Pinata by Leopoldo Gout

This is an interesting book. A trip to Mexico to work on a project to preserve a cathedral that is being turned into a high class resort  brings Carmen back home to Mexico with her two daughters. She feels out of place even here in the place of her birth. While woodworking on the Cathedral an accident with scaffolding knocks open a closed off room. Izel and Luna happen to be visiting and inside Luna finds an old pinata from which something dark resides. Luna goes from being a highly intelligent inquisitive child so being very withdrawn and moody.

Black moths are being seen in swarms, and within them it seems as though a message is trying to be delivered.

Strange occurrences start to happen at Carmen’s home. Accidents that Luna always seems to be near. Some boys that pick on Luna find themselves both dead not long after getting into a fight with Luna which she  express's after the fight  to her sister Izel that she hopes they will die. A teacher at Luna's school is teaching about things that have to do with Luna's past Mexican history when Luna uncharacteristically gets verbally aggressive with the teacher. The teacher tries to speak with Luna but seems to get drawn into something horrifying in Luna's eyes and accidentally leaves bruises on Luna's wrist.

As time goes on Luna changes more and more becoming mean and vicious. More dangerous things seem to  keep occurring. As all of this happens the pinata that Luna snuck home with her from Mexico seems to be growing and pulsing with life. Something inside the pinata wants out and is going to use Luna to achieve that goal.

I really loved this book, it has been so wonderful reading so many different books written by POC with a POC as the main character as well.. I encourage you to pick up this book and give it a read!