Ballad & Dagger

Right off, this read felt like home. Daniel Jose Older was able to capture the magical elements of Caribbean culture. The magic in music, community, shared ancestry, shared history and religion. He was able to capture and exude so much through these pages. It was awesome to see it done right and respectful while sprinkling in fantastical and mystical elements throughout. This is an exciting and fast paced read (it does have a lull at the 80% mark) that will keep you engaged the entire time.