zohannah's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Abandonment, Drug abuse, Trafficking, and Drug use
Moderate: Blood and Injury/Injury detail
drbex's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
hopeful
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.25
Content Warnings
Moderate: Addiction
hobbithopeful's review
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.25
A dark and often tense fantasy about a young girl willing to bargain anything to save her sister, but the cost is far higher than she ever could have imagined.
Lucha just wants to protect her sister and survive, and she has been forced into a role where she has to kill awful monsters just to put food on the table. Her choices and desperation felt so real and raw. As much as she feels bitterness to what she has had to become, she would never truly leave. The way girls are treated in the town was very hard to swallow. Constant name calling and the threat of violence hangs over all of them, and I almost wished
I really liked this book. I think the second half of it really had me drawn into the story, once they reach the forest I feel like it really picks up and you know where it's going. The writing style and prose along with the beautiful imagery had to be some of my favorite parts of the book. I almost felt like I was going to look around and see thick forestry, or mushrooms everywhere.
The message about power corrupting, such as in the organized religion and even with the Kings was very well done. It showed that no matter who you are, once you start choosing who to save and protect you're no better then the bad guys.
A lot of messages about mothers and children, as well as choosing your fate and not having a destiny. (I do wonder if I would have picked this book up if I had known how much the mother/child theme was in this)
There was a lot to this story, there probably wasn't ever more then a few pages before a conflict would occur, I would have liked to see more relationship progression between Paz and Lucha. I also wish we had seen more of Alán, or at least his history with Lucha. I feel like there would have been more of an emotional payoff that way. I also felt like there were almost some story threads that got dropped? I almost thought the story was going to lead into protecting the environment and saving the town, but it went in a different direction. I also really thought there was going to be more about It almost felt like a lot happened but not a lot got resolved.
These are all minor complaints because I loved the story, so I can't really be too bad about the direction it took.
My biggest issue with the story is there are NO TRIGGER/CONTENT WARNINGS. This was incredibly frustrating to me, as this is a new release and I truly don't see any reason for there not be any in this day and age. And y'all this book goes to some dark places, so please be kind to yourself. (There are topics alluding to sexual assault, drug use, trafficking, misogyny and worse)
I will definitely read more by the author. If you are a fan of dark fantasy books this is perfect for you!
Lucha just wants to protect her sister and survive, and she has been forced into a role where she has to kill awful monsters just to put food on the table. Her choices and desperation felt so real and raw. As much as she feels bitterness to what she has had to become, she would never truly leave. The way girls are treated in the town was very hard to swallow. Constant name calling and the threat of violence hangs over all of them, and I almost wished
Spoiler
she had burned it all to the ground.I really liked this book. I think the second half of it really had me drawn into the story, once they reach the forest I feel like it really picks up and you know where it's going. The writing style and prose along with the beautiful imagery had to be some of my favorite parts of the book. I almost felt like I was going to look around and see thick forestry, or mushrooms everywhere.
The message about power corrupting, such as in the organized religion and even with the Kings was very well done. It showed that no matter who you are, once you start choosing who to save and protect you're no better then the bad guys.
A lot of messages about mothers and children, as well as choosing your fate and not having a destiny. (I do wonder if I would have picked this book up if I had known how much the mother/child theme was in this)
There was a lot to this story, there probably wasn't ever more then a few pages before a conflict would occur, I would have liked to see more relationship progression between Paz and Lucha. I also wish we had seen more of Alán, or at least his history with Lucha. I feel like there would have been more of an emotional payoff that way. I also felt like there were almost some story threads that got dropped? I almost thought the story was going to lead into protecting the environment and saving the town, but it went in a different direction. I also really thought there was going to be more about
Spoiler
getting rid of the drug and corruption, but that didn't happen either.These are all minor complaints because I loved the story, so I can't really be too bad about the direction it took.
My biggest issue with the story is there are NO TRIGGER/CONTENT WARNINGS. This was incredibly frustrating to me, as this is a new release and I truly don't see any reason for there not be any in this day and age. And y'all this book goes to some dark places, so please be kind to yourself. (There are topics alluding to sexual assault, drug use, trafficking, misogyny and worse)
I will definitely read more by the author. If you are a fan of dark fantasy books this is perfect for you!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Death, Animal death, Drug use, Drug abuse, and Addiction
Moderate: Murder
Minor: Sexism, Sexual assault, Trafficking, Torture, Misogyny, and Sexual harassment
rebyreadsandwrites's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Abandonment, Kidnapping, Classism, Forced institutionalization, Drug use, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Violence, Addiction, Confinement, Drug abuse, and Murder
Minor: Sexual violence and Sexual harassment
tak_everlasting's review against another edition
too much time spent setting up for future books.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Violence, Addiction, Murder, and Slavery
Moderate: Vomit and Sexual harassment
cboddie's review against another edition
dark
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
3.25
8th & up
Content Warnings
Moderate: Sexual assault and Addiction
ezwolf's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Lucha of the Night Forest caught my attention as a "fantasy about a girl who will do anything to protect her sister". I love stories about siblings going to great lengths to protect each other and the book does deliver on that.
I've spent a few days trying to find the right word to describe how this book felt to me and I have settled on that it's just kind of surface level in terms of world building and character development. At the start of the book I was very invested, but as I kept reading my interest lessened.
But this book is fast paced and a bit dark with a sapphic romance and I think a lot of other people will like this book more than I did.
Thank you to NetGalley for making this book available in exchange for an honest review!
I've spent a few days trying to find the right word to describe how this book felt to me and I have settled on that it's just kind of surface level in terms of world building and character development. At the start of the book I was very invested, but as I kept reading my interest lessened.
But this book is fast paced and a bit dark with a sapphic romance and I think a lot of other people will like this book more than I did.
Thank you to NetGalley for making this book available in exchange for an honest review!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Death, Drug abuse, Murder, Violence, Blood, and Confinement
Moderate: Grief, Drug use, Panic attacks/disorders, and Addiction
Minor: Trafficking, Abandonment, Sexual violence, Sexual harassment, Death of parent, and Classism
lisashelves's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Drug use, Drug abuse, and Addiction
araym1317's review
adventurous
dark
hopeful
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
First and foremost, big ups to Random House Children's team for granting me access to an eARC of Lucha of the Night Forest. I have enjoyed other YA novels by Tehlor Kay Mejia, and Lucha was no different.
Originally drawn to the novel due to my familiarity with the author, when I read the description, I got even more intrigued.
Lucha is well-paced, fantasy novel featuring an LGBTQNIA2S+ representative young femme protagonist. A number of themes within the novel struck me, including: enemies to lovers; the power of sibling love (sister love specifically); tropes of redemption, revenge, and justice; the evils of addiction and how it steals loved ones from us (either literally or figuratively); the power of life, nature, and hope; a coming into self/coming of age narrative that's centered most on a young femme coming into her own personal power and knowing herself/believing in herself.
A hunter of the evil things that lurk in the dark of the forest, our protagonist, named Lucha (literally "fight" or "struggle" in Spanish), is trying to keep her family together at all costs in a working poor community where the evils of capital keep people indebted, addicted, and treat human beings as disposable along with the earth. When their mother disappears on a bender (again), Lucha is determined to take care of her younger sister Lis, who she sees as naive and unfamiliar with what is required in order to survive the hand they've been dealt. Lucha meets another young woman, Paz, and her adventure unfolds from there.
Well-written prose combined with a storyline that compels the reader to turn the page makes for a great new YA fantasy novel from Mejia. I also love the ways in which Latinidad bleeds onto the pages, as well as larger reflections around societal issues that are relatable to all readers, regardless of their identities or where they come from geographically. I love the world that Mejia has created for us with Lucha and will continue to be on the lookout for new works in the future.
Originally drawn to the novel due to my familiarity with the author, when I read the description, I got even more intrigued.
Lucha is well-paced, fantasy novel featuring an LGBTQNIA2S+ representative young femme protagonist. A number of themes within the novel struck me, including: enemies to lovers; the power of sibling love (sister love specifically); tropes of redemption, revenge, and justice; the evils of addiction and how it steals loved ones from us (either literally or figuratively); the power of life, nature, and hope; a coming into self/coming of age narrative that's centered most on a young femme coming into her own personal power and knowing herself/believing in herself.
A hunter of the evil things that lurk in the dark of the forest, our protagonist, named Lucha (literally "fight" or "struggle" in Spanish), is trying to keep her family together at all costs in a working poor community where the evils of capital keep people indebted, addicted, and treat human beings as disposable along with the earth. When their mother disappears on a bender (again), Lucha is determined to take care of her younger sister Lis, who she sees as naive and unfamiliar with what is required in order to survive the hand they've been dealt. Lucha meets another young woman, Paz, and her adventure unfolds from there.
Well-written prose combined with a storyline that compels the reader to turn the page makes for a great new YA fantasy novel from Mejia. I also love the ways in which Latinidad bleeds onto the pages, as well as larger reflections around societal issues that are relatable to all readers, regardless of their identities or where they come from geographically. I love the world that Mejia has created for us with Lucha and will continue to be on the lookout for new works in the future.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Addiction
Minor: Violence and Sexual violence
Sexual violence is implied/threatened, but I did not read it as having actually occurred. It's threatened with a young woman being forced under the influence of drugs though, hence my inclusion of this as a CW.caseythereader's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Thanks to Random House for the free advance copy of this book.
- LUCHA OF THE NIGHT FOREST is a dark YA fantasy that I couldn't put down. I read the whole thing in one day because I had to know what was going to happen to Lucha.
- The world invented in this book isn't super detailed, but enough to get you invested and rooting for everyone. Even when characters' motives are at odds, you still want all of them to succeed.
- I loved that there was sapphic attraction between Lucha and Luz, but that it wasn't the driving force of the story, simply one element of it.
- This book doesn't shy away from the idea that systems are built to keep whole classes of people down, and also that even if you think you're doing good, you can still be doing harm in ways you haven't considered.
- LUCHA OF THE NIGHT FOREST is a dark YA fantasy that I couldn't put down. I read the whole thing in one day because I had to know what was going to happen to Lucha.
- The world invented in this book isn't super detailed, but enough to get you invested and rooting for everyone. Even when characters' motives are at odds, you still want all of them to succeed.
- I loved that there was sapphic attraction between Lucha and Luz, but that it wasn't the driving force of the story, simply one element of it.
- This book doesn't shy away from the idea that systems are built to keep whole classes of people down, and also that even if you think you're doing good, you can still be doing harm in ways you haven't considered.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Animal death, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Abandonment, Death, Violence, Blood, and Drug abuse
Minor: Misogyny