Twice a Quinceañera

Twice a Quinceañera
Author: Yamile Saied Méndez
Publisher: Kensington Books
Total Pages: 322
Release: 2022-07-26
Genre: Fiction
ISBN: 1496737067

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 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. “Heartwarming…A fun, empowering romp.” — Publishers Weekly “A warm, romantic story.” – Booklist

Once Upon a Quinceanera

Once Upon a Quinceanera
Author: Monica Gomez-Hira
Publisher: HarperCollins
Total Pages: 366
Release: 2021-03-02
Genre: Young Adult Fiction
ISBN: 0062996851

Perfect for fans of Jenny Han and Jane the Virgin, this immediately accessible and irresistibly fun rom-com debut will spin readers into an unforgettable summer of late-night dancing, broken hearts, second chances, and telenovela twists. Carmen Aguilar just wants to make her happily ever after come true. Except apparently “happily ever after” for Carmen involves being stuck in an unpaid summer internship. Now she has to perform as a party princess! In a ball gown. During the summer. In Miami. Fine. Except that’s only the first misfortune in what’s turning out to be a summer of Utter Disaster. But if Carmen can manage dancing in the blistering heat, fending off an oh-so-unfortunately attractive ex, and stopping her spoiled cousin from ruining her own quinceañera—Carmen might just get that happily ever after—after all.

Sweet Fifteen

Sweet Fifteen
Author: Diane Gonzales Bertrand
Publisher: Arte Publico Press
Total Pages: 300
Release: 1995-05-30
Genre: Young Adult Fiction
ISBN: 9781558856608

When seamstress Rita Navarro makes a quinceanera dress for fourteen-year-old Stefanie, she finds herself becoming involved with the girl's family and attracted to her uncle.

Furia

Furia
Author: Yamile Saied Méndez
Publisher: Algonquin Young Readers
Total Pages: 277
Release: 2020-09-15
Genre: Young Adult Fiction
ISBN: 1643751204

A REESE WITHERSPOON x HELLO SUNSHINE BOOK CLUB YA PICK Recipient of the 2021 Pura Belpré Young Adult Author Medal One of BuzzFeed's Must-Read YA Books of 2020 A Best Book of the Year: Cosmopolitan * Kirkus Reviews * SheReads * New York Public Library “An engrossing #OwnVoices novel.” —PopSugar “This book will set your dreams on fire . . . It’s fabulous.” — Reese Witherspoon A powerful contemporary YA for fans of The Poet X and I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter set in Argentina, about a rising soccer star who must put everything on the line—even her blooming love story—to follow her dreams. In Rosario, Argentina, Camila Hassan lives a double life. At home, she is a careful daughter, living within her mother’s narrow expectations, in her rising-soccer-star brother’s shadow, and under the abusive rule of her short-tempered father. On the field, she is La Furia, a powerhouse of skill and talent. When her team qualifies for the South American tournament, Camila gets the chance to see just how far those talents can take her. In her wildest dreams, she’d get an athletic scholarship to a North American university. But the path ahead isn’t easy. Her parents don’t know about her passion. They wouldn’t allow a girl to play fútbol—and she needs their permission to go any farther. And the boy she once loved is back in town. Since he left, Diego has become an international star, playing in Italy for the renowned team Juventus. Camila doesn’t have time to be distracted by her feelings for him. Things aren’t the same as when he left: she has her own passions and ambitions now, and La Furia cannot be denied. As her life becomes more complicated, Camila is forced to face her secrets and make her way in a world with no place for the dreams and ambition of a girl like her. Filled with authentic details and the textures of day-to-day life in Argentina, heart-soaring romance, and breathless action on the pitch, Furia is the story of a girl’s journey to make her life her own.

Once Upon a Quinceanera

Once Upon a Quinceanera
Author: Julia Alvarez
Publisher: Penguin
Total Pages: 288
Release: 2007-08-02
Genre: Family & Relationships
ISBN: 110121340X

Finalist for the National Book Critics Circle Award, a “phenomenal, indispensable” (USA Today) exploration of the Latina “sweet fifteen” celebration, by the bestselling author of How the García Girls Lost Their Accents and In the Time of Butterflies The quinceañera, a celebration of a Latina girl’s fifteenth birthday, has become a uniquely American trend. This lavish party with ball gowns, multi-tiered cakes, limousines, and extravagant meals is often as costly as a prom or a wedding. But many Latina girls feel entitled to this rite of passage, marking a girl’s entrance into womanhood, and expect no expense to be spared, even in working-class families. Acclaimed author Julia Alvarez explores the history and cultural significance of the “quince” in the United States, and the consequences of treating teens like princesses. Through her observations of a quince in Queens, interviews with other quince girls, and the memories of her own experience as a young immigrant, Alvarez presents a thoughtful and entertaining portrait of a rapidly growing multicultural phenomenon, and passionately emphasizes the importance of celebrating Latina womanhood.

Love of My Lives

Love of My Lives
Author: Yamile Saied Méndez
Publisher: Kensington Books
Total Pages: 281
Release: 2023-09-26
Genre: Fiction
ISBN: 1496737083

From the acclaimed author of the Reese Witherspoon YA Book Club Pick Furia,Yamile Saied Méndez’s second adult novel is a multicultural rom-com about a woman who dreams of her soulmate—literally—and then must find her love in real-life—even if it means making room for new dreams. Madi Ramírez has it all—a thriving career she loves, a successful boyfriend, and a wedding to plan—when he finally proposes. So why does she feel like there is something missing? Jayden even has the right initials—the JR that appeared to Madi years ago, in a dream visitation from her beloved, wise abuela. Madi’s friends think her expectations are too high—but she can’t help wishing for that dreamy feeling in real-life. Wishing that Jayden would show her a little more affection. That she could really believe they were meant to be . . . When a business trip to Puerto Rico presents itself, Madi is quick to take it. She can finally scatter her abuela’s ashes on the beach, as she wished. And maybe time apart will remind Jayden how much Madi means to him—and maybe he’ll begin to show it. But in Puerto Rico, Madi finds something—well, someone—else. A man who makes her heart beat triple-time—and who feels as right as someone Fated—except for those nagging initials . . . Brimming with the magic of Old San Juan and la Isla del Encanto, The Love of My Lives is the perfect read for anyone who has longed for a legendary love story that transcends time and distance—and the powerful magic of steering their own dreams. Praise for Twice a Quinceañera “An enchanting novel overflowing with self-love and second chances.” —Kirkus Reviews “A fun, empowering romp.” —Publishers Weekly

Just Your Local Bisexual Disaster

Just Your Local Bisexual Disaster
Author: Andrea Mosqueda
Publisher: Feiwel & Friends
Total Pages: 336
Release: 2022-05-24
Genre: Young Adult Fiction
ISBN: 1250822068

In this voice-driven young adult debut by Andrea Mosqueda, Maggie Gonzalez needs a date to her sister's quinceañera - and fast. Growing up in Texas’s Rio Grande Valley, Maggie Gonzalez has always been a little messy, but she’s okay with that. After all, she has a great family, a goofy group of friends, a rocky romantic history, and dreams of being a music photographer. Tasked with picking an escort for her little sister’s quinceañera, Maggie has to face the truth: that her feelings about her friends—and her future—aren’t as simple as she’d once believed. As Maggie’s search for the perfect escort continues, she’s forced to confront new (and old) feelings for three of her friends: Amanda, her best friend and first-ever crush; Matthew, her ex-boyfriend twice-over who refuses to stop flirting with her, and Dani, the new girl who has romantic baggage of her own. On top of this romantic disaster, she can’t stop thinking about the uncertainty of her own plans for the future and what that means for the people she loves. As the weeks wind down and the boundaries between friendship and love become hazy, Maggie finds herself more and more confused with each photo. When her tried-and-true medium causes more chaos than calm, Maggie needs to figure out how to avoid certain disaster—or be brave enough to dive right into it, in Just Your Local Bisexual Disaster.

I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter

I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter
Author: Erika L. Sánchez
Publisher: Knopf Books for Young Readers
Total Pages: 352
Release: 2017-10-17
Genre: Young Adult Fiction
ISBN: 1524700509

National Book Award Finalist! Instant New York Times Bestseller! The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian meets Jane the Virgin in this poignant but often laugh-out-loud funny contemporary YA about losing a sister and finding yourself amid the pressures, expectations, and stereotypes of growing up in a Mexican-American home. Perfect Mexican daughters do not go away to college. And they do not move out of their parents’ house after high school graduation. Perfect Mexican daughters never abandon their family. But Julia is not your perfect Mexican daughter. That was Olga’s role. Then a tragic accident on the busiest street in Chicago leaves Olga dead and Julia left behind to reassemble the shattered pieces of her family. And no one seems to acknowledge that Julia is broken, too. Instead, her mother seems to channel her grief into pointing out every possible way Julia has failed. But it’s not long before Julia discovers that Olga might not have been as perfect as everyone thought. With the help of her best friend Lorena, and her first love, first everything boyfriend Connor, Julia is determined to find out. Was Olga really what she seemed? Or was there more to her sister’s story? And either way, how can Julia even attempt to live up to a seemingly impossible ideal? “Alive and crackling—a gritty tale wrapped in a page-turner. ”—The New York Times “Unique and fresh.” —Entertainment Weekly “A standout.” —NPR

Where Are You From?

Where Are You From?
Author: Yamile Saied Méndez
Publisher: HarperCollins
Total Pages: 40
Release: 2020-07-07
Genre: Juvenile Fiction
ISBN: 0063068249

This resonant and award-winning picture book tells the story of one girl who constantly gets asked a simple question that doesn’t have a simple answer. A great conversation starter in the home or classroom—a book to share, in the spirit of I Am Enough by Grace Byers and Keturah A. Bobo. When a girl is asked where she’s from—where she’s really from—none of her answers seems to be the right one. Unsure about how to reply, she turns to her loving abuelo for help. He doesn’t give her the response she expects. She gets an even better one. Where am I from? You’re from hurricanes and dark storms, and a tiny singing frog that calls the island people home when the sun goes to sleep.... With themes of self-acceptance, identity, and home, this powerful, lyrical picture book will resonate with readers young and old, from all backgrounds and of all colors—especially anyone who ever felt that they don’t belong. 2019 Nerdies Fiction Picture Book Award Winner | Silver Medalist for Bank Street College of Education’s Best Spanish Language Picture Books of the Year | Named one of Kirkus Reviews Best Books of 2019 |A Mighty Girl’s 2019 Book of the Year | Named one of New York Public Library's Best Books for Kids 2019 "Lyrical language and luminous illustrations. An ideal vehicle for readers to ponder and discuss their own identities." —Kirkus (starred review) "An enchanted, hand-in-hand odyssey [and] opportunity to acknowledge and celebrate the many, many backgrounds, roots, histories, of those who live in these United States." —Shelf Awareness (starred review) "A much-needed title that is a first purchase for libraries and classrooms." —School Library Journal "This touching book addresses a ubiquitous question for children of color, and in the end, the closeness between the girl and Abuelo shows that no matter the questions, she knows exactly where she’s from." —Booklist "Although the book begins as a gentle riposte to narrow cultural and ethnic categorizations, its conclusion reaches out to all readers, evoking both heritage and the human family." —Publishers Weekly A Spanish-language edition, ¿De dónde eres?, is also available.

Twice Kissed

Twice Kissed
Author: Lisa Jackson
Publisher: Zebra Books
Total Pages: 488
Release: 2006
Genre: Fiction
ISBN: 9780821779446

The only good twin is a dead twin ...