Tuesday, July 28, 2026

Salvación by Sandra Proudman - ADVISABLE

Salvación by Sandra Proudman, 336 pages. Wednesday Books (St. Martins Griffin), 2025, $21. 

Language: PG (8 swears 0 'f'); Mature Content: PG; (kissing); Violence: PG13 (knife fight, death, torture, magical violence) 

BUYING ADVISORY: MS, HS - ADVISABLE 

APPEALS TO: SEVERAL 

17yo Lola wears a mask and dresses like a man when she takes on the persona of Salvación - an angel who rids their town of bad men. Lola's mother is a healer - helping the people of their town with Sal Negra, a magic healing salt. But when Hernandez, leading a small army, comes to their town, promising to win back Alta California from the Yankees, Lola and her brother discover he has an alter-magic, Sal Roja, which may cause the death of everyone and everything. 

A high-stakes fantasy with a nice love story in the background. I was cheering for Lola from the first page. Taking place just after the Mexican-American War and the signing of the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo, I loved this story of the displacement of the Mexicans who lived in what is now California. A great Latinx Western, with adventure, magic, danger, and even an environmental message. Most of the characters are Mexican. 

Lisa Librarian 



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