Waking Up in the Land of Glitter: A Crafty Chica Novel
Written by Kathy Cano-Murillo
Narrated by Julia Whelan
3.5/5
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Currently unavailable
Currently unavailable
About this audiobook
With glue guns, glitter, twigs, or yarn, the ordinary can become extraordinary . . . especially at La Pachanga. Owned by Estrella "Star" Esteban's family, the restaurant has a rep for two things: good food and great art. La Pachanga brings people together-even when it looks like they couldn't be further apart.
One ill-fated evening, Star jeopardizes her family's business, her relationship with her boyfriend, and her future career. To redeem herself, she agrees to participate in a national craft competition, teaming up with her best friend, Ofelia-a secretly troubled mother whose love for crafting borders on obsession; and local celebrity Chloe Chavez-a determined television personality with more than one skeleton in her professional closet. If these unlikely allies can set aside their differences, they'll find strength they never knew they had, and learn that friendship, like crafting, is truly an art form.
Kathy Cano-Murillo
Kathy Cano-Murillo has the #1 website for Latinocentric art and craft tutorials. Kathy founded a nine-member Latina art collective in 2004 called The Phoenix Fridas. She has worked with the Heard Museum in Arizona to develop programming and education about Frida, and as a speaker and tour guide.
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Reviews for Waking Up in the Land of Glitter
20 ratings7 reviews
- Rating: 1 out of 5 stars1/5When reading this book, just imagine that the three main female characters are fifteen, not in the their mid-twenties as the author states. If you do this, then their completely shallow, selfish, self-centered, egotistical, clueless, and contradictory behavior might be acceptable. I found these characters unlikable and unsympathetic. The "love" story, such as it was, was herky-jerky and uninspiring. Much of the story is told not shown and there are several segues that make no sense.
- Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5I really enjoyed this book. I laughed and I cried (thanks to Star and Theo) which doesn't happen to often. Their relationship just got to me. Ofie is my favorite character. I haven't been through anything that she has, yet I understand everything she was feeling. As for Chloe, I went from wanting to smack her, to wanting to be her friend. This book had my emotions all over the place which has made this review very hard for me to write. In the end, I would have to say that this is yet another book that I would recommed.
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5I was pleasantly surprised by this light offering, which started out a little to frothy for my taste, but then developed into a truly interesting story. I was initially interested because I love crafts, and found the idea of a craft-related novel appealing. The characters as initially introduced are typical quirky chick-lit characters whose problems are entirely of their own making. Fortunately, as the novel progresses, these women become more like characters and less like caricatures, and I found myself truly invested in their adventures. They each achieve some believeable personal growth, and I was definitely rooting for them as the big craft competition approached. This would be a great book club offering, or a wonderful spring break beach read.
- Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5This is a 3.5 star book for me. It's a book that I have a hard time being objective about-- both my positives and negatives are largely personal.This is a relatively light book, the story of a woman figuring out who she is. What I liked: The characters. This is a big one for me. While i was entertained by Star, I identified with Ofie-- her escape into crafts, her lack of skill at them, her inadequacy with the housework, her plus sized figure. I enjoyed the full cast of quirky but loving family members. The craft aspect. I like crafts, and this gave me a hook into the story. I think the only other fiction I've read featuring crafts were cozy mysteries, and I haven't encountered many of those, so that was unusual. I also liked the tension of arts vs. crafts, something I haven't seen explored in fiction before. The arc of the story. I liked that path that Star took through the book. She had a journey of self-discovery to make, and she brought a definate flair to it. The setting. I have spent my middle and high school years in Phoenix, but it was all spent in the suburbs, which are briefly described in the book. I never really saw the areas that had more personality, like those where this book happens. I think I missed out, although I doubt I would have appreciated that as a teen! The humor. I frequently found myself smiling (and occasionally giggling) at the characters and the situations they found themselves in. There were also sad and touching moments, but the humor stuck with me more.What I didn't like: At first I thought I didn't like the writing. Then I changed my mind. It isn't that I didn't like the writing, but that the writing had an unusual flow to it for me-- almost like reading a translation. I think this might have been deliberate-- the flavor of a culture subtly different than mine. Even if so, I found it distracting. The characters. I know, I'm listing them as both a plus and a minus. I really liked the outlines, but I wish they'd been filled in a little better. At moments they seemed like caricatures. They did learn and change as the book progressed, but it seemed a little too pat, too simple. The decisions the characters made. Particularly before the story started, all of the characters made some boneheaded choices. I know, people make those kinds of mistakes, and they were necessary to set up the story. I still didn't like it! How easy everything was. Once the characters figured out what their problems were, solving them was simple. I never find it quite that easy.In the end, I enjoyed the book. I'll look for the author's craft books at the bookstore-- they sound like fun to flip through, and I could imagine taking one home with me. I hope she writes another novel-- I'd certainly pick it up, whether it has the same characters or a whole new set.
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Estrella "Star" Esteban, Chloe "Crafty Chloe" Chavez, Ofie Fuentes, and Benecio Javier Valencia II, four very unique individuals, form a craft group to make 200 centerpieces for the upcoming National Craft Olympics, which are being held this year in their hometown. As their individual sories unfold, the reader watches each of them "wake up in the land of glitter," and along the way they realize that friends can come in all sorts of packages, and that no matter how much you want life to turn out one way, sometimes you wind up with a completely different outcome. With a solid but quirky cast of supporting characters and highly witty prose, Kathy Cano-Murillo created a delightfully fun read!
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5I loved it! I'll do this in a list form because I think all crafty chics should pick up this book! I'm a scrapbooker myself so this one was right up my alley!1. Loved the cover first of all! (I am a self proclaimed glitter lover LOL)2. Loved the storyline! (who can beat a book about crafting!)3. Loved the characters! (all so different but tied together by a common thread...yes, pun intended!)4. Loved the fact that I could tell that the author was passionate about what she was writing! (and you can find out more about why in her bio)It was a great book that touched on alot more than just arts and crafts. Love Friendship, and a loyalty to the ones you care about were all prevalent in this one!
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5From my blog....Waking Up In the Land of Glitter by Kathy Cano-Murillo is a cute story of friendships, heartbreaks, family and unwavering love. Murillo's novel is well written, her characters are quite real, her descriptions are vivid enough to make me hungry on more than one occasion. With all that said, I struggled to identify with many of the characters, quite possibly because my children are so close to the ages of several of the key players in Waking Up In the Land of Glitter.While I found myself relating more to Star's father, Alfonso Ortega Esteban more than Star, most likely considering Al and I are about the same age, I am glad I persevered through the novel and read it to the end. I will not give away spoilers, however, it is well worth the wait. 350 pounds of imported glass glitter and a promise of 200 handmade centerpieces in exchange for La Pachanga's sponsorship of the CraftOlympics have Star turning to her friend Ofie, who loves to craft, for help and from there an odd lot, each for their own reasons, begin to meet weekly at Ofie's home to begin brainstorming ideas for the centerpieces. Thus begins the intriguing dynamics of the relationships of Star, Ofie, Crafty Chloe Chavez, and Benecio. I did find it interesting that while the 20-somethings behaved as adolescents it took an adolescent to bring them together. As I previously mentioned I related best to Al, Star's father and of course Ofie's mother-in-law Nana Chata, however, Ofie and her husband Larry weaved their way into my heart, while everyone had so much to gain and learn in this novel, I was most pleased with Ofie and Larry. Waking Up In the Land of Glitter was not what I expected it would be; yet I believe many readers will come to love this eclectic group of 20-somethings. For anyone looking for a novel about family, friendships and finding oneself, Waking Up In the Land of Glitter may be exactly what you are looking for.