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“A tween dabbles in dark magic, hoping to do one good deed. In Tierra del Sol, criaturas are feared and reviled…Now 12, Cece encounters the Bride Stealer El Sombrerón, another criatura, whose magic guitar bewitches young women. Before Cece can stop him from playing, her sister, Juana, is entranced by his song and kidnapped. Her family mourns, but Cece is determined to get Juana back—but she’ll have to enter the Bruja Fights for aspiring dark witches to get into Devil’s Alley, where El Sombrerón lives…Lively, endearing, and full of character.”

– Kirkus Reviews, Starred Review

Cece Rios and the Desert of Souls

Written by Kaela Rivera
Published by HarperCollins

Living in the remote town of Tierra del Sol is dangerous, especially in the criatura months, when powerful spirits roam the desert and threaten humankind. But Cecelia Rios has always believed there was more to the criaturas, much to her family’s disapproval. After all, only brujas—humans who capture and control criaturas—consort with the spirits, and brujeria is a terrible crime.

When her older sister, Juana, is kidnapped by El Sombrerón, a powerful dark criatura, Cece is determined to bring Juana back. To get into Devil’s Alley, though, she’ll have to become a bruja herself—while hiding her quest from her parents, her town, and the other brujas. Thankfully, the legendary criatura Coyote has a soft spot for humans and agrees to help her on her journey.

With him at her side, Cece sets out to reunite her family—and maybe even change what it means to be a bruja along the way.

Don’t miss more Cece Rios adventures! Explore:

Primary ISBN: 9780062947550
Publication Date: April 2021
Available As: Hardcover, Paperback, Audiobook, eBook
Middle Grade, Age 08 or older

Community Represented: ,

Themes: , , , , , , , , , , ,

Setting: Mexico

Character's Place in the Immigration Journey: Home Country

Book Creator(s) Connection to the Community Represented: Own Voices/Lived Experience

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