Viva Lola Espinoza, Ella Ceron
Viva Lola Espinoza, Ella Ceron
List: $27.50 | Sale: $19.25
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Viva Lola Espinoza

Author: Ella Cerón

Narrator: Ana Osorio

Unabridged: 10 hr 35 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Published: 04/11/2023


Synopsis

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.


Reviews

Goodreads review by Brian

I received a free arc from the publisher. I hate it when authors excuse parents' sociopathic behavior because they're 'ethnic.' Lola gets a C in Spanish (her first C ever, it would seem), so her parents pack her off to Mexico and tell her not to come back until she can speak Spanish. Now I would unde......more

I absolutely adored this story! Dare I say that it's my favorite young adult novel this year? Young Dani would have adored this sweet little novel. There is so much to treasure about this from learning about the Mexican culture, understanding the importance of family and discovering one's path in li......more

Goodreads review by Andrie

Thank you to Penguin Teen for the arc. All opinions are my own. Viva Lola Espinoza is a YA, slice of life, book in which we follow Lola being sent to stay with her family in Mexico for a summer after doing poorly in her high school Spanish class. Overall, I felt this book was a solid read and apprec......more

Goodreads review by Marie

It is not unheard of for kids to be grounded for their grades, but to be grounded to another COUNTRY? This is the reality of Lola Espinoza's life when her parents send her to stay with relatives in Mexico City for the summer after she earns a 'C' in Spanish. Lola's parents are determined to make the......more

Thank you so much to Penguin Teen for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review! This was a very vibrant and charming book! I enjoyed following Lola discover the depths of her culture and family in Mexico. One small detail that I loved about the novel is how so much of the dialogue wa......more


Quotes

PRAISE for Viva Lola Espinoza by Ella Cerón:

2024 Texas Tayshas Reading List


"...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