"The horrors Perla left behind when she came to this country darken her glassy gaze, and I realize she never got away. No matter how many borders we cross, we can't seem to outrun the fear of not feeling safe in our own house."

I think it's fair to note that, while this is definitely YA fantasy, it reads more like contemporary fiction sprinkled with magical realism. Those looking for high fantasy involving werewolf folklore might be disappointed in this slow burning tale, because it feels as if the purpose of this story is to serve the reader with a unique book about the immigrant's life in America. Garber has provided a call to action with [b:Lobizona|51179882|Lobizona (Wolves of No World, #1)|Romina Garber|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1571242220l/51179882._SX50_SY75_.jpg|72729786], and I love that she holds back nothing in her attempt to educate the average reader on many horrors of modern society.

The prologue immediately gripped me and set the tone for the remainder of the book, and as a privileged white woman, I found myself choking back tears and grieving for those who aren't treated equally in this country. The author also ties in menstrual cycles as an important part of Manu's transformation, and it was so refreshing to see a YA author normalize something that is, well, NORMAL. Even though this was not an own voices read for me, I wholly appreciated diving into someone else's culture and heritage and learning more about their folklore.

The pacing is steady in this book, and it felt like a solid set up for the next installment, which I am very much anticipating to read. If you are looking for a YA fantasy that stands apart from the regular humdrum, and you're interested in current events and educating yourself on some of the injustices that Latinx immigrants face on a daily basis, do yourself a favor and pick this title up on August 4th.

*Many thanks to the publisher for providing my review copy.