Thank you Random House Children’s publishing and NetGalley for allowing me to read an advanced copy of On The Wings of La Noche by Vanessa L. Torres in exchange for my honest review.

Noche is not just an ordinary girl. In fact, her life is opposite of that and that’s because she a La Lechuza. This new role she is unsure of everything from how she transforms to why must she be the person that takes the dead people to the sky. One thing she does know is that she has kept her girlfriend’s spirit, Dante from leaving this world. Every night she sees her, but as time goes on Dante is fading and loosing herself. Meanwhile, Noche is living or trying to live a normal life by going back to school, etc. In Biology, she is paired up with a new lab partner named Jax. Noche gets these strange feelings with Jax, but also feels like she is betraying Dante. Noche grief consumes her and prevents her from truly enjoying her life. In order to live, she has to make an important decision and she has to make it quick.

THOUGHTS

I loved so much about this book. It has the perfect winter atmosphere with a supernatural twist. And I really did appreciate the grief narrative winding through it. But these elements didn't quite come together as well as I would have hoped.


PROS
Mystical Magic: The world Vanessa L. Torres creates in this book is fresh and evocative. The Lechuza and her duty, her nightly transformations, and the blustery snow all come together to create something so all-encompassing. The ravens that plague Noche feel like suitable harbingers of... something, and the questions we have as readers are questions Noche has too, since she is missing that critical link to her heritage, to a community that might be able to guide her on her supernatural path.

Midwest Rep: It's always nice to read a book so rooted in a setting and to have that setting not be on the East or West coast. Duluth, covered in lake effect snow, is a stark and chilly backdrop to this story. It's a setting that feels important to the plot and the characters, too. It feels different. I really appreciate that.

Seasonal Depression: This book is very seasonal. The winter weather, the clinking ice and the whipping snow, are important. They parallel Noche's grief. They are part of the cause of Noche's grief. And they add a very stark, cold, forlorn feeling to the book overall that only belies the plot. This book is cold, cold, cold in the best way.


CONS
General Malaise: The biggest problem I had with this book was, I think, the general lack of urgency. Don't get me wrong. There's a sense in this book that things should be urgent. Noche acknowledges that things are going wrong, that something worse is coming down the line if she doesn't move quickly and get back on track. But this hinting at urgency never results in any sort of direct action, which makes the story overall feel very long and drawn out for something with such high stakes.

Interpersonal Foibles: I can cut Noche some slack, since she's grieving. And, you know, a teenager. But her interpersonal relationships here, even with those facts in mind, were just so frustrating to read. She doesn't want to share her secret with her best friend. She also doesn't want to listen to him when he needs to confide in her. She doesn't want to think about her girlfriend, even though she's constantly thinking about her girlfriend. And she doesn't want to process new feelings as they arise either. So it's all deny, tuck away, and repress. Which I guess makes sense, but boy is it frustrating to read!

Moving On?: This book places a very strong emphasis on moving on after a loss, which is neither here nor there. But moving on romantically after losing your first love so quickly (like, less than 6 months later) feels... like not the right move. It almost feels like a prescription: Oh, you'll feel better if you can just get over it and move on to the next crush who drifts into town. Noche wrestles with her feelings for somebody else, sure, so it's not like the speed she's moving on isn't acknowledged. But I don't really like the precedent this speed sets, especially in a book written for a younger audience. Like, it's okay to sit with your grief for a bit. It's okay to not be okay.


Rating

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
7/10
Fans of Dustin Thao's You've Reached Sam will like this new protagonist wrestling with young love and heavy grief. Those who loved Aiden Thomas's Cemetery Boys will like diving into a new Latinx take death and ghosts and the afterlife.

This is a quiet, slow kinda book of grief and identity and trying to let go and move forward when it hurts so much. I loved this and the world building and mythology was some of my favorite. I also really love the themes of assimilation and how the cost can be parts of heritage and culture you don’t even recognize you’re missing. This is a really beautiful book and gave me many feelings, especially around letting go and the conflicts of moving on. I also enjoyed the messy friendship dynamics as Noche and Julien are both grieving and hurting, and how they hurt each other. Definitely a book pulling a lot of emotional weight, but I think it was pulled off beautifully. Definitely recommend if you like quiet, sad type books.

On the Wings of la Noche is a beautiful, deeply moving novel about grief, loss, and finding the courage to keep going after tragedy strikes. Noche is a teenage girl who is grieving the death of her girlfriend, Dante, who accidentally drowned. Noche can also shapeshift into a Lechuza, a mystical owl whose responsibility is to guide spirits to the afterlife. However, Noche can't bring herself to guide Dante's spirit, even though her soul may be lost if it continues to linger. Eventually, Noche learns more about her powers as a Lechuza, finds love again, and begins to move forward with her life. The characters felt very realistic and well-written and I couldn't help but love them. On the Wings of la Noche is a wonderful book that I highly recommend!

I received an ARC from the publisher in exchange for an honest review

On the Wings of la Noche by Vanessa L. Torres if a first person-POV Queer Mexican-American YA contemporary fantasy. Noche’s girlfriend Dante died in a tragic aaccident and instead of helping Dante enter the afterlife, Noche is clinging to her spirit. She's not ready to go and isn't sure she ever will be. Her new lab partner, Jax, and her old friend, Julian, will challenge her and and everything she believed about her relationship and maybe help her move forward with her life.

I rarely comment on covers, but this is one of those covers that immediately grabbed my attention. I love the composition of the owl covering one of Noche's eyes and the contest of the orange and dark blues. The white specks look like stars in the night sky adding a celestial quality that really speaks to Noche’s role as a Lechuza, a sort of owl grim reaper who guides souls towards the gate to the afterlife when the sun goes down. The dress Noche wears also appears to be the same one Dante had made for her before she died and it's those little touches that make a cover so special.

Noche’s sexuality or romantic orientation are never given labels. She is attracted to both Dante and Jax, so she could be interpreted as Bisexual and Pansexual and we could leave it at that. But there is also room to view her as Demi or Queer as an umbrella term. While it is important to give Queerness labels in books in case it has meaning and value for the reader, it is also important to provide unlabelled Queerness because labels don't mean a whole lot to some people and getting hung up on labels can lead to gatekeeping. It's never brought up by anyone that Noche is Queer; she just is and there is a lot of value in that normalization of Queerness in tangible spaces, such as Minnesota.

Julian and Noche’s friendship was one of my favorite friendship dynamics in a YA in a while. Both are grieving over Dante but Noche has been more and more distant from Julian due to her other life as a Lechuza and Julian has been keeping secrets. They've known each other their whole lives, they're trying to hang on, but the death of a member of a trio is going to be hard for anyone, especially two teens trying to process someone they love being their one day and is suddenly gone. There is mess here, but Noche and Julian are always trying their best and even when they make mistakes, they're gonna figure it out.

I would recommend this to fans of YA narratives focused on moving forward after the death of a loved one and readers who love romance arcs that have a grief component

Vanessa L. Torres’ On the Wings of la Noche is a lyrical, mesmerizing tale that blends rich cultural heritage with supernatural intrigue. With vibrant prose and a compelling protagonist, Torres explores themes of family, identity, and self-discovery against a backdrop of magical realism. This novel is a beautiful, immersive journey that will captivate fans of both contemporary and fantastical fiction. A deeply evocative read that lingers long after.

*an advanced digital copy was received from NetGalley in return for an honest review*

The beautiful cover of this book is what originally drew me in, and after reading the premise I knew it was something I needed to read. Let me just say, this book did not disappoint. It had a beautiful blend of urban fantasy combined with this coming of age story. With grief being a main theme in this book, the emotions of the characters felt very deep and real.

The main character Noche, is a science-loving, metalhead teenage girl, who just also happens to transform into a Lechuza, a mystic owl that leads spirits to their afterlives. After her girlfriend Dante dies in an accidental drowning, Noche can’t bring herself to lead Dante’s spirit away. Our MMC is Jax, the new kid who Noche is immediately drawn to.

Noche has very deep emotions and has to do a lot of things by herself in this book, or at least that’s what she thinks. She really grows into herself and her confidence throughout the book, and I appreciate how she’s not a “perfect main character.” She has her flaws and what’s seen as ‘negative emotions,’ the likes of which aren’t as widely talked about in some books. At the end of this book I really was bawling my eyes out. Noche is such a beautiful character and I love how she’s come to accept herself at the end.
What I thought was really great about this book is that there was no unnecessary animosity between the “love triangle” characters. Noche’s relationship with the other characters represented different parts of her life, and the new characters that were introduced had a lot of respect for that old life of Noche’s and the people that were in it.

Regarding the fantasy elements of this book, I thought it was very refreshing to see a story deeply rooted in Mexican folklore. As a huge fantasy nerd I personally would have liked to see the story delve a bit more into the lechuza histories, but I was still very happy with what was talked about.

All in all this book was a beautiful story about love and loss, about learning to embrace your differences, and finding the people who make you feel the most true to yourself. An emotional read that will probably make you cry, just like it did for me.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC!

At first, I didn't know what to expect from this novel. I was drawn in by the beautiful cover and once I started reading...I WAS HOOKED!

This is a riveting tale of love, loss, growth, and culture. I love the aspects of folklore that was interwoven. The author, Vanessa L. Torres, did a wonderful job at storytelling and developing the characters so that the reader stays engaged and rooting for them. I can't recommend this enough and I look forward to what the author does next!

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Children's for the arc in exchange for an honest review

I have been drawn to many a book by a captivating cover, but never before have I had two (not a pair, but two separate) citrine eyes look into me and compel me to want to read a book. And I'm glad a trusted that compulsion. The story is one of love, loss, and growth. It is written for a young adult audience with young adult main characters, but with a style that could be appreciated by adults as well (there are certainly a few cultural references that anyone growing up in the '90's might get flashbacks from). Part of this story is also based in myth or folklore, and as with many authors that share parts of their culture, there is great care in this aspect of the story. The main character, Noche, must come to terms with the loss of her first love, while already dealing with some interesting magical powers that come with some serious responsibilities. A few new people come into her life to affect her acceptance of these things, learn more about her powers, learn to love again, and find a path forward for her life. The story hits notes of sadness and joy as it chronicles Noche's journey to a satisfying conclusion. I appreciated the chance to read this book and would recommend it to anyone looking for a magical story to touch their heart.
I received access to this eARC thru NetGalley (for which I want to thank NetGalley and the publisher, Random House Children's - Knopf Books for Young Readers) for an honest review. The opinion expressed here is my own.

This book is a beautifully haunting exploration of love and loss. The story blends fantasy with deep personal struggles, creating a moving experience that explores the pain of loss and the courage it takes to move on. It’s a unique and heartfelt read that resonates with the heart’s deepest yearnings and regrets. I loved it.

I finished reading this while working a slow shift that suddenly was not so slow, and several customers offered me tissues. I will remember that humiliation and the snot.

This book is about death, but also about LIFE, love, family, history, and healing through grief. The middle was a little slow and I would've liked more of the romance build-up with Jax (it was a bit too "instant attraction" for me), but GUH everything with Dante. My heart, my soul. I'm getting choked up now just thinking about the resolution. E.E. Cummings said it best:

"i carry your heart with me (i carry it in
my heart)"