Damas, Dramas and Ana Ruiz Blog Tour & Giveaway!!

Damas, Dramas and Ana Ruiz: A Quinceañera Club Novel

By: Belinda Acosta
Publisher: Grand Central Publishing
Pages: 336 Pages
Available: August 11, 2009

My Rating: 4.5 Tiaras!

Synopsis:

All Ana Ruiz wanted was to have a traditional quinceañera for her daughter, Carmen. She wanted a nice way to mark this milestone year in her daughter's life. But Carmen was not interested in celebrating. Hurt and bitter over her father Esteban's departure, she blamed Ana for destroying their happy family, as did everyone else. A good man is hard to find, especially at your age Ana was told. Why not forgive his one indiscretion? Despite everything, Ana didn't want to tarnish Carmen's childlike devotion to her beloved father. But Ana knows that growing up sometimes means facing hard truths. In the end, Ana discovers that if she's going to teach Carmen anything about what it means to be a woman, it will take more than simply a fancy party to do it...

"Belinda Acosta's Damas, Dramas, and Ana Ruiz delivers all its title promises and more: it's a book about damas of all ages, from teenage girls to the struggling mothers of those teenage girls; it's packed with drama so you don't want to stop reading; it's a novel that deeply and honestly tells the story of Ana Ruiz, her own coming of age as a woman and as a mother. Belinda Acosta is up to all of the challenges of such a rich panorama of characters and events. She's sassy, she's smart, she makes it look easy! But it takes a lot of hard work and a pile of talent to write such an engaging, touching book. A wonderful quinceañera of a novel!" --- Julia Alvarez, author of
Once Upon a Quinceañera: Coming of Age in the USA and Return to Sender"

Lively and perceptive... Acosta empathically captures the innermost feelings of her characters."--- Booklist

My thoughts:

What's a quinceañera? Before opening the book, that's something I needed to know! Here's what I found; It's a celebration or coming-of-age party held on a girl's fifteenth birthday that typically begins with a religious ceremony. This ceremony is usually a good way for the family to bond with the girl turning 15 (especially the mother).

When I first picked up Damas, Dramas and Ana Ruiz, I expected a humorous beach-type read with little sustenance. But, to my delight, I couldn't have been more wrong! Belinda Acosta does a wonderful job weaving a story of a heart-broken daughter who misses her father's love and a mother that will do anything to gain her daughter's heart back! Belinda uses a unique mixture of humor and narrative point of view to get the messages across to her readers. Which worked for me one hundred percent!

Carmen can only see all the goodness in her father and furthermore, she blames her fully for their immediate separation! A daddy's girl through-and-through she has only starry-eyed notions of just what type of a man he is. Her mother and father, Ana and Esteban Ruiz cannot even hold a civilized conversation, never mind connecting to try and figure out if and how the marriage is going to work! And while Carmen refuses to talk to her mother, Ana is determined to throw Carmen a beautiful Quinceañera with the hopes of bringing them closer together and strengthening their bond.

Most of the story is centered around Ana and her need to regain her own self-confidence along with her daughters love. Ana's Son Diego and her niece Bianca both are there to help with the planning. While Carmen shows her childish, immature and demanding self in this story, her brother is just the opposite. Diego is caring and compassionate and tries to help his mother with whatever she needs. Bianca's got her own mother/daughter issues. Her mother is mentally ill and therefore can't be there for her while she's growing up. Each one of these character's were so well developed that I felt as though I got to know each and every one of them. I cared about what happened to them. I laughed with them and I felt their pain. To me, that's one of the main things that makes a story a success.

I believe this book would make a fantastic book club read (and you can even find a RGG here)! There is so many aspects of this story you could discuss. Also, there are the different cultural aspects of the book that helped me learn a whole lot about a subject I didn't know much about to begin with. I was so angry at times with Ana for not telling her daughter the truth about her father. But, as a mother myself, I could see the struggle she had with trying to protect her daughter from all that wasn't "perfect" in the family. There are already so many different types of things that teen girls have to worry about while entering womanhood. Why add more stress?

Belinda has written a coming of age story and the issues that affect so many of us and not just Spanish families. You could feel the stress in the written word and just how strong the bond of love is between the Ruiz family. This story will at times tug at your heart-strings and at other times laugh out loud! I highly recommend this book and note Ms. Acosta an author to watch!

About the author:

Belinda Acosta has written and published plays, short stories, and essays. As a journalist, her work has appeared in the Austin American-Statesman, The Austin Chronicle, the San Antonio Express-News, The San Antonio Current, and AlterNet. Her short story Tortilla Dough appeared in Saguaro, a publication of the University of Arizona in 1992. In 1993, she produced, directed and performed in a multi-media dance-theater performance of La Llorona. National exposure came in 1995 when she read her personal essay Gran Baile, on Latino USA - the Radio Journal of News and Culture, carried on National Public Radio.



Acosta received a Master of Fine Arts in Writing from The University of Texas in 1997. She lives in Austin, Texas and is the TV and media columnist for The Austin Chronicle.

You can learn more about Belinda Acosta by visiting her blog! I also please sign up for the Damas, Dramas and Ana Ruiz Facebook Fan Page - Here!

Want updates on Damas and Belinda? Follow here on Twitter!

I'd like to thank Miriam and Hachette Book Group

for letting me participate in this Blog Tour!

Want to WIN a copy for yourself? Of course you do!

You must be a resident of the U.S. or Canada only

and have a valid address (NO P.O. Boxes Please)

If you qualify above, here's how you win!

For your entry, tell me the best and/or worst gift you've ever gotten for your birthday

please include your name and email address so I can reach the winner.

Extra Entries? You KNOW IT!

You MUST be a follower of my blog

Each entry must be a separate comment with a link (if needed)

+2 if you follow me on Twitter

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+5 if you Blog about this giveaway

+10 if you put my button on my blog (or already have it there) and link back!

This contest will run until August 30th (Midnight EST) and I will draw a winner on the 31st!

Good Luck and Have Fun!!

Can't wait to WIN? Buy the book - HERE!

Kisses ~ XXX

SEDUCE ME Blog Tour and Giveaway!

Seduce Me by Robyn DeHart

Synopsis:

Fielding Grey is the second son of the Marquess of Eldon and fortune hunter by night. He's on a mission for the Legend Hunters--a group of wealthy, titled, and heart-breakingly gorgeous men, each of whom are after the find of the century--he has his eyes set on obtaining the illustrious Pandora's Box. But before he finds it, he encounters an equally alluring treasure--the woman bold enough to look inside.

Esme Worthington can't resist taking the tiniest peek inside when fate drops the real Pandora's Box in her lap. Thus, she unleashes one of Pandora's irresistible curses: the curse of lust. Now, both Esme and Fielding must deal with this passionate curse--or blessing?--before unknown implications of Pandora's Box overpower them both.

The Legend Hunters...

There is a gentleman's club near St. James St., a luxurious one with all the accoutrements one would expect from such a fine establishment; fine liquors, exotic cigars, gaming and a comfortable chair in which to read the daily papers. Solomon's is by invitation only and those invitations are not extended without exceedingly careful consideration. Because in this club is a secret room where secret meetings occur. And in these secret meetings some of London's finest gentlemen gather to discuss their passions; their obsessions.

Some are scholars, some collectors, some treasure-hunters, but each of them are after the find of the century. Meet the Legend Hunters...

(Legend Hunters Series Book One)

Seduce Me By Robyn DeHart

Fielding Grey is a treasure seeker with a taste for danger and experienced women. His latest mission: wrest Pandora's fabled box from a notorious criminal mastermind. Not in the job description: save an innocent damsel in distress.

A bookish miss, Esme Worthington has favored dusty tomes over society balls, and thrilling tales over flirtations. But when two scoundrels break into her home, she is thrust into a real-life adventure. Pursued and suddenly possessing the forbidden box, Esme can't resist peeking inside. Under the spell of Pandora's seductive curse, she's soon offering herself to Fielding – body and soul. With her reluctant rescuer determined to resist her charms, can the two outwit an enemy who will stop at nothing to seize their precious prize?

(Chapter 1 From Author's Site)

Ahh, Temptation...

One Wednesday night on a sleepy side of London, Esme Worthington yawned a most unladylike yawn, then sniffled her nose before looking back at the text on her lap. It was long past a reasonable time for bed yet here she sat. Sometime after midnight she'd abandoned the hard chairs of her study for the more comfortable sofa in the parlor next door. But the plush floral cushions only assisted by lulling her to sleep rather than encouraging her to continue her research. She readjusted herself and blinked several times, trying to focus on the book before her.

She read the last sentence once again trying to absorb the words. Some of these so-called scholars simply had no notion what they were suggesting. Precisely how was an artifact from ancient Greece supposed to have ended up in the jungles of South America? Preposterous. There was no possible way that Pandora's box had ended up on a Spanish explorer's ship.

Another yawn.

Her great black tom lifted his sleepy head from where he slept curled warmly over her thighs. His gold eyes were nothing more than slits, then he yawned. "Horace, I do believe I shall retire for the evening. I don't seem to be getting any work done at all." She scratched him behind his ears and he rewarded her with a rhythmic purr. Placing the heavy book on the table next to her, she stood. "You guard the books and tomorrow morning I shall pour you some warm milk."

Esme doused the lamp, then stepped into the hallway. Horace followed her and she scooped him into her arms. "Want to warm my feet tonight, do you?"

She stopped. Something scraped against the wood floor in the very next room. It was far too late for Aunt Thea to be awake. Perhaps it was one of the servants, though they were normally early to bed as well. She padded over to the room and nudged the door open.

Want More?

Robyn DeHart

About the Author:

I'm one of those writers who always knew that she wanted to be a writer. It took me a while, however, to figure out precisely what I wanted to write. Reading Kathleen Woodiwiss' "A Rose in Winter" sealed the deal for me and I've been reading and writing romance ever since. I should have known I was destined for this when my Barbies insisted on hosting elaborate masquerade parties, complete with stolen kisses in the moonlight.

I'm the youngest of three children, so of course I'm the favorite. I was raised in central Texas, in the beautiful Hill Country, right smack-dab between Austin and San Antonio. My parents were high school sweethearts and married a week after my mother graduated – they both needed their parents' permission to marry since they were so young. So I blame them and their amazing marriage for the fact that I'm a hopeless romantic.

Somewhere along the line, I graduated from college with a degree in Sociology, only after completing an internship with none other than award-winning author, Pamela Morsi. It was one of the coolest experiences of my life and I learned more about the writing business than I could have hoped.

After college I worked a myriad of jobs: Computer Software Trainer, Recruiter, Administrative Assistant. But no matter what my day job, I come home to my real job and click, click, click away on my computer and get lost in my imaginary world where justice always prevails and the girl always gets her guy! It's the coolest job in the world.

I'm married to the most amazingly supportive man who makes me laugh every day. He's so proud of my career, and loves to tell people, "My wife is a romance novelist." We live in the foothills of the Smoky Mountains, where my husband is a university professor.

We have two very spoiled cats who are of no help at all when it comes to my writing, although they sometimes nap in the same room where I sit diligently working.

Five FUN Facts!

Do You Want To Be SEDUCED?

I Have FIVE Copies To GIVEAWAY

Courtesy of ANNA and HACHETTE BOOK GROUP!

Rules:

You MUST Be A Resident of The U.S. or Canada Only

No P.O. Boxes (Please)

How do you win?

Leave A Comment With Your Name & Email Address

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*IMPORTANT* Each Must Be A Separate Comment

ALL Entries MUST Be In By August 30th (Midnight EST)

WINNERS Will Be Drawn On August 31st!

KISSES ~ XXX