Viva Lola Espinoza (Hardcover)

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Viva Lola Espinoza By Ella Cerón Cover Image
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Staff Reviews


Booksmart Lola fills all her free time with studying and helping her Mexican-American parents at home in California. But when her inability to speak Spanish catches up with her, and she receives a C in Spanish at school, her dad is furious and sends her to their family in Mexico for the summer. Lola begins working in her aunt's restaurant to fill her days, but when a blossoming interest between two different boys reveals a family curse, she begins to look for answers on how to lift the curse and ends up learning even more about herself. Ultimately, this is a book about a girl learning about her family and her cultural roots in Mexico, and learning how to give up the race for perfection and live a little for herself.

— Aerie

Description


A debut young adult novel that’s Pride & Prejudice with a dash of magic, about a booksmart teen who spends the summer in Mexico City, meets two very cute boys, attempts to learn Spanish, and uncovers a family secret that changes her life forever.

Lola Espinoza is cursed in love. Well, maybe not actually cursed — magic isn't real, is it? When Lola goes to spend the summer with her grandmother in Mexico City and meets handsome, flirtatious Rio, she discovers the unbelievable truth: Magic is very real, and what she'd always written off as bad luck is actually, truly . . . a curse. If Lola ever wants to fall in love without suffering the consequences, she'll have to break the curse. She finds an unlikely curse-breaking companion in Javi, a seemingly stoic boy she meets while working in her cousin's restaurant. Javi is willing to help Lola look into this family curse of hers, and Lola needs all the help she can get. Over the course of one summer — filled with food, family, and two very different boys — Lola explores Mexico City while learning about herself, her heritage, and the magic around us all.

About the Author


Ella Cerón is a writer and editor from Los Angeles, California. She lives in New York City with two black cats.

Her work has appeared in Teen Vogue, GQ, InStyle, and other major publications. Viva Lola Espinoza is her first novel.

Praise For…


"...a rollicking fun read."—Publisher's Weekly

"This novel will resonate with readers who understand the difficulties of breaking out of their comfort zone, especially when it comes to conquering the obstacles of love and parents. Cerón’s beautiful tale is a reminder that life lessons often come from outside of schools, books, or snapshots."—Booklist, STARRED REVIEW

"The story thoughtfully touches on identity and heritage: Lola’s paternal grandparents were undocumented, Papi attended college in Mexico, and Lola feels sensitive about her language struggles. It also explores colorism in Latine communities; Lola has tan skin, Rio is light-skinned, and Javi, who has a darker complexion, has a Zapotec mother. A tender coming-of-age story about family and first love." —Kirkus Reviews


2024 Texas Tayshas Reading List


Product Details
ISBN: 9780593405628
ISBN-10: 0593405625
Publisher: Kokila
Publication Date: April 11th, 2023
Pages: 400
Language: English