REVIEW The Island of Forgotten Gods by Victor Piñeiro

The Island of Forgotten Gods by Victor Piñeiro
Rating: 5 Stars
Release Date: August 5, 2025
Format: eBook + Audiobook (Library)
Publisher: Sourcebooks Young Readers

The Island of Forgotten Gods by Victor Piñeiro was an excellent middle grade and a very fun introduction to the culture and legends of Puerto Rico. Timothy Andres Pabon did a great job bringing the story to life with his performance in the audiobook narration. I highly recommend this book for fans of Percy Jackson, any Rick Riordan Presents Book (i.e. Tristan Strong by Kwame Mbalia), or B.B. Alston's Amari and the Night Brothers series. It's very family centric and very educational (without making it feel like you're getting an education).

Nico (the main character) is spending the summer with his cousins and his abuela in Puerto Rico, hoping to get through the pain of not making it into his planned visual arts school or thinking too much about his parent's failing marriage. The first mythical creature Nico encounters is on the plane to Puerto Rico, so the author really hits the ground running with getting readers involved. The story is a love letter to the island, along with highlighting all the troubles the island has gone through for those who may not have been aware. As someone who was born on the continental US, I never considered the fact that Puerto Rico has always been under someone else's rule for centuries (and it affected their ability to improve their situation, i.e. electric).

While this is primarily a fantasy, the book has a taste of so many other genres. Humor, adventure, mystery and horror were all wrapped up in one nice little bow for the readers. While Puerto Rico might not be thought of in the same breath as Ancient Greece or Rome (the more famous mythologies), it has the same level of rich creation myths and lore surrounding the island (which I still can't believe I've never heard of).  The lore surrounding these figures was epic. I especially enjoyed the dynamic of how Márohu and Boínayel's powers worked. 

Overall, a great read and I'm so glad I listened to it in audiobook form (otherwise I would have been very lost on pronunciation). I believe it's a standalone novel, but can't wait to check out other books produced by the author in the future.

REVIEW Persephone's Curse by Katrina Leno

Persephone's Curse by Katrina Leno
Rating: 4 Stars
Release: December 2, 2025
Format: eARC (NetGalley) + Audiobook (Library)
Publisher: Wednesday Books 

 When I originally picked up Persephone's Curse by Katrina Leno, I was expecting something more heavily rooted in fantasy and mythology. However, it was a pleasant surprise to learn that the book was closer in genre to magical realism, with only hints of mythology. Audiobook narrator Phoebe Strole did an excellent job bringing Winnie's perspective to life, along with that of the other Farthing sisters.

The Farthing sisters are said to be descended from the goddess Persephone, queen of the Underworld. Or at least, that's what their aunt tells them. The fact that all four sisters can see Henry, the ghost inhabiting their attic is pretty convincing though. At the heart of this story is the relationship between the sisters. There are romantic subplots, but they are secondary to the bond between each sister. A mistake committed in a moment of raw emotion and anger threatens that bond however, and the sisters have to work together to fix things before it's too late.

While it's not the highly involved worldbuilding one would expect with a fantasy novel, I really enjoyed the way the author wove the myth of Persephone (as well as Melinoe) into the story. There were just enough fantastical elements to make things believable, without making it feel like readers were being thrown into a Percy Jackson like adventure.

Overall, this was an excellent read and I'll definitely be checking out more by this author in the future. I highly recommend this book to fans of authors like Shea Ernshaw, Isabel Ibanez, or Adrienne Young. Thank you the author, the publisher, and the team at NetGalley for providing me with a complimentary review copy. I appreciate the opportunity to read and review the book immensely.