So grateful for having found Xochitl’s work and to be completing my second of her novels but even more grateful to the universe that Ms. Gonzalez breathed life into one of my favorite artists and studio saints Ana Mendieta with this work, ‘Anita De Monte Laughs Last’ bringing my love of the written word and art together in such a personally empowering way for young Latiné women who too often come into womanhood by trying to assimilate and redefine themselves into a white landscape of power, privilege and male affirmation. Thank you Xochitl Gonzalez your much needed work is the gift I needed. #xochitlgonzalez #anitademontelaughslast
As an undergraduate, I majored in Art History and Women's Studies. To say I've been fascinated with Ana Mendieta's murder for all of my adult life is not an exaggeration. When I picked up Anita de Monte Laughs Last, I didn't realize it was a fictionalization of her life and death. It's also the story of Raquel, a Brown University student in 1998, studying art history. These two timelines of the 1980s and 1990s, and two dynamic, fascinating Latinx women were a delight. Whether you know a lot or nothing about Ana Mendieta and her husband, Carl Andre, this is a fascinating exploration of art, love, scholarship,race, and representation. It was *almost* a 5-star read for me, but some elements of the magical realism fell flat for me (as is so often the case with me and magical realism.) Still, it's a book I loved spending time with and one that will stay with me for a very long time. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5 #BookThoughts #AnitadeMonteLaughsLast #XochitlGonzalez #AnaMendieta #ArtHistoryNovels #BookOfTheMonth [🌺 courtesy @daringlyclaire ]
This one took a while to grow on me. I listened to it on audiobook and for the first third I was worried I had wasted a libro.fm credit. But then I really got into and fell in love with Raquel (who the whole time I just wanted to shake out of her issues). The book is very clearly based on the life, art, and death of May Ana Mendieta, who at least in my listening was never mentioned, which I found odd in a book that places so much power in remembering those who are gone. I also couldn't find evidence that her family approved or was involved so take from that what you will. 4/5⭐ #bookreview #audiobookreview #bookreviewsofinstagram #booksofinstagram #bookstagram #xochitlgonzalez #anitademontelaughslast
Join us for the June MOLAA Members Book Club! Our book of the month is Anita de Monte Laughs Last by Xochitl Gonzalez. Pick up your copy at the MOLAA Store! Meet up: June 2, 2024 at 11 am Not a member yet? Sign up at https://molaa.org/become-a-member ___ #bookclub #AnitaDeMonteLaughsLast
🍊O R A N G E S T A C K🍊 Making my way through all the colors. On to orange! F E A T U R E D B O O K S: 🍑 The Poppy War: 🌕🌕🌕🌕🌕 🧡 She Who Became the Sun: 🌕🌕🌕🌖🌑 🔸 Illuminae: 🌕🌕🌕🌕🌑 🧶 Kaikeyi: 🌕🌕🌕🌖🌑 🟠 Anita de Monte Laughs Last: TBR 🥕Fathomfolk: TBR . . . . h a s h t a g s: #bookstagram #bookstagrammer #igreads #igbooks #bookblogger #bookblog #bookblogging #bookbloggersofinstagram #fathomfolk #elizachan #thepoppywar #rfkuang #anitademontelaughslast #xochitlgonzalez #kaikeyi #vaishnavipatel #illuminae #jaykristoff #amiekaufman #shewhobecamethesun #shelleyparkerchan #booknerd #bookworm #happyreading #certifiedbookworm #ilovebooks #ilovereading #readmore #bookstack #orangebooks
🎧 Audiobook Reviews 🎧 Thank you so much to @macmillan.audio for the complimentary copy of Anita de Monte! Thank you so much to @prhaudio for the complimentary copy of Next Door Nemesis! QOTD: Have you read any of these? Have you read any books outside your comfort zone lately? The books focused in this will be: Slide 2: The Bullet Swallower by Elizabeth Gonzalez James Slide 3: Anita de Monte Laughs Last by Xochitl Gonzalez Slide 4: Next Door Nemesis by Alexa Martin The Bullet Swallower & Anita De Monte were both books that were not necessarily in my comfort zone but I am glad that I read them. Next Door Nemesis was a romance book choice for one of my book clubs & was really enjoyable! These are all out for you to read!
"𝑰𝒕 𝒘𝒂𝒔 𝒗𝒊𝒃𝒓𝒂𝒏𝒕. 𝑰𝒕 𝒘𝒂𝒔 𝒍𝒐𝒖𝒅. 𝑪𝒐𝒎𝒃𝒖𝒔𝒕𝒊𝒏𝒈. 𝑹𝒂𝒈𝒊𝒏𝒈. 𝑯𝒆𝒓 𝒍𝒊𝒇𝒆 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒂𝒍𝒍 𝒐𝒇 𝒉𝒆𝒓 𝒑𝒂𝒊𝒏 𝒋𝒖𝒎𝒑𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒐𝒇𝒇 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒑𝒂𝒈𝒆." The year is 1985, and Anita de Monte is an art star on the rise. She is making waves, pushing boundaries, and provoking minds with her work. She is a once-in-a-generation artistic voice. The year is 1998, and Raquel Toro is a third year art history student. One who feels out of place among the privileged students that are her peers. One who knows all too well that she, a person of color, a minority, must put in double the work to achieve the same success as her peers. The year is 1985; Anita de Monte is dead. Her once vibrant life now shrouded by the mystery of her death. Her work once revered by many sits tucked away in crates calling dust. Forgotten. The year is 1998, and Raquel Toro is preparing for her final thesis on renowned minimalist Jack Martin when she meets Nick Fitzsimmons, a well-connected older art student. When she and Nick become romantically involved, Raquel finds herself within new and unfamiliar social circles of the art world. As she attempts to balance who she is with the expectations of this new world, Raquel uncovers Anita's story. A story that demands Raquel's attention. A story that seems to mirror her very own. Anita de Monte Laughs Last by Xochitl Gonzalez is a phenomenal read. It is a riveting read from the very beginning. It pulls you into the narrative and does not let you go until you turn that final page. Gonzalez cuts open the art world and dissects its inner workings, revealing the dark, harsh reality behind all of the beauty. Her writing is witty and beautiful. She touches on the topics of family, love, identity, class, and race in such a mindful but realistic manner. The dual timelines and multiple points of view are brilliantly set to give us a complete understanding of events and of character. Her characters make you want to laugh, yearn, cry, and rage, rage, rage with them. I absolutely loved this novel, and I definitely recommend it. 5/5 #anitademontelaughslast #bookstagram #bookrecommendations #bookreview #smallbookstagram #bookworm
Just finished reading @xochitltheg ‘s “Anita De Monte Laughs Last”, and was definitely in my feels for a few reasons. Then I turned the tv on. Went to Amazon to put on MLB. This was on the home screen. This is the novela I grew up watching with my grandmother. Every single episode, we never missed one. I haven’t seen it since. I was stunned. Then I noticed it is listed as “Continue Watching..” which would be impossible since I didn’t even know it was there. I looked around the room and I swear I heard Wela laugh again. Perhaps I wouldn’t have been as in tune to all of this had I not just read Anita 🦇 Perhaps my Wela totally knew that 🥰 #anitademontelaughslast #abuela #novela #familia #rip
How often do you use your local library? 📚 I just picked up these three I’m excited to get started on! #LibraryHaul #chicagopubliclibrary #firstliewins #anitademontelaughslast
THE WORD IS OUT 📣 We hosted our inaugural preview event and, safe to say, it was a hit! Members of @center4fiction enjoyed an exclusive, hands-on experience with our conversation card game. Together, attendees engaged in a lively book club discussion of “Anita de Monte Laughs Last” by NYT bestselling author @xochitltheg. The best part? Xochitl herself joined us for an intimate Q&A, guided by our very own questions and prompts. Choosing May for this event was intentional. At Bonding Over Books, we’re dedicated to tackling today’s loneliness epidemic through reading and connection. Kicking off our journey during #MentalHealthAwarenessMonth was a no-brainer. Get ready for more exciting updates coming soon! Don’t forget to secure your spot on our waitlist at www.bondingoverbooks.co—link in bio. Special thanks to @center4fiction, @xochitltheg and the many attendees 🫶🏼📚 #bookclubs #bookstagram #bondingoverbooks #anitademontelaughslast #bookclub #xochitlgonzalez
Met the wonderful, funny and talented Xochitl Gonzalez back in March. Author of Olga Dies Dreaming (2022) and Anita De Monte Laughs Last (2024). Olga Dies Dreaming was inspired by Pedro Pietris poem “Puerto Rican Obituary” and the song “Rican Beach” by Hurray for the Riff Raff. Puerto Rican Obituary is a poem I love and recommend everyone give a read to. Anita de Monte Laughs Last is about a first gen Ivy League student who uncovers the work of an artist years after her passing. #xochitlgonzalez #olgadiesdreaming #anitademontelaughslast #literature #booksigning #authors #authorevent #freelibraryofphiladelphia
i used to love historical fiction but now i feel like they’re all the same?? the mold of a feminist woman seeing differently than her contemporaries is just so overdone now that i feel like it’s lost its sparkle. started really liking this one but by the end i was readyyyy for it to be over. some good in there for sure but just not for me 🤷♀️ ⭐️⭐️💫
Day off vibes! This is actually from last Monday, but it was a great day to sample some beers and read #AnitaDeMonteLaughsLast by @xochitltheg. I loved this dual timeline story about art, race, class, power, and whose stories get told. Definitely recommend!! #QOTD: Do you have a favorite artist? #AOTD: Alphonse Mucha, because I studied abroad in Prague #booksandbeer #booksandbeers #booksandbrews #oldflamebrewingco #reesesbookclubpick #botmbacklist #botmpick #botmbacklistbonanza #reesesbookclub #xochitlgonzalez #Toronto #torontobookstagram
Anita de Monte Laughs Last is Xóchitl González’s second book and follows the story of a first-generation Ivy League student, Raquel, who uncovers the genius work of a forgotten (erased) female artist, Anita de Monte, a bit over a decade after her suspicious death. Not as political as Olga Dies Dreaming, and it doesn’t hit as hard, but it’s still a good book. More subtle. Emotional. Contemplative. It discusses art, music, relationships, and what it means to be non-white in predominantly white spaces. All in all, It’s meant to be savored, not devoured. Honestly, I wish we got to know a bit more of Anita, because Raquel did not seem as interesting a narrator in comparison. One of my favorite quotes that summarized the book very well: “When I looked in his eyes, what I saw was the most dangerous thing of all in a man: insecurity. Because they will crawl over and push down anyone around them in their desperate thrashing to find themselves comfortably affirmed at the top.” #bookstagram #bookworm #bookreview #bookrecommendation #newbooks #newrelease #fictionbooks #xochitlgonzalez #anitademontelaughslast
Loved this book, couldn't put it down! 4.5⭐️ What are you reading this spring??
Today’s One Pic Book Recommendation #onepicbookrecommendation #anitademontelaughslast @xochitltheg #readingcommunity #tbrlist #amreading @reesesbookclub
Anita De Monte Laughs Last by Xochitl Gonzalez #bookreview I was bad with buddy reads last month as I wasn’t able to read the three buddy reads I joined. Out of the three, I was able to read only one, Anita de Monte Laughs Last few weeks later, but better late than not at all! The story is Inspired by the life of Cuban American artist, Ana Mendieta. In 1985, Anita is an up and coming artist whose life is cut short when she jumped or was pushed down from the apartment window. In 1998, Raquel, an Ivy League student and as a person of color, has to work doubly hard for the same opportunities as her white counterparts. While she’s discovering Anita’s works and her life, she realizes her own life is not so different from Anita. The story explores the art and academia and how people of color in case of Anita and Raquel survive the predominantly white industry and their constant need of their validation. I love Olga Dies Dreaming and I know I will love this one as well. Initially I had a hard time getting into the story. I listened, read, listened again but didn’t work. After a week I came back to it again and glad I was able to finish it! The second half of the story was better and towards the end it got me hook. I was curious on what will happen to Anita and Raquel. With the title of the book itself, we’ll know that Anita indeed has the last laugh. But maybe I’m wishing more justice for Anita. With Raquel, I’m also happy with the way things turn out for her as well. She deserves better. While the story alternates on Anita and Raquel as well as Jack’s, I’m waiting on when and how both women’s path will cross. I love how Raquel discovers Anita and give life to her works. I also love how the author manifest Anita in a way that was perfect for her character. Some are a bit over the top but I wouldn’t expect anything less from Anita! Definitely Gonzalez is an auto buy author for me and looking forward to her future works! Rating ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Anita de Monte Laughs Last alternates in time between Raquel, an art history college student searching for a thesis topic, and Anita de Monte, an artist who died in 1985. Both women are struggling to find their way in the art world but meet men with influence and clout. Each finds themselves straddling different social spheres and must decide who they most authentically are. Okaaay. I’m a little nervous to write this because all the reviews of this one have been pretty positive, but I didn’t love this one. I didn’t hate it either, but I never picked it up ready to jump back into the story. I just sort of plowed through for the sake of finishing it. There 𝘢𝘳𝘦 some really great elements explored in this book. It follows the stories of two smart and talented Latina women working hard to succeed in an unwelcoming art world. It examines issues of race, immigration, and being a first generation university student. It looks at power, privilege, and class. Anita’s character in particular felt fully realised to me. I loved her brashness. For all of that, I felt like the narrative got really bogged down by bad husbands and boyfriends. Their characters were necessary to the story of course, but they took up so much room. I didn’t want to hear from Jack at all. I didn’t think it added anything. And this next part might be a bit of a spoiler…….. I really disliked Anita’s ghost chapters. This is probably just a personal preference thing, but if a character is dead then they are dead to me. It’s fine that Jack felt haunted, but it feels gimmicky to me to read from the perspective of a ghost. Lastly, the obvious resolution to the story came so late in the book that I felt like the author missed an opportunity to build tension and connection between the two narratives. Phew, okay. I’d never discourage anyone from picking up a book, but those were my feelings. Should I give her other book a try and pick up Olga Dies Dreaming? #bookstagram #bookreviews #bibliophile #igreads #bookphotography #librariansofinstagram #bookrecommendations #fiction #anitademontelaughslast #xochitlgonzez #ipreview via @preview.app
Hi, friends, I have 2 mini reviews for you today. I’m trying to better about getting more reviews posted, but really, I’d rather just read more books. 😂 🎧ANITA De MONTE LAUGHS LAST by Xochitl Gonzalez. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ I’m a few months late, but this was released & the REESE’S BOOK CLUB PICK for March. It’s a mesmerizing novel about a first-generation Ivy League student who uncovers the genius work of a female artist decades after her suspicious death. My thoughts: This was a fantastic audiobook! I loved how the story moved back and forth through time and from both Anita (80s) & Raquel (90s). If you haven’t read this one yet,I recommend you do so. Anita was such a great character. 📖BIG CHICAS DON’T CRY by Annette Chavez Macias ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Garcia cousins Mari, Erica, Selena, and Gracie navigate love, loss, and the meaning of family over the course of one memorable year in this heartfelt family drama. “… its time we learned that family is forever and that won’t change… But it’s going to bring up to us to us to stay close.” My thoughts: This was a wonderful story, with a little family drama, relationships, friendships & Hispanic family traditions. Each cousin is going through something different, and I just loved every story and how they learned family is everything and they’re there for you when you need it. 🩷 ❓Do you have a favorite Margarita flavor (non alcoholic or with alcohol)? 🍹I had a Mango nada margarita on Sunday and it was amazing. ~Shannon #bookstagram #minibookreview #bookstagrammer #booklover #reesesbookclub #theendlessstack #bookreviews #bookcommunity #instabooks #readwithshannon #readersgonnaread #readersofinstagram #anitademontelaughslast #bigchicasdontcry #bookrecs
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫 Anita de Monte is going to be a star. Her art is fantastic, but when she dies at a young age, it seems she is quickly forgotten. It’s been 13 years and Raquel is an art history student working on her thesis. She doesn’t really fit in with her classmates, a large group of students with a ton of privilege. Being a person of color leaves her feeling like she has to work much harder than her peers. When she starts dating one of those privileged students however, her rank quickly rises. When Raquel comes across Anita’s work, she starts to see some similarities. This synopsis does not do this book justice. However, I don’t even know how to write one that does! I just adored this book! Anita was such a fantastic character, and I only fell more in love with her as the book went on (IYKYK.) I also loved Raquel, but as her relationship forced her to make changes to please him, my heart just broke and I wanted to shake her into dumping this dude. I loved the dual timeline and the descriptions of the art world which were unfortunately pretty spot on! This was a unique story that was absolutely excellent on audio! It has a full cast, so I highly recommend listening to this one! #AnitaDeMonteLaughsLast #XochitlGonzalez #FlatironBooks #BookOfTheMonth
Anita de Monte Laughs Last by Xóchitl González Anita de Monte is making waves in the art world and dazzling New York City until her mysterious death in 1985. When the news of her death settles it seems Anita’s art and life are forgotten. That is until 1998 when a young college student by the name of Raquel stumbles across her story. While Raquel is navigating college life, race and class obstacles, and a new romance she turns her college thesis into one about Anita. The story goes between the two timelines and character’s POV. This book was batty (IYKYK). This is a book with characters that you’ll love to loathe. The pages of this book are filled with drama, revenge, acceptance, authenticity, and rage. I enjoyed a peek into to the NY art scene and the female empowerment. The audio was fun, very well. I was able to really feel Anita’s emotions. Do you have a favorite artist? I read this book with @rjs.readingnook and @giulia_and_books for our #RKGbookclub. It’s always so fun to chat with them 💜💜 #anitademontelaughslast #bookreview #onwednesdayswereadpink #onwednesdayswepostpink #bookofthemonthclub #botm #bookclub #buddyread #booksbooksbooks #mysterybooks
Overall: a pretentious, art snob world with two Latina leads, one murder, & two talking bats ⭐️⭐️⭐️ This book grew on me as it went on but phew, it takes a while to get to the core plot. We don’t find out that Anita dies until page 106. And then Raquel (our other lead) does not find out about this until page 224. So we spend a lot of time getting to know these two women, who share a lot of parallels, and also one of the terrible white boyfriends/husbands gets his own POV (which becomes funny when Anita is haunting him later). But some of the big themes like family, culture, racism, losing yourself in a relationship, trying to fit in, figuring out your identity, and how art can keep you “alive” are all pretty compelling. There are some pretty serious themes in here too (see trigger warnings). Overall, it was a cool read that made me realize I’m not very cool (so much of the culture in this I did not relate to because I’m a generally basic white woman from the suburbs 😂). TW: eating disorder, racism, domestic violence, murder #bookstagram #bookofthemonth #botm #anitademontelaughslast #bookreview #bookrecommendation #fictionbooks #fictionbookrecs #fictionrecs #readersofinstagram #booksbooksbooks #booklover #bookworm
✨Book Review ✨ Anita De Monte Laughs Last ☆3/5 Genre: fiction T̲h̲o̲u̲g̲h̲t̲s̲: This is a tough book for me to review. I found the plot very interesting and unique and I enjoyed learning more about out the art world. I like the dual timelines and how the struggles of Anita and Raquel mirrored each other. There were some very intense scenes involving racism and misogyny that will definitely stick with me. On the other hand, the plot was really slow and drawn out. I wasn’t a total fan of some of the supernatural elements and felt like there either needed to be more or less. I also wish Anita was a more developed character and more relatable. Overall this had some good points but also some bad points. I did go down a rabbit hole afterward about the real life artist this book is based on! O̲v̲e̲r̲v̲i̲e̲w̲: Anita de Monte, a rising star in the art world, is found dead in New York City; her tragic death is the talk of the town. Until it isn’t. By 1998 Anita’s name has been all but forgotten—certainly by the time Raquel, a third-year art history student is preparing her final thesis. On College Hill, surrounded by privileged students whose futures are already paved out for them, Raquel feels like an outsider. Students of color, like her, are the minority there, and the pressure to work twice as hard for the same opportunities is no secret. But when Raquel becomes romantically involved with a well-connected older art student, she finds herself unexpectedly rising up the social ranks. As she attempts to straddle both worlds, she stumbles upon Anita’s story, raising questions about the dynamics of her own relationship, which eerily mirrors that of the forgotten artist. Q̲O̲T̲D̲: Do you have a favorite artist? #books #bookstagram #booklover #bookworm #bookstagrammer #bookish #booksofinstagram #bibliophile #instabook #readersofinstagram #ebooks #ebookstagram #librarybooks #ebookreader #ebooklover #anitademontelaughslast #xochitalgonzalez #fictionbooks #fictionnovel #fictionreads #fictionbookstagram
I enjoy this description of what it feels like to have a secret... #anitademontelaughslast #xochitlgonzalez #readallthebooks #omneslibroslegimus #wereadallthebooks #books #booklovers #read #readers #bookclub #bookclubs #shelfindulgence #shelfindulgencebookclub #shelfindulgencebookclub2024 #bookit #personalpanpizza #bookclubstickers #stickers #reading #literature #stories #readingrainbow #butterflyinthesky #readbookseatpizza #bookstagram #bookstagramer #readallthebooks #fable #fableapp #fablebookclub
Another day, another library haul. 📚 These are headed back to the library this week and reviews are forthcoming. 🪴 Anita de Monte Laughs Last by Xochitl Gonzalez 🪴 The Girls Who Went Away by Ann Fessler (This was a re-read for me.) 🪴 Madness by Antonia Hylton Have you read any of these? Which would you read first? #bookstagram #bookreviews #bibliophile #igreads #bookphotography #librariansofinstagram #bookrecommendations #fiction #antoniahylton #annfessler #thegirlswhowentaway #xochitlgonzalez #anitademontelaughslast #nonfiction #fiction #libraryhauls #ipreview via @preview.app
✨Anita De Monte Laughs Last✨ Anita De Monte Laughs Last was a recent @reesesbookclub pick and was the book that was selected for a reading retreat that I went on. This one is outside of my usual genres and it was nice to be able to read it with some booksta friends! I thought it made a great book club pick because there was so much to discuss with it. I found that the beginning started a little slower and there were a lot of characters to remember, but once I got into the story, I enjoyed it. There were a lot of unlikeable characters and toxic men as this book explores many deeper topics such as misogyny, racism and power in the art and Ivy League worlds. Written in multiple POV and dual timelines, I liked being able to compare and contrast Anita and Raquel’s characters. There is also a supernatural / magical realism element to this one that I feel readers will either love or not. Overall, I enjoyed this one and rated it 4 stars! If you are looking for a literary fiction read with a touch of magical realism set in the art world, check out Anita De Monte Laughs Last! #AnitaDeMonteLaughsLast #ReeseBookClub #bookthoughts #bookreview #bookblogger #bookfluencer #booksofinstagram #booksofig #booklover #readersofinstagram #bookcommunity #courtneysbookstack
Anita de Monte Laughs Last ~ Xochitl Gonzalez “But regret with inaction is just a swallowed apology.” I quite enjoyed reading this book, but it was made all the more worthwhile because of my discussions with @two_for_one_reviews . We often found ourselves with differing opinions, but that’s what makes this a phenomenal buddy/book club read. Some minor things irked me throughout, but overall, I felt this was worth the read. I realize this is a controversial statement, but I also found the author herself to be problematic. From her overly braggy (stemming from pride or insecurity, I don’t know) biography, to the fact that she didn’t acknowledge in an author’s note the origin of this story, I just got the ick, ya know? This review is all over the place, but my final statement is that this is worth the read, just do your research. By the way, thanks for doing the research for us both @two_for_one_reviews 😂 ✨Do you do any research during/after a historical fiction read?✨ #anitademontelaughslast #xochitlgonzalez #reesewitherspoonbookclub #reesesbookclub #buddyread #buddyreads #buddyreading #bookdiscussion #historicalfiction #comingofage #comingofagebook #librarybook #tbrlist #contemporaryfiction #may2024reads
Aprils showers took me on a high and low reading journey.☔️ All of the books filled me with a rollercoaster of emotions. Reading is and will always be healing to me. I hope it does the same for you. 🫶🏼 #dontjudgemebymybooks #april #bookofthemonth #michellebuteau #survivalofthethickest #xochitlgonzalez #anitademontelaughslast #megkissinger #whileyouwereout #elizabethacevedo #familylore #readingishealing 📚✨
🎨ANITA DE MONTE LAUGHS LAST by Xóchitl Gonzolez🎨 I was excited to read this one after loving OLGA DIES DREAMING. I typically enjoy a multiple POV/dual timeline story but this one took me a bit to get into. I was interested in how the characters would connect but while I rooted for the characters, I was frustrated with the goings-on of their personal lives. This was probably a bit intentional, but I just wanted these women to know their worth and be recognized for it. I enjoyed the hint of magical realism and after reading I did find it fascinating that Anita de Monte was inspired by a real artist — Ana Mendieta — and that Ana’s husband died in January 2024 before the release of this book. I’ve been picturing Xóchitl as the Raquel to Ana’s Anita since I found that information. Overall, I liked it, 3.5 stars✨ 🎨🎨🎨🎨🎨 #BookReview #AnitadeMonteLaughsLast #AnaMendietta #HistoricalFictionReads #MagicalRealismBooks #BOTM #Bookish #ReadIt #IRead #Readstagram #Bookstagram #BookIt
Who gets to leave a legacy?🗽 1985. Anita de Monte, a rising star in the art world, is found dead in New York City; her tragic death is the talk of the town. Until it isn't. By 1998 Anita's name has been all but forgotten – certainly by the time Raquel, a third-year art history student is preparing her final thesis. But when Raquel becomes romantically involved with a well-connected older art student, she finds herself unexpectedly rising up the social ranks. As she attempts to straddle both worlds, she stumbles upon Anita's story, raising questions about the dynamics of her own relationship, which eerily mirrors that of the forgotten artist. 🎨 Moving back and forth through time and told from the perspectives of both women, Anita de Monte Laughs Last is a propulsive, witty examination of power, love and art, daring to ask who gets to be remembered and who is left behind in the rarefied world of the elite. @bloomsburypublishing #betterreadthandead #betterreadbookshop #anitademontelaughslast #xochitlgonzalez #books #bookstagram
"A thought-provoking and a brilliantly entertaining triumph." —NPR ⭐⭐ We couldn't have said it better. 😍 Anita de Monte Laughs Last by @xochitltheg is everything you want in a summer read - hauntings, mysterious deaths, campus drama, music + pop culture, plus so much more. Plus, the cover is the perfect pop of color! Have you read this one yet? #Anitademontelaughslast #Xochitlgonzalez
☀️📖May TBR📖☀️ These are the books I am looking to tackle this month. I will likely finish Dear Girls today, and I am currently about 1/3 of the way through Goblet of Fire. 🔥 Have you read any of these? What did you think?
Book Review: Anita De Monte Laughs Last by Xochitl Gonzalez 5⭐️ Catnip Tropes: 1990s nostalgia, art museums, Cuban culture This dual timeline story about feminism in the art world struck all the right chords with me. In 1985, Anita De Monte fights to find her place in the art world while living with a controlling, cheating (and most likely murderous) husband. Nearly 20 years after Anita’s tragic death, a young art history student named Raquel discovers the revolutionary artist. As Raquel digs into Anita’s history, she finds her own relationship and struggle for notoriety is unsettlingly similar to the woman she is studying. This story is loosely based on that of Ana Mendieta, an 80s artist who was thrown from a window by her husband. I loved that connection and it made me very interested in learning more about Mendieta’s life and art. This book resonated with me in large part because it reminded me of my own college relationship, in which I struggled to truly be myself and became wrapped up in the artistic goals of another person. He repeatedly made it clear that his life’s accomplishments and motivations were superior to my own, but it took a major betrayal for me to finally distance myself. The fact that this book took place at basically the same time as my own story made me empathize with Raquel of a deep level. I loved her anger and the way she used it to discover her true power. The subtle magic of Anita’s ghost was both funny and poignant. I felt her rage and it was very satisfying to see her get the ultimate revenge. So glad I picked this for my #botm box and I will definitely be putting Gonzalez’s previous book on my TBR! #bookreview #anitademontelaughslast #anamendieta #cubanamerican #xochitlgonzalez #beautifulbookcovers
THE BEST equation... @litbookbar + @ginositalianjoint + @nyruch = FRIDAY NIGHT PLANS #heartfull #indiebookstore #litbookbar #anitademontelaughslast #reesesbookclub
Book 9 in 2024. Half in text, half on Libby. ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️. This was a pick from @bookofthemonth A little different story, 3 perspectives tell the life of Anita, an artist making her name in America. The books picks up in part 3 but admittedly a little slow. An original story for me which is rare these days. I enjoyed the audio performances, especially Anita. #anitademontelaughslast #botm
What are you currently reading? In what format(s)? I had to give up on an audiobook yesterday because one of the narrator’s rhythm of speech was weird. I kept zoning out. Anyway, I decided to start Anita de Monte Laughs Last, and this book is just hitting! I love when a book leads me to viscerally react to characters. I’ve cheered, cringed, and told some characters off. I’m a little more than halfway through, and I can’t wait to see how all the perspectives come together. . I’m also reading a paperback copy of Cascade Failure and an ebook of The Bone Ships. . #CurrentlyReading #Audiobook #ReadMoreBooks #Bookstagram #AnitaDeMonteLaughsLast
Isn't it just the best feeling when a book you've been waiting for and have hyped up in your brain actually lives up to all the expectations? That is exactly how my experience reading Anita de Monte Laughs Last, by Xochitl Gonzalez, went. I finished it last month and I'm STILL talking about it. A lot. 📚📚 Anita de Monte Laughs Last By Xochitl Gonzalez ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐/5 This book was gorgeous. It was beautifully written and crafted to tell the story of two women in the art world, both facing their own challenges, and peppered with moments that left me anywhere on the scale of rage from prickles of ire to spitting mad and texting friends in all caps to share the rage. I LOVED it! All of it. And not just for the rage. The first story is Anita. Anita de Monte is a Cuban artist in the 70s and 80s, creating sculptures and artistic pieces that evoke life and vitality and her Cuban roots. She's also married to a famous artist who resents her time spent on her own projects. Then there's Raquel, an art student studying to be an art curator at an ivy league school. Raquel is struggling to find herself in this upper crust world when the artists and her advisors don't look like her, and many see her as a token. I loved both women because they were such vibrant characters. Anita was fire and passion, and so relatable when she struggled to leave a husband she had once loved. And I saw so many little aspects of my own life in academia reflected in Raquel's story. For her (and me) I seethed--at the callous Art History Girls, at her pathetic artist boyfriend, at her self important advisor. This is a story about art and representation, and how hard it can be to be a woman of color in the art world. And it's a story of love, especially love that starts with the best intentions but goes awry. This book touches on some heavy issues, so please check the CWs before reading. And hit me up if you read it, I'd love to hear your thoughts!
April was another busy month of reading and listening to books 📚 #monthlywrapup #juliesoto #heatherfawcett #stephaniegarber #tarahdewitt #tessabailey #xochitlgonzalez #tracydeonn #lynnpainter #emmagrey #yulinkuang #chloeliese #forgetmenot #emilywildesencyclopaediaoffaeries #finale #savorit #fangirldown #anitademontelaughslast #legendborn #happilyneverafter #thelastlovenote #howtoendalovestory #alwaysonlyyou
In April, I fell quite a bit behind on my reading goals. With going to Europe in March and moving in April, I was too exhausted to devote my time to content creation. However, now that I’m back, I have renewed energy to push me forward! In the future you can expect to see a lot more varied stuff, including reels! Anyway, what did you read in April? . . . . . #annadorn #newreads #wrapupbooks #reading #readingwrapup #lgbtqbooks #queerbooks #queerbookstagram #anitademontelaughslast #lgbtqia #lgbtqreads #xochitlgonzalez #whatiread #maywrapup #recentreads #sapphicbooks #readingupdate #readingwrapped #monthlywrapup #wrapup #reader #lgbtqbookstagram #cinemalove #queerreads #readersofinstagram #readingwrap #queerlit #recentlyread #jiamingtang #perfumeandpain
[27] What a ride - this one kept surprising me. Cuban-born Anita de Monte was an up-and-coming artist, just beginning to discover the depths of her own power when her tragic death in 1985 deprived the world of her talent. Her American husband’s art, however, continues to be celebrated and studied in art galleries and classrooms around the world. That’s where Raquel, a young Latina college student in 1998 first learns about the influential male artist - in a prestigious college classroom where she feels she must always prove she belongs. It’s a time of self-discovery for Raquel who could not know all the parallels between Anita’s life and art career and her own. In turns witty and devastating, this is the story of both woman (and the men that love/hurt them) and the connection we can find through art. ➡️ Since I finished the book, I’ve been reading about the real-life artist, Ana Mendieta, whose story inspired this one and whose family disapproved of this framing. For one, that real-life artist is not mentioned in the book at all. For another, her family is fighting to preserve and represent her legacy in the art world - and wow, reading the New York Times profile, it’s clear how closely the fictional Anita mirrors the real-life Ana. Adds a complicated layer to a story of identity and who has the right to tell the story. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ #AnitaDeMonteLaughsLast #XochitlGonzalez #ReeseReads #FictionOf2024 #Bookstagram #BookReview
round up + challenge • • • • #haylibrosenlacasa #immortalpleasures #vcastro #anitademontelaughslast #xochitlgonzalez #latiendadenadie #elenabcorujo #aprilreads #bigchicasdontcry #annettechavezmacias #theneapolitansisters #margocandela #learntoloveyou #jadehernandez #goddessoffilth #witches #brendalozano #cruzitaandthemariacheros #ashleygranillo #latinxbooks #latinxbookstagrammer #latinxbookstagram
Treated myself to this bad boy the last time I got to do an event at #volumesbookcafe. #anitademontelaughslast
A couple of years ago I read Olga Dies Dreaming which had me alternately nodding along/laughing out loud. Now this! Besides being a coffee-slinging, work-study undergrad in the German Department at a southern Ivy, I practically double-majored in Art History, so I'm feeling it! About darn time Ana Mendieta got her due in novel form, too. ¡Brava, Xochitl Gonzalez! #anitademontelaughslast #bookstagram
#April #2024 #BookStack #ThinkingOfYou 🤩 #BethEvans #NowhereLikeHome 🤩 #SaraShepard #TheFamiliar 🤩 #LeighBardugo #FrannyCloutier 🤩 #StephanieLapointe #Lovesickness 🤩 #JunjiIto #AnitadeMonteLaughsLast #XochitlGonzalez #BookDragon #BookLover #Books #ReadMore #GreatReads #BooksAreMagic #AlwaysReading #BookHoarder #BookOfTheDay
🤗 oh my god yall, my little book club is growing. there are amazing chicas in it and we had a blast sharing our insight and reflections. who let me sit on a throne-like chair and talk shit about evil characters and amazing latinx books and latinx authors like I even know what I’m doing lol…. 😄 Anita de Monte Laughs Last had us laughing and bonding over the worst of being latina/x in white centric spaces which was put to use when I had to politely tell a white woman who wanted to “learn” thru our group that it wasn’t for her. honestly? it was A LOT and that’s another post and prob video for another time because so many things came up as a latinx/bipoc trying to foster and create a safe space for my community. we don’t exist to teach u (white woman who then denied the genocide… yall, i was shooketh)… anyway… i’m just lucky and happy to be here with great books and a great community tbh… • • #adelitasbookclub #anitademontelaughslast • also when this IG goes silent it’s because i’m posting for the group IG cause i don’t know how to juggle lol dropping balls like an old viejito over here 😂😂😅 • • #xochitlgonzalez #longbeachbookclubs #latinxbookstagrammer #latinxbookstagram #latinxbookclub #longbeach #adelitasrevenge
read a ton at the beginning of the month and then have barely read over the last week. can’t for the life of me decide what to start next. any slump buster recs out there? in the meantime catch me watching reruns of the OC every night ☀️
📚 Book Review 📚 Just finished "Anita de Monte Laughs Last" by Xochitl Gonzalez and I'm still reeling! 🤯 This book is a rollercoaster of emotions, blending humor, heartbreak, and hope in the most unexpected ways. 🎢 Anita, the protagonist, is a force to be reckoned with – her wit and resilience leap off the pages, drawing you into her world from the very first chapter. 💥 Gonzalez's writing is sharp and witty, painting a vivid picture of Anita's journey as she navigates life's ups and downs with equal parts sass and vulnerability. 💃 From the bustling streets of New York City to the quiet corners of Anita's mind, every scene is crafted with care and precision, inviting readers to laugh, cry, and ultimately, cheer for Anita as she takes on life's challenges head-on. 🌟 But what truly sets this book apart is its exploration of identity, family, and the power of laughter in the face of adversity. Through Anita's eyes, we see the complexities of modern life unfold, reminding us that sometimes, the best way to cope is to simply laugh it off. 😂 Overall, "Anita de Monte Laughs Last" is a must-read for anyone looking for a fresh, funny, and fiercely authentic voice in contemporary literature. Bravo, Xochitl Gonzalez, for delivering a story that will stay with me long after the final page. 👏 #BookReview #AnitadeMonteLaughsLast #XochitlGonzalez #MustRead 📖 ------
Anita De Monte Laughs Last. “Because when my art was in the world, so was I. My energy! My spirit!” Author: Xóchitl González. Started: April 7,2024. Finished: April 19,2024. Bookclub: Bottle and Books March/April 2024. My Thoughts 💭: gaslighting. Narcissism. Finding oneself. Murder. Revenge. The book has it all! My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️/5 #anitademontelaughslast #xóchitlgonzález #bookclub #read #bookaddict #art
Finished reading these THREE books today on the last day of the month!! #deathonthenile #anitademontelaughslast #theremarkablejourneyofcoyotesunrise #agathachristie #middlegrade #concurrentlyreading #monthlyreading #cozymystery #outdoorreading #readingduringnaptime
I adored Olga Dies Dreaming, so this was an automatic Book of the Month pick for me and it did not disappoint. Both of her books were also book club selections and I would recommend either for yours. 👍🏼 I find this author’s books to be so enjoyable to read and I always learn something from them. I think this book edged out Olga Dies Dreaming because I found our protagonist(s) so fun to root for. And when it veered into some witchy shit—you know I was in!!! This is one I don’t even want to attempt to summarize the plot so just dive on in 💕 Rating: ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️.5/5 #anitademontelaughslast #olgadiesdreaming #xochitlgonzalez #bookofthemonth #botm #bookclubreads #bookclubofinstagram
April Wrap-up 9 books this month: ✨ 5 library borrows ✨ 1 from my TBR shelf 😬 ✨ 1 for book club ✨ 1 book subscription ✨ 1 new purchase Just over here doing great on my TBR shelf. 😂 My favorites of the month: 📚Stone Blind (audio is great!) 📚Anita de Monte Laughs Last (SO good- audio is great too!) 📚Above Ground (such an impactful poetry collection) 📚Just for the Summer (devoured this one!) #bookstagram #monthlyreading #monthlyreadingwrapup #aprilreads #april2024reads #aprilreadingwrapup #aprilreadingwrapup2024 #booksbooksbooks #stoneblind #anitademontelaughslast #justforthesummer #aboveground #poetry #audiobooks #booklove
Anita De Monte Laughs Last by Xochitl Gonzalez ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Anita De Monte was a rising start in the art world in the mid 1980s until she plummeted to her death from her NYC apartment. She is all but forgotten due to the fame of her husband who was accused of killing Anita and wants all aspects of her erased from the world. But in 1998 a college student from NYC comes across Anita’s name when she is researching Anita’s husband for her thesis. She doesn’t believe the story that Anita committed suicide and she is determined to get Anita’s name back into the art world. This is part mystery, part historical fiction and part literary fiction. It hits all the markers and I truly loved it. The story of Raquel mirrors that of Anita’s even though they are a decade apart. Powerful white men using lower women of status to inflate their egos and their art. As women, we are told to appreciate the attention we receive from men. We are also told to support them. That is our job. But that is when we begin to lose ourself. Raquel learns of Anita she doesn’t fully understand that she is living the same life that Anita did. Will she realize it before it is too late? #MirandaSuzetteReads #BooksReviews #AnitaDeMonteLaughsLast #XochitlGonzalez
✨book review✨ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ This book is super intriguing and hard to put down! It follows the life and after life of Anita de Monte, an artist whose untimely death leaves her famous artist husband Jack the ability to erase her existence in the field as well as the world as much as possible. Her energy remains while her art is discussed, but as time goes by and her art fades into irrelevancy, she fears she’ll be erased forever. Later, Raquel is studying art and finds herself in a similar relationship to that of Anita and Jack, though she does not know it. Despite the differences in each character, their lives have many parallels but the opportunity to save Raquel and revive Anita rests in Raquel’s hands alone. The characters are so well written, they seem like real people with realistic relationships. Their emotions feel relatable and pressing, making the events that occur so logical and relevant to the story. The story is laced with humor, urgency, relatability, and more. The multiple perspectives capture the story’s development perfectly and demonstrate the parallels between the characters very well. The messages of inequalities and unfairness that have existed throughout time in art and in general is well demonstrated and enhanced by the character development and plot. Overall, a great read! #whattoread #goodreads #bookstagram #booklover #fiction #realisticficton #historicalfiction #anitademontelaughslast #xochitlgonzalez #botm #botd #art #readingrecommendations #reading #booksof2024 #readinglist #bookblog
🎨Anita De Monte Laughs Last by Xóchitl González🎨 I am feeling behind on April reviews. I used to love writing them but now it feels like a chore so I’m not sure what reviews will look like in the future. But I could not let April go by without highlighting this fantastic book. After reading and loving Olga Dies Dreaming, Xóchitl González has become an auto buy author for me. And Anita de Monte did not disappoint! I haven’t read a lot of books set in the art world so it was interesting to see a bit of the behind the scenes. This is a dual perspective book following an up and coming artist Anita de Monte and her tumultuous life (and death) in 1985 and Rhode Island School of Design art student Raquel in 1998. Both are navigating a white centric art world as Latina women and this books illustrates how hard it is to be a women of color in more “elitist” and “prestigious” culture. I think it’s important to note that the character Anita de Monte is based on a very real Cuban-American artist Ana Mendieta, who also died under suspicious circumstances. I would encourage you to research Ana as a companion to this book. #AngRoseReads #AnitaDeMonteLaughsLast #ReadingLife #HistoricalFiction #LatinxStories #AnaMendieta #Bookstagram #ReadMoreBooks #2024Reads
A few more April reads and food recs! This month’s top moods were emotional and tense! #bookreview #bookrecommendations #bookfood #bookishbites #bookclub #audiobooks #emilyhenry #happyplace #netgalley #netgalleyarc #amshineauthor #anitademontelaughslast #xochitlgonzalez #mythology #myths #magicalrealism #romance #horror #fiction
ANITA DE MONTE LAUGHS LAST was interesting and thought-provoking, but fell a little flat for me. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ I loved the Anita storyline — it was passionate, juicy, and sprinkled with magical realism. And MY GOSH, you guys, it’s inspired by the real life artist Ana Mendieta. 😳 ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ But I thought Raquel’s storyline was kind of sad and even a little dull in comparison to Anita’s… So for me, the way the two storylines interacted was a miss. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Gonzalez is ruminating on some really important topics in the book — most notably identity and erasure — and I loved the book for those conversations. I think I just could have used more time with Anita. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ . . . ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ #anitademontelaughslast #xochitlgonzalez #anamendieta #latinaart #bookwormlife #reader #beautifulbooks #bibliophile #reading #booknerd #booksofinstagram #bookstafeatures
Spent April Gala-vanting…💐🙌🏼 A once in a lifetime night out with my cousin. A fabulous benefit for @houseofspeakeasy, doing amazing work for NY’s book deserts. Time with sensational authors and even more sensational readers at the @molaa.art and the @latimesfob. An enriching and emotional day talking Latine Feminism at @northwesternu. A homecoming at @brownu 🐻 - the chance to talk about Anita de Monte to faculty and students with Chris Paxson on campus was a thrill I’ll not soon forget. (I shed more than a few tears with students on the signing line. Thank you.🥹 #evertrue) And coming home to the most fabulous party thrown in Anita’s honor by my beautiful friends @katieleebiegel and @marcyblum! 💕 And then there were the bookends… Started April in my TRULY happy place - just a few days to do nothing but write!!!!! Grateful to the @hermitageartistretreat for the space and to fellow artists and residents @elisabocanegra and @conradtao who inspired me so much. Closed the month with a walk in the woods while at the provocative Hudson Valley Ideas Fest @andrewyang… Because after all this going OUT, it was awesome to just listen to some water running over some rocks and breathe. 🍃🤍🪬 #flatironbooks #anitademontelaughslast #olgadiesdreaming #author #events #roundup #recap #retreat #spring #writing
April Selection #5 - ANITA DE MONTE LAUGHS LAST - Xochitl Gonzalez Based in part on the tragic real-life story of Cuban artist Ana Mendieta and her sculptor husband Carl Andre (Google it! Incredible stuff. No, better yet, just read this fantastic novel), author Xochitl Gonzalez’s second book (after 2022’s highly enjoyable OLGA DIES DREAMING) is an ambitious take on the stifling of female voices both in the mid 80s New York art world and the late 90s Ivy League. Raquel Toro, a third-year art history student at Brown, discovers the work of forgotten Cuban artist Anita de Monte, long overshadowed by the life and career of her more famous husband Jack Martin, and begins to sense a kinship with this ambitious Cuban immigrant who struggled to make it in the hierarchal world of modern art. Raquel feels a similar pressure as a middle-class student of color on a campus filled with privileged students, and in an academic department that seems centered primarily on the study of established male artists. When Raquel falls for a wealthy white upperclassman, an up-and-coming artist named Nick Fitzsimmons, whose attraction to her is mixed with an impulse to mold and control, the dual storylines of Anita and Raquel begin to echo each other in fascinating and frightening ways. Gonzalez has the amazing ability to create extraordinarily engaging storylines (with an added dash of magical realism - watch out for that bat!) while at the same time, explore deeply complicated issues of race, class and gender. The result is an absolute winner that will both entertain and challenge. Read If You Like: Brit Bennett (THE VANISHING HALF), Celeste Ng (LITTLE FIRES EVERYWHERE), Dana Shapiro (SIGNAL FIRES) #xochitlgonzalez #anitademontelaughslast #anamendieta #cubanfemaleartists #brownuniversityalumni #brownuniversity #gregsbookclub
💖 those kinds of reads that reach deep into your soul and make you feel things and then meetings that do the same! today’s bookclub was so great and fun and nourishing and i’m just glad to be here 🥹 to be able to read stories from Latina/x authors that we can relate to on such deep levels. No one saw Anita de Monte coming for us the way it did and whewww… Xochitl Gonazalez knows what’s up!! thank you to everyone that joined us for this month’s read and dropped in online and/or in person today. so thankful to have a chance to talk book shit and laugh and share in a safe space among community 🖤✨ looking forward to May! • • #adelitasbookclub #longbeachbookclub #longbeach #latinxbookstagram #latinxstories #anitademontelaughslast #xochitlgonzalez
Anita de Monte Laughs Last written by @xochitltheg transported me into the art world👩🎨 It follows two timelines and POV from three characters. Anita de Monte and Jack Martin are both artists, but when Anita announces she wants to divorce Jack, he doesn’t take it well. And soon, Anita de Monte’s work seems to disapear. Many years later, Raquel is an art student learning about Jack Martin and questions why Anita de Monte’s life and art are both so hidden. What really happened between Jack and Anita? The book covers privilege, power, love, family, and domestic violence. The writing is denser than the typical fictional book. The sentence structure and details will leave you impressed. Thanks to @reesesbookclub and @bookofthemonth for featuring this book! ❤️🔥 #AnitadeMonteLaughsLast #reesesbookclub #bookofthemonth
🌺 Last, Now, Next 🌺 After battling some kind of non-COVID virus thing since Tuesday, I finally woke up today feeling largely normal. I am SO happy that at least one weekend day is salvageable but feeling a little sorry for myself for having to miss #independentbookstoreday and my neighborhood’s annual music festival yesterday. 🎈🎈 It’s been a lot of Netflix the last few days since my brain wasn’t up for much reading until yesterday. I binged BABY REINDEER - and while it’s really disturbing, I thought it was excellent. Just really original. Also watched a lot of GIRLS5EVA which is pretty fun and kind of dumb, and about all my sickie brain could handle. Now that I think this thing is behind me, I’m looking forward to some long-anticipated reads. Here’s a dip into my past, present, and future reads: 🌺 Last: ANITA DE MONTE LAUGHS LAST by Xochitl Gonzalez - This was a quick, enjoyable read that was far from perfect but kept me turning the pages. 🌺 Now: NORTH WOODS by Daniel Mason - My @dcpubliclibrary hold finally came through for this - I think I was something like 175 on the hold list. Just started it this morning and I’m hooked. 🌺 Next: THE GUEST by Emma Cline - My next bookclub read. I’ve heard a lot about this but have managed to avoid any spoilers - very much looking forward to finally getting a chance to read what sounds like a highly discussable book. Have you read any of these? … #lastnownext #babyreindeer #girls5eva #anitademontelaughslast #xochitlgonzalez #northwoods #danielmason #theguest #emmacline #springreading #litfic #bookrecs #librarybooks #bookclub #bookclubreads #booksandplants #libraryholds
📚 Support Independent Bookstores, Not Moon Colonizers 📚 This #IndependentBookstoreDay, I got to support a couple DC faves. Swipe to check out my haul, including a few freebies. ➡️
Anita De Monte Laughs Last By: Xóchitl González ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Genre: Historical Fiction This is such an amazing book! We Follow Anita and Raquel who are both artists that were put in situations where they start to question who they are and what their purpose/impact is in the art world. Although Anita and Raquel existed in different time periods, they both are victims of gaslighting and controlling behavior from their partners. This novel made great commentary on what classified as “art”. Art isn’t only what’s liked by those with money or status, it’s about what it makes you feel. Culture and heritage has a huge impact in the way someone expresses themselves through their art. This was more of a slow-paced book, which I enjoyed because it made me really absorb the characters and feel for them. Also F Jack! 🤢 #bookstagram #bookworm #bookrecommendations📚 #bookreview #bookcommunity #bookstagrammer #booksbooksbooks #anitademontelaughslast #latinxbooks #latinxbookstagram
FYI: If my husband and I are arguing and I suddenly fall from the 34th window of a penthouse apartment - just know his ass pushed me 😒 Currently reading: Anita de Monte Laughs Last This historical fiction is based on the real life of feminist artist Ana Mendieta, who supposedly jumped to her death right after her and her jealous husband were arguing. Seems suspicious if you ask me 🤨 I’m only half way through - so I’ll hold my review for later, but I’m glad that Xochitl Gonzalez is giving the real-life Anita (Ana) a voice. Review to come soon. #HeyBookBae #AnitaDeMonteLaughsLast
Anita de Monte Laughs Last 🎨 This was a very fun read. The book follows two storylines, Anita de Monte, an artist who is killed in 1985, and Raquel Toro, an art history student in 1998. Over the course of the novel their lives intersect in fascinating ways. As is often the case in multiple POV stories, I was more drawn to Anita’s storyline. Anita’s chapters hooked me immediately with her unique, bold, confident voice and her captivating post-death perspective. I loved the imagery of Anita as a bat and the magical realism sprinkled throughout the story. In Raquel’s chapters I enjoyed watching her grow and find her own identity and voice. Her relationship with Nick mimicked that of Anita and Jack but I was glad she was able to break the cycle and find her freedom. I really enjoyed this book, the pace was great, the characters were fresh and story kept me engaged throughout. When I thought this was a completely original story, it was easily 4 stars. However, after reading, I found out that the book was inspired by the life (and death) of a real woman - Cuban-American artist Ana Mendieta. This is not explicitly acknowledged by Gonzalez other than the vague dedication to “Ana”. I believe there should have been an authors note explaining who Ana was and pointing readers toward the real life work of this artist. Without it, Gonzalaez does what she critiques: she chooses who gets to be remembered, and who is forgotten.
Sunday! We’ll be discussing this beautiful, nuanced story about identity, legacy and the spirit of transcendent art. PLUS talk shit + process all the ish that may have come up from reading oh so relatable moments as latinas/latinx in white centric spaces. ooooof, the micro-aggressions and misogyny hit home 😒😒. Props to Xochitl Gonzalez for putting some of my own feelings and experiences to paper. I feel seent and heard. also…. my 🕷️gawfic little heart has never wanted to be a bat more than getting into these pages 🦇✨ anyone else feel the same? 😅 • • #anitademontelaughslast #xochitlgonzalez #anitademonte #longbeachbookclubs #adelitasbookclub #latinxbookstagrammer #latinxbookstagram #latinxstories
We are ready for the weekend! 😎 If you're looking for a weekend read, look no further than Anita de Monte Laughs Last by @xochitltheg. It's a thought provoking novel about an artist and her mysterious death, and will have you laughing, crying and feeling *all* of the emotions. ⭐ Real Simple calls it a "rollicking page-turner" and it's truly the perfect weekend read. Let us know if you'll be diving in! #AnitadeMonteLaughsLast #XochitlGonzalez
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ A unique story for sure. Dual timelines that kind of halfway come together in the end. It’s also a fun easy way to get into spirits and ghosts just a little. I loved the art aspect of it and the clear push for women in art. #bookstagram #booklover #reading #bookish #prettybooks #bookshelf #bookreview #bookrecommendations #ashleysgotaboook #anitademontelaughslast #xochilgonzalez