REVIEW: SANTA
MUERTE: THE DANIELA STORY BY LUCINA STONE
As we count
down to Halloween and Day of the Dead this week,
The Latina
Book Club will bring
you some “dark and intriguing” books to stay up late with.
Happy
Reading. And always, Read Latino!
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| Story Merchant Books |
La Santa Muerte in Mexican tradition is the
beloved goddess of death and a protector of souls residing in the dark
underworld. I can see the connection
with Lucina Stone’s new novel, SANTA MUERTE: THE DANIELA STORY. Our young heroine learns that she too is a
protector, and soon she will learn what she is truly made out of.
Suspenseful. Mysterious. Captivating. Engaging.
Lucina Stone’s SANTA MUERTE: THE DANIELA STORY
is an amazing and imaginative debut and the great start to a new series. Readers
will enjoy the magic and the time travel elements, as well as the struggle of
our heroine to accept that she is a bruja, and to come to grips with her powers
before they destroy her. This book is also about identity, homosexuality,
racism and family. Because no matter what year it is – 2030 or 1923 – all those
things can change the world.
Book Summary:
THE YEAR IS 2030. In a dramatic, final attempt to free her inner demons,
twenty-year-old Daniela Delgado tempts fate and winds up on a strange farm in
1923. With an olive complexion due to her Mexican/Italian heritage and a fresh
pixie cut, she is mistaken for a “boy of color.” Her only shot at survival now
is to play it cool, pose as “Danny,” and figure out how to get back home to her
two, loving moms. And then she meets Daphne—an abused, motherless farm girl in
desperate need of freedom and a friend. Having escaped Daphne’s father, the two
of them are now roaming the streets of New York City disguised as a young
aristocrat and her male servant. They’re running out of money, and ideas. And
Daniela thought living in 2030 was tough. But her solar powered smart phone
works. And there’s someone within range. She pings them. A selfie of an
attractive male comes in with the text: I’m Lain. Who the f--- are you? Even in
that moment, Daniela knows this can’t be safe, but what are her choices? They
meet Lain at a speakeasy on the Lower East Side. When Daniela reveals her last
name, Lain says the only Delgado he knows is Anaya—the head of the Santa Muerte
Coven of witches in Merida, Mexico. And then he hints that Daniela is a liar,
even though she rocks a man’s three-piece suit like no woman he’s ever met. And
as for her tattoos? Don’t get Lain started…. Despite the intrigue, Daniela adds
Lain to the list of folks Daphne and she must outrun to stay alive. But as they
plan their trip to Mexico, they soon discover that list is much longer than
they thought. And they uncover a few other things, too, about Daniela’s true
identity….
About the Author: Lucina Stone has a
Master of Arts Degree in Clinical Counseling and is a Licensed Professional
Counselor specializing in depression, family conflict, LGBT affirmative
therapy, and life coaching. She lives in New Jersey with her family. This is
her debut novel. Follow her on Twitter @LucinaStone9123.
READ LATINO!