Tia Lugo Speaks No Evil by Danette Vigilante

Release: August 17th 2021
Format: Ebook
Publisher: Jolly Fish Press
Source: TBR and beyond Tours
Find it at: Goodreads , Amazon , Barnes & Noble , Book Depository , IndieBound

Tia Lugo has a deadly secret.

Tia Lugo considers herself an ordinary thirteen-year-old girl. As such, she just wants to enjoy the end of summer. That 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? Besides, 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.

About the Author:

Danette Vigilante grew up in the Red Hook Houses in Brooklyn, New York. She continues to live in NYC with her family and sweet pup, Luna. However, one day she hopes to move to a place where the sun is always shining, and the air is warm.

Besides, Danette is the author of TIA LUGO SPEAKS NO EVIL, THE TROUBLE WITH HALF A MOON, a 2012-2013 . She is alsoSunshine State Young Readers award nominee, and SAVING BABY DOE, a 2014 pick for the New York Public Library 100 titles for Reading and Sharing list. Danette encourages literacy in her community via a Little Free Library installed on her front lawn.

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Tia Lugo Speaks No Evil by Review:

“Tia Lugo Speaks No Evil” is a surprisingly suspenseful middle-grade novel that kept me glued to the story.

Firstly, I would like to applaud the author and team for executing this book so well. It’s not every day where you read a suspense thriller targeted at a younger audience. This book is probably the first middle-grade suspense crime thriller I have read, and the author did an excellent job with the tale.

I enjoyed the author’s writing style and the eerie atmosphere set up in the story. The author adds a lot of suspenseful moments as Tia tries to do the right thing. There were parts of the story that gave me the creeps as well, like when Sal comes over or when Tia gets the text messages from the killer. Moreover, the ending had a nice twist with the reveal and turned out to be someone I did not expect. The climax made the story enjoyable and fun to read.

The author also wrote the characters well, and I liked Tia in the lead. I appreciate how realistic the author made her with her difficulty with asthma. Moreover, I loved Tia’s friendship with Julius. Julius is adorable, and I enjoyed how the author made him prominent in the tale. I also liked Gram and enjoyed the scenes where she makes Tia see Celia.

Although the book targets middle graders, I thought this book was one that a reader of any age would enjoy. Overall, “Tia Lugo Speaks No Evil” is an exciting read, and I am curious to check out some of the author’s previous novels.