding as I had hoped, but I’d be willing to try the next book in the series. I want to see what she can do if she’s given a chance to expand on the world she started to build for us here.

Lobizona is a delightful Latinx-inspired fantasy filled to the brim with a one-of-a-kind magic — one with not only werewolves and witches, but also the beauty of finding one’s identity. With its lovable characters, intriguing magic system, and discussion of themes relevant in modern society, Lobizona is likely to be a 2020 favorite. I highly recommend this book to everyone! With that said, let’s get on with the review.

LOBIZONA follows the story of Manuela Azul — an Argentine girl, lobizona, and undocumented immigrant. A major recurring theme that occurs in the book is an exploration of what it feels like to not belong, to be constantly othered, to live in a life too small for yourself. Manu constantly feels alienated from the rest of the world, and above all, longs to be part of something where she can be herself without fear or shame. She wears mirrored sunglasses to hide her glowing, golden eyes and star-shaped pupils.

When her mother is detained by ICE, and her surrogate grandmother is attacked, Manu finds her entire world crumbling, leaving nothing but stacks of secrets exposed. Suddenly alone, Manu decides to find out the truth about her father’s side of the family, and her very existence.

The magic system in Lobizona is so intriguing and well-built! It was detailed and revealed at just the right pace. It also employed a magic school, which is by far one of my favorite things in books with magic. As someone who doesn’t generally enjoy werewolf books, Lobizona was such a refreshing take. However, what I loved the most about the fantastical aspect of this book is how it uses its magic system to explore themes that are not only relevant, but mirror issues in today’s society.

Gender equality, or the lack thereof, is just one of the themes explored. The magic system in Lobizona is defined by sex. Girls are brujas (witches), with elemental powers, expected to heal, nurture, and care for the magical population. Boys are werewolves, given the job to protect and defend. The hierarchy between the two and the stereotypes and expectations girls are supposed to conform to is challenged by the characters. It was lovely seeing advocacy for equality and freedom of choice for women so deftly woven within the narrative.

Likewise, homophobia among the magical population is rampant, and called out by the characters.

Lobizona also holds an amazing discussion on the value of lives of those of marginalized identities, and how they should not have to have special skills or be “worth” something to privileged communities in order to hold value. The right to exist without having to face micro-aggressions, violence, and hate is something that should belong to everyone, regardless of any other factors.

Romina Garber explores all of this through a magical world, which I think is incredible. On top of that, Lobizona has beautiful moments with familial love, friendship, and romance.

Manu’s relationship with her mother was beautiful, and heartbreaking at the same time. Even despite several secrets between the two, the unconditional love they share is so beautiful. It’s painful to see the constant fear and panic the two, along with Manu’s surrogate grandmother, Perla, live in. Even after being her ma being detained, Manu vows to fight back to her mom, no matter which country they land in.

Overall, Lobizona is a fantasy with a diverse cast of well fleshed-out characters, a detailed magic school, an intricate magic system based on Argentine myths and superstitions, and discussion on imminent topics relevant to today’s society.

Lobizona had me utterly enchanted. I adored the exploration of Argentine folklore. I flew through this, especially during the last half which hit me with all the emotion.

Romina Garber explores what it means to be an illegal immigrant and she doesn’t hold back from the horrors. The tone of the novel is set from the opening pages when Manu and her mother are hiding from ICE to avoid deportation. Despite this there is an overall theme hope and that change is possible.

Manu finds her heritage when she stumbles into El Laberinto, a magical academy for the Septimus. Spetimus are magical race where the girls are elemental witches or bruja and the guys are werewolves or lobizon. To stay in the academy, Manu needs to learn everything there is to know about this world and maybe she’ll be able to learn more about her father.

Manu feels like a fully developed character. She seems to be outcast in all directions. In the human world, she’s an illegal immigrant and due to her golden eyes with star pupils she’s unable to fit in. And on the flip since, in the world of the Septimus, she’s hybrid who shouldn’t exist. My heart breaks for her. You can feel how isolated she is and how much she wants to find a place to belong.

I love the group of friends that Manu makes. They have her back even though their society won’t accept hybrids. They are all well-rounded characters. I cannot wait to learn more about them in the rest of the series.

The diversity in this world is amazing! All the character are Latinx and we do have queer representation too. Sprinkled throughout the characters speak in Spanish, which I loved. Even though I don’t understand the language, it makes sense for the characters to switch between English and Spanish. Also while not all the Spanish sections were given a direct translation there was enough context that I understood the meaning.

I adore everything about folklore. Folklore in novels is one of my all-time favourite things. Before Lobizona I knew nothing about Agrenetine folklore as Latian American culture isn’t hugely represented in Australia. After this book, I cannot wait to learn more. The folklore elements give the world a magical realism feel rather than a typical urban or portal fantasy. I was completely sucked into the world. Lunaris is whimsical. There are fizzy flowers that you can drink and sentient trees filled with books.

I cannot wait for the sequel to be released so we can see what happens to Manu and the rest of her pack. This perfect for those who are interested in diverse fantasy and those who are interested in a look at Lantix culture and injustices Lantix immigrants face daily.

I loved how Garber brought everything together. From the start of the book we're given pieces of what either exactly is happening to Manu and small pieces of who she actually is and her father's family. Throughout the book, Garber completely pulls everything together, but in ways that you wouldn't expect until you look back. AND I LOVED IT.
One of the main things I loved in this story is how relatable Manu is. She's 16/17 years old and she just wants to find belonging. In the apartment she builds up what it must be like to be the 'other Manu' and she's constantly reading a learning. She KNOWS that her eyes are not normal, she stands out and doesn't belong. She KNOWS what an undocumented status means in this country, she stands out and doesn't belong. She KNOWS what it would mean for others to find her and see her as 'other.' When she arrives at _____ she suddenly see hope that maybe she finally belongs somewhere, only to be criticized and again, finds out, that in this new world, she is still considered 'other' and doesn't belong. But even in her 'otherness' there are people that she finds acceptance with and who end up becoming her best friends who have her back when everything seems to be going wrong.
I work with teens. The themes all throughout Manu's story are of identity, belonging, wanting to fit in, and coming to terms with who she as ALL things that teens are dealing with. And now with COVID, they're searching all the more. This is hands down a book that I would hand a teen. There's no doubt in my mind that they'll be able to relate in some way. And MAYBE. HOPEFULLY. They'll see in themselves through Manu that what they may perceive as negative or a weakness or 'other' in themselves could be their greatest strength and positive trait.
But it's also not JUST Manu. All of the main and secondary characters were SO great. Their introductions, their character development over the course of the book, their interactions with one another were so well done. It wasn't forced like some books have been recently and it just flowed really well. Saysa, Tiago, and Catalina were the perfect friends and companions for Manu. The friendships and relationships she builds over the course of the book, after not ever truly connecting with anyone other than her mom and surrogate grandma was so brilliant. And I loved them.
I also loved the Argentinian culture, customs, and lore woven throughout the story. One thing that I love about reading is that through books, you get just a small glimpse of other cultures/customs/lore that you typically might not see if you're not immersed or not intentional about learning it. Which leads to more learning and searching. I had never heard of the lore or superstition of the seventh son becoming a werewolf before this book, but it's so interesting! I also loved the inclusion of Spanish within the dialogue.
Also, side note, the magic system and world building in this book were GOLD.
Garber has written a book that I couldn't put down. I can't wait for the release of book two to see where Manu and the crew head next.

I found you the perfect suspenseful paranormal drama for the summer. A volume not to missed out on. Garber is sinking her claws into her readers and not letting go; If you are not familiar is Romina Garber; She is the author of The Zodiac  Series - a stellar series to binge. Lobizona is an important story to tell of undocumented immigrants, rigid gender roles, sexuality, and mixed-race identity. Its the perfect blend of magic and righteous anger. The cover of Lobizona is hypnotic and alluring. I could literally have the cover framed because it's so beautiful. The cover speaks volumes to the themes running deep in the novel. Packed to the teeth with exceptionally crafted fresh world-building, righteous fury, complex characters, and searing suspense and brutal magic, it's an unputdownable epic adventure. Lobizona hands down have made it to my top favorite 2020 book releases

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And if that doesn't still make you convince ... THIS BOOK CONTAINS WEREWOLVES AND WITCHES (BRUJAS) !!!!  
You need this book to be placed on your TBR right now.

Wow! I could hardly put this book down. Not only was the pacing of the story great, and the world creative, but it’s themes of immigration and not having a sense of belonging are very on point.
I really enjoyed this book the whole way through.

Lobizona pulls no punches in this YA fantasy novel revolving around Argentian folklore. It may be fantasy, but it shows the problems many undocumented immigrants face in the US. Manu is in hiding in Miami. She cannot leave the apartment where she lives until ICE discovers her. When she is forced to flee, she creates her fantasy world. Even for me, who wasn’t that excited about the fantasy, I fell into the world Manu created. I am glad there are more books in this series of magical realism. It was the cover that attracted me it’s the prose and the descriptions that kept me engaged to the end.

I put this book off I won't lie. The main reason I picked it up was because of the cover, but if this book would have been more pushy with the werewolf and witches aspect I would have jumped all over it.
It's cute how she references Harry Potter a few time in this because I got more of a twilight....but from the wolf side of the story.

I did love this book from start to finish because there was so much going on and it gave a little insight on folklore in the Argentina area.

I immediately wanted to read this when I saw that it was about immigrants. It’s such a hot topic in real life. It actually really hits close to home. Thank goodness, my mom got her American citizenship years ago.

This book did an amazing job shining a light on the fear and hardships for people who are hiding from ICE. All Manu wants is to fit in and stop hiding. She’s been hiding all her life and she’s tired of it. One day, things come to light and she’s on the run. She ends up finding more people like herself and joins this magical academy. As soon as, she’s finding her rhythm and feeling like she’s fitting in, she’s forced to make another choice.

I really loved Manu and her band of friends. Not only does this put a spotlight on immigration, it puts a spot light on great friendships. There’s also a love interest and I wasn’t completely sold on it. I’m not the biggest fan of insta-love. I had a hard time not judging Manu for being so naive at times. I know she’s been sheltered but there’s a lot of things that could have been avoided with some communication and not running away. I actually really enjoyed the f/f relationship more than the Manu + Tiago relationship.

I wish we would have gotten more world building. What Garber is trying to create here is so fascinating and I really was wishing for more. I had so many questions. The magic was really cool and is another place I wanted more.

One of my favorite things about this is the feminism in it. They question the boundaries and gender rules that are enforced between the brujas and Lobizon. Sonya is definitely an activist and I can’t wait to see what she does in the next book. She’s a great influence to push changes. Manu has an opportunity since she’s the first female Lobizon(a).

Overall, this was such an interesting read and really shines a light on important issues. I enjoyed my time in this world and can’t wait to come back. I hope that we get a lot more of the magical world in the next book.

Thank you, Netgalley & St. Martin’s Press/Wednesday Books for providing me a copy to review. Also, for reaching out to join the blog tour!

This story follows Manu and her life as an undocumented immigrant. She’s had to be invisible all of her life; no school, no friends. Manu is forced to go on the run when ICE take her mother and her grandmother. The last thing she thought she’d ever find was El Laberinto, a magical academy in the Everglades. Here, Manu is thrust this new world of fantasy.


This author tackles themes of alienation and differences in race and culture in this book. The writing wasn’t super complex, but it definitely had me wanting to continue to turn the pages. The pace of this book was pretty steady, not too slow, but it is only the first book in a series to come, so it’s understandable.


I enjoyed reading this book very much and I’m glad I was asked to join the blog tour. Manu’s character had her ups and downs for me. She acted too juvenile sometimes when she could have done other things. The rest of the characters I enjoyed as well. I can say that I loved most things about this book and the things I didn’t especially like were obscured by the things I liked. I can’t wait to read the next book in this series!


Thank you, Wednesday Books and NetGalley for this ARC and allowing me to take part in this blog tour.

4.5

There is so, so much to love in this book. It checks all my boxes for fantasy books (especially for ones set in the real world) and then some.

This story starts out in a very visceral way that might throw some people off at first. While I appreciated it thoroughly, it took until the catalyst at the 10% mark that I was really like "yes, this is a good book that I am going to enjoy."

First of my good-book-boxes, the writing is really great. Sometimes it can be hard to determine a good writer, unless it's put against a bad one (bad writers are very easy to spot), but everything about Garber's writing was crisp, clean, and also very vivid. She got to the point most of the time, while also setting the scene and painting these magical-realism-esque pictures.

Second, the plot was on point. I am a sucker for "girl finds out she has magic" stories and this one did not disappoint. In fact, it was so much more than that. From the first moment we see Manu's struggles—this goes beyond the standard "imperfect life" of main characters. She's in the country illegally and has to worry about ICE coming to send her and her mother back to Argentina. This is a very real issue and the way Garber tells it makes it all the more so. Then, when things really start cooking, Manu enters this world of lobizones and brujas to find not only her missing father, but where she belongs.

I'll also take a moment in the plot section to mention just how important this story is beyond all the fantasy elements. No one is illegal. Yet, here, Manu feels illegal on not one, but two fronts. She's living undocumented in the US and her very existence is illegal in the world of the Septimus. Garber used that idea so well here. Plus, by the end, Manu has to decide how much she wants to speak up and fight for what's right. For all the Septimus women and for herself. It's a pretty powerful story, if I may say.

Third, the characters were lovable and flawed. I thought Manu made a great main character. She faced her struggled head-on, but wasn't always a pillar of strength. She made mistakes, but rarely lost hope and fought her way through. Manu's relationships with her Ma and surrogate-grandmother Perla did not take up a lot of page-time, as they are separated early on, but they resonated throughout the entirety of the novel. Tiago was a fun love-interest and I appreciated his top quality: loyalty. Saysa was another great side character with more to her than meets the eye. I really hope to see more of her rebellious side in the next book. Now, Cata. Cata is probably one of the best side characters I've read in a long time. She seems like a typical popular/mean girl at the beginning, but her character arc was the stuff dreams are made of. While I had guessed part of her resolution halfway through the book, I was still over the moon for her by the end. Again, I can't wait to see what her character does next.

Fourth, the world-building was spot on. I mentioned earlier that this book checks my boxes for great fantasy books and especially those set in our world. This is where that comes in. It can be difficult to build a remarkable fantasy world within the confines of our own, but Garber did this very well. I think a lot of that has to do with the setting. The setting of this magical everglades, garden-like school was put together so nicely. It's definitely a fantasy setting I'd like to visit. Plus, the all the effort put behind the creating of the Septimus way of life and laws and everything was not only impressive, but just done really well. 100% believe everything on the page.

Lastly, the magic was glorious. I love a good magic system and this one was just so unique. Even though the idea of werewolves and witches is not a new one, I have never read a book quite like this one before. The magic interwoven between these not-new-ideas was beautiful and different. And I hope, now that Manu has figured out who she is really, that the next book will really delve into what else the magic entails.

Okay, so that is A LOT of amazing things about this book. Most of my complaints just aren't enough to merit repeating. However, I will mention that the romance, while sweet (I was totally on board) wasn't all that deep. It felt a little cliche? Not sure if that's the word I would use, but it definitely didn't stray far from tradition, until the end, at least. Although, there was something very briefly mentioned near the end that has me excited for their relationship in the next book.

Overall, I just loved this. It was both a magical and empowering read. Highly recommend.

I devoured this one in a five-and-a-half hour sitting! Believe me when I say that Lobizona weaves beautiful and important story about finding where and with whom you belong. I adore these characters and the world Garber crafted, I need the second book immediately, and this is not a book you want to miss!

"No matter how many borders we cross, we can't seem to outrun the fear of not feeling safe in our own homes."

Lobizona blends Argentine folklore with the everyday reality for countless undocumented immigrants as the story follows Manu, a sixteen-year-old immigrant living in Miami with her mother and adoptive grandmother. They've carved a small but secluded life in a small apartment building and Manu has lived her life shielded away to keep her safe. The hope of a better life is juxtaposed with the very real fear of being deported to a country from which they've fled, but it turns out that there's more than just ICE to be worried about.

"Visibility = Deportation. And my face is entirely too visible."

The threat of deportation is ever present, but so is the fear her father's family will find them. She's lived her life in a way to be invisible from everyone. Her grandmother provides her education within the home and Manu must follow strict rules to ensure their safety.

Manu loves books, connecting and processing the real world through the lens of literature. For the longest time, her only friends were fictional characters because she's been hidden away. But I love how her longing for a place to belong doesn't make her a pushover: she's unafraid to unleash her "inner Lizzy Bennett" and tell people precisely what she thinks.

"I'm a passenger not just in this vehicle, but in my body, in this country, in my life. Defined by decisions I didn't make. My undocumented status. My father's family. My eyes."

After her grandmother is attacked and mother detained by ICE, Manu is responsible for making her own choices for the first time in her life. The freedom to choose exhilarates her; even though she knows it may not be the right decision, it is all her own and that is worth everything to her. For too long she's been labeled and defined by others, and she is determined to unlock the mystery of her family history to find where she truly belongs.

The plot and characters were equally important to me while reading. The plot is captivating, rich, and action-packed with real-stakes to the events because I cared so much about the characters. I adore Tiago with his love for forbidden stories, Cata and her fierce protection of those she loves, Saysa and her kindness. I also really appreciate that the character relationships feel earned; they aren't instant and stay true to the kind of person each of them are because they feel like real people. I don't want to talk too much about the magical or the world Manu discovers because I think so much of the beauty is experiencing it for yourself.

"I must have left reality and stepped into a dream. The world beyond looks like an ancient city that got swallowed up by this swamp. Giant stone structures rise from the soil, as deeply rooted to the land as the foliage ensnaring them, making it impossible to know where nature ends and man begins."

The writing is descriptive and immersive, Garber draws the reader in and blending the magical into reality, taking on an almost dreamlike quality as the book progresses. The writing style shifts between straight-forward and lyrical depending on if the scene takes place in contemporary reality or in the magical reality. While at times I found the narrative a little repetitive in the first few chapters, it did not impact my enjoyment of the book in the slightest. The book has a bit of a slow start in that it takes awhile for Manu and the reader to understand what is truly going on but it never dragged to a point where I wanted to put the book down.

"Now go forth and shatter every convention."

At the heart, Lobizona is about the search for belonging when you're between two worlds and on the outside of "normal" society. While the book centers on the immigrant experience, it doesn't shy away from exploring So much more than a story about undocumented immigration. It's also about the strict gender binary, patriarchal views on gender roles, and in family (both found and blood). The weight of the world is on Manu's shoulders and I like that it isn't some mantle she immediately accepts.

"'If you're undocumented, you're unwritten. Embrace that.'
'You're saying if no one's told my story before... I get to tell it the way I want?'"

Undocumented and illegal status blends together and Manu is between two worlds, never really fitting into either due to it. I love that while she grapples with this fact, she never really seems to succumb to despair, her strength and determination shine through as she comes to terms with who she is. Embraces it thanks to the friends she makes along the way.

"If there's no word in any known vocabulary to encapsulate me, that just means language can't define me. A label can't cage me. I'm beyond classification."

Overall, Lobizona is an ambitious story which tackles issues of immigration, gender binary, patriarchy, and LGBTQIAP rights through the lens of magical realism. Manu's status of undocumented spans two worlds, straddling them as she comes to terms with who she is and finds her pack. I simply adored her found family of friends and cannot wait to see what is in store for them next. I cannot recommend this book enough: it really takes off running in the eighth chapter and is unputdownable to the very end.

Representation: immigrant, Latinx (own-voices Argentine),
Content warnings: bullying, government brutality, immigration and ICE, sexism

eARC provided by the publisher via Netgalley for my honest review. Quotations are taken from an uncorrected proof and subject to change upon final publication.

This was MAGICAL! I loved how Romina Garber wove fantasy and folklore with the very real challenges faced by undocumented immigrants in our country. Manu is a fantastic character and I loved being a part of her journey. This was an incredible YA fantasy. Highly recommend!

Full-review coming on 8/10 at www.readandwander.com

Manu knows what it’s like to be invisible. Ever since she and her mother came to America undocumented, her world has consisted of her mother, her surrogate grandmother, and their tiny apartment. Manu has known that at any moment their lives could change. On the day her mother’s work is raided by ICE and Manu’s surrogate grandmother is attacked in their home, Manu is on her own for the first time in her life. Not knowing where else to go, she begins to follow the small clues she has about the identity of her father. Clues that lead her to a secret world. A world where brujas and werewolves exist. As Manu desperately finds herself wanting to belong, her presence will shake this newfound society to its very core.

I feel like going into this book it’s easy to discern certain aspects of the story. Not so much blatantly stated, but very much inferred in everything from the very title to the blurb itself. So, following Manu along in the early parts of the book was, at times, daunting because readers know what’s coming and Manu is pretty much clueless.

Fortunately, while we’re waiting for Manu to catch up with the rest of us, Romina Garber unfolds this wonderful world steeped in history and magic with brujas and werewolves that’s so vivid and complex that I, too, wanted to spend all my time learning about it. Which is probably one of the reasons why I love the school setting so much. Schools are mini societies within themselves so it’s easy to take these larger world ideas and fit them into a more relatable configuration.

Romina Garber takes the ideas of gender roles and identity, mixes them with South American Folklore, directly compares them with the issues many immigrants are facing today and delivers a masterfully put together book. I don’t know that I’ve read a book that gives weight to so many issues, but makes the connections between them so seamlessly. And it’s not just throwing a bunch of current events into a blender, no, it’s taking things such as assigned stereotypical male and female roles, branching off into what it says about identity, then moving back to where these roles originate and how changing up the norm makes some people scream “wrong”, “different”, “illegal”.

Manu gets these feelings from both aspects of her life. Her life in the human world and then, just when she feels accepted, she’s back in the position of being illegal. But it speaks a lot to Manu’s strength that she keeps moving. She doesn’t let the naysayers bring her down because she also begins to realize that many are looking at her to be the face of change. Bringing us into the whole “Chosen One” idea. Which I think will have a bigger impact in the next book.

There were some revelations that felt a bit rushed. Like maybe too much time was spent in the buildup that things had to be crunched together toward the end, but overall it’s a great starting point for a new series that perfectly blends reality with the fantasy.

Some people ARE illegal.

Lobizonas do NOT exist.

Both of these statements are false.

Intriguing, isn't it?

Once in a while I read YA fantasy when it catches my eye and this book sure did.

This is such a unique book and I was engaged and hooked from page one when I read the prologue. This is not just your regular fantasy. It is so much more than that. This reads like a story which could also be set in contemporary times but yes, with some magical elements thrown in.

Manuela Azul, the protagonist, has been crammed into an existence that feels too small for her. As an undocumented immigrant who's on the run from her father's Argentine crime-family, Manu is confined to a small apartment and a small life in Miami. Her world completely crumbles when her mother is arrested by ICE. Although Manu manages to escape to the magical world of Kerana she quickly learns that even in Kerana…she is illegal.

This is such a well thought out and fleshed out story with such immense eye to the detailing of the world and characters. You are sucked into this world and can't wait to read more by the time you reach the last page. Immigration is such a relevant topic and I loved how the author treated it.
The pacing and plotting is very good because the author has totally set us up for the next book in the series.

I can't wait to read what happens next!

Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for sending an ARC in exchange for an honest review.