The Short Version: A modern day Argentinian folktale that doubles as a discourse on immigration and otherness inside and outside our own communities that just failed to grab me and keep me captivated

The Long Version: I got to listen to the audiobook ARC of this title thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio

This is a Fantasy title I hadn’t seen anywhere as a much anticipated title so I was surprised a story with such an intriguing description in the Sci-Fi/Fantasy realm had slipped past my notice.

Unfortunately this title just isn’t one I can shout from the rooftops as it was a bit of a chore to get through for me. The strange part about it is putting my finger on the problem(s) is a little difficult. The characters aren’t poorly constructed, though I didn’t really get invested into them. The plot marches along at a steady clip and there’s some twisting and turning, with mysterious supernatural powers being unraveled throughout. It’s just one of those books where despite a lot of elements that seem to stand solidly on their own, the story as a whole just doesn’t meld into a compelling narrative.

The first issue is that I didn’t realize until after reading that this was a sequel, so I’m sure a lot of that investment building occurred in the first book. I wasn’t willing to go back and explore the first book to try and re-evaluate so my opinions should be taken with a grain of salt. Also I do think a big part of the issue for me was the level of Spanglish in this story. There are portions where characters will speak in Spanish then the dialogue is repeated in English, there were also lots of places, concepts, etc… that were identified with Spanish names. I think if I read this as opposed to listening to the audiobook, it would have been far less jarring and much easier to get onboard with the story and really enjoy it.

So while I could appreciate the narrative and what the author was going for, everything just felt fine, not spectacular. The characters were reasonably well constructed, and their abilities were interesting, and the magic system had some decent thought put into it, I just never got invested in their struggle. The pacing was solid, the action unfolds at a consistent clip, and there weren’t lulls in action in the story, but I didn’t care about the events all that much either. I liked the ending,

Overall a 3 for me. It’s not poorly written and I see all the elements there for a story I should have loved, but for whatever reason, I just never got invested in this one. Probably very enjoyable for a large group of other readers, especially people who speak Spanish. Also probably a better title to read than listen to as the random Spanish phrases interspersed really threw me off.

Component Ratings
Concept/Idea: 3.5 out of 5
Protagonist: 2 out of 5
Antagonists: 1 out of 5
Supporting Characters: 3 out of 5
Character development: 3.5 out of 5
Plot: 3 out of 5
Pacing: 4 out of 5
Prose: 4.5 out of 5
Dialogue: 4 out of 5
Narrator’s performance: 4 out of 5
Ending: 3 out of 5

Cazadora is the second in the Lobizona series. We get even more social commentary on immigration and what it’s like to be labeled “illegal”.

I did struggle a bit in the middle of the book where it focused more on the relationship between Manu and Tiago, but the last half of the book sucked me right back in.

I hope there is a third book to this series, as there is a lot more that could be explored. The ending seems to hint that way. However, if there isn’t, this nook does have a pretty satisfying ending.

The audiobook narrator was the same as Lobizona and she does a fantastic job.

Also, read the acknowledgements!

Thank you to NetGalley, Wednesday Books, and MacMillan Audio for a digital ARC and ALC in exchange for my honest review.

This book was a good book. It was very predictable and I found myself spacing out and getting bored listening to it. I thought the storytelling was beautiful. The narrator did such a great job reading the story. I thought the world was interesting and different than other fantasy worlds I’ve read about. The plight of families being separated is heartbreaking. Hearing about how they feel and what they go through is an eye opening experience.

Blending Argentine mythology with searing commentary on sexism, homophobia, colorism, and anti-immigrant sentiment, this fantasy series is definitely one worth reading.

I've had a string of disappointments for second books in YA series recently, so I'm very pleased to say that Cazadora was just as good as I hoped it would be. I loved being back in this lush, imaginative world with great characters. I find this series to be so immersive, weaving a backdrop that feels almost real and makes me wish I could join this world of brujas, lobizones, romance, and magic.

I don't want to spoil anything, but this was a twisty adventure that introduced new, intriguing parts of the world in a story fraught with danger, yet grounded in friendship, found family, and love of all kinds. Also there's a romance that heats up, offering a sex-positive approach to a healthy relationship. This was fantastic and I can't wait for the third installment in the series! People are sleeping on these books. The audio narration is very good, though I was glad I had the ebook to read along, especially given the amount of Spanish used in the text. I received an advance audio and digital copy of this book for review via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

I received an audiobook of Cazadora by Romina Garber (Wolves of No World, book 2) for review provided by Macmillan Audio via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Cazadora 4⭐️
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I was really excited when I was approved for this one. I loved Lobizona so much and couldn’t wait to see what happened next. I also listened to the audio and enjoyed the narrator. Cazadora equally delivers.

Beautifully written, real world issues expertly woven in, excellent narration. The world is described beautifully. I really enjoyed the character development of Manu. The internal conflict of not knowing where you fit, going on a journey of self discovery. I also really love that it’s based off of Argentinian folklore, it was something different for me, that I really enjoyed.

Blurb:
Werewolves. Witches. Romance. Resistance.

Enter a world straight out of Argentine folklore...

Following the events of Lobizona, Manu and her friends cross the mystical border into Kerana—a cursed realm in Argentina—searching for allies and a hiding place. As they chase down leads about the Coven—a mythical resistance manada that might not even exist—the Cazadores chase down leads about Manu, setting up traps to capture and arrest her.

Just as it seems the Cazadores have Manu and her friends cornered, the Coven answers their call for help. As Manu catches her breath among these non-conforming Septimus, she discovers they need a revolution as much as she does.

But is she the right one to lead them? After all, hybrids aren’t just outlawed. They’re feared and reviled. What happens when the Coven learns of Manu’s dual heritage? Will they still protect her? Or will they betray her?

And after running this far, for this long—how much farther can Manu go before her feet get tired, and she stops to take a stand?

I was granted audio ARC access to Cazadora by the Macmillan team via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to whoever does the approvals for the YA titles! This is a highly anticipated one for me. My thoughts are my own and my review is honest.

While the first book in this series opened in the real world a spent a lot of time introducing readers to the plight of an undocumented immigrant in the USA and the experience of a Latin American girl being raised far from home, which both blended into and foreshadowed the equally misfit status Manu would face in the magical world, Cazadora focuses entirely on the magical and only occasionally highlights parallels to issues in the real world. I really enjoyed all the additional exploration we got to do in this world, getting to know how it works, getting to know more about the other characters, and learning more about the magic system. The world(s) of this series feel much more tangible to me now, and I love that.

The plot follows Manu and her allies as she tries to run from the law long enough to form a plan to make the stubbornly stuck in their old ways elders of this world accept not only her, a hybrid and an unprecedented female wolf but also her friends who are ready to challenge tradition and embrace non-traditional relationships and orientations. This group of young people has a lot to fight for, and a lot to lose, and this book doesn't cut them any slack. If you're only reading to be entertained, then it's a high-stakes action-adventure fantasy about a group of teens trying to change their world (a mainstay of YA in this century.) If you're here to learn and grow and acknowledge all of the real-world plights this book points spotlights at, it's a beautifully crafted metaphorical essay on racism, sexism, and homophobia in our modern world.

This is definitely shaping up to be the sort of series that must be read in order. There's absolutely no recap (which is not a complaint from me, those are often so poorly handled and they're annoying for readers who aren't jumping in midstream) and that means a lot of world-building and character introductions don't happen here. This one assumes you've read Lobizona, likely recently, and throws you right back into the action where you left off, ready to send you off on a chosen one type middle book goose chase. It remains to be seen whether or not this will prove to be a sagging middle book or not, only reading later books in the series will reveal that for sure, but I can see the potential for this book to be something readers would struggle to connect with and get pulled into if they aren't reading in order or take too long of a break between books. You really need to already have a connection with Manu and friends to care and feel invested enough to hang on through all the twists and turns. This book won't take time to convince you to love her if you don't already.

Without being specific enough to reveal a spoiler, there is a character death mid-book that just doesn't hit me the way I think the author intended. I think I was meant to feel more connected to that character than I did. I think the events that character's death set in motion are supposed to feel more significant than they did. In execution, it felt pointless. When a witch in this world dies, one last spell is cast. The spell cast in this case is basically an "undo" on the consequences of the event that kills her. It just feels like the most unnecessary deus ex machina moment I've ever come across.

Sol Madariaga's narration was a pleasure to listen to, for the most part, and I think the minor thing I didn't like is a language barrier issue with the original text. Sol speaks every Spanish line with a beautiful authentic-sounding accent (as far as this non-Spanish speaker can tell at least!) I love listening to the cadence of this language and hearing these beautiful names pronounced correctly, but when characters read or speak lengthy passages entirely in Spanish, it's a bit overwhelming. This book opens entirely in Spanish and then (I assume) provides the English translation. It was long enough that I started to wonder if either I'd accidentally accepted a Spanish language audio ARC or if the narrator's accent was so strong that I was going to need to slow it way down to parse it. I hadn't, and it wasn't, but it was overwhelming. If I were reading it with my eyes rather than my ears I would have seen the English text following it and just skipped to it. I recognize that language is integral to culture, this is based on Argentine folklore, and that even the domestic audience for the publisher in the USA should be used to seeing/hearing the Spanish language even if they aren't fluent themselves. As a Canadian, this isn't a language I'm exposed to frequently, so that's my genuine reaction to hearing it.

Overall I really enjoyed returning to this world and I can tell there's a lot of story left to tell in the series. I highly recommend this book to those who enjoyed the first, and I eagerly await the next installment.

**3.5-stars rounded up**

Cazadora is the anticipated sequel to Romina Garber's 2020-release, Lobizona; both part of the Wolves of No World series. I say series, when in reality, I have no idea how many books are set to be released in this world. I'll tell you one thing though, after the stunning conclusion to this book, there's a heck of a lot more story left to tell!

Manuela Azul, Manu to her family and friends, knows what it is like to be different and to be judged for her differences. As an undocumented person living in Miami, Manu was constantly under stress of detection and persecution. Unfortunately, due to her hybrid nature, Manu is also judged and persecuted within the magical world of Argentinian folklore, a great part of her heritage, as well.

Whereas the first book had quite a bit of the narrative set in our world, this volume focuses more on the magical world and Manu's place within it. As her new-found friend group supports and builds her up, they are simultaneously being hunted by the authorities. Manu's very existence challenges all the rules of their culture. She's a threat and they'll stop at nothing to capture her and take her out. Will Manu be able to evade them and keep those she loves safe?

I really enjoyed my time reading <i>Cazadora</i> and overall, found it to be an improvement over the first book. The magical world, in particular, was built out so much more and I felt the stakes were truly raised for Manu.

While the fantasy elements of this story aren't necessarily my favorite, where Garber truly excels is in capturing emotion. Manu's situation is extremely difficult and reading her working through it, oh man, I felt everything she was feeling. She is so tough, but everyone can feel vulnerable and defeated at times.

This is an inspiring story. Manu gains strength when she realizes the causes she is fighting for are so much larger than herself.

Garber did a fantastic job of weaving real-world issues into this otherwise fantastical tale; which is true of the first book as well. Stories like this are so important. I feel like Readers, who may have previously struggled to find themselves within the stories they are reading, can find themselves here and that's a special thing.

I would love to see more in this world, with this phenomenal group of characters. The further I go along, the more attached I am getting to them all!

Thank you so very much to the publisher, Wednesday Books, for providing me with a copy of the audiobook to read and review. Romina Garber is a star and I know she is going to continue to grow with everything she writes. I am certainly willing to go along for the ride!!

I love this narrator. She was definitely giving life to the characters and kept me from DNF the book, because as much as I love the first one the second was kind of bland but seeing as there might be another. I get that most second ones are a bust

If you enjoy magical realism, you will love Romina Garber’s newest book in the Wolves of No World series. Netgalley gifted me a free e-ARC of the sequel, Cazadora, and I was so excited to jump in and finish the series! In the follow-up to Lobizona, Romina Garber continues to weave Argentine folklore and real-world issues into a haunting, fantastical, and romantic story that will reunite readers with Manu and her friends as they continue to fight for a better future.

“That’s why every new generation makes improvements.”

First of all, I love that this book was filled with Spanish aphorisms and phrases, and includes vocabulary in-context to help teach Spanish to non-speakers. As someone who is constantly trying to improve my Spanish, this is something I really appreciate seeing in new books. Garber does it well, allowing the reader to infer meaning from context clues without needing to use a translator. However, I can also really appreciate having the translation dictionary available if I do need it, conveniently built into my e-reader. It saves a lot of time not having to click out of the book, and as a visual learner I enjoy seeing side-by-side translations because it really helps me to understand spelling and pronunciation.

The first book Lobizona raised important questions on issues like gender, sexuality, and the complications that arise for Latin-Americans who grow up caught between two cultures. In the same way that Manu and her Ma tread between being Argentinean Americans, Manu must find balance between her human and werewolf sides. In the world of Lunaris, gender roles still dominate the culture: girls are Brujas and boys are Lobizónes. Manu is one of the first female werewolf’s and she has to overcome the “narrow and outdated approach to identity” that permeates Lunaris culture. Even the fast that her “irises are yellow suns and pupils are silver stars” contain contrasting symbolism that foreshadows the male-female dichotomy within her.

“After everything we’ve been through, the one thing I’m sure of is, I’ve found where I belong.”

Identity is a large theme in both of the books: Manu wants to belong, but must, above all things, learn to be true to herself. Manu feels as if she is “pretending”: because she must walk a fine line between Bruja and Lobizon for most of the story, she feels as if she doesn’t truly belong. ”Just holding this paperwork makes me feel like less of a forgery.” Though she is forced out of her comfort zone, the path she finds herself taking is essential to her growth and leads her to finding out who she truly is and where she truly belongs.

“You’re shaming Lily for wanting to fit into society around her, which might be a natural impulse if you’re someone who has the choice to belong. But fitting in looks different when your left out by default.”

Though she is reserved at first, Manu believes she belongs in Lunaris. She makes friends with people who support her and defend her, and ultimately feels accepted once she reveals her truth. And not only do they accept her, they begin to follow her lead. When she challenges the binary norms and joins the team of boys, the desire for changes has an immediate ripple effect through her peers. The changes in Lunaris sort of echo the changes people are fighting for in American society: “schoolgirls refusing to wear dresses, Septimas charging Septibol fields, brujas protesting at La Rosada and demanding higher pay for their magic…”

“As much as I might try repressing that part of me, adopting a new culture doesn’t magically erase the old one. They get braided together.”

Memory is a another huge theme within the books. It is her memories that makes Manu who she is, but they also seem to keep Manu from embracing her true self. She is stuck in the past, and has a difficult time letting go. Though memories can be an important tool in constructing individual and cultural identity, for Manu it is crucial that she remakes her identity to embrace who she truly is instead of the person she thought she was. She has a hard time letting go of her old life and fears, but it is essential to her character that she learn to let go of the old and make way for the new. At the same time, she must learn to embrace her past as well as her present, must learn to “bridge two realms of reality” to create and understand her identity, to understand where she comes from and where she belongs.