I absolutely adored this debut YA fantasy! The writing is absolutely stunning and so is the vivid setting that readers are swept into. The characters were rich and dynamic, and that ending truly stunned me!! I cannot wait to read more writing from Lizz Huerta, there is so much to discuss within this story and I'm craving more of her writing style!

I am absolutely delighted to have the opportunity to put Lizz Huerta's THE LOST DREAMER in readers hands. Lizz's work has delighted me for ages, whether it's her social media posts about her family or her stellar contribution to A PEOPLE’S FUTURE OF THE UNITED STATES, the haunting story of "The Wall." While set in a fantastic historical Mesoamerica, THE LOST DREAMER's characters face eternally current challenges of family and expectations and hidden truths, and the ways in which men will try to diminish or channel women's powers to increase their own. I am particularly fond of both the ways in which Indir and Saya's worlds interweave natural, magical, and cultural elements, and of the healthy and inclusive portrayals of romantic relationships. Highly recommended.

Words cannot express how much of a MARVEL this book was. From the beginning of the first page, I was already hooked by the story. There is some secret magic sprinkled in Lizz Huerta's writing that I just cannot explain. It pulls you into the story and immerses you in a magical world rich with a diverse culture and unique take on mythology and folklore. She is definitely an author I will be revisiting again!

Read this. It's fantastic. It features Indigenous cultures in a way I've never seen before. The magic of the world isn't scienced away as though the people just don't know better, it is allowed fully to stand as really, genuine magic, that lives outside of the Western tradition. For that alone I would recommend it. But the story is also fantastic. Featuring two parallel narratives of two young women, the stories are woven together expertly. There is a twist, it is excellent, it didn't even occur to me to see it coming. You won't regret picking this one up.

I was so excited for this book, a Mesoamerica fantasy sounds so cool! But I was confused from page one until the end pretty much and found myself not really getting invested in any of the characters. Some of the most dramatic moments seemed brushed off as well. 2.5 stars for me, unfortunately.

Lizz Huerta has written a wonderfully written novel, The Lost Dreamer, with a well-developed plot and lore. Excellent plots, characters, and worldbuilding.

This is a beautifully crafted world! I got the privilege to watch Lizz speak about her book. I am a history and anthropology enthusiast this book definitely pulled me into a world that has a culture very similar to ancient Mesoamerica. It was dreamy and full of realistic situations all at the same time. This book is perfect for any teens that may have a Mesoamerican decent or has a high interest in ancient cultures. This is a fantasy book for the archaeologist at heart. Another layer to the book is community. The way that Huerta built community in this book is masterful. You really see how each member of the community relies on each others gifts and strengths. You also see great empathy and compassion for each other.

*3.5
This novel was full of magic, history, and culture. It's action-packed, and it's not your average YA, which was a big plus for me. The characters were also crucial in propelling this plot forward. The Lost Dreamer has a lot of powerful elements that I enjoyed and hope to see more of in the future.

The full review to come, and rating may change.

Thank you to Fierce Reads and Macmillan Publishing Group for awarding me an e-galley of The Lost Dreamer by Lizz Huerta (and of course, HUGE thank you to Lizz Huerta as well!) Below is my honest review.

The Lost Dreamer plunges us into a world based on ancient Mesoamerica. It's filled with lush environments where there are many different tribes of people with various gifts and ways of connecting with the world around them. We focus on a particular group called Dreamers, who can go into Dreams to see things such as truth, possibility, the future, etc. Told in dual perspectives, the reader follows the struggle of the Dreamers who are fighting for survival in a world who wants to suppress them or use them for selfish gain, personal and political.

My thoughts overall are very positive. The story is compelling; both main characters tell their own unique stories with very different lives and conflicts. It's intriguing to follow throughout the book and, as you switch back and forth between POVs, wonder how the two stories are connected. The prose is thoughtful and intentional, though my engagement with the overall story did ebb and flow somewhat sporadically at times due to minor issues I had with the pacing. There were times I was captivated to the point of not wanting to put the book down, and other times I thought the events taking place were too slow or confusing to tie together. There were also a few particular moments I felt dissatisfied as a reader, feeling like I was being led to a certain build-up or reveal of awaited plot details, only for the moment to not reveal much or move on too quickly.

However, the last act of the book was very enticing and left me on the edge of my seat for the sequel (at least, the sequel I hope is being written!). There is so much that was earned when you arrive at the end of the characters' journeys in this book, but also so much possibility and new questions that were opened up. I can't wait to see where the story (again, hopefully!) goes from here, and I definitely recommend this book to anyone looking for a fresh, imaginative fantasy when this releases in March.

While I don't usually read fantasy books, this one caught my attention with its description. The story follows two young seers. Indir descends from a long line of Dreamers, has spent her life in the Night Temple Dreaming for the people, and has the rare gift of Dreaming truth. Saya hasn't received any formal training and lives hiding her gift, as her mother exploits it and passes it off as her own.

This book honestly made me homesick for a culture and people that I feel distantly connected to. More than anything, I'm grateful to this book and author for bringing to life the world and people in this story.

The story started off pretty slowly, and it took me a while to catch on to what certain words meant and how this society worked. The characters were captivating, and the imagery was beautiful. Some of the ways the characters spoke felt weird to me but made sense given the traditions and beliefs they had.

The ending made it clear that there's still a lot more story to be told. This book was very much setting the stage and introducing us to the characters more than anything. I'm curious to see what will happen next!

I just finished this and I loved the entire concept of the book !!! I really hope we get a sequel or atleast a spin off novel


Thank u fiercereads for an e galley
Full rtc !

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. I really liked this book, the characters were well written, and the descriptions were amazing. The only issue that I had with the book is that at times I did end up a bit confused about what was going on.

Wow Wow Wow! I loved The Lost Dreamer so much. The world-building, magic system, and characters were all top-notch. Really stunning work.

What a story! A world of dreamers, magic, healing singers and fire warriors is created in this beautifully written story. Two women whose destinies are foretold to save the way of the dreamers. Save the world from a tyrant king. Each on their own adventure destined to find each other during a time of chaos and change to find the lost dreamer who is the key.
I very much enjoyed reading this book. Characters were well written and the world of dreamers and Alcanzah is well developed. Books rarely surprise me with twists I’m not expecting and this one has a doozie and i loved it! The end comes abruptly and leaves some room for interpretation or possibly another book to follow.. There’s loss, adventure, love and sacrifice. I recommend this book for more advanced YA readers.
Thank you to Macmillan publishing to allow me to read and review this book

This is a great story, told in a clever way, that is a compelling fantasy novel as well as a book that models consent, compassion, and ways of leading and providing guidance without violence. There's a ton of body knowledge and characters who are very cognizant of their emotions and physiological responses to things. The much-needed non-Eurocentric world-building is strong, although many aspects of the world are slowly revealed and readers will need to be patient with things that remain unexplained at the beginning. The book clearly has a sequel coming; what's here are two backstories conveying what readers will beed to know before they read the next book in the series, which promises more action. The writing was sometimes clunky, with short sentences and awkward phrasing, perhaps because the author is writing for YA audiences and thinks this is necessary, but the imagery and ideas are more than enough to overcome reader reluctance that might come up because of the writing seeming too simple.

This plot twist had me REELING. The world building, battle against the patriarchy and mix of magic has me in love with this book from page one. Huerta has woven a world of magic and about finding one’s place even within the dark. I can’t wait to read more from this author.

The Lost Dreamer is an absolute must-read for 2022. In fact, I predict that it will be quite the underdog. You see, I haven’t read a debut with such rich worldbuilding, beautiful writing, and enthralling magic in a long time.

There is so much to unpack here. One of the things I loved about this novel was the worldbuilding. I seriously don’t think that there is a book I’ve read in recent times that manages to be so creative and unique in its magic system. I would love to discover more about Mesoamerican culture and mythology now! Especially because the author notes in her acknowledgments that this was a book specifically based on the Kumeyaay tribe of people.

So there’s this concept of the Dream, where only Dreamers can go. Spirits live there and can help if offerings are made. I loved how you had so many different types of Dreamers. For example, Indir is a Dreamer of truth, while her sister Dreams possibility. There are also healers who sing Songs of healing through water, and the Fire Warriors are uh…basically the Fire Nation. There are also these amazing women named the Ilkan (who remind me of the Amazons from Greek mythology) who are very in tune with jaguar spirits. This book is just chock-full of creative magic!

Also, can we please appreciate the women??? They’re often described as having round hips and bellies, being tall and short, and having all different body types. And you know what? Each body type is considered to be equally beautiful and perfectly natural. I personally loved that. Also! I’m pretty sure only women are Dreamers? Which is awesome? The synopsis describes this book as tackling the themes of dismantling a patriarchal society and I can 100% see that.
And oh my gosh the writing is just…I’m speechless. So many sentences were strung together by an almost ethereal combination of adjectives and nouns and verbs, creating metaphors and similies effortlessly. I will say that sometimes the story dragged, though. It felt slow, and I had to really focus to envision the rich world and complex characters.

I’m not totally happy with one romantic plotline (personal preference y’know) but other than that, I really enjoyed the plot of this book. There were a few minor twists throughout the story but the last 25% really took me on a trip. I’m still reeling. Saya and Indir’s stories are just incredibly well-done. 4.5/5 stars!

I received an advanced copy of The Lost Dreamer by Lizz Huerta for my honest review.
I really enjoyed this book. The story telling was rich with vibrant imagery. I loved reading the two different view point of the two main characters, Indir and Saya. They were both strong in their own ways. I enjoyed reading about the Dreamers and what it was like in The Dream for them.
There were moments were I was slightly confused about the time line. I also felt that the ending was a bit rushed. The ending is good if there is going to be another book in the series, however if not then it leaves too many unanswered questions.
I fully intend to buy a physical copy of this book when it comes out and I am excited to read more from this author!

I DNFd this book. I was a quarter of the way through it but I was just so lost and confused that I couldn’t keep reading it. I should also say that I don’t usually read this type of book, but I tried.

This book is gorgeous. I started reading it as soon as I was approved. I'm going to be on the lookout for more from her in the future.