Reading Once Upon a Quinceañera was both very fun and also very frustrating.

This book was very nostalgic for me. I'd say it does a nice job of exploring one kind of quinceañera planning-adventure that happens when families go down this road. (I should note that having a quince party that's big and lavish is a privilege many girls do not get to experience, see classism) Although my quince was very different from the one in this book, I definitely felt drawn in by some connections! Especially when it came to practicing dancing! I also liked that this book added the extra special touch of Disney into the party!

It should be said off the bat that this book has a very large cast of mainly unlikable characters. Considering how much of a character-oriented person I am, I'm surprised to say that I didn't mind it *too* much. Carmen, the star of this show is very messy character. She is prickly, petty and knows how to hold a grudge. I liked the angle this story took on Carmen's constant fight against being labelled the "cautionary tale" for girls because of her past mistakes and her present struggles. She is not always a wonderful person per se, but I enjoyed spending my time with her in this book. As for the rest of the characters...I didn't think much of any of them. Ariana was quite annoying and I'm not sure if I saw much growth in her. Mauro...I didn't like him much at all by the end of the book, I don't hate any of these characters, but I felt like they were very one-sided.

I live for family drama in books and this one really brought it out, Right from the start I was intrigued by the messiness and their feuds.. To say this family has its fair share of scandals is a slight understatement but that's what made it exciting to read! To confront the drama there is the overall theme of family forgiveness and hmm I think this family needed a lot more than what the book gave us to be on the path to forgiveness. When dealing with conflicts of classism and narcissism, there needs to be a lot of digging to get down to the nitty gritty of things. I felt like this book was a tad too surface level in its resolution, I wanted to dive in way more and bring about those conversations between Carmen and her family. I also didn't like that the male family members took such a backseat in this story and that the drama focused more between the women, as if the men weren't part of the problem (which they very much were!).

On that note, I wasn't really into the romance. I didn't hate it, but again there was a very surface level resolution to some very big issues between these relationships. There is so much to unpack and I feel like we didn't get much of a chance to dig in, it felt too easy their reunion. I didn't dislike them, I just think that they need a lot more work. Like a lot more work.

Overall, I did enjoy reading this despite its many drawbacks. I think it could have benefited from a stronger characterization and a deeper dive into some of its themes. It's entertaining and I found that my own inner-pettiness connected to Carmen's, but I also think the book could have better challenged those feelings.

I enjoyed this book a lot. I found the main character, Carmen, to be really relatable. The familial relationship drama, the love story, and the coming-of-age story were really well done and interconnected in a way that was realistic. The author did a good job fleshing out the story. It never felt cliché or too teen drama. There was a more adult sensibility to the character that I found refreshing, especially in a story that I thought was going to be more fluffy teen romance. This book surprised me in the best way. I enjoy romances that have more depth and plot to them rather than just cheesy love story drama.

This book was super adorable and fun! There was a lot of crazy drama, like a telenovela, with love triangles (plural), family feuds, make ups and break ups, and even a fight or two. It started off a tad slow while introducing our cast of characters but the plot quickly began to unfold and it was fantastic. I did not expect to enjoy this as much as I did. My biggest problem is that I am petty and salty beyond reason, so I wanted a much harsher ending than the book gave. However, if you love Jane-the-Virgin-esque happy endings, this book is for you!

Once Upon A Quinceañera dives into the world of quince’s and complicated family dynamics. Monica Gomez - Hira’s debut novel explores the way the event can make, break, and shake families together and apart.

Carmen Aguilar is an 18 year old teenager working an unpaid internship as a party princess impersonator in Miami, Florida. After her company gets hired to perform at her estranged cousin’s quince, she is forced to reckon with family members she has not spoken to in years. At the same time, Mauro, a boy from her past, unexpectedly reappears in a way that she could have never expected -- as her coworker. As the quinceañera looms ahead, Carmen faces a multitude of complicated decisions, all threatening to crash down on her at any second.

This book will definitely take anyone who has had or has attended a quinceañera into a nostalgia filled adventure. Her family is fierce and as a reader felt familiar, which is always nice to read. Memories of my own quince and the long hours looking for the perfect dress came swelling up from the recesses of my brain.

Carmen’s inner thoughts are brash, impulsive, and unabashed. She’s not afraid to let the reader know exactly what she is feeling in the moment. She is full of teenage angst and jokes. The book shines brightest when Carmen talks about her memories and how she has processed her emotions. There is one particular scene where she talks about the scent of jasmine and rose that gives insight into how memory and smell are often connected.
Still-- because of the dramatic nature of the book, it felt like some of the characters and scenes within it needed more development and depth. At times, we got to see tiny glimmers of that, but those moments disappeared too soon. Carmen is presented as someone with a very distinct voice and sometimes that voice got lost in what was happening in the plot. Having more moments of quiet introspect from Carmen could have helped elevate some of the responses and actions that she took towards other characters within the novel. Doing so may have also helped strengthen the core romance of the book, as it was somewhat unclear, especially in the first third, why Carmen's feelings felt so intense.

While intriguing in premise and entertaining to read, Once Upon A Quinceañera is a mixed bag of treats, full of quince party reminiscence that is sure to send anyone down memory lane.

ONCE UPON A QUINCEAÑERA follows almost high school graduate Carmen working as a Disney princess and performer for her estranged cousin’s quinceañera during the summer in order to get her diploma. This strange situation is further complicated by the arrival of an old flame desperate to earn forgiveness.

I really enjoyed this book! I connected a lot with Carmen and her family struggles and commiserated a lot with how she was affected by her family’s negative expectations of her. Unfortunately, the beginning was slow and filled to the brim with information. I felt like there were a lot of sub plots to keep track of. However, I found the romance endearing and loved Carmen’s personal growth throughout the story. While I wish the epilogue had wrapped up the story a bit differently, I would definitely recommend this book to YA contemporary readers looking for something new

My expectations are what really ruined this book for me. I was really excited for this book and in the beginning I was enjoying it because there was so much drama set up and I was excited to see how it would all play out. But the main character is expected to forgive more than all the characters that hurt her are expected to apologize. Seriously, no one in this book knows how to apologize, including the love interest. I hate him. The book wants me to think he's a romantic, but honestly he's pushy, possessive, and manipulative. There were some enjoyable moments, but mostly this book was pretty infuriating.

I received this book as an ARC from NetGalley. This novel was a fun and light read which I read in two sittings. It reminds me of the TV series Jane the Virgin and although the situations are far-fetched, the characters are likable and filled with spark. The lessons for young adults are embedded in the humor

Scrambling to make up some credits in order to graduate, Carmen accepted an internship with Dreams Come True. Just when she thought nothing could be worse than impersonating a princess, the boy at the center of her family drama returned, AND her estranged aunt hired them to perform at her cousin's quinceañera. Would Carmen survive the summer?

This was a great combination of drama, humor, and romance. I am a huge fan of second chances, in all forms, and here, Carmen had the chance to face some of her past mistakes and make things right. First, she had to deal with being reunited with Mauro, the boy who ruined her reputation and sort of had a hand in breaking up her family. She also had to work through the pain of what happened between her, her mother, her aunt, and her cousin in addition to daddy issues. So, though there were laughs aplenty, there was also a lot of emotional exploration.

I want people to understand, that Carmen was dealing with a lot of hurt and disappointment. She often felt lost and alone, and I hope readers will be patient with her. This was a journey. She experienced setbacks and missteps, but also, a lot of growth. Carmen had been hampered by her past and struggling with her future, but over the course of the summer, she found clarity, peace, and lots of joy too.

Mauro was a wonderful surprise for me. At first, I only knew what Carmen told me about him, and I was ready to give him the heave-ho. But as with most things, there was a lot more to the story and to him. It was a pleasure getting to know Mauro better and to see him reconnect with Carmen. There was this one part, where he simply reduced me to a puddle, because it was just about the sweetest thing ever. Just thinking about it has me smiling.

Carmen's journey was not an easy one, but I rooted for her the whole way and was so proud of her progress. This book really delighted me. The romance provided swoons, the parties provided laughs, and the family provided drama. Combine that with an ending I would award 5 out of 5, and I call this a success for me.

Carmen is the black sheep of the family. She’s the underachieving, promiscuous Miami Latina stereotype. In order to get her high school diploma, she must complete an internship. Since she messed up her first internship, she must work as part of a fairy Princess themed party planning company. Her new prince partner is her ex-hookup Mauro, who is part of the reason why her quince was canceled years ago. The big party they are hired for during the summer is the quince for her estranged cousin Ariana- the other reason why Carmen’s quinceañera was canceled years ago. Carmen has to deal with a lot in the book: her families’ low expectations for her and the reasons for her families estrangement as well as her and Mauro’s new feelings for each other. Carmen has to decide whether she is going to let old grudges dictate the rest of her life or if she can believe that people can change for the better and move forward.

I received an eARC through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

As with my advanced review with Cemetery Boys, I was really looking forward to this one but was ultimately disappointed by stagnant, inconsistent characters, lackluster character development, a flimsy plot that kept shifting through three to four subplots to pad the word count, and a romance that was so incredibly stale due to not only a lack of genuine chemistry, but lousy dialogue. As with Cemetery Boys, I feel pretty bad giving a book with authentic latinx representation any less than three stars, but this was such a drag to get through. So, let’s get down to it! Minor spoilers below.

PROS

I think the best-executed subplot out of the MANY in this book were the insecurities the protagonist, Carmen had about her friendship with Waverly. As an overall high school outcast, it makes sense for her to cling to the only true friends she’s had in years while simultaneously trying to push her away because she doesn’t want to be the one who’s unexpectedly hurt or abandoned. There was genuine tension that I wish was further explored and it could’ve been if a few of the overall meaningless subplots were removed.
Another aspect I liked was Carmen’s unique hobby. She likes to create music videos of TV shows (something I like to do in my spare time as well!) and she’s incredibly passionate about videography. I also liked how her distinct summer job was a key part of the plot – acting and dancing as a Disney princess isn’t something I haven’t seen before. Usually, summer jobs in YA are relegated to an amusement park, bookstore, or fast food joint. The author thought outside the box for this one and was part of the reason I continued to read.

CONS

Infodumps: Another contemporary YA book that gives me the character’s ENTIRE backstory in the first fifteen pages. That takes the entire mystery out of who Carmen is and who she wants to be. The massive infodump in the beginning took away from what could’ve been a dynamic first chapter. It also spoiled any tension between Carmen and her primary love interest, Mauro. There are plenty of infodumps about Carmen’s history throughout the book and it would always distract from whatever plot the author decided to work on at that point.

Subplots: This book is less of “one major plot with subplots” and more of “one subplot that’s slightly more important than the other eight crammed into this book.” Like, yes, the overall plot is Carmen having to deal with being a part of her estranged cousin’s quinceanera but it really never seems to take precedence over anything else. It never feels like the focal point. The author pulls Carmen in twenty different directions all at once and that leads to unfulfilling conclusions and unnecessary filler.

Romance: One of the subplots that could have been thrown out was Carmen’s initial attraction to a boy named Alex. It didn’t lead anywhere or do anything for the plot besides cause unnecessary drama towards the end of the book. Then we got Carmen’s primary love interest, Mauro. It’s incredibly obvious he’s still in-love with Carmen from the get-go, which makes Carmen’s obliviousness and “why does he look at me like that” so terribly annoying half the time. And because their history is revealed to the reader within the first twenty-five pages, there’s no real tension between the two or any sort of chemistry other than “my not-ex is constantly in my life now and I don’t know how I feel about that.” Mauro’s grand gesture towards the end was cute though.

Protagonist: Carmen lacks any real driving motivation. While it’s fine for a main character to not know what they want, Carmen just does whatever feels “right” in the moment. You never get a sense of how she really feels about anything except for her estranged family and even that is unraveled by the middle of the book. Someone could claim her driving motivation is receiving her high school diploma, but that falls flat when she hardly mentions it throughout the course of the novel. While I believe teens can find Carmen relatable as she floats in-and-out of life, I don’t think her indecisiveness and inconsistency make for compelling storytelling, particularly when that inconsistency isn’t treated as a flaw.

Characters: My GOD. The characters are so inconsistent in this book!! Especially Carmen’s mother. One second, she’s telling her daughter to go after Mauro and to believe in second chances and in the next she demands how dare she fall for a boy that’s gonna leave her high and dry once the summer is over. Maddening!! I also couldn’t care about the vast majority of the characters – almost all of them lacked personalities, the two exceptions being Waverly and Ariana (though I have my gripes with her as well).

Dialogue: It was crap. Though I did appreciate the Spanish throughout!

And there you have it! Let us all pray that the next eARC I read isn't two stars or I'm definitely going to feel a bit cursed...

This is a wonderful story of family. Family history and generational weight. I really connected to the family drama and love that comes out during quinceañeras. I never had one but I have been around enough of them to k now how tensions rise when it is time to organize a large group of people and money to put one on. I also really loved Carmen. I identified with her stubbornness and need to protect herself. As a result all her decisions made sense to me. This book was a walk down memory lane for me and was told beautifully.

Thank you to HarperTeen (via NetGalley) for the ARC!

Content warnings: mentions of sexual harassment by an employer; underage drinking; mentions of drug abuse

I sat down and started reading this book late yesterday morning, and had finished it before I went to bed last night. I’m not usually someone who finishes books in less than a day, but ONCE UPON A QUINCEAÑERA had me hooked from the beginning!

Carmen Aguilar is stuck performing as Belle the summer after her unfinished senior year, and it’s the only way she can graduate. She didn’t finish a project required to get her diploma (because of an honestly shitty situation that wasn’t her fault, and is the one thing I didn’t like about the book: Carmen’s boss for her first internship sexually harasses her, so she quits. But her advisors for the project put all the blame on her for an incomplete project, making her start over at another internship entirely. There is no consequence for the boss from her first internship, and she is punished for his behavior, which becomes the impetus for the entire plot of the book. So, not a great beginning, but I do love the rest of the story). So she’s spending her summer dressed in an uncomfortable, sweaty princess gown (in the humid Miami heat, no less), working birthday parties for little girls. It’s just Carmen’s luck when her sort-of ex, Mauro, shows up as the new Beast to Carmen’s Belle. Then, to make matters even worse, Carmen’s boss Simone informs the group that they will be performing at the quinceañera of Carmen’s estranged cousin, Ariana.

I really enjoyed Carmen’s character because she is truly what so many teenagers are: flawed. Carmen has had her share of relationship mishaps and family issues, but at the beginning of the book, she sees herself as the victim in most of these situations. Carmen sees how she has been wronged and how people have mistreated her, but she doesn’t quite see how maybe she was wrong as well. I think Gomez-Hira captures that particular teenage feeling really well because when you are a teenager, it’s sometimes hard to be introspective and aware of how your actions affect other people. It’s a time of learning about yourself, so you are naturally very focused on yourself, which can lead to being very unaware of how your own actions affect others. Heck, this even happens to adults. You get so wrapped up in seeing yourself as the victim that it’s hard to see you may have had some part in the victimizing.

I think Carmen shows incredible growth throughout this book. She learns about herself and what she wants for her future; she learns about what she wants in a relationship; and she learns how to grow from mistakes she has made with her family. And serious character growth aside, this book is so much fun! The side characters are well-fleshed out, and have vibrant personalities that jump off the page. Carmen often describes scenes in her life as straight out of a telenovela, and they do seem that way, which just adds to the drama and fun of the story. The plot is fast-paced and exciting, which is why I sped through it so quickly, and the romance is *chef’s kiss.* I’m usually not a fan of second chance romance at all, but I really liked it in this case. Mauro was a sweetie, and I thought the way their relationship was handled was done really well: they both made mistakes in the past, but in the time they were apart, both Carmen and Mauro had matured and were able to grow from those experiences.

Carmen’s relationship with her cousin Ariana was also a really interesting part of this story, in my opinion. Throughout the book, it was very fraught. They start the story not on speaking terms because of a blowout at what was supposed to be Carmen’s own quinceañera three years prior. They go back and forth throughout the book making up and fighting again because once, they were as close as sisters. The relationship between their mothers, who are sisters, complicates the situation even more. I thought the way that this particular relationship was portrayed was fascinating because it’s not neat and tidy, even by the end of the book. It’s not magically fixed because they decide to make up and it’s something that both girls know they will have to work on in the future.

So if you’ve made it this far in my review, I definitely recommend reading this book! It’s a fantastic debut, and a great pick-me-up if you’re in a bit of a blah mood (which I was when I started reading). It releases March 2nd, so be on the look-out for it, or better yet, pre-order it!

I have one gripe, which is not about the book at all, but about the blurb (which I know the author doesn’t write): It is described as Jenny Han (which I get) meets Jane the Virgin (which, ?????). There is absolutely NOTHING about this book that would make me think of Jane the Virgin, so I think that is a lazy comp. The only similarities are that the MC is Latina and that it’s set in Miami. And okay she mentions telenovelas. But otherwise…??? Carmen is not a writer, she is not accidentally impregnated, she isn’t even an adult, she doesn’t have a soap star father, like… I feel like this blurb was written by a white person who doesn’t know any other media starring Latinas so just randomly picked JtV because it’s also set in Miami. I could be wrong, but either way I think that was an odd choice of comparison for this book.

I loved everything about this book. The writing was amazing and the story itself was great but Carmen is just everything that I was at that age and I really enjoyed that. I need more from Monica Gomez-Hira. She is great. I also need this optioned for a Netflix original film.

As someone who grew up with the tradition of Quinceañeras, I was excited to see my culture represented. Obviously, I HAD to read Once Upon A Quinceañera. Monica Gomez-Hira did a really good job at portraying that awkward space between being a child and becoming a woman.

Unfortunately, our dear protagonist made some bad choices. But can you really blame her while she is in an age filled with inexperience and uncertainty?

A character that really grew on me was Mauro. I
He is a little awkward but sweet. I would compare this book to a blooming Marigold- sweet, brright, beautiful.

I recommend reading this!

I have been lucky enough to have been invited to a few of my students quinceañeras and they are amazing. There is so much glamor and tradition rolled into one event, and don’t even get me started on the food! Carmen has made some bad choices in her young life and her option on love is that it doesn’t truly exist. On the outs with half of her family and trying to make a new love connection work she is not ready doe what this summer will bring her. A funny, romantic touching book about rebuilding bridges, allowing people to grow and change and finding out who you really are. A great read!

This book didn't grab me and leave me wanting more, it had a slow start and was hard for me to get into. That being said, I'm excited for this book to be on the shelves of my store. The plot might not be my cup of tea, it'd be better for fans of Jenny Han or The Kissing Booth, but own voice diverse books are important to have.

Summary

Carmen Aguilar lost her chance at her own quinceañera three years before and in the process, lost the trust of Mauro Reyes, the boy she’d been romantically involved with, her younger cousin Ariana Garces and her Tía Celia. Fast forward to present day, the summer after high school, and everything is the exact opposite of everything she’d imagined. Never in a million years would she have imagined that a last chance effort to officially earn her diploma would mean working as a children’s birthday party performer, or that she’d be hired to work at her estranged cousin’s quinceañera party. She definitely didn’t imagine that her dance partner for the summer would be the guy that broke her heart three summers back. Now that she’s faced with having to be reunited with all three of them in order to achieve what she’s looking for; it feels like a cruel cosmic joke. Will she able to make it work without losing control or will she learn to move past old haunts?

My Takes

The book combines coming-of-age, romantic comedy, second chance tropes with impressive character development and honors Latinx traditions.

Carmen is a complex character, which is rare for teenage protagonists in the contemporary genre. She’s easy to sympathize with, but at the same time, difficult to side with for a good portion of the book because she’s so scarred by her past. Having to face such an intricately woven list of betrayals and abandonments head-on on a daily basis, especially at the age of eighteen, would drive anyone to this point. Her growth throughout the book was satisfying to read.

I think what I appreciated most about the book was how real the culture surrounding quinceañeras is portrayed. Yes, it is as hectic and elaborate and wonderful as it is in this book and I loved remembering my friends’s parties from a decade ago. I grew up going to quinceañeras and being part of “la corte,” or the birthday girl’s entourage, in a few of them. But much like Carmen, I did not have one (for the record, this was my own choice and I still stand by it). However, in the way that this book is written, watching Carmen yearn for her own missed opportunity made me yearn along with her. I wanted it for her, I wanted her to wear the crown and the gown, but I also wanted, more than anything, for her to let go and make amends with her family, specifically her cousin Ariana.

There’s a clever metaphor about Carmen’s character development that is seen throughout the book that I particularly enjoyed and it’s through the use of hers and Mauro’s matching Beauty and the Beast costumes. Without spoiling much, the lyric “barely even friends then somebody bends unexpectedly” from the film’s soundtrack sums Carmen and Mauro up pretty well. The best part about their relationship is that they’ve already seen the worst in each other and they’re aware of it, so they continuously push each other to do better. A surprisingly mature and honest relationship for their ages; one that I love now, and I know I would’ve still adored if this book had come out when I was fifteen.

I’ll leave it at that so you can go check out how this book ends for yourself!

Overall: Monica Gomez-Hira wrote a fantastic debut novel that made me feel the same way pan sobao and café on a nice afternoon or the first season of Jane the Virgin makes me feel: like I was remembering people I hadn’t spoken to in a while and places I hadn’t been in a minute. Add this one to your TBR lists, you won’t regret it.

I loved how unique the premise of this (working at Disney princesses for parties in Florida) was, and I appreciated the character development and Latinx representation as well. However, I did feel like the main character wasn't always held accountable for her behavior (like calling the cops(!!) in the past on someone's underaged party), and thus I didn't love being immersed in her point-of-view as much as I might have otherwise.

DNF. I couldn't get into the writing style or the reason why our protagonist had to do this job. It seemed very clunky. Maybe I'll feel differently upon the book's release and reread it. I loved the representation and romantic tension, though!

Carmen Aguilar is upset because she has to spend her summer doing an unpaid internship where she has to get all dressed up in the Miami heat and perform for her cousin's quinceanera. What's more, her dance partner is her ex, someone who she never wanted to have to see or interact with again after their breakup. In order to find her "happily ever after," she has to learn to leave the past in the past.