Salvación

SO IN LOVE WITH SALVACIÓN!It’s got the best action scenes, defying societal expectations of women, corruption, justice, importance of family, magic system (sal negra, sal roja), and romance—top notch moments of swoon!One of my favorite characters is Dona Luisa and her apothecary! I love the healing magic in nature! But you need to read it to find out more. 😉

I was SOLD on the fact this is a female version of Zorro but with magic. I was rooting for Loli all the way through.This book is filled with action, emotions, family dynamics, Spanglish (which I personally loved) and a bit of love 💕I can’t wait for others to read this gem.And the epilogue feels like there could be a pt.2?(Wishful thinking)

This tells of the female coming Zorro based in northern Mexico after the Treaty of Guadelupe Hidalgo when the area where the heroine lives is taken over by a renegade army of thugs. She along with her brother and parents feel they must help fight off the threat. She develops a relationship with a young man who is with the invaders. Things are complicated by two mysterious substances - a black salt that heals and a red salt that kills people. Young adults will enjoy this novel.

So this wasn't the book I was expecting. When I heard that it took some inspiration from the legend of Zoro I thought there would be more physical action, but it ended up being a lot of inner monologue instead. Lola's struggle is more internal and philosophical than physically combative; more focus on what is morally right vs wrong. And I appreciated that even if it made the book's plot feel slower at times.Instead of a fast, action packed story, Lola's story is more a coming of age story as she finds herself in a war-time scenario that challenges everything she has ever known. She's losing her naivety about the world as she comes face to face with true evil in the world. I also appreciated how she is at that time in her life when you start to see that your parents aren't perfect and you start to understand their reasoning for imposing limitations in your life. It grounded the story for sure.The romance was sweet, perhaps a little under developed, but it worked for the purpose of the story. And the magical elements are a good metaphor for the exploitation of the land and the power that comes for controlling it. You can draw a lot of parallels to the various conflicts throughout the world right now.I think if you are looking for a human story set in a world of magic and metaphors, this is a great book for you. But if you want more action and a more developed romance, look elsewhere.**I received an ARC/review copy of this book and this is my voluntary review.**

Salvacion by Sandra Proudman takes a whole new spin on the tale of Zorro by casting a young Mexican teenage girl and her older brother trying to protect their small town in historical California, right after Mexico loses California to the United States.Can Lola stop Hernandez from getting some more sal roja?Lola de La PenaLola de la Pena and her family came to Coloma, a town her grandfather had bought, to obtain sal negra and discover why her mother was drawn to it. She tries to do what her parents tell her to do, but like any teenager, that honestly doesn’t always happen. Lola acts like what they want her to be like during the day, but by night, she is Coloma’s angel by the name of Salvacion to protect the townsfolk from those who want to take what the others have. She is a great character, and I loved how protective Lola is of her family, her town, and of justice.Sal Negra and Sal RojaIn this fantasy time setting that takes place in a historical moment, there are two kinds of salt in the forefront. Sal Negra is a black salt that heals people, and the duration of the healing process depends on the severity of the ailment, the length of time it takes, and the dosage required. Lola’s family has figured out that if you mix the sal negra with some water, it helps even more. The other kind of salt is sal roja. Sal Roja is a red salt that kills people. The sal roja to activate needs only a single grain, and then it's all over, even if you have some sal negra with you, since it takes a lot of sal negra to attack and stop the sal roja.The magic system that Ms. Proudman introduces with this type of magic is so interesting. I loved every minute of it since it’s different, and it's awesome how it all works.Five StarsMy rating for Salvacion by Sandra Proudman is five stars. I recommend it to anyone who wants a different take on the Zorro tale with a fantasy twist. Ms. Proudman had me on the edge of my seat, wondering what would happen next throughout the whole book. I loved every minute of being in this book. Ms. Proudman took me out of Texas and back to California just in the past. It was honestly a thrill to picture how different California was back then.I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.Thank you for dropping by! I hope you enjoyed this review of Salvacion by Sandra Proudman.Until the next time,Karen the Baroness

Lola must fight against those who are trying to steal from her community. Is everything as it seems, or will she discover new secrets? I loved how sure of herself Lola became as the story progressed, and even though many didn't believe in her, she never gave up and fought against evil. Not only is there a lot of history, but there were also two different salts that served two distinct purposes, which was quite interesting.

Set in Coloma a town in California and narrated by Lola de la Pena, Proudman’s fantasy is more about magic salt than sword play.Johnston McCully’s original 1920 Zorro was known as a swordsman.

"Sometimes doing what's right takes sacrifice."It was emotional, exhilarating and full of magic.It kept me engaged from the beginning. The sal negra and the sal roja play a big part in this story, the magic in between the pages. I also loved the culture, the connection between family.

Great Zorro retelling with a strong female lead! Wonderful world building with plenty of mystery and adventure. Very enjoyable read!

Mar 29 20255 plus. I was always in love with the Zorro movies, and having an inspired YA female Zorro kind of hero in a fantasy (kinda a daughter between magic realism and a fantasy novel) is awesome. Siblings Lola and Victor decide to create a secret hero who can fight for justice. But while they work together, it's Lola who becomes the angel, the face of the people. There is good magic and bad magic, like a balance in nature. One heals, the other consumes faster than fire. Respect for the people, against greed, against cruelty, respect for Indigenous People, fear for war, and love for family. The siblings' relationship is great, and Lola's interest in a new boy in town (but on the side of the enemy) grows into more.

I was instantly won over by the Zorro-inspired cover and summary, because as a child, I was (am) a huge Zorro fan. The main character, Lola de la Pena, is a young woman from a more privileged background who takes on the persona of Salvacion by night, a masked vigilante. I appreciated the historical setting and the overall cultural themes of the book, which kept me reading and wanting to find out how the bad guys would be held accountable. The world-building was fun and unique, using a dash of fantasy and magical realism with the addition of a magic system centered around salt (both black and red). There's a blooming young romance, some adventure, some thrills, and a coming of age story all women into the narrative. Of all the characters, I appreciated the relationship between the main character and her brother, Victor. In the end, I'm not sure I found the Zorro story I was hoping for, but I was entertained along the way. I would say that Salvacion could be read/appreciated by teens and young adults above age 13 or so. The violence is pretty mild, as well as the romantic tension. If you liked books like Cemetery Boys by Aiden Thomas, Furia by Yamile Saied Mendez, or We Set the Dark on Fire by Tehlor Kay Mejia, you'd probably enjoy reading about this heroine's journey.Major themes & tropes:- hero's journey/masked vigilante- slow-burn romance- endearing sibling relationship- coming of age/identity- colonialism and rebellion- magical realism- culture and tradition3.7 out of stars, rounding up!

I didn’t know how badly I needed a Zorro adventure in my life, but when I saw this cover I immediately put Salvación on my TBR! This book was the best blend of adventure, magic and a little dash of romance- the perfect YA summer read.I loved the story of Lola’s family, especially the relationship with her brother and their partnership to make Salvación the hero of Coloma.The pace was perfect, starting slow and calm and picking up with each twist and mystery that popped up.

I am a big fan of the legend of Zorro - it's a rarity in American culture. A defender of the indigenous people under the Spanish colonialism, it deals with a time in American history that is virtual ignored and an experience of non British colonialism in the US. Salvacion comes from this worthy tradition.Taking place right after the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo was signed (adding a cool ticking clock element to the plot - the Yankees are coming), our heroine Lola travelled with her family to now-California, so her mother can farm the sal negra which has magical healing properties. But frustrated in her role as a proper señorita, she becomes Salvacion, the marauding angel protecting her village.I really liked that the villain in this story is also Spanish - at one point, Lola casually mentions that she is used to thinking of the Americans as the problematic ones, and it is great to see a book with all kinds of Hispanic characters. I also loved the relationship between Lola and her brother. Zorro is often a man standing alone, and it was great to see this character realise that working together really gave her more a chance to make a difference. One thing that I did miss was seeing other young women who Lola befriended. We briefly meet some of the townspeople, and we hear about how the upper class girls back home could be mean, but I would have loved to see Lola have a bit more female companionship.Salvacion is about to enter an interesting time in American history, and I'd love to see the author follow the character through the Civil War or postbellum eras. This book would be great for fans of Cassandra Clare or enjoys Wonder Woman.

Great book! Loved the world building and value-driven character. The spirit of Zorro is alive and well in this retelling

Whether or not you're familiar with the legend of Zorro, this story stands strong on its own. Salvacion is a compelling heroine—brave, principled, and full of heart—making her journey one that young readers can easily root for and be inspired by.

This cover by Roxie Vizcarra is what seduced me to read the book. It’s gorgeous. I love strong women in books and Lola is amazing on this cover.I have to admit that the story itself didn’t grab me right away. I was frustrated with Lola because she is very naive yet keeps saying she isn’t. I kept trying to give her the benefit of the doubt, but she wasn’t thinking long term about her actions and that frustrated me for the people of Coloma. Sure she was chasing off “bad guys”, and some said they would come back and seek vengeance. They may have, but Lola was thinking that she was so scary that they wouldn’t. Plus, “sometime soon we’ll go back to Sonora” (Loc. 376) was a constant refrain. So she takes this major action and leaves the townspeople of Coloma to deal with the consequences?! Yeah no, that doesn’t work for me. That’s not a hero.Sandra Proudman does an amazing job of writing the history of the area of California in this time period. The impact of colonialism and the raping of the land. How people who lose their homes in violence respond in the aftermath. Fear can affect people in different ways and Proudman shows this with the La Peña family, Hernández, Alejandro, and other secondary cast members.There is a romance in Salvación and once again it gave me pause. Now if you feel a particular zap when someone touches you and then that person is in disguise and touches you then that is what gives their disguise away. That does not happen here. Plus someone directs Isabel to Salvación, but it’s never told how that person knew of her. Which is one of the first questions I would have asked after everyone found out who I was. Just saying.Going through hardships that include violence and near-death experiences can change you. Lola goes through tremendous changes and I think for the better though there is nothing wrong with who she was before she left Sonora. I love a strong female character who feels comfortable in their own skin and is willing to fight for themselves.Salvación is a trip into the past with a touch of magic and Latinx Zorro to take on the bad guys.

Lola de La Peña doesn’t want to stop being limited by societal expectations of a young Mexican lady of her station. She has to act proper and gentle while her mother heals the sick and injured with black salt (sal negra). Ever since the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo was signed, she becomes Salvación, the brave and free vigilante woman that protects Coloma and ensures that the town is safe and peaceful. When a woman who is barely still alive arrives in Coloma, speaking of how her town was destroyed by red salt (sal roja) that essentially eliminates anything it touches. The man that has it, Damien Hernández, arrives to the town with fifty men, promising that they’ll return Alta California to Mèxico, she knows that he wants to have control over everything. All he needs is the full moon and an ancient amulet to find enough sal roja to seize the land by force. When she meets Alejandro, a young man that traveled with Hernández but doesn’t seem to share his views, she can’t help but falling in love with him no matter how frustrating he can be. When they team up to stop Hernández, can Lola trust him to not betray her and the community? Or will Hernández use his charms and violence to get what he wants?This book was great. You have Lola de La Peña, a clever, daring, protective, and beautiful young woman that wants to take care of her loved ones and chafes under people’s expectations of her. The interactions between Lola and her family were complex but relatable, and I appreciated how the author showed the complicated relationship that the main character had with her parents. The discussion about the effects of colonialism, especially the benefits it gives to settlers at the detriment of Indigenous people, was honest, accurate, and definitely made me think of the horrors the Indigenous tribes suffered for the States to become what it is today. I wanted to hug Lola and Victor many times throughout the book. I couldn’t help but find similarities between many political issues, and figures, that are around today in terms of immigration, colonialism, and the way that Hernández initially got people to his side. The magical element to the story was brilliant, and the twists were well written. Overall, if you like discussions about the effects of colonialism, manipulation, feminine rage, and nature, Zorro, Latino representation, complex characters, great sibling banter, horses, and sweet romance with low amounts of spice, then I would highly recommend this book.

Lola de La Peña and her family temporarily live in Coloma, a small town in Alta California after the signing of the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo, where her mother uses sal negra to heal the people of the town. By day, Lola pretends to be the proper young lady her mother expects, but by night, with the help of her brother Victor, she acts as the town vigilante Salvacion. After a woman shows up on the brink of death and tells Salvacion about the dangerous sal roja, and then mysteriously disappears, Lola will have to find a way to save her town while convincing her family that the newly-arrived Hernandez isn't who he seems to be.I was super excited to pick this one up as it was toted as a female version of Zorro. While I enjoyed the writing style and the overall storytelling in the book, there were a couple of things that didn't really work for me.First was the inability of anyone to figure out the identity of Salvacion. Coloma is a mining town full of men and apparently only three women - Lola, her mother, and an elderly woman who collects herbs and runs a general store. Meanwhile, everyone knows that Salvacion is a young woman. So who else do they think it is besides Lola?Second, the magic of sal negra and sal roja have clearly been known by someone since Hernandez has been searching for them for 20+ years. It seems like there would be more people (or maybe even the US government) searching for them before now. The people of Coloma haven't exactly kept the healing that Lola's mother does a secret, and with Salvacion running people out of town, someone should have put two and two together sooner.I listened to this one on audio, narrated by Victoria Villarreal. The narrator did an excellent job bringing the story to life, and it was easy for someone like me who doesn't speak fluent Spanish to pick up the Spanish words that were spoken throughout the story.Read if you like:YA FMCLatin American repVigilanteHealing magicGood vs. evilStrong family bonds