THE LATINA BOOK CLUB

by Maria C. Ferrer The Latina Book Club reserves Fridays for Book Covers.  Yes, we do judge books by their covers.  They are so much fun, and often give clues as to what the book is truly about.  Today we are looking at the book cover of Adriana Fuentes Diaz’  WHEN STRONG WOMEN SPEAK, STRONG WOMEN LISTEN.  The book cover looks like a marriage between expressionism and surrealism. There are distortions, exaggerations, elements of fantasy. It’s all very vivid, very jarring, but dynamic. Our heroine is naked at the river. Nakedness could represent that she is every woman, that she is free from the chaos reflected in the colorful, imposing bits and pieces hovering above her. The pieces are suspended and hopefully, at her control. What about the water? is she stirring it or calming it? Is she blessing the water or purifying it with blood? The title mentions Strong Women twice. We speak. We listen. This gives the Reader impression of mentors, of inspiring w...

It takes courage to really look inside yourself and ask the “spiritual you” what you want and what it is that’s stopping you from achieving your dreams. Is it the fear of failure, fear of success, lack of focus, childhood issues, not being good enough or is it something hidden deep within? On this journey of transformation, you must want to feel whole and complete. You have to prepare to add passion and believe in yourself deep in your soul.   So, you can continue to move forward to your place of fulfillment. –Ivette Mayo Short, fierce and very POWERful.   Ivette Mayo’s book – A 30-Day Guide to Your POWER: Powerful Outcomes through Powerful Words – challenges you to look deep – Deeper! – into yourself and to step into your POWER.     Yes, all in caps. Ivette leads readers into a journey of self-discovery, of self-analysis, of self-awareness.    She encourages you to change the “decades of negativity”; to shed the old and look fo...

MCT Publications   We are taught in church that there is a HEAVEN and HELL. When we die, we end up in one or the other. But, after what I’ve seen and done in my life, I beg to differ. Yes, there is a HEAVEN, a place of wonderment and joy. We go there either right after death or 100 years after. It just depends on what good deeds we’ve done on EARTH. Now HELL? HELL doesn’t exists after death. Why not? ‘Cause HELL is here on EARTH among the living. Just ask me how I know!                                                     – Angelina Rivera The Latina Book Club congratulates author Maria Hernandez on the debut of her Trapped series, and the birth of a new bold, confident, Latina heroine on a journey ...

When you live a rich life You feel Empowered, Self-reliant, Self-actualized, And Free. –Nely Galán Spiegel & Grau Inspiring. Empowering. Every woman should read this book--- from woman driving Uber to pay for her college education, to the Mom needing to support her kids, to the woman looking to get back into the job market, to the woman looking to make a change. SELF MADE: Becoming Empowered, Self-Reliant, and Rich in Every Way by Nely Galán challenges you to look deep within yourself and dares you to be better.  But this is not just a tell-don’t-show book. Nely has filled her book with exercises and charts that readers can ponder and complete at their own pace.  There are also wonderful portraits of other Latinas who have changed their lives and become self-made like Kathy Cano-Murillo (The Crafty Chica), Melissa Paz, Maria Villar and Monica Maldonado. Nely boldly proclaims that Self-Made is a Movement for something, not against it....

       Grieve. But let your grief be your process, not your address. —Pastor Taylor I should be on Prozac, but I’m on prayer instead. —Karen Valentin Publisher: Faith Words Karen Valentin’s new book—THE MOTHER GOD MADE ME TO BE—is poignant, tearful, hopeful and empowering. She married her best friend Gavin. He had doubts the day before the wedding but it could have been nerves. It wasn’t.  Three years and two boys later, he asked for a divorce.  It took two years for the divorce to become final, and during that time Karen drowned in heartache, loneliness and responsibility. But with a strong faith in God and the help of family and friends–including Gavin’s mother and sisters—Karen was able to provide for her sons.  She found a good job, and best of all, she found her voice and began singing and writing again.  It took a while, but Karen soon realized that she was not a victim of her ex’s choices, he was.  ...

   March is Women’s History Month.   The Latina Book Club begins the celebration  with a guest post from author Chiquis Barrón , who shares with our readers  some of her principles to empower young women with confidence and awareness. Desert Arts & Cultural Media Open your arms wide to release the old and then embrace  the new and unfamiliar with utmost grace and finesse.—Chiquis Growing up is not easy. During adolescence and early adulthood, most of us go through drastic physical changes as well as deep emotional changes. Social changes at this age, such as starting secondary school, college or getting a first job, also imply spending more time with friends and people outside of our comfortable family circles. Although these changes can be exciting, they can also be incredibly confusing and awkward. Most of us are familiar with the physical changes that occur during youth as a result of fluctuating hormone levels. The em...

    "La vida le pone situaciones por delante a las personas y no queda más que afrontarlas con entereza por debíl que uno crea que es."   //   "Life places people in difficult situations and the only recourse is to face them head-on no matter how weak one feels." --Ramona   ¡El que persevera triumfa! // He who perseveres triumphs!       ¡A ESTUDIAR, CARAJO! may be a short book -- 56 pages! -- put it packs a wallop.   Ana Maria Gonzalez' novel is about female empowerment; about perseverance; about overcoming all obstacles with determination and hard work.   It's about the immigrant experience; about racism; about tolerance; about survival. It's about being a woman, a mother, a student, a worker.   This novel is in Spanish.   It's written in the third person and is mostly narrative, but it contains a lot of action, a lot of living.   ¡A ESTUDIAR, CARAJO! is inspiring, empowering, and makes you want ...