Waking Up in the Land of Glitter: A Crafty Chica Novel by Kathy Cano-Murillo

Feb 13, 2011 Mary Gramlich rated it 5 of 5 stars

WAKING UP IN THE LAND OF GLITTER written by Kathy Cano-Murillo
A Crafty Chica Novel
03/10 - Grand Central Publishing – Paperback, 336 pages

Simply a wonderful story that should be read by everyone it is that good!

Female friendships are born from diversity and survive by tenacity. The relationships that make it are road tested over the years but each person in the friendship knows that while bumps in the road come and knock you off the cart they do not stop you from getting back in and finishing the...more WAKING UP IN THE LAND OF GLITTER written by Kathy Cano-Murillo
A Crafty Chica Novel
03/10 - Grand Central Publishing – Paperback, 336 pages

Simply a wonderful story that should be read by everyone it is that good!

Female friendships are born from diversity and survive by tenacity. The relationships that make it are road tested over the years but each person in the friendship knows that while bumps in the road come and knock you off the cart they do not stop you from getting back in and finishing the ride. Ofie, Star and Chloe are three sides to a triangle that are different from one another but there is a superglue that has them sticking it out regardless of the cost. While Ofie and Star are old friends with years of memories it is the new addition of Chloe that breathes life into their circle and a little bit of anguish as everything starts to change.

Ofie is a wife, mother and crafting addict gone wrong; Star is an out of control woman who refuses to be a responsible adult and her crazy antics have cost her the love of her love and the tolerance of her parents; Crafty Chloe is a TV personality that while appearing put together and acting all about it on the air is an insecure mess after the camera shuts down and the truth of her crafting inefficiencies comes out.

With the Craft Olympics coming to Phoenix these three unlikely people are drawn together to create some of the most beautiful artwork ever seen and push each other toward greatness when hidden talents start bubbling to the surface. Each of these women has been forced to face the reality of sick or swim for this event and when they come together to create they make one another more independent and create such magic tears are shed even some family drama can’t slow the crafting process. But all good relationships get tested and the real push for any true friendship is when you get to the top of the mountain and your fears of failure come out and you know your worth of self is built around the complexities of your friends and they share their strength with you not keep it for themselves.

This book covers so many areas but has the basis built in friendship and moves the story out from there. Friends are the wonder in your life as well as create some of the difficulties but building on these difficulties we realize all is not glitter and gold in our lives and you can’t always put memories in a scrapbook but you can pull together something beautiful and touching with the right word or having a sincere friend stand beside you when you need it the most. Life is not about crafts that have gone wrong or pictures hanging on the wall crocked, it is about what we show with a simple act of kindness which after all is a grand deed. However, everything seriously does look great with glitter on top and you cannot put too much on anything.
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Dec 19, 2010 Tiffany rated it 3 of 5 stars

Review as posted on my blog: http://acozyreaderscorner.blogspot.com 2.5 Stars

Estrella “Star” Esteban has been floating along through life until her most recent indiscretion causes her boyfriend to leave her and her parents to put their foot down. Star is given the choice to group up and make something of herself or get out. For Star, losing the man she loves is a far greater punishment than she ever imagined. Now, in effort to redeem herself, Star agrees to participate in a national craft compet...more Review as posted on my blog: http://acozyreaderscorner.blogspot.com 2.5 Stars

Estrella “Star” Esteban has been floating along through life until her most recent indiscretion causes her boyfriend to leave her and her parents to put their foot down. Star is given the choice to group up and make something of herself or get out. For Star, losing the man she loves is a far greater punishment than she ever imagined. Now, in effort to redeem herself, Star agrees to participate in a national craft competition. With the help of Ofelia, her best friend and craftier wannabe, Chloe, a local celebrity crafter with a secret, and a few other new found friends, star attempts to get her life on track and redeem herself. Through it all each of these women find comfort in each other, blessings in their differences and strength in friendship and the value of finding something you truly love.

“Waking up in the Land of Glitter” is a story that centers on crafts and art. Though I am a crafty person, this book was a little much for me. While the story was entertaining enough, it had a few flaws that made it less enjoyable and a little difficult to read. The majority of what I liked in the book is portrayed in my synopsis. From the synopsis on the back cover, I gathered the book would have some Spanish terms, names and cultural influences but I did not expect it to the degree it was used. Luckily for me, I checked out the whole book before reading it and found a glossary of terms in the back. This glossary would have served better to be in the front of the book before the story began. While the author mentions that the words can have multiple meanings based on region and that the definitions are specific to her characters in the book, I still found terms that had definitions that did not match up with very specific well known meanings. For example, the word “puta” is stated to mean “hootchie”. This word is widely known to have one meaning and that is bitch. Likewise the word “carbon” is used for “brat” and is widely known to be used as “bastard” or “asshole” in slang terms and literally translates to “billy goat”.

I took the liberty to ask many Spanish speaking friends from all over the country their opinion of translation and all of them agreed with the widely known terms. I then checked multiple internet sites that had Spanish/English translation and found the same conclusion. This seemed to mean the author most likely wasn’t comfortable using the harsher language and instead used her own more subtle terms. I feel that if you are not willing to use the actual word and widely known meaning that it should just be omitted rather than replaced seeing it has no real relevance to the story. Calling someone a brat over an asshole does not give the same thought or level of emotion, just as hootchie doesn’t give the same meaning as bitch.

In addition to the meanings of the language I felt the use of it and English terms didn’t flow well. The author states that Spanish/Spanglish terms are sprinkled throughout the novel though it felt as if the novel was saturated with them in parts and sprinkled in others. The words were sometimes used in a way where the reader would be able to understand the meaning without using the glossary, but more often needed it to help understand the translation. The use of the terms seemed to take away from the characters for me rather than draw me to them. I did not connect with the characters of this book. I found the main character to be quite annoying, childish and self centered. Each character was full of drama that they seemed to create for themselves out of boredom or need for attention rather than having actual issues. The book held my attention enough, but I was never attached to it. I didn’t find myself with a reason to read faster, stay up later or finish an extra chapter just to keep reading. I was content to read when I had time, but also put the book aside for any reason that seemed more interesting than the story. My favorite part was the last third of the book when the characters were mostly spate from each other and finally getting their act together.

Overall, this book is probably best read by extreme lovers of crafts, those who are of the Spanish heritage and would not need the glossary or someone looking for a very different read. I cannot say I have ever read another book quite like this one. It is unique. While I am sure others will enjoy it more than I did, the book simply wasn’t for me. Though I do not regret the read, I would not be able to read this novel again.

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Aug 01, 2010 Gail rated it 5 of 5 stars

There are two types of people: those who LOVE glitter and those who despise it. So when I saw this book on the library shelves, I just had to read it. I love glitter.

Estrella "Star" Esteben disdains glitter. She's an artist, doing real art with a global message. Except...this 20 something woman is always planning for someday, and not following through on her committments to her boyfriend, to her parents/and employer, or to her friends. There's a stream of half-done projects, half executed promi...more

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Mar 11, 2010 Margaret Ortiz rated it 5 of 5 stars

I am a quilter and a part-time book reader. I'm also follower of the crafty chica blog. I've been waiting for this book to come out after reading about it for years on her blog. I wasn't sure what to expect. I finished it in two days and absolutely loved it. It made me laugh and it made me cry at some parts. I really liked that it presented a different type of latina characters that were all very creative in their own way. I really want to try some of the projects they made. The characters seeme...more

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Mar 09, 2010 Gaby rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: chicklit, multicultural, summer-reading, ya-fiction, contemporary-romance

Waking Up in the Land of Glitter: A Crafty Chica Novel is partly about crafting and largely about friendship, love, and finding your purpose. Its the story of Chloe Chavez, the glamorous and ruthless TV reporter that covers crafting segments, even though she can't stand crafting. It's equally about the frustrated housewife and avid crafter Ofelia. Ofelia turns to crafting to bring beauty and order in her life, but her enthusiasm overtakes her talent. The third and key character is Star or Estell...more

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Aug 18, 2010 Jess Alexander rated it 5 of 5 stars

Some people might get put off by the mere title having glitter in it. One of my friends flips out whenever a spec comes in close proximity to her. But thankfully, glitter is not the main glue of this story. It's friendship. Friendship tougher than any industrial craft adhesive, tougher than glitter.

This book touched me so that instead of just writing "it was awesome," I thought I'd get a little personal and show you the letter I sent to the author, Kathy Cano-Murillo.
Dear Crafty Chica,
First off,...more

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Mar 10, 2010 Laura de Leon rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: fiction, chick-lit, review-copy

This 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...more

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Aug 21, 2012 Carol rated it 4 of 5 stars

One of my favorite topics - WOMAN HELPING WOMAN. And ever better it's set in Phoenix, Glendale and Peoria!!! Fun to read about the area I live in. The main characters are all drawn together because of crafting, each one is challenged in the ability to cope with life but as they hang together as a group they help each other to find the way to mature and overcome hangugs and shortcomings. They even help a teenage boy to make peace with his family so they can accept him for who he is.Here is a quot...more

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Apr 21, 2010 Amy rated it 5 of 5 stars

I don't get a chance to read for fun very often but I own two of Kathy's craft books and I am familiar with her writing through those and a short story I read on her blog. There aren't that many stories out there about crafty women, so I was intrigued. The book is a heart-warming story about friendships, love, and finding oneself. It is a light-read that can easily be read in 2-3 days (plus you won't want to put it down). I identified with the characters and also recognized some of the inspirati...more

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Dec 07, 2010 Toni rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: fiction, first-reads

What a fun, fun, book! I won it last year on Goodreads and just got around to reading it. Partly because I wanted to read something funny and partly because I really need inspiration to get creative and most fiction revolving around crafting is geared toward 70 year old ladies!

I'm so mad at myself for waiting so long, because I loved it. La Pachanga restaurant in Phoenix, Arizona serves great Mexican food and acts as and art space for local artists. Estrella "Star" Esteban, whose family owns the...more

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Jan 28, 2011 Reads4Pleasure rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: chick-lit-of-color-challenge

Star Esteban is a hot mess. From the very beginning I could tell reading about this chick was going to be fun and that I would love every minute of it. And I was right!

Twenty something Estrella "Star" Esteban works at her family business, La Pachanga, a combination restaurant and art gallery. As an only child, Star's every whim has been catered to by her hippie parents, so it's not unusual for her to start and stop projects without worrying about the repercussions. But when she goes overboard wi...more

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Mar 13, 2010 Sara rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: first-reads, 2010, adult-fiction

2.5 stars. I received this book for free through the FirstReads program. Waking Up in the Land of Glitter follows a group of women working toward competing in the Craft Olympics, a national craft competition where they have volunteered to make centerpieces and also potentially compete in some of the contests. Ofie is a housewife who loves all sorts of crafts; Star is only participating because she's made a huge mistake with her parents and with her boyfriend and wants to fix it; and Chloe is the...more

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May 14, 2010 Colleen rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: reviewed

I 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 fou...more

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Jun 11, 2011 Continualknowledge rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: chick-lit-2011-challenge

I really did like Waking up in the Land of Glitter, although I thought I was going to have some problems with it. It took me a while to actually get into the book but the easy writing helped as the book picked up speed. What I did think though was that the book could have been shortened. It seemed to drag in some instances even though it was a quick read. She had some funny and moving parts and it was good to see some development in the characters. We could see them actually become "real" people...more

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Mar 16, 2010 Kristina rated it 4 of 5 stars

I 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 c...more

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Mar 12, 2010 Nicole rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: fun-reads

First off, this book is one I received from Goodreads First Reads program.

I really enjoyed this book! It was slow going in the first eight chapters, but something came together in chapter nine and I couldn't put it down. It's an endearing tale of three friends and how they come to meet and form their friendships. I caught myself laughing out loud during some parts and tearing up during others. It is written with quite a few Spanish/Spanglish words and I did find my Spanish classes came in handy...more

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Apr 02, 2010 Kristi (Books and Needlepoint) rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: arcs

I really enjoyed this book - and not just because it combined two of my favorite things - reading and crafts. Star is very much a free spirit. She lives at home and works at her family's restaurant, doing press releases for the art shows they host. Her life isn't very demanding, and she doesn't really have a lot of tough decisions to make, so when she suspects Theo, her best friend, is about to propose - it kind of causes her to lose a little control. She ends up getting drunk with her cousin M...more

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Mar 08, 2010 Colleen rated it 2 of 5 stars

Waking Up in the Land of Glitter: A Crafty Chica Novel by Kathy Cano-Murillo tells the story of Estrella (Star) Esteban's antics as she tries to redeem herself in the eyes of her parents, her boyfriend and her friends. Star, the daughter of new age parents Dori and Al, moves relatively aimlessly through life starting projects she never finishes and shirking her responsibilities as she lives rent-free at age 28 in her parents' home. Her father finally gives her an ultimatum requiring Star to plan...more Waking Up in the Land of Glitter: A Crafty Chica Novel by Kathy Cano-Murillo tells the story of Estrella (Star) Esteban's antics as she tries to redeem herself in the eyes of her parents, her boyfriend and her friends. Star, the daughter of new age parents Dori and Al, moves relatively aimlessly through life starting projects she never finishes and shirking her responsibilities as she lives rent-free at age 28 in her parents' home. Her father finally gives her an ultimatum requiring Star to plan and execute an event to benefit the family business - this ultimatum sets Star on a path to discover what she really wants from life.

Star and her crafting friends - Ofie, Crafty Chloe and Benecio - are very likeable characters. Star is the "Lucy"of the group and she is caught in crazy scenarios that she brings on herself but you root for her anyway. Ofie is desperate for others approval and the mother figure for the group while Crafty Chloe is an ambitious career woman who looks around and realizes her career is all she has in her life. Benecio, the talented teenager who hides his artistic interests from his absent parents, is actually wise beyond his years and provides steady support for the women in the group. The four embark on a crafting project extraordinaire in order to meet Star's father's ultimatum. Along the way they develop a friendship - this friendship and how it supports them through a variety of challenges is endearing.

With these characters and snappy dialogue with frequent pop culture references, the book has a lot going for it. However, when I reflect on the novel in its entirety, it seems to just miss the mark. Some of the scenes are difficult to believe and not just difficult to imagine happening in real life but difficult to imagine with what we are given with these characters. For example, Star and Crafty Chloe move from being arch enemies to the closest of friends with little to explain the transition. I had difficulty believing how easily everything started to fit together within the storyline. There were many storylines going on at once in the novel - perhaps with a few less characters and by cutting a story line or two, the book would have rung more true for me and seemed less trite.

Bottom line - the is a fun, frothy novel but it is terribly predictable. The book does a good job of honoring friendships and the power that an artistic release can have in a person's life. (less)

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Aug 04, 2011 Tracey rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: chick-lit

I added this book to my suitcase when I was packing for a trip to Phoenix. It seemed appropriate to read it while visiting the city in which it is set. I'm glad I did. My only wish is that I was home so I could dive into my glitter while reading! :)

This book was so much fun to read. I loved the flawed characters and how their friendships grew despite those flaws. I found myself wishing they were in my circle of friends and at the end, I really wanted to read more adventures of Star, Chloe and Of...more

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Jan 27, 2011 Kay rated it 4 of 5 stars

Recommended to Kay by: Kathy Can

I loved this book from the start. You don't have to be a crafter/artist to enjoy this book because it hits home to anyone who has ever had personal issues. I could really feel for these women as they made their revalations and then worked on their own personal short comings...Star who is constantly "giving up" when things get difficult, her best friend Ofie who has terrible insecurities, Chloe with her determination to be get ahead regardless of who she hurts or has to sleep with to get there. T...more

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Aug 30, 2010 Cinnamon rated it 4 of 5 stars

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It's not going to change the world, but I realized after reading the book that reading it was a lot like crafting. It was fun, and I felt better about myself when I was done with it. It took me a little while to get into it, but by page 40 I was hooked and interested in what Star was going to do next. I read this right after reading The Friday Night Knitting Club, which I started out liking but ended up disliking. I was afraid that jumping into this book next woul...more

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Mar 10, 2010 Jennifer rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: fiction

From my blog....[return][return]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 Glitte...more

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Jun 04, 2010 Sara rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: fiction, jewelry-making-craft

Waking up in the Land of Glitter by Kathy Cano-Murillo is not the typical type of book that I review for the Soft Flex School of Design, so it was neat to read something a little different that still applies to the craft industry. Kathy (also known as Crafty Chica) is a well known author of several craft titles. This book is her debut work of fiction. The characters were very cute and super crafty, as you would expect from a craft diva. I have a feeling that any girl or guy that has found themse...more

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Sep 12, 2010 Zulmara rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: latinas-inspiradas

Waking up in the Land of Glitter
By Kathy Cano-Murillo
http://www.craftychica.com/

Reviewed by Zulmara Cline

Kathy Cano-Murillo's debut novel, Waking up in the Land of Glitter, is a delightful, fun read. Taking her passion for crafts, art, life, love, and glitter, Kathy has created memorable characters who live in our hearts long after the story has ended. These three very different and very passionate Latinas demonstrate the strength of our community, our families, and our loves.

Adult friendships...more

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Oct 13, 2011 Robin rated it 5 of 5 stars

I love the Crafty Chica! I love and own all of her craft books so I was excited to read her first novel and I was not disappointed! I identified with all of her characters and I love the fact that making crafts was so much a part of each of their lives. I did not want this book to end! This book was like a delicious desert at the end of a wonderful dinner. I tried not to read it too fast because I wanted to savor every word! For a crafter it is a must read. So much fun so much glitter!

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Jul 28, 2011 Amber rated it 1 of 5 stars

Emotionally stunted and repulsive main characters bond, and through the strength of their relationship, magically become empowered, successful, and sexy.

The writing is paper thin, relying on pop culture references instead of actual descriptions. Costume takes the place of characterization. Bands are name dropped as though the mention of a band conveys meaningful information. And of course, all the "good" men in the story are described in terms of food: they cook food, and they are food-colored....more

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Mar 15, 2011 Pamela rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2011-book-challenge, chic-lit, crafting, fiction

I'll go ahead and give this book 4 stars, but mostly because I don't have the option of 3.5 stars. I like Kathy Can-Murillo and it was fun to read a book that takes place just blocks away from where I grew up, but I had a hard time getting into the story. Its not the fault of the story...I just have a hard time getting into chic lit no matter how much I want to like the book. I did enjoy it at the end. There actually are tumbleweeds in Arizona--even though the main character hadn't ever seen one...more

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May 11, 2012 Natalie rated it 3 of 5 stars

The writing wasn't fabulous but I did like the story. It seemed like it was rushed and some things were explained that I felt were obvious.

There are also just some bizarre comparisons in the book that come out of nowhere. It really doesn't enhance the story at all!

On the other hand, I loved the characters and I felt a huge connection to many of them as they reminded me of people I know.

Would definitely recommend this book for craft obsessed people. Otherwise, I'd see people getting bored.

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Apr 12, 2012 Jamie Wilde-West rated it 5 of 5 stars

Kathy Cano-Murillo is turning into one of my favorite authors. As a craft junkie, I can relate with Ofie. I am a heavy crafter, I eat, sleepy and drink crafts. Many of my crafts turn out weird and crazy, but I love to create. I loved the book. But, there was some things I didn't like about the book. There were some swearing. I did enjoy the characters and their stories and the things they gained and the lessons they learned. When I finished I was wishing their was more works from the author. I d...more

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Feb 26, 2011 Corina rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Although, in the end, I did like the book as a whole, I had to fight myself to keep reading it at the beginning. I think the characters are too way over the top at the beginning. This in itself made me want to put it down and take it off my Kindle. However, I wanted to give it a really good chance because I follow the author's blog and think she is very talented, so I stuck with it. I'm glad I did but I'm wondering how many other people will give it that extra chance.

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