Tia Lugo Speaks No Evil by Danette Vigilante
/Tia Lugo Speaks No Evil by Danette Vigilante
Jolly Fish Press Horror/Middle Grade/Multicultural Interest
Pub Date Aug 17, 2021
#TiaLugoSpeaksNoEvil #NetGalley
Tia Lugo has a deadly secret.
Tia Lugo considers herself an ordinary thirteen-year-old girl. She just wants to enjoy the end of summer, which means hanging out with her best friend and neighbor, Julius, and ignoring her Puerto Rican grandmother’s embarrassing reliance on creepy candles, weird-smelling herb bundles, and eerie statues—all available for sale at the nearby botánica. But when Tia witnesses a murder late one night from her bedroom window, everything changes in an instant.
Now, Tia is terrified to tell anyone what she’s seen. What if the killer comes after her too? He knows where she lives. Even worse, Tia believes he’s sending her secret messages, reminding her to stay quiet. Desperate to keep herself and her family safe, Tia turns to the last place she ever thought she’d go: her grandmother's favorite shopping spot, the botánica.
As a reviewer for Gram’s Book Club, I look for books to recommend to my grandchildren and yours. I enjoyed meeting Tia, a feisty girl who lives in the city and witnesses a tragic event from her window. The author created a believable family, and I loved the doting grandmother who is a bit eccentric. This story provides a cast of characters that provide positive role models with strong family values. Tia’s best friend is Julius, with a loyal friendship with sweet romantic tension. Tia makes some decision’s early on in the story that give us a sense of her budding independence and maturity that in real life should be shared with a trusted adult. Yet her decision to not share what she has seen takes the reader on an adventure with drama, tension and a thriller ending. Recommended for middle grade readers with a parent/grandparent conversation afterwards of Tia’s reluctance to tell anyone of her fears, even her best friend Julius.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher Jolly Fish Press for giving me an digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.
