Hi Everyone!
Just stopping by quick with a review of The Cat King of Havana. I was fortunate enough to be chosen for this book tour and I am happy to share my thoughts on the book with you:
Author:
My Review:
This is a cute story about Rick, who is known for making cat videos. When Rick decides to take on salsa dancing as a new hobby, his world changes around him. He is part Cuban, but has never known that part of his heritage. When he gets a chance to go to Cuba and learn to dance everything changes.
I enjoyed this book because of the culture. I love learning about new places and this book exposed me to a place I know very little about. I enjoyed the romance in the plot line, but also how much self-discovery Rick went through.
Of course it makes sense that there have been politics that have impacted his family, but that was the part that I wish I would have understood better. I am not sure if it is my own non-familiarity (likely) or if it was something more I would have liked to see from the author. In any case, I think adding the element to the story helped to create a depth to Rick's character and I appreciated that very much.
If you enjoy salsa dancing, learning about new cultures, or just a fun read this would be the book for you.
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ABOUT THE CAT KING OF HAVANA:
Rick
Gutierrez is . . . the Cat King of Havana! A cat-video tycoon turned
salsa-dancer extraordinaire, he’ll take Cuba by storm, romance the girl
of his dreams, and ignite a lolcat revolution!At least that’s the plan.
It all starts when his girlfriend dumps Rick on his sixteenth birthday for uploading cat videos from his bedroom when he should be out experiencing the real world. Known as “That Cat Guy” at school, Rick isn’t cool and he knows it. He realizes it’s time for a change.
Rick decides joining a salsa class is the answer . . . because of a girl, of course. Ana Cabrera is smart, friendly, and smooth on the dance floor. Rick might be half-Cuban, but he dances like a drunk hippo. Desperate to impress Ana, he invites her to spend the summer in Havana. The official reason: learning to dance. The hidden agenda: romance under the palm trees.
Except Cuba isn’t all sun, salsa, and music. There’s a darker side to the island. As Rick and Ana meet his family and investigate the reason why his mother left Cuba decades ago, they learn that politics isn’t just something that happens to other people. And when they find romance, it’s got sharp edges.
LINKS: Amazon | B&N | Indiebound | iBooks
ABOUT TOM CROSSHILL:
Tom
Crosshill's fiction has been nominated for the Nebula Award (thrice) as
well as the Latvian Annual Literature Award. His stories have appeared
in venues such as Clarkesworld, Beneath Ceaseless Skies and Lightspeed.
In 2009, he won the Writers of the Future contest. After some years
spent in Oregon and New York, he currently lives in his native Latvia.
In the past, he has operated a nuclear reactor, translated books and
worked in a zinc mine, among other things. Tom's young adult novel "The Cat King of Havana" is forthcoming from Katherine Tegen Books (HarperCollins) in 2016.
Tour Schedule:
Week 1:
8/30: Rebelle Reads - Review
Week 2:
Giveaway:
3 Finished Copies of THE CAT KING OF HAVANA (US Only)
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Happy Reading!
I love reading books set in cultures that aren't mine because, assuming the author has stayed true, i learn so much about the world. I don't get to travel much and books are great ways to see the world.
ReplyDeleteAgreed! I love traveling to places I have never been before through books :)
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