Welcome to Litsy!

The cover is gorgeous, the story was compelling. As usual, since it was almost a year ago, the details are fuzzy but this was my best book in #February2023 for the #12BooksofChristmas. @Andrew65

Cleeton is one of the masters of historical fiction and strong female protagonists and this book is a great addition to her repertoire! A story about the fight for Cuba‘s independence along with the fight for journalistic supremacy in New York at the time… this book hooked me and wouldn‘t let go! Absolutely incredible!

I enjoyed this book about Cuba‘s struggle for independence from Spain told from the prospective of 3 different woman. My only criticism is there was jumping around on the timeline that took me out of the story a couple of times. #TitlesandTunes I LOVE the Island Vibe playlist! My 31/52 book for #52books #SetduringawarnotWWIorII

@Cinfhen @BarbaraBB @Librarybelle @rmaclean4 @Read4life @ravenlee @LaraReads @triplem80 @AshleyHoss820 @jenniferw88

#TitlesandTunes

I will be visiting Cuba in May someplace I‘d love to go IRL. I don‘t think my tune is a match for my book necessarily but it is my current favorite island vibey song.

Looking forward to seeing everyone‘s picks.

It's not my favorite from this author but a solid 3.5. A story of 3 women, 2 in Cuba and 1 in the US, and how their paths cross during Cuba's fight for independence from Spain. Having little knowledge of this conflict and the Spanish American war, i felt it was just enough history to educate me and enough story to push it along keep me entertained.

Set in late 1800‘s #Cuba & NYC we‘re introduced to famous faces from the past; William Randolph Hearst & Joseph Pulitzer, who are waged in a battle for being the supreme news source. Each believe the ongoing war in Cuba will be the story that catapults the US into the conflict. When Hearst discovers Evangelina Cisneros a beautiful revolutionary has been #WrongfullyIncarcerated he sets about freeing her. Based on true events - #PromptBonanza

I enjoyed this one. Told from 3 viewpoints, it details Cuba‘s fight for independence from Spain and the battle between newspaper men Hearst and Pulitzer while focusing on 3 women who are fighting for what they believe in.

This is my #bookspin for August @TheAromaofBooks

Finished up the last of the books I started on vacation! I really enjoyed this one, a historical fiction piece about Cuba's war for independence and the battle at home journalistic dominance between Pulitzer and Hearst. Lots of strong women fighting for their beliefs.

The tagged is my August #bookspin and Cloud Cuckoo Land is my #doublespin!

@TheAromaofBooks

I really enjoyed this (even if it did take me three months to read), and I learned a lot about a moment in history that I knew embarrassingly little about. This was my first book by Chanel Cleeton, but it definitely won‘t be my last.

“I am surrounded by forgotten women.”

I swear I didn‘t do this on purpose…but, damn if that isn‘t timely.
😔
#FirstLineFridays

This book does what all great historical fiction does-brings a time, place, and group of (mostly) real people to life. I knew almost nothing about the Cuban revolution in the 1890s and Cleeton deftly set the stage and made me care about characters with 3 distinct points of view which, together, tells the whole story. #audio #BookspinBingo @TheAromaofBooks

#currentread while I relax after a walk and swim today! #BFC2022 Gotta move before it gets too hot!

My belated #foodandlit #cuba read. I loved this book- told from three viewpoints, in a time and place I know very little Cuba and the fight for Freedom from Spain, and simultaneously about one of my favorite times and places- historical NYC. I loved the characters and the writing and am so glad I read it.

For my #doublespin book and for my #travelthroughbooks challenge I read this one. I have to tell you I‘m a firm believer in everything happens for a reason. This title has been on my shelf for just about a year. It‘s a perfect time now with what‘s going on here in the states to read a story about three strong and amazing women taking a stand and making a difference. #bookspin #mayreadinglist @TheAromaofBooks

4/5 ⭐️ I enjoyed the rich history poured into this story. Grace's storyline was my favorite of the 3 women. I'll definitely read more from the author!

Any favorite characters? Favorite moments?

#FoodandLit Buddy Read

I wish this looked as good as it tasted. Sheet pan Cuban Chicken (so much oregano and citrus 🍊🍊🍊). And an avocado and orange salsa (I‘ll never NOT put orange in my guacamole again).
I really enjoyed learning about Cuba‘s history this month for #FoodAndLit.

My Procrastination Manager (she was promoted from Procrastination Assistant to a supervisory role during WFH) just notified me that we would be doing no more laundry today. Instead, we will prioritize reading, along with her extremely time-sensitive Cuddle Initiative©.

3.5/5⭐
An eye opening account of the war for Cuban independence, US journalism wars, and a woman's reality in the late 1800s
LIKES
🔸I learned a lot about Cuba's fight for freedom, the US's involvement, and the newspaper giants and early female journalists.
🔸It's well written/puts you in characters' shoes
🔸Well researched
DISLIKES
🔹A bit convoluted with 3 dif perspectives
🔹Too much going on
🔹The romances seemed out of place
MORE 👇

Finally started this yesterday evening, and I‘m already 150 pages in. It‘s so good! I made a Cuban Sandwich for #FoodAndLit #Cuba, but I was shorter on pickles than I would have liked. 😭 (My 2015 Elvis Andrus Garden Gnome seems to approve, though).
Now I think I‘ll go watch Chef, which just happens to be my favorite movie about Cuban Sandwiches.

I will definitely read more Cleeton. I learned so much about Cuba and it's relationship with US. I never knew of Hearst's obsession with Cuba. I hope that he wasn't such a warmonger as Cleeton portrays him, but I know news was his business and he would probably do anything for his success. I even liked how all three main characters fought for Cuba and had a "happy" ending. #FoodandLit @Catsandbooks good choice Leila!!! @Texreader

I loved this book because 1) I learned an immense amount about Cuba‘s history, 2) the depiction of multiple strong women, & 3) the war battled between newspaper magnates, because I‘m still a newspaper junkie from my youngest days. The writing sometimes ventured on the simplistic (how many times can Hearst‘s eye “gleam”?), & it was slow and confusing at first. But I still loved it. It fits multiple genres: historical fiction of course, but also ⬇️

I know far too little about #Cuba and I‘m so glad it is our #foodandlit country this month. I just finished this book, so a review is coming but I am so overwhelmed by how little I knew of its history, much less the Spanish-American War. I knew of it but not what it was about. I learned so much from this book, in a most fascinating (sometimes romantic, and sometimes perilous) way. @Catsandbooks @Butterfinger

Cuban Mojo Pork Roast for #FoodAndLit #Cuba. I wish I had cooked it a little different (the recipe was written for a 9lb roast, and mine was only 2.5). It doesn‘t look pretty, but it tastes pretty good (and will be great on a sandwich with ham and pickles and mustard later this week 😋).
The tagged book should be here tomorrow so I can start reading!
The beet salad isn‘t Cuban, but it goes with the pork really well.

A simple #foodandlit #cuba dish this morning...buttered Cuban bread and strong coffee!

At my previous job, I was one of the only associates not from Cuba. So on slow mornings over Cuban bread and good coffee I sat and soaked in all the amazing stories about Cuba my coworkers could share. About what their home was like, the food, the cars, the culture. As well as how they came to the US. Each story unique and wonderful. ❤️💙
⤵️More..

A bit of trivia about New York‘s history. #foodandlit #Cuba @Butterfinger @Catsandbooks

I‘ve not finished the tagged book yet but I fell down the google hole to see whether the story is true. And look what I found! The front page story from the New York Journal about how it masterminded her rescue! Source:

https://mediamythalert.com/2021/05/29/the-impressive-and-enduring-appeal-of-jour...

#foodandlit #Cuba

#foodandlit #Cuba @Catsandbooks @Butterfinger

“My new friends settle me into the Waldorf-Astoria, a grand hotel the likes of which I have never seen, the building towering some thirteen stories over the city.”

I‘m sure the author enjoyed writing this sentence. In 1897, thirteen stories towered over New York City!

#foodandlit #Cuba

Tonight for #foodandlit #cuba I made a beautiful batch of picadillo and sweet plantains!! 😋
Soooo delicious! I make this for dinner often. It's a very filling dinner.
Traditionally, picadillo has raisins in it but I always leave them out lol

Recipe used ⤵️

https://www.thespruceeats.com/cuban-picadillo-with-ground-beef-recipe-2137862?ut...

@Catsandbooks @Texreader @Butterfinger

“It isn‘t as much that I am afraid of heights as it is that I‘m unsettled by them and would prefer to keep my feet planted firmly on solid ground.”

Sure, that‘s what my problem is with heights, I‘m “unsettled.” 😂

#Cuba #foodandlit2022 @Catsandbooks @Butterfinger

I had no idea about Cuba‘s history as a colony of Spain. This is so interesting. #Cuba #foodandlit2022 @Catsandbooks @Butterfinger

This book may be uncomfortably familiar to what‘s happening in Ukraine. Cuban revolutionaries are trying to kick Spain off its island in the late 1890s. #foodandlit #Cuba

Historical fiction is so intriguing because it allows me to learn things. This book is set when Cuba was still ruled by Spain.

This from Wikipedia: “Spain maintained a penal colony on Fernando Po in present-day Equatorial Guinea.”

I also love when my challenges coincidentally collide like here #foodandlit #Cuba #readingAfrica2022 #EquatorialGuinea

I started this one tonight for #foodandlit #Cuba. It‘s also our #foodandlitbuddyread. @Butterfinger @Catsandbooks

Sorry for the small print. I‘m updating my Litsy lists starting with #foodandlit to include the newest purchases and some freebies I managed to get. My excuse: I need choices! The tagged book is up next for #Cuba along with the Crook Factory. I also added books for #Afghanistan, #France, #Japan, and #Germany since the last time I posted this list.

April is fast approaching! The #FoodandLit Buddy Read for Cuba is The Most Beautiful Girl in Cuba by Chanel Cleeton. This is a historical fiction based on the life of Evangelina Cisneros during the Cuban war of independence.

This is a casual read-at-your-own-pace buddy read. Anyone is welcome to join! Please let me know if you would like to be tagged in the check-in posts.

Visit @Catsandbooks to join in

April is fast approaching! The #FoodandLit Buddy Read for Cuba is The Most Beautiful Girl in Cuba by Chanel Cleeton. This is a historical fiction based on the life of Evangelina Cisneros during the Cuban war of independence.

This is a casual read-at-your-own-pace buddy read. Anyone is welcome to join! Please let me know if you would like to be tagged in the check-in posts.

Starting my #foodandlit #cuba book a little early!
Living in Tampa Bay, I am surrounded by Cuban culture! I am very excited to focus on immersing myself in Cuba this coming month!
The above photo is the beautiful Bayshore Boulevard
📸 CR: south_tampa_life IG
🇨🇺🌴🇨🇺🌴🇨🇺🌴🇨🇺
@Texreader @Catsandbooks @Butterfinger

I‘ve just had two bails in a row for my ebook selections so I‘m moving on to my April read for #foodandlit. Surely Ms Witherspoon can‘t be wrong and I‘ll love this ebook. I hate to jump ahead of our buddy read but dang I can‘t take any more risks on bad books at the moment. I don‘t want to accidentally step into a slump. So here goes #Cuba! @Catsandbooks @Butterfinger

My upcoming #FoodandLit Buddy Reads for the next 3 months. If you'd like to join me on any of these reads let me know!

I nabbed this ebook from my tbr on sale today. It will work for #foodandlit #Cuba this year. @Catsandbooks @Butterfinger

@catiewithac Catie, thank you so much for my #LittleChristmasSwap of goodies! I can‘t wait to read the book. Cuba is one of my favorite places to read about. All the treats look yummy and I love all the little extras you included especially the dragonfly ornament. It‘s beautiful.

Thank you, Amy, for hosting. It is a nice little boost in a gray January. @bookish_wookish

So far every book Cleeton has written I have loved and this one was no different! Grace, the newspaper reporter in gilded age New York, Evangelina a Cuban prisoner, and Marina get to tell their stories in this beautiful book set in multiple perspectives. One of my favorite parts of Cleeton's books is how she actually teaches me history of America and Cuban relations and in this one I got some newpaper history too! It was sweet, fun and emotional!

The intertwined stories of three women - two Cuban revolutionaries and one American reporter - at the end of the 19th century. Overall enjoyed, but small quibble about the American (white) girl having the most agency and a bit of a savior complex.

This book follows the lives of three very different women in the late 1800's as Cuba is attempting to free itself from Spanish rule. Grace, a young American writer looking for the next best story hears of Evangelina Cisneros an 18 year old being falsely imprisoned in Havana. Writers from the newspaper with the help of a local courier Marina break Evangelina out. I loved the factual elements used in the book.

“… against the fiery backdrop of the Spanish-American war (1895-1898) and the Cuban fight for freedom from the Spanish. Using the brave acts of real-life historical women as inspiration, The Most Beautiful Girl in Cuba shines the light on the fierce women who played a critical role in this important juncture in time -- women who are determined not to be forgotten."
— Marie Benedict, NYTimes bestselling author of The Mystery of Mrs. Christie

Another incredible historical fiction novel about Cuba from Chanel Cleeton. The story of a young reporter in NYC covering the Cuban fight for independence against the Spanish is intertwined with a woman forced into a reoconcentration camp working as a courier for the revolutionaries and a woman imprisoned in a notorious prison for the crime of saying no to a Spanish officer. Stunning and intricately woven with both fact and fiction.

Honestly who gave her the right to be this cute? Just taking a nap that adorably on my foot while I'm over here trying to read 😅

July #bookspin bingo list. Still trying to get through a rather large stack of library books that all came in at the same time. Can‘t wait to see what numbers are pulled for #bookspin and #doublespin!!