Here’s my Christmas card to you!

Family should be arriving within the next few days, presents must be wrapped, work is madness and I seem to have caught a cold.

So I am going to take a little downtime to get things ready for Navidad. Which means I will have to post my thoughts on Chronicle of a Death Foretold after the holidays. Other books I’m reading are Red Poppies, English Passengers and Maisie Dobbs.

I wish all of you a wonderful holiday. Don’t forget to eat 12 grapes New Year’s Eve. According to this custom celebrated in Mexico, you eat 12 grapes as the clock strikes midnight and make a wish with each grape you eat. Your wishes will come true throughout the coming year.

I’ll try to make the rounds and visit throughout my downtime, because I can’t stand being away from book talk for too long, but otherwise see you January 1, 2006.

Finally, here’s my list of favorite reads for 2005. I know some of you have already put up your favorites of 2005 but for those of you who haven’t I hope you’ll share some of your favorites soon.

Fiction
Brick Lane by Monica Ali
Case Histories by Kate Atkinson
Agnes Grey by Anne Brontë
Billie Morgan by Joolz Denby
The Woman in Black by Susan Hill
The Namesake by Jhumpa Lahiri
Memories of My Melancholy Whores by Gabriel García Márquez
The Time Traveler’s Wife by Audrey Niffenegger
The Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafón

Mystery
Die A Little by Megan Abbott
Don’t Look Back by Karin Fossum
Lake of Sorrows by Erin Hart
Tainted Blood by Arnaldur Indridason
Death at la Fenice by Donna Leon
Knots & Crosses by Ian Rankin
Gallows View by Peter Robinson
Murder on Astor Place by Victoria Thompson

Non-Fiction
Don’t Let’s go to the Dogs Tonight by Alexandra Fuller
Truth & Beauty by Ann Patchett
Embroideries by Marjane Satrapi

El Boom was the literary scene in Latin America made up of writers such as Carlos Fuentes, Julio Cortazar and Gabriel Garcia Marquez who gained international attention with a new literature style that combined modern experimentation with elements of Latin American life and culture. In other words, Magical Realism.

A new surge of Latin American writers is now growing but they aren’t necessarily following the footsteps as the Boom writers. These authors honor the literary tradition of magical realism but also want to show new literary styles and influences. This informative article introduces readers to David Toscana, Ignacio Padilla, Mario Bellatin and Monica Lavin as being the writers to watch.

I’ve read Our Lady of the Circus, a strange but memorable book, by David Toscana. I haven’t heard of the others but I’m very curious. One of my cousins from Monterrey may be visiting soon so after posting this, I’m going to send her a little email. You know, asking how she is and can she grab me some of these books.

Has anyone read anything by these writers? Any recommendations?