Ballad & Dagger

This was such a great book! It reads like a setup for a hero movie. I saw some reviews of people saying it was very political, which it was however it was filled with the politics of their world, San Madrigal, and was very necessary for the story. The way Mateo and Chela come full circle into their powers was done brilliantly. There are some things that I didn't like. I didn't understand why one of the twins just completely disappeared from the story or why the writer didn't fully flesh out Tia Lucia's warning about Chela. At first I was going to rate it a 4 but the last chapters of the book the story kicks into high gear and it made it a 5 for me!

Right off, this read felt like home. Daniel Jose Older was able to capture the magical elements of Caribbean culture. The magic in music, community, shared ancestry, shared history and religion. He was able to capture and exude so much through these pages. It was awesome to see it done right and respectful while sprinkling in fantastical and mystical elements throughout. This is an exciting and fast paced read (it does have a lull at the 80% mark) that will keep you engaged the entire time.