Rick Riordan Presents: Dawn of the Jaguar - (Storm Runner) by J C Cervantes

About the Book

"After negotiating with the queen of the underworld for ten days above ground, teenage bruja Ren sets out to save her friends and put the Lords of Night back to sleep forever, all without the help of her shadow magic and time rope."--

Book Synopsis

Best-selling author Rick Riordan presents the breathtaking finale to J. C. Cervantes's Maya-inspired Shadow Bruja duology, in which Ren makes a bargain for her life.

Shadow bruja Ren Santiago was relentlessly pursued by the evil Aztec Lords of Night, who claimed that she was destined to be their queen, a destiny she wasn't willing to accept. So she chose death instead.

Too bad death wasn't the answer to her problems. Ren soon realizes she must return to the land of the living to make things right. Unfortunately, that means negotiating with Ixtab, queen of the underworld. Ixtab offers her ten days aboveground in exchange for the discarded crown of jade and shadow. If Ren fails, she will return to the darkness for eternity. Ren agrees, knowing full well that she also has to save her friends Marco, Monty, and Edison and, while she's at it, put those pesky Lords of Night back to sleep forever.

The only problem is, Ren lost her shadow magic and time rope when she lost her life. How will Ren manage to accomplish what feels impossible? The answer lies not in manipulating shadows or time, but in recognizing the awesome power that has always been inside her.

J. C. Cervantes's trademark humor, incredibly high stakes, fascinating characters, and shocking plot twists are on full display in this epic conclusion of an unputdownable duology.

Review Quotes

PRAISE FOR THE STORM RUNNER

NEW YORK TIMES BEST-SELLING SERIES!

"A perfect storm of inspiring heroes, surprising twists, and some seriously scary monsters. This hilarious, expertly-plotted adventure keeps you racing through the pages and leaves you desperate for the next book (and craving a steaming mug of hot chocolate)!"
--Shannon Messenger, New York Times best-selling author of the Keeper of the Lost Cities series and the Sky Fall series

"J. C. Cervantes is about to take you on a trip you will never forget, through the darkest, strangest, and funniest twists and turns of Maya myth. You will meet the scariest gods you can imagine, the creepiest denizens of the Underworld, and the most amazing and unlikely heroes who have to save our world from being ripped apart."
--Rick Riordan, New York Times #1 best-selling author of the Percy Jackson and the Olympians series

"The Storm Runner takes us on a wild thrill ride through the Southwest, Los Angeles, and the spirit realm amidst all-night diners, delicious cups of hot chocolate, and Maya deities. A terrific read leading to an explosive page-turner of a finale!"
--Daniel Jose Older, New York Times best-selling author of Shadowshaper

"The Storm Runner is brilliant, exhilarating, and funny. Its pages will burn in your hands, and Zane Obispo and the Maya gods will keep you up at night terrified and delighted! But beware, this book might reveal your own hidden magic."
--Francisco X. Stork, author of Marcelo in the Real World

★ "Fantastic and villainous creatures from [Maya] folklore combine with clever, realistic, and heartwarming characters. A page-turning and well-written trip into the world of [Maya] mythology, perfect for fans of David Bowles's Garza "Twins" and Rick Riordan's "Percy Jackson" series."
--School Library Journal (starred review)

★ "Zane is an instantly relatable character: he's frustrated by his circumstances and wants to do the right thing, though he often gets into trouble for fighting bullies or wandering off alone. Cervantes wastes no time getting right into the action, and her conversational tone and suspenseful pacing will keep the pages turning as the tension escalates and the characters face deepening stakes. Plentiful references to Mayan mythology and culture are bound to send readers searching for more background info, even with the glossary in the back matter. Don't miss this rip-roaring adventure."
--Booklist (starred review)

". . .the high stakes will grab kids who just want to turn the pages as quickly as possible. . . .Zane's incredibly appealing kid voice and wry internal interjections make him easy to root for."
--Kirkus Reviews

PRAISE FOR THE FIRE KEEPER (Storm Runner, 2)

"A fast-paced addition to a solid middle grade series whose mythological roots are sure to satisfy fans of the first book."
--School Library Journal

PRAISE FOR THE LORDS OF NIGHT (Spin-off from the best-selling Storm Runner trilogy)

"This volume sizzles with madcap fun, interweaving icons and figures from Mayan and Aztec mythology with dizzying results. The author excels at making these gods and goddesses cool and familiar. In the second half, many truths kept from Ren fall into fabulous place, spiraling into an exciting cliffhanger. This duology opener is accessible to readers who are new to this world. An engrossing, god-filled delight."
―Kirkus Reviews

About the Author

J. C. Cervantes (she/her) is a New York Times best-selling author of books for children and young adults. She grew up in San Diego and was fascinated by stories about Maya gods and magic as a child. Those tales inspired her to write a middle grade fantasy trilogy about children of Maya and Aztec gods for Rick Riordan Presents: The Storm Runner, The Fire Keeper, and The Shadow Crosser, and two spin-off novels: The Lords of Night and Dawn of the Jaguar. For more work by J. C. Cervantes, look for her YA romances Flirting with Fate, and Always Isn't Forever, and her entry in the YA fiction series The Mirror: Fractured Path. Follow her on Hive Social @JCCervantes and Instagram: #AuthorJCervantes.