The Island of Forgotten Gods

A summer in Puerto Rico turns perilous when a young filmmaker awakens a legendary monster and a shadowy cult pursues them.

3.8/5 Goodreads · 218 ratings

304 pages· 56,393 words· Est. 8 hour read

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Bookroo's summary

Nico dreams of directing a film that will change his life, but a summer in Puerto Rico with his grandmother and cousins takes a wild turn. They awaken a creature resembling the Chupacabra, and soon, a mysterious cult is on their trail. As they delve deeper into the island's myths, they encounter ancient Taino gods and uncover secrets that could alter Puerto Rico's fate. With his camera rolling, Nico must navigate this thrilling adventure, where the stakes are higher than he ever imagined. Can he capture the story of a lifetime, or will the island's legends consume them all?

From the publisher

2026 Pura Belpré Children’s Author Honor AwardFrom the author of Time Villains comes a new fantastical adventure about family, tradition, and seeing things for what they truly are.Nico wants to be a famous film director. He’s pretty sure if he can make the right movie, and soon, his life will completely change. The catch? His parents are sending him to Puerto Rico for the summer to stay with his iconic, but old-school, Abuela Luciana, and his awesome, but unpredictable cousins. Still, the show must go on.Until Nico and his cousins awaken a monster. A monster that looks an awful lot like the infamous Chupacabra. And it turns out this isn’t a chance encounter. The creature begins stalking them all over Puerto Rico, turning up on every dark corner, sandy beach, and moonlit night. To make matters worse, a shadowy cult enters the chase, intent on capturing them before the Chupacabra can.Soon they are thrown into an adventure that brings them face-to-face with the ancient Taino people, even more ancient Taino gods, and the mysterious Chupacabra, who is somehow linked to everything. Nico keeps his camera rolling, hoping the epic documentary will catapult him to stardom. But in the end, it’s the island’s fate that hangs in the balance, as they face down the very gods that created Puerto Rico.

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