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Carmen and Grace
An emotionally riveting coming-of-age drama, the story of two cousins lured into the underground drug trade at a young age, and the inextricable ties that bind them, as one woman seeks power and the other seeks a way out—the debut of a vibrant and stunningly original new voice in fiction.
Carmen and Grace have been inseparable since they were little girls, more like sisters than cousins, survivors of a childhood marked by neglect and addiction, and a system that never valued them—for too long all they had was each other. That is until Doña Durka swept into their lives and changed everything, taking Grace into her home, providing stability and support, and playing an outsized role in Carmen’s upbringing too.
Durka is more than a beneficent force in their Bronx neighborhood though. She’s also the leader of an underground drug empire, a larger-than-life matriarch who understands the vital importance of taking what power she can in a world too often ruled by violent men. So, when Durka dies suddenly under mysterious circumstances, Carmen and Grace’s lives are thrown into chaos. Grace has been primed to take over and has grand plans to expand the business. While Carmen is ready to move on—from the shadow of Durka and her high expectations, and most of all, from always looking over her shoulder in fear. She’s also harboring a secret: she’s pregnant and starting to show, and desperate to build a new life before the baby arrives.
But how can Carmen leave the only family she’s ever known, this tight sisterhood of women known as the D.O.D, a group of lost girls turned skilled professionals under Durka’s guiding hand, all tightly bonded in their spirituality and merciless support for one another—especially now, when outside threats are circling, and Grace’s plans are speeding recklessly forward.
As tough and tender as its main characters, Carmen and Grace will grab readers from the first page with its raw beauty, depth of feeling, and heart-pounding plot. A moving meditation on the choices of women and the legacy of violence, it’s a devastatingly wise and intimate story about the bonds of female friendship, ambition, and found family.
Carmen and Grace have been inseparable since they were little girls, more like sisters than cousins, survivors of a childhood marked by neglect and addiction, and a system that never valued them—for too long all they had was each other. That is until Doña Durka swept into their lives and changed everything, taking Grace into her home, providing stability and support, and playing an outsized role in Carmen’s upbringing too.
Durka is more than a beneficent force in their Bronx neighborhood though. She’s also the leader of an underground drug empire, a larger-than-life matriarch who understands the vital importance of taking what power she can in a world too often ruled by violent men. So, when Durka dies suddenly under mysterious circumstances, Carmen and Grace’s lives are thrown into chaos. Grace has been primed to take over and has grand plans to expand the business. While Carmen is ready to move on—from the shadow of Durka and her high expectations, and most of all, from always looking over her shoulder in fear. She’s also harboring a secret: she’s pregnant and starting to show, and desperate to build a new life before the baby arrives.
But how can Carmen leave the only family she’s ever known, this tight sisterhood of women known as the D.O.D, a group of lost girls turned skilled professionals under Durka’s guiding hand, all tightly bonded in their spirituality and merciless support for one another—especially now, when outside threats are circling, and Grace’s plans are speeding recklessly forward.
As tough and tender as its main characters, Carmen and Grace will grab readers from the first page with its raw beauty, depth of feeling, and heart-pounding plot. A moving meditation on the choices of women and the legacy of violence, it’s a devastatingly wise and intimate story about the bonds of female friendship, ambition, and found family.
400 pages, Hardcover
First published April 4, 2023
93 people are currently reading
16710 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 247 reviews
November 8, 2022
This book. It's written absolutely beautifully and brilliantly and at each section name I'm almost brought to tears. This book throws you in with no explanation, no orientation, but you're just fully submerged in this world of drugs and gangs and family feuds. And then slowly we're fed peices of what's happening and it becomes so much more than just drugs and violence but a story of hope, despair, grief and love. It's a story about female friendships and toxic bonds we have with those closest to us. From mother daughter relationships and the bonds of sisters, cousins and, best friends. A story of how to break toxic cycles and give younger generations a better life than we were given -- but maybe that's impossible and we are just stuck in violent despairing circles. The writing was beautiful and poetic, the characters were so bold and lively, complicated and messy, so much more than meets the eye. I was so here for this badass all girl drug cartel. The more I read the more my mind was blown and my heart broke but then was healed. This had so much healing, both for the characters and for me. It spoke to how to reclaim your power, forgive yourself and forgive others. I fell in love. This book is so different from anything I've read before and I'm so excited for it to come out.
Thanks net galley for this arc!
Thanks net galley for this arc!
June 19, 2024
Wanted to like this book for its important themes related to childhood trauma, female friendship, and poverty and societal marginalization. Unfortunately, I found the writing a bit all over the place, both in terms of the hard-to-follow dual points of view and the clunky dialogue. In sum, powerful messages marred by their difficult-to-understand delivery.
March 18, 2023
Thanks to Harper Collins for the Advanced Reading Copy of Carmen and Grace, the opinions are my own.
This book was a slog, and took me a long time to read it, though I kept trying. I was interested in reading a story about "Cousins who are more like sisters" in a culture different from my own, and their journey and struggles from a tough upbringing. The book is very wordy, goes in circles, and at times you are unsure what timeframe or what character is being focused on. From the beginning, I needed a family tree/organizational chart to know who was who, and how they all fit together, and what the hierarchy was in the business. This came about half way through the book, so you could finally figure out how they all came together, but it was unclear until then, which left you detached.
The book was rambling and I had to force myself to read it. It was like a car crash, you just couldn't look away, though you didn't want to see it. Some details were too much, other times I needed a little bit more to fill in the blanks to really give the story some depth. Though Carmen and Grace were supposed to be close, I always just felt they were butting heads, competing and eventually trying to show each other up, that one could be better than the other. The book starts off with Carmen in jail, I was interested to figure out how that happened, but by time I got there, it was anticlimactic. The end of the book when on and on with "life lessons". Overall, the book could have been 100 pages shorter, and I still think it would have come off as disjointed and rambling.
Reading the description of this book, it appealed to me. But it never pulled me in or gained my interest.
This book was a slog, and took me a long time to read it, though I kept trying. I was interested in reading a story about "Cousins who are more like sisters" in a culture different from my own, and their journey and struggles from a tough upbringing. The book is very wordy, goes in circles, and at times you are unsure what timeframe or what character is being focused on. From the beginning, I needed a family tree/organizational chart to know who was who, and how they all fit together, and what the hierarchy was in the business. This came about half way through the book, so you could finally figure out how they all came together, but it was unclear until then, which left you detached.
The book was rambling and I had to force myself to read it. It was like a car crash, you just couldn't look away, though you didn't want to see it. Some details were too much, other times I needed a little bit more to fill in the blanks to really give the story some depth. Though Carmen and Grace were supposed to be close, I always just felt they were butting heads, competing and eventually trying to show each other up, that one could be better than the other. The book starts off with Carmen in jail, I was interested to figure out how that happened, but by time I got there, it was anticlimactic. The end of the book when on and on with "life lessons". Overall, the book could have been 100 pages shorter, and I still think it would have come off as disjointed and rambling.
Reading the description of this book, it appealed to me. But it never pulled me in or gained my interest.
April 3, 2023
Carmen and Grace have been inseparable since they were little girls, more like sisters than cousins, survivors of a childhood marked by neglect and addiction, and a system that never valued them - for too long all they had was each other. That is until Dona Durka swept into their lives and changed everything, taking Grace into her home, providing stability and support, and playing an outsized role in Carmen's upbringing too. Durka is more than a beneficent force in their Bronx neighbourhood though. She's also the leader of an underground drugs empire, a larger-than-life matriarch who understands the vital importance of taking what power she can in a world too often ruled by violent men.
This is an emotional and gripping read. The story is told from Carmen and Grace's perspectives. It's not always easy to read with parts being written in Spanish. We also have a dual timeline -from the present day and the past, when they were children. The girls are survivors of abuse, neglect, addiction, and much more. It did take me a little while to get into the story due to the authors writing style. But there's something raw and beautiful about this story.
I would like to thank #NetGalley #HeadofZeus #Apollo and the author #MelissaCrossAquiro for my ARC of #CarmenandGrace in exchange for an honest review.
This is an emotional and gripping read. The story is told from Carmen and Grace's perspectives. It's not always easy to read with parts being written in Spanish. We also have a dual timeline -from the present day and the past, when they were children. The girls are survivors of abuse, neglect, addiction, and much more. It did take me a little while to get into the story due to the authors writing style. But there's something raw and beautiful about this story.
I would like to thank #NetGalley #HeadofZeus #Apollo and the author #MelissaCrossAquiro for my ARC of #CarmenandGrace in exchange for an honest review.
February 11, 2023
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. Many thanks to the Publishers for this opportunity.
This read reveals the harsh reality of those on the fringe of society from a country that now doesn't see them and who fall into the hands of those who give false protection all the while grooming them for the drug trade. The story is of two girls who have experienced neglect and addiction, two inseparable cousins Carmen and Grace who are taken in by an underground drug dealer Doña Durka. Their situation becomes difficult when Doña dies leaving Grace exposed to those wanting to take over the helm when the plan had been for her to do so. The brutality of this type of life is well exposed, all the women are pretty tough, language tough but with their leader gone it all begins to unravel.
Carmen who relates the story becomes pregnant to her lover and amongst all that is going on they marry. She is imprisoned just after the birth of her daughter and during this time she learns of Grace's death. After her release she is able to reconnect with her daughter, now a young adult. There is good news for her revealed at the end, an unexpected surprise and of enlightenment.
This read reveals the harsh reality of those on the fringe of society from a country that now doesn't see them and who fall into the hands of those who give false protection all the while grooming them for the drug trade. The story is of two girls who have experienced neglect and addiction, two inseparable cousins Carmen and Grace who are taken in by an underground drug dealer Doña Durka. Their situation becomes difficult when Doña dies leaving Grace exposed to those wanting to take over the helm when the plan had been for her to do so. The brutality of this type of life is well exposed, all the women are pretty tough, language tough but with their leader gone it all begins to unravel.
Carmen who relates the story becomes pregnant to her lover and amongst all that is going on they marry. She is imprisoned just after the birth of her daughter and during this time she learns of Grace's death. After her release she is able to reconnect with her daughter, now a young adult. There is good news for her revealed at the end, an unexpected surprise and of enlightenment.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 21, 2023
SOOO GOOOOD!!!! I hardly ever give 5 stars these days but this book was EVERYTHING!!! DONT READ IT!! Listen to the audiobook!! The reading of it was MASTERFUL!!!
The book was like a Puerto Rican “Coldest Winter Ever”. A hood story but this was so much better than just a hood story because the author knows how to write an AMAZING book!! (I don’t like hood stories/novels because while the story and plots are often good, the writing is terrible!) But not here, it was beautifully written and I would sit and it was like watching (or listening to) a movie! (Please let someone buy the rights and make this a movie!! Maybe JLo?! She could play Dona Durka?!)
The book was like a Puerto Rican “Coldest Winter Ever”. A hood story but this was so much better than just a hood story because the author knows how to write an AMAZING book!! (I don’t like hood stories/novels because while the story and plots are often good, the writing is terrible!) But not here, it was beautifully written and I would sit and it was like watching (or listening to) a movie! (Please let someone buy the rights and make this a movie!! Maybe JLo?! She could play Dona Durka?!)
June 19, 2023
Talk about a big emotional roll coaster of reading. This right here is a STORY. I didn’t see the tears coming until the last page or so.
March 19, 2023
A depressingly harsh reality in a cruel rudimentary upbringing and the vicious fight to survive for a better way to a more productive life.
April 14, 2023
I want to thank the author and Head of Zeus for sending me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
The reader is dropped straight into the story here, one that starts with Carmen in prison. A doctor is trying to help the women there to see a way out of their previous lifestyles once they have done their time. Carmen being in prison makes the reader want to learn how she got there, but the story that follows is a bit underwhelming.
The beginning was undoubtedly my favourite part and I found myself wishing that the story would have returned to it in more detail at the end, but it didn’t. In fact, the entire ending felt very rushed and too neat. Carmen’s stint in prison is brushed over, which is a shame as I felt the author had an opportunity to make some important observations on incarceration of women, especially those of racial minorities or involved in the drugs trade.
I liked the dual POV aspect of this book, as things that seemed to not make sense to Carmen in the her initial section were explained well to the reader by Grace in the following one. Though I ended up not really liking any of the characters, including the more minor ones of which there were too many. The friendships between the women felt forced and manipulative because of their situation in the drugs trade, so even that was not a redeeming factor. I found it annoying and repetitive that Carmen went back and forth on how she felt about Grace so often too.
I wish that this book had delved deeper into Carmen and Grace’s childhoods in relation to their parents. Motherhood seemed to be a recurring theme for the girls but the reader isn’t given much information beyond the fact they were neglected. I think this was a bad choice for such a core message.
There are lines of Spanish dialogue throughout this book. I think the author missed a trick by not providing a translation or explanation in the following lines for the reader, as I have seen in other books. I had to keep referring to a translator to understand what was going on, which sucked me out of the story. This was especially a problem during extensive sections of Dona Durka’s dialogue.
Overall, I don’t think this book was for me. It felt like a bit of a slog to get through, which is unfortunate because it sounded so good on paper. It didn’t need to be as long as it was and I felt rather underwhelmed by the end.
1.5/5
The reader is dropped straight into the story here, one that starts with Carmen in prison. A doctor is trying to help the women there to see a way out of their previous lifestyles once they have done their time. Carmen being in prison makes the reader want to learn how she got there, but the story that follows is a bit underwhelming.
The beginning was undoubtedly my favourite part and I found myself wishing that the story would have returned to it in more detail at the end, but it didn’t. In fact, the entire ending felt very rushed and too neat. Carmen’s stint in prison is brushed over, which is a shame as I felt the author had an opportunity to make some important observations on incarceration of women, especially those of racial minorities or involved in the drugs trade.
I liked the dual POV aspect of this book, as things that seemed to not make sense to Carmen in the her initial section were explained well to the reader by Grace in the following one. Though I ended up not really liking any of the characters, including the more minor ones of which there were too many. The friendships between the women felt forced and manipulative because of their situation in the drugs trade, so even that was not a redeeming factor. I found it annoying and repetitive that Carmen went back and forth on how she felt about Grace so often too.
I wish that this book had delved deeper into Carmen and Grace’s childhoods in relation to their parents. Motherhood seemed to be a recurring theme for the girls but the reader isn’t given much information beyond the fact they were neglected. I think this was a bad choice for such a core message.
There are lines of Spanish dialogue throughout this book. I think the author missed a trick by not providing a translation or explanation in the following lines for the reader, as I have seen in other books. I had to keep referring to a translator to understand what was going on, which sucked me out of the story. This was especially a problem during extensive sections of Dona Durka’s dialogue.
Overall, I don’t think this book was for me. It felt like a bit of a slog to get through, which is unfortunate because it sounded so good on paper. It didn’t need to be as long as it was and I felt rather underwhelmed by the end.
1.5/5
October 2, 2023
2.5 ⭐️
Blurb: Carmen and Grace have been inseparable since they were little girls – more like sisters than cousins, survivors of a childhood marked by neglect and addiction. For too long, all they had was each other.
That is, until Doña Durka swept into their lives and changed everything, taking Grace into her home and playing an outsize role in Carmen's upbringing too. But Durka is more than a beneficent force in their Bronx neighborhood. She's also the leader of an underground drug empire, a larger-than-life matriarch who understands the importance of taking what power she can in a world too often ruled by violent men.
So when Durka dies suddenly, Carmen and Grace's lives are thrown into chaos. Grace has been primed to take over and has grand plans to expand the business, but Carmen is ready to move on – from Durka's shadow, and from always looking over her shoulder in fear.
Review:
Described as female Latinx Godfather drama, Aquino’s debut is a bleak and difficult read. Set in the Bronx, Carmen and Grace’s lives revolve around the underground drugs trade and the gang that they were effectively indoctrinated into at a young age. One woman wants to rise up within the organisation while one desperately wants out.
This story contained elements that made for difficult reading, particularly the grooming of a young girl by a much older man and his mother. I wanted to be wowed by this story as the synopsis really grabbed my attention, but it fell flat for me. It was too long, the pacing was a bit all over the place and the different timelines made it hard for me to keep track. The main characters were well written, but the narrative style of the author and the way the secondary characters were not as developed, meant that I lost interest about half way through.
Carmen and Grace deals with some heavy-hitting topics including absent mothers, bad childhood, abuse, drugs and murder but what I will say stands out is the depiction of female friendship and sisterhood. The bond between Carmen and Grace and the development of their relationship was the standout element for me in this story.
Personally, Carmen and Grace isn’t for me, but if you like coming of age stories, this might be for you.
Carmen and Grace was released in April 2023. Thanks to NetGalley and Head of Zeus for the arc.
Blurb: Carmen and Grace have been inseparable since they were little girls – more like sisters than cousins, survivors of a childhood marked by neglect and addiction. For too long, all they had was each other.
That is, until Doña Durka swept into their lives and changed everything, taking Grace into her home and playing an outsize role in Carmen's upbringing too. But Durka is more than a beneficent force in their Bronx neighborhood. She's also the leader of an underground drug empire, a larger-than-life matriarch who understands the importance of taking what power she can in a world too often ruled by violent men.
So when Durka dies suddenly, Carmen and Grace's lives are thrown into chaos. Grace has been primed to take over and has grand plans to expand the business, but Carmen is ready to move on – from Durka's shadow, and from always looking over her shoulder in fear.
Review:
Described as female Latinx Godfather drama, Aquino’s debut is a bleak and difficult read. Set in the Bronx, Carmen and Grace’s lives revolve around the underground drugs trade and the gang that they were effectively indoctrinated into at a young age. One woman wants to rise up within the organisation while one desperately wants out.
This story contained elements that made for difficult reading, particularly the grooming of a young girl by a much older man and his mother. I wanted to be wowed by this story as the synopsis really grabbed my attention, but it fell flat for me. It was too long, the pacing was a bit all over the place and the different timelines made it hard for me to keep track. The main characters were well written, but the narrative style of the author and the way the secondary characters were not as developed, meant that I lost interest about half way through.
Carmen and Grace deals with some heavy-hitting topics including absent mothers, bad childhood, abuse, drugs and murder but what I will say stands out is the depiction of female friendship and sisterhood. The bond between Carmen and Grace and the development of their relationship was the standout element for me in this story.
Personally, Carmen and Grace isn’t for me, but if you like coming of age stories, this might be for you.
Carmen and Grace was released in April 2023. Thanks to NetGalley and Head of Zeus for the arc.
April 13, 2023
4🌟.
A strong plot with bold female leads? Here SHE is. This book submerges you into the world of drugs, gangs and unresolved family feuds with a focus on how to break toxic cycles! I thought the book was a little bit too long but there was a lot I liked about the story such as the messy characters with their complicated relationships and having the different POV’s of both Carmen and Grace.
📖S Y N O P S I S📖
Two cousins become ensnared with a powerful Bronx drug trafficker. Grace, a college-educated young woman who deals drugs for powerful kingpin Doña “Durka” Rodriguez, emerges as the crew’s new putative drug lord after Durka is killed by competing traffickers. While Carmen is ready to move on—from the shadow of Durka and her high expectations, and most of all, from always looking over her shoulder in
fear.
We start with Carmen’s POV, with her telling us her side of the story and I think I preferred hers over Grace’s. I just seemed to connect more to Carmen and found her more relatable plus the direction of her storyline was 👌. That being said a chapter from Grace’s POV introducing the backstories to the girls was my absolute FAVOURITE part of the entire book. I just loved the writing and learning more about the characters! 🤌
The characters were written and developed well! I found it hard at the beginning of keeping track of who was who but soon adjusted. I loved the differences between the women, their personalities and how they ended up where they did. My favourite though was Red, she had my heart from the second she was introduced, I adored her♥! The sisterhood feel to this book was really POWERFUL, my favourite thing about it all!
The storylines within the book were great with many layers to them, an onion situation 🧅. There is a lot to think about throughout reading Carmen And Grace which I just adore, makes for a great reading experience!
A strong plot with bold female leads? Here SHE is. This book submerges you into the world of drugs, gangs and unresolved family feuds with a focus on how to break toxic cycles! I thought the book was a little bit too long but there was a lot I liked about the story such as the messy characters with their complicated relationships and having the different POV’s of both Carmen and Grace.
📖S Y N O P S I S📖
Two cousins become ensnared with a powerful Bronx drug trafficker. Grace, a college-educated young woman who deals drugs for powerful kingpin Doña “Durka” Rodriguez, emerges as the crew’s new putative drug lord after Durka is killed by competing traffickers. While Carmen is ready to move on—from the shadow of Durka and her high expectations, and most of all, from always looking over her shoulder in
fear.
We start with Carmen’s POV, with her telling us her side of the story and I think I preferred hers over Grace’s. I just seemed to connect more to Carmen and found her more relatable plus the direction of her storyline was 👌. That being said a chapter from Grace’s POV introducing the backstories to the girls was my absolute FAVOURITE part of the entire book. I just loved the writing and learning more about the characters! 🤌
The characters were written and developed well! I found it hard at the beginning of keeping track of who was who but soon adjusted. I loved the differences between the women, their personalities and how they ended up where they did. My favourite though was Red, she had my heart from the second she was introduced, I adored her♥! The sisterhood feel to this book was really POWERFUL, my favourite thing about it all!
The storylines within the book were great with many layers to them, an onion situation 🧅. There is a lot to think about throughout reading Carmen And Grace which I just adore, makes for a great reading experience!
June 26, 2023
This one packs a punch!
Two girls, living in the Bronx's Puerto Rican community, find that their lives take a turn - for better or worse is a matter of semantics - when the benevolent, mother-figure and protector, Dona Durka takes them under her wing. But Dona Durka is a hardened drug boss, and their girls are part of the DOD - Daughters of Durka, a sisterhood of street-toughs, banded together by friendship, loyalty and culture. It is only after the death of Dona Durka that two of the girls - Grace and Carmen - must make a decision - to stay or go.
This is a powerful debut novel that explores the complexities of sisterhood, culture and upbringing, of loyalties and the ties that bind. No decision is easily made and all decisions have consequences, not just for the self but for others.
Definitely a must read!
Two girls, living in the Bronx's Puerto Rican community, find that their lives take a turn - for better or worse is a matter of semantics - when the benevolent, mother-figure and protector, Dona Durka takes them under her wing. But Dona Durka is a hardened drug boss, and their girls are part of the DOD - Daughters of Durka, a sisterhood of street-toughs, banded together by friendship, loyalty and culture. It is only after the death of Dona Durka that two of the girls - Grace and Carmen - must make a decision - to stay or go.
This is a powerful debut novel that explores the complexities of sisterhood, culture and upbringing, of loyalties and the ties that bind. No decision is easily made and all decisions have consequences, not just for the self but for others.
Definitely a must read!
Read
May 14, 2023Finished reading this one today in tears. I'll be thinking about the D.O.D. crew for a very long time. We all have a Grace and an Artemis, don't we?
Ready for whatever Melissa Coss Aquino writes in her dream journal next.
Ready for whatever Melissa Coss Aquino writes in her dream journal next.
December 14, 2025
Carmen and Grace have the kind of friendship that charges straight through codependency into a kind of mutual suffocation. At the core of the book is the depiction of what happens when sisterhood is the only thing someone has to cling to, especially in the absence of a maternal figure, and how that overbearing intimacy becomes strangulation when Carmen realises she is going to become a mother herself. What makes this book really difficult to review is that this emotional journey, which is incredibly complex and takes a very long time and lots of flashbacks to unpack, is played out inside a thriller about the disintegration of an enormous drug empire in the Bronx. It's touching and funny and really really weird and also made my heart pound like crazy. I thought it was fine for the long first section from Carmen's perspective but put it down for a while because it wasn't drawing me in, then absolutely raced through until the last few pages, which oddly became kind of boring again? I can't quite explain it, but the beginning was slow-paced and held its tension fairly well but was a little bit too confusing, and then the end was a bit anticlimactic after how bonkers things got in the middle. 3/4 of the way through I thought it would be a 5 star but the ending just... kind of bored me actually. I'd really recommend it because it was excellent but I think I would have chosen to shorten that long end section considerably, and possibly make the beginning a little faster-paced.
April 1, 2023
Much thanks to William Morrow for providing an Advance Reader's Edition.
I'm always intrigued about books that focus on drug dealers - I find the whole idea to be fascinating. I thought the structure worked really well starting off with Carmen in prison and then going back in time to show a younger version of Carmen. Through Carmen's eyes we meet the other members of D.O.D. (Daughters of Durka) and get a picture of Grace who comes across as cold and distant despite the insinuation that she really cares about the other girls in this enterprise. I like how the book then shifted to Grace, introducing her as a young, sassy teenager and showing the reader how she developed her business acumen and growth. It was nice to get a more in depth perspective of Grace which painted a slightly different picture than the version we get through Carmen's eyes. My favorite parts of the book were the portions where Grace met and recruited the other women who ultimately make up D.O.D.
My main issue with the book was the portrayal of Toro and Nene. The first glimpse of Toro made me think of Tuco from "Breaking Bad" with his explosive demeanor and Nene seemed to embody Nacho from "Better Call Saul" as the calmer, well-read friend and assistant. It felt unoriginal and really took a toll on my enjoyment of the balance of the book. As a secondary issue, I thought of D.O.D. as "Ocean's Eight," but instead of a group of women partaking in some heist they are selling drugs in suburbia.
I'm always intrigued about books that focus on drug dealers - I find the whole idea to be fascinating. I thought the structure worked really well starting off with Carmen in prison and then going back in time to show a younger version of Carmen. Through Carmen's eyes we meet the other members of D.O.D. (Daughters of Durka) and get a picture of Grace who comes across as cold and distant despite the insinuation that she really cares about the other girls in this enterprise. I like how the book then shifted to Grace, introducing her as a young, sassy teenager and showing the reader how she developed her business acumen and growth. It was nice to get a more in depth perspective of Grace which painted a slightly different picture than the version we get through Carmen's eyes. My favorite parts of the book were the portions where Grace met and recruited the other women who ultimately make up D.O.D.
My main issue with the book was the portrayal of Toro and Nene. The first glimpse of Toro made me think of Tuco from "Breaking Bad" with his explosive demeanor and Nene seemed to embody Nacho from "Better Call Saul" as the calmer, well-read friend and assistant. It felt unoriginal and really took a toll on my enjoyment of the balance of the book. As a secondary issue, I thought of D.O.D. as "Ocean's Eight," but instead of a group of women partaking in some heist they are selling drugs in suburbia.
February 19, 2024
I really enjoyed this! A crushing story about two prima-hermanas, Carmen and Grace, who inherit Doña Durka’s drug empire in The Bronx after she passes. The timelines cover their teenage years into adulthood and the trajectory that being dragged into that world wrought. I think it could’ve been a bit shorter but I overall loved this story about survival, coming of age in an environment that limits your expectations, sisterhood, and second chances.
Btw, Carmelita had me so STRESSED beyond belief for the majority of the book. Like sister please just go home to your man omg? And special shout-out to the BX12 bus getting its moment to shine in this literary piece of work 😤
Btw, Carmelita had me so STRESSED beyond belief for the majority of the book. Like sister please just go home to your man omg? And special shout-out to the BX12 bus getting its moment to shine in this literary piece of work 😤
February 5, 2024
this book had one of the most incredible beginnings of any book i have ever read. like “remember, there was a little girl who used all those things to survive when she had nothing else at hand. it is possible she had no other choice. it is possible she is the only reason you are even alive. forgive her for going too far in trying to save your life.” on page 3????
October 8, 2023
I got lost in this story/world.
Lost girls that built a drug empire in the Bronx.
I need this to go to the big screen with a cast that includes:
Selma Hayek
Rosie Perez
JLo
Cardi B
Lost girls that built a drug empire in the Bronx.
I need this to go to the big screen with a cast that includes:
Selma Hayek
Rosie Perez
JLo
Cardi B
October 2, 2023
Described as female Latinx Godfather drama, Aquino’s debut is a bleak and difficult read. Set in the Bronx, Carmen and Grace’s lives revolve around the underground drugs trade and the gang that they were effectively indoctrinated into at a young age. One woman wants to rise up within the organisation while one desperately wants out.
This story contained elements that made for difficult reading, particularly the grooming of a young girl by a much older man and his mother. I wanted to be wowed by this story as the synopsis really grabbed my attention, but it fell flat for me. It was too long, the pacing was a bit all over the place and the different timelines made it hard for me to keep track. The main characters were well written, but the narrative style of the author and the way the secondary characters were not as developed, meant that I lost interest about half way through.
Carmen and Grace deals with some heavy-hitting topics including absent mothers, bad childhood, abuse, drugs and murder but what I will say stands out is the depiction of female friendship and sisterhood. The bond between Carmen and Grace and the development of their relationship was the standout element for me in this story.
Personally, Carmen and Grace isn’t for me, but if you like coming of age stories, this might be for you.
Carmen and Grace was released in April 2023. Thanks to NetGalley and Head of Zeus for the arc. 2.5 ⭐️
This story contained elements that made for difficult reading, particularly the grooming of a young girl by a much older man and his mother. I wanted to be wowed by this story as the synopsis really grabbed my attention, but it fell flat for me. It was too long, the pacing was a bit all over the place and the different timelines made it hard for me to keep track. The main characters were well written, but the narrative style of the author and the way the secondary characters were not as developed, meant that I lost interest about half way through.
Carmen and Grace deals with some heavy-hitting topics including absent mothers, bad childhood, abuse, drugs and murder but what I will say stands out is the depiction of female friendship and sisterhood. The bond between Carmen and Grace and the development of their relationship was the standout element for me in this story.
Personally, Carmen and Grace isn’t for me, but if you like coming of age stories, this might be for you.
Carmen and Grace was released in April 2023. Thanks to NetGalley and Head of Zeus for the arc. 2.5 ⭐️
June 8, 2023
3.5 rating but I am rounding it up.
I appreciate the fact that we were able to get both Grace and Carmen's point of view for this contemporary novel. I also liked the intricacies and honest portrayal of what it's like when you are taken under someone's wing that is involved in the drug business (inside and out) and how that impacts the inside and outside world. However, I felt as if I was dragging my feet with this book and I would have recommend this be chopped as far as page numbers (maybe 100 or 150 pages less would have made me feel more engaged to the stories of these two cousins.)
I appreciate the fact that we were able to get both Grace and Carmen's point of view for this contemporary novel. I also liked the intricacies and honest portrayal of what it's like when you are taken under someone's wing that is involved in the drug business (inside and out) and how that impacts the inside and outside world. However, I felt as if I was dragging my feet with this book and I would have recommend this be chopped as far as page numbers (maybe 100 or 150 pages less would have made me feel more engaged to the stories of these two cousins.)
March 11, 2023
Ok. Not an easy read with bits of Spanish thrown in. Also you are thrown into a story set in different time periods with a lot of characters without any idea or introduction about who they are. As the book progresses, it becomes more clear. Not the book for me, I am afraid.
Thanks to Net Galley for the ARC in exchnage for an honest review
Thanks to Net Galley for the ARC in exchnage for an honest review
January 3, 2023
A female Latinx drama. Carmen and Grace is the story of two cousins who are raised as sisters. Their bond is true and tight. With dreams of being better than their own mothers.
That is until Grace meets Doña Durka’s son. Grace then begins to live in the Durka home, she has a mother she never really had and she continues to benefit from the silent respect everyone shows to Doña Durka. Even though she doesn’t fully know what Doña Durka does for a living, she has an idea. Doña Durka is an inspiration to Grace. She sees Doña Durka and how everyone knows of her, respects her, goes to her for help, and more. One could say Doña Durka takes Grace under her own wings, seeing a daughter in Grace.
Keeping their bond even when life circumstances have changed, Carmen and Grace now begin to enter the drug trade by doing small jobs for Doña Durka. Grace always with a plan, continues to follow Doña Durka’s plan and expands to a group of females based on loyalty, trust, respect, and friendship.
That is until the unexpected death of Doña Durka. That also comes with news of Carmen’s pregnancy. As Grace is now put in a position of power, taking over Doña Durka, she sees an opportunity to expand. Whilst dealing with Doña Durka’s two sons, one of which is also in the drug trade while the other is the complete opposite with his military career. Carmen is struggling with the distancing of her cousin and sister and keeps the pregnancy a secret. Wanting out but knowing she can never be fully out, she struggles until it becomes almost impossible.
Not going to spoil this for anyone. Carmen and Grace go through it, and the sisterhood they formed with the other women is invigorating, no longer “lost girls”. The idea of making them learn anything and everything for their betterment and that of the business shows how important friendship is. So much goes on in this book, and it’s hard to realize how much you feel for these two characters until the part in the lawyer’s office bathroom.
When I reached that part of the book, it was like I had been holding my breath all the while. The flow of tears that streamed down my face felt like I was literally right there as a part of the book. The feelings that Carmen and Grace stirred up in me I didn’t even know I had. Melissa Coss Aquino wrote a very special book about female friendship, perseverance, and bonds. From the bottom of my heart, thank you.
That is until Grace meets Doña Durka’s son. Grace then begins to live in the Durka home, she has a mother she never really had and she continues to benefit from the silent respect everyone shows to Doña Durka. Even though she doesn’t fully know what Doña Durka does for a living, she has an idea. Doña Durka is an inspiration to Grace. She sees Doña Durka and how everyone knows of her, respects her, goes to her for help, and more. One could say Doña Durka takes Grace under her own wings, seeing a daughter in Grace.
Keeping their bond even when life circumstances have changed, Carmen and Grace now begin to enter the drug trade by doing small jobs for Doña Durka. Grace always with a plan, continues to follow Doña Durka’s plan and expands to a group of females based on loyalty, trust, respect, and friendship.
That is until the unexpected death of Doña Durka. That also comes with news of Carmen’s pregnancy. As Grace is now put in a position of power, taking over Doña Durka, she sees an opportunity to expand. Whilst dealing with Doña Durka’s two sons, one of which is also in the drug trade while the other is the complete opposite with his military career. Carmen is struggling with the distancing of her cousin and sister and keeps the pregnancy a secret. Wanting out but knowing she can never be fully out, she struggles until it becomes almost impossible.
Not going to spoil this for anyone. Carmen and Grace go through it, and the sisterhood they formed with the other women is invigorating, no longer “lost girls”. The idea of making them learn anything and everything for their betterment and that of the business shows how important friendship is. So much goes on in this book, and it’s hard to realize how much you feel for these two characters until the part in the lawyer’s office bathroom.
When I reached that part of the book, it was like I had been holding my breath all the while. The flow of tears that streamed down my face felt like I was literally right there as a part of the book. The feelings that Carmen and Grace stirred up in me I didn’t even know I had. Melissa Coss Aquino wrote a very special book about female friendship, perseverance, and bonds. From the bottom of my heart, thank you.
March 6, 2023
** This was a giveaway win from William Morrow /Harper Collins ! So exciting!!
4.0
“Through,” struggles, searching…
2 cousins -
The coming -of-age tale of two Bronx cousins- Grace and Carmen. Both are survivors of a neglected upbringing - both have drug addict mothers. Dona Durka takes Grace in and everything changes. Even though Durka is the leader of an underground drug empire, she provides Grace with stability and support . And then Durka suddenly dies.
2 goals -
Grace’s goal is to gain and maintain power. Pregnant Carmen’s goal is to get out of this life. She is looking for “a way out that makes sense. She was dancing at the edge, but there was always just one more thing.”
Whatever path they each choose, it will just be “a different turn in the road.”
* Not my usual type of read! A very original debut!
* A gritty, sometimes violent read - not a happy story. The last 60 pages were the best!
* I loved the beginning and ending! An unexpected ending!
* Underneath it all, it’s a story about “family” and relationships.
* Language alert - if that is important to you.
* I liked Dr Guerrera and her message.
* A lot of Spanish , which I don’t understand.
* Thank you William Morrow for allowing me to read this ARE. Available on April 4,2023.
4.0
“Through,” struggles, searching…
2 cousins -
The coming -of-age tale of two Bronx cousins- Grace and Carmen. Both are survivors of a neglected upbringing - both have drug addict mothers. Dona Durka takes Grace in and everything changes. Even though Durka is the leader of an underground drug empire, she provides Grace with stability and support . And then Durka suddenly dies.
2 goals -
Grace’s goal is to gain and maintain power. Pregnant Carmen’s goal is to get out of this life. She is looking for “a way out that makes sense. She was dancing at the edge, but there was always just one more thing.”
Whatever path they each choose, it will just be “a different turn in the road.”
* Not my usual type of read! A very original debut!
* A gritty, sometimes violent read - not a happy story. The last 60 pages were the best!
* I loved the beginning and ending! An unexpected ending!
* Underneath it all, it’s a story about “family” and relationships.
* Language alert - if that is important to you.
* I liked Dr Guerrera and her message.
* A lot of Spanish , which I don’t understand.
* Thank you William Morrow for allowing me to read this ARE. Available on April 4,2023.
May 21, 2023
I am so hesitant to give out 5 stars, but necessary here.
Whenever I read a book that’s about a very specific group or experience, I am careful to confirm that the author has the right to speak for this group. Especially when that group is a minority. I have been burned before, ala American dirt. This is a story of family and friendship and the drug trade in the Bronx, with heavy Puerto Rican influence. From what I can tell from my research, Melissa Coss Aquino knows what she’s talking about.
The structure of this book made the story even more dynamic and even though you know the end at the beginning, I couldn’t wait to read more. Would be cautious to recommend to anyone who doesn’t speak/read Spanish because there is quite a bit in here that I think you would lose if you couldn’t understand. Yet again, it’s so good that it might be worth it anyway.
Whenever I read a book that’s about a very specific group or experience, I am careful to confirm that the author has the right to speak for this group. Especially when that group is a minority. I have been burned before, ala American dirt. This is a story of family and friendship and the drug trade in the Bronx, with heavy Puerto Rican influence. From what I can tell from my research, Melissa Coss Aquino knows what she’s talking about.
The structure of this book made the story even more dynamic and even though you know the end at the beginning, I couldn’t wait to read more. Would be cautious to recommend to anyone who doesn’t speak/read Spanish because there is quite a bit in here that I think you would lose if you couldn’t understand. Yet again, it’s so good that it might be worth it anyway.
April 10, 2023
I have never read a book with a plot like this so it was so interesting to read, the author is so talented! Her writing was beautiful! I do wish the ending had been different, but what a solid book! Might be a debut?
March 7, 2023
this book was really good! It isn’t a book genre I normally read but I really liked the story.
July 30, 2023
This one will break your heart in so many ways. You will definitely cry.
December 23, 2023
I enjoyed Carmen and Grace because I hated Carmen and Grace.
I hated Carmen because she was a good person who made terrible, terrible, terrible decisions despite every sign under the sun telling her not to. Her blind loyalty to Grace was abhorrent. Her inability to speak up for herself was disheartening. Her disrespect of Pete was disgusting. For hundreds of pages we listen to Carmen whine and refuse to take responsibility for herself. It was laborious, but my disgust of Carmen’s choices and failure to keep her own motherhood scared was because of the repetitive care with which Coss Aquino wrote her.
Grace’s segments of the book had more movement, more nuance because Grace was a more dynamic character who was a terrible person who did good things. There are reviewers who would argue with me here, but Grace was irredeemable. [SPOILER ALERT]. When she admitted on stalling on the call that sent Carmen to jail, I was done, done with her. I don’t care that she bought a house or is going to send her cousin/niece to school or Carmen has money for life. She was a motherless child who stole a mother and all she had to say was “I’m sorry.” Yes, I felt for Grace. Any 14-year-old who moves in with a grown man is in for a harder life than the one she was escaping when she left with him, but it didn’t seem so to her when she had food and shelter and love. And yes, she was smart, and she loved her sisters and she wanted them to know the world and she protected them and she was a psychopath.
Grace was a product of her environment; she’s also a figment of Coss Aquino’s imagination. I think there might have been a bit too much fiction. The fact that she took out two grown men with guns by shooting them in the groin in the dark is some serious markswomanship. The fact that she was the legal wife of a murdered husband with no alibi, and no one suspected her in his death is implausible. The fact that Grace walked in on bloodbath and then just walked right out in the middle of New York city when the police were already on their way seems unreal. The fact that she faked her death and then showed up in the bathroom of her attorney’s office is like, okay. Coss Aquino writes Grace with a lot of undeserved grace.
And Dona Durka gets a lot of grace from Grace. I’m torn about her. I love the mother in her. I’m also disgusted by her mothering. I suppose that’s why Coss Aquino writes so much about the divine feminine and the divine mothers because the wild mothers stay getting lost. Descriptions like that are the hallmark of the novel. I can’t remember when I highlighted so much because the phrasing deserved to live off the page. I loved the blending of spiritual traditions without the rigidity of religion.
There’s a lot to love and hate about this novel. Even with the spoilers here, I haven’t really spoiled anything because of the beauty of the book is the line by line reading on the page and the emotions effortlessly stirred by an author who understands how to activate the fierce feminine in all of her characters and also in me as a reader. Chapter after chapter, the fierce feminine in me simultaneously wanted to protect and abandon Carmen and Grace not unlike the ways the protected and abandoned each other over and over again.
I hated Carmen because she was a good person who made terrible, terrible, terrible decisions despite every sign under the sun telling her not to. Her blind loyalty to Grace was abhorrent. Her inability to speak up for herself was disheartening. Her disrespect of Pete was disgusting. For hundreds of pages we listen to Carmen whine and refuse to take responsibility for herself. It was laborious, but my disgust of Carmen’s choices and failure to keep her own motherhood scared was because of the repetitive care with which Coss Aquino wrote her.
Grace’s segments of the book had more movement, more nuance because Grace was a more dynamic character who was a terrible person who did good things. There are reviewers who would argue with me here, but Grace was irredeemable. [SPOILER ALERT]. When she admitted on stalling on the call that sent Carmen to jail, I was done, done with her. I don’t care that she bought a house or is going to send her cousin/niece to school or Carmen has money for life. She was a motherless child who stole a mother and all she had to say was “I’m sorry.” Yes, I felt for Grace. Any 14-year-old who moves in with a grown man is in for a harder life than the one she was escaping when she left with him, but it didn’t seem so to her when she had food and shelter and love. And yes, she was smart, and she loved her sisters and she wanted them to know the world and she protected them and she was a psychopath.
Grace was a product of her environment; she’s also a figment of Coss Aquino’s imagination. I think there might have been a bit too much fiction. The fact that she took out two grown men with guns by shooting them in the groin in the dark is some serious markswomanship. The fact that she was the legal wife of a murdered husband with no alibi, and no one suspected her in his death is implausible. The fact that Grace walked in on bloodbath and then just walked right out in the middle of New York city when the police were already on their way seems unreal. The fact that she faked her death and then showed up in the bathroom of her attorney’s office is like, okay. Coss Aquino writes Grace with a lot of undeserved grace.
And Dona Durka gets a lot of grace from Grace. I’m torn about her. I love the mother in her. I’m also disgusted by her mothering. I suppose that’s why Coss Aquino writes so much about the divine feminine and the divine mothers because the wild mothers stay getting lost. Descriptions like that are the hallmark of the novel. I can’t remember when I highlighted so much because the phrasing deserved to live off the page. I loved the blending of spiritual traditions without the rigidity of religion.
There’s a lot to love and hate about this novel. Even with the spoilers here, I haven’t really spoiled anything because of the beauty of the book is the line by line reading on the page and the emotions effortlessly stirred by an author who understands how to activate the fierce feminine in all of her characters and also in me as a reader. Chapter after chapter, the fierce feminine in me simultaneously wanted to protect and abandon Carmen and Grace not unlike the ways the protected and abandoned each other over and over again.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 4, 2023
Carmen and Grace is a riveting, emotion stirring coming-of-age drama, centring on the story of two cousins who were enticed into the gangland world and the criminality that comes with it, and the inextricable ties that bind them, as one woman seeks power and the other pursues a way out.
Carmen and Grace have been inseparable since they were little girls, more like sisters than cousins, survivors of a childhood marred by neglect and addiction and a system that never valued them.
For a long while, all they had was each other. Until that is, Doña Durka came into their lives and changed everything, taking Grace into her home, providing stability and support, and playing an inflated role in Carmen’s upbringing my extension.
Durka is more than a benevolent force in their Bronx neighbourhood. She’s also the leader of an underground drug empire, a larger-than-life matriarch who understands the vital importance of taking what power she can in a world most often ruled by violent men.
But, when Durka dies suddenly under mysterious circumstances, Carmen and Grace are thrown into turmoil. Grace has been primed to take over and has grand plans to expand the business, much to the disgust of Toro, one of Durka’s sons who wants to be the boss of the family business.
Meanwhile, Carmen is ready to move on from the shadow of Durka and her high expectations, and most of all, from always looking over her shoulder in fear, not wanting the “fake ass brave face frontin’” anymore. Why? Well, she's pregnant and is desperate not to repeat her mother's behaviours. Her boyfriend Pete has no concept of Carmens dilemma - he thinks she can walk away from the gang with no problems, for her it's ride or die, “loyalty above all else”.
And how can Carmen leave the only family she’s ever known, this tight sisterhood of women, especially as outside threats are mounting and Grace’s plans are speeding forward with reckless abandon?
Melissa Cosa Aquino has done a wonderful job of creating believable, emotive, characters and capturing the visceral reality for these women, all coloured with the sights, sounds and tensions of the Bronx. 4⭐
Carmen and Grace have been inseparable since they were little girls, more like sisters than cousins, survivors of a childhood marred by neglect and addiction and a system that never valued them.
For a long while, all they had was each other. Until that is, Doña Durka came into their lives and changed everything, taking Grace into her home, providing stability and support, and playing an inflated role in Carmen’s upbringing my extension.
Durka is more than a benevolent force in their Bronx neighbourhood. She’s also the leader of an underground drug empire, a larger-than-life matriarch who understands the vital importance of taking what power she can in a world most often ruled by violent men.
But, when Durka dies suddenly under mysterious circumstances, Carmen and Grace are thrown into turmoil. Grace has been primed to take over and has grand plans to expand the business, much to the disgust of Toro, one of Durka’s sons who wants to be the boss of the family business.
Meanwhile, Carmen is ready to move on from the shadow of Durka and her high expectations, and most of all, from always looking over her shoulder in fear, not wanting the “fake ass brave face frontin’” anymore. Why? Well, she's pregnant and is desperate not to repeat her mother's behaviours. Her boyfriend Pete has no concept of Carmens dilemma - he thinks she can walk away from the gang with no problems, for her it's ride or die, “loyalty above all else”.
And how can Carmen leave the only family she’s ever known, this tight sisterhood of women, especially as outside threats are mounting and Grace’s plans are speeding forward with reckless abandon?
Melissa Cosa Aquino has done a wonderful job of creating believable, emotive, characters and capturing the visceral reality for these women, all coloured with the sights, sounds and tensions of the Bronx. 4⭐
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