Title: To Our Untamed Core
Author: Sonido Reyes
Publisher: Versify
Publication date: September 22, 2026
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Summary
Long after the conquistadors claimed the Afueras, Tomo lives in a world where he has to undergo sacraments to keep his (supposedly) violent nature under control. However, Tomo is hiding something: he’s trans. And everyone is about to find out that he is when he gets his evaluation for El Torneo. A brutal, fight to the death tournament that no one ever escapes.
When Tomo’s boyfriend is arrested and thrown into El Torneo, Tomo is desperate to do whatever it takes to save him. But there is more going on behind the scenes of this tournament, putting Tomo in even more danger.
Review: To Our Untamed Core
Thanks to NetGalley and Versify for an advanced copy of To Our Untamed Core by Sonido Reyes to review! I’ve loved all of Reyes’s YA work to this date, so I was excited for his first foray into dystopian literature. And they most definitely did not disappoint! Though this is quite brutual and violent, the story behind it is so difficult to put down.
Though there are a lot of characters introduced in a fairly short amount of time, I didn’t find it to be too overwhelming. In fact, they helped in building the world that Reyes created. However, Tomo, Socoyote, and Ollin definitely steal the show. The complicated nature of their relationship throughout the story adds to the rebellion storyline and adds tension.
One of the comp titles for this is The Hunger Games, which I definitely agree with. The level of violence feels pretty similar, even if they both deal with slightly different societal issues. I’ll admit, I was a little nervous it wasn’t going to all get wrapped up by the end but we got there! Seriously, if you’re looking for a tense, dystopian story to read this fall, definitely pick this one up!
4/5 stars