Malinche

Malinche
Por Laura Esquivel 
Simon & Schuster, 2008. 208 páginas. Ficción

Cuando Malinalli conoce a Hernán Cortés, asume que se trata del propio Dios Quetzalcóatl que regresa a liberar a su pueblo. Los dos se enamoran apasionadamente, pero este amor pronto es destruido por la desmedida sed de conquista, poder y riqueza de Cortés.

A lo largo de la historia de México Malinalli/Malinche ha sido conocida por su traición al pueblo indio. Pero recientes investigaciones históricas han demostrado que Malinalli fue la mediadora entre dos culturas, la hispánica y la indígena; y entre dos lenguas, el español y el náhuatl.

Lo que Esquivel ha hecho en esta novela es desafiar la mitología tradicional mediante un retrato muy temperamental del Adán y la Eva de la cultura mestiza, Cortés y Malinalli, con la caída del imperio azteca como telón de fondo. Contada con el lirismo de la tradición cantarina y pictórica del náhuatl, Laura Esquivel nos brinda un mito fundacional de la cultura híbrida del Nuevo Mundo y una extraordinaria historia de amor.

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El Regreso de Quetzalcoatl: Una Historia Sagrada de Mexico

Por Juan Miguel Zunzunegui 

Penguin Random House Grupo USA, 2021. 320 páginas. Ficción

Ésta es la profecía de Quetzalcóatl, su revelación, nuestro destino.

El 13 de agosto de 1521 cayó Tenochtitlán en manos de decenas de miles de guerreros de diversos pueblos y ciudades del Anáhuac. Los herederos de los toltecas se liberaron del terrible yugo de los hijos de Huitzilopochtli, con el inesperado pero indispensable apoyo de un puñado de aventureros castellanos. Una era llegó a su fin y, como siempre ocurre en la historia humana, una nueva comenzó a nacer. Descendió la noche sobre el Pueblo del Sol e inició el amanecer de un México que no ha sabido salir de las tinieblas.

El regreso de Quetzalcóatl es un recorrido que abarca a toda la humanidad, y que pasa de la historia a la filosofía, de la psicología a la religión, y de ahí al misticismo para volver a la historia. Va de Teotihuacán a Roma, del mundo maya al valle del Nilo, de Mesoamérica a la India, de la toltequidad a la filosofía griega, y ante todo del pasado que debemos superar al presente en el que tenemos una última oportunidad para tratar de vislumbrar el futuro. Si descifras a Quetzalcóatl podrás salvar a México de hundirse en su inframundo.

Huaco Retrato
Por Gabriela Wiener 
Literatura Random House, 2021. 160 páginas. Ficción

Un huaco retrato es una pieza de cerámica prehispánica que buscaba representar los rostros indígenas con la mayor precisión posible. Se dice que capturaba el alma de las personas, un registro que ha sobrevivido oculto en el espejo roto de los siglos.

Estamos en 1878, y el explorador judío-austriaco Charles Wiener se prepara para ser reconocido por la comunidad académica en la Exposición Universal de París, una gran feria de "progresos tecnológicos" que cuenta entre sus atracciones con un zoo humano, culmen del racismo científico y del proyecto imperialista europeo. Wiener ha estado cerca de descubrir Machu Picchu, ha escrito un libro sobre el Perú, se ha llevado cerca de cuatro mil huacos y también un niño.

Ciento cincuenta años después, la protagonista de esta historia recorre el museo que acoge la colección Wiener para reconocerse en los rostros de los huacos que su tatarabuelo expolió. Sin más equipaje que la pérdida ni otro mapa que sus heridas abiertas, las íntimas y las históricas, persigue las huellas del patriarca familiar y las de la bastardía de su propia estirpe -que es la de muchos-, la búsqueda identitaria de nuestro tiempo: un archipiélago de abandonos, celos, culpas, racismo, vestigios fantasmales ocultos en las familias y la deconstrucción de un deseo tercamente anclado en un pensamiento colonial. Hay temblor y resistencia en estas páginas escritas con el aliento de quien recoge los pedazos de algo que se rompió hace tiempo, esperando que todo vuelva a encajar.

MEB

Etiquetas: Español, Ficción, Ficción, Histórico

Beyond the Mapped Stars

Beyond the Mapped Stars

by Rosalyn Eves

Alfred A Knopf, 2021. 371 pages. YA Fiction

Seventeen-year-old Elizabeth Bertelsen dreams of becoming an astronomer, but she knows such dreams are as unreachable as the stars she so deeply adores. As a Mormon girl, her duty is to her family and, in a not too far away future, to the man who'll choose to marry her. When she unexpectedly finds herself in Colorado, she's tempted by the total eclipse of the sun that's about to happen--and maybe even meeting up with the female scientists she's long admired. Elizabeth must learn to navigate this new world of possibility: with her familial duties and faith tugging at her heartstrings, a new romance on the horizon, and the study of the night sky calling to her, she can't possibly have it all . . . can she?

This was such an interesting read. I really appreciated how the author portrayed Elizabeth’s faith and family life. It helped created the tension that would lead her to think about going all the way to Denver on her own. The place descriptions in this book are beautiful. Anyone who has been to Monroe, Utah and traveled through Sevier county will appreciate the attention to detail. Everything seems to happen to Elizabeth, tragedy, comedy, and romance. She is a spunky female protagonist who you can really cheer for.

If you liked Beyond the Mapped Stars, you might also like:

Under a Painted Sky

by Stacey Lee

G.P. Putnam’s Sons, 2015. 374 pages. YA Fiction

In 1845, Sammy, a Chinese American girl, and Annamae, an African American slave girl, disguise themselves as boys and travel on the Oregon Trail to California from Missouri.

The Water Seeker

by Kimberly Holt

Henry Holt, 2009. 309 pages. YA Fiction

Jake Kincaid is a dowser, a person who can find water, but gives up this lifestyle to become a trapper in 1833. While Jake is out trapping, his wife dies. When he returns home he finds that he has a baby son, Amos. Unable to care for an infant and continue trapping, Jake makes sure Amos is taken care of by family. Jake leaves again, but comes back each summer, and tries to get to know his son. Amos struggles to truly know his father. Then when Jake returns in 1841 with a new Shoshone wife, he decides to take Amos back to Missouri. Amos’s transformative journey to adulthood truly begins when he is 13 and the family joins a wagon train headed west on the Oregon Trail. 

AG

Unwinding Anxiety

Unwinding Anxiety: New Science Shows How to Break the Cycles of Worry and Fear to Heal Your Mind

By Judson Brewer

Avery, 2021. 287 pgs. Nonfiction

We don't often think of anxiety as a habit, but that is what Judson Brewer has spent his life researching. This book looks at how most of the addictive habits we have can actually be traced back to trying to avoid feeling anxiety. He teaches the importance of becoming mindful of the habit loops we have formed and gives simple things we can do to break those habit loops.

I learned a lot from this book. I agree with the author that it is important to make sure we don't replace one bad habit with another. We need to figure out why we are doing the things we are and then try to find a way to meet the real need. My biggest take away was to get curious about how my body and emotions are reacting to life. Once we are willing to get curious, we are better able to understand ourselves and use mindfulness to feel less anxious. There are lots of practical tips to create small, manageable, consistent changes in our lives.

If you like Unwinding Anxiety, you may also like:

Atomic Habits: Tiny Changes, Remarkable Results: An Easy & Proven Way to Build Good Habits & Break Bad Ones

By James Clear

Avery, 2018. 306 pgs. Nonfiction

One of the world’s leading experts on habit formation reveals practical strategies that will teach readers exactly how to form good habits, break bad ones and master the tiny behaviors that lead to remarkable results.

Finish: Giving Yourself the Gift of Done

By Jon Acuff

Portfolio/Penguin, 2017. 196 pgs. Nonfiction

The biggest problem when trying to accomplish a goal is not laziness, it is actually perfectionism. Sometimes we won't even write down a goal because we already doubt our ability to finish it. As soon as we mess up on a goal, the majority of us will quit. Acuff claims there are some simple things we can do to overcome perfectionism and finish our goals like cut the goal in half, choose something to bomb, make it fun, and don't distract yourself with noble obstacles.

AL

Charming Artemis

Charming Artemis

By Sarah M. Eden

Covenant Communications, 2021. 275 pgs. Romance

 

Charlie Jonquil is a brilliant mathematician and generally a mild-mannered person except when it comes to his adversary, Artemis Lancaster. He finds her utterly infuriating and she feels the same about him. After an unfortunate incident at a party they are left with two options: be ruined or be married. Soon they enter into a mockery of a marriage where Artemis is determined to avoid Charlie at all costs, but things aren't as simple as they once appeared.

 

Sarah Eden has two different series, one featuring the Jonquil brothers and the other with the Lancaster family. This is such a fun book because it combines the two series by having a Jonquil marry a Lancaster. The best part for me was having so many of my favorite characters united in one book. It felt like a big family reunion and the perfect way to end both series. 

If you like Charming Artemis, you might also like: 

 

Love and Lavender

By Josi S. Kilpack

Shadow Mountain, 2021. 320 pgs. Romance

Hazel and Duncan, entering into a marriage of convenience to receive an inheritance, must live together as husband and wife for one year and then go their separate ways, but when the year is up, they are surprised by how hard it is to leave.

A Proper Scoundrel

By Esther Hatch

Covenant Communications, 2021. 244 pgs. Romance

Diana Barton is a single woman who owns two railroad lines. She doesn't have patience for all the suitors who waste her time and are only after her wealth. She comes up with a plan to ask the most notorious rake in London, Lord Bryant, to ruin her reputation to scare off all the suitors. 

AL

Violeta

Violeta

by Isabel Allende

Ballantine Books, 2022. 322 pages.

Fiction

This sweeping novel from the New York Times bestselling author of A Long Petal of the Sea tells the epic story of Violeta Del Valle, a woman whose life spans one hundred years and bears witness to the greatest upheavals of the twentieth century.

Allende is a master at weaving a compelling tale. The story of this book spans 100 years, but the reader never feels lost in the sweeping narrative. I appreciated that the character of Violeta is flawed and feels like a real woman with real needs.

If you like Violeta, you may also like:

Beasts of a Little Land

by Juhea Kim Ecco, 2021. 403 pages.

Fiction

This is an epic story of love, war, and redemption set against the backdrop of the Korean independence movement, following the intertwined fates of a young girl sold to a courtesan school and the penniless son of a hunter.

A Long Petal of the Sea

by Isabel Allende

Ballantine Books, 2020. 318 pages.

Fiction

This epic novel spanning decades and crossing continents follows two young people as they flee the aftermath of the Spanish Civil War in search of a place to call home.

ALL

Home is Not a Country

Home is Not a Country

by Safia Elhillo

Make Me A World, 2021. 215 pages. YA Fiction

Nima wishes she were someone else. She doesn't feel understood by her mother, who grew up in a different land. She doesn't feel accepted in her suburban town; yet somehow, she isn't different enough to belong elsewhere. Her best friend, Haitham, is the only person with whom she can truly be herself. Until she can't, and suddenly her only refuge is gone. As the ground is pulled out from under her, Nima must grapple with the phantom of a life not chosen--the name her parents meant to give her at birth--Yasmeen. But that other name, that other girl, might be more real than Nima knows. And the life Nima wishes were someone else's is one she will need to fight for with a fierceness she never knew she possessed.

I listened to this novel-in-verse as an audiobook, which was read by the author herself. I thought it an exquisite piece of writing. Elhillo captures the heartbreak and yearning of what it means to be the child of immigrant parents. She also includes some light magical realism, which I was not expecting. A masterfully written work that examines belonging, immigration, racism, generational trauma, guilt, identity, and home. 

If you like Home is Not a Country, you might also like:

Clap When You Land

by Elizabeth Acevedo

Harper Teen, 2020. 417 pages. YA Fiction

An evocative novel in verse follows the experiences of two grieving sisters who navigate the loss of their father and the impact of his death on their relationship.

I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter

by Erika L. Sanchez

Alfred A. Knopf Books for Young Readers, 2017. 344 pages. YA Fiction

When her seemingly perfect sister dies in a tragic accident, Julia, who longs to go to college and move into a home of her own, discovers from mutual friends that her sister may not have been as perfect as believed.

Punching The Air

by Ibi Aanu Zoboi

Balzer & Bray, 2020. 386 pages. YA Fiction

Traces the story of a young artist and poet whose prospects at a diverse art school are threatened by a racially biased system and a tragic altercation in a gentrifying neighborhood.

sr

Tiny Nightmares

Tiny Nightmares: Very Short Tales of Horror
with Lincoln Michel, editor
Catapult, 2020. 289 pages. Short Stories

Tiny Nightmares brings to life broken-hearted vampires, Uber-taking serial killers, mind-reading witches, and monsters of all imaging, as well as stories that tackle the horrors of our modern world from global warming and racism to social media addiction and online radicalization.

A spine-tingling collection where leading literary and horror writers spin unforgettably chilling tales in only a few pages, so be sure to read this with a light (or two) on. Recommended for those looking to find more stories to tell over a campfire and for bite-sized shocks that linger.

If you liked Tiny Nightmares, then you may also like:

The Crossroads at Midnight
by Abby Howard
Iron Circus Comics, 2020. 344 pages. Young Adult Comics

In this collection of literary slice-of-life horror, five stories explore what happens when one is desperate enough to seek solace and connection in the world of monsters and darkness.

The Merry Spinster: Tales of Everyday Horror
by Daniel M. Lavery
Henry Holt and Company, 2018. 190 pages. Short Stories

Sinister and inviting, familiar and alien all at the same time, The Merry Spinster updates traditional children's stories and fairy tales with elements of psychological horror, emotional clarity, and a keen sense of feminist mischief.

AS  

Cabin Tripping

Cabin Tripping

by JJ Eggers

Artisan. 2021. 351 p. Nonfiction.

A mountain lodge 5,000 feet up in Washington State's Cascades mountains, accessible only by skis-or an SUV tricked out with bulldozer-size snow tires. A sleek cabin just 80 minutes from Manhattan, overlooking the property's pond and 19 acres of woodland. A romantic, eco-friendly escape in the misty mountains of Bali's Gunung Agung volcano. A glass-domed Finnish hut offering unobstructed views of the Northern Lights. Whether readers are seeking a once-in-a-lifetime adventure or a quiet retreat, a cozy night around a firepit or a summery lakefront sojourn, Cabin Tripping delivers. Divided into six chapters-Forest, Tropics, Mountain, Arctic, Water, and Desert-the book features a curated collection of over 80 of the most incredible cabins available to rent all over the globe. Each cabin profile includes information on how to get there, activities to enjoy in the area (hiking trails, fishing holes, thermal spas, and more), and tips like when to plan your visit to maximize your "leaf-peeping" or whale-watching opportunities.

I found this book to be the perfect escape during a time in my life where I'm not able to do as much traveling as I would like. The photography is vivid and beautiful and the cabin profiles give you a great feel each cabin that is featured in the book. 

If you like Cabin Tripping you might also like...

The Family Cabin

by Dale Mulfinger

The Taunton Press Inc., 2017. 265 p. Nonfiction. 

Since the beginning of the 20th century, cabin retreats have held a unique place in the lives and lore of many American families. In The Family Cabin, author and "cabinologist" Dale Mulfinger explores the role that cabins have had and continue to have in family bonding and as a repository for family history, nostalgia, and cherished memories. This collection brings together 37 new and old cabins from across North America as inspiration for anyone who desires a peaceful retreat of their own. Within these pages, Mulfinger rekindles his love for this treasured American icon with fresh insights and seasoned strategies about the logic, utility, and beauty of cabin construction and with fascinating stories of the families that live in them. Over 300 lush, full-color photographs and 78 illustrations throughout the book capture the aesthetics of place and design that have allowed cabins to become an enduring symbol of rugged American individualism and self-reliance. Whether nestled in the mountains, tucked deep in the woods, or built along the water's edge, the ideals of the cabin extend just as well into the 21st century as they did in the past

Rustic Homes

by Country Living

Hearst Books 2016. 170p. Nonfiction. 

Rustic touches borrowed from barns, cabins, cottages, and farmhouses make even modern homes feel warm and snug. Country Living offers an abundance of inspiring ideas and gorgeous photographs to help you find your design style, whether its Classic Down-Home Charm, Eclectic Country, Reclaimed Rustic, and more!

NS

An Ember in the Ashes

An Ember in the Ashes 

by Sabaa Tahir 

Razorbill, 2015. 446 pages. Young Adult Fiction. 

Laia is a slave. Elias is a soldier. Neither is free. Under the Martial Empire, defiance is met with death. Those who do not vow their blood and bodies to the Emperor risk the execution of their loved ones and the destruction of all they hold dear. 

It is in this brutal world, inspired by ancient Rome, that Laia lives with her grandparents and older brother. The family ekes out an existence in the Empire's impoverished backstreets. They do not challenge the Empire. They've seen what happens to those who do. But when Laia's brother is arrested for treason, Laia is forced to make a decision. In exchange for help from rebels who promise to rescue her brother, she will risk her life to spy for them from within the Empire's greatest military academy. 

There, Laia meets Elias, the school's finest soldier--and secretly, its most unwilling. Elias wants only to be free of the tyranny he's being trained to enforce. He and Laia will soon realize that their destinies are intertwined--and that their choices will change the fate of the Empire itself. 

This was such a wonderful start to a series. Both characters have deep and interesting with compelling arcs that make you want to keep reading to see what happens and how they will become more connected. The voices for the audiobook was especially entertaining and would be a book I recommend as an audio option. 

 If you like An Ember in the Ashes, you might also like: 

Daughter of the Pirate King 

by Tricia Levenseller 

Feiwel and Friends, 2017. 311 pages. Young Adult Fiction. 

When her father, the ruthless pirate king, discovers that a legendary treasure map can be found on an enemy ship, his daughter Alosa knows that there's only one pirate for the job herself. Leaving behind her beloved ship and crew, Alosa deliberately facilitates her own kidnapping to ensure her welcome on the ship.

Shadow and Bone 

by Leigh Baradugo 

Henry Holt, 2012. 358 pages. Young Adult Fiction. 

Orphaned by the Border Wars, Alina Starkov is taken from obscurity and her only friend, Mal, to become the protegé of the mysterious Darkling, who trains her to join the magical elite in the belief that she is the Sun Summoner, who can destroy the monsters of the Fold. 

ME

Pretty Girls

Pretty Girls
by Karin Slaughter
William Morrow, 2015. 396 pages
Fiction Mystery

Teenage Julia disappeared 20 years ago, and her family has never been the same. Julia’s body was never found, preventing her parents and sisters from coming to terms with their loss. Lydia, a single mother struggling to support herself, has long been estranged from her sister, Claire, due to the accusations Lydia leveled against Claire’s wealthy husband, Paul. But now Paul has been murdered, the victim of an armed robbery, and Claire has found some very disturbing files on his computer, including snuff films featuring the torture and murder of young girls.

There are books that you consumer quietly, gently turning the pages and silently synthesizing their story and then there are books like this: books that make you fill the room with audible gasps, groans, cheers, and ferocious yells that disturb your entire household (at least in my experience). Though the subject matter is dark, and the writing can be borderline gory at times, I was listening to this story from the moment I woke up to moments before bed. The mystery in this book is revealed pretty early on, but it is a mystery so juicy that the reader is on the hook till the story concludes and all of the conflicts are resolved. Besides the tantalizing mystery, a big draw of Slaughter's work is the impeccable character creation. This story in particular revolves around poignant family trauma, and the reader is able to sympathize and relate to each of the characters so deeply. I mentioned this before, but this is one of Slaughter's more graphic works so faint of heart should avoid and thrill seekers should pick this up, like, yesterday. 

If you enjoy Pretty Girls, then you may also like....

The Good Girl
by Mary Kubica
Harlequin Mira, 2014. 350 pages |
Fiction Mystery

The daughter of a prominent Chicago judge and his socialite wife, inner-city art teacher Mia Dennett is taken hostage by her one-night stand, Colin Thatcher, who, instead of delivering her to his employers, hides her in a secluded cabin in rural Minnesota to keep her safe from harm.

All The Missing Girls

by Megan Miranda

Simon & Schuster, 2016. 371 pages 
Fiction

Ten years after leaving Cooley Ridge, Nicolette Farrell returns to care for her ailing father. A decade ago, she, her brother Daniel, her boyfriend Tyler, and Corinne's boyfriend Jackson were suspects when Corinne--Nic's best friend-- disappeared without a trace. Within days of Nic's return, they are plunged into a shocking drama when Nic's neighbor Annaleise, who is dating Tyler and was the group's alibi ten years previously, goes missing. Told backwards from the time Annaleise disappears, the book follows Nic as she works to unravel the truth and, in the process, reveals shocking realities about her friends, her family, and what really happened to Corinne that night ten years ago.

What She Knew

by Gilly MacMillan

William Morrow, 2015. 472 pages 
Fiction

Rachel Jenner is walking in a Bristol park with her eight-year-old son Ben when he asks if he can run ahead. It's an ordinary request on an ordinary Sunday afternoon, and Rachel has no reason to worry--until Ben vanishes. Police are called, search parties go out, and Rachel, already insecure after her recent divorce, feels herself coming undone. As hours and then days pass without a sign of Ben, everyone who knew him is called into question, from Rachel's newly married ex-husband to her mother-of-the-year sister. Inevitably, media attention focuses on Rachel too, and the public's attitude toward her begins to shift from sympathy to suspicion. As she desperately pieces together the threadbare clues, Rachel realizes that nothing is quite as she imagined it to be, not even her own judgment. And the greatest dangers may lie not in the anonymous strangers of every parent's nightmares, but behind the familiar smiles of those she trusts the most ...

MES

Graceling: The Graphic Novel

Graceling: The Graphic Novel 

By Kristin Cashore and Gareth Hinds 

Etch, 2021. 257 pages. YA Comics 

Katsa is a Graceling, one of the rare people born with an extreme skill. As niece of the king, she lived a life of privilege until the day her ability to kill a man with her bare hands revealed itself during a royal banquet. Now she acts as her uncle's enforcer, traveling the kingdom and threatening those who dare oppose him. Everything changes when she meets Po, a foreign prince Graced with combat skills who is searching for the truth about his grandfather's disappearance. When Katsa agrees to help him, she never expects to learn a new truth about her own Grace--or a terrible secret that could destroy them all. 

I remember liking the Graceling series as a teen so I was excited to read the graphic novel version. This adaptation stays true to the novel while adding more context, such as with the many illustrated maps. Those are helpful to reference throughout the book as Katsa and Po go on their journey. I also liked that the diversity hinted at in the novels is fully realized in this adaptation. I hope to see the rest of the series adapted into graphic form, and only wish that the book was longer! 

If you like Graceling: The Graphic Novel, you might also like: 

Girl From the Sea 

By Molly Ostertag 

Graphix, 2021. 245 pages. YA Comics 

Fifteen-year-old Morgan has a secret: she can't wait to escape the perfect little island where she lives. She's desperate to finish high school and escape her family and friends who don't understand Morgan at all. Then one night, Morgan is saved from drowning by a mysterious girl named Keltie. The two become friends and suddenly life on the island doesn't seem so stifling anymore. But Keltie has some secrets of her own. And as the girls start to fall in love, everything they're each trying to hide will find its way to the surface, whether Morgan is ready or not. 

Monstress 

By Marjorie Liu 

Image Comics, Inc., 2019. 505 pages. Graphic Novels 

Maika Halfwolf lives in a world gripped by war--an alternate, matriarchal 1900s Asia brimming with arcane dangers. As she struggles to overcome the trauma of violence and regain knowledge of her past, she becomes inextricably linked to an eldritch monster of tremendous power. This link will transform them both, and place them in the crosshairs of deadly powers both human and otherworldly. 

Nimona 

By Noelle Stevenson 

HarperTeen, 2015. 266 pages. YA Comics 

As sidekick and supervillain, Nimona and Lord Blackheart are about to wreak some serious havoc. Their mission: prove to the kingdom that Sir Ambrosius Goldenloin and his buddies at the Institution of Law Enforcement and Heroics aren't the heroes everyone thinks they are. But as small acts of mischief escalate into a vicious battle, Lord Blackheart realizes that Nimona's powers are as murky and mysterious as her past. And her unpredictable wild side might be more dangerous than he is willing to admit. 

sr