I haven't been this excited about a series since Raybearer and Legendborn. This book has it all: compelling protagonists and side characters, a magic system that feels like a breath of fresh air, and a beautifully written story that keeps you hooked the whole way through.

The Lost Dreamer follows the parallel stories of two girls: Indir and Saya. Both girls are born with the incredible gift of being able to enter the Dream. The Dream is sort of like a Spirit Realm, yet it's so much more than that too. I don't want to oversimplify the beauty of the Dream, but as you read you'll come to understand how incredible it is.

The difference between Saya and Indir is that Indir has been trained to use her gift her whole life, surrounded by other Dreamers in the city of Alcanzeh. Saya, on the other hand, has grown up hiding her gift, not understanding the full extent of her power. And the abusive environment she's grown up in hasn't helped.

Both of the girls face a life-altering event that sets them on a collision course toward each other. Huerta has done something powerful with the dual perspectives in this book. Both girls have an incredibly strong voice and compelling narrative (which can be difficult to pull off...I'm looking at you, George). The action is constantly moving forward, and the ending of each chapter makes it impossible to put the book down. I always felt like I had to know what happened next for BOTH characters, which meant I was eager to read each and every chapter, and the dual narrative actually created the reading equivalent of a perpetual motion machine. I was never slogging through one chapter just to get to the next.

I've covered that I adore both Saya and Indir, but I also want to talk about the host of side characters. I mean, each person that is introduced is a delight to get to know. They're delightful, interesting, and bursting with personality.

This book also explores the topic of family from just about every angle. Huerta covers blood family, the good and the bad. She also explores the depths of found family and deep friendships in a profound way, especially how choosing your family can help you heal from trauma and explore yourself more fully.

I'd also be remiss if I didn't talk about how the author writes about a diverse range of body types. Women with thick thighs, wide hips, soft stomachs, and low-hanging breasts abound. The way Huerta writes about bodies is like a love-letter, and praises more what the body can do than what it looks like. Stretch marks are sacred, legs are meant to carry, and so on. It is a radical stance for body neutrality, and still manages to encapsulate the absolute beauty of bodies that don't fit the current Western beauty standards.

The Lost Dreamer isn't your typical 3-act structure, either. It's something more lyrical and free-flowing with that. This book has not been confirmed as a series yet (to my knowledge, as of writing), though it certainly has the potential to be, and the story ends in a way feeling like things are just getting started. However, I think that's part of the beauty of the narrative. I hope that this story gets the opportunity to continue. It's one of the most compelling and interesting YA narratives I've enjoyed in a while, and it feels like it's just getting started. Huerta is an incredible writer and storyteller, and I'm on board for whatever she does next.

Tropes and Things I Love:
- Body Positivity/Neutrality
- Found Family
- Non-binary character
- Queer relationships NORMALIZED
- Ancient Mesoamerican inspiration
- Complex and unique magic system
- Strong, likeable protagonists
- Antagonist is sorta intangible

TW/CW: abusive parent, mentions of blood sacrifice (including animal), character drugged, talk of infertility, death, scene of animal cruelty (gets resolved), grief.

This book was such a fantastic blend of avi-fi and fantasy in a world that still resembles our own. Set in a slightly futuristic Toronto, Blood Like Magic follows Voya, a young witch from one of the most powerful families of Black witches. She’s started her Calling, a time when young witches come into their power and receive their magical gift, IF they can pass a test given by their ancestors. But the task Voya gives seems impossible, especially for someone as indecisive as she is. The task is to destroy her first love, but there are major consequences if she chooses otherwise.

I loved this story so much. For starters, Voya is an incredible character who loves her family and always puts them first. The problem is that she pours so much of her love and energy into everyone else that her belief in herself is flimsy at best. Seeing her learn, grow, gain confidence, and find balance is an incredible journey. And her love interest is trans and I love him. The two characters have great chemistry together.

The story takes place in a future that’s both hopeful and grounded in reality. The technology is definitely believable, and the added quips like “back in my day we Googled” were hilarious to me. Everything is based in AI and genetics, which totally tracks. The hopeful part? We see a world in which people of all identities are treated more equitably than ever, even on a systemic level. Or at least, this works is getting there, as there’s definitely still work to do. I think it’s amazing to see a sci-fi-esque setting that isn’t a complete utopia or dystopia. It’s real and hopeful.

The story was just so good, and the more I read the more I got sucked into Voya’s journey. I cannot wait for the next book. There are so many things I want to say, but I feel like they’re too spoiler-y.

(The antagonist of the book was so creepy too. Every time a certain trait of theirs was mentioned I got the heebie jeebies.)

I really liked the premise of the book, and the mystery of it all definitely held my attention. I just found myself wishing I connected more to the characters. One of my favorite things was the bonus chapter in Reese’s perspective, and it made me love her so much more. It makes me wish some of the actual book was from her perspective. The bonus chapter also made me realize that flashbacks could have worked so well in this book.