Once Upon A Quinceañera by Monica Gomez - Hira

 Gomez-Hira, Monica. Once Upon A Quinceañera. HaperTeen, 2021.   ISBN 13: 9780062996831

Plot

Carmen is an 18-year-old teenager in an unpaid internship as a party princess impersonator. Story is based in Miami, Florida. The company she working in, is contacted to perform at her  cousin’s quince, who she is estranged from.  In this fiasco, she is asked to confront all the issues with family members she has, which they haven't communicated with in years. Along the way,  a teen boy from her past,  Mauro appears, without any notices, and that throws her off, being he is her coworker now.  When her cousin’s quinceañera nears, Carmen faces a myriad of choices she must make, brings up old wounds from the past (and a fresh one picked by her cousin's quince, her not having a Quince due to that family); all threatening to fall apart  on her in no time.

Critical Evaluation 

Overall I had a difficult time with this book, due to the pressure Carmen had with her family. She seemed to be expected to forgive and be treated a certain way because of her teenage angst and mistakes. It reeked of internalized patriarchy that characters projected on to her especially her own mother.  While teenagers developmentally can be thorns to many of their family members there are some teens that are not given the grace that they are well deserving of.  She is flawed and her character is pretty developed but there were pieces that were missing. . Her voice seemed to pop in and out, at times strong and other times lost in the storyline/ other's stories. I do believe if she would have been given more time to share her inner thoughts, sharing why she did what she did may have helped in her  character development.  Although this book was marketed as romance, that relationship with Mauro didn't seem strong, nor the story., and not really understanding why Carmen felt so strong about Mauro and not sharing her thought process. 

Reader's Annotation 

Book about an 18 y.o. young woman that is finishing up her high school credits (she didn't finish wiht her class) and is caught up in a family drama around her estranged cousin's quince. 

Author Information

Monica Gomez-Hira is the daughter of Colombian immigrant parents, the wife of an Indian immigrant, the mother of a half Latina/half Indian daughter, and the quintessential Jersey girl who loves her salsa as much as her Springsteen. After getting her BA in English at Wellesley College, Monica spent most of her professional life surrounded by books, and the people who love them. She began her career working for literary agencies, moved to publicity and editorial at Simon & Schuster and Random House, and most recently was a Children's Lead at Barnes & Noble. She lives with her family in Minneapolis, MN. Once Upon a Quinceañera is her first novel. 

Source: https://www.harpercollins.com/blogs/authors/monica-gomez-hira

Genre

Contemporary Romance 

BookTalking Ideas

Her old boss Edwin sexually harassing and the way the adults around her deal with it. The blame overall that is cast on her, inquiring on the lack of adult support. 

Reading Level/Age Interest

Age: 16-18

Challenge Issues

Sex and alcohol.  My defense is the Library Bill of Rights and Los Angeles County Library Collections policy. 

Why I Included This Book in Collections 

The title can resonate with a lot of young people of Latin American descent, especially young teen girls who may have had a Quince or attended a few, and the reality that many don't have one due to class issues and or lack of family support, they are as expensive as a wedding, often. (My daughter didn't get one and neither did I).  

Author Interview: Monica Gomez-Hira