Happy Monday, Everyone! Today, I’m excited to share my review of the MG contemporary, The Chimosas Only Book Club, by Laekan Zea Kemp with a book giveaway. It was released in May. I really enjoyed listening to the audiobook, but it would be fun to read the physical book because it has illustrations.
Here’s a blurb from Goodreads:
The
Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants meets Mexikid in
this heart-warming novel with illustrations about four friends and the magical
bookstore that holds them together.
Cat, Sofia, Ana, and Mari are best
friends. Nothing, nada, can break their bond. When Cat’s mom scolds
them for their loud cackling at the bookstore, calling them a bunch of
chismosas, the name sticks. Cat creates the The Chismosas Only Book
Club, giving the girls a way to stay connected as they begin high school.
But ninth grade is hard, and it seems like no
amount of conchas y libros y risas at Milagro’s Books, founded generations ago
by Cat’s great-great-great-grandmother, can repair the ever-growing cracks in
their friendship. But maybe the spirit of Milagro herself can . . .
Brimming with whimsy and heart, and woven with
black-and-white graphic novel chapters, this enchanting book celebrates the
magic of friendship, the embrace of ancestors, and the power of stories to hold
us together.
Here are five things I really enjoyed about this book:
1. The
book club. I knew I wanted to read this book from the title because I love
stories about book clubs. I really enjoyed seeing what a middle grade book club
can be like and the books that they were led to read.
2. The transition between middle
school and high school.
The story begins during the summer before the girls start high school and then
is mostly set during their first year of high school. This is such an important
transition year for kids that isn’t often written about. I could really relate
to all the challenges that Cat, Sofia, Ana, and Mari navigated in the story.
3. Cat, Sofia, Ana, and Mari. Each are distinct, sympathetic
characters with their own secrets and problems. Laekan did an excellent job
developing all of their characters and portraying what they were going through.
4. Mexican culture. I felt immersed in what it's like
to grow up in Mexican American families. I know about some of this from my late
husband and his family. But I enjoyed seeing what the girls’ family lives were
like.
5. Friendship issues. I really liked how the story dealt with challenges to the girls’ friendships, new friendships, body changes girls go through, and crushes.
Okay, here’s a sixth thing I loved about The Chismosas Only Book Club.
6. The bookstore. There’s a bit of magic at Milagro’s Books, which I loved.
Laekan
Zea Kemp is a writer living in Austin, Texas.
Her debut novel, Somewhere Between Bitter and Sweet was a 2022
Pura Belpré Honor recipient and her most recent novel, An Appetite for
Miracles won the Jean Flynn award for YA fiction and the Alexandria
Award from the University of Notre Dame. The Spanish translation of her debut
picture book, Una Corona para Corina was named a Campoy-Ada
Award Honor book and her picture book Desert Song was awarded
the Tomás Rivera Book Award in the Young Readers category for 2025, the Brigid
Erin Flynn Award for Best Picture Book from the Texas Institute of Letters, as
well as the award for Best Picture Book from the Writers League of Texas.
She
has three objectives when it comes to storytelling: to make people laugh, cry,
and crave Mexican food. Her work celebrates Chicane grit, resilience,
creativity, and joy while exploring themes of identity and mental health.
Find out more about Laekan at her website.
Giveaway Details
Laekan’s publisher is generously offering a hardback
of The Chimosas Only
Book Club for a giveaway. To enter, all you need to do is be a
follower of my blog (via the follower gadget, email, or bloglovin’ on the
right sidebar) and leave a comment by June 20th. If I do not have your
email (I can no longer get it from your Google Profile), you must leave it in
the comments to enter the contest. Please be sure I have your email address.
If you mention this contest on Twitter, Facebook, or
other social media sites and/or follow me on Twitter or Bluesky or follow Rebecca
on her social media sites, mention this in the comments, and I'll give you an
extra entry for each. You must be 13 years old or older to enter. This book giveaway
is International.
Marvelous Middle Grade Monday is hosted by Greg Pattridge. You can
find the participating blogs on his blog.
Upcoming Interviews, Guest Posts, and Blog Hops
Monday, July 1st, I’m participating in the Sparkle Time Giveaway Hop
Wednesday, July 3rd, I have an interview with Amanda Connolly and a giveaway of her YA romantasy The Lure of Wolves and Whispers and my IWSG post
Monday, July 9th, I have an agent spotlight interview with Justina Ireland Handspun and query critique giveaway
Monday, July 13th, I have an interview with Amy Tern and a giveaway of her MG Sneeks
Thursday, July 16th, I’m participating in the Sip Sip Hooray Giveaway Hop
Monday, July 20th, I have an interview with Emma Otherguy and a giveaway of her MG Adventure in the City of Stories
Wednesday, July 22nd, I have an agent spotlight interview with Sam Farkas and a query critique giveaway
I hope to see you on Monday!
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