Book Review: Don’t Date Rosa Santos

This book is geared toward high school aged teenagers and young adults. Nina Moreno wrote this book focusing mainly on Rosa and the history of her family in previous generations. Her grandmother came with her husband from Cuba and her mom was born during that journey. As relations between the US and Cuba are somewhat improving Rosa sees her chance to finally see the home her grandmother grew up in. Rosa has always been yearning to see the country of her family though she has a completely new and great community in her harbor town in Florida. Throughout the telling of this story many other plots unfold. A wedding, a cultural festival, preservation of their town and a love interest most unexpected by Rosa.

I liked the overall story of the book. The author included some cultural rituals and beliefs and practices that kind of bothered me because it didn’t make any sense but that was part of the backstory for the grandmother.

I rate this book 4 out of 5.

Book Review: The Inn at Hidden Run

I loved this historical fiction book written by Olivia Newport. She perfectly compiled the stories of characters in modern day Colorado with those in 1878 Memphis, Tennessee. I’m telling you right now. You don’t even need to read the rest of this post; just get the book and start reading it. You’ll love it.

I know for some people it takes some convincing so I’ll indulge those by giving you a brief description with no spoilers. The characters in the book were friendly, personable and so real life-like that, as I was reading through their conversations, actions and thoughts, it almost felt like I was in the same room as they were. The author did such a good job with their personalities that they were almost overbearing especially to people who consider themselves introverts. Even strangers could easily be swept up in the group of characters and be overwhelmed.

Meri was the stranger that appeared in Canyon Mines Colorado and easily acquired a job working for Nia and her husband Leo at their inn. Nia is described as being very curious and impulsive which is followed through by her actions. And that’s how she gets in quite the conundrum with Meri because now there are some big trust issues and the only way to work it out is to get Jillian and her dad Nolan roped in to lend their expertise in genealogy and family mediation, respectively.

Jillian’s discoveries into Meri’s family’s past unrolls the part of the story that is in Eliza’s perspective during the late summer/fall when an epidemic of yellow fever hits Memphis taking much of the population and leaving devastation in its wake.

Beautifully told story, and if you are still not convinced, I rate this book 5 out of 5.