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Nunca Mates A Un Pibe

En Nunca Mates A Un Pibe, el autor Gonzalo Villarruel lleva a los lectores en un emocionante viaje a través del inframundo criminal de Buenos Aires y más allá. La historia cuenta sobre un asesino atormentado perseguido por el recuerdo de un niño que mató y la trágica muerte de sus padres durante la segunda presidencia de Juan Domingo Perón. A medida que se desarrollan los acontecimientos, una masacre sacude un pueblo tranquilo y se forma una alianza impensable entre dos asesinos y sus víctimas.

La narración magistral de Villarruel invita a los lectores a una peligrosa aventura con “El lobo”, el enigmático protagonista de la historia con un pasado complicado del que no puede escapar. El autor genera ingeniosamente tensión a medida que comienza la historia, manteniendo a los lectores en la oscuridad sobre las identidades de las cinco personas que hicieron un pacto para nunca hablar de su participación en un asesinato. A medida que avanza la historia y los cinco se vuelven a conectar, se revelan sus identidades, lo que hace que la historia sea aún más intrigante. Los personajes de Nunca Mates A Un Pibe están bien desarrollados y son multidimensionales, con sus alianzas y motivos cambiando constantemente a lo largo de la historia. El ritmo de la trama se ralentiza a medida que Villarruel ofrece a los lectores la historia de fondo de los cinco, mostrando cómo sus pasados están entrelazados entre sí. Disfruté especialmente las transiciones fluidas entre el pasado y el presente, y la acción vertiginosa que mantiene a los lectores expectantes. Si bien las descripciones del país de la Patagonia podrían haber sido más detalladas, esto no resta valor a la narrativa que es apasionante.

En general, Nunca Mates A Un Pibe es una lectura obligada para los fanáticos de las novelas policíacas y de suspenso. La hábil narración de historias de Villarruel y el intrigante elenco de personajes misteriosos hacen de este libro lleno de acción una lectura cautivadora.

Pages: 325 | ASIN : B0BLFM4RH2

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The Bonds Between Women

Patricia Bossano Author Interview

Herencia Encantada follows a 17-year-old orphan girl who is stuck between the human and fairy world and struggles to avenge the death of her parents? What was the inspiration for the setup to your story?

Beyond the fantasy, adventure, and the dash of romance in “Herencia Encantada” you’ll find that it explores and highlights the bonds between women in a hybrid faery-human family, a clan very much like my own. And although this story is physically set in the western Pyrenees, on the border between France and Spain, the faerie realm depicted is inspired by scenery familiar to me, like the Andes mountains, in South America where I grew up, and beautiful Bear, Lake in Utah, where I lived for twenty years.

Celeste faces the challenges of being a teenager, an orphan and part of the fairy world. What were some driving ideals behind your character’s development?

PB: Celeste’s character arc is a beautiful one because throughout her growing pains, she chooses to follow her heart. She has a stubborn streak, a competitive nature, and she can be impulsive and selfish at times, but as her story progressed, the negativity in those traits was flushed away, laying bare the fulfilled, loving, bright individual she became. I hope Celeste’s story and her choices inspire readers of “Herencia Encantada” to always follow their hearts.

What were some themes that were important for you to explore in this coming of age and fantasy book?

Two things for sure: believing in ourselves, and the importance of family.

As the foundation of her future self, family influence is a critical aspect of this philosophical fantasy in which confidence allows our heroine to acknowledge and appreciate her family ties, while improving them and moving forward. When Celeste’s dual familyship is threatened, and when, at seventeen, her future seems muddled, she counts on her heart (full of human-faery love and wisdom) not to lead her astray.

What is the next book that you are working on and when will it be available?

Although I’m not writing a new novel, I do have two ongoing projects: I’m translating book 2 of the Faerie Legacy Series, Cradle Gift, into Spanish, and publication is slated for Summer 2023.

I am also evaluating cover and interior art for a children’s picture book, also in Spanish. I’m hoping to release this stardusted little treasure, “Polvo de Estrellas,” in time for Christmas 2022.

Author Links: GoodReads | Twitter | Facebook | Website

A los diecisiete años, La Soberanía de las Hadas es el único mundo que Celeste conoce. En su corazón, atesora el sueño de convertirse, algún día, en una de ellas.
Pero los hechos revelados por su madre antes de morir desvían sus ilusiones.
Huérfana y ansiosa por tomar las riendas de su destino, Celeste vacila entre sus certezas de antaño y las nuevas.
¿Es la princesa humana que su madre formó o es el hada-humana que anhela ser?
¿Va a vengar a sus padres y honrar el compromiso de matrimonio que la espera en el mundo mortal o debe obedecer a su corazón y permanecer junto al extraño que acaba de entrar en su vida?
Celeste elige vengar la muerte de sus padres, incluso si eso significa reconocer el lugar que le corresponde en la dimensión humana.
Motivada por la princesa de las hadas, Nahia, y amparada por la Corte Luminosa y por su verdadero amor, Celeste se propone desenmascarar a la insidiosa hechicera Arantxa.
Confía en que nada impedirá su regreso triunfal a la Soberanía de las Hadas… Nada hasta que la identidad de su prometido es revelada.

Herencia Encantada (Spanish Edition)

Herencia Encantada es una novela de fantasía, y su protagonista es Celeste. Ella es una huérfana de diecisiete años y está atrapada entre dos mundos: el mundo humano y el mundo de las hadas. Ansiosa por vengar la muerte de sus padres, sabe que debe reconocer el lugar que le corresponde en el mundo de los mortales. Con la ayuda de la princesa de las hadas, Nahia, la Corte Luminosa y su verdadero amor, Celeste se propone derrotar a la hechicera Arantxa.

La autora Patricia Bossano brinda a sus lectores una historia encantadora, llena de escenas vívidas que encienden la imaginación del lector. La creatividad dentro de este mundo es impresionante y fue una de las razones por las cuales volví, una y otra vez, a visitar esta fascinante fantasía juvenil. Pude imaginar claramente el mundo en el cual Celeste vive, y el mundo de las hadas es un deleite.

La historia fluye bien, disfruté de la fluidez de los diálogos, y las descripciones ayudan a desarrollar una trama exuberante y creíble. El desarrollo de los personajes es algo que de verdad disfruté, la evolución de la personalidad de Celeste sorprende y fascina por la forma sutil en la que se ejecuta en la historia. Pude conectarme con ella y me gustó verla crecer mientras superaba los obstáculos que encontraba en su camino. En una historia de fantasía como ésta, el diálogo sólido y auténtico hace que los personajes sean creíbles.

Esta es una aventura muy entretenida, con giros sorprendentes, uno en especial que realmente me asombró.

Herencia Encantada es una novela obligatoria para adultos jóvenes que buscan una fantasía visionaria que utilice la magia de maneras ingeniosas. La transición entre el mundo de los mortales y el de los inmortales es creativa, y los lectores quedarán encantados con el mundo que descubrirán ahí.

Pages: 382 | ASIN: B0B3S2JYM9

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But The Sparrow Stayed

But The Sparrow Stayed - Pero El Gorrión Se Quedó (Bilingual English-Spanish) by [Norman Whaler, Yony Madera, Esther Randell]

But The Sparrow Stayed is a bilingual poetry picture book that showcases the beauty of nature and birds, specifically sparrows and eagles. But the Sparrow Stayed is the first poem in the book and is a more poem about a sparrow that stays even though winter has come. Each hand drawn piece of art that accompanies each section of the poem shows the sparrow standing strong against a bitter winter. This poem is followed by another entitled First Flight which follows the life of an eagle and shows how one should be brave when afraid. Unlike the first poem, it is less abstract, but equally compelling. This is also accompanied by colorful sketches of an eagle in beautiful landscapes.

The poetry is delivered in two different languages, English and Spanish. Both exceptionally well done and is perfect for readers in both native languages but also for people who are trying to learn the language. I appreciated the sketches that accompanied each poem. They reinforced the idea of the poetry and gave it a hand crafted quality. Although I enjoyed the images I felt that they were a little dark or underexposed. If I had to choose a favorite, I really enjoyed the thought–provoking nature of But The Sparrow stayed. At the end of the book readers are treated to half a dozen sparrow and eagle facts that are informative and interesting. Nature lovers, bird enthusiasts, or anyone that wants to read delightful poetry.

Pages: 30 | ASIN: B08CRZYZ8Z

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FRANK PAÍS

José Álvarez (Cuba, 1940) nos presenta en FRANK PAÍS una extensa biografía del “revolucionario” cubano del mismo nombre. Hace un repaso de su corta vida (1934-1957) y de la importancia que sus actos tuvieron en la Revolución Cubana. Cómo después de su muerte el pueblo cubano sigue recordándolo.

Los primeros datos los obtenemos de mano del único hermano País que sigue vivo, Agustín País, quien ha residido en los EEUU desde la muerte de sus hermanos. En esta entrevista personal José Álvarez y Agustín País, nos hacen una introducción de los fechas más importantes en la vida de Frank. Relatan como la muerte de su padre les afectó y alaban la figura de su madre. Le sirve al lector para situarse en aquella época y descubrir los incios de Frank en la vida política.

A partir de aquí, José Álvarez se centra en la relevancia que tuvo Frank País en la Revolución Cubana. Nos adentra en su ideología y nos explica cómo se va “creando”, iniciando, ese sentimiento en el pueblo Cubano. Dicha Revolución (1953-1959) provocó la caída del régimen de Batista y la llegada al poder del líder del Ejército Guerrillero, Fidel Castro, con todo lo que eso supuso a nivel nacional e internacional. No quita importancia a todos aquellos que rodearon a Frank en este gran cambio.

Después de exponer todos los datos relevantes sobre la vida de Frank País: infancia, educación, familia, amigos… y la importancia que éste tuvo en este gran cambio histórico, José Álvarez incluye en el Libro II los escritos selectos de Frank País y sus cartas a Fidel Castro, documentos oficiales… Todo este tipo de escritos le sirven al lector para comprobar de primera mano la relación entre ambos, y porque después de su muerte, hace tantos años, la figura de Frank País sigue viva.

En el Libro III, José Álvarez ofrece una visión más intimista de Frank País. Incluye sus escritos más personales, sus poesías. Vemos el lado más personal y a lo mejor menos político del protagonista,  a pesar de sus ideas por liberar al pueblo cubano.

Considero que es un libro recomendable para todos aquellos que estén interesados en conocer más en profundidad la importancia de Frank País en el proceso de cambio cubano. Ofrece esta información desde todos los puntos de vista posibles, de un modo neutral y utilizando todas las fuentes biográficas que están al alcance de su mano, destacando principalmente la información proporcionada por Agustín País.

Pages: 622 | ISBN: 1090437552

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Life Without Humor is a Pathetic Experience

Eduardo Chapunoff Author Interview

Eduardo Chapunoff Author Interview

Charlas Con Dios En Calzoncillos contains discussions with religious representatives of different faiths. Why was this an important book for you to write?

Most people are seriously and justifiably concerned about their thoughts on God and religion. Fears prevail and limit humans’ ability and disposition to express their feelings on the subject.

Asking questions to representatives of different creeds exposed some crucial differences among them. However, I tried to convey the message that mutual understanding can be achieved EVEN when individuals have opposite points of view.

My motivation in writing this book was based on a life-long struggle to deal with this issue and showing how important it is to express your ideas to GOD, even when you don’t know (as it happens in the book), He’s speaking to you.

This book contains some fictional stories to get a larger point across. What were some themes you wanted to capture in these stories?

Life without humor is a pathetic experience. Those who believe in God and his extraordinary goodness will notice his great sense of humor and of course, his capacity to do miracles.

Another very important point I made in the book is the suggestion that God is not directly responsible for human beings cruelty, and that He is extremely frustrated about humans’ highly dysfunctional behavior. That becomes even more pronounced when He recognizes that He’s unable to correct it. God’s attitude is humble and compassionate and he admits that the creation process of the world and human beings, regrettably, and to his deep regret, suffered from “infrastructure failures”.

I like the title of his book. Where did the inspiration for the title come from?

Perhaps, subconsciously I felt that those who believe in God would like to have chats with Him in a very personal and intimate way. Talking to God in underwear would be one way of doing that.

What do you hope readers take away from your book?

Believing in God is far better than not believing in God. Appreciate God’s incredibly smart and beautiful he created for our world but also understand his limitations, as mentioned in the book by Rabbi Isaac. Also, make an effort to tolerate the doubts of the agnostic, Dr. Terrin, and don’t hate him for his ideas.

Nobody’s is perfect and God appears to be the first one to recognize that. Don’t feel guilty for your doubts. God will be grateful to you for your candor, sincerity, and understanding. And remember that He’ll never be able to avoid tragedies in your life, but will give you the strenght and capacity to fight adversity.

Author Links: GoodReads | Amazon

Charlas Con Dios En Calzoncillos (Spanish Edition) by [Chapunoff, Eduardo]

Dios viene a la Tierra como hombre para comunicarse con seres humanos directamente. El libro contiene discusiones con representantes religiosos de distintos credos y tambien contiene capitulos humoristicos. Se cataloga como “ficción”.

No tengo conocimiento de que algo parecido se haya publicado anteriomente.

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Cascarones

Cascarones by Sylvia Sánchez Garza is a book that feels more like a conversation between friends. Garza follows the life of a Mexican American girl living in Texas and straddling the world of her culturally rich family and a whitewashed school she winds up going to in Houston. This isn’t the only aspect of her life that Garza delves into. She also explores the girl’s relationship with family members, her church, family traditions, and general everyday life. The book is a nice collection of individual stories about the same family with the same cast of characters.

This was a nice, easy read. It is simple without being boring. The individual stories make nice bite-size sections. This made it a fun, leisurely read. The book feels light. It doesn’t have that heavy, daunting feeling that some books do.

As previously stated, the book feels like a conversation. It feels like sitting and listening to someone reminisce about their childhood. I prefer first-person writing as a rule, and this book delivers. It makes it feel so much more personal and relatable. Readers will identify with pieces of Suzy’s stories and may see themselves in her experiences. Reading this book felt like getting to know a new friend.

I feel like I got to know the characters better through each story. Each story gave a better feel for the family. Even with short stories that could stand alone, the characters were well developed. It also gave a lot of insight into the culture of Mexican American families. It showed their strength and pride in their clinging to their traditions. There were quite a bit of Spanish words and dialogue in the book. I know very little Spanish and looked up a few words, but the vast majority of the meaning comes out in the context.

My only complaint is that I might have liked the stories better in a different order. I think I would have liked them to be in chronological order rather than jumping back and forth in time. It threw me the first time I realized Suzy was speaking as an adult. It took me a second to understand what was happening since it jumped from her being a kid to having kids, and back to a kid again. I lost my bearings a little but recovered quickly.

Cascarones by Sylvia Sánchez Garza is very well-written. There are very few errors, if any. It had a nice pace and flow. I liked following Suzy navigate between two worlds as she is pulled between her large Mexican family and living in America. It taught me a lot about the Mexican American culture that I didn’t know. I’d like to read more by Garza.

Pages: 162 | ISBN: 1724622889

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Literary Titan Book Awards January 2019

The Literary Titan Book Awards are awarded to books that have astounded and amazed us with unique writing styles, vivid worlds, complex characters, and original ideas. These books deserve extraordinary praise and we are proud to acknowledge the hard work, dedication, and imagination of these talented authors.

Literary Titan Gold Book Award

Gold Award Winners

The Watchers: The Blood Dagger Series by [Hayes, Misty]Soul Born by [Breaux, Kevin]Five Fathoms Beneath by [Alcyone, J.R.]

Paper Heart by [LeBlanc, Jennifer]The Dragon of Hidden Treasures: Book 1 by [Troi, Juliann]<

Comrade Netai and the Chronology of His UG Days : An Inside Story of Naxalite Movement from Nineties by [Sanjay Lahiri]

Stockboy by [Duffy, Thomas]

Literary Titan Silver Book Award

Silver Award Winners

The Dragon Shifters at Southgate: Book Two of the Seers Series by [Leclerc, Sherry]Revelations (The Infinity Series Book 1) by [Westbay, Bellamy]The Emerald Cave (Ramsey Series Book 3) by [McPike, James]

Rathen: Into Bramblewood Forest (The Rathen Series Book 2) by [Smith, Grant Elliot, Stohler, Steven H.]Shipwreck Island by [McPike, James B.]

Degsy Hay - A Juvenile Redeemed: Everbody Deserves a Second Chance by [Montgomery, Brian S]

18 Cranes: Kaifeng Chronicles, Book One by [Campbell, Robert]Tilly and Torg - New Kids At School by [Crawley, Connie Goyette]

 

Visit the Literary Titan Book Awards page to see award information and see all award winners.

 

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