Last Sunrise in Eterna - by Amparo Ortiz (Hardcover)

Book Synopsis

Three teenagers are invited to spend seven days on the secluded island floating off the coast of Puerto Rico to learn the magic of the elves.

All they have to do is give up their dreams.

Seventeen-year-old goth Sevim Burgos hates elves. Everyone else on earth loves the elves (especially their handsome princes) and would give anything to participate in Eterna's annual Exchange, where three teens can trade their dreams for a week of elven magic.

But Sevim knows things most people don't. She can see through the illusions the elves use to conceal their crimes. Ever since elves killed her father, Sevim has longed for revenge. So to help support her single mother, she has been selling abandoned elf corpses on the black market.

But it turns out that the elf prince Aro has noticed Sevim bodysnatching, so he kidnaps her mother in retaliation. To get her mother back, Sevim must participate in the Exchange.

In the home of the elves, Sevim will have to surrender her dreams and put her trust in the charming prince who took the last family member she has in order to master the art of elf magic. And in working with him, she will discover how the royal elves might be more tied to her own history than she ever suspected.

Review Quotes

"An imaginative story about friendship, family, and, ultimately, carving out your own identity."
--Kirkus Reviews

"Readers will enjoy the bravery of confident, edgy Sevim and be invested in her trials on Eterna--as well as the family secrets she uncovers there. A dream-fueled saga that mixes magic with nightmares."
--Booklist

"Ortiz imbues the narrative's worldbuilding and magic system with abundant cultural details, entrenching the high-stakes competition with a deep appreciation for Puerto Rican lore. Through a large cast containing characters of varying abilities, sexualities, and skin tones, the author explores myriad themes of grief and identity."
--Publishers Weekly

"Sevim's strength and focus on completing her original task will appeal to students who enjoy books and games that involve a quest."
--School Library Connection

A gripping fantasy that serves as a love letter to Puerto Rico, magic, and boricuas, Amparo Ortiz's immersive world-building takes readers on a gripping, emotional adventure and artfully celebrates bravery, friendship, family, and forging your own path.
--Crystal Maldonado, author of Fat Chance, Charlie Vega

A fierce yet tender tale that puts forward the radical notion that no one gets to decide who you are and what you are capable of except for you, yourself.
--Nafiza Azad, author of Road of The Lost

Last Sunrise in Eterna is pure, electrified fun from the very first page. The magical, golden island of the elves blends seamlessly with the Puerto Rican setting to create an unforgettable world. This will easily go down as one of my favorite fantasies and I urge every book lover to read it now!
--Francesca Flores, author of The Witch and The Vampire

Last Sunrise in Eterna is fun, original, and full of heart (and just enough donuts). Ortiz's elven adventure is a thrill ride from start to finish.
--Tori Bovalino, author of Not Good for Maidens and editor of The Gathering Dark

About the Author

Amparo Ortiz is the author of Blazewrath Games and Dragonblood Ring. She was born in San Juan, Puerto Rico, but she currently lives on the country's northeastern coast. Her short story comic, "What Remains in The Dark," appears in the Eisner Award-winning anthology Puerto Rico Strong (Lion Forge, 2018), and Saving Chupie, her middle grade graphic novel, is forthcoming from HarperCollins.