CECE RIOS AND THE KING OF FEARS

A 13-year-old girl embarks on a supernatural quest to restore her sister’s heartbeat.

In Cece Rios and the Desert of Souls (2021), Cece saved her sister, Juana, from Devil’s Alley, the magical dimension inhabited by monsters like El Sombrerón and criaturas, humanlike beings who can transform into animals. But Juana has been acting strangely since her return, and it turns out that a piece of her soul is still back in El Sombrerón’s lair. Accompanied by kindhearted criatura friends, Cece embarks on a dangerous trip in search of the Ocean Sanctuary to try to heal her sister’s heart. Tired of waiting to be saved, Juana also secretly sets off to recover the missing piece of her soul. Written in alternating first-person chapters narrated by each of the sisters, the gripping, suspenseful story follows the girls’ parallel journeys through a lush fantasy world that incorporates Mexican, Mayan, and Aztec influences. Danger lurks at every turn, but warm, loving Cece possesses an uncanny knack for finding the humanity inside monsters—supernatural and human alike. Meanwhile, brave, no-nonsense Juana is more than willing to confront any evildoer who dares get in her way with the family’s heirloom fire opal knives. Their journeys see the main characters develop in touching ways, with Cece discovering powerful strengths and Juana befriending and going to great lengths to protect a loyal criatura she’d initially misjudged and mistrusted.

Heartfelt, fast-paced, and entertaining.