Take a photo of a barcode or cover
3.86 AVERAGE
3.86 AVERAGE
>Loved it, flew through it.
>Very cute and sweet YA romance. It felt pretty shallow to me, w/ no common bond. But it's character growth & plot movement for someone who's been stagnant & reactionary. One of the few times I can remember where I'm rooting for the main couple to amicably settle into friendship & move on eventually. I'd like to see a follow-up with that situation & college TBH.
>Love the understated mundane magical realism.
>I love the daughter, mother, grandmother dynamic. That's what my family is made of, though we're not cursed as such.
>Really felt the push/pull between the generations, the Cuban diaspora.
>The Obamas in Cuba.. WOW. I knew it was huge but Rosa describing it made me tear up.
>Ending of senior year
>Driven academic overachiever planner extraordinaire
>Best friend Girl drummer
>Sibling teasing
>A wedding
>Community action
>Small businesses
>Men baking
>Boy with a boat
>Almost drowning
>Treasure hunt
>Conquering fears
>Unpacking baggage
>Figuring out what you really want
>Going for it.
>I love the ending. Its trust and freedom, with a buoyant feeling of hope.
>Very cute and sweet YA romance. It felt pretty shallow to me, w/ no common bond. But it's character growth & plot movement for someone who's been stagnant & reactionary. One of the few times I can remember where I'm rooting for the main couple to amicably settle into friendship & move on eventually. I'd like to see a follow-up with that situation & college TBH.
>Love the understated mundane magical realism.
>I love the daughter, mother, grandmother dynamic. That's what my family is made of, though we're not cursed as such.
>Really felt the push/pull between the generations, the Cuban diaspora.
>The Obamas in Cuba.. WOW. I knew it was huge but Rosa describing it made me tear up.
>Ending of senior year
>Driven academic overachiever planner extraordinaire
>Best friend Girl drummer
>Sibling teasing
>A wedding
>Community action
>Small businesses
>Men baking
>Boy with a boat
>Almost drowning
>Treasure hunt
>Conquering fears
>Unpacking baggage
>Figuring out what you really want
>Going for it.
>I love the ending. Its trust and freedom, with a buoyant feeling of hope.
adventurous
inspiring
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:
No
adventurous
emotional
inspiring
lighthearted
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 is a story about three generations of women and a family curse, two generations lost their love to the sea and the third, Rosa Santos, with dreams of visiting Cuba, finds herself falling for a boy with a boat. It's about family, love and forgiving a past that stretched across generations. It's about finding yourself even if it feels like you're forever lost at sea.
I wasn't entirely sure what to expect, I had heard about this book but just the synopsis back when it released and it was somewhere lingering on my imaginary TBR until I saw my cousin reading it and she gave it five stars. I decided to pick it up from the library and here we are.
I really loved the story, it held this feeling of magic and familiarity, being wrapped up in signs from the universe and charting your own path. It was fun to live in Rosa's world, to glimpse her childhood growing up with such strong women.
There was an element of magical realism that fit the tone of the book perfectly, usually I'm a weirdo and a bit of a skeptic with magical realism, but it really worked.
This is surprisingly Nina Moreno's first book, if Goodreads is correct. I'm honestly shocked and can't wait to read her next. I'm glad I picked this up.
I wasn't entirely sure what to expect, I had heard about this book but just the synopsis back when it released and it was somewhere lingering on my imaginary TBR until I saw my cousin reading it and she gave it five stars. I decided to pick it up from the library and here we are.
I really loved the story, it held this feeling of magic and familiarity, being wrapped up in signs from the universe and charting your own path. It was fun to live in Rosa's world, to glimpse her childhood growing up with such strong women.
There was an element of magical realism that fit the tone of the book perfectly, usually I'm a weirdo and a bit of a skeptic with magical realism, but it really worked.
This is surprisingly Nina Moreno's first book, if Goodreads is correct. I'm honestly shocked and can't wait to read her next. I'm glad I picked this up.
This book was so amazing I was sad when I ended. Magical, and so vividly written that I could taste it. I loved the Latinx focus and the casual inclusion. But mostly I loved the characters and the story. If you like Sarah Addison Allen, give this book a try.
I really liked reading about the Cuban-American culture in this book. The main character, Rosa, is very likable and relate-able. However, the romance felt forced and I wasn't "rooting for" Rosa and Alex's relationship.
starting off April with a BANG rtc
Ohhh my god. This book was so much more than I was expecting it to be. I will forever be obsessed with fluffy, cute YA contemporaries. This is that with a deeper, more meaningful layer hiding underneath. I wouldn’t say this book always reads as being realistic, but it's somehow unrealistic in the most charming way possible.
The story follows Rosa. She’s what I would consider a type A, highly motivational person. She’s in her last year of high school while simultaneously in her second year at her local community college. She has goals, and she checks off every single one of them in her perfectly organized bullet journal. She lives with her grandmother who has the most envy-inducing collection of plants. Her mother is constantly traveling so only pops into her life every once in awhile.
There is a supposed curse on the women of the Santos family. When Rosa’s abuela was fleeing Cuba with her grandfather a storm hit. She reached the other side with only her daughter, Rosa’s mother. When Rosa’s mother was still pregnant with her, she also lost her husband to the sea. Only his boat was found. So basically, everyone in this small community of Port Coral believes these women to be bad news for any sailor. (see: Don’t Date Rosa Santos)
I love stories that focus on tight-knit communities that are so alive with description they seem to be a character themselves. The community of Port Coral came alive to me in its description of the delicious food (omg I was basically drooling the whole time), the smell of the sea, and the sunny harbor. Maybe I’m just jealous because it’s April and still freezing here.
I really don’t want to say too much about the plot, because I think it’s more magically if you go in not knowing to much. I’m so excited for you to discover this community, the Santos family, and the sweetest of romances. If you want a quick taste of hot, Florida sunshine, please read this asap.
A Must-read if you like:
Complicated family dynamics
Realistic magic
Drool-worthy food descriptions
Cuban American mc
Depiction of diaspora
Ohhh my god. This book was so much more than I was expecting it to be. I will forever be obsessed with fluffy, cute YA contemporaries. This is that with a deeper, more meaningful layer hiding underneath. I wouldn’t say this book always reads as being realistic, but it's somehow unrealistic in the most charming way possible.
The story follows Rosa. She’s what I would consider a type A, highly motivational person. She’s in her last year of high school while simultaneously in her second year at her local community college. She has goals, and she checks off every single one of them in her perfectly organized bullet journal. She lives with her grandmother who has the most envy-inducing collection of plants. Her mother is constantly traveling so only pops into her life every once in awhile.
There is a supposed curse on the women of the Santos family. When Rosa’s abuela was fleeing Cuba with her grandfather a storm hit. She reached the other side with only her daughter, Rosa’s mother. When Rosa’s mother was still pregnant with her, she also lost her husband to the sea. Only his boat was found. So basically, everyone in this small community of Port Coral believes these women to be bad news for any sailor. (see: Don’t Date Rosa Santos)
I love stories that focus on tight-knit communities that are so alive with description they seem to be a character themselves. The community of Port Coral came alive to me in its description of the delicious food (omg I was basically drooling the whole time), the smell of the sea, and the sunny harbor. Maybe I’m just jealous because it’s April and still freezing here.
I really don’t want to say too much about the plot, because I think it’s more magically if you go in not knowing to much. I’m so excited for you to discover this community, the Santos family, and the sweetest of romances. If you want a quick taste of hot, Florida sunshine, please read this asap.
A Must-read if you like:
Complicated family dynamics
Realistic magic
Drool-worthy food descriptions
Cuban American mc
Depiction of diaspora
I got serious 'Gilmore Girls-to all the boys I've loved before-Practical Magic-and all the YAs with unique female heroines' vibes but ensconced within a fantastic Cuban-Floridian setting with delicious descriptions of all the foods...
This was so cute and wholesome! I loved the small town aspect to this story; it was so well done. The culture/community came alive in this book. All of the characters were amazing and well crafted as well.
The twist near the end really threw me off, though. I really wish I had known that it was coming so I could prepare myself. I personally am not in a good head space to read about grief and death of a loved one. Thankfully the author didn't spend too much time on those things so I was able to get through it. The turn definitely threw me off, though, and it made me like the book a little less.
Still, this was a really fun and enjoyable read. I'm definitely looking forward to reading more from this author.
TW: death of a loved one, grief, mention of a heart attack, accidental deaths, CPR
The twist near the end really threw me off, though. I really wish I had known that it was coming so I could prepare myself. I personally am not in a good head space to read about grief and death of a loved one. Thankfully the author didn't spend too much time on those things so I was able to get through it. The turn definitely threw me off, though, and it made me like the book a little less.
Still, this was a really fun and enjoyable read. I'm definitely looking forward to reading more from this author.
TW: death of a loved one, grief, mention of a heart attack, accidental deaths, CPR
Not really sure how to feel about this one. I enjoyed most of it, then some of it just wasn't for me. Not a bad book by any means, I'm just not sure how to deal with it.