Feature Friday ARC Review : Labyrinth Lost by Zoraida Cordova

*Feature Friday is a meme hosted by The Tattered Page to feature YA books that have not yet been released by reviewing them.

*Warning: This review may contain spoilers. Read at your own risk.

Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire 
Release Date: September 6, 2016
Pages: 336
Source: ARC

The Story:

Nothing says Happy Birthday like summoning the spirits of your dead relatives.

Alex is a bruja, the most powerful witch in a generation...and she hates magic. At her Deathday celebration, Alex performs a spell to rid herself of her power. But it backfires. Her whole family vanishes into thin air, leaving her alone with Nova, a brujo boy she can't trust. A boy whose intentions are as dark as the strange marks on his skin.

The only way to get her family back is to travel with Nova to Los Lagos, a land in-between, as dark as Limbo and as strange as Wonderland...

via Amazon

Rating: 

My Review: 

I picked up Labyrinth Lost at ALA Annual 2016 . . . and, man oh man, am I glad I did!

Tag Line:

Nothing says "Happy Birthday" like summoning the spirits of your dead relatives.

Opening Line:

The second time I saw my dead Aunt Rosaria, she was dancing.

Plot:

Growing up Latina, I know what Brujas and Brujaria is. Not to mention, who does not want to read a YA book set in the city the are born and raised about the Latin magical world?! I mean, come on! Naturally, I could not wait to dig into Labyrinth Lost. And it did not disappoint. 

"Deathdays are about sacrifice and blood and binding yourself to a power that destroys." - page 73

In Alexa's world, magic is real. It is part of her everyday life. So much so, she can't get away from it fast enough. Reluctant to embrace her magic, she's has always felt like her abilities were more of a burden than a blessing. If there was ever a story that manifested the notion of "Be careful what you wish for!" it is Labyrinth Lost. Reluctant to accept her magical heritage, Alex performs a spell . . . and backfires isn't the word.

The pacing of Labyrinth Lost was in tuned with the plot of the story. Alex embarks on a journey to redeem herself. The tension, the magic, the mystery. The diversity. All make for a story I could not put down. Zoraida Cordova's writing was captivating, authentic. And she does a brilliant job of tackling love, friendship, family, the struggle of self-discovery. Labyrinth Lost world-building was top-notch. I felt part of the story. 

All in all, I did enjoy the enchanting world of Labyrinth Lost. Cordova did a good job of capturing the urban, Latin magic and cultivating it into a good story.

Here is one of my favorite quotes from Labyrinth Lost: 

"Not all loves are meant to last forever. Some burns like fire until there is nothing left but ash and black ink on skin." - page 314

Meet the Author:

Zoraida Córdova was born in Ecuador and raised in Queens, New York. She is the author of The Vicious Deep trilogy, the On the Verge series, and Labyrinth Lost. She loves black coffee, snark, and still believes in magic. Send her a tweet @Zlikeinzorro

***Check out Zoraida Cordova's website for more information about her and Labyrinth Lost: HERE

Happy Reading!