Publishers Weekly
★ 03/22/2021
Pretending to be an apprentice bruja, an unassuming preteen enters a dangerous competition to rescue her 15-year-old sister from monstrous forces in this mesmerizing middle grade fantasy. In Tierra del Sol, an isolated town plagued by magical criaturas that roam the surrounding desert, 12-year-old Cece Rios lives as “a shadow cast from the light of other people’s fires.” While her older sister Juana wields fire opal in rituals to protect the town and burns “bright like the Sun,” everyone believes a childhood encounter with a criatura cursed Cece with a soul like water—and left her “the weakest person in the village.” But when a “powerful dark criatura” known as “El Sombrerón, the Bride Stealer” snatches Juana right before her eyes, Cece must tap into her inner strength and enter a world of battles and brujas to get her sister back. With excellent pacing and rich world-building, debut author Rivera flawlessly immerses readers in the landscape of Tierra del Sol and Cece’s journey (“The town lights grew brighter, each building like a lantern warming the edges of the desert”). An enthralling, finely crafted read. Includes a glossary of Spanish words with limited pronunciations. Ages 8–12. Agent: Serene Hakim, Ayesha Pande Literary. (Apr.)
From the Publisher
"Rivera’s spellbinding debut feels incredibly fresh. Enchanted readers will hope for more from Cece and her extraordinary, magical world." — Booklist (starred review)
"Mesmerizing... With excellent pacing and rich world-building, debut author Rivera flawlessly immerses readers in the landscape of Tierra del Sol and Cece’s journey." — Publishers Weekly (starred review)
"Intertwined with rich Mexican folklore and culturally infused language, this is a brilliantly unveiled coming-of-age story not for the faint of heart.... Courage, determination, and unwavering love are the foundation of this debut." — School Library Journal
"...Packed with magic, adventure, friendship, and Latinx-inspired mythology... [Readers] will delight in exploring Cece’s world." — Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books
"Rich world-building and enticing characterization strike hope for a sequel about the dauntless Cece." — Horn Book Magazine
"With distinct voices for the human and supernatural characters, Guerra’s narration enhances the magical realism of the mythological fantasy. Listeners will be cheering for the endearing heroine to prove herself and rescue her sister." — Booklist
"Glorious world-building, pitch-perfect narration, and stellar storytelling." — Sean T, Audible.com editor
"An astonishing and moving tale infused with spirit and unforgettable magic." — J.C. Cervantes, New York Times Bestselling Author of The Storm Runner series
"Flush with incredible worldbuilding, mucho español throughout, and an unforgettable cast, this book reminds us that our greatest strengths can sometimes be found in the unlikeliest of places." — Pablo Cartaya, award-winning author of The Epic Fail of Arturo Zamora
"Pokemon meets Coco in a spirited and moving adventure, at once familiar and tantalizingly strange, peopled by beautifully crafted and vivid characters." — David Bowles, award-winning author of They Call Me Güero
“A new Narnia full of desert heat and danger, Cece Rios and the Desert of Souls mixes familiar myth, inventive magic, and vivid characters to capture readers.” — Anna Meriano, author of the Love Sugar Magic series
“A beautifully written fantasy story with tons of heart!” — Ryan Calejo, author of the Charlie Hernández series
Booklist (starred review)
"Rivera’s spellbinding debut feels incredibly fresh. Enchanted readers will hope for more from Cece and her extraordinary, magical world."
J.C. Cervantes
"An astonishing and moving tale infused with spirit and unforgettable magic."
Pablo Cartaya
"Flush with incredible worldbuilding, mucho español throughout, and an unforgettable cast, this book reminds us that our greatest strengths can sometimes be found in the unlikeliest of places."
Booklist
"With distinct voices for the human and supernatural characters, Guerra’s narration enhances the magical realism of the mythological fantasy. Listeners will be cheering for the endearing heroine to prove herself and rescue her sister."
Sean T
"Glorious world-building, pitch-perfect narration, and stellar storytelling."
Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books
"...Packed with magic, adventure, friendship, and Latinx-inspired mythology... [Readers] will delight in exploring Cece’s world."
Horn Book Magazine
"Rich world-building and enticing characterization strike hope for a sequel about the dauntless Cece."
David Bowles
"Pokemon meets Coco in a spirited and moving adventure, at once familiar and tantalizingly strange, peopled by beautifully crafted and vivid characters."
Booklist
"With distinct voices for the human and supernatural characters, Guerra’s narration enhances the magical realism of the mythological fantasy. Listeners will be cheering for the endearing heroine to prove herself and rescue her sister."
Anna Meriano
A new Narnia full of desert heat and danger, Cece Rios and the Desert of Souls mixes familiar myth, inventive magic, and vivid characters to capture readers.”
J.C. Cervantes
"An astonishing and moving tale infused with spirit and unforgettable magic."
Ryan Calejo
A beautifully written fantasy story with tons of heart!
J.C. Cervantes
"An astonishing and moving tale infused with spirit and unforgettable magic."
Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books
"...Packed with magic, adventure, friendship, and Latinx-inspired mythology... [Readers] will delight in exploring Cece’s world."
J.C. Cervantes
"An astonishing and moving tale infused with spirit and unforgettable magic."
School Library Journal
03/01/2021
Gr 5 Up—Cecelia Rios does the unthinkable by freeing a dark criatura from the grips of her village. Criaturas have long plagued the residents of the Tierra del Sol desert. Forewarned by her Mama, Cece knows that criaturas were creatures born from the dust and the words of the Great Namer, which aim to harm humans. Shadowed by betrayal and shame, Cece deems herself weak, believing the town whispers that water smothered her inner fire. But when her sister Juana is kidnapped by the criatura, El Sombreron, Cece grapples with a decision that rivals her Mama's beliefs. Her powerful choice unearths secrets of her family's past and leads Cece down a forbidden path. Confronted with her fears, Cece forms unexpected alliances while battling a foe unlike any criatura: herself. Set against the Tierra del Sol backdrop, intertwined with rich Mexican folklore and culturally infused language, this is a brilliantly unveiled coming-of-age story not for the faint of heart. Rivera cultivates a valiant heroine unafraid to follow her heart and stand against the norm. With a captivating story line and adversaries lurking between the pages, readers will remain engrossed as fantasy mingles with the real world. The engaging plot unravels with twists and turns, keeping readers on edge even after Cece's revelation. VERDICT Courage, determination, and unwavering love are the foundation of this debut; a much-needed addition to public and school libraries.—Suraya Jairam, Queens P.L., Hollis, NY
Kirkus Reviews
★ 2021-02-09
A tween dabbles in dark magic, hoping to do one good deed.
In Tierra del Sol, criaturas are feared and reviled. Some are dark spirits while others, relatively harmless, shape-shift into animals. At 7, Cece wanders too far into the desert and encounters the Criatura of Stars and Devouring, Tzizimitl, who turns out to be more kindly old woman than scary beast. She walks Cece home only to be met with angry, murderous townsfolk. Before Tzizimitl flees, freed by Cece, she observes that Cece has a soul like water—perhaps not what you want as Sun god descendants. Now 12, Cece encounters the Bride Stealer El Sombrerón, another criatura, whose magic guitar bewitches young women. Before Cece can stop him from playing, her sister, Juana, is entranced by his song and kidnapped. Her family mourns, but Cece is determined to get Juana back—but she’ll have to enter the Bruja Fights for aspiring dark witches to get into Devil’s Alley, where El Sombrerón lives. There’s the small problem of her not wanting to actually be a dark witch, but she’ll just fake it and no one will be the wiser, right? Set in a fantasy world filled with figures from Aztec mythology, this culturally rich adventure weaves Spanish and Nahuatl throughout the text. With strong ties to Mesoamerican lore and culture, the story hits the sweet spot between dark and light.
Lively, endearing, and full of character. (glossary) (Fantasy. 8-14)
