This was a nice blend Mexican culture and charm. Who knew getting a C in Spanish would be life changing?! Lola is typically a straight A student, except this one time where she gets a C and grandpa came to her rescue. What better way to learn Spanish than to be sent to your relatives in Mexico City?

As colorful and vibrant as the cover is, so is the story and the imagery. Experiencing Lola’s growth through this story was amazing and fulfilling. I did expect a little more romance, and the curse threw me a bit. However, I loved that some of the book features the Spanish dialogue, which is a beautiful language.

The dynamics between Lola and her family was beautiful and fun. I do wish the book wasn’t so heavy on the curse (even though it threw me, I enjoyed it), I think I would have rather it focused a little more on her family connection and Lola’s coming-of-age story… maybe even a little more romance. LOL.

Overall, this was a charming debut that came to life for me.

Viva Lola Espinoza is a fun summer read, you will: travel to México, practice your Spanish, eat delicious food, spend time with family, meet cute boys, and find yourself.

Lola is a Mexican-American teen, a good girl, always trying to please her parents, is a good student but struggles with Spanish, even though her parents speak it at home, it’s difficult for her to understand it when she gets a C in Spanish class her parents send her to Mexico to improve her Spanish. Although the synopsis sounds like a romance story (or a love triangle) it is not, yes, there is romance, but more like a coming of age and self-discovery.

There is a bit of magic and mystery, Lola thinks she is cursed, every time a boy wants to kiss her an accident happens and when she talks to her family she discovers that it is a curse that affects the women in her family, so instead of practicing Spanish Lola wants to break the curse.

I like Lola, she is a normal teen, a little shy, and being away from her parents (and close to two attractive boys) she will be able to leave her comfort zone, and try new things. I liked touring Mexico City, the tourist and non-tourist places, she is looking for how to break the curse when in reality she should be looking for herself. I enjoy the time Lola spends with her family and with one of the boys, she will learn things about herself, experiment and make new friends.

Overall is a great debut, the idea of the curse I found it original and I liked the places they visited, (The Island of Dolls is so creepy), I think the curse fits perfectly with Mexican folklore, but I would have liked a little less of it and more of a coming of age of self-discovery, family or romance without the mystery and curses, or I don't know, another way to integrate all the elements.

Read it if:
Want to spend the summer in México
Read a coming-of-age story
Enjoy stories like The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants or Love & Gelato

Thanks for the early copy book Penguin Teen and Colored Pages Blog tours

My Rating: 4.5 stars

“Lots of things happen to lots of families. Why not curses?”

Viva Lola Espinoza follows a young woman by the name of Lola whose father is sending her to Mexico for the summer to be with family so she can raise her grade in Spanish up from a C to a higher one. The problem is that for Lola Spanish does not come easy at all, in fact, it's the one area of her life that has never made sense to her when it came to school. So getting shipped off for the summer to be with family that she barely even knows to learn a language she doesn't understand isn't exactly how she wants to spend her summer. But once there she tries to make the most of it and helps out at the family restaurant and learns secrets that she didn't know about her family before.

“I didn’t know where to start. This was the only idea I had. And I always know. That’s my thing at school. Lola Espinoza’s got the answer. Let the teacher call on her. It’s weird that I don’t know now.”

Overall I loved this book. Lola grows so much as a person and we see her come out of her shell and actually figure out some of what she wants. Instead of just being the good girl that everyone expects her to be she is having fun, and exploring all while learning Spanish and spending time with her family. Javi was a character that I wasn't sure if I would like or not at first, but he grew on me and I loved how passionate he was about history. Javi and Lola worked really well together and helped each other grow and really see things from a different point of view. For Javi that meant being questioned on why he didn't study more of what he loved instead of just listening to his father, and for Lola it meant learning Spanish and living a little instead of just being so obsessed with grades. Lola's family was chaotic but lovely in Mexico and I loved seeing the dynamic between all of her aunts and uncles compared to her mom. The curse itself was interesting and shows how when we put power or belief in something then we start to think it is real.

I highly recommend this book as it is a nice coming-of-age summer read. There is quite a bit of the Spanish language in this book as that is the whole point of Lola going to Mexico for the summer. I ended up surprising myself a little bit with how much I remembered from undergrad as Spanish did not come easy to me.


“If you’re going to run to every corner of la ciudad to talk spirits into taking pity on you, why not make it easier and bring you to them?” he added. “If they curse you more, they curse us both, so at least you won’t be lonely.”
Read a finished copy that I received from the publisher as part of a blog tour.

The review will be posted on my blog sometime in May.

This book simply did not disappoint. The character growth, the struggle with being bilingual(extremely relatable), everything was perfect. The book was so fun and enjoyable. I only had one problem with this book. The Spanish phrases weren't provided with an English translation, so I felt like I was missing some moments of the book.

Overall, great book and I can’t wait to see what’s next.

DNF @ 13%

This book feels very familiar. I’ve read extremely similar storylines and can already tell exactly how it’s going to play out.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an e-arc copy.

When Lola gets to spend a summer in her mom's home town in Mexico (for disciplinary reasons) it becomes an adventure she soon will not forget. It started as a trip she did not want to take, she doesn't know enough Spanish, she doesn't want to leave her friends.. when she arrives in Mexico City she learns more about her family than she could've ever expected.
This novel felt like home to me. The family drama, (la abuela dramatica, we all have one), her hardworking mother who left everything for a better life (and the love of her life) to live in the United States (this is literally my mom and dad), and the summer romance that took us to unexpected places.
I loved reading about Lola and her journey, I also wanted to be there, present in the market, en las calles de la ciudad. I was born in Mexico, and like many Dreamers, I haven't been able to go back to my home country to visit, and this kind of novel, makes me feel right at home, missing a place I never knew.
Extra points for the Bad Bunny mention. ♥️

Thank you to Penguin Teen for the arc. All opinions are my own.

Viva Lola Espinoza is a YA, slice of life, book in which we follow Lola being sent to stay with her family in Mexico for a summer after doing poorly in her high school Spanish class.

Overall, I felt this book was a solid read and appreciated the light it shines on being Mexican-American and feeling disconnected with your culture and heritage.

I liked how many sentences and phrases throughout the book were in Spanish with no translation because that is usually not done in most books.

I wish the book centered around Lola’s struggle with her culture, instead of having so many subplots like the romances and the curse. It dragged the book on too long and kept pulling me out of the story. I wanted more focus on developing one aspect of the book and felt the development was spread to thin, leaving less strong subplots all throughout the book.

Very happy to see more and more books being published with Mexican main characters. I wish younger me had had something like this to read.

This was a hard read for me.

I really wanted to like it and I did at first. I could relate with a lot of the things Lola was going through but the writing made it super hard to like the story.

I was born and raised (until 10 years old) in Mexico and although I’ve been in the US for majority of my life, it’s very hard to forget the way Spanish is talked, how people interact, and such things. The Spanish that is taught in our schools is not the same that is spoken in Mexico. Much less, the different dialects one comes across throughout Mexico. I found that a lot of the Spanish felt like they were using google translate to look up slang. Very stiff. Awkward. Cringey.

The other element of the book was Lola finding out about the “family curse” (which is totally misleading) and trying to find a way to break it. That journey was very choppy and all over the place. How is a girl who got a C in Spanish expected to read up on folklore in SPANISH and know what it means?

This is a hard pass for me.

2.5 rounded up
I really wanted to like this and I think it could have been so good if it had just focused on Lola going to visit her family in Mexico over the summer and learning how to be both Mexican and American when she doesn't feel completely either, especially with a splash of colonizer vs native dichotomy. But it ended up being a bit of a mess with an out of nowhere "family love curse".

The most infuriating part for me was how horrible all of Lola's family and friends are to her in passive aggressive ways. Her parents speak to her at home in English and yet are absolutely irate that she gets a C in Spanish. They think that her Spanish is just sooo horrible that they have to ship her off to Mexico for the summer. (Maybe speak only Spanish at home then). So she already feels not Mexican enough and a let down to her parents. Then her family in Mexico mostly talk to her in English and constantly call her "American" or "gringa" which continues to make her feel not Mexican enough. Then her new friend is just absolutely insulted that she doesn't believe in an old Aztec belief and doesn't know much about Mexican history or native Mexican heritage. Again, how would she know that when she didn't grow up in Mexico and her parents didn't teach her these things??

This poor girl, seriously. Everyone around her makes her feel like a disappointment and like she's not Mexican enough but not in a way that's somehow redeeming or pays off in the end of the book. It's mostly that there's this poor excuse of a "family curse" and she meets some cute boys in Mexico city over the summer while never actually learning more Spanish because everyone speaks English anyway.

Thanks to penguin teen for a free copy in exchange for an honest review

I loved this story of wonder and magic, the slow realization of where Lola’s loyalties were, and the adventures. I thought this book was so thoughtful and detailed in its descriptions of Mexico. I could see everything so clearly I really enjoyed this beautiful work!

I received an Advance Reader Copy from the publisher. This in no way impacted on my view.

After scoring a C on her Spanish final, Lola Espinoza finds herself sent to Mexico City for the summer to learn Spanish, and discover more about her family. Initially thinking it a punishment, Lola soon realises that the Gomez family is more than it appears on the outside, and she has more in common with her aunts, uncles, and cousins that she ever thought. However, it’s not all good news. The family is cursed, and Lola isn’t immune just because she was raised in America.

Well this book just blew me away. I wasn’t overly sure what to expect, what with it being a contemporary with fantasy aspects, but I found myself not wanting to put the book down at all. Lola was a character I could relate to. She only really focused on her school work, and pleasing her parents, with the goal of getting into a good college. She had missed out on a lot of ‘normal’ high school experiences, but while in Mexico City, she found that there was more to life than just school, and has fun for the the first time in forever. The curse aspect was woven into the plot line seamlessly, and rather than being something that was conflicting to the story, it added to it. I didn’t really like the love triangle aspect, but I had an idea on which of the love interests was for Lola, and am glad to say I backed the right guy. My favourite part of the book, though, was how Spanish and English was written side by side. It really helped with the flow of the book, and made the reader appreciate Lola and her family that little bit more. A great book to read this Spring!

VIVA LOLA ESPINOZA is a summer YA following Lola as she is sent to Mexico City to live with her extended family for the summer to learn Spanish and more about her culture. Along the way, she gets a job at the family restaurant, gets involved in a bit of a love triangle, and may even get caught up in a family curse. This was cute, but I didn't fall in love with the story. The romances she had didn't feel very meaningful or romantic to me; they were more flings than anything. I also thought the curse element was not necessary since it didn't do much for the story and didn't seem very fleshed out; this isn't a magical-realism book by any means. I enjoyed that Lola was primarily on a mission to improve herself and bond with her family, and that her family played such a big part in her summer. I also really loved seeing her learn Spanish and more about Mexico City. There was a discussion about Lola being Mexican-American and not feeling like she fit in in either the US or Mexico, which was interesting to read about, too. The book was longer than I think the story warranted, but it was a pretty good story overall.

Lola Espinoza spends her summer in Mexico City, where she meets two very cute boys, and navigates her culture. She uncover a family secret, where she thought she was cursed but in fact magic is very real.

A story on family and self discovery, with a little romance thrown in and here you’ve got a story. It’s a summer filled with family, food, magic… and boys! I loved the self discovery of Lola’s history and family.. again a huge part of what the book focuses on.

For a debut book, I really enjoyed the plot and characters. And a look into another culture from my own.

📖 ARC REVIEW 📖

Thank you @penguinteen for an early copy of Viva Lola Espinoza by @ellaceron. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. 🤍

Viva Lola Espinoza is a coming-of-age story about Lola, who was sent to Mexico to spend her summer with her grandmother for the summer by her father when they found out at the end of her junior year that she got a C in her Spanish class, and she can’t come back home to California until she learns how to speak and read Spanish fluently. She got to spend time with all of her family from her mother’s side in Mexico, along with meeting handsome and flirtatious Rio, and discovers that she and every female in her family are cursed in love. If she wants to fall in love without suffering the consequences, she needs to break the curse, and with the help of Javi, who’s willing to help Lola look into the curse, and with her Spanish as well. Over the summer, Lola explores Mexico City while learning about herself, and her heritage.

While there was a lot of Spanish dialogue in this book (I really suggest reading this on a Kindle as the translation feature is such a big help!), this was such a fun and charming read! I really enjoyed how Lola was able to come out of her comfort zone and live her life during her stay in Mexico. She has always been the overthinker, the one who doesn’t want to be a burden to her family, and always stuck up on her grades and achievements. It was fun to see her live and act her age, enjoying the company of her family and newfound friends in Mexico.

While I enjoyed all of those, I found that her search to break the family’s curse was quite underwhelming, but I did enjoy all her moments with Javi during their search. Don’t be too fooled though, this novel isn’t really a romance novel as the blurb suggests. There are just tid bits of romantic moments in the story, but pick this one up if you enjoy a heartwarming coming-of-age novel!

Rating this ⭐⭐⭐.5/5. Releases April 11th, 2023!

I absolutely adored this story! Dare I say that it's my favorite young adult novel this year?

Young Dani would have adored this sweet little novel. There is so much to treasure about this from learning about the Mexican culture, understanding the importance of family and discovering one's path in life.

It made my heart soar.

High school is a hard place to navigate. Having a social life, getting good grades, appeasing your tough parents and planning for college. It can be overwhelming.

Lola seemed to struggle with it all except for getting good grades until her report card comes. She gets a C in Spanish and her world is turned upside down. Lola is frazzled. All she knows is how to study and achieve her parents goals of earning A's. She is convinced that she is going to experience the wrath of her parents.

Yet, her father grants her a blessing in disguise.

Lola is sent to spend the summer in Mexico City with her extended family to learn Spanish.

Her "punishment" teaches her more than the language of her heritage.

I love love loved the journey that I took with Lola. It warmed my heart just being able to get to grow and learn with her. She not only discovered her deep rooted love for her family in Mexico City but she fell in love with herself. Her arc was extremely delightful.

Seeing her become confident and bold brought me endless joy.

The messages the story conveys to the reader hit so hard. The focus on family was truly what put me right in the feels. It was beautiful to follow Lola discovering the importance of her grandmas, aunts, uncles and cousins in her life. You could truly see the growth of her love become so big by the end of the novel and it was so sweet. The ending made my eyes well with tears and give my momma the warmest hug.

Cerón mixed in Spanish throughout Lola's story and I loved it. It made reading so entertaining. I was addicted to getting to each phase and brushing the cobwebs from my noggin. I felt the Spanish that I had learned earlier in my life flooding back to me. It was AWESOME!

I am now immediately going to start planning a trip to Mexico City. This story made me want to brush up on the Spanish I learned in high school and travel to this beautiful city. The setting sounded vibrant and alluring. The food, the people, the architecture, the warmth. It all drew me in.

Thank you Penguin Teen and Elle Cerón for the advance copy of this book! "Viva Lola Espinoza" comes out April 11th! Be sure to support queen Elle by not only pre-ordering this but by following her on all social media platforms!

I loved the story, the world building and meeting the different characters. I felt completely immersed in the story and couldn't stop reading it.

There was so much to love. The rep, the Spanish, finding herself. I did feel a bit led on, thinking this was more of a romance. Publicity was a tad confusing and agreed my expectations going in.

This was a very vibrant and charming book! I enjoyed following Lola discover the depths of her culture and family in Mexico. One small detail that I loved about the novel is how so much of the dialogue was in Spanish without direct translations. Lola felt so relatable as the eldest daughter of immigrant parents and her thoughts about upholding her parents wishes while trying to connect with her Mexican heritage felt incredibly accurate.

Where this book falls short for me is probably the romance. I found the official blurb of the book a little misleading as it seemed the book would be a romance, but the book barely ended with a HEA, which is a genre-defining trait for romance. I also was able to predict the true personality of one of the love interests in the book early on in the novel quite easily, so the "reveal" was not very surprising.

Overall, I think fans of YA Latinx coming-of-age stories will definitely enjoy Viva Lola Espinoza!

This one was almost overwhelmingly okay. There were scenes that could have been impactful but were grounded by generic language and descriptions that made me think much more than feel. Also Lola was a bit...wet cardboardish.

3 stars.

Comparing this book to BOOKSMART is super accurate in the sense that Viva Lola Espinoza is all about realizing that life is more than studying and working hard. That it is also about having fun, finding yourself, and letting go even for just a little bit.

As someone who is familiar with the identity issues addressed in the book, I could relate to how Lola felt in Mexico and also at home. While it doesn't feel like it, there is no wrong or right way to be Mexican-American or Latine. It looks different for each of us. Speaking Spanish isn't the sole definition of Latine-ity, but too often things like that FEEL like they are what defines Latine-ity.

And while there was a lot I appreciated and enjoyed about this book, I wanted more out of it. I wished for more scenes with Lola letting go and having fun. More scenes with boys. More scenes of just random teenage adventures. I also wanted to see less focus on the curse. For whatever reason, that aspect of the novel was harder for me to connect with.

Besides those issues, the only other issue I had with Viva Lola Espinoza was the switching back and forth between given names and, like, nicknames. Mami is also Letty. Buela is also Rosa. Maybe it's just me but it seemed odd and I personally didn't care for that style.

All in all, Viva Lola Espinoza was a good book that made me feel seen. And I think a lot of readers will feel the same way. I simply wished there was a bit more of Lola's journey of self-discovery and perhaps less focus on the curse.