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The 52nd #1
The 52nd
Not one of the sacrifices chosen over the long history had survived--until now.
On the tip of the Yucatan peninsula, the immortal Castillo family gathers in Tulum. Weary and haunted, they receive the names of fifty-two human sacrifices chosen once every fifty-two years for the Underworld, a tradition thought to have disappeared with the fall of the Aztec and Mayan empires.
Driving home one night, college freshman Zara Moss swerves to avoid hitting a ghastly figure in the road. Lucas Castillo witnesses the car crash, but when it comes time to supervise her abduction from the wreckage, he intervenes. Something is different about Zara: Lucas has been having dreams of her arrival for five hundred years.
As Lucas and Zara come together to put an end to the bloody sacrifices, they discover that the ancient tradition isn't so easily broken. The gods are angry, and they have until the Winter Solstice to drag Zara to the Underworld.
On the tip of the Yucatan peninsula, the immortal Castillo family gathers in Tulum. Weary and haunted, they receive the names of fifty-two human sacrifices chosen once every fifty-two years for the Underworld, a tradition thought to have disappeared with the fall of the Aztec and Mayan empires.
Driving home one night, college freshman Zara Moss swerves to avoid hitting a ghastly figure in the road. Lucas Castillo witnesses the car crash, but when it comes time to supervise her abduction from the wreckage, he intervenes. Something is different about Zara: Lucas has been having dreams of her arrival for five hundred years.
As Lucas and Zara come together to put an end to the bloody sacrifices, they discover that the ancient tradition isn't so easily broken. The gods are angry, and they have until the Winter Solstice to drag Zara to the Underworld.
461 pages, Paperback
First published October 24, 2014
13 people are currently reading
1499 people want to read
About the author
Dela
6 books107 followersLike me on FB https://www.facebook.com/authorDELA/
Welcome, ma bookish peeps! I'm Dela, and if you love tacos, neon lights, and snowboarding, then we're going to get along just fine. If we had a book to talk about then even better.
I love reading all genres so I guess that makes me a reading mutt? I'm digging high fantasy right now, thanks to Maas's obsession with faeries, but my true love will always be for historical fiction. And anything Aztec/Mayan...oooh baby.
Speaking of baby, I took my first jab at Contemporary Romance. And can I tell you what a relief it was to write something light and not so dark?! I'm thinking I'll need to write them more often...
Welcome, ma bookish peeps! I'm Dela, and if you love tacos, neon lights, and snowboarding, then we're going to get along just fine. If we had a book to talk about then even better.
I love reading all genres so I guess that makes me a reading mutt? I'm digging high fantasy right now, thanks to Maas's obsession with faeries, but my true love will always be for historical fiction. And anything Aztec/Mayan...oooh baby.
Speaking of baby, I took my first jab at Contemporary Romance. And can I tell you what a relief it was to write something light and not so dark?! I'm thinking I'll need to write them more often...
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 77 reviews
September 12, 2017
I received this book on a read to review basis from NetGalley. Thank you to the author, Dela, and the publisher, Wise Ink Creative Publishing, for the opportunity.
I hate to admit it, but the cover is what initially drew me in with this novel. I found it so intriguing and could garner no clue about the genre or plot from the vague yet interesting title. I skimmed the synopsis and saw the words ' Aztec and Mayan empires', 'immortal', 'sacrifices' and 'Underworld' and I was sold! However, I hate to say it, I feel a little disappointed after reading this. The story sounded like such an exciting and unique one, but, for me, it failed a little in its formulation.
The plot was fast-paced and the writing style really appealed to me, and whilst I did enjoy the majority of the story, I felt that the romantic elements took too much precedence for my tastes. The romance, whilst not badly executed, was a little too teen angsty for me,and I found myself getting irritated by the two protagonists love/hate/love/hate relationship. It led to a lack of empathy towards them and I had little interest in their shared fate, on times.
This had all the makings of a compelling fantasy but felt more of a straight up contemporary romance with some interesting added extras. I found the actual bones of the story really interesting and the author displays a wealth of knowledge about the Mayan and Aztec cultures. Unfortunately, I found that instead of learning about these interesting historical societies organically, there were numerous information dumps when the knowledge felt artificially offloaded in large segments.
This would definitely appeal to a demographic with a relish for romance or contemporary YA, and those who are interested in venturing into the fantasy genre, but, for me, it was too much of a watered-down fantasy and just not what I was expecting. I can recognize that this is a really good book but it is just not suited to my personal tastes.
I hate to admit it, but the cover is what initially drew me in with this novel. I found it so intriguing and could garner no clue about the genre or plot from the vague yet interesting title. I skimmed the synopsis and saw the words ' Aztec and Mayan empires', 'immortal', 'sacrifices' and 'Underworld' and I was sold! However, I hate to say it, I feel a little disappointed after reading this. The story sounded like such an exciting and unique one, but, for me, it failed a little in its formulation.
The plot was fast-paced and the writing style really appealed to me, and whilst I did enjoy the majority of the story, I felt that the romantic elements took too much precedence for my tastes. The romance, whilst not badly executed, was a little too teen angsty for me,and I found myself getting irritated by the two protagonists love/hate/love/hate relationship. It led to a lack of empathy towards them and I had little interest in their shared fate, on times.
This had all the makings of a compelling fantasy but felt more of a straight up contemporary romance with some interesting added extras. I found the actual bones of the story really interesting and the author displays a wealth of knowledge about the Mayan and Aztec cultures. Unfortunately, I found that instead of learning about these interesting historical societies organically, there were numerous information dumps when the knowledge felt artificially offloaded in large segments.
This would definitely appeal to a demographic with a relish for romance or contemporary YA, and those who are interested in venturing into the fantasy genre, but, for me, it was too much of a watered-down fantasy and just not what I was expecting. I can recognize that this is a really good book but it is just not suited to my personal tastes.
March 6, 2016
Take a look at that cover, guys!
Honestly, at first it was the fantastic cover art that snagged my attention. Then I read the blurb and I was done for. I had to read this book and I was so thrilled when the publisher granted me an ARC.
The characters:
Zara, in whose POV the story was told for the most part, was an alright heroine. She was mature enough, the rambling thoughts were kept to a minimum, and there were no TSTL moments to speak of. She was the ordinary girl almost anyone would be able to identify with, which made her a likable but rather boring female lead. There were times I wanted to strangle her for taking Lucas's shit and forgiving him so easily all the time, but to be honest, for the longest time, I wasn't really invested in their love story, so overall, I didn't care too much.
Lucas, well... For the first half of the book, I disliked him. He was one of those "I want you, but since I can't be with you, I'll just treat you like crap and pity myself afterwards because you don't like me" kind of heroes, and that really irked me. Reading some chapters in his POV did help ease my dislike a bit, and helped me warm up towards him some more, but he kept disappointing as a character throughout most of the book. Surprisingly, I did end up liking him after finishing it, though.
There was such a huge number of secondary characters. Boy, did they confuse me. Quite a few characters didn't have any real purpose, like Zara's friends and friends' friends, other than confuse me even more. Some were introduced once in the beginning and we were supposed to remember them 90% into the story without any reminder what their story was. But, there were also some side characters that were awesome additions (I was particularly fond of Zara's older twin brothers, Casey and Max).
All in all, though, there were just too many names, too many stories connected to them, and I had a hard time remembering all of them.
The plot:
I freaking loved the story, the Mayan and Aztec history and mythology, its originality, the fantastically intriguing world building. I was so into it. I've never read anything like it, and, to be honest, I didn't have any knowledge about old Mesoamerican civilizations that goes beyond what I picked up randomly in the almost 30 years of my life - which really isn't much. Even though I felt a little overwhelmed by all the information given to me in the beginning, mainly the first chapter in Lucas's POV, I felt engrossed from the get-go.
The Mayan mythology with its tight link to astronomy and astrology, the civilization's bloody past, sacrifices and wars... The book made me want to know more about it. Great job!
If I had to rate that part of the book separately, I'd give it 5 stars without thinking twice about it.
The love story:
Well, the romance had a very twilighty feel to it, and I wouldn't exactly consider myself a Twilight fan. I found the characters to be more realistic and a lot less cheesy, but it was pretty obvious where the author got her inspiration from.
Apart from that, there was a lot (and I mean a lot) of push and pull, but I did feel the chemistry, longing and frustration between the two love birds. It took my a while, but in the end I found myself rooting for their love to be enough and for them to overcome their obstacles, and again, Lucas's POV helped a lot with that.
Love triangle?
The writing:
Technically, the writing was really good, and I see a lot of potential for the future.
I did have some issues with the pacing, though. There were descriptions that were far too extensive, while some scenes felt rushed when I would have loved to read some more detail. Considering the novel's length of more than 400 pages, it's quite an achievement to make the story feel rushed.
Final thoughts:
Though there were times when I got a little annoyed or confused by the characters, the vast amount of information, or the imperfect pacing, I ended up quite enjoying this book. Especially given the fact that this was Dela's debut, it was a totally decent read that made me want to read the continuation, too.
ARC provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
November 17, 2015
Review en español: 3.5 estrellas
Este libro tiene una historia muy diferente a cualquier otra, por lo menos yo nunca había leído un libro que mezclara elementos fantásticos con las civilizaciones Maya y Azteca, ¡eso me encantó y se me hizo muy refrescante! La pura sinopsis de "THE 52ND" me atrapó y desde que puse mis ojos en él me entraron unas ganas inmensas por leerlo, ¡y qué bueno que pude hacerlo pronto! Siento que es una historia que puede gustarle a muchos, especialmente al público al que está dirigido: jóvenes adultos. Tiene una buena dosis de romance y bastante acción.
Otra cosa genial del libro es que los personajes secundarios son LO MEJOR. Claro que los protagonistas me encantaron, pero a veces pasa que por darle mucha importancia a los protas, dejan a los personajes secundarios olvidados, ¡y en este libro ese no fue el caso! Los personajes secundarios son muy únicos y cada uno tiene lo suyo. Siento que aportan mucho a la historia.
El romance en este libro fue muy bello, pero algo... intenso. Me recordó un poco al de Crepúsuclo (un poco, dije), y es que en sí, Lucas me recordó en muchas ocasiones a mi querido (y antiguo) Edward Cullen.
En general es un buen libro. Me costó un poco adentrarme en la historia al inicio porque era demasiada información qué procesar, pero una vez que le agarré el hilo ya no tuve problema :).
Y ya no agregaré más por aquí porque luego me quedo sin cosas qué decir en el video. ¡Esperen mi video reseña de este libro en el Wrap up de Noviembre!
Este libro tiene una historia muy diferente a cualquier otra, por lo menos yo nunca había leído un libro que mezclara elementos fantásticos con las civilizaciones Maya y Azteca, ¡eso me encantó y se me hizo muy refrescante! La pura sinopsis de "THE 52ND" me atrapó y desde que puse mis ojos en él me entraron unas ganas inmensas por leerlo, ¡y qué bueno que pude hacerlo pronto! Siento que es una historia que puede gustarle a muchos, especialmente al público al que está dirigido: jóvenes adultos. Tiene una buena dosis de romance y bastante acción.
Otra cosa genial del libro es que los personajes secundarios son LO MEJOR. Claro que los protagonistas me encantaron, pero a veces pasa que por darle mucha importancia a los protas, dejan a los personajes secundarios olvidados, ¡y en este libro ese no fue el caso! Los personajes secundarios son muy únicos y cada uno tiene lo suyo. Siento que aportan mucho a la historia.
El romance en este libro fue muy bello, pero algo... intenso. Me recordó un poco al de Crepúsuclo (un poco, dije), y es que en sí, Lucas me recordó en muchas ocasiones a mi querido (y antiguo) Edward Cullen.
En general es un buen libro. Me costó un poco adentrarme en la historia al inicio porque era demasiada información qué procesar, pero una vez que le agarré el hilo ya no tuve problema :).
Y ya no agregaré más por aquí porque luego me quedo sin cosas qué decir en el video. ¡Esperen mi video reseña de este libro en el Wrap up de Noviembre!
March 15, 2016
I received a copy of The 52ND from the author for an honest review.
After disastrous events in the days of the Aztecs and Mayans, the gods and the beings of the underworld came to a truce: Every 52 years, 52 humans would be sacrificed to the underworld, and a family of Watchers would be there to ensure this happened as it should. But there’s also a prophecy that states one of the sacrifices, a 52nd, will end this once and for all.
Lucas Castillo and his family are the Watchers: immortal beings from the time of the curse, designated to spend their years protecting the balance between the gods and the underworld.
Zara is a typical college freshman, but ever since she met the Castillo family at the bowling alley where she worked, things haven’t been the same.
Basically, The 52ND is Twilight but with Aztec immortals rather than vampires.
Lucas and Zara have this tug of war relationship, constantly going back and forth from love to hate. One moment they can’t stand one another and rush to be rid of them, the next they can’t fathom life without them. Yawn.
Not only that, but there are other striking similarities to a certain sparkly vampire: Lucas is super fast with incredible hearing, has never been in love despite being 500 years old (though he HAS at least had sex), he’s incredibly attractive and can glamour people into falling in love with him, and he’s overprotective and has stalker tendencies. Not creepy I’m-going-to-watch-you-while-you-sleep stalker, but pretty darn close.
In his defense, only part of that was his uncontrollable desire for her; the rest was because of PLOT!
The major plot of the story is that Zara is being hunted by the Executioners - the slaves of the Underworld - who want to kill her, the final sacrifice. Lucas, however, believes she is the “chosen one” and wants to save her because of the Cosmos.
Things I liked:
The culture and history were very exciting and completely different from anything else I’ve read. I loved reading about the Aztecs and Mayans and their traditions and myths, and only wished there’d been more of that in the book. This heritage and diversity was probably my absolute favorite thing about The 52ND.
I also really liked the Castillos. Much like I loved the Cullens in Twilight, the Castillos were pretty awesome. Lucas is moody and overprotective, but he’s got a fight in him that Edward didn’t, which I appreciated. Dylan, Gabriella, Valentina, and Andres were what I needed out of this immortal family though: tough, funny, and tight knit.
Zara is your typical YA female protagonist. She’s well-liked but “hard to crack” emotionally (i.e. all the boys are in love with her but she doesn’t know it/they’re too scared to admit it), and she’s a bit wishy-washy, but she’s strong-willed and able, for the most part, to take care of herself (except that time she got super needy and was afraid to drive).
Things that need work:
My biggest problem with the plot was just that while it appeared pretty early on, it disappeared for 200 pages in the middle. Seriously. This book is 463 pages, and a good majority of it is Zara going to school, figuring out how she feels about Lucas, and then there’s some weird training sequence that’s kind of cool but then abruptly ends. I didn’t feel the threat of the Executioners enough - they showed up maybe twice in three months and both times it didn’t seem that difficult for her to get away. It just felt like the author was biding her time until the “magic day” when everything was supposed to happen, and I felt the long stretch of those months.
The plot showed back up toward the end, with a racing section, but for all that build up, I would’ve liked to see that stretched out longer.
There’s also the matter of Zara’s virginity being crucial to the plot of the Underworld, yet no one ever thinks to just get rid of that problem? Even if it’s something Zara’s not willing to do, it at least needs to be addressed.
As for the writing… it needs work. There are sloppy transitions all over the place, missing information, and weird sentence structure. There are times when it feels like there were sentences taken out in editing, but the surrounding sentences didn’t change to accommodate that missing line. Sometimes Lucas seems to know things without Zara telling him, or he’ll react to something she didn’t say, and there are inconsistencies and weird quirks regarding Zara and her maturity. She’s supposed to be in college, yet school sounds awfully like high school, and she doesn’t act like she has the independence a college student - regardless of whether they’re living at home or not - should have. There are also split perspectives but only rarely do we leave Zara’s. And the dialogue feels stilted and unnatural.
My last complaint is the forced love triangle at the end, setting up a potential sequel. It felt forced and out of nowhere between two characters I never really felt the chemistry between. Not every teen romance needs a love triangle.
---
I really loved the concept and the exciting rushes of the plot, and think that Dela has a lot of potential as an author if she cleans up her writing and embraces her unique ideas rather than just catering to the overused tropes so prevalent in YA.
After disastrous events in the days of the Aztecs and Mayans, the gods and the beings of the underworld came to a truce: Every 52 years, 52 humans would be sacrificed to the underworld, and a family of Watchers would be there to ensure this happened as it should. But there’s also a prophecy that states one of the sacrifices, a 52nd, will end this once and for all.
Lucas Castillo and his family are the Watchers: immortal beings from the time of the curse, designated to spend their years protecting the balance between the gods and the underworld.
Zara is a typical college freshman, but ever since she met the Castillo family at the bowling alley where she worked, things haven’t been the same.
Basically, The 52ND is Twilight but with Aztec immortals rather than vampires.
Lucas and Zara have this tug of war relationship, constantly going back and forth from love to hate. One moment they can’t stand one another and rush to be rid of them, the next they can’t fathom life without them. Yawn.
Not only that, but there are other striking similarities to a certain sparkly vampire: Lucas is super fast with incredible hearing, has never been in love despite being 500 years old (though he HAS at least had sex), he’s incredibly attractive and can glamour people into falling in love with him, and he’s overprotective and has stalker tendencies. Not creepy I’m-going-to-watch-you-while-you-sleep stalker, but pretty darn close.
In his defense, only part of that was his uncontrollable desire for her; the rest was because of PLOT!
The major plot of the story is that Zara is being hunted by the Executioners - the slaves of the Underworld - who want to kill her, the final sacrifice. Lucas, however, believes she is the “chosen one” and wants to save her because of the Cosmos.
Things I liked:
The culture and history were very exciting and completely different from anything else I’ve read. I loved reading about the Aztecs and Mayans and their traditions and myths, and only wished there’d been more of that in the book. This heritage and diversity was probably my absolute favorite thing about The 52ND.
I also really liked the Castillos. Much like I loved the Cullens in Twilight, the Castillos were pretty awesome. Lucas is moody and overprotective, but he’s got a fight in him that Edward didn’t, which I appreciated. Dylan, Gabriella, Valentina, and Andres were what I needed out of this immortal family though: tough, funny, and tight knit.
Zara is your typical YA female protagonist. She’s well-liked but “hard to crack” emotionally (i.e. all the boys are in love with her but she doesn’t know it/they’re too scared to admit it), and she’s a bit wishy-washy, but she’s strong-willed and able, for the most part, to take care of herself (except that time she got super needy and was afraid to drive).
Things that need work:
My biggest problem with the plot was just that while it appeared pretty early on, it disappeared for 200 pages in the middle. Seriously. This book is 463 pages, and a good majority of it is Zara going to school, figuring out how she feels about Lucas, and then there’s some weird training sequence that’s kind of cool but then abruptly ends. I didn’t feel the threat of the Executioners enough - they showed up maybe twice in three months and both times it didn’t seem that difficult for her to get away. It just felt like the author was biding her time until the “magic day” when everything was supposed to happen, and I felt the long stretch of those months.
The plot showed back up toward the end, with a racing section, but for all that build up, I would’ve liked to see that stretched out longer.
There’s also the matter of Zara’s virginity being crucial to the plot of the Underworld, yet no one ever thinks to just get rid of that problem? Even if it’s something Zara’s not willing to do, it at least needs to be addressed.
As for the writing… it needs work. There are sloppy transitions all over the place, missing information, and weird sentence structure. There are times when it feels like there were sentences taken out in editing, but the surrounding sentences didn’t change to accommodate that missing line. Sometimes Lucas seems to know things without Zara telling him, or he’ll react to something she didn’t say, and there are inconsistencies and weird quirks regarding Zara and her maturity. She’s supposed to be in college, yet school sounds awfully like high school, and she doesn’t act like she has the independence a college student - regardless of whether they’re living at home or not - should have. There are also split perspectives but only rarely do we leave Zara’s. And the dialogue feels stilted and unnatural.
My last complaint is the forced love triangle at the end, setting up a potential sequel. It felt forced and out of nowhere between two characters I never really felt the chemistry between. Not every teen romance needs a love triangle.
---
I really loved the concept and the exciting rushes of the plot, and think that Dela has a lot of potential as an author if she cleans up her writing and embraces her unique ideas rather than just catering to the overused tropes so prevalent in YA.
October 9, 2014
First to review! I give this 5 stars not because I wrote it but because I love certain pieces of it. And when brought together, it makes for an amazingly fresh plot. Read it. I dare you.
did-not-finish
May 11, 2016I am beyond irritated with this book right now and I can't even justify a full on rant because I gave up at 20%. I could not force myself to carry on.
Not gonna lie I was drawn in by the cover. Yes I'm superficial. I have no shame. Of course I read the description too and it interested me enough to request this on Netgalley.
It started out okay; it was a bit of an info dump with various Gods names, but that was understandable to set the story up. Then we get to meet Zara; she was fine for a while. UNTIL she turned into a hateful immature little bitch. Along with her extremely unlikeable ass, the story tapered off quickly and became a series of chapters about Zara's everyday life with her friends. I skipped ahead about 100 pages and it was still pretty much the same shit.
I'm not going to spend days struggling through a book were I don't even like the main female character. I can't root for someone I want to punch. And Lucas is supposed to be hundreds of years old but acts like a pubescent boy. Argh, that was it - I gave up.
Not gonna lie I was drawn in by the cover. Yes I'm superficial. I have no shame. Of course I read the description too and it interested me enough to request this on Netgalley.
It started out okay; it was a bit of an info dump with various Gods names, but that was understandable to set the story up. Then we get to meet Zara; she was fine for a while. UNTIL she turned into a hateful immature little bitch. Along with her extremely unlikeable ass, the story tapered off quickly and became a series of chapters about Zara's everyday life with her friends. I skipped ahead about 100 pages and it was still pretty much the same shit.
I'm not going to spend days struggling through a book were I don't even like the main female character. I can't root for someone I want to punch. And Lucas is supposed to be hundreds of years old but acts like a pubescent boy. Argh, that was it - I gave up.
April 11, 2016
*I was gifted a copy of this book in exchange for a review.*
"I'd kiss her hard and not let her slip away, because I never wanted anyone but her to call my name."
Buy. This. Book. 6 stars!
It has it all. Action, romance, suspense, culture plus so much more. There are sacrifices to be made in every extent of the word.
Zara is a mature heroine who's life is threatened by a world she knows nothing about. It's up to Lucas, an immortal prince, to keep her alive while breaking a tradition as old as time that will anger the Gods and bring everything he has ever known crashing down upon them. This story changes POV's between Lucas and Zara which adds to the depth of their relationship. There are some gruesome aspects in this story which make every word real, considering I don't doubt it was what happened back in those times. Two different worlds crash together and it's an exceptionally thrilling ride to witness.
This story hit me personally since I have always had a soft spot for the Aztec and Mayan culture. Especially since my roots aren't so far from theirs. Plus, I learned to speak Spanish before English so it was a surreal experience reading in my original tongue. I also found myself falling for yet another male character, Lucas, and his Spanish endearments are now my kryptonite. I found myself laughing and crying along with the characters through every page.
I love stories that include anything about Gods and immortals which made this book right up my alley. I put my life on hold for this book because I didn't want to do anything else but devour every word. As soon as the book was out of my grasp, I found myself yearning for more! (ahem* Lucas *ahem*)
This story is phenomenal, unique, and a precious treasure to own. My love for this is indescribable. This book is over 400 pages long but I did not feel it since everything flowed so smoothly. In fact, I wish it were longer! Dela is an incredible and immensely talented author. I can't believe this is a debut novel! This story is one of the best I have ever read and I will treasure it with my life. I know the characters and their story will stick with me for years to come. I already find myself wanting to reread it. Thank you so much Dela! You have blown my mind away!
"I'd kiss her hard and not let her slip away, because I never wanted anyone but her to call my name."
Buy. This. Book. 6 stars!
It has it all. Action, romance, suspense, culture plus so much more. There are sacrifices to be made in every extent of the word.
Zara is a mature heroine who's life is threatened by a world she knows nothing about. It's up to Lucas, an immortal prince, to keep her alive while breaking a tradition as old as time that will anger the Gods and bring everything he has ever known crashing down upon them. This story changes POV's between Lucas and Zara which adds to the depth of their relationship. There are some gruesome aspects in this story which make every word real, considering I don't doubt it was what happened back in those times. Two different worlds crash together and it's an exceptionally thrilling ride to witness.
This story hit me personally since I have always had a soft spot for the Aztec and Mayan culture. Especially since my roots aren't so far from theirs. Plus, I learned to speak Spanish before English so it was a surreal experience reading in my original tongue. I also found myself falling for yet another male character, Lucas, and his Spanish endearments are now my kryptonite. I found myself laughing and crying along with the characters through every page.
I love stories that include anything about Gods and immortals which made this book right up my alley. I put my life on hold for this book because I didn't want to do anything else but devour every word. As soon as the book was out of my grasp, I found myself yearning for more! (ahem* Lucas *ahem*)
This story is phenomenal, unique, and a precious treasure to own. My love for this is indescribable. This book is over 400 pages long but I did not feel it since everything flowed so smoothly. In fact, I wish it were longer! Dela is an incredible and immensely talented author. I can't believe this is a debut novel! This story is one of the best I have ever read and I will treasure it with my life. I know the characters and their story will stick with me for years to come. I already find myself wanting to reread it. Thank you so much Dela! You have blown my mind away!
September 19, 2015
The Underworld must be fed to keep humanity safe. For centuries, one immortal family has borne the burden with grim resolve. Every fifty-two years, fifty-two human sacrifices must be made, but this time, something will change, one immortal will deny the gods when his dreams of “the girl” that will possess his heart come true. Time is running out to complete the ritual, but Lucas will do everything within his power to keep Zara alive, even if he cannot be with her, but the gods can be cruel and heartless and someone must pay.
How often do you read about Aztec and Mayan gods of the Underworld, or more precisely the immortal beings forced to do their bidding, knowing each soul they capture will die a painful death? Dela’s The 52nd goes where few paranormal romances go, from the halls of a normal high school to the jungles of Tulum in Mexico. Giving us what may seem to be anti-heroes in the Castillo family, Dela describes a close family with a job they took to save their people, not for the pleasure of pleasing the gods. With their immortality comes power, physical perfection and the need to never get close to anyone. Too bad love has a way of tearing down barriers and making the impossible seem real.
Dela has created a torturous romance, a teen girl, oblivious to the supernatural threats around her and an over 500 year old “teen boy”whose heart must be denied the one thing he needs. Can Zara learn to trust Lucas and his family? Will they stand by his decision to endanger them all for one girl whose life span is a blip on the line of time? Follow the dark times, the danger and the pain of a love that shouldn’t be as Dela unwinds her tale of the paranormal with her own mystical twist. Well written with great scenes filled with emotional turmoil, action and the wrath of the gods as the power they bestowed on humans is used against them in the name of love. Every scene is gripping; an emotional ripcord and the secrets that must be kept feel like raw wounds being torn open as this tale goes on. Highly recommended for those who are looking for something a little different in the paranormal world!
I received this copy from Dela in exchange for my honest review.
Series: The 52nd Saga - Book 1
Publication Date: October 24, 2014
Publisher: Wise Ink Creative Publishing
ISBN-13: 9781940014388
Genre: NA Saga | Fantasy
Print Length: 472 pages
Available from: Amazon | Barnes & Noble
For Reviews & More: http://tometender.blogspot.com
How often do you read about Aztec and Mayan gods of the Underworld, or more precisely the immortal beings forced to do their bidding, knowing each soul they capture will die a painful death? Dela’s The 52nd goes where few paranormal romances go, from the halls of a normal high school to the jungles of Tulum in Mexico. Giving us what may seem to be anti-heroes in the Castillo family, Dela describes a close family with a job they took to save their people, not for the pleasure of pleasing the gods. With their immortality comes power, physical perfection and the need to never get close to anyone. Too bad love has a way of tearing down barriers and making the impossible seem real.
Dela has created a torturous romance, a teen girl, oblivious to the supernatural threats around her and an over 500 year old “teen boy”whose heart must be denied the one thing he needs. Can Zara learn to trust Lucas and his family? Will they stand by his decision to endanger them all for one girl whose life span is a blip on the line of time? Follow the dark times, the danger and the pain of a love that shouldn’t be as Dela unwinds her tale of the paranormal with her own mystical twist. Well written with great scenes filled with emotional turmoil, action and the wrath of the gods as the power they bestowed on humans is used against them in the name of love. Every scene is gripping; an emotional ripcord and the secrets that must be kept feel like raw wounds being torn open as this tale goes on. Highly recommended for those who are looking for something a little different in the paranormal world!
I received this copy from Dela in exchange for my honest review.
Series: The 52nd Saga - Book 1
Publication Date: October 24, 2014
Publisher: Wise Ink Creative Publishing
ISBN-13: 9781940014388
Genre: NA Saga | Fantasy
Print Length: 472 pages
Available from: Amazon | Barnes & Noble
For Reviews & More: http://tometender.blogspot.com
October 29, 2015
YAY!!! I really liked this book. I want to thank Dela, for allowing me the opportunity to read this physical signed copy of The 52nd for an honest review and in all honesty this book is amazeballs ;)
52nd is about the Aztecs and the Mayans. One, a warrior tribe, but mostly peaceful. The other blood thirsty and savage. One gave sacrifices to the Gods, one did not. When Hernan Cortez came to Mexico he wiped out all the traditions and slaughtered the Aztec and Mayan people so that he could rule as the most powerful. With this massacre and overthrow of traditions, the Gods got vengeful. They wanted their sacrifices. In order to keep a some what stable union between the underworld, earth and the Celestials, a contract was made. Every 52 years the Underworld was allowed 52 sacrifices (virgins) and to make sure that the Underworld didn't get greedy, a Mayan/Aztec blended family would become immortal and be known as the Watchers. Their sole purpose was to make sure that only 52 sacrifices were taken and to never get involved. But a prophecy is in motion and Lucus the youngest of the family has known about this prophecy for hundreds of years. He has been waiting for his 52nd, the one to break the contract, to stop the sacrifices, to change the future.
Zara is a studious 18 year old. Working at a local bowling alley/restaurant in Lake Tahoe saving up for college. Her and her best friend Bri have everything for the most part, planned out for their future... until the Castillo family strolls into town. A gorgeous mysterious family.
How they come together and what happens next is a thrill ride of paranormal awesomeness. I was hooked from the get go.
Now if you have been keeping up with my updates you'll have noticed around 30 or so comments, with quotes from the book that were very similar in action or words with the Twilight Saga by Stephenie Meyer. I know some people have read the books and absolutely loved them, fan-girled them and then fan-girled the movies like me. I also know that some people hated Twilight which is okay too. But listen, if you were one of the haters of the books or films or both, whatever... read this book to the end. Yes, some scenes seem eerily similar...(normal teenage girl, beautiful immortal family), doesn't matter this book was amazing. If you were/are a fan-girl of Twilight you will be happy to find these treasures like I did.
I can't wait to see what Dela has in store for us readers in the future. If her next book is as gripping with action and steamy bits as this one was...put me on the list for any pre-orders.
52nd is about the Aztecs and the Mayans. One, a warrior tribe, but mostly peaceful. The other blood thirsty and savage. One gave sacrifices to the Gods, one did not. When Hernan Cortez came to Mexico he wiped out all the traditions and slaughtered the Aztec and Mayan people so that he could rule as the most powerful. With this massacre and overthrow of traditions, the Gods got vengeful. They wanted their sacrifices. In order to keep a some what stable union between the underworld, earth and the Celestials, a contract was made. Every 52 years the Underworld was allowed 52 sacrifices (virgins) and to make sure that the Underworld didn't get greedy, a Mayan/Aztec blended family would become immortal and be known as the Watchers. Their sole purpose was to make sure that only 52 sacrifices were taken and to never get involved. But a prophecy is in motion and Lucus the youngest of the family has known about this prophecy for hundreds of years. He has been waiting for his 52nd, the one to break the contract, to stop the sacrifices, to change the future.
Zara is a studious 18 year old. Working at a local bowling alley/restaurant in Lake Tahoe saving up for college. Her and her best friend Bri have everything for the most part, planned out for their future... until the Castillo family strolls into town. A gorgeous mysterious family.
How they come together and what happens next is a thrill ride of paranormal awesomeness. I was hooked from the get go.
Now if you have been keeping up with my updates you'll have noticed around 30 or so comments, with quotes from the book that were very similar in action or words with the Twilight Saga by Stephenie Meyer. I know some people have read the books and absolutely loved them, fan-girled them and then fan-girled the movies like me. I also know that some people hated Twilight which is okay too. But listen, if you were one of the haters of the books or films or both, whatever... read this book to the end. Yes, some scenes seem eerily similar...(normal teenage girl, beautiful immortal family), doesn't matter this book was amazing. If you were/are a fan-girl of Twilight you will be happy to find these treasures like I did.
I can't wait to see what Dela has in store for us readers in the future. If her next book is as gripping with action and steamy bits as this one was...put me on the list for any pre-orders.
May 21, 2015
Desde que leí la sinopsis tenía el presentimiento de que adoraria esta historia y así fue.
Lo disfruté de principio a fin.
Me encantó que involucrará la historia de los Mayas y los Aztecas en la literatura juvenil. Generalmente tengo problemas con los protagonistas masoquistas y damas en apuros , pero Lucas y Zara cruzaron ese estigma conmigo y terminé totalmente fascinada con su relación.
Un romance un poco tormentoso pero que es bien equilibrado con las escenas de acción, los personajes secundarios y la historia en si.
Ruego que este libro llegue al español, porque me encantaría que mucha gente pudiera leerlo.
Una historia bastante refrescante en un género lleno de vampiros, distopias, etc :)
Lo disfruté de principio a fin.
Me encantó que involucrará la historia de los Mayas y los Aztecas en la literatura juvenil. Generalmente tengo problemas con los protagonistas masoquistas y damas en apuros , pero Lucas y Zara cruzaron ese estigma conmigo y terminé totalmente fascinada con su relación.
Un romance un poco tormentoso pero que es bien equilibrado con las escenas de acción, los personajes secundarios y la historia en si.
Ruego que este libro llegue al español, porque me encantaría que mucha gente pudiera leerlo.
Una historia bastante refrescante en un género lleno de vampiros, distopias, etc :)
December 20, 2016
3.75/5
I was given this book by the author in exchange for an honest review! Thank you so much Dela!
Ok first things first, I really enjoyed all the Mayan and Aztec cultures and histories through out the book and it was such a breath of fresh air to have different characters than normal. It seems all I see on TV or read about in books lately are about zombies or vampires or werewolves. So a new book set with totally different cultural characters was awesome. I loved the idea of Gods and Goddesses and the underworld and the rituals, it all kept me wanting to read more and find out what happens next! I mean bloody rituals and steamy gods duh of course you have to keep reading!
Some things I didn't quite love though was the middle of the book was a bit stretched out and got a bit boring at times to me and I didn't really feel the connection between Zara and Lucas as much as I probably should have... I sort of thought Lucas was written in a way that came across very full of himself to point of it being annoying and Zara was just a little too flaky. I guess the teen angst and back and forth-ness of it all just didn't sit well with me. Also, the story line was very similar to Twilight and while I love Twilight and I love this sort of story I'd really have loved it to be its own story and not have so many comparisons.
Overall I think this was a fun new adventure and I'm excited for the next book in the series!! If you were a lover of Twilight, or just love YA fiction, romance, Mayan and Aztec culture, danger and intrigue, and of course pet jaguars :) pick this book up and give it a try!
I was given this book by the author in exchange for an honest review! Thank you so much Dela!
Ok first things first, I really enjoyed all the Mayan and Aztec cultures and histories through out the book and it was such a breath of fresh air to have different characters than normal. It seems all I see on TV or read about in books lately are about zombies or vampires or werewolves. So a new book set with totally different cultural characters was awesome. I loved the idea of Gods and Goddesses and the underworld and the rituals, it all kept me wanting to read more and find out what happens next! I mean bloody rituals and steamy gods duh of course you have to keep reading!
Some things I didn't quite love though was the middle of the book was a bit stretched out and got a bit boring at times to me and I didn't really feel the connection between Zara and Lucas as much as I probably should have... I sort of thought Lucas was written in a way that came across very full of himself to point of it being annoying and Zara was just a little too flaky. I guess the teen angst and back and forth-ness of it all just didn't sit well with me. Also, the story line was very similar to Twilight and while I love Twilight and I love this sort of story I'd really have loved it to be its own story and not have so many comparisons.
Overall I think this was a fun new adventure and I'm excited for the next book in the series!! If you were a lover of Twilight, or just love YA fiction, romance, Mayan and Aztec culture, danger and intrigue, and of course pet jaguars :) pick this book up and give it a try!
November 11, 2014
I received this book from the author, Dela, for an honest review. I didn't get this done until after the release week, but I finished it nonetheless.
Wow! This is one of the more unique books I've read. Ancient Central American gods, sacrifices, danger, creepiness, culture. I really appreciated the fresh breath that this book provided. My main critique is more of a personal issue, rather than a dislike of the book, but I found the names to be confusing at times. There are many characters in the main character's family, and the gods as well. Too many vowels. I often found it hard to keep them straight.
I enjoyed this book a lot! If you're looking for something to immerse yourself in, and if your interested in a fresh take on ancient central american culture, then I suggest you read it!
Wow! This is one of the more unique books I've read. Ancient Central American gods, sacrifices, danger, creepiness, culture. I really appreciated the fresh breath that this book provided. My main critique is more of a personal issue, rather than a dislike of the book, but I found the names to be confusing at times. There are many characters in the main character's family, and the gods as well. Too many vowels. I often found it hard to keep them straight.
I enjoyed this book a lot! If you're looking for something to immerse yourself in, and if your interested in a fresh take on ancient central american culture, then I suggest you read it!
December 11, 2014
Oh Dela, I am definitely adding you to my debut-authors-to-watch list after finishing The 52nd. Now, I’ve been pretty excited about this book for some time considering it’s the first young adult read that I have come across in my last decade of reading that features tales of Aztec and Mayan mythology. But this is not the only thing that makes this gloomy, ghostly apocalyptic contemporary so interesting to experience.
The 52nd tells the story of Zara Moss, a girl set to embark on her first year in college who one night is involved in a car accident that leaves her for almost dead, only to be rescued by an odd stranger she has flimsy memories of after her recovery. Zara soon finds herself emerged in a war between Aztec ghosts and Mayan Gods and their age-old war for the souls of men, and part of a prophecy that might help destroy the brutal cycle of sacrifices made in the name of the Underworld that Zara seems to be the last and 52nd victim of. With the help of Lucas and his immortal family, Zara tries to stay alive long enough in order to change the world by Winter Solstice.
Something that immediately struck me while reading Dela’s debut was the fact that while, yes, there are a bunch of YA paranormal tropes that seem to orbit around her work, it still sucked me right in. I was supposed to read the first chapter on a day busy with work, but found myself over 150 pages in a couple of hours later simply because I wanted, no, I needed to know what was going to happen and in what kind of world both leads Zara and Lucas would end up in. The thing that really made The 52nd such a compelling read was the fact that I for myself had zero knowledge of Aztec and Mayan mythology and history prior to picking this book up. Dela managed to paint a mythic picture of brutal sacrifices, ghost towns in the heart of the jungle and terrifying grimaces that had me immediately emerged in-between the setting of a modern-day US of A and a mythical mirror world that became more and more conflated. I was able to picture all her settings perfectly, and absolutely loved that they were true depictions of violence rather than a watered down version for the sake of age category. Dela’s writing was great to just be in the setting myself, almost like being part of my own dream sequence.
Although I had trouble connecting with Zara throughout most of the book because she seemed too smooth as a human being, I loved Lucas the more. It was awesome that Dela managed to actually depict him as a gorgeous, Adonis-looking immortal without turning him into a joke. Lucas treated Zara like an average mortal girl he found attractive, and only over time began to fall in love with her. The way he assessed her and deemed her not special in comparison to his immortality was a nice touch that added a whole lot of bonus points to the story. He wanted her physically, she wanted him physically, and even though their meeting was prophesied, their connection didn’t just come out of the blue or was based on a dreaded insta-love moment. They were attracted to each other, and Dela built from that realistically according to their ages. I thoroughly enjoyed all the descriptions of the characters (and their tattoos) because they made honest-to-God sense in the mythology of the story and were such a big part of the creeptastic atmosphere of it - big bonus points for sticking to that and adding two incredibly awesome pets to the whole shenanigan, as well as a seriously captivating underwordly villain that gave me the creeps and made me love him simultaneously. My twisted, twisted soul had wished there’d been more of him, but what we got was pretty awesomesauce, too. While the story started to lack the drive it had at the beginning somewhere in the middle, it managed to pull itself together for the finale in a way I was really exited about. I just wish there were more time for more Gods and tales and stories, because damn, that mythology was one awesome background to built a story around.
For everyone who loves young adult supernatural set in our modern day, I’d recommend The 52nd simply because damn, its unique setting makes up for what it is sometimes lacking. At times I felt overwhelmed by all the characters, especially Lucas’ family members, and it would’ve been nice to have a smaller pool of them just to lower some confusion throughout. However, the story in and of itself was so intricately and well bound to the setting, I gladly overlooked that aspect for the dreamy quality of the atmosphere. With this being Dela’s debut novel, I can say she did a great job of it, especially considering how well she managed to introduce me to an entire history of a different religion I had absolutely no clue whatsoever about. She managed to do so with such vivacity that I gladly overlooked character development deficits and plot twists I saw coming from a mile away. If you want a fall read that is entirely new, yet still familiar enough you can be sure you’ll enjoy it for the genre that it is, The 52nd is the next read for you. It’s dark and light, brutal and cute, and definitely an enjoyable and at times really positively weird read.
The 52nd tells the story of Zara Moss, a girl set to embark on her first year in college who one night is involved in a car accident that leaves her for almost dead, only to be rescued by an odd stranger she has flimsy memories of after her recovery. Zara soon finds herself emerged in a war between Aztec ghosts and Mayan Gods and their age-old war for the souls of men, and part of a prophecy that might help destroy the brutal cycle of sacrifices made in the name of the Underworld that Zara seems to be the last and 52nd victim of. With the help of Lucas and his immortal family, Zara tries to stay alive long enough in order to change the world by Winter Solstice.
Something that immediately struck me while reading Dela’s debut was the fact that while, yes, there are a bunch of YA paranormal tropes that seem to orbit around her work, it still sucked me right in. I was supposed to read the first chapter on a day busy with work, but found myself over 150 pages in a couple of hours later simply because I wanted, no, I needed to know what was going to happen and in what kind of world both leads Zara and Lucas would end up in. The thing that really made The 52nd such a compelling read was the fact that I for myself had zero knowledge of Aztec and Mayan mythology and history prior to picking this book up. Dela managed to paint a mythic picture of brutal sacrifices, ghost towns in the heart of the jungle and terrifying grimaces that had me immediately emerged in-between the setting of a modern-day US of A and a mythical mirror world that became more and more conflated. I was able to picture all her settings perfectly, and absolutely loved that they were true depictions of violence rather than a watered down version for the sake of age category. Dela’s writing was great to just be in the setting myself, almost like being part of my own dream sequence.
Although I had trouble connecting with Zara throughout most of the book because she seemed too smooth as a human being, I loved Lucas the more. It was awesome that Dela managed to actually depict him as a gorgeous, Adonis-looking immortal without turning him into a joke. Lucas treated Zara like an average mortal girl he found attractive, and only over time began to fall in love with her. The way he assessed her and deemed her not special in comparison to his immortality was a nice touch that added a whole lot of bonus points to the story. He wanted her physically, she wanted him physically, and even though their meeting was prophesied, their connection didn’t just come out of the blue or was based on a dreaded insta-love moment. They were attracted to each other, and Dela built from that realistically according to their ages. I thoroughly enjoyed all the descriptions of the characters (and their tattoos) because they made honest-to-God sense in the mythology of the story and were such a big part of the creeptastic atmosphere of it - big bonus points for sticking to that and adding two incredibly awesome pets to the whole shenanigan, as well as a seriously captivating underwordly villain that gave me the creeps and made me love him simultaneously. My twisted, twisted soul had wished there’d been more of him, but what we got was pretty awesomesauce, too. While the story started to lack the drive it had at the beginning somewhere in the middle, it managed to pull itself together for the finale in a way I was really exited about. I just wish there were more time for more Gods and tales and stories, because damn, that mythology was one awesome background to built a story around.
For everyone who loves young adult supernatural set in our modern day, I’d recommend The 52nd simply because damn, its unique setting makes up for what it is sometimes lacking. At times I felt overwhelmed by all the characters, especially Lucas’ family members, and it would’ve been nice to have a smaller pool of them just to lower some confusion throughout. However, the story in and of itself was so intricately and well bound to the setting, I gladly overlooked that aspect for the dreamy quality of the atmosphere. With this being Dela’s debut novel, I can say she did a great job of it, especially considering how well she managed to introduce me to an entire history of a different religion I had absolutely no clue whatsoever about. She managed to do so with such vivacity that I gladly overlooked character development deficits and plot twists I saw coming from a mile away. If you want a fall read that is entirely new, yet still familiar enough you can be sure you’ll enjoy it for the genre that it is, The 52nd is the next read for you. It’s dark and light, brutal and cute, and definitely an enjoyable and at times really positively weird read.
November 24, 2015
Original review posted at http://sandrathebookworm.blogspot.com...
The author was kind enough to send me a copy of her book in exchange for an honest review.
This novel blew me away, I can’t believe it's a debut novel it so well written and I loved every second of it. Lucas and his family have been chosen by higher gods to be the watchers that will make sure that the abductions of fifty-two sacrifices that are chosen every fifty-two years for the underworld god goes smoothly, but this year is different because Lucas has been waiting for this particular fifty-second sacrifice for five hundred years. So, when Zara is about to get abducted he decides to interfere and safe her. This interference makes the Gods angry and puts Lucas family and his life in danger, but the Castillo’s are ready to put an end to the bloody sacrifices and have finally found someone that can help them.
This book was amazing! Dela hit it out of the park with this one. I loved every second of this novel; it's hard to believe it's a debut novel the writing just flows so easily and sucks you in to the point you don't want to put it down. I really enjoyed the Aztec and Mayan history throughout the book and I'm completely obsessed with it now. If you have been following me for a while then you know that I love mythology and Gods so, the fact this book had gods in it made it five hundred times better I also loved learning and reading about them. The romance in this book was very well written it wasn't insta-love it's something that grows between Lucas and Zara as the book progresses. I fell in love with all the characters in this book even the villains! Lucas has been added to my ever-growing list of book boyfriends that prince had me swooning all over the place especially when he would speak Spanish; he might come across as a little over protective, but it comes from a good place. Zara was such a strong character I don't think I would have handled being a sacrifice as well as she did, I loved that she didn't take any crap from anyone and when she wanted be heard she made people listen. I'm not sure if this book is a standalone, but I'm really hoping for a sequel because I couldn't get enough of all the characters and the world Dela created and I'm hoping to read more about them. If you're looking for a something different and fresh to read this is definitely it, it has everything you would look for in a book action, romance, paranormal, gods, royals and diversity. So, what are you waiting for?! You must buy this book!
-SandraTheBookWorm
The author was kind enough to send me a copy of her book in exchange for an honest review.
This novel blew me away, I can’t believe it's a debut novel it so well written and I loved every second of it. Lucas and his family have been chosen by higher gods to be the watchers that will make sure that the abductions of fifty-two sacrifices that are chosen every fifty-two years for the underworld god goes smoothly, but this year is different because Lucas has been waiting for this particular fifty-second sacrifice for five hundred years. So, when Zara is about to get abducted he decides to interfere and safe her. This interference makes the Gods angry and puts Lucas family and his life in danger, but the Castillo’s are ready to put an end to the bloody sacrifices and have finally found someone that can help them.
This book was amazing! Dela hit it out of the park with this one. I loved every second of this novel; it's hard to believe it's a debut novel the writing just flows so easily and sucks you in to the point you don't want to put it down. I really enjoyed the Aztec and Mayan history throughout the book and I'm completely obsessed with it now. If you have been following me for a while then you know that I love mythology and Gods so, the fact this book had gods in it made it five hundred times better I also loved learning and reading about them. The romance in this book was very well written it wasn't insta-love it's something that grows between Lucas and Zara as the book progresses. I fell in love with all the characters in this book even the villains! Lucas has been added to my ever-growing list of book boyfriends that prince had me swooning all over the place especially when he would speak Spanish; he might come across as a little over protective, but it comes from a good place. Zara was such a strong character I don't think I would have handled being a sacrifice as well as she did, I loved that she didn't take any crap from anyone and when she wanted be heard she made people listen. I'm not sure if this book is a standalone, but I'm really hoping for a sequel because I couldn't get enough of all the characters and the world Dela created and I'm hoping to read more about them. If you're looking for a something different and fresh to read this is definitely it, it has everything you would look for in a book action, romance, paranormal, gods, royals and diversity. So, what are you waiting for?! You must buy this book!
-SandraTheBookWorm
May 30, 2016
The 52nd has a promising concept but is difficult to take seriously. An ancient curse born from Mayan AND Aztec mythology? Why both? Immortal Mexican demigods with cool tattoos who go by names like. . . Dylan and Lucas? I get it, the demigod Watchers disguise themselves as mortals. However, the mundane things they say and do for much of the book diminish what could have been a gripping story about powerful Aztec (Mayan?) gods trying to end a curse against humans in the modern world.
Chapters alternate between two POVs, and several times I was confused as to whose POV I was reading. Not a good sign. Characters and the “voice” of their chapters should be distinctive enough that the reader is immediately aware whose POV they’re in.
My favorite chapter was #8: Night Games. It was vividly written and had me hanging on the edge of my seat. More of that—and a lot of trimmed chapters--would have made for a much better book.
Overall, here’s how The 52nd goes:
Nail-biting scene in which demon stalks protagonist.
Fifty pages that don’t further the plot.
Demons attack again. Demigods erase witnesses’ memories.
Fifty pages that don’t further the plot.
Protagonist dream walks through ancient Mexico.
Fifty pages that don’t further the plot.
Demigods put protagonist through some sort of vague training to resist demons.
The group travels to Mexico, chats about cars they drive and food they like to eat.
Climactic event happens, then quickly ends.
Chapters alternate between two POVs, and several times I was confused as to whose POV I was reading. Not a good sign. Characters and the “voice” of their chapters should be distinctive enough that the reader is immediately aware whose POV they’re in.
My favorite chapter was #8: Night Games. It was vividly written and had me hanging on the edge of my seat. More of that—and a lot of trimmed chapters--would have made for a much better book.
Overall, here’s how The 52nd goes:
Nail-biting scene in which demon stalks protagonist.
Fifty pages that don’t further the plot.
Demons attack again. Demigods erase witnesses’ memories.
Fifty pages that don’t further the plot.
Protagonist dream walks through ancient Mexico.
Fifty pages that don’t further the plot.
Demigods put protagonist through some sort of vague training to resist demons.
The group travels to Mexico, chats about cars they drive and food they like to eat.
Climactic event happens, then quickly ends.
March 8, 2016
For fans of Twilight and Tim Burton, this is a dark fairytale where the main character (Zara) is the 52nd sacrifice, she is also embroiled in an ancient prophecy that would change the balance between good and evil. Set in modern day but ties in with the ancient history of the Aztec and Mayans, the story had an an intriguing back story. For the love story, at times, it was hard to tell if the story was progressing from Zara or Lucas's perspective. There were some thoughtful moments but the plot seemed to be following the typical Twilight formula. Good news is that even though I didn't finish Twilight, I finished The 52nd, I liked the darker, gruesome back story.
Some quotes I liked:
"I'd like very much to be vulnerable to her forever."
"Love is a true characteristic of divinity."
"My first step onto the packed earth was difficult, like kissing death."
"Everybody, including you, has the power to write their own future, no matter what's happening in the past."
"But I could give myself to Zara - serve her-for one human lifespan and still feel freer, more alive, than I ever would in the rest of my eternity."
Some quotes I liked:
"I'd like very much to be vulnerable to her forever."
"Love is a true characteristic of divinity."
"My first step onto the packed earth was difficult, like kissing death."
"Everybody, including you, has the power to write their own future, no matter what's happening in the past."
"But I could give myself to Zara - serve her-for one human lifespan and still feel freer, more alive, than I ever would in the rest of my eternity."
December 18, 2017
I actually enjoyed this book. The characters were cool and unique and I loved how it was based around the Aztecs, the Mayans and sacrifices to the Underworld. The cover was really good - it was the fist thing to draw my attention.
Now, onto the book itself. At the start, it was a bit boring and frustrating how Zara and Lucas seemed to be like "oh, I love you so much; my heart bleeds without you!" and "omg, stay away from me, you creepy stalker or I'll call the police" towards each other and it occurred for the first half of the book. Also, Lucas did not appeal to me at all. I believe he was a very obnoxious, arrogant piece of work who just so happened to be a smoking hot immortal prince. By the end of the book, he seemed to get better but he was really annoying at the start.
The plot for this book was great! It was fast paced and interesting - I was really getting into it by the end; it got so intense!
This book deserves these four stars and I can't wait to read other books by Dela!
Now, onto the book itself. At the start, it was a bit boring and frustrating how Zara and Lucas seemed to be like "oh, I love you so much; my heart bleeds without you!" and "omg, stay away from me, you creepy stalker or I'll call the police" towards each other and it occurred for the first half of the book. Also, Lucas did not appeal to me at all. I believe he was a very obnoxious, arrogant piece of work who just so happened to be a smoking hot immortal prince. By the end of the book, he seemed to get better but he was really annoying at the start.
The plot for this book was great! It was fast paced and interesting - I was really getting into it by the end; it got so intense!
This book deserves these four stars and I can't wait to read other books by Dela!
November 13, 2014
Aztecs and Mayans get a highlight in Dela's debut novel The 52nd.
Lucas is condemned to watch the Underworld claim fifty-two human sacrifices during the ritual periods. He's a watcher and immortal -- he's dead. But Zara, the last victim chosen is full of life and about to start her college years. There's something special about her that none of the other victims share. Perhaps there's a reason the Underworld wants her? Could saving her end these pointless rituals once and for all?
The 52nd balances romance and paranormal throughout the pages quite well. There's a lot of tension as Lucas' motives start getting noticed by the Underworld, particularly by the witch Xibalba, but nevertheless, the relationship between Lucas and Zara never feels rushed. In fact, these two don't really share a love at first sight. Lucas is on edge and takes his time opening up to Zara. Both their families are very present in the story, including Lucas's pet jaguars.
A new author worth noticing.
Lucas is condemned to watch the Underworld claim fifty-two human sacrifices during the ritual periods. He's a watcher and immortal -- he's dead. But Zara, the last victim chosen is full of life and about to start her college years. There's something special about her that none of the other victims share. Perhaps there's a reason the Underworld wants her? Could saving her end these pointless rituals once and for all?
The 52nd balances romance and paranormal throughout the pages quite well. There's a lot of tension as Lucas' motives start getting noticed by the Underworld, particularly by the witch Xibalba, but nevertheless, the relationship between Lucas and Zara never feels rushed. In fact, these two don't really share a love at first sight. Lucas is on edge and takes his time opening up to Zara. Both their families are very present in the story, including Lucas's pet jaguars.
A new author worth noticing.
March 7, 2015
I really enjoyed this book! I was hooked from the beginning and finished in 2 days. It's the kind of book that makes you ignore, kids, house work and life in general until it's done. I can't wait for the next one!
November 11, 2014
This book is so fresh.
July 31, 2018
* If I could, I would give this 100+ stars *
* This book is appropriate for mature teens/young adults who can read content like; Sexual things(not many parts like this), bloody descriptions, and sacrificial material.*
* This book was read by a teenager going into high school*
I had just finished the book, and I am so happy that I read it, yet so disappointed that it had to end so quickly. This book is impressive and throughout reading the book, my hairs on my neck and my arms were standing because of the fantastic things that happened in the book. The mix of fantasy and romance were the best mix that anyone could come up with and I was BLOWN AWAY by the incredible content of the book. I am so mad that I have to go hunting for another fantastic book like this, but it's all worth it. I just started the book yesterday, and I couldn't stop reading. My parents began trying to separate me and the book because every time they looked at me, I was reading the book! The book is attention-grabbing that I ended up being almost addicted to it.
* Haha, sounds stupid right?*.
Here is how I found the book; I went to the library near me in Las Vegas, and ( our teen/young adult section was smaller than the other sections ;( ) I was in a huge rush, so I skimmed past many books, and the cover took my attention and I looked at the title, and that also took my notice. I looked in the back of the book and read " immortal Castilo family gathers in Tulum. Weary and haunted, they receive fifty-two names sacrificed chosen once every fifty-two years," and that grabbed my attention, so I grabbed it and went home. My favorite type of novels is full of fantasy, mystery, and romance. This book is full of all three of them! Once Lucas Castillo walked into Zara's life, I think I fell in love with his character and Zara's beautiful and dangerous relationship. I am so heartbroken that it had to end and wish it was a series. I would love to know what happens and what they become as a couple... Anywho, I loved this book, and I am unfortunate that I have to hunt for another album full of fantasy and romance... This book did have explicit imagery, and it played like a movie in my head as I read this book. I hit the jackpot when I grabbed this book because it is one of the most amazing and beautiful books I have ever read!
If any of you, have read a book very similar to this book, please email me or comment so I can get reading! I am so happy with this book, and I think that there should be a movie or a SHOW for this novel because I think it would be a BIG HIT! I am so proud of the author: Dela, and her publishers who published such a masterpiece. I am so sad that I am finished with the book and will use it for my Engish summer reading essay... I hope you guys found my review helpful and I hope that you guys read the book and fall in love with the characters like I did. Thank you! Peace out!
* This book is appropriate for mature teens/young adults who can read content like; Sexual things(not many parts like this), bloody descriptions, and sacrificial material.*
* This book was read by a teenager going into high school*
I had just finished the book, and I am so happy that I read it, yet so disappointed that it had to end so quickly. This book is impressive and throughout reading the book, my hairs on my neck and my arms were standing because of the fantastic things that happened in the book. The mix of fantasy and romance were the best mix that anyone could come up with and I was BLOWN AWAY by the incredible content of the book. I am so mad that I have to go hunting for another fantastic book like this, but it's all worth it. I just started the book yesterday, and I couldn't stop reading. My parents began trying to separate me and the book because every time they looked at me, I was reading the book! The book is attention-grabbing that I ended up being almost addicted to it.
* Haha, sounds stupid right?*.
Here is how I found the book; I went to the library near me in Las Vegas, and ( our teen/young adult section was smaller than the other sections ;( ) I was in a huge rush, so I skimmed past many books, and the cover took my attention and I looked at the title, and that also took my notice. I looked in the back of the book and read " immortal Castilo family gathers in Tulum. Weary and haunted, they receive fifty-two names sacrificed chosen once every fifty-two years," and that grabbed my attention, so I grabbed it and went home. My favorite type of novels is full of fantasy, mystery, and romance. This book is full of all three of them! Once Lucas Castillo walked into Zara's life, I think I fell in love with his character and Zara's beautiful and dangerous relationship. I am so heartbroken that it had to end and wish it was a series. I would love to know what happens and what they become as a couple... Anywho, I loved this book, and I am unfortunate that I have to hunt for another album full of fantasy and romance... This book did have explicit imagery, and it played like a movie in my head as I read this book. I hit the jackpot when I grabbed this book because it is one of the most amazing and beautiful books I have ever read!
If any of you, have read a book very similar to this book, please email me or comment so I can get reading! I am so happy with this book, and I think that there should be a movie or a SHOW for this novel because I think it would be a BIG HIT! I am so proud of the author: Dela, and her publishers who published such a masterpiece. I am so sad that I am finished with the book and will use it for my Engish summer reading essay... I hope you guys found my review helpful and I hope that you guys read the book and fall in love with the characters like I did. Thank you! Peace out!
January 23, 2018
Before I read my Halloween book this year, I decided to switch genres and read The 52nd by @dela_author. I had read one of her other novels previously, so I was familiar with her style. This book did not disappoint.
...
Dela has taken the mythology of the Mayan and Incan civilizations and turned them into a modern -day romance. When the subject of a 500-year-old prophesy turns out to be the key to Hell on earth, it is up to a family of immortals to save her. ...
Dela has again written a story that was well-crafted, with an interesting storyline, characters that are believable and plot twists that you won't see coming. The more of her I read, the more I look forward to more of her works.
...
My Rating: 3.75/5 stars
...
Dela has taken the mythology of the Mayan and Incan civilizations and turned them into a modern -day romance. When the subject of a 500-year-old prophesy turns out to be the key to Hell on earth, it is up to a family of immortals to save her. ...
Dela has again written a story that was well-crafted, with an interesting storyline, characters that are believable and plot twists that you won't see coming. The more of her I read, the more I look forward to more of her works.
...
My Rating: 3.75/5 stars
March 10, 2016
***SPOILERS***
I was very excited to receive an ARC of this novel. Supernatural romance is pretty much my favorite genre, and I'm also a big fan of Aztec and Mayan history and lore.
But from the first few pages, I was disappointed. The dialogue is awkward, doesn't flow naturally, and never improves. The conversations with Zara's brothers are especially cringe-worthy. Fortunately, the narrative bits between the dialogue generally read much better, although some of the action sequences are a little hard to follow.
Most of the immortal characters have their original mesoamerican names and more modern monikers, which of course makes total sense of you're trying to blend in over the ages, but they are used inconsistently in the very first chapter where they are all introduced, which makes conversation during the council very confusing to follow. Fortunately this becomes a non-issue for most of the rest of the book, as you hardly ever hear their original names again.
The more pervasive disappointment is the extremely Twilight-esque relationship between Lucas and Zara. Moderately intelligent and independent but extremely insecure "normal human" girl meets the heart-stoppingly gorgeous but jaw-droppingly rude supernatural boy, and can't fight her inexplicable attraction to him despite his being a possessive, dismissive asshole. And of course he is only being an asshole because he's supernaturally addicted to her but doesn't want to hurt her. Because he's just so powerful and she's just so frail.
The objectification and commodification of Zara, particularly of her virginity, is apparently the main theme of the entire story. Lucas is constantly dancing the mixed-signal tango, one moment coming on to her very strongly, and the next claiming that he couldn't possibly sully her purity. Even ignoring the totally archaic and misogynistic implications of equating virginity with purity, why does he keep sneaking into her room all lusty-eyed in the first place?
And then of course, there's virgin prize Zara herself, who is clearly all about waiting for the guy to make the moves. She apparently waited for Jett for years, and then when Lucas shows up, whines frequently that *he* won't act on his desires. And never once in all that whining does she or anyone else suggest that if she, ahem, weren't a virgin anymore, she'd be useless to Xavier and possibly Mictlan as well.
There is one tiny redeeming scene for Lucas in which he admits that his possessiveness and objectification are inappropriate, but this is followed up by yet more possessiveness and a weirdly light-hearted comment that he needs Zara at full strength to finally have sex with her because he tends to get a bit "rough in the bedroom."
Of course, I can't be expected to like everything about any given fictional character. Just like in real life, people have their various traits and what appeals to one may annoy another. But these two characters are such cut-out tropes, that my distaste has more to do with their unoriginality than any particular character flaws.
Overall, I'm giving this 3 stars because I did enjoy the political tug of war between the Celestials, the Watchers, and Xibalba, and there was enough suspense and action there to keep me reading despite all my eye rolling at the terrible dialogue and "romance." It's a solid story base, with good fleshing out in the details of Lucas' transformation to an immortal, their first years after Cortes' arrival, and the practical details of their modern existence. It's a fun and well thought out background canon and I'd read more, especially if there promises to be more saving the world and less saving the hymen.
I was very excited to receive an ARC of this novel. Supernatural romance is pretty much my favorite genre, and I'm also a big fan of Aztec and Mayan history and lore.
But from the first few pages, I was disappointed. The dialogue is awkward, doesn't flow naturally, and never improves. The conversations with Zara's brothers are especially cringe-worthy. Fortunately, the narrative bits between the dialogue generally read much better, although some of the action sequences are a little hard to follow.
Most of the immortal characters have their original mesoamerican names and more modern monikers, which of course makes total sense of you're trying to blend in over the ages, but they are used inconsistently in the very first chapter where they are all introduced, which makes conversation during the council very confusing to follow. Fortunately this becomes a non-issue for most of the rest of the book, as you hardly ever hear their original names again.
The more pervasive disappointment is the extremely Twilight-esque relationship between Lucas and Zara. Moderately intelligent and independent but extremely insecure "normal human" girl meets the heart-stoppingly gorgeous but jaw-droppingly rude supernatural boy, and can't fight her inexplicable attraction to him despite his being a possessive, dismissive asshole. And of course he is only being an asshole because he's supernaturally addicted to her but doesn't want to hurt her. Because he's just so powerful and she's just so frail.
The objectification and commodification of Zara, particularly of her virginity, is apparently the main theme of the entire story. Lucas is constantly dancing the mixed-signal tango, one moment coming on to her very strongly, and the next claiming that he couldn't possibly sully her purity. Even ignoring the totally archaic and misogynistic implications of equating virginity with purity, why does he keep sneaking into her room all lusty-eyed in the first place?
And then of course, there's virgin prize Zara herself, who is clearly all about waiting for the guy to make the moves. She apparently waited for Jett for years, and then when Lucas shows up, whines frequently that *he* won't act on his desires. And never once in all that whining does she or anyone else suggest that if she, ahem, weren't a virgin anymore, she'd be useless to Xavier and possibly Mictlan as well.
There is one tiny redeeming scene for Lucas in which he admits that his possessiveness and objectification are inappropriate, but this is followed up by yet more possessiveness and a weirdly light-hearted comment that he needs Zara at full strength to finally have sex with her because he tends to get a bit "rough in the bedroom."
Of course, I can't be expected to like everything about any given fictional character. Just like in real life, people have their various traits and what appeals to one may annoy another. But these two characters are such cut-out tropes, that my distaste has more to do with their unoriginality than any particular character flaws.
Overall, I'm giving this 3 stars because I did enjoy the political tug of war between the Celestials, the Watchers, and Xibalba, and there was enough suspense and action there to keep me reading despite all my eye rolling at the terrible dialogue and "romance." It's a solid story base, with good fleshing out in the details of Lucas' transformation to an immortal, their first years after Cortes' arrival, and the practical details of their modern existence. It's a fun and well thought out background canon and I'd read more, especially if there promises to be more saving the world and less saving the hymen.
February 21, 2015
Can we please just stop for a moment and talk about the uniqueness and diversity in this book? It is a huge win. Not only are most of the characters (ancient) Mexican, but the whole story is based on cultural rituals from the Aztecs and Mayans. So yeah, very unique, very refreshing to see some fantastical and magical elements that are related to a whole distinct genre of character.
What I Liked: Obviously, the unique elements were very key. These elements were all so completely new, and so fascinating. I had never heard of this before, and found it both terrifying and intriguing. I even looked up more information about the ancient practice because I wanted even more information! I loved how the author made it work in the modern world, adding some magic elements to the Castillo family and the enemies they seek to take down.
Zara was, for the most part, a likable character. She was just a typical college student trying to figure out her place in the world when she is involved in this tradition, and ultimately, the attempt to eradicate it when she discovers that she is far more than just another sacrifice. I also enjoyed Lucas and his family. I thought they were fun, and even though some of their ways of thinking were incredibly outdated, it made perfect sense in context. In fact, had they not had some of the thought patterns, I'd have doubted the story. I also really appreciated that the author included Zara's family into the mix. So many times in modern setting fantasies, the families are just kind of in the background, but Zara's was involved, and it made things much more realistic.
There was a lot of action, and some amazing locales. I loved reading the scenes in Mexico, it really brought something special to the story, having a big chunk of the action-oriented plot taking place there.
What I Didn't: There was some parts of the book during which I felt really overwhelmed with information. Since it is already a bit of a lesser known subject matter, adding in the fictional elements was a lot to get accustomed to. Add in quite the plethora of characters, and at times I felt a bit bogged down. Especially in the beginning/middle when I was trying to get a grasp on things, I felt like I was mixing up characters left and right. Though by the time the action really got started, I had a pretty good idea of who was who. I also didn't really see the point of adding Zara's friends into the mix. On one hand, yes, it was obviously believable that she had family and friends, and that they were concerned for her welfare. But the whole gang of friends seemed unnecessary, and I barely remembered them.
I also didn't like how Zara was constantly allowing her actions to be dictated by Lucas. Again, I know why Lucas felt the need to control everything, but why exactly did Zara go along so easily? I mean, question things a bit more, girl.
Bottom Line: Though there was a chunk in the beginning-to-early-middle of the book that I felt was a little drawn out, I did really enjoy the story, especially when things started to get really intense. I enjoyed watching Zara and Lucas's relationship develop, and while I am not completely sure that this is a series (though it is definitely set up to be one and would work quite well as one) I would certainly read another installment.
**Copy provided from author for review**
What I Liked: Obviously, the unique elements were very key. These elements were all so completely new, and so fascinating. I had never heard of this before, and found it both terrifying and intriguing. I even looked up more information about the ancient practice because I wanted even more information! I loved how the author made it work in the modern world, adding some magic elements to the Castillo family and the enemies they seek to take down.
Zara was, for the most part, a likable character. She was just a typical college student trying to figure out her place in the world when she is involved in this tradition, and ultimately, the attempt to eradicate it when she discovers that she is far more than just another sacrifice. I also enjoyed Lucas and his family. I thought they were fun, and even though some of their ways of thinking were incredibly outdated, it made perfect sense in context. In fact, had they not had some of the thought patterns, I'd have doubted the story. I also really appreciated that the author included Zara's family into the mix. So many times in modern setting fantasies, the families are just kind of in the background, but Zara's was involved, and it made things much more realistic.
There was a lot of action, and some amazing locales. I loved reading the scenes in Mexico, it really brought something special to the story, having a big chunk of the action-oriented plot taking place there.
What I Didn't: There was some parts of the book during which I felt really overwhelmed with information. Since it is already a bit of a lesser known subject matter, adding in the fictional elements was a lot to get accustomed to. Add in quite the plethora of characters, and at times I felt a bit bogged down. Especially in the beginning/middle when I was trying to get a grasp on things, I felt like I was mixing up characters left and right. Though by the time the action really got started, I had a pretty good idea of who was who. I also didn't really see the point of adding Zara's friends into the mix. On one hand, yes, it was obviously believable that she had family and friends, and that they were concerned for her welfare. But the whole gang of friends seemed unnecessary, and I barely remembered them.
I also didn't like how Zara was constantly allowing her actions to be dictated by Lucas. Again, I know why Lucas felt the need to control everything, but why exactly did Zara go along so easily? I mean, question things a bit more, girl.
Bottom Line: Though there was a chunk in the beginning-to-early-middle of the book that I felt was a little drawn out, I did really enjoy the story, especially when things started to get really intense. I enjoyed watching Zara and Lucas's relationship develop, and while I am not completely sure that this is a series (though it is definitely set up to be one and would work quite well as one) I would certainly read another installment.
**Copy provided from author for review**
December 21, 2014
I received The 52nd by Dela from the author herself for review, and these are my honest thoughts compiled into a review.
The premise of this story is an extremely interesting concept. An attractive god and his mysterious family suddenly walk into the life of a young college student dead set on saving her from being the 52nd sacrifice. You will have to read the book to understand what a sacrifice is and why there are 52 but I must say this story has a very unique plot. We are introduced to Lucas and his family first which I like because, normally books introduce the character that will have more presence in the book first. But I believe Lucas being introduced first was necessary for the plot and it fit perfectly.
My first thought while reading was that I liked how Dela mixed the names up. There were normal names for the people we heard from the most, but also some odd and hard to pronounce names. It was difficult at first with the ones I could not figure out how to pronounce, but by the end I believe it added to the experience of the story. The description of Lucas and his family was an enticing part of the story. It happened quickly and came along with action by the end of chapter 2 which was entertaining.
The characters all fit together like puzzle pieces of a perfect family. The favorite had to be Zara, her attitude from the beginning was priceless. I enjoyed watching her thoughts and feelings towards Lucas change throughout the whole book. She was an entirely new person by the last page in a good way. Many authors tend to use insta love in their books but in The 52nd there was no trace of this. Zara started off being confused about Lucas and it took awhile for him to change her mind. The only thing that did not really fit into the story was the small love triangle that included Zara, Jett, and Lucas. I felt that Jett was randomly thrown into the mix maybe to add a little drama. But with everything else going on every chapter had enough action and drama that Jett’s love was not needed although it did make for a sweet ending.
Overall I loved this book, while reading I could not put it down and when I did it was not for long before I started missing the characters and wanted them back in my life. I am not sure if this is a standalone or not but I sincerely hope that it is not because I have fallen in love with this world and the characters!
Favorite Quotes:
“My fingers went stone cold as I stared at the sheet between them. “You did our report?” (95)
“My sweater and pants sailed at my face.” (243)
“His smile broadened as if he was going to laugh, but he didn’t, and then he leaned in and took a deep breath. “This is my someday.” (359)
“And then I leaned in to kiss my prince.” (461)
The premise of this story is an extremely interesting concept. An attractive god and his mysterious family suddenly walk into the life of a young college student dead set on saving her from being the 52nd sacrifice. You will have to read the book to understand what a sacrifice is and why there are 52 but I must say this story has a very unique plot. We are introduced to Lucas and his family first which I like because, normally books introduce the character that will have more presence in the book first. But I believe Lucas being introduced first was necessary for the plot and it fit perfectly.
My first thought while reading was that I liked how Dela mixed the names up. There were normal names for the people we heard from the most, but also some odd and hard to pronounce names. It was difficult at first with the ones I could not figure out how to pronounce, but by the end I believe it added to the experience of the story. The description of Lucas and his family was an enticing part of the story. It happened quickly and came along with action by the end of chapter 2 which was entertaining.
The characters all fit together like puzzle pieces of a perfect family. The favorite had to be Zara, her attitude from the beginning was priceless. I enjoyed watching her thoughts and feelings towards Lucas change throughout the whole book. She was an entirely new person by the last page in a good way. Many authors tend to use insta love in their books but in The 52nd there was no trace of this. Zara started off being confused about Lucas and it took awhile for him to change her mind. The only thing that did not really fit into the story was the small love triangle that included Zara, Jett, and Lucas. I felt that Jett was randomly thrown into the mix maybe to add a little drama. But with everything else going on every chapter had enough action and drama that Jett’s love was not needed although it did make for a sweet ending.
Overall I loved this book, while reading I could not put it down and when I did it was not for long before I started missing the characters and wanted them back in my life. I am not sure if this is a standalone or not but I sincerely hope that it is not because I have fallen in love with this world and the characters!
Favorite Quotes:
“My fingers went stone cold as I stared at the sheet between them. “You did our report?” (95)
“My sweater and pants sailed at my face.” (243)
“His smile broadened as if he was going to laugh, but he didn’t, and then he leaned in and took a deep breath. “This is my someday.” (359)
“And then I leaned in to kiss my prince.” (461)
January 18, 2018
“We were once a legend, a ghost story told to children at night by mothers of the Promised Land. But life moved on, and our unwritten stories were forgotten- we were forgotten.”
Marking the fifty-second year, the last year of the Mayan calendar, Mulac, also known as Lucas, became an immortal as a gift from the Celestials but every gift comes with rules. As fifty-two human sacrifices are made once every fifty-two years, nobody has survived the sacrifice-until now. As Lucas and the woman from his dreams, literally, fight the prophecy, nobody will expect how the Xibalban gods plan to collect her and sacrifice her in the underworld. As Zara and Lucas band together, this 485-year-old and college freshman have their days numbered.
Dela explained the Aztecs and Mayan culture beautifully and really grabbed the readers interest in how the culture and traditional beliefs grew with every chapter.The sentence structure within “The 52nd” just ‘wow’d’ me. “I imagined the rowdiness of kissing strangers. It made me smile briefly, before the thoughts of death returned.” LIKE OK DELA YOU GOT ME THERE.
I love how the background history was discussed and integrated into the story in such a way that the reader can connection with the storyline and the characters emotions. I felt like I was reading the coolest sci-fi history book i’ve ever seen! The relationship between Lucas and Zara was witty and amusing and gave me chills to the point where I couldn’t put the book down. The transition from the real-world to the underworld were flawless and I found the pace to be spot on
“I mean a war, Zara, a war I’m afraid we haven't got the power to fight”
I honestly have no complains for this book! It was very well-written and kept me on my toes the entire way through. I felt as if this book could be turned into a movie as the detail and plot are extremely fascinating and cleverly put together.
I would recommend this book to lovers of Science Fiction, Fantasy, Romance genres as this book is a perfect description of what hard work looks like. Way to go Dela! I think I found my new favourite author.
Marking the fifty-second year, the last year of the Mayan calendar, Mulac, also known as Lucas, became an immortal as a gift from the Celestials but every gift comes with rules. As fifty-two human sacrifices are made once every fifty-two years, nobody has survived the sacrifice-until now. As Lucas and the woman from his dreams, literally, fight the prophecy, nobody will expect how the Xibalban gods plan to collect her and sacrifice her in the underworld. As Zara and Lucas band together, this 485-year-old and college freshman have their days numbered.
Dela explained the Aztecs and Mayan culture beautifully and really grabbed the readers interest in how the culture and traditional beliefs grew with every chapter.The sentence structure within “The 52nd” just ‘wow’d’ me. “I imagined the rowdiness of kissing strangers. It made me smile briefly, before the thoughts of death returned.” LIKE OK DELA YOU GOT ME THERE.
I love how the background history was discussed and integrated into the story in such a way that the reader can connection with the storyline and the characters emotions. I felt like I was reading the coolest sci-fi history book i’ve ever seen! The relationship between Lucas and Zara was witty and amusing and gave me chills to the point where I couldn’t put the book down. The transition from the real-world to the underworld were flawless and I found the pace to be spot on
“I mean a war, Zara, a war I’m afraid we haven't got the power to fight”
I honestly have no complains for this book! It was very well-written and kept me on my toes the entire way through. I felt as if this book could be turned into a movie as the detail and plot are extremely fascinating and cleverly put together.
I would recommend this book to lovers of Science Fiction, Fantasy, Romance genres as this book is a perfect description of what hard work looks like. Way to go Dela! I think I found my new favourite author.
August 8, 2017
What first drew me to this book was the cover—which I hate to say, but it’s usually the case. And then I went ahead and read the synopsis. With words like Aztec, Mayan, immortal, gods, bloody sacrifices, dreams, traditions, etc., I was sold. Having just finished it a few hours ago, I’m so glad that Dela sent me a copy for review!
I loved the story itself. I’ve always been interested in the cultures of the Aztecs and Mayans so seeing the blend of modern settings and characters was incredibly interesting. Dela is full of knowledge on these subjects and she doesn’t hold back anything. A whole lot of information is dumped on you in just the first few pages which can be really hard to keep track of, but she does a good job of repeating herself throughout the novel so you never feel lost.
As far as the characters go, I loved Zara as a female lead because she was just an ordinary girl starting college, hanging out with her friends, and crushing on boys. She’s thrown into this world very quickly and she takes it in stride, but she isn’t perfect either. She not one of those immediate heroines who can outwit and outrun her enemies—she’s terrified and confused. I felt I connected with her so much more than typical YA heroines. As for Lucas, I was so frustrated with his “I like you but I’m going to treat you like crap because I can’t have you and then wallow in self-pity,” but he came around by the end and I ended up liking him. The love story between the two was very Twilight with a mix of the Lux series: forbidden-love- immortal-(or alien)-men-girl-slowly-catching-on, kind of thing. The one thing I didn’t like was the abundance of side characters. I had a really hard time remembering them all because most didn’t play an important role in the story at all.
All in all, I’m really glad I read this. It was fast paced, it intertwined history and legend, it had a decent love story and it taught me quite a few things! Oh, and let’s not forget that there are pet jaguars. What more could you ask for? 4 stars—would recommend.
I loved the story itself. I’ve always been interested in the cultures of the Aztecs and Mayans so seeing the blend of modern settings and characters was incredibly interesting. Dela is full of knowledge on these subjects and she doesn’t hold back anything. A whole lot of information is dumped on you in just the first few pages which can be really hard to keep track of, but she does a good job of repeating herself throughout the novel so you never feel lost.
As far as the characters go, I loved Zara as a female lead because she was just an ordinary girl starting college, hanging out with her friends, and crushing on boys. She’s thrown into this world very quickly and she takes it in stride, but she isn’t perfect either. She not one of those immediate heroines who can outwit and outrun her enemies—she’s terrified and confused. I felt I connected with her so much more than typical YA heroines. As for Lucas, I was so frustrated with his “I like you but I’m going to treat you like crap because I can’t have you and then wallow in self-pity,” but he came around by the end and I ended up liking him. The love story between the two was very Twilight with a mix of the Lux series: forbidden-love- immortal-(or alien)-men-girl-slowly-catching-on, kind of thing. The one thing I didn’t like was the abundance of side characters. I had a really hard time remembering them all because most didn’t play an important role in the story at all.
All in all, I’m really glad I read this. It was fast paced, it intertwined history and legend, it had a decent love story and it taught me quite a few things! Oh, and let’s not forget that there are pet jaguars. What more could you ask for? 4 stars—would recommend.
October 19, 2016
I'm not gonna lie- I wanted this book because of the amazing cover. The 52nd by Dela caught my eye on Instagram and I thought to myself: "That book would look great on my shelf!" So as soon as my Book Buy funds became available, I added it to my collection. Am I happy I did...?
Picture
There are many times I can begin a book and know immediately if I am going to like it or not. It's happened many times. When I know I'm going to love it, I fly through the book in a few days. When I know it's gonna suck... I find myself in mortal pain and agony and I flip from page to page- praying for a speedy demise.
As soon as I got to the second chapter, I knew this book was not going to work for me. I immediately thought of Twilight- EVERYONE is amazingly perfect and like, total babes! Their hair and eyes are flawless and- I don't know if it happened or not, but I don't think Mayans and Aztecs of the past had blue eyes. I'm just saying- I'm no scientist so don't quote me on this! Even the author said it was rare!
Okay, so I won't go into SPOILERS with this book; I refuse to give the story away. But when you have perfect characters- immortals for that matter, who can glamour and move über-fast with ultra clear hearing (the only thing they didn't do was sparkle in sunlight), I began to wonder who wrote this book for real! I was so upset by the characters, I'm not even going to begin talking about the on and off, just to be back on again relationship between Zara and Lucas. It was annoying, to say the least.
It wasn't a bad book, but the story just didn't win me over. Sometimes YA novels regurgitate storylines, living me overly unimpressed. This time, my judgment of the cover played me on the book. On to the next read!
Ratings:
Picture
There are many times I can begin a book and know immediately if I am going to like it or not. It's happened many times. When I know I'm going to love it, I fly through the book in a few days. When I know it's gonna suck... I find myself in mortal pain and agony and I flip from page to page- praying for a speedy demise.
As soon as I got to the second chapter, I knew this book was not going to work for me. I immediately thought of Twilight- EVERYONE is amazingly perfect and like, total babes! Their hair and eyes are flawless and- I don't know if it happened or not, but I don't think Mayans and Aztecs of the past had blue eyes. I'm just saying- I'm no scientist so don't quote me on this! Even the author said it was rare!
Okay, so I won't go into SPOILERS with this book; I refuse to give the story away. But when you have perfect characters- immortals for that matter, who can glamour and move über-fast with ultra clear hearing (the only thing they didn't do was sparkle in sunlight), I began to wonder who wrote this book for real! I was so upset by the characters, I'm not even going to begin talking about the on and off, just to be back on again relationship between Zara and Lucas. It was annoying, to say the least.
It wasn't a bad book, but the story just didn't win me over. Sometimes YA novels regurgitate storylines, living me overly unimpressed. This time, my judgment of the cover played me on the book. On to the next read!
Ratings:
November 24, 2015
REVIEW
This book is different from others, which makes it quite unique in itself. It definitely is a book to be read and re-read. The story is centered around the ancient Mexicans and rituals from the Aztecs and Mayans. It was a magical read. The author took ancient cultures and put them into today's world along with the magic of the Castillo family along with enemies they seek to destroy.
Trying to find her little niche in the world, Zara was a college student who is drawn into this tradition. She soon discovers that she is far more than just a sacrifice as she tries to erase the tradition forever. The book was written so that you could relate in a way to Zaras and her family. The author gave such reality to the scenes in Mexico along with a lot of action packed pages.
One thing that rather slowed me down with the book was so much information, so many characters. A lot to take in. Keeping everything straight was rather difficult.
Zara seemed as though she didn't have a mind of her own. She went along with anything, never asking questions. She let others lead her instead of standing on her own.I liked the addition of the love between Zara and Lucas. The book is a good read, even though drawn out some.
I received a complimentary copy of THE 52nd from the author Dela for my unbiased view.
This book is different from others, which makes it quite unique in itself. It definitely is a book to be read and re-read. The story is centered around the ancient Mexicans and rituals from the Aztecs and Mayans. It was a magical read. The author took ancient cultures and put them into today's world along with the magic of the Castillo family along with enemies they seek to destroy.
Trying to find her little niche in the world, Zara was a college student who is drawn into this tradition. She soon discovers that she is far more than just a sacrifice as she tries to erase the tradition forever. The book was written so that you could relate in a way to Zaras and her family. The author gave such reality to the scenes in Mexico along with a lot of action packed pages.
One thing that rather slowed me down with the book was so much information, so many characters. A lot to take in. Keeping everything straight was rather difficult.
Zara seemed as though she didn't have a mind of her own. She went along with anything, never asking questions. She let others lead her instead of standing on her own.I liked the addition of the love between Zara and Lucas. The book is a good read, even though drawn out some.
I received a complimentary copy of THE 52nd from the author Dela for my unbiased view.
October 27, 2014
I was given an ARC for an Honest review
Magical
Once I picked up The 52nd I could not put it down. I wanted to know what was going to happen and how everything was going to play out. Dela did an amazing job with the characters and bringing them to life. The whole time I was rutting for both Lucas and Zara.
Lucas was such a strong hero. His family was a big of this story also. They really tied in everything that was happening. You learn about his history and what he and his family are. I don’t want to give away too much on Lucas and his family. Their story is pretty interesting and very well thought out.
Zara was also a strong character. She never gave up even with everything that was happening. Her life was pretty much turned upside down and changed. She never gave up though. I like that she never really whined about what was happening. She went along with it and took everything as it came.
There were times in the book that I was at the edge of my seat. I love when authors write such great books that are able to keep me going. This one defiantly had my attention the whole time. I would recommend this book to anyone who likes adventure and history with their romance. I can’t wait to read more of Dela’s books. The 52nd is defiantly going on my reread list.
Magical
Once I picked up The 52nd I could not put it down. I wanted to know what was going to happen and how everything was going to play out. Dela did an amazing job with the characters and bringing them to life. The whole time I was rutting for both Lucas and Zara.
Lucas was such a strong hero. His family was a big of this story also. They really tied in everything that was happening. You learn about his history and what he and his family are. I don’t want to give away too much on Lucas and his family. Their story is pretty interesting and very well thought out.
Zara was also a strong character. She never gave up even with everything that was happening. Her life was pretty much turned upside down and changed. She never gave up though. I like that she never really whined about what was happening. She went along with it and took everything as it came.
There were times in the book that I was at the edge of my seat. I love when authors write such great books that are able to keep me going. This one defiantly had my attention the whole time. I would recommend this book to anyone who likes adventure and history with their romance. I can’t wait to read more of Dela’s books. The 52nd is defiantly going on my reread list.
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