Review of ‘Wayward Witch’ (Brooklyn Brujas #3)

Synopsis

Infused with Latin American tradition--the Brooklyn Brujas series follows three sisters--and witches--as they develop their powers and battle magic in their hometown and worlds beyond.

Rose Mortiz has always been a fixer, but lately she's been feeling lost. She has brand new powers that she doesn't understand, and her family is still trying to figure out how to function in the wake of her amnesiac father's return home. Then, on the night of her Death Day party, Rose discovers her father's memory loss has been a lie.

As she rushes to his side, the two are ambushed and pulled through a portal to the land of Adas, a fairy realm hidden in the Caribbean Sea. There Rose is forced to work with a group of others to save Adas. Soon, she begins to discover the scope of her powers, the troubling truth about her father's past, and the sacrifices he made to save her sisters. But if Rose wants to return home so that she can repair her broken family, she must figure out how to heal Adas first.

Brooklyn Brujas Series:

1. Labyrinth Lost (Book 1): Alex's story--set in the mythical fantasy world of Los Lagos
2. Bruja Born (Book 2): Lula's story--urban fantasy set on the streets of Brooklyn
3. Wayward Witch (Book 3): Rose's story--set in the magical fairy realm of Adas

Review

Much like the previous novels, Wayward Witch follows the youngest of the Mortiz daughters as she embarks on a personal journey while attempting to save her father and the fairy kingdom of Adas. Yet, while doing so, Rose also has to find a way to control her newfound power, one similar to the Devourer. Rose’s main conflict is trying to reconcile the similarities between her magic and the evil witch who almost destroyed her family from Labyrinth Lost.

Above all, Wayward Witch follows the same formula as its predecessors: it is a story of self-discovery. While struggling to reconcile with her magic, Rose loses faith and creates these barriers between herself and her family. For instance, unlike her family, Rose sees the cracks in her perfect life, making her question everything. As a result, using magic to destroy the lies, Rose breaks everything keeping her family together, thrusting her on an adventure in fairyland. Subsequently, this journey teaches her much about herself and her power, showing her that her power is what she makes of it. Rose is finally able to break down the walls she had up, allowing her to find the peace she needed to reconnect with her family.

Wayward Witch offers an excellent journey, however, offering up a slower pace. Nevertheless, it does not lack for adventure, nor does it lack thoughtfulness. For instance, Cordova invented a word for non-binary Brujas. It was undoubtedly a beautiful addition bringing in powerful representation to the novel. It is a detail readers are going to love because it highlights how even the smallest details can be meaningful.

Final Thoughts

In short, Wayward Witch was a great way to bring the story to a perfect close. Overall, it tied up most of the loose ends and brought together a family while highlighting the importance of acceptance, representation, and love. (⭐⭐⭐⭐ )

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About the Author

Cynthia Bujnicki graduated from Emerson College with a BA in Writing, Literature and Publishing. She has always loved to read since she was a child. A contributing writer for YA Fantasy Addicts, she is also the Editor-in-Chief for Cyn's Workshop. She lives in sunny South Florida with her husband and son and their two cats, Mr. J the Kitten and Nyx.