Paola Santiago and the River of Tears by Tehlor Kay MejiaMy rating: 4 of 5 stars
Not unlike Roshani Chokshi and Aru Shah, Tehlor Kay Mejia is a case of an author whose YA fantasy debut wasn't exactly my fave (sadly I couldn't even finish Chokshi's The Star-Touched Queen to this day, but someday maybe I'll give it a revisit), but I liked her Rick Riordan Presents MG fantasy debut even more. For sure, this Mexican-inspired tale of the terrors wrought by the notorious spirit La Llorona in a small Arizona town - and beyond - feels like a perfect companion to Aru Shah's books in the Rick Riordan Presents lineup. It feels like somewhat of the perfect middle ground between Aru Shah's stories and those of Sal and Gabi as well - it has an Aru-like tone, but Pao is quite the science geek, lover of all things space-related in particular, so on that level, she and Sal would make pretty fast friends. Her and Min from Dragon Pearl as well. Mejia, though, perfectly captures not only the oppressive heat of the Arizona summer, but also the fear of all the elders' old superstitions - and the old ladies' chanclas - permeating every aspect of life for Pao and her neighbor Dante. Especially when one of their closest friends becomes just the latest in a string of mysterious disappearances...boy, is this a wild adventure for the ages, and luckily, Mejia's already working on a sequel!
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