Review: FOREVER MINE by Elizabeth Reyes

Summary: Seventeen-year old Sarah’s life is turned upside down when her single mom is sent to jail. She’s forced to move, leaving behind everything she’s ever known, including her best friend Sydney. Lost and bitter in a new school, her one goal is to save money and move back home. Then she meets Angel Moreno.

Enigmatic but gorgeous, Angel is almost too good to be true. Except for one thing, his archaic belief that guys and girls can never be “just friends”. The problem? Sarah’s best friend Sydney is not a girl.

With their unexpected romance intensifying to places neither ever experienced, how long can Sarah keep Angel in the dark about the guy waiting for her back home?




Reviewed by: Sandra L.
Rating: 4 stars


Review: When Angel Moreno first met Sarah, the first thing he noticed was her eyes. With that dashing smile of his, how could Sarah not be flustered around the big and handsome Angel? But being the new girl in school ain’t easy, especially when the hot guy is one of the cool, popular jocks. Oy, I hate that clique.

The famous Moreno brothers can have any girl they want. Who can compete with that? 

I absolutely loved the part when Angel showed up and pulled that guy off of Sarah. That pretty much did it for me. My heart did a triple-spiral; I love the protective hero type.

Even though Angel had never asked a girl out, his pursuit of Sarah was unrelenting. But Sarah could not bring herself to believe that the beautiful Angel could even be interested in her. She was basically the "plain Jane" most of us could relate to. In fact, she reminded me of Rachel Leigh Cook on She's All That. And Angel reminded me of Channing Tatum on She's the Man - so big, burly, and adorably clumsy.

From the very beginning, the reader feels the chemistry between Sarah and Angel.

"There was absolutely no way he'd be okay with her being free to see other guys, not as long as he was seeing her. And he planned on seeing her every chance he got." (56) How sweet! But my eyes practically popped out of their sockets as soon as Angel asked if they could be exclusive. What, so soon?! Angel was far too quick to advance in the relationship. Before you knew it, they were being very intimate. In fact, the story was a bit too sexual for a YA.

Of course, no love story is complete without the hurtful rumors and tension causing trouble for the couple. It is a story of jealousy, passion, excitement, and drama. I kept rooting for Sarah and Angel to work it out. I enjoyed every page of it.

I want more stories of the Moreno brothers.

On the TBR list: Moreno Brothers #2

Review: THE TOWN I LIVE IN by Tita Rodriguez Parra

Reviewed by: Maya
Rating: 3 stars

Review: This book relays the tales of the author’s childhood memories. Parra takes the reader through the ups and downs of growing up with her family and friends in a 1950’s barrio neighborhood.

In "Monster," Tita finally realized her limits when her little brother becomes too strong for her to pin down. Tita learns what love isn't in "Love on a Two-Way Street." I laughed when Tita's brothers beat up her mom's boyfriend in "Living on the North Side."

Of course, the greatest impact came from "Intuition." Dripping with raw, honest audacity, "Intuition" presents the importance of listening to your conscience as Parra recalls the night she was kidnapped and raped.

This autobiography is poetic, lovely, and heartfelt. Tita's story is a tale of strength, courage, and the importance of adhering to yourself. And although there were some mild redundancies and weak flaws in the writing, the book still sends a powerful message of survival.

Reviews: WAKING UP IN THE LAND OF GLITTER by Kathy Cano-Murillo

Summary: With glue guns, glitter, twigs, or yarn, the ordinary can become extraordinary . . . especially at La Pachanga. Owned by Estrella "Star" Esteban's family, the restaurant has a rep for two things: good food and great art. La Pachanga brings people together-even when it looks like they couldn't be further apart.

One ill-fated evening, Star jeopardizes her family's business, her relationship with her boyfriend, and her future career. To redeem herself, she agrees to participate in a national craft competition, teaming up with her best friend, Ofelia-a secretly troubled mother whose love for crafting borders on obsession-and local celebrity Chloe Chavez-a determined television personality with more than one skeleton in her professional closet. If these unlikely allies can set aside their differences, they'll find strength they never knew they had, and learn that friendship, like crafting, is truly an art form.



Reviewed by: Celia
Rating: 3 stars


Review: I liked the way it started—very gripping and honest. I totally understood Star’s desire to live her life for herself first and foremost before settling into anything. I especially liked how the author rendered both sides of the complicated love/hate relationship of Star and Theo in a zany, confusing “tug-of-war” way (they basically wanted to love and hate each other at the same time.) The love that Theo had for Star was endearing yet overwhelming (who wouldn’t freak out at the sight of wedding brochures?) Yet he was a good guy, perhaps too good for Star. My first impression of her was that she was a whiny, selfish brat that expected everything to be done for her without doing anything to earn it. Seriously, what did Theo see in her?

Almost every character (particularly Olfie) in the story succumbs to the belief that crafts are the answer to life’s problems and that they make the world happy and perfect. I felt that the whole idea was kind of surreal and unimaginable; it was like believing that a round of Candy Land will turn everything into lollipops and marshmallows. Don’t get me wrong. Crafts can be an art form that can reflect one’s spirits and identity, and, yes, they can even bring a little happiness. Clearly, that was the message the writer wanted to convey with much success—perhaps too much success.

The book was filled with flawed and diverse characters that can annoy you at times but you can definitely relate to. To put it better, they all intertwined together like colored thread with loose ends and tight knots.

Honestly, the story didn’t get good for me until about 2/3 of the way when the “truth” comes out on everyone. The drama was so flavorful and exciting that I couldn’t sit still for the most part.

Ultimately, the characters had to find their true “crafter” to see who they really wanted to be, and I think it all came together pretty well in the end.

 

Review: DAMAS, DRAMAS, AND ANA RUIZ by Belinda Acosta

Summary: All Ana Ruiz wanted was to have a traditional quinceañera for her daughter, Carmen. She wanted a nice way to mark this milestone year in her daughter's life. But Carmen was not interested in celebrating. Hurt and bitter over her father Esteban's departure, she blamed Ana for destroying their happy family, as did everyone else. A good man is hard to find, especially at your age Ana was told. Why not forgive his one indiscretion? Despite everything, Ana didn't want to tarnish Carmen's childlike devotion to her beloved father. But Ana knows that growing up sometimes means facing hard truths. In the end, Ana discovers that if she's going to teach Carmen anything about what it means to be a woman, it will take more than simply a fancy party to do it...





Reviewed by: Sandra L.
Rating: 5 stars

Review: The first thing that grabbed my attention was the writing style. It brings you back to the days of Mexican gatherings filled with música, cerveza, y carne asada with a telenovela blaring in the background. I especially liked how the author sprinkled in Spanish throughout the story like chile over brown rice—it definitely gave it that extra kick. It was almost like the book was written in both English and Spanish; I’d say it was about 85% English and 15% Spanish. In fact, it was almost as if my abuela had told this story with her broken English and (loud) Spanish expression.

The title definitely served the story well. This was the “damas and dramas” of Ana Ruiz with the pain she suffers from a broken marriage and the devastation she endures when her daughter looks at her with hate. And all Ana wants to do it fix it, and, for some reason, she feels a quinceañera will do it. Was she crazy? Was she trying to be mean by pushing the idea? No, she was just desperate—desperate to reconnect with her daughter, Carmen, and make it like it was before. Very heartfelt—but, again, crazy!

Carmen was a brat. It was unfair how she was so angry at her mom without getting all the facts straight. And why was everyone (her brother, her cousin, her tía, etc.) being so nice to her when she would just roll her eyes or snap at them with a smart-ass comment? That would frustrate anybody.

I liked how Ana got all giddy and nervous around Montalvo (especially when he took his shirt off) because it showed that she was still a woman, a young girl in “mom” costume. It was great that she could see a partner in him—not as a lover, per se, even though they were painted as a compatible couple throughout the story, but as a friend who’s gone through the same thing she is. It’s true what they say: misery likes company.

The plot was so well done that you can feel all the anger and pain of each character (they all have their personal demons and hidden skeletons.) It is a roller coaster ride of surprises with such a fervent impact that make the reader laugh, scream, and even throw up a little. A gripping read.

One minor thing I found a bit odd at first was how the author would deviate from one character’s setting, thoughts, and dialogue, and then transition to another character’s thoughts and feelings all within the same paragraph. Additionally, the story seemed to have been told in a fortune-teller kind of way; not only do we hear the story as it happened—as it was witnessed—but we also learn of what becomes of everyone years in the future. This definitely pushed the traditional fly-on-the-wall narration, but, somehow, it worked, and a masterpiece was born through unorthodox methods.

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Latina Double Book Giveaway!

We are hosting a giveaway for not one book, but two books!

In Search of My Destiny by Irma Reyes Herrera

 

Heartwarming and inspiring, In Search of My Destiny tells a story about true family love. A wonderful tale that portrays the strength of the human spirit and proves that there is strength in unity, and highlights the special bond between parents and children. It is the story of a woman who lived her life in two different cultures. She lived her childhood and adolescence in a small Mayan village in Guatemala, Central America, where the customs were drastic and dramatic. When she became a single mother of three small children, she lived in California, where she faced a different culture, where she made a promise to herself that she would survive the struggle for those years ahead and achieve the triumph in the physical, emotional, and intellectual development of her and her children. Though she faced many challenges in life, she persevered in search of love, peace, happiness, and family union. Readers can witness her fascinating story unfold in In Search of My Destiny.

 

 

 

 

Tree of Sighs by Lucrecia Guerrero

 

After the sudden and tragic death of her parents, Altagracia faces an uncertain future with a bitter and secretive grandmother. When the two sink into poverty, the young girl ends up with a cruel woman who takes her to the United States, changes her name to Grace, and puts her to work as a full-time domestic servant. Tree of Sighs is the story of Grace's journey to uncover her past as she straddles two cultures in the search for her own identity. After escaping servitude and imprisonment, Grace endures life on the streets and a succession of jobs, and she eventually lands in a comfortable marriage. But a phone call from a person in her past sets her on a journey to the border, where she meets a man who holds the key to her past, learns the truth about her grandmother, and ultimately finds herself.

 

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Review: IN SEARCH OF MY DESTINY by Irma Reyes Herrera

Heartwarming and inspiring, In Search of My Destiny tells a story about true family love. A wonderful tale that portrays the strength of the human spirit and proves that there is strength in unity, and highlights the special bond between parents and children. It is the story of a woman who lived her life in two different cultures. She lived her childhood and adolescence in a small Mayan village in Guatemala, Central America, where the customs were drastic and dramatic. When she became a single mother of three small children, she lived in California, where she faced a different culture, where she made a promise to herself that she would survive the struggle for those years ahead and achieve the triumph in the physical, emotional, and intellectual development of her and her children. Though she faced many challenges in life, she persevered in search of love, peace, happiness, and family union. Readers can witness her fascinating story unfold in In Search of My Destiny. Parents: Find very similar facts and renewed inspiration. Grandparents: Bring back memories of when you raised your children. Young People: You’ll have an understanding of the love that is felt for your children and what it takes to raise them. Children: Be inspired to embrace your family history and events.






Reviewed by: Sandra L.
Rating: 3 stars

Review: In the beginning, “he didn’t want to have daughters, and always said that women only bring problems.” (14) But then destiny brought him an unexpected joy….and her name was Luna.

In this memoir, we follow the life of Luna from her days of growing up in Central America to her transition to a new life in the United States. “I felt myself compelled to continue the long walk of life, and dreamed of how someday I would get rid of these invisible chains.” (57)

Her tale is raw, powerful, and full of honesty. In “Unpleasant Incidents,” we learn of the horrible trials in Luna’s young life and the hard lessons that come with them. The stories are outlined in pensive and thought-provoking vignettes.

This book is about a strong woman, weaving her destiny and surviving a complicated world, especially after leaving a bad marriage.  It was considered that “[women who left] were perceived as bad women, incapable of honoring the marriage ‘forever’ as it should be.” (103)

Towards the end, the author illustrated the life of a single, working mother—a concept she described as difficult and rewarding for “being a mother is the most sacred privilege of humanity and a role that never rests.” (159)

At times, I felt that the dialogue was a bit unrealistic.  “Come, my children” sounded more like something a preacher would say. It felt like I was reading an episode of The Brady Bunch, even though one can appreciate the effort behind Luna’s love for her children. As Herrera indicated, “people think that being a mother is a crazy job.” (159)