Oculta

“A THIEF MADE A LORD. A PRINCE MADE A VILLAIN. A DEADLY GAME FOR POWER.”

Maya Motayne’s breathtakingly exhilarating sequel to Nocturna is positively magnificent. I fell in love with the multifaceted characters, uniquely original magic system and the irresistibly detailed setting of San Christobal.This Latinx YA Fantasy is Sure to be a must read of 2021!

After saving Castallan from an ancient evil,Alfie and Finn haven’t spoken in months.Prince Alfie, as future King is preparing to host an international peace summit-with the kingdom that enslaved his people. But a mysterious group responsible for his brother’s death are back- and have targeted the summit.

Finn spends her days travelling and revelling in her new found freedom,until she’s forced into leading one of San Cristobal’s crime families and made a thief Lord.

Finn and Alfie’s paths are entwined once more as their shared enemy seeks to destabilise the kingdom and plunge them into a devastating war.

A truly inspiring tale of love,loss,identity and the effects of systemic oppression. I find the pacing here flows much better than Nocturna which made the action all the more enjoyable.The plot was also more complex and I felt Motayne excelled in giving Alfie, Luka and Finn an emotional depth which I found made their motives very relatable.This was especially true with Finn and the PTSD she experiences from her childhood trauma. The chemistry between Alfie and Finn was incredibly written too and I liked how their friendship/ relationship developed rather organically.

I simply cannot believe how incredible the ending is and I NEED to know what happens next. If you enjoy YA Fantasy, books with unique magic systems and strong (diverse) characters then you should definitely check out this out (this is the second book in the A Forgery Of Magic series so definitely check out Nocturna too)

And also, I just wanted to say thank you to Hodder&Stoughton and Net Galley for the Digital ARC.

Nocturna was one of my favorite reads from last year. Naturally, I went into Oculta with a little apprehension in my heart - how will this second book measure up to the incredible first one?
Well, after a few pages, I promptly forgot about all that: I could think of nothing but San Cristobal and Alfie, Finn, Luka, and the new characters we're introduced to in this book ! Oculta felt like coming home - a reunion with everything I loved about Nocturna: mesmerizing world building, a gripping plot, character arcs that keep getting better… And Maya Motayne added new elements to develop the book's take on colonization & oppression, a touching and honest dive into the characters' struggles with grief, trauma and regret.
This will definitely be on my 2021 favorite list as well — I can't wait to read the third book :)

Thank you Hodder&Stoughton and Net Galley for providing me with an e-ARC of Oculta in exchange for an honest review !

*4.5 Stars*

Oculta is the sequel to Nocturna which I read when it first came out.
We meet Alfie, Finn and Luka again as Finn is far away on her own journey, Alfie is feeling every kind of guilty and can't face what he did while Luka hates himself for surviving and puts himself in danger day after day.
So all is not well as we found the gang again and things keep getting worse as a new gang emerges and threatens the entire country's security...

Oculta is a great sequel. I got to remember the first book as I read this one and that was great. I fell a little more in love with these three characters the more the book went on and I legit saw none of the twists coming.
It's just such an intricate magic system and world. I love everything about it. I love the city too and how it's separated in two, with the castle on one side and the "real" world on the other. I also love how the author added her culture to the world and makes such a compelling and interesting and layered atmosphere. Also loved the criticism of colonialism.
Love the relationships between the characters too, whether it's the romantic ones or the friendships. I'm just really looking forward to the next book.