Description: With rising tension in Alta California after the signing of the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo, seventeen-year-old Lola de La Peäna becomes the masked vigilante Salvaciâon to protect her family and town from a man wielding deadly magic, but her mission is complicated when she begins falling for Alejandro, a member of his dangerous entourage.
Brief description: SANDRA PROUDMAN (she/her/ella) is a Mexican American author living at the heart of California. Her full-length YA fantasy debut, Salvación, was a Kirkus and YALSA best of 2025 book. Her sophomore novel, The End of Us, is a dual-POV YA dystopian romance and a Junior Library Guild Gold Selection. She is also the author of the YA contemporary romcom, Horchata & Hearts, the editor of the YA anthology, Relit: 16 Latinx Remixes of Classic Stories, which Kirkus called "an expertly crafted anthology," and a contributor to YA horror anthology, The House Where Death Lives. Follower her on Instagram @sandraproudman.
Review Quotes:
Book Riot, "Spring Releases by Latine Authors to Have On Your Radar"
The Nerd Daily, "72 Of The Most Anticipated YA Books Of 2025" Goodreads, "Twice-Told Tales: 192 Top Retellings That Readers Love"FIERCE by mitú, "Un Poco de Todo: 2025 Books by Latina Authors You'll Want on Your Shelf" Pop! Goes the Reader, "36 Most-Anticipated Young Adult Books January-March 2025", "55 Most-Anticipated Young Adult Books: April - June 2025", and "70 2025 Young Adult Books for Your Summer Beach Bag" HipLatina, "14 Romance Books by Latina Authors Coming Out in 2025" BiblioLifestyle, "Best 2025 Summer Reading Guide YA Books for Your Summer" Paste Magazine, "6 Must-Read New Fantasy Novels That Fight for a Better World" New York Public Library, "New Books for Teens for Hispanic & Latinx Heritage Month" Horn Book, "Eight Engaging Novels in Honor of National Hispanic Heritage Latine/x Heritage Month" Seattle's Child, "Celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month with These Kids' Books" "Action-packed and thrilling with a touch of romance, Proudman's debut novel is an homage to folk hero stories told through a feminist lens...A heartfelt, swashbuckling, standout novel." - Kirkus (starred review) "In this swashbuckling, Zorro-inspired historical fantasy set after the signing of the 1848 Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo, Proudman (Relit: 16 Latinx Remixes of Classic Stories) utilizes a stubborn yet vulnerable heroine and an inventive magic system drawing from the history of Central American salt mines to levy weighty examinations of colonization and tradition." - Publishers Weekly "Proudman's debut YA novel is perfect for fans of Latin historical fantasy and romance...A supreme choice for readers who have yearned for a femme Zorro." - Booklist "This terrific debut gives the Zorro legend a feminist twist.... Salvación is a fresh, exciting, and wildly entertaining new young adult novel." - Amazon "Atmospheric, magical, and addictive, Salvación is a powerful YA novel inspired by El Zorro." - Nerd Daily "From the gorgeous world-building to Lola's absolutely compelling voice, everything about Salvación makes it difficult to put down. As you root for Lola and her devoted family, their world, so thick with salt magic, feels as though it seeps into your bones as you read." - Raquel Vasquez Gilliland, USA Today bestselling and Pura Belpré Award-winning author "Growing up, Zorro was my favorite hero. I watched every episode of the show and yearned to have the book. I was delighted to read Sandra's novel. It's an addictively fast read, full of action, magic, and heart. I love the family dynamic and the love story between Lola and Alejandro. But my favorite is Lola. She embodies the best attributes of my favorite child hero, and more. She's brave, strong, and determined, and she loves with her whole heart. Like me, readers will be clamoring for more." - Yamile Saied Méndez, author of Furia, a Pura Belpré award winner "Sandra Proudman's Salvación will heal your heart as quickly as sal negra. This beautiful debut highlights Lola's journey into vigilante life with a love for family, homeland, and justice...no matter the cost." -Amparo Ortiz, author of Last Sunrise in Eterna "A dynamic tale filled with longing, action, high-stakes, and dangerous magic. Salvación swept me away with spirited characters that felt like family and a vivid world that felt like home." -Angela Montoya, author of Sinner's Isle and A Cruel Thirst