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3.69 AVERAGE
3.69 AVERAGE
emotional
funny
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
Ahh I started as a way to celebrate the beginning of Latinx/Hispanic heritage month and it was such a great first read.
I felt so seen. Although I may not be Mexican as a fellow Latina it was beautiful to see a lot of the same cultural aspects and mannerisms practiced in my own household. Being able to see a family dynamic so like my own in a book that takes place in the U.S is really validating. Every mention of the food, the phrases, and music that is so essential to Latin American lifestyle in the U.S had me excited and swelling with pride.
All of my own personal emotions aside. This story is a beautiful twist on the forbidden love trope. Familia is such an important value in many ethnic households and it is common to have children like Mariana who put family above all else. This feeling of love for family and its importance is ingrained into our minds at very young ages so Mariana and Angelo's struggle to do what is right for them was relatable. I really enjoyed how the auth0r was able to find a balance between individual well being and still being there for family. That concept is much harder to do in real life and the way the author depicted this was perfect.
This book handles the topics of gentrification, injustices of the foster system, immigration, family loyalty with care and it seeks to share the stories of those often forgotten and disregarded in the United States. There was one scene in particular that absolutely broke my heart and hit close to home
The romance between Angelo and Mariana was so sweet and it honestly had me giggling like a young school girl. Ugh Angelo is such an unproblematic king in my opinion, he was nothing but respectful of Mariana and her boundaries. Also how can he not shoot up to the top of my book boyfriend list after being such a sweetheart with her family and after taking her favorite pan dulce to her work. I mean he took her orejas to share with the nurses in a suit. UGHHH how I swoon.
This was an excellent read and I see this being a comfort read for myself . I highly recommend this to anyone in search of a heartwarming and informative read on the experiences of Mexican Americans in the United States.
I felt so seen. Although I may not be Mexican as a fellow Latina it was beautiful to see a lot of the same cultural aspects and mannerisms practiced in my own household. Being able to see a family dynamic so like my own in a book that takes place in the U.S is really validating. Every mention of the food, the phrases, and music that is so essential to Latin American lifestyle in the U.S had me excited and swelling with pride.
All of my own personal emotions aside. This story is a beautiful twist on the forbidden love trope. Familia is such an important value in many ethnic households and it is common to have children like Mariana who put family above all else. This feeling of love for family and its importance is ingrained into our minds at very young ages so Mariana and Angelo's struggle to do what is right for them was relatable. I really enjoyed how the auth0r was able to find a balance between individual well being and still being there for family. That concept is much harder to do in real life and the way the author depicted this was perfect.
This book handles the topics of gentrification, injustices of the foster system, immigration, family loyalty with care and it seeks to share the stories of those often forgotten and disregarded in the United States. There was one scene in particular that absolutely broke my heart and hit close to home
The romance between Angelo and Mariana was so sweet and it honestly had me giggling like a young school girl. Ugh Angelo is such an unproblematic king in my opinion, he was nothing but respectful of Mariana and her boundaries. Also how can he not shoot up to the top of my book boyfriend list after being such a sweetheart with her family and after taking her favorite pan dulce to her work. I mean he took her orejas to share with the nurses in a suit. UGHHH how I swoon.
This was an excellent read and I see this being a comfort read for myself . I highly recommend this to anyone in search of a heartwarming and informative read on the experiences of Mexican Americans in the United States.
A super fun retelling of Romeo and Juliet/West Side Story set in San Antonio between two rival mariachi bands, WEST SIDE LOVE STORY delighted me!! It kept the nods to the two pieces of inspiration but became a story of its own with a lovely HEA. Besides being a romance, this story focused a lot on family ties and community which was lovely. I think one of the best things was the Capuleta sisters were all adopted, and girls continued to be added to their family as in the case of Nina. A great read! I grabbed this early thanks to the Zon First Reads.
Heat level: 2
Heat level: 2
medium-paced
I was really sad to see this not rated much higher from others. I loved it. Priscilla Oliveras is a storyteller and I love the visuals her words create in my mind. It takes effort to take another’s work (Romeo and Juliette/West Side Story) and make it their own and this is completely successful. I loved the little nods to West Side Story and I can’t wait to read Cat’s story in Kiss Me, Catalina, a Taming of the Shrew retelling, as it’s my favorite work of Shakespeare. 4.5 Stars.
emotional
funny
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:
No
lighthearted
relaxing
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
emotional
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
I was really excited about this book seeing as San Antonio is my home. My entire family is from here!
The story was a fun twist on a classic. The characters were okay. With a lot of time jumping, it was hard to see it go from 0 to 100 so fast. The book takes place over the course of a month!
The San Antonio bits? Not for San Antonians. The use of fiesta for every party isn't a thing, especially when Fiesta is a huge event in the city and the only time you hear "fiesta" is in reference to that. Calling papel picado doilies? It being so cold people are wearing sweaters in March (ha!)? It felt like someone researched San Antonio and just put stuff places without really knowing the city. Even some of the references were off; no calls the Pearl the Pearl District, a random line about the Alamo, the diss on the River (we know it's gross, but like it's got it's pretty parts too). Maybe because I love my city so much I went in with too critical an eye.
However, the discussion about gentrification? Spot on.
The story was a fun twist on a classic. The characters were okay. With a lot of time jumping, it was hard to see it go from 0 to 100 so fast. The book takes place over the course of a month!
The San Antonio bits? Not for San Antonians. The use of fiesta for every party isn't a thing, especially when Fiesta is a huge event in the city and the only time you hear "fiesta" is in reference to that. Calling papel picado doilies? It being so cold people are wearing sweaters in March (ha!)? It felt like someone researched San Antonio and just put stuff places without really knowing the city. Even some of the references were off; no calls the Pearl the Pearl District, a random line about the Alamo, the diss on the River (we know it's gross, but like it's got it's pretty parts too). Maybe because I love my city so much I went in with too critical an eye.
However, the discussion about gentrification? Spot on.