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3.86 AVERAGE
3.86 AVERAGE
I actually really enjoyed this book. I was expecting a fast mediocre read, and while it was fast, it definitely wasn't mediocre. The romance was cute, and Rosa was a pretty great MC. I've never really liked "the saving the town" books because they all often feel to similar, but I really enjoyed this one. With the combined Latinx culture in the "saving the town" I was really entertained. I liked the commentary on absent family members, and what death of a family member can do to a family and how it can shape it. Also, its own voices, with a very diverse cast of characters ranging from Latinx, black, white, and a bunch of different Latinx cultures which was really awesome. I really enjoyed this, highly recommend!
Rosa lost her father and her grandfather to the sea, leaving the women in her small family to believe they are cursed. Even though she lives on the gulf in Southern Florida, she never goes past the bookstore to the Marina. Rosa reconnects with Alex and the sparks fly. All Rosa wants to do is go to Cuba and learn more about her family roots. But her Abuela won't talk about it and her mom won't stay in one place. This book has a little bit of everything: humor, romance, complicated relationships, and trying to find where one belongs. I loved learning more about Cuba and the Cuban-American culture.
adventurous
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This book was so gosh darn cute. It was everything I didn't know I needed.
The culture, the language, the family, the romance, the curse! Everything was so cute and I loved it!
My little Latina heart was filled with so much happiness while reading this book. We don't enough cute Latinx contemporaries. We never just get to see some cute Hispanic kids just falling in love without the backdrop of racism, immigration or something equally serious or tragic in the background. NOt that this is bad, it's just that we never get any light and enjoyable stories, just for the sake of being light and enjoyable. We also rarely get any Latinx contemporaries where the culture is so ingrained in the story and in the characters in a way that is not stereotypical or superficial.
Seriously though, a part of me kind of hates when Latinx characters are added to books. They always have an accent, have like five siblings living in cramped quarters, call everyone 'chica' or some sort of Spanish nickname, and are usually nothing more than background characters to further the plot of the usually white main character.
So, you can imagine how happy I was to read this book and love it. It was like a breath of fresh air and y'all should totally read it.
This is a contemporary romance and it's also about a curse. I was so curious to see how this so-called 'curse' was going to play into the story and I was not disappointed. I loved how it was less so about an actual bewitching and more about the complex yet beautiful relationship between the three generations of Santos' women.
One of my favorite things about contemporaries is how they, more than any other genre in YA, take the time to explore families and the beautiful and messy ways they interact. They give you all the sides to the story and give you flawed characters you can understand and root for.
I think this book did a wonderful job in that regard with Rosa, her mother Lilliana, and her grandmother Mimi.
The book also did a wonderful job with all the secondary characters and their relationships with their families. Family is very important in Latinx cultures and this book illustrated that perfectly.
Speaking of culture, this was one of my favorite parts of the book. The unapologetic use of Spanish in such natural and relatable ways was amazing! As was the food! Tres Leche is honestly the best thing ever. I also appreciate all the other foods mentioned that I knew so well. And even the ones I didn't as honestly, not all Hispanic cultures are the same or have the same foods.
I also totally loved the writing. I didn't expect to like it so much. It was fluid and beautiful and engaging. I can't wait to read more from this author.
Lastly, the romance. this is a contemporary romance, after all, so let us hop to it.
There is nothing much to say other than that it was super cute. That said, it felt a bit rushed to me. It was like, despite loving it and wanting them to end up together, I wasn't fully convinced, you know what I mean. Still, it was really cute and I overall really did like Alex and Rosa together.
In the end, this book was super cute and I totally recommend it. If you want some Latinx culture in your literature, some good writing and interesting characters, some romance and complex family drama, and also a curse for good measure, then I'm certain you'll enjoy this one!
**An ARC was provided to me by the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own**
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The culture, the language, the family, the romance, the curse! Everything was so cute and I loved it!
My little Latina heart was filled with so much happiness while reading this book. We don't enough cute Latinx contemporaries. We never just get to see some cute Hispanic kids just falling in love without the backdrop of racism, immigration or something equally serious or tragic in the background. NOt that this is bad, it's just that we never get any light and enjoyable stories, just for the sake of being light and enjoyable. We also rarely get any Latinx contemporaries where the culture is so ingrained in the story and in the characters in a way that is not stereotypical or superficial.
Seriously though, a part of me kind of hates when Latinx characters are added to books. They always have an accent, have like five siblings living in cramped quarters, call everyone 'chica' or some sort of Spanish nickname, and are usually nothing more than background characters to further the plot of the usually white main character.
So, you can imagine how happy I was to read this book and love it. It was like a breath of fresh air and y'all should totally read it.
This is a contemporary romance and it's also about a curse. I was so curious to see how this so-called 'curse' was going to play into the story and I was not disappointed. I loved how it was less so about an actual bewitching and more about the complex yet beautiful relationship between the three generations of Santos' women.
One of my favorite things about contemporaries is how they, more than any other genre in YA, take the time to explore families and the beautiful and messy ways they interact. They give you all the sides to the story and give you flawed characters you can understand and root for.
I think this book did a wonderful job in that regard with Rosa, her mother Lilliana, and her grandmother Mimi.
The book also did a wonderful job with all the secondary characters and their relationships with their families. Family is very important in Latinx cultures and this book illustrated that perfectly.
Speaking of culture, this was one of my favorite parts of the book. The unapologetic use of Spanish in such natural and relatable ways was amazing! As was the food! Tres Leche is honestly the best thing ever. I also appreciate all the other foods mentioned that I knew so well. And even the ones I didn't as honestly, not all Hispanic cultures are the same or have the same foods.
I also totally loved the writing. I didn't expect to like it so much. It was fluid and beautiful and engaging. I can't wait to read more from this author.
Lastly, the romance. this is a contemporary romance, after all, so let us hop to it.
There is nothing much to say other than that it was super cute. That said, it felt a bit rushed to me. It was like, despite loving it and wanting them to end up together, I wasn't fully convinced, you know what I mean. Still, it was really cute and I overall really did like Alex and Rosa together.
In the end, this book was super cute and I totally recommend it. If you want some Latinx culture in your literature, some good writing and interesting characters, some romance and complex family drama, and also a curse for good measure, then I'm certain you'll enjoy this one!
**An ARC was provided to me by the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own**
Follow Me Here Too: My Blog || Twitter || Bloglovin' || Instagram || Tumblr
emotional
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
3/5 estrellas.
Eran 2 estrellas en realidad, pero luego de pensarlo mucho, lo cambié. Ya vendré con la reseña.
Eran 2 estrellas en realidad, pero luego de pensarlo mucho, lo cambié. Ya vendré con la reseña.
Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.
I'll be honest, the synopsis of the book left me a little put off but I'm glad I tried this book anyway because it was so much more than what I expected.
Rosa Santos is a senior in high school in a small Florida town and the the men her family have loved have all met a terrible end at the hands of the sea. Rosa and her family believe they are cursed because of what happened back in Cuba where her grandparents had immigrated from, well let's be honest they escaped. Rosa has a strained relationship with her mother who has never stayed in one place long enough after Rosa's father died and Rosa has been raised for the most part by her grandmother, Mimi. Mimi and her mother but heads a lot, mostly because of things left unsaid.
This was a such a beautiful book. The writing immediately drew me in and of course the magical realism won me over because again I'm a sucker for that. This is a great contemporary YA novel that will appeal to so many readers.
I'll be honest, the synopsis of the book left me a little put off but I'm glad I tried this book anyway because it was so much more than what I expected.
Rosa Santos is a senior in high school in a small Florida town and the the men her family have loved have all met a terrible end at the hands of the sea. Rosa and her family believe they are cursed because of what happened back in Cuba where her grandparents had immigrated from, well let's be honest they escaped. Rosa has a strained relationship with her mother who has never stayed in one place long enough after Rosa's father died and Rosa has been raised for the most part by her grandmother, Mimi. Mimi and her mother but heads a lot, mostly because of things left unsaid.
This was a such a beautiful book. The writing immediately drew me in and of course the magical realism won me over because again I'm a sucker for that. This is a great contemporary YA novel that will appeal to so many readers.
I heard this on audiobook and loved the narration, especially the depiction of Mimi and Rosa. They really came to life! I loved the viejitos and the small-town feel, Alex and his pastelitos, and most of all the family dynamics between Rosa, her mom, and abuela. I also loved the exploration of the diaspora, that feeling of not really fitting in anywhere.
emotional
lighthearted
relaxing
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes