A Dash of Trouble (Love Sugar Magic #1) - Anna Meriano [Review]

Title: A Dash of Trouble (Love Sugar Magic #1)

Author: Anna Meriano

Genre: Fiction, Middle Grade, Fantasy

Publisher: Walden Pond Press

Publishing date: January 2nd 2018

Pages: 320  

Rating

★★★★☆

Hello, today I’m reviewing a middle grade book (I love middle grade books) that I read recently, A Dash of Trouble, the first in the Love, Sugar, Magic series.

This book revolves around Leonora Logroño’s family, who  owns the most beloved bakery in Rose Hill, Texas, spending their days conjuring delicious cookies and cakes for any occasion. And no occasion is more important than the annual Dia de los Muertos festival.

Leo hopes that this might be the year that she gets to help prepare for the big celebration—but, once again, she is told she’s too young. Sneaking out of school and down to the bakery, she discovers that her mother, aunt, and four older sisters have in fact been keeping a big secret: they’re brujas—witches of Mexican ancestry—who pour a little bit of sweet magic into everything that they bake. 

Leo knows that she has magical ability as well and is more determined than ever to join the family business—even if she can’t let her mom and sisters know about it yet.

And when her best friend, Caroline, has a problem that needs solving, Leo has the perfect opportunity to try out her craft.

I won this book in a giveaway, I had three options and I chose this one because the main

character is a Latina girl. When I was growing up, all the characters I read in books were white, so I had this weird idea in my mind that people like me couldn’t go on adventure or be the protagonists of their stories, always side or minor characters, so I was eager to read a book that portrayed people like me.

German cover

There are so many things I liked about this book, but the main one is the family theme it has. I’m pretty sure you’ve noticed that most YA or Middle Grade books usually lack parents. The main characters are always orphan or have terrible parents, but it’s different in this book. Family has a big weight in the story. The relationship Leonora has with her sisters is the most real portrayal of sisterhood I’ve ever read, (or at least the closest to the relationship I have with my siblings) it felt real and not perfect or forced as I’ve read in other stories. Also, Leonora’s parents are very present in her life and they felt realistic and reminded me of my own parents, kind but strict.

The Day of the Dead is my favorite Mexican tradition, I spend one day of the dead in Oaxaca many years ago and I loved it, here in Baja California is not a big deal and mostly people who comes from the south celebrates it. I liked the portrayal of that celebration in this book; although obviously is an Americanized version of the celebration.

The magic in the book was a pretty original concept, Leonora’s family uses their magic while baking, so they make magic bread and cookies or other recipes, but mostly baking. At the end of the book it was hinted that there are other families with magic, but it wasn’t specified if they can do the same or have other type of magic.

Leonora was a good main character, she felt like a realistic kid and not like an adult trapped in the body of a kid as I always feel in middle grade books.

I think that what didn’t convince me at all was that the whole trouble revolved around a boy, and the boy Leonora’s friend likes, not even Leonora’s crush. Talking about Leonora’s friend, I liked the friendship portrayed in this book, it was really sweet and I also enjoyed the changes pre-adolescents go through, it was relatable.

A Dash of Trouble is a book I would have loved as a child, and I really enjoyed as an adult. A book with an original magic system and a realistic portrayal of friendship and family relationships. Really entertaining, I will definitely read the second installment.