Wow, this is one of my favorite books of 2020 so far! This story is an adventure in magic, identity, and Argentinian folklore. Lobizona is the story of Manuela Azul, a girl who has never quite fit in anywhere. Not only does she have otherworldly eyes, Manu and her mother are illegal immigrants. When ICE captures her mother in a raid, Manu is forced to flee. While looking for answers, Manu uncovers secrets that her mother has been hiding from her.

With strong roots in Argentinian folklore, Manu discovers a magical school: a school for witches and werewolves. But the school has never seen someone quite like her and soon Manu is once again trying her best to hide in plain sight. Lobizona is a gripping and timely read: with commentary on gender identity, binary language, sexism, societal roles, and immigration. There is a clear emphasis and exploration of the power of language, labels, and identity.

Lobizona’s stunning descriptions and intricate details captivated me. The memorable side characters, the twists and turns, and how original this story feels made this book hard to put down. This is the story of a fierce heroine who is determined to find her way back to her mom, learn more about her mysterious powers, and finds friendship (and maybe more?) along the way. Lobizona releases on August 4, 2020! Thank you to Romina Garber, Wednesday Books, and Netgalley for providing me with a free ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. P.S. The cover is SO gorgeous!