To Our Untamed Core coming September 22nd, 2026 from Versify; 432 pages
Content Warning: Oppression, violence, death, racism, colonization, abuse, murder
About the Author: “Sonido Reyes is the award-winning and bestselling author of The Lesbiana’s Guide to Catholic School, The Luis Ortega Survival Club, The Broposal, and The Golden Boy’s Guide to Bipolar. They also have contributed short stories to the anthologies Transmogrify! and For the Rest of Us. Sonido writes fiction celebrating queer and Mexican stories in a variety of genres and age categories. He is also the vice-president of My Galvanized Friend, a nonprofit focused on providing access to and amplifying LGBTQ+ writing, art, and creators. They also co-host the podcast Bidi Bidi Book Pod, which celebrates queer and trans BIPOC authors and stories” (Bio from author’s website).
Find Sonido Reyes on the following platforms:
Temo is two days from turning eighteen and going through the sacrament of contribution, the set of tests every Afuereños must go through to determine how they will dedicate themselves to society as an adult. But Temo already knows what will become of him, as the sacrament of contribution will reveal his deepest secret: he was not born a boy. And he knows he will be forced to participate a day later in El Torneo—where criminals are entered to fight the king’s champion for the crown—because he lied about his body. Everything goes awry, however, when he discovers Ollin and Socoyote—Temo’s boyfriend and ex-best friend—are entangled in plans to end El Torneo. All three find themselves in the arena, and while trying to make it out alive must come to terms with the fact their relationships will never be able to go back to normal.
As a fan of The Hunger Games, I was a little apprehensive about starting a novel that could be comparable in plot, especially after recently reading a similarly-pitched novel and being left disappointed (my review of it here!). However, I was pleasantly surprised by To Our Untamed Core! Temo was a refreshing protagonist despite believing full-heartedly in the propaganda in the beginning, as it made him learning to deconstruct those beliefs all the more satisfying. The switching points-of-view (POV) were done really well, and I believe all of them came at perfect moments to reveal information that complicated the dynamics of all the characters—though I am glad that Temo got the most chapters. Maybe I’m biased, but I was really happy to see a trans guy as a protagonist take the spotlight. And on Temo being transgender, I cannot put into words how happy it makes me that the story ends in a polyamorous relationship with Temo, Ollin, and Socoyote. I’m not a fan of love triangles or love corners (which tend to be pitched as love triangles) and poly relationships don’t get much representation in media. So even though it came at the end, getting to see these three go through betrayal after betrayal and still choosing to love one another was wonderful. I was occasionally taken out of the story by some world-building details, but it didn’t break the immersion for long. Anyone who enjoys The Hunger Games and wants more queer protagonists in media should definitely pick up To Our Untamed Core!
To Our Untamed Core releases on September 22nd, 2026.
Pine Reads Review would like to thank Sparkpoint Studio and Versify for sending us an ARC in exchange for an honest review. Any quotes are taken from an advanced copy and may be subject to change before final publication.
Grace McCool, Pine Reads Review Writer & Editor