Well performed audiobook! The story line was interesting with well written characters. I enjoyed the cultural representation and the struggles with balancing the various aspects discerning who one is against sociocultural norms,

Actual Rating 2.5

TW: Stalking, Bullying

Ada and Miry go on a family trip to an ancient ruin and accidentally end up starting what promises to become a city-wide catastrophe. This triggers hidden powers in the cousins, ones they struggle to understand as they struggle to get along. The only thing they know for sure is that everything is tied to the ancient ruins of Teotihuacán, and that they must race against time to find answers before Mexico City comes under threat.

This story is told from the dual POV of two cousins, one who identified as American and the other who identified as Mexican. While it is part of a larger collection of books (The Old Gods world), you can read this book without having read any of the others.

My favorite part of this book was the history and lore surrounding Teotihuacán and the magical realism aspects. The magic was a lovely addition, and I liked how well it was tied into the history and lore of the country. The balance of the magic, the consequences of using it, and the girls trying to figure out the limits and source of their powers added fascinating aspects to the story.

There were a few aspects I didn’t care for. This book was all about keeping secrets from parents and those older/wiser than the protagonists. It’s not a good message to reinforce in fiction, and I dislike how often it shows up in YA books. The other thing was that the jealousy and rivalry between the cousins became frustrating. It was painfully repetitive, with both cousins saying almost exactly the same thing in the chapters from their POV. Their arguing was just as painfully annoying, and all of this lasted until over halfway through the book – it detracted from the plot and my enjoyment significantly. Thankfully it likely won’t be an issue in the future books since it was resolved in this one.

This one almost read a bit more like a MG read based on the writing aside from the amount of swearing and the TW themes (there’s a significant of swearing, which I found unnecessary and odd). This made it feel a bit awkward overall and like it might not quite satisfy any audience. I love the concept of this book, but it just didn’t deliver the way I hoped it would. My thanks to NetGalley and Bandele Books for allowing me to read this work. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are my own.

The sunlit ruins, written by Andrea Septién is a wonderful story, playing in modern day Mexico city, entwined with century old magic, Teotihuacán, and deities.
The story focuses on two cousins Ada and Miry who cannot stand each other, trying to save the city, whilst trying to figure out their powers.
I loved the story, the relationship between the cousins and how they evolved, faced with identity problems, magic and danger.
I enjoyed not having the greek pantheon, wich so many books feature nowadays, but diving into the world of Teotihuacán. I have to admit I learned a lot, as I hadn’t really stumbled upon these deities before.
The magic system is super interesting and I enjoyed learning more about the magic together with our Main Characters.
And the ending of the book was so good, but it still leaves me wanting more, I want to explore the world further. It felt as if the book had only scratched the surface, intriguing me.
However I wasn’t to fond of the use of spanish, I don’t understand spanish that well, but that made me relate to Ada, who also doesn’t know spanish.
I read this book as an audiobook. The narrator has a captivating voice and manages to show each character differently, especially with the use of accents.
But I did have some issues with the audiobook, there were a lot of sound effects in between. I understand that many people enjoy that, however I did not. Rather I was constantly sucked out of the book into reality and it was difficult to stay in the flow in the story.
Considering all the points i mentioned I would give the audiobook 3,25 stars, personally I would have probably rated it higher if I had read it as I absolutely love the story, I just had a big issue with the sound effects.

I love stories combining culture and mythology and magic, so this was a super fun and interesting YA fantasy read. The audiobook narration was phenomenal with music and sound effects. Sometimes the writing felt a little too juvenile for me, but not enough to put me off. I look forward to reading more about this universe in future books of this series.

3.75/5

Thank you Netgalley for providing a digital ARC.

I didn't get a chance to download this, but recently bought it on Amazon!

The Sunlit Ruins is a fun twist on the gods, a fast-paced book about a girl and her cousin who accidentally cause a disaster. They were constantly arguing but it was seriously so funny. I love how they randomly gain powers and have no idea how or why they have them.

I found this book so entertaining and I can't wait for more!!!

4.5 Stars

What Ada and Miry, two Mexican-American cousins, thought would be just another summer in Mexico with their families, turns out to be the start of an adventure they could never have imagined.

Ada and Miry must overcome their differences to work together to uncover the mysteries behind Teotihucán and the learn who the Archivists are.

Narrators Luzma Ortiz and Martin Martinez did a really wonderful job at bringing this story to life. The audio is full of music and effects that help provide depth and make this story very enjoyable to listen to. This makes the Sunlit Ruins a very quick fast paced read.

I really enjoyed how well put together both the book and audio were.

That being said I do have a few minor elements I had did not enjoy. Parts of the story where Ada or Miry was upset or complaining came off as very winey and somewhat annoying. This did not take way from the story but was something I noticed.

Due to the narrator being the same for both Ada and Miry it was sometimes hard for me to tell who’s POV we were in. This wasn’t a major problem but I do feel like two different narrators might have helped bring out more of the differences in their tones.

Overall the narration and the writing was very well done and extremely enjoyable. The further you get in the story, the more everything picks up due to how well the pace of the writing and the narration are matched.

I really enjoyed the mythology and am glad to have had a chance to read this story about the deities of Teotihucán, which I had not read about until now.

I personally enjoyed the Sunlit Ruins a great amount for I am a huge fan of stories involving mythology. I think that if you, like I, enjoy books like Percy Jackson, then the humor, mythos, and energy of this book will really speak to you.

I cannot wait to read more from this world and the author.

Thank you to Bandele Books, NetGalley, and the author for an ALC for my honest review.

To start, the narrator for this audiobook has a wonderful voice for story telling. I really appreciated the enthusiasm and emotion she brought to the story, but the sound effects were so loud and distracting it detracts from the story. In theory, sound effects seem fun and I've read some books that have done an excellent job at putting it in subtly. But this is definitely a case of being too heavy handed.
Overall the story was entertaining. I can definitely see this as a story I would have loved to read in middle school but it's a bit juvenile for me now. I was very excited to give this book a go as I am also someone of mixed heritage and I love reading modern adaptations of mythology such as The Sunbearer Trials, Percy Jackson, etc.
However, I wish the book would take its audience more seriously. I feel like the best kind of YA book is one that can be enjoyed regardless of age. And I say this as one who still re reads favorites from my childhood on a regular basis. I feel like if a plot has to be spoon fed to the reader with certain tropes being rehashed over and over again it starts to be something too noticable to an older audience.
The bickering of the two main characters got a bit excessive at times but the world building and core messages were still good enough that I would recommend this book to younger readers.

Thank you NetGalley and publishers for an advanced audiobook of this title in return for an honest and unbiased review.

Middle-grade fantasy, family first, Mexican ancient ruins, and mythical beasts - oh my!

I had fun with this book and enjoyed the sound effects that were included. I can see how someone of this age group would LOVE this audiobook and would recommend!

Content Warning: death/murder of animal/creature

4 stars

What a delightful book. This was probably one of the best book narrations I have ever had the pleasure of listening to. Luzma Ortiz absolutely NAILED it with her amazing and talented voice. Ortiz did a phenomenal job expressing emotion throughout the story. There were also sound effects, which I LOVE in audiobooks.

This story was fast-paced and full of action. It was a true journey. There were moments that were funny, moments that were emotional, and moments that made my breath catch. While geared towards a young adult audience, I truly enjoyed this novel as a grown woman. It was such a relatable story that had me captivated from the beginning to the end. Well done!

Thank you NetGalley and Bandele Books for an ALC in exchange for my honest and voluntary review.

Very fun fantasy/historical story, i asbolutely enjoyed it, and the added effect of the cousins connecting is simply beautiful. I totally recommend this to anyone who enjoys historical fantasy, feisty heroines, and loving families.

Thank you to netgalley and the author for sending me the book in exchange for an honest review.

I really enjoyed the narrators, they really managed to capture the characters well!

Ada and Miry are cousins who haven’t gotten along in years and are suddenly thrust into a world of ancient gods, magic, and secret societies when their magic is unlocked on a trip to ancient ruins.

Full of adventure this book is also the story of family and how our differences can be our greatest weapons. The audiobook narrator is incredible and the sounds effects add an extra layer to the telling of this story. This book is full of heart and touches on how family ties can shape the people in your family differently.

I recommend this to anyone looking for an exciting fantasy adventure centered around family. Thank you to NetGalley for an advanced copy of this audiobook.

The Sunlit Ruins combines equal parts exploration of adolescent Mexican American identity, family bonds, and the deities of Teotihuacán, The story follows cousins Mari and Ada as they discover their power and work to prevent catastrophe the only problem is Ada and Mari don't particularly like each other.

I loved the exploration of the philosophy of Teotihuacán and its deities in this story. I found the plot interesting and engaging with some unique monsters to fight along the way. Ada and Mari's relationship with each other and what it means to each of them to be Mexican American is explored with an interesting dichotomy between two girls. Their relationship and interactions are true to the teenagers they are.

I listened to the audiobook for this book. The narration was well done. My only criticism would be the active inclusion of acted laughter after lines similar to "I laughed."

Thank you to NetGalley and Bandele Books for the audio ARC of this book. All expressed opinions are my own.

I got an audio ARC of this book and I got into about 10% of it which I think is a pretty decent amount for a YA book to get my attention. Unfortunately, I really didn't vibe with the story which felt like the writing style of the author didn't fascinate enough for me to care for these characters or the story.

The promise of the book was what grabbed my attention initially which was based on the African culture theme. I think it has a pretty mundane magic system that I could not believe even for the story's sake. But the audiobook production was excellent with amazing sound effects, background music and everything. This is why I am giving this 2 stars where I feel like it is not reasonable to rate the book. But I really wanted to love the story and explore the culture specially that ended up a disappointment.

Pum-Eagles, Mayan Gods, and Cacti Needles Oh MY!

Trigger Warnings:
Sexual Assault (Groping)
Death
Chronic Illness
Bullying

This was a refreshing story about two Mexican-American cousins, Ada, born in the United States, and Miry, born in Mexico, who were born on the same day at the same time. Throughout the story, they are learning about their culture, and history, repairing their fractured relationship, remembering and recovering from trauma, accepting themselves for who they are, and learning to work together.

Ada is visiting over the summer with her family in Mexico City and while visiting the Teotihuacán pyramids the girls are transported through a portal to that ancient city and accidentally release an evil spirit, that can end the entire world. Dormant magical powers appear within the girls, confusing them but also getting them interested in figuring out the Who, What, When, Where, How, and WHY of what is happening to them.

Ada and Miry are joined by their college-age cousin who helps them along the way, some ghosts, Puma-eagles, giant spiders, and Mayan Gods. The girls are pre-teens, just 12 years old, which I was a tad bit surprised by, as I thought their ages were around 15 or 16. The author handled some of the more taboo topics gently, while still explaining the impact of the trauma experienced by Miry. We get to follow along with them as they follow the trail to finding The Archivists of Teotihuacán, an organization that is supposed to be able to help them figure it out and banish the evil spirit. Together they travel across Mexico City finding out more about themselves, and their new powers, meeting an old God, learning to use their powers, and figuring out how to get along with each other and what family means.

I thoroughly enjoyed listening to this story about Ada and Miry. It was fresh and new and I honestly enjoyed the fact that, while it is listed as Sci-Fi & Fantasy and Teens & YA, it felt more in line with a story my 9-year-old granddaughter would enjoy, except for a few "bad words" sprinkled here and there. Of course, in today's society, those words are not shocking at all unless you live under a rock. I also enjoyed the fact that this story is in another country and was narrated in clear English but with some Spanish influence and speaking, which was very refreshing. There were some background sounds sprinkled here and there like the sounds of Mexico City, the voice of the spirit, etc. I am glad that it wasn't as overwhelming as some can be, but do think there could have been a bit more. The narrator put everything she had into this story, the lilting of her voice while reading normally, the raising of voices, the teasing and bullying tones, it was almost like I was listening to a TV show or movie at times. This in itself is enough to keep readers interested.

The characters were engaging, I became engaged with them and their lives and wanted to know more, as well as wanting to find out everything about their powers and the Archivists. I think the world-building could have been better as I would have liked to have been able to picture the city and scenery in my mind more, especially when the girls were in the jungle. I did like the sounds included such as the panthers' growls. I loved watching the girls' relationship building over the story, putting aside their differences, and learning the true meaning of friendship and family.

People of all ages will enjoy this story as the audiobook creates an immersive experience that allows the reader to connect more with the characters and their experiences. While I think reading this story in any format, be it print, digital, or audio, the audio version would be the best for those wanting to truly immerse themselves in the experience. I usually don't compare books but this one reminded me of Percy Jackson and his adventures learning about his history. This is my first experience with a book by the author Andrea Septién and I believe I will have to check out more and share this audiobook with my granddaughter.

The audiobook is absolutely amazing! There are just the right amount of background noises to really make me feel like I was in Mexico City. Ada and Miry are wonderful. They learn and grow as people, but also with their powers as well. The solution to the problem is not easy and I thought that the solution was very well done. I love the way the author used the mythology of central Mexico! It wasn't trying to teach about the mythology. It was a story using the mythology. I can't wait until book two to see what happens next with Ada and Miry.
If you have ever been to central Mexico, read this book. If you would like to know more about central Mexico, read this book. If you like learning about lesser known mythologies, read this book.

3 ⭐️
The book concept was really interesting but the world building and the gods felt like they needed to be fleshed out more or at least have a bit more variety. The magic system was interesting but didn’t always make sense.
The characters were likable and adorable and age appropriate for a YA book. There was a lot of bickering and unnecessary arguing just to highlight the “rivalry” or opposites between the two characters, which got old very quickly.
The ending felt a bit anti-climatic and I was expecting more fighting / resistance from the enemy.
The voice actor was really great and I enjoyed the sound effects added into the narration.

The Sunlit Ruins, written by Andrea Andrea Septién and narrated by Luzma Ortiz, Martin Martinez, is a middle grade fantasy about two cousins who unleash an evil spirit and awaken powers within themselves. Ada and Miry, two Mexican-American cousins from different countries, are constantly at odds with one another, but must work together to reseal the evil spirit, who is linked to the pyramids of Teotihuacán, and to learn more about themselves and the power they now have. The narrators tone and performance remind me of so many of the middle grade books I listened to when I was younger. I also really enjoyed the music, and while I wasn't the biggest fan of all the sound effects, my niece loved them while we listened to the book together. The story, to silly magic system, and narration style all make this book feel like a late elementary school to early middle school read, but the bad language used isn't something I often see at that reading level, and there is a couple scenes (including one on a bus) that might be scary or confusing for younger readers. Overall, a fun listen.

Thank you to NetGalley for an advanced listener copy of this book.

I really liked this story and how it portraits this adventure that is not only about myths and legends, but also about self discovery.
What I didn't like is the fact that sometimes the background noises were really lout and sudden for me, but I like that they were added, maybe they just need to be toned down a little bit

Thank you to the publishers, author and NetGalley for the free copy of this audio book.

This was an pretty decent one, it felt a little juvenile yet not at the same time. I enjoyed the cultural aspect and the magic was interesting. I would be willing to continue this series. The narrator did a good job, I'm just not a fan of sound effects in audio books so that was a slight turn off for me.

Thank you to the author, publisher, and Net Galley for an ARC of this book.

First I want to say that I appreciate the 2 main characters being 15 years old. I feel that a lot of young adult books now contain characters that are pushing the age limit for young adult books. I understand there is a wide range for YA but a lot of the books coming out seem to have older characters. I feel the girls were very realistically portrayed and their characters seem like teens we have in our library everyday. I loved the magic and mythology in this book. This book is a great window into another culture. I think the author did a great job exploring the feelings of being part of 2 cultures. I will be purchasing this book for our high school library.