I from time to time read prosa in verse, therefore I quite quickly got used to the writing style and could easily emerge into the story.

What bothers me is, that sometimes the headlines were part of the text, sometime they were well headlines.

The story itself was fast paced and well executed. Especially the setting was great but the characters were also cute. Of course, the plot was not groundbreaking but I had a good time!

3,5/5

‘Since these possibilities / are make-believe, / I’d also like to be/ happy when I grow up’

This is the first novel written in verse I’ve read and, while I’m usually not a fan of poetry, I loved ‘The Brujos of Borderland High’. So much so, that it only took me 2 hours to finish it.
This fairly short book follows young brujo Alejandro at his magical high school after his boyfriend cheated on him. Accompanied by his friend Zander and his uncle-turned-adoptive father, he must try to survive a time-traveling demon whose havoc-wreaking activities threaten to stop his school band’s concert from happening.
With a fast pace, this hi-lo* novel weaves endearing characters, themes forgiveness, friendship and overcoming recent and past trauma, Latinx rep, queer rep, depression and teenage angst in a short but powerful story. This novel manages to evoke profound feelings despite its briefness and seemingly simple language.
I also loved the setting: a magic-normative world with brujos, vampires and demons, where these brujos must attend special magical schools and each brujo owns a deck of 40 cards which they use to practice whatever specific magic they have. Our main character Ale, for instance, can see the past through his readings.
Something less related to the story itself, but that made the experience even more enjoyable, were the card illustrations on each page that encapsulated the words, as if we’re reading from Ale’s cards.
I’d recommend ‘The Brujos of Borderland High’ to anyone, but especially to those stuck in a reading slump that need something with a quick rhythm.

*Hi-lo: high interest, low readability: the plot includes themes geared towards older teens, while the vocabulary and the complexity of the speech remain accessible. Check the author’s video on his Instagram (@tx.author) for more information on the meaning of hi-lo.

This is a fast-paced and easy read. And even though it was so fast and packed you still got to know the characters well. This book is perfect for younger readers who not have a lot of reading experience yet. But others can definitely enjoy it too especially given the fact that you can read it in an hour or two.
I also love how the fact that our MC is queer just does not matter, just typical teen struggles.

I do think it could have been a bit longer and maybe talk more about the relationship of Ale with his father, because there's a lot of potential there.

Also the interior design was a Choice. That I would not have made. Oh well.

In “The Brujos of Borderland High” by Gume Laurel III, gay teen brujo Alejandro, dealing with a breakup and his ability to see the past via tarot cards, faces new challenges when a demon begins to repeatedly attack his high school. To save the school and possibly find new love, Alejandro must shift his focus to the future and defeat the demon.

This is (another) YA novel told in verse, and similarly to Daylan and the River of Secrets, the writing in this beautiful and wonderfully purple. The magic system is very interesting, unique and I’m kind of obsessed with it. The story itself is a lot of fun, a wild ride, and has a good message, but looking back on it now, I have some questions I don’t think it really addresses. I liked the characters but I found the romance to be very abrupt, and I feel sorry for the love interest. All in all, this was a fun couple of hours as long as you take certain things at face value.

Thanks to NetGalley and Rosen Publishing Group for a copy of this ebook in exchange for an honest review.

This is a very cute short story, I enjoyed the journey that the main character went through, He really grows by the end of the story, I will definitely be part of my liberty. I hope that there will be more books,

A YA novel in verse about a gay teen going through his first break up in a magical world.
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Alejandro aka Ale is going through his first breakup after his boyfriend cheated on him. His best friend tries to cheer him up and get his mind off of it, but Ale is still lovesick. At Borderland High everyone has magical abilities and Ale’s is the ability to see the past using his tarot cards, which keeps his mental state generally in the past. Ale decides to spend lots of time preparing for his piano recital, but when a time-traveling demon keeps appearing and Ale keeps getting caught in the crossfire, he must focus on the future to slay the demon and maybe get a second chance at love.
🔮
While this book had magical realism it definitely felt more like realistic fiction, as the focus lies heavily on Ale and his journey through the breakup. I loved how this novel dealt with the topic of forgiveness and loving oneself before being in a relationship. That’s a great message for our tweens and teens. Also @cuethelibrarian makes a cameo as the school librarian!!!! So awesome @tx.author This title releases August 16!

CW: parental abandonment, adoption, toxic relationship, cheating, violence, injury

Even though it’s short, this book packs a punch! I’m amazed at how much action and detail the author packed in. The story kept moving fast, and I was hooked from start to finish.

One thing that stood out to me was the theme of forgiveness—not just forgiving others, but also yourself. I also liked how the magic system was straightforward and not overly complicated, which made everything easy to follow and added to the fun. Also, I really loved the inclusion of queer romance and Latine culture, which added a layer of diversity and richness to the story.

Sure, I would’ve liked a bit more backstory on the characters, but I think the lack of it was intentional. The mystery kept me intrigued, and I feel that it actually worked well in this case. It kept me curious and wanting to know more as the story went on.

Add this to your TBR, if you haven’t already!

Thanks West 44 Books and Netgalley for this eARC, these opinions are my own. I love me a Gume Laurel III In Verse novel! Alejandro has been struggling since his relationship ended. His brujería allows him to see the past. And right now all he can focus on is the past. His friend Zander and his dad try to help him move on but it’s difficult. Then strange things start happening, people who look like him showing up, chicharra’s destroying things, and Cold Magic being used. What does Alejandro have to do with it all? Can he figure it out before he gets hurt? I love how so much gets packed into these In Verse novels! A cool magic system, character growth, and a hint of romance!! Highly recommend checking this one out! A quick read full of intrigue and excitement!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an arc of this novel in verse in exchange for a review.
I would rate this a 3.5/5. I wish we spent more time with these characters. I loved the lore and magic system of this world and I wish we had a bit more time in it. I would have loved to explore the dad (biological and uncle) and his relationship with his friend more. I did really enjoy the message of it and how it approached forgiveness.