A timely, well-written use of werewolf-as-analogy that was genuinely refreshing and unflinchingly political.

That said, at times, the plot (especially once Manu meets the other Septimuses) kinda drags and the world-building, while well-imagined, can be a little confusing and hard to keep up with, and I was bummed about what felt like a very abrupt ending. But I'm definitely looking forward to more from this series and from Romina Garber.

(Also, god, what a beautiful cover).

Full review at my booktube channel: https://youtu.be/pit9j9kfHIg?t=2289 ( )

This might just be the best YA book of 2020. It's the magic-packed, Latinx werewolf story I never knew I wanted but now am very invested in seeing where the story/series goes! The writing style is descriptive and engrossing, and Garber weaves such a rich world and mythology that is fascinating to see unfold and explored. Our main character, Manuela, is full of depth and life; seeing her deal with her family history, the threat of ICE and being deported, her place in both the human and magic worlds, and trying to coming to terms with who she is and her identity is a rewarding and multilayered story that really makes an impression.

I was especially impressed by the conversation Garber started about questioning the strict binaries of gender and sex with the lobizon/werewolf VS bruja/witch. In the world of the Septimus (the magic world here) all men are lobizons and all women are brujas. When that strict separation is proven false, it makes the Septimus have to begin to look at their outdated beliefs and social structures and consider the question of where someone who apparently doesn't fit in belongs - or if that person DOES belong and it's the systems that need changing.

Just because I'm now a little ways out of the target age range, it's been awhile since a YA story hit all the marks for me personally, but I totally loved "Lobizona". While there were a couple slightly weak moments (that big reveal with Fierro felt a bit out of left field), I still found myself completely falling into Manuela's world and being invested in the magic, the romance, the friendships- all of it! ( )

A bit of history: El Lobizon is a type of werewolf from Argentine legend. As the superstition goes, every 7th son in a family is born as a Lobizon. Every full moon, at the stroke of midnight, this causes them to turn into a ravenous, wolf-like creature until dawn. This superstition was so strong and caused so much trouble that the president of Argentina began adopting seventh sons in 1907, and then included 7th daughters starting in 1973, claiming this would break the curse.

Lobizona is a story based on this legend, written by Argentine author Romina Garber. This debut novel is another of my recent reads that was released this year. I had honestly been in a serious mood to read a really good werewolf book with some nice world building. Oh my goodness, did this deliver. This was just the book I needed and it was so much more than just a werewolf book.

Manu lives with her mom and their friend in Miami, Fl. But because they are undocumented and on the run from people from her dad’s past, Manu must live a very solitary life, staying home as much as possible. It doesn’t help that her eyes look like glowing suns with silver star pupils. Or that every full moon she experiences “lunaritis,” such awfully painful period symptoms that her mother gives her special pills to knock her out during the worst of it. However, Manu begins to learn that her mother hasn’t been very honest with her about a lot of things. When her mother gets arrested by ICE, Manu starts unraveling all the secrets her mother kept from her. Probably the biggest secret- Lobizones are real. And not just Lobizones, but Brujas, the witches that the seventh daughters become. And Manu is somehow connected to this world of legend by the father she has never met.

Because Manu is considered “illegal” in both worlds she is connected to, she has never felt like she belongs. But as she begins to learn more about who she really is and makes new friends that support her, she finally begins to see a place for herself. Manu has had to focus her entire life on playing it safe to survive, hiding herself away. Now, she is able to get a glimpse of what a life could be like where she knows exactly who she is and serves as an inspiration to other young women like herself who want to push back against the boxes they have been placed in. Definitely a 5/5 stars from me ★ ★ ★ ★ ★.

Merged review:

A bit of history: El Lobizon is a type of werewolf from Argentine legend. As the superstition goes, every 7th son in a family is born as a Lobizon. Every full moon, at the stroke of midnight, this causes them to turn into a ravenous, wolf-like creature until dawn. This superstition was so strong and caused so much trouble that the president of Argentina began adopting seventh sons in 1907, and then included 7th daughters starting in 1973, claiming this would break the curse.

Lobizona is a story based on this legend, written by Argentine author Romina Garber. This debut novel is another of my recent reads that was released this year. I had honestly been in a serious mood to read a really good werewolf book with some nice world building. Oh my goodness, did this deliver. This was just the book I needed and it was so much more than just a werewolf book.

Manu lives with her mom and their friend in Miami, Fl. But because they are undocumented and on the run from people from her dad’s past, Manu must live a very solitary life, staying home as much as possible. It doesn’t help that her eyes look like glowing suns with silver star pupils. Or that every full moon she experiences “lunaritis,” such awfully painful period symptoms that her mother gives her special pills to knock her out during the worst of it. However, Manu begins to learn that her mother hasn’t been very honest with her about a lot of things. When her mother gets arrested by ICE, Manu starts unraveling all the secrets her mother kept from her. Probably the biggest secret- Lobizones are real. And not just Lobizones, but Brujas, the witches that the seventh daughters become. And Manu is somehow connected to this world of legend by the father she has never met.

Because Manu is considered “illegal” in both worlds she is connected to, she has never felt like she belongs. But as she begins to learn more about who she really is and makes new friends that support her, she finally begins to see a place for herself. Manu has had to focus her entire life on playing it safe to survive, hiding herself away. Now, she is able to get a glimpse of what a life could be like where she knows exactly who she is and serves as an inspiration to other young women like herself who want to push back against the boxes they have been placed in. Definitely a 5/5 stars from me ★ ★ ★ ★ ★. ( )

Banned Book Sanctuary

I absolutely loved this book. Romina Garber incorporates culture, history, and fiction into one epic tale of a story. I devoured this book in one day. The book deals with real life issues like deportation, it mixes Argentinian folklore with present day America. Definitely would read again and recommend to anyone. 5/5 stars. ( )