The Daggers of Ire 
J.C. Cervantes 
HarperCollins/Balzer + Bray 
September 3, 2024 
Ages 8-12  

In this powerful coming of age story, Esmerelda Santos learns how her love for her family can help her believe in herself and save them from a fate worse than death. Esme lives in San Bosco with her family as they try to navigate life after the death of their beloved wife and mother two years prior. As a direct descendant of the original witches, or brujas, Esme possesses Chaos magic, which is dangerous and strictly forbidden. However, Esme is determined to save her father from his grief, even if it means using her magic. Before she can, all the brujxes are kidnapped by a witch hunter. Esme and her best friend, Tiago, are left and embark on a quest to find out who the witch hunter is. Travelling through magical realms and befriending a cursed fox along the way, Esme searches for the original witches to find a way to save her family, learning along the way that love is “bigger than […] magic” (pg. 341). 

With rich imagery inspired by the Latine myths she grew up hearing, J.C. Cervantes crafts a world of magic, perseverance, and love. Cervantes’s love and appreciation for her Latine heritage and culture shines through, creating an immersive world. By incorporating Mayan and Aztec mythology, Cervantes creates a fresh new mythology for readers to explore without feeling overwhelmed. Cervantes develops Esme’s world in a way that is easy to digest as Esme learns new truths about her history, family, and herself piece by piece. Using riveting language and imagery, Cervantes creates strange and beautiful realms for Esme to travel through and Spanish phrases and words to connect back to the Latine roots of the story. The themes of sisterhood and the power of love over hate prove to be compelling motivators in both the plot and Esme’s character development as she uses her love for her family to unlock her true magical potential.