It was a good book but I wasn't able to connect to the main lead so I'm not going to be rating this book too high in spite of having a good plotline.

The quest for self, that takes place as a teenager is a common theme, however here the premise is beautifully crafted, the world created is deep and enchanted. What is it like to have magic, be able to use powerful enchantments, to be truly gifted and different... and yet hate the magic that makes you... you?
Add to that a world of dark enchantment, a family lost in need of saving, and there is only one person able to do it!
This story was a riveting and beguiling read, dragging me into the story from the start.

Very imaginative story that kept me interested all the way through.

Labyrinth Lost was one of the best teen books I have ever had the pleasure of reading. I read it start to finish in one sitting and could barely put it down to get a cup of tea. Cordova weaves a convincing tale with many Latina influences that make the authenticity leap off the page. This book also contains one of the best representations of bisexuality that I've seen in a long time. I whole-heartedly recommend.

Enjoyed this book! Perfect for those looking for a good magical Halloween read!

A fun romp in the world of bujas and bujos (Latino witches and warlocks). Edgy and vivid world draws readers in.

Another long-overdue review. I did end up buying a copy of my own, and I'm really glad I did because I loved this book. Once I started reading this, I could not stop. I sped through it in nearly one sitting, and when I wasn't reading it, I wanted to be.

Cordova has created an amazing world of brujas and gods and other worlds. Alex comes from a long line of brujos and brujas - witches - and she hates and fears her magic. At her Deathday celebration, after she comes into her powers, she casts a spell to rid herself of her powers. Instead, her entire family - present and past - get sucked into another world where they are held prisoner by a power-hungry being who kill them and consume their powers.

A bit Alice-in-Wonderland, Alex and her reluctant ally Nova, travel to Los Lagos and journey to save her family. Lots of interesting characters along the way, as well as the obligatory acceptance of magic on Alex's part.

It was also incredibly refreshing that Alex is depicted as bisexual, being attracted to both Nova and her best friend Rishi.

I loved this book. And as soon as it ended, I wanted more! I loved this world Cordova's created. I loved her characters. And I cannot wait for the next book to find out what happens next.

When I heard about Labyrinth Lost, I knew that I had to read it, because I LOVE witch books and the synopsis sounded great. When I was accepted for an eARC, I was really excited! But, while I did enjoy Labyrinth Lost, it wasn’t amazing. It was a very short read, and I just wish there was more substance to the story. The descriptive details were good, but honestly, they were a bit over the top and I found myself wanting to skim a bit. I wish the author would have taken the time to write more of the plot rather than spending so much time describing the setting and physical appearances of various things.

I did like reading about Alex's journey to try and save her family after her Deathday celebration went poorly; it definitely was entertaining. I specifically liked the best friend, Rishi. She was sarcastic, witty, and overall just a fun character). Also, there was a love triangle of sorts, well, it was hinted at, but unfortunately I didn’t ship any of them. I felt sparks between...absolutely none of them. That was pretty disappointing.


Overall it was a decent book, but nothing amazing. I would suggest that you take it out from the library rather than buying it. I give it 3/5 stars.

It took me FOREVER to read this book. I was reading it and then life got in the way. (Aka finals and more schoolwork). I finally finished it when I went on vacation for Christmas break.

Labyrinth Lost tells the tale of Alex, a girl who comes from a long line of brujas -- witches. Magic has caused her nothing but pain throughout her life and she would like no better than to relinquish her powers so that she no longer has to suffer. However, as she finds a way to do just that, she sends her entire family into Los Lagos, a realm filled with mythical creatures and the souls of the departed. In order to retrieve the souls of her family, she must journey into Los Lagos and put herself at the mercy of a questionable brujo boy, Nova.

I really enjoyed this novel and the story it put forth. Alex is a headstrong character whose conviction in all things gets her into some dire situations, like her hatred of magic getting her family sent to Los Lagos. However, she's loyal and will do anything in her capability to get her family back.

The world that Zoraida Cordova has created is wonderful and magical. I love all the characters she's created and I loved reading her author's note, which elaborates on what cultures she's touched upon and the parts of the magic weaved into the story that are real cultures and which are made up. I'll definitely be adding some of the recommendations she's made in her author's note to my non-fiction reading list.

Labyrinth Lost is a wonderfully magical #ownvoices adventure with a bisexual, Latina main character. This book is great for those who are looking to read a fantasy novel with real culture tied in.

LABYRINTH LOST was a book of contradictions: both wonderful yet terrifying, dark yet sweet. I absolutely loved the main character, Alejandra, or Alex, who is extremely flawed yet finds herself in possession of extreme power as the encantrix. Sure, there is the Chosen One trope, with some destiny followed in an adventure. But what makes LABYRINTH LOST so unique is the fact that Cordova creates an adventure never done before in Young Adult. The author blends in Latinx culture and magic into the modern day mundanity of Brooklyn, New York. Alex is also bisexual, which is added in swiftly and neatly – no big deal cast on it as it is just another facet to her character. The bigger focus is the journey she embarks on and discoveries she makes about her family and the love that surrounds her in life.

The book starts out with a day where Alex has bad feelings about. Soon enough, her large extended family prepare with her for her Deathday on her 16th birthday: a day where her magic as a bruja manifests with more power and she gets protection from it with the support of all in her family. But a spell she does to counter-act the Deathday canto suddenly makes her family disappear without a trace. With that, the only person she can hesitantly rely on is a mysterious brujo (bruja means “witch” in Spanish) with strange marks on his skin that leads her to Los Lagos, the land between the dead and the living. Once Nova and Alex arrive at Los Lagos, the story turns into a very Wonderland-like turn as they meet both strange and endearing creatures that help them continue their path to the Tree of Souls, where her family is said to be.

"‘I’ve never been the bravest of best bruja in my community. I’m just a girl.’"

But in this land of Los Lagos is the Devourer, an ex-bruja who stepped down the wrong path and now lure other brujos and brujas to drain them of their magic for her own selfish personal gain. I loved the way Cordova incorporated elements of Latinx culture and folklore into this story. We have the mysterious bird/human creatures such as avianas, and the terrifyingly dangerous maloscuros. The Deathday of the brujos and brujas has origins in the Day of the Dead and Santeria. These little tidbits all just added to the world that the author builds – both the modern one with a quirky bruja family and the fantastical one beyond the realm of the living.

The romance is exceedingly light, with the action and plot taking more weight in page time. I think the quick plot and adventure make this story very accessible to younger readers as well. Although Alex starts with some bits and pieces of attraction with the bad-boy type Nova, she finds herself ultimately safe with her Guyanese best friend, Rishi, who becomes an addition to their journey in Los Lagos because of interesting circumstances. Like I said, the romance is light and not the focus of the story; the addition of it is just another sweet side to the otherwise dangerous and ominous path that the characters take to save Alex’s family.

The highlight of this book for me is Alex’s family and the love they all have for her, from her dead godmother Aunt Rosario to her vastly different yet still lovable sisters, Lulu and Rose. I loved reading about Alex’s extended family and how much they all love and support her. There’s a particular scene near the end where family plays a bit role, and that part just made my heart swell. Although Alex is quite selfish in the beginning of the book, she really takes a step back to learn from her mistakes and set things right, making her a very stubborn yet dependable and loyal character. Throughout her journey, she realizes how much she is loved and cherished by her family, and her initial thoughts of rejecting her magic out of fear slowly turn into accepting it out of love.

“Wild magic can’t be tamed, I think, and for the first time in forever, I don’t want to hold back. This magic is mine. I can feel it calling to me.”

LABYRINTH LOST follows Alex’s adventure after a selfish decision she makes on her 16th birthday, her Deathday, as she journeys to Los Lagos and learns lessons along the way. The author integrates aspects of Latinx culture and stories into modern-day New York, creating an immersive and fun-filled world that will take readers on an exciting adventure. While there are familiar tropes and twists, these parts of the plot never slow it down or make it boring. The story remains full of life (even when there is death) and love from beginning to end as Alex accepts the burgeoning powers of the bruja that she is, and the powerful magic that she has in her. I think fantasy readers will have a blast with this one, as well as readers looking for a divergence from their usual supernatural and paranormal reads. LABYRINTH LOST takes that genre to an absolute new direction.

Rating : 4

Loved this brilliant, atmosphere witchy tale. Intriguing, mystical and full of kickass women. My only one small quibble is the repeated use of 'bipolar eyes' as a description - what does that even mean? A disappointing case of ableism in an otherwise much needed diverse and brilliant book.

I thought Labyrinth Lost was a refreshing story. Between the ethnic and cultural diversity, magical elements, and LGBTQ aspect, it was a book much needed in the YA world.

I wrote a review for this book already but for some reason when I went to post it the file became corrupt. Maybe it was magic!

Have you ever read a book where you ADORED the authors writing style but that specific book just didn't do it for you? Well, for me, that is this book. It is soooo good, don't get me wrong. I just wasn't into the plot at the time BUT I will be following the series because the way this book ended was crazy.

Alex is a Bruja, a witch for those who don't know what a Bruja is. Us normal people have a sweet 16 or some other forms of normal teenage festivities. Not Alex. She gets a Death Day. A Death Day happens once a Bruja finally comes into her powers. But Alex has been hiding things from her family a friends. She decides to be VERY selfish and looks for a way to get out of her unwanted lifestyle. Alex didn't even think how her actions would alter her or her families lives until it was too late.

Enter Nova. He randomly appears and is here to save the day. Right? Well I guess you will have to read the book and find out because I cannot get into much detail about him without spoiling at least one thing or another.

Rose and Lula are your typical older and younger sisters. They tease, trick and torment each other but in the end they are still sisters and still love each other. We don't get to see too much of the mother though. There are a lot of relatives in this book. Dead and alive. It is a little hard keeping track of who is who because a lot of them have similar names or you just get so many names thrown at you that it is just sometimes difficult to keep track.

For some reason this book seemed very Alice in Wonderland-esqe to me. I can't quite place what exactly gives me that vibe but the vibe is there. Maybe it's the going to a different world thing, maybe it's the Queen of Hearts type element with The Devourer but it's there and if you read the book for yourself maybe you will see it too.

So as I stated above, this book ended on a crazy cliffhanger. Let's just say I envy those who don't read this book until all of the books are out. Not only did I read this long before it was even released but now I have to wait a year to get answers that are just swarming through my head. But, hey, it will make me continue the series so the author knew what she was doing.

Overall, I gave the book 4.5/5 stars.

I think my actual rating is more like a 3.75.

Things I love:
-Latinx magic
-A disorienting yet highly detailed world
-Fantasy/magic that makes sense
-Great representation of Latinx culture
-Bisexual main character

Things I didn't love:
-At times actions and choreography was confusing
-All the info we received about the world was given in the moment by the characters
-The all-powerful main character
-Deus ex machina help (several times)

This book is great. I grew up with tales of brujas, curanderas and Mexican folklore. So this book definitely did take me back to my childhood. If you like lore and fantasy you will definitely like this book

I really like the beginning of Labyrinth Lost. The mesh of Latin America mythology in contemporary setting captivated. I love Alex and her reluctance to accept her powers. The family dynamics and friendship.

I wish I could rate it higher, but the climax threw me off. It dragged, my interested started waning afterwards.

If you're looking for an uncharted paranormal book, Labyrinth Lost is a good place to start.

Thank you to Netgalley and Sourcebooks Fire for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!

Oh my Goodness, so this was one of the first books I ever requested and was accepted for on NetGalley. I let it sit there for a while and then there was a lot of hype and I still hadn't read it yet. Then I read it. I loved it so much. I'm white so, as I do with all novels that feature characters with a different racial background to me, I might say something wrong, if I have please let me know and I will endeavour to fix it!

So Alex is a young girl in a family of Brujas (latinx witches) and she is about to come of age and gain her full powers. Alex, however, doesn't want to be a witch and so performs a spell at her Deathday party in attempt to rid herself of her powers, but it backfires and all her family are gone. She needs to go to the world of Limbo which isn't quite death but isn't life either to rescue them.

There is some really cool diversity in this because not only is it in a Latinx community, but the MCs best friend is Guyanese, a place I hadn't really thought about in terms of the people who live there. Not only is she Guyanese but she's also of Indian descent and learning about that led me to looking up Guyana and finding out that the population of Guyana are majority Indian descent and had I not read this book I never would have learned this, which I thought was super cool. And she's a Hindu! Not only is there racial diversity but there's also Bi representation which made me incredibly happy but god damn do we need more good bi representation. What I loved about it was that Alex is bi but its just a thing there's no big reveal there's no "coming out" she just is.

I loved the characters, they were so multifaceted. The MC starts off super bratty but through her journey she grows, she learns to accept people into her life and her secrets. Nova is very much your classic morally ambiguous guy who you don't know much about but feel like he's maybe a "good guy" and I found myself attracted to his character a bit. And then Rishi, the best friend is so loyal and wonderful and deserves the whole world.

The world was super fleshed out, there was good explanations of everything that was going on without taking you out of your immersion with long detail. I could imagine everything in Los Lagos with ease, the flying people, the River of Souls, everything. The writing was so well done at making you feel creeped out and nervous.

One little random thing I really liked was there was a few Spanish(?) sounding words and after they were written for the first time there was a little way to pronounce it and it made me so happy. I love when books have pronunciation guides. People always complain when there's made up languages and names but I actually like it, it helps my immersion.

Labyrinth Lost is one book that I have meaning to read for a while as I was curious about the premises as it dealt with a culture that is totally foreign to me. I loved the idea of the novel and whilst the intrigue of Latin American mythology was fascinating and kept enchanted with the book .

However I was complete surprised that I had issues with the way one of the characters was written. I was expecting one story and whilst I got that. There is so much more to this story then this book alludes and what should be the selling point of this novel .

Alex was easy to relate to . She was different and it was obvious. She wanted to be different and I loved that she was striving for it. She wanted to find her own identity. Not defined by others in her family . She wants to be ordinary but she is anything but in her eyes .

It is a common issue for any young person and I loved the unique concept that the author created around this. She challenged Alex in a number of ways and I loved that she did as this only the beginning of her journey . Whilst she rose to the challenge in some ways, in others I was left dissatisfied.

The world building was good and the characters were generally interesting each having problems that young people can relate and highlight issues that are sometimes swept under the carpet . I wished there more to say then it was better than good overall. I loved the idea of the book and it didn’t disappoint. But when the author strives for a couple of different types romantic relationships and fails make it sound and worth investing and shipping as a couple . It deters me from loving the book like I should as a romantic reader

I have no issue when an author makes changes with their characters. They are teenagers and exploring their identities . It is a big part of this novel . However I have an issue when the person in question Rishi is only added back half way through to make it more interesting and make things more obvious than they are which I rather focused on . As Nova was a pain. He was totally overbearing and demanding at times. He over wrote the subtle notes the authors was leaving about Alex and Rishi. I didn’t read between the lines about the girls at first . It was like the author wanted you to root for Nova and forget that there was more to Alex. He had his place and role but you have to wonder what if things were reversed . It was like I want you to forget about Rishi. I wanted the more, the unsaid words and feelings and to seen more of Rishi.
I wanted the romaces to be more believable. I know two romances aren’t the same. However when the author has the person in question as a best friend and giving mixed signals and the heroine treats her more just a best friend . I want the heroine to view the best friend in question in a different light then the subtle . Not like, Hi here I am.

Oh I like.

Let's move on to something else and forget for the moment

I want to hear the heroine inner’s thoughts. How she feels especially when it a love triangle and both are competing for her attention. I want to experience the first’s. The discovery that everything isn’t clear cut for her as she thought. Not brushing it aside and continue onwards with the journey oh wait because that more important . I want to be more in my face. I wanted chemistry. Even for Rishi to do something.

Maybe it because of the sheer amount of romances I have read and a good number of queer fiction. I have hope this series will address the issues and continue to explore more of Alex’s identity. As I loved the concept with this series and I do hope for more of Alex and Rishi. As it could be summed up at the moment as the totally awkward kind and I want the cute kind we saw in the beginning.

4 couples

This book was good, but not great. There were a lot of things I loved, and the mythology in Los Lagos was beautifully written, but the characters fell a little flat.