Blogamole › Raul Ramod y Sanchez

By Michael Lopez

Long before there were online articles, Facebook posts and Tweets, people got their information from good old-fashioned books. And though most of us at Blogamole have begrudgingly embraced the e-Reader craze, we still love a hardcover page-turner every now and again. That’s why we were extra stoked to hear about LatinoStories.com’s list of the hottest Latino authors (and books) of the holiday season.

Topping the list is Cuban-born author Raul Ramos y Sanchez and his fictional novel, America Libre. This cultural breakdown has major movie potential and received big praise from such Hollywood heavyweights as Edward James Olmos. Rumor has it, Raul’s 2011 follow-up, House Divided, will be even better.

Moving to lighter fare, Mara Price’s Grandma’s Chocolate has two things we can’t get enough of — sweets and abuelitas! It’s a fun, heartwarming story with great illustrations by Lisa Fields.

Those looking for darker themes might want to check out Aaron Michael Morales’ novel, Drowning Tucson. With such heavy topics as family strife, murder and violence, it’s definitely not helping Arizona’s already tainted image (but it’s a great read).

What if you just don’t have the time to commit to a 400-page book? Not to worry, Patricia Engel’s Vida is a great collection of lighthearted short stories. And for all you Latin poetry fans, The Strange House Testifies by Ruth Irupe Sanabria offers wonderful glimpses into the history and culture of Argentina.

That’s only the beginning. There are fantastic works by Salvador Plascencia, Oscar Casares and many others. Thanks, LatinoStories, for compiling such an awesome list.

What is your favorite book this holiday season? Sound off in the comments or @MTV3.

Tags America Libre, Authors, Books, Holiday Reading, Hot Stuff, Libros, Raul Ramod y Sanchez