Book of the Month
ÁNDALE PRIETA
Author: Yasmin Ramirez
Publisher: Lee & Low Books
ISBN-13: 978-1947627550 / ASIN: B09SJ4BGP3
SUMMARY:
This beautifully open coming-of-age memoir by a Mexican American debut writer doubles as a love letter to the tough grandmother who raised her.
When I tell people who don’t speak Spanish what prieta means—dark or the dark one—their eyes pop open and a small gasp escapes … How do I tell them that now, even after the cruelty of children, Prieta means love? That each time Prieta fell from my grandmother’s lips, I learned to love my dark skin.
No one calls me that anymore. I miss how her words sounded out loud.
My Ita called me Prieta. When she died, she took the name with her.
Anchored by the tough grandmother who taught her how to stand firm and throw a punch, debut author Yasmín Ramírez writes about the punches life has thrown at her non-traditional family of tough Mexican American women.
Having spent years of her twenties feeling lost—working an intensely taxing retail job and turning to bars for comfort—the blow of her grandmother’s death pushes Yasmín to unravel. So she comes home to El Paso, Texas, where people know how to spell her accented name and her mother helps her figure out what to do with her life. Once she finally starts pursuing her passion for writing, Yasmín processes her grief by telling the story of her Ita, a resilient matriarch who was far from the stereotypical domestic abuelita. Yasmín remembers watching boxing matches at a dive bar with her grandmother, Ita wistfully singing old Mexican classics, her mastectomy scar, and of course, her lesson on how to properly ball your fist for a good punch. Interviewing her mom and older sister, Yasmín learns even more about why her Ita was so tough—the abusive men, the toil of almostliterally back-breaking jobs, and the guilt of abortions that went against her culture.
Expertly blending the lyrical prose of a gifted author with the down-to-earthtone of a close friend, this debut memoir marks Ramírez as a talented new author to watch. Her honesty in self-reflection, especially about periods where she felt directionless, and her vivid depictions of a mother and grandmother who persevered through hard knocks, offers vulnerable solidarity to readers who’ve had hard knocks of their own.
About the Author:
Yasmín Ramírez is a 2021 Martha’s Vineyard Institute of Creative Writing Author Fellow as well as a 2020 recipient of the Woody and Gayle Hunt-Aspen Institute Fellowship Award. Her fiction and creative nonfiction works have appeared in Cream City Review and Huizache among others. She is an Assistant Professor of English, Creative Writing, and Chicanx Literature at El Paso Community College. She stays active in the Borderplex arts community and serves on the advisory board of BorderSenses, a literary non-profit.¡Ándale, Prieta! is her first book. For more information about Yasmín, visit her website at yasminramirez.com
Website: yasminramirez.com
Facebook: @yasmin.ramirez.yas
Instagram: @yasminramirezwrites
Conversations With Book
TWICE A QUINCEAÑERA
Author: Yamile Saied Mendez
Publisher: Kensington Publishing
ISBN-13: 978-1496737052 /
SUMMARY:
A whimsical romcom from the acclaimed author of the Reese Witherspoon YA Book Club Pick Furia, perfect for fans of The Spanish Love Deception and Josh and Hazel’s Guide to Not Dating. An accomplished young woman decides to throw herself a quinceañera (times two) for her 30th birthday after calling off her wedding, but then discovers what it really means to come into her own.
“An enchanting novel overflowing with self-love and second chances.”—Kirkus Reviews
A Cosmopolitan Summer Read You Need | A Goodreads Book to Celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month | A Scary Mommy Summer Book Pick | Bibliolifestyle Books to Read for Hispanic Heritage Month
One month short of her wedding day—and her thirtieth birthday—Nadia Palacio finds herself standing up to her infuriating, cheating fiancé for the first time in . . . well, ever. But that same courage doesn’t translate to breaking the news to her Argentinian family. She’s hyperventilating before facing them when she glimpses a magazine piece about a Latina woman celebrating herself—with a second quinceañera, aka Sweet 15! And that gives Nadia a brilliant idea . . .
With a wedding venue already paid for, and family from all over the world with plane tickets, Nadia is determined to create her own happily-ever-after. Since the math adds up perfectly, she’ll celebrate her treintañera, her double quinces. As the first professional in her family, raising a glass to her achievements is the best plan she’s had in years. Until she discovers that the man in charge of the venue is none other than her college fling that became far more than a fling. And he looks even more delicious than a three-tiered cake . . .
Full of exuberant heart, Twice a Quinceañera is a pure delight for every woman who needs to be her own biggest fan—and who dreams of a second chance at first love.
About the Author:
Website: YamileSMendez.com
Facebook: @YamileLaEscritora
Instagram: @yamilesmendez
