In Wayward Witch, Rose-the youngest sister and the least sure of her own powers-lands herself in the fairy realm of Adas, with seemingly no way out.Ĭórdova-a prolific Ecuadorian author who’s penned a number of YA and romance titles, including parts of the Star Wars Canon Universe-is a writer with a talent for world-building and that’s especially apparent in ‘Brooklyn Brujas’. Bruja Born charts the story of healing Lula, who uses her recuperative powers to bring back a boyfriend from the beyond, setting off a deadly chain reaction. The trilogy kicks off with Labyrinth Lost, in which Alex-on the cusp of her Death Day celebrations (think: quinceañera for brujas)-is battling to repress her powers entirely, an act which lands her in the realm of Los Lagos and kickstarts a life-or-death quest. Telling the story of a trio of Brooklyn-born Latinx sisters-Alex, Lula, and Rose Mórtiz, respectively-Córdova’s ‘Brooklyn Brujas’ series weaves in all the elements of YA fiction (sibling rivalry, first loves, and overarching family drama) with some truly otherworldly creatures, concepts, and realms.

Since then, I’ve gone on to round the trilogy by reading Bruja Born (2018) and Wayward Witch (2020). I typically don’t go in for YA fiction, but rules are made to be broken, right? That’s how I felt when I read Labyrinth Lost (2016), the first book in Zoraida Córdova’s ‘Brooklyn Brujas’ Series, some two years ago now for an article on OZY. This post contains affiliate links to independent bookstores.

Incendiary by Zoraida Córdova