2treads's review
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
This was such a lovely YA romance. I don't normally go for romance but throw in historical aspe ts of a culture that I am interested in and I am there.
I really enjoyed this melding of the Mexican mythology and history with contemporary issues of immigration and family. The fall of Tenochtitlan, the strength and endurance of its people, and the treatment of Mexican people by ICE.
Theirs is a fated yet doomed love and I loved every minute of it.
I really enjoyed this melding of the Mexican mythology and history with contemporary issues of immigration and family. The fall of Tenochtitlan, the strength and endurance of its people, and the treatment of Mexican people by ICE.
Theirs is a fated yet doomed love and I loved every minute of it.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Racism, Death of parent, Violence, and Death
exclusivepalmbeachliving's review
5.0
I don’t know where to begin with this story. It was absolutely incredible, a page turner, filled with incredible history.. A must read!
I fell in love with the MCs from their first introduction “Sitlali” and “Calizto” and their cross over time love story had me clutching my imaginary pearls.
But don’t get confused, this novel is so much more than just a Fantasy Romance, this is about the Fall of the Aztec empire and how we get a little insight in the form of fiction through the eyes of our warrior Calizto.
To the cruel reality filled with violence, immigration and death of our present time in Mexico through the eyes of our FMC Sitlali..
I was not prepared for the ending and I am honestly still processing that.. so.
Thank you Netgalley and Bloomsbury for a copy of this incredible novel in exchange of an honest review.
I fell in love with the MCs from their first introduction “Sitlali” and “Calizto” and their cross over time love story had me clutching my imaginary pearls.
But don’t get confused, this novel is so much more than just a Fantasy Romance, this is about the Fall of the Aztec empire and how we get a little insight in the form of fiction through the eyes of our warrior Calizto.
To the cruel reality filled with violence, immigration and death of our present time in Mexico through the eyes of our FMC Sitlali..
I was not prepared for the ending and I am honestly still processing that.. so.
Thank you Netgalley and Bloomsbury for a copy of this incredible novel in exchange of an honest review.
michaelasreads's review
adventurous
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
tokagelizard's review
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
My YA World Challenge read for Mexico. More at my blog at https://ya-world-challenge.tumblr.com
Her father disappeared to the US without contact years ago, her mother died of a broken heart, and now a dangerous gang member wants her as his girl. 17-year-old Sitlali has nothing left in her Veracruz hometown, just the ghost of her abuela watching over her, and she has decided to make the trek north to the border. The night before she leaves she finds a conch with inscrutable rune markings on the beach.
500 years in the past, Calitzo has lost everyone he loves to smallpox. Inside the Mexica city-state of Tenochtitlan, he trains with other teen boys in preparation to fight off the Spanish invader Cortés who holds the city under seige.
Somehow, the conch connects Sitlali and Calitzo across space and time and they each guide each other in their journeys.
I really enjoyed the immersion we got into 1500s Tenochtitlan and the juxtaposition of Mexica peoples' struggles in two different times. The connection across time allowed for the two main characters to form a unique romance based on deep understanding of each other. Though I felt like some of the traumatic things, especially in Sitlali's time, were rushed through without time to process, there is a lot going on in two different centuries, and perhaps makes sense in that Sitlali's only half-living in her own time at this point.
This is a very enjoyable historical adventure with some time-traveling and a love story mixed in, as well as a celebration of the resilience of the indigenous peoples of Mexico.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Colonisation and War
Moderate: Blood, Gun violence, Deportation, Abandonment, and Genocide
Minor: Sexual content
annagwritesandreads's review
adventurous
challenging
emotional
hopeful
tense
fast-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? It's complicated
4.5
Thank you to Netgalley, the publishers, David and Guadalupe for this wonderful novel.
4.5/5 stars.
General Description: Love knows no bounds, especially for Calizto and Sitlali. We follow 2 timelines: Calizto is trying to protect himself as Tenochtitlan starts to fall, while Sitlali is escaping gangs in Mexico to join her father in the US. Both Calizto and Sitlali hold a moon conch near and as the moon gets fuller, their connection gets stronger. Will Calizto and Sitlali be able to get to safety in their respective timelines, or will something worse than heartbreak happen?
All the good:
- The historical aspect is magnificent.
- The present day setting is heartbreakingly accurate and left me anxious while reading, in the best way possible.
- The love story is absolutely beautiful and made my heart smile.
- This was extremely fast paced and I saw no twists or turns coming if I'm honest.
The loss of a half star:
- To me, the ending left me with questions which left me unsettled. If there is a sequel to this book, I'll change my rating to a 5/5 stars.
Overall: If you like historical romances, I feel like this will be right up your alley. I thoroughly enjoyed this book!
4.5/5 stars.
General Description: Love knows no bounds, especially for Calizto and Sitlali. We follow 2 timelines: Calizto is trying to protect himself as Tenochtitlan starts to fall, while Sitlali is escaping gangs in Mexico to join her father in the US. Both Calizto and Sitlali hold a moon conch near and as the moon gets fuller, their connection gets stronger. Will Calizto and Sitlali be able to get to safety in their respective timelines, or will something worse than heartbreak happen?
All the good:
- The historical aspect is magnificent.
- The present day setting is heartbreakingly accurate and left me anxious while reading, in the best way possible.
- The love story is absolutely beautiful and made my heart smile.
- This was extremely fast paced and I saw no twists or turns coming if I'm honest.
The loss of a half star:
- To me, the ending left me with questions which left me unsettled. If there is a sequel to this book, I'll change my rating to a 5/5 stars.
Overall: If you like historical romances, I feel like this will be right up your alley. I thoroughly enjoyed this book!
kluvskpop's review
adventurous
funny
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.0
bookish_aly_cat's review
5.0
This was such a beautifully written, compelling story. There were so many intriguing and interesting elements woven in throughout the story that I genuinely enjoyed learning about. Even though this is a romantic fantasy, there is a lot of historical elements and cultural aspects in there that give the story depth and balance. I really enjoyed this one!
mrsscottisreading's review
adventurous
emotional
inspiring
tense
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
5.0
meagan_mizukage's review
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
5.0
Absolutely phenomenal.
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