BLOG TOUR The Lords of Night (Shadow Bruja #1) by J.C. Cervantes

I am thrilled to be hosting a spot on the THE LORDS OF NIGHT by J.C. Cervantes Blog Tour hosted by Rockstar Book Tours. Check out my post and make sure to enter the giveaway!

About The Book:

Title: THE LORDS OF NIGHT (A Shadow Bruja Novel Book 1)

Author: J.C. Cervantes

Pub. Date: October 4, 2022

Publisher: Rick Riordan Presents

Formats: Hardcover, eBook, audiobook

Pages: 320

Find it: Goodreads, Amazon, Kindle, Audible, B&N, iBooks, Kobo, TBD, Bookshop.org

Best-selling author Rick Riordan presents J. C. Cervantes's exciting new spin-off from the best-selling STORMRUNNER trilogy.

"This duology opener is accessible to readers who are new to this world. An engrossing, god-filled delight."--Kirkus Reviews

Fourteen-year-old Renata Santiago is the most powerful godborn of them all, a bruja with a unique combination of DNA. The Mexica blood from her dad's side gives her the ability to manipulate shadows. Her mom Pacific, a Maya goddess, gifted her a magical rope that controls time, and Ren recently used it to save a few gods from getting stuck forever in 1987. She brought them back to the present, but her BFF Ah Puch, the once fearsome god of death, darkness, and destruction, is now a teenager with no divine powers.

Ren is also a girl with ordinary hopes and dreams. She wishes, for example, that her blog about alien sightings would garner more respect. She's always been absolutely convinced that there's a connection between aliens and the Maya civilization. Plenty of online haters feel differently, and they call her a fake, a liar, and a loser.

When Ren receives an email about an alien sighting in Kansas, she thinks it may support her theory. She also suspects that the cinco--five renegade godborns--are up to no good. Soon she finds herself embroiled in a quest to prevent the troublemakers from awakening the nine Aztec Lords of Night. Problem is, none of Ren's friends are available to help her hunt down the cinco and the dangerous gods they are resurrecting. Ren has no choice but to team up with two strangers recruited by Ah Puch: Edison, a teen hybrid demon, and Montero, an eleven-year-old Aztec hunter. Succeeding in this quest will prove that Ren is no fake, liar, or loser. But it isn't just another challenge. It could well be an impossible one that leaves Ren questioning her very existence.

Anyone who enjoys fast-paced myth-based adventures will be swept up in this one featuring Maya and Mexica gods and their magical offspring.

REVIEW of The Lords of Night (Shadow Bruja #1) by J.C. Cervantes
Rating: 4 Stars
Format: ARC (Courtesy of Publisher and Rockstar Book Tours)

J.C. Cervantes’ first book in the Shadow Bruja series, The Lords of Night is an action packed, mythology filled, lovable tale. A spin-off from the original books in The Storm Runner series, reading this book is like coming home and seeing an old friend after some time away. Familiar, but things have changed (in a good way). 

After the events of The Shadow Crosser, Renata Santiago (or Ren) wants a break. No evil quests to defeat villainous gods, no time traveling, no teleporting - just some time to pursue her theory of the Mayan civilization being connected to aliens, and running her blog Eyes in the Sky. But when she gets a message claiming a possible alien sighting, she’s swept back up into the world of Mayan and Aztec gods, and forced to rely on her friends (namely the powerless god of death, a demon, and an Aztec hunter in training) to get out alive. 

Ren is the most powerful godborn alive, due to the dual heritage she carries - part of her being descended from the Mayan goddess of Time Pacific, and the other a shadow brujx on her father’s side. Despite her powers, she struggles with confidence and she carries a lot of guilt for the events of The Shadow Crosser, and that crosses over into this book. I loved getting to see her growth over the course of the story, and how she comes into her powers a bit more. Zane being out of the picture really allows Ren to step into a leadership role. I also liked seeing the addition of some new characters to combat old foes (the ‘cinco’) and the newly introduced Lords of Night. Edison and Montero are great allies to Ren, and I was quite intrigued by the Lords of Night myth (having never heard of them before, the glossary at the end of the book helped a lot - especially with pronunciation). 

Given that the main character of The Lords of Night is one of the side characters of The Storm Runner series, this is likely a book best suited for fans of the original series. I truly enjoyed how worldbuilding is structured in both series. Each one has elements of Mayan and Aztec mythology, though The Storm Runner series focuses more on Mayan mythology and The Lords of Night focuses more on Aztec ones. As such, the two sets of books have very different tones (especially since they have different leads). For those who haven’t read the original books, please note that the author does a great job of providing sufficient background information such that any readers new to The Storm Runner universe will not find themselves lost. I do, however, recommend reading The Storm Runner series first for the best experience. 

If you enjoy zany, action-packed, mythology inspired middle-grade tales, this is the book for you! I’m so excited for the final book in the duology to come out so readers (including myself) can see what happens next for Ren and the crew. The cliffhanger this book ends on is quite painful. Thank you to the author J.C. Cervantes, Rick Riordan Presents, Disney-Hyperion Books, and Jaime at Rockstar Book Tours for providing me with a complimentary review copy of this book. I appreciate the opportunity to read and review The Lords of Night immensely. Please note - I voluntarily read and reviewed the book. All opinions expressed in the review are my own and not influenced in any way. 

About J. C. Cervantes:

J.C. is a New York Times best-selling author of books for children and young adults. Her books have appeared on national lists, including the American Booksellers Association New Voices, Barnes and Noble’s Best Young Reader Books, as well as Amazon’s Best Books of the Month. She has earned multiple awards and recognitions, including the New Mexico Book Award, the Zia Book Award, and most recently the 2021 New Mexico Land of Enchantment Readers’ Choice Award. 

She currently resides in the Land of Enchantment with her family, three spoiled dogs, and a lifetime collection of books. But she keeps part of her heart in Southern California, where she was born and raised. When she isn’t writing she is haunting bookstores and searching for magic in all corners of the world.

Her work is represented by Holly Root at Root Literary.

 

Website | Twitter | Instagram | Goodreads | Amazon | Bookbub

 

Giveaway Details:

1 winner will receive a finished copy of THE LORDS OF NIGHT, US Only.

Ends November 5^th, midnight EST.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Tour Schedule:

Week One:

10/1/2022

A Dream Within A Dream

Excerpt/IG Post

Week Two:

10/2/2022	@meetcuteromancebooks	Excerpt/IG Post
10/3/2022	Ya Books Central	Excerpt/IG Post
10/4/2022	The Momma Spot	Review/IG Post
10/5/2022	Wanderingwitchreads	TikTok Review/IG Post
10/6/2022	YA Book Nerd	Review/IG Post
10/7/2022	Eye-Rolling Demigod's Book Blog	Review/IG Post
10/8/2022	booksaremagictoo	Review/IG Post

Week Three:

10/9/2022	@jacleomik33	IG Review
10/10/2022	The Bookwyrm's Den	Review
10/11/2022	Nonbinary Knight Reads	Review/IG Post
10/12/2022	Ohyouread	IG Review
10/13/2022	A Backwards Story	Review/IG Post
10/14/2022	travelersguidetobooks	IG Review
10/15/2022	Jeff_of_allmedia	IG Review

Week Four:

10/16/2022	GryffindorBookishNerd	IG Review
10/17/2022	The Moon Phoenix	Review/IG Post
10/18/2022	Blog Write. Read. Live	Excerpt/IG Post
10/19/2022	The Chatty Bookworm	TikTok Review/IG Post
10/20/2022	Mindyourshelf	Review/IG Post
10/21/2022	Lifestyle of Me	Review
10/22/2022	Kait Plus Books	Excerpt/IG Post

Week Five:

10/23/2022	onemused	IG Spotlight
10/24/2022	bookbriefs	Review/IG Post
10/25/2022	Enthralled Bookworm Blog	Review/IG Post
10/26/2022	Two Points of Interest	Review/IG Post
10/27/2022	@drew_ambitious_reading	Review/IG Post
10/28/2022	PopTheButterfly Reads	Review/IG Post
10/29/2022	Books with Brandie Shanae	YouTube Review/IG Post

Week Six:

10/30/2022	Jenguerdy	IG Spotlight
10/31/2022	The Erudite Labyrinth	Excerpt

REVIEW Flirting with Fate by J.C. Cervantes

Flirting with Fate (Flirting with Fate #1) by J.C. Cervantes 
Rating: 4 Stars
Release Date: April 19, 2022
Format: eBook + Audiobook (Personal Library)
Publisher: Razorbill 

Check out the book on Bookshop.org

Check out the book on Libro.fm

*Please note - this post contains affiliate links, from which we may earn a commission (at no additional cost to you) if you make a purchase

“But that’s the problem with fate, Ava. Sometimes there is interference that no one is expecting.”

J.C. Cervantes’ first young adult novel, Flirting with Fate, is a cute and heartwarming read filled with lessons about magic, family, and fate. All the women in the Granados family have the ability to pass on ‘blessings’ to their descendants when they die. The catch is that the descendants must be present at the elder’s death. Ava’s nana is declining and has had multiple close calls. When the time finally comes, Ava is a couple of minutes late thanks to a freak storm and a minor car accident. She initially thinks she missed the chance to receive her nana’s blessing, but after Nana’s ghost comes for a visit Ava learns her blessing has been accidentally given to someone else. Will she be able to get the blessing back in time, or will the family bear the consequences of the mistake for the rest of eternity?

Ava is not a big believer in fate. As she explains in the book, “I think we make our own decisions. That destiny isn’t real, and there is no meant to be.” Fate has other plans for her though, and is determined to make her a believer. In addition to exploring the idea of fate, J.C. Cervantes also tackles the larger theme of grief. Ava and the family have already lost Nana once, and if they don’t set things right it will be like losing her all over again. The bonding moments between Nana and Ava during the quest to reclaim the blessing were quite poignant, and I felt it was like the universe giving Ava the chance to say a proper goodbye (that she almost missed at the beginning of the story). Of course, fate would not be what it was without throwing some unexpected hijinks into the mix…

There are a lot of caveats and rules to getting back a misplaced blessing, and Ava only has a limited amount of time to get it back from the person she ran into the night of her Nana’s death. First step; she has to find them! Once she crosses that off her list, I was surprised to learn of the connection between Rion and Achilles - it was definitely one of the most humorous plot twists in the story. I was also quite pleased to learn which twin ended up being the love interest in the story; Ava definitely got the better twin out of the deal. Rion, as opposed to Ava, is a big believer in fate and is a firm believer that things happen for a reason. The opposing viewpoints make for some cute interactions over the course of the story - I think you’ll enjoy said interactions if you’re a fan of Jenny Han’s To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before. 

While the romance in the book is cute, the family aspect of this book and the bond between Ava and her sisters are what sold me on the story. After the blessing goes awry, Ava’s sisters Carmen and Vivian are determined to help her set things right. I loved how focused they are, and how despite it being Ava’s mission all three sisters grow over the course of the story. I especially connected to their bond, given my own relationship with my sister (and it was cute to see the author’s nod to her own daughters in the acknowledgments section at the end of the book). 

Overall, Flirting with Fate is another fantastic story from J.C. Cervantes. The audiobook narrator Victoria Villareal did a great job bringing the humor and magic of this story to life. According to Goodreads, this story should be the first installment in a series so I’m excited to see what’s next. If a sweet contemporary romance complete with a ‘meet-cute’ moment and a little bit of magic sounds like your cup of tea, then Flirting with Fate should definitely be the next book on your TBR list! 

TRIGGER WARNINGS: Car Accident, Death of a Grandparent, Mention of Parental Abandonment (Historical)

About J. C. Cervantes:

J. C. Cervantes (www.jccervantes.com) is the New York Times best-selling author of The Storm Runner, which Booklist called "a rip-roaring adventure" in a starred review. Her first novel, Tortilla Sun, was a 2010 New Voices pick by the American Booksellers Association and was named to Bank Street's 2011 Best Book List. Jen grew up in San Diego and was fascinated by stories about Maya gods and magic. Follow her on Facebook, Twitter: @jencerv, and Instagram: #authorjcervantes.

Website | Twitter | Instagram | Goodreads | Bookbub

BLOG TOUR Fractured Path (The Mirror #3) by J.C. Cervantes

I am thrilled to be hosting a spot on the FRACTURED PATH by J.C. Cervantes Blog Tour hosted by Rockstar Book Tours. Check out my post and make sure to enter the giveaway!

About The Book:

Title: FRACTURED PATH (The Mirror #3)

Author: J.C. Cervantes

Pub. Date: August 2, 2022

Publisher: Disney-Hyperion

Formats: Hardcover, eBook, audiobook

Pages: 384

Find it: Goodreads, Amazon, B&N,  TBD, Bookshop.org

*Please note - this post contains affiliate links, from which we may earn a commission (at no additional cost to you) if you make a purchase

Can dreams come true when you're living with a family curse?

1965—San Francisco, California

The 1960s are bursting with music and movement and love in San Francisco, perfect for a budding artist like Blake. Unfortunately, the art world is not welcoming to people of her gender or her multi-racial heritage, making it tough to land an internship that could put her on the map. That, plus the fact that Blake’s family has been notoriously riddled with bad luck, makes her feel like she can’t catch a break. Things only get worse when Blake starts to have ominous, confusing visions that grow stronger and more frequent, prompting Blake’s aunt and uncle to tell her about a long-lost family heirloom that could be the key to everything

Fueled by the ambiguous clues in her visions, Blake sets out on a journey through the city to retrieve her ancestors’ legendary mirror. But Blake is not the only one looking for it. Soon she must attempt to unleash her own dormant powers . . . or else risk all she holds dear.

Fractured Path is the third book in the YA fairy-tale quartet, following one family—and the curse that plagues it—over several generations.

Haven’t read the first 2 books in THE MIRROR QUARTET? Get them now!

Check out my review of the first book in The Mirror Quartet, Broken Wish, here!

Check out my review of the second book in The Mirror Quartet, Shattered Midnight, here!

REVIEW of Fractured Path (The Mirror #3) by J.C. Cervantes
Rating: 4 Stars
Release Date: August 2, 2022

Format: eARC (Provided by Publisher and Rockstar Book Tours)

Publisher: Disney-Hyperion

PLEASE NOTE: While this review is free of spoilers for Fractured Path, there may be some minor spoilers for Broken Wish and Shattered Midnight. If you have not read the first two books in the series, please proceed with caution!

“Magic is often fractured, unpracticed in the hands of those who haven’t had proper training.”

In the first two books of the Mirror series, readers were treated to stories taking place in 1800s Germany and 1920s New Orleans. Now, with J.C. Cervantes’ Fractured Path we skip another generation and move to 1960s San Francisco. Blake is the granddaughter of Zora (the protagonist of Shattered Midnight), and her life is starting to be affected by magic (and the curse) now too. As her birthday approaches, she starts to have dreams (bordering on nightmares), and she and her family believe those dreams are the key to understanding the mystery of her family’s past. Will she be able to fix things, or will she be the latest family member to succumb to the curse’s power?

This book is slightly different than the first two, as now instead of having the two separate bloodlines they have been combined. One thing I really appreciated in Fractured Path that wasn’t really present in Broken Wish or Shattered Midnight is the presence of adult figures in Blake’s life who are ready and willing to help her figure things out. Elva’s parents refused to acknowledge her power in Broken Wish, and we all know how that turned out. Zora did embrace the musical aspect of her gift, and that led her to Phillip, but after the heartbreak at the end of Shattered Midnight, she refuses to use it ever again (in the misguided belief that it will spare her family more pain). Now, Blake has a more watered-down version of magic than other members of her family (like her mother and grandmother) but when the curse comes into play her aunt and uncles are more than willing to help as much as they can. I loved that, and I think if Zora or Elva had someone like that in their lives things would have turned out much differently. 

I’m still incredibly impressed by how well the authors have maintained a sense of continuity throughout the books. I can only imagine how many calls and planning sessions and drafts were necessary to make that happen. Each author has expanded upon the worldbuilding of the series, and J.C. Cervantes did a great job with her piece of things. If you like the worldbuilding in her Storm Runner series, then I feel you’ll like what she did with this book. 

My one (minor) issue with this book is that it didn’t deliver the same vibe and atmospheric feel as the others did. Maybe it’s just a personal opinion because San Francisco doesn’t equate to as many ideas or concepts as New Orleans (music, great food, racial segregation in the 1920s) or Germany (Brothers Grimm, older more superstitious culture, prevalence of religious ideas and power) do, but that was a difference I noticed between the three books. 

Once again, Disney delivered yet another fantastic installment to the Mirror series. With how Fractured Path ended, I’m eager to get my hands on L.L. McKinney’s Splintered Magic to figure out how the story (and hopefully the curse) will end for the family after so many years. While you could technically read these books individually as standalone novels, I recommend reading them in order for the most in-depth and satisfying reading experience. 

Thank you to the author, Disney Books, and Jaime at Rockstar Book Tours for providing me with a complimentary review copy. I appreciate the opportunity to read and review Fractured Path immensely! Please note - I voluntarily read and reviewed the book. All opinions expressed in the review are my own and not influenced in any way. 

About J. C. Cervantes:

J. C. Cervantes (www.jccervantes.com) is the New York Times best-selling author of The Storm Runner, which Booklist called "a rip-roaring adventure" in a starred review. Her first novel, Tortilla Sun, was a 2010 New Voices pick by the American Booksellers Association and was named to Bank Street's 2011 Best Book List. Jen grew up in San Diego and was fascinated by stories about Maya gods and magic. Follow her on Facebook, Twitter: @jencerv, and Instagram: #authorjcervantes.

Website | Twitter | Instagram | Goodreads | Bookbub

 

Giveaway Details:

1 winner will receive a finished copy of FRACTURED PATH, US Only.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Tour Schedule:

Week One:

7/1/2022	Ya Books Central	Excerpt/IG Post
7/2/2022	Sadie's Spotlight	Excerpt/IG Post

Week Two:

7/3/2022	BookHounds YA	Excerpt/IG Post
7/4/2022	#BRVL Book Review Virginia Lee Blog	Excerpt
7/5/2022	Two Chicks on Books	Excerpt
7/6/2022	@jaimerockstarbooktours	IG Post
7/7/2022	Lady Hawkeye	Excerpt/IG Post
7/8/2022	Rajiv's Reviews	Review/IG Post
7/9/2022	The Moon Phoenix	Review/IG Post

Week Three:

7/10/2022	Stacialovestoread	Review/IG Post
7/11/2022	Fire and Ice	Review
7/12/2022	GryffindorBookishNerd	IG Review
7/13/2022	Lifestyle of Me	Review
7/14/2022	Books a Plenty Book Reviews	Review
7/15/2022	Eye-Rolling Demigod's Book Blog	Review/IG Post
7/16/2022	More Books Please blog	Review/IG Post

Week Four:

7/17/2022	Kait Plus Books	Review/IG Post/TikTok Post
7/18/2022	beersbooksandboos	Review/IG Post
7/19/2022	The Chatty Bookworm	TikTok Review/IG Post
7/20/2022	pluvioreads	Review/IG Post/TikTok Post
7/21/2022	History from a Woman’s Perspective	Review
7/22/2022	A Backwards Story	Review/IG Post
7/23/2022	The Momma Spot	Review/IG Post

Week Five:

7/24/2022	A Bookish Dream	Review/IG Post
7/25/2022	hodophile_z	IG Review
7/26/2022	onemused	IG Review
7/27/2022	@drewsim12	IG Review/TikTok Post
7/28/2022	Books and Zebras	IG Review
7/29/2022	@lexijava	Review/IG Post
7/30/2022	Two Points of Interest	Review

Week Six:

7/31/2022

popthebutterfly

Review/IG Post/TikTok Post