It's not quite release day, but it's pretty close (3 days!). Since I love shouting out book birthdays and celebrating, I consider that close enough.
Today's read grabbed my attention the second I read the blurb; it sounds so exciting! The cover, actually, had me unsure what to think. I think because of the circus-y, mummy, and fortune-teller flair...an odd combo but should fit to the book by the sounds of it. I'm always ready for surprises and have a feeling this one will hold more than a few. Hopefully, they're good ones!
(Note: After reading this, I'm adding it to my favorite of the year list. I couldn't put it down, and that's enough for me)
FORTUNE'S KISS
by Amber Clement
Union Square & Co
YA Fantasy
368 pages
RELEASE DAY...
NOVEMBER 12TH!!!
The legendary Fortune’s Kiss has returned to Ciudad Milagro for the first time in ten years. The magical gambling house shows up twice a year in a new city during the solstices to lure those worthy enough to wager their souls for wealth, the realization of their greatest desires, and, even, immortality.
Known by many names throughout the years, it returns to Milagro as El Beso de la Fortuna . . . and the game is Lotería. And best friends Mayté Robles and Lorena (Lo) de León are determined to change their lives, escape the dangerous men who threaten them, and gain riches.
Mayté, the sole daughter of the disgraced Robles family, wishes to leave her family and become a successful painter, while Lo suffers at the hands of her powerful and abusive father and seeks to find her mother, who escaped to Fortune’s Kiss years ago but never returned.
When Fortune’s Kiss finally returns to their city, the pair follow on their childhood blood pact to enter the gaming salon. But once inside, Mayté and Lo quickly realize that beneath the marvelous glamour, the salon is hiding dangerous secrets and the house always wins. And the game of Lotería is not the children’s game they grew up playing—it is a deadly lottery of chance.
With the help of a young, handsome croupier, the girls embark on a mission to unravel the mystery of the salon’s magic, find Lo’s mother, and try to win a nearly impossible game as their friendship is put under the greatest of tests.
Known by many names throughout the years, it returns to Milagro as El Beso de la Fortuna . . . and the game is Lotería. And best friends Mayté Robles and Lorena (Lo) de León are determined to change their lives, escape the dangerous men who threaten them, and gain riches.
Mayté, the sole daughter of the disgraced Robles family, wishes to leave her family and become a successful painter, while Lo suffers at the hands of her powerful and abusive father and seeks to find her mother, who escaped to Fortune’s Kiss years ago but never returned.
When Fortune’s Kiss finally returns to their city, the pair follow on their childhood blood pact to enter the gaming salon. But once inside, Mayté and Lo quickly realize that beneath the marvelous glamour, the salon is hiding dangerous secrets and the house always wins. And the game of Lotería is not the children’s game they grew up playing—it is a deadly lottery of chance.
With the help of a young, handsome croupier, the girls embark on a mission to unravel the mystery of the salon’s magic, find Lo’s mother, and try to win a nearly impossible game as their friendship is put under the greatest of tests.
MY TIDBITS
Fate and fortune intertwine in a dangerous game of chance, where the stakes are higher than death and the weight the players bring with them is immeasurable.
Mayte and Loteria have been best friends forever. Mayte's family may have plummeted from their high position in society to the lower levels, but Loteria's holds their own dark secrets. Both girls suffer, which is one reason they swore long ago to wager their very souls if Fortune's Kiss ever reappeared in their city. The mysterious gaming salon only appears twice a year and always in a new place. The winner will have any wish granted, while all others are never seen again. So when the salon appears, Mayte and Loteria decide to hold their oath and see if they are picked to join the game. Both feel they have nothing to lose, but Fortune's Kiss reveals even the most hidden secrets...and these are more than either girl could have ever known.
The historic atmosphere of this novel lays a fitting scene for this tale, while adding a dusting of magic to create a rich world. Both Mayte's and Loteria's circumstances are brought to light, packed with emotions and pain to draw sympathy. Neither has it easy, and both in very different ways. The reader gains a good understanding of both before they turn to Fortune's Kiss...and the reasons behind their decision to wager everything is more than understandable. The tale switches back and forth between the two girl's perspectives, and during their time in Fortune's Kiss, their real souls and intentions are laid bare. Neither is perfect, and the author demonstrates how pain and experience weave in thorns and scars to warp good intentions. At times, it did seem like both girls were a bit distanced from the reader, but in general, both are easy to root for...even if this is a rollercoaster, at times.
The darker corners of the human soul are examined in these pages and show how even the purest wish might not be as glowing as it first appears. People are even good at fooling themselves. But there's a sense of hope, selfishness, and true friendship to keep a ray of hope even in darker moments. Considering the violence and cruelty, at times, the rays are needed.
This does hold a few triggers surrounding drugs, family violence, alcoholism, a tad bit of gore, and nods toward human trafficking (although this last one is very light). All of this weaves into the tale well to work its purpose and bring across the messages without drudging deeper than necessary.
It creates a grabbing read, where the next twist is hard to see coming and nothing is as it first appears.
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