Starred review from September 30, 2024
Seventeen-year-old Estrella “Noche” Villanueva has been doing her solemn duty as a Lechuza for four years: at night, she shape-shifts into an owl and shepherds the souls of the dead into the beyond. Her already emotionally difficult job becomes impossible when her beloved girlfriend, Dante Fuentes, dies at 17. Rather than ushering her off this temporal plane, Noche leaves Dante’s spirit to dwell on Earth, visiting her every night. For a while, it’s just like old times, until Dante begins acting strange and forgetful and Noche starts falling for Jax Vang, the new boy at school. The situation soon turns untenable: Dante’s odd behavior makes it difficult to keep their relationship—and her spirit—alive, Jax’s own secrets prevent him from getting too close to others, and mysterious ravens start following Noche. For everyone to move on and move forward, Noche must release Dante’s spirit. But can she let her go? This tearjerker by Torres (The Turning Pointe) is exceptional in its meditation on grief, healing, and the pain of moving on. Its poignant and in-depth portrayal of teenage love is sure to win readers’ hearts. Characters are intersectionally diverse. Ages 12–up. Agent: Louise Fury, Fury Agency.
November 15, 2024
A young woman with a mythic duty struggles to let go in the wake of her girlfriend's death. Estrella "Noche" Villanueva is a Lechuza: She's a 17-year-old girl by day and a legendary black owl at night, responsible for escorting the souls of the dead to their next destination. Her girlfriend has been dead for two months, but Noche can't bring herself to say goodbye, and instead cherishes the stolen hours she spends with Dante's spirit on the icy banks of Lake Superior. As the rest of her Duluth, Minnesota, community mourns Dante's loss, Noche's extraordinary double life puts distance between her and her best friend, Julien. Meanwhile, a handsome new lab partner, Jax, brings confusion and warmth in equal measure as Noche finds herself drawn to a new flame despite her lingering grief. Torres tells the story with finesse, granting Noche both fragile youth and sturdy wisdom as she learns to navigate death. Noche's Mexican heritage and her sometimes isolating experiences as the granddaughter of immigrants are depicted with love and nuance. The story never underestimates the tenuousness of life and love but rather celebrates and honors these aspects of Noche's path to self-discovery. Julien is Sioux, Dante is Latine, and Jax is cued as Asian. A lyrical, tender, and insightful exploration of death, love, and the Mexican American experience.(Fantasy. 14-18)
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Starred review from December 1, 2024
Grades 9-12 *Starred Review* Estrella "Noche" Villanueva is a Lechuza by night--she transforms into an owl and guides the souls of the dead into the beyond. Except for her girlfriend, Dante Fuentas, who died at 17 after drowning in a lake. Noche visits Dante's spirit every night, even as Dante grows forgetful, erratic, and confused. After being paired with new kid Jax as a lab partner, Noche finds herself unwillingly drawn to him. The more real her feelings for Jax become, the harder it is to keep Dante tethered to the earth, at great risk to both of them. Soon, Noche finds that the most loving thing to do might be to let go and set Dante's soul free, even if it means she can no longer visit her. Torres' sophomore work explores first love, grief, death, and what it means to move forward while carrying loss with you. Noche is an achingly lovable protagonist, and the exploration of her grief is equally haunting and beautiful. The relationships between Noche and Dante and Noche and Jax are complex and full of heart. The story expertly makes space for Noche's first love and loss of Dante without losing its hopeful center. This folklore-inspired story is sure to captivate anyone who has experienced loss and looked for hope.
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February 7, 2025
Gr 9 Up-A haunting and beautifully crafted novel that explores themes of grief, love, and magical transformation through the life of Estrella "Noche" Villanueva. It's a story about secrets, trying to understand one's background and identity, as well as the pain that comes with growth and what it means to face grief. Estrella is devastated by the death of her girlfriend, Dante. While Estrella is a quiet teen who's passionate about science by day, at night she comes alive as a Lechuza, a mythical owl-like creature that roams, full of strength and supernatural powers. As a Lechuza, Estrella is confident, but her sadness leads her to nightly visits to the lake where Dante drowned, desperate to keep her memory and soul alive. Yet if Dante's soul lingers, her spirit still being around could lead to Estrella's own demise. Readers will strongly feel Estrella's emotions thanks to the author's intense prose, and the book's storytelling takes a beautiful spin when a new student enters her school. Jax, also a science enthusiast, deeply connects with Estrella. As they spend more time together, it brings up feelings within Estrella that she thought had been buried. She struggles with understanding herself and is torn between moving on, holding on to her grief, and with her complicated feelings towards Jax. VERDICT A haunting tale that mixes in supernatural and paranormal themes with what it means to love once more after losing a special someone.-Aurora Dominguez
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