Cece Rios and the Desert of Souls by Kaela Rivera

They form a bond of trust and loyalty, which is non-existent between brujas and criaturas, as the role of brujas is typically to enslave criaturas. Indebted to her, and seeing that she’s not malicious like other brujas, Coyote promises to help Cece win the Bruja Fights and save her sister. Hearing this, Cece is convinced she’s lost the one opportunity to save her sister, until she rescues the criatura Coyote from Cantil Snake. The condition for becoming one requires Cece to gain control of a criatura of her own and win the Bruja Fights. But to get to her sister, Cece must become a bruja to obtain access to Devil’s Alley- the home for all criaturas.īut becoming a bruja is no easy feat.

So it is no surprise she feels the need to prove herself when her sister is taken by the criatura El Sombrerón after an argument between the two sisters. Compared to her perfect sister Juana, Cece considers herself a disappointment and a shame to her entire family. MY TWO CENTS: Cece Rios has lived under the scrutiny of her small desert town ever since she was “cursed” by the criatura Tzitzimitl when she was seven. With him at her side, Cece sets out to reunite her family-and maybe even change what it means to be a bruja along the way. Thankfully, the legendary criatura Coyote has a soft spot for humans and agrees to help her on her journey. To get into Devil’s Alley, though, she’ll have to become a bruja herself-while hiding her quest from her parents, her town, and the other brujas. When her older sister, Juana, is kidnapped by El Sombrerón, a powerful dark criatura, Cece is determined to bring Juana back. After all, only brujas-humans who capture and control criaturas-consort with the spirits, and brujeria is a terrible crime. But Cecelia Rios has always believed there was more to the criaturas, much to her family’s disapproval. DESCRIPTION OF THE BOOK: Living in the remote town of Tierra del Sol is dangerous, especially in the criatura months, when powerful spirits roam the desert and threaten humankind.

Cece Rios and the Desert of Souls by Kaela Rivera