The best books to give at Christmas.
Giving a good book is a very smart way to show affection and appreciation for a loved one. In addition, it represents an unforgettable Christmas gift, capable of cultivating the imagination of the recipient, especially if it contains a story full of dramatic twists that guarantee an exciting, addictive and highly nutritious read.
This article presents the reviews of ten must-see novels in Spanish, their respective references on the author, technical sheets and purchase information are included. The works belong to prominent writers such as Dolores Redondo, Carlos Montero, Emilio Bueso and Javier Cercas, to name a few. These intellectuals have a common trait: they have managed to transcend through arguments developed with an authentic style.
High ground by Javier Cercas (Planeta Award 2019)
Terra high.
About the novel
The plot takes place in the usually peaceful region of Terra Alta, which is shaken by a heinous crime. There, the bodies of the owners of Gráficas Adell (the largest company in the area) are found lifeless with clear signs of gruesome torture.
To investigate the facts, Melchor Marín, a young policeman arrived from Barcelona, appears. four years ago, who assumes the mission of solving the case. In the same way, he is an avid reader with a happy daily life as the husband of the town librarian and father of a girl, Cosette (similar to the daughter of Jean Valjean, protagonist of Les Miserables, his favorite novel). However, under that apparent tranquility he hides a dark past that has transformed him into a legend of the body.
The clarification of the murders triggers a series of vibrant events, unpredictable and full of famous people. The argument contains a very clear reflection on the assessment of the law, fairness of justice and if there is any morally acceptable framework to justify revenge.
Author bio
Javier Cercas (Ibahernando, Cáceres, Spain 1962) is a prolific writer. He has written a work that has been translated into more than thirty languages and has also created national and international award-winning novels, among which stand out The mobile, The belly of the whale, Soldiers of Salamis, Anatomy of an instant, The laws of the frontier y The impostor.
Equally, has released various books -A good season, True Stories, The Truth of Agamemnon y Ways to hide- as well as essays (The literary work of Gonzalo Suárez y Blind spot).
Additionally, has been awarded with various awards for essays, journalism and his professional career such as the Prix Ulysse (France), the Premio Internazionale del Salone del Libro di Torino, the Premio Friuladria, the Premio Internazionale Città di Vigevano, or the Premio Sicilia, these last four in Italy.
Characteristics of the book
- Hard cover: 384 pages
- Editor: Editorial Planeta
- Edition: 1 (November 5, 2019)
You can buy it here: High ground
The north face of the heart (Áncora & Delfin) by Dolores Aredondo
The north face of the heart.
About the novel
This book is a prequel to the Baztán trilogy. It goes back to August 2005. Everything happens long before the murders that shook the Baztán valley. During this time, Amaia Salazar, XNUMX, a deputy inspector of the Provincial Police, is in the United States participating in an exchange course between Europol and the FBI. This training is given by Aloisius Dupree, the head of the investigation unit. It is necessary to note that Amaia is one of the most famous protagonists of the crime novel genre.
One of the exams requires solving a real case of a serial killer dubbed "the composer." The modus operandi of this malefactor is to attack entire families, leaving crime scenes that look like rituals.
Unexpectedly, Salazar becomes a member of the investigation team that moves to New Orleans.. Everything happens just before the worst hurricane in its history in order to anticipate the murderer. Then, a phone call from her aunt Engrasi from the Basque Country will bring up the ghosts of Amaia's childhood, forcing her to face her deepest fears and the memories that have given her a surprising insight into the north face of the heart.
Biography of the author
Dolores Redondo (Donostia-San Sebastián, Spain, 1969) is the creator of the acclaimed Baztán trilogy, a literary phenomenon that has achieved a million and a half unconditional readers. In addition, during 2016 he received the Planeta Award for All this I will give you.
To date, it has reached the impressive number of 36 publishers that have published its titles. Not in vain, The invisible guardian —First installment of the trilogy— was adapted to the cinema in 2017 and the feature film versions of the other two volumes of the trilogy are soon to be released: Legacy in bones y Offering to the storm, Like All this I will give you.
Characteristics of the book
- Hard cover: 688 pages
- Editor: Destino Editions
- Edition: 1 (October 1, 2019)
- Collection: Ancora & Delfin
You can buy it here: The north face of the heart
Dismantling the perfect crime: 4 (No Fiction)by Mayka Navarro
Dismantling the perfect crime.
About the novel
Based on the actual testimonies of members of the Mossos d'Esquadra, this work explains the case of Ana María Páez Capital. She was a woman murdered in the Gràcia neighborhood in Barcelona, whose name appeared in the plot of seduction and bank fraud committed by María Ángeles Molina Fernández, “Angi”, who took the identity of the murdered friend to execute her misdeeds.
After months of meticulous and exhaustive investigations, the police officers managed to dismantle "the perfect crime" orchestrated by Molina Fernández. The narration is carried out by the journalist who published the true events of the investigation and was about to be imputed by the judge in charge of the case.
Biography of the author
Mayka Navarro (Badalona, Spain, July 1968) is a journalist who has worked in different print media as The Newspaper of Catalonia y La Vanguardia. He has also participated in live news stories with television programs on Tele 5 and TV3, and in The suplement of Catalunya Ràdio.
Characteristics of the book
- Soft cover: 312 pages
- Editor: SinFiction
- Edition: 1 (September 30, 2019)
- Collection: SinFiction
You can buy it here: Dismantling the perfect crime
Valkyries: Daughters of the North (Historical Narratives) by Iñaki Biggi
Valkyries: the daughters of the North.
About the novel
Year 859 AD, Seville witnesses the attempted looting by a Viking fleet that does not achieve its objective. Consequently, the northern warriors are captured by the governor of the city, who demands an exorbitant ransom for their release. When the news reaches the invaders' settlement, the women decide to hire a handful of mercenaries to train them in the art of fighting.
After a year of training, the apparently impossible rescue mission of his compatriots begins. Despite the abundant unforeseen events and setbacks that occurred at the beginning of the expedition, the warriors managed to reach the Andalusian capital. In this novel, the author shows an excellent narrative ability to show the most human, courageous and terrifying side of a brilliant civilization.
About the Author
The best way to know about Iñaki Biggi, is to read this interview.
Characteristics of the book
- Hard cover: 576 pages
- Editor: Editora y Distribuidora Hispano Americana, SA
- Edition: 1 (April 23, 2018)
- Collection: Historical Narratives
You can buy it here: Valkyries: Daughters of the North
Strange Aeons (Insomnia) by Emilio Bueso
Strange eons.
About the novel
Once again, Emilio Bueso impresses with a story as disturbing as it is addictive. In this work there is a conspiracy to devastate the world based on the prophecies of the Cthulhu Mythos. The plot leads to the meeting of a hidden silver key in Barcelona, to a car route bordering the limits of reason and to meet five unfortunates who do not resign themselves in the presence of chaos and final destruction. How could it be otherwise, in the development of the story there are many terrifying paintings that are very well achieved, loaded with shocking images.
Author bio
Born in Castellón, Spain, in 1974, Emilio Bueso is a systems engineer Become a writer noted for his dirty realism and the raw narrative of his horror novels. His publications range from typical ghost stories (Closed night, 2007), going through a vision of an apocalypse without fossil fuels (Zenithal, 2012), to a western-style biological pandemic thriller (Tonight the sky will burn, 2013), among others.
Characteristics of the book
- Hard cover: 288 pages
- Editor: Valdemar
- Edition: 1 (May 7, 2014)
- Collection: Insomnia
You can buy it here: Strange Aeons
Joy by Manuel Vilas: 2019 Planeta Award Finalist
Joy.
About the novel
In this book, the author invites us to reflect on the role of each person within their generation and in the collective memory of a nation.. The plot focuses on elucidating the dilemma derived from the apparent external success caused by fame, as opposed to internal loneliness and the search for inner truth.
The protagonist confronts various situations such as the death of his parents, a divorce and the adaptation to living with a new woman. These circumstances drive him to understand the fundamental relevance of his children in his life. In the development of events, sincerity with oneself and with others appears as an indispensable quality to aspire to achieve happiness.
Author bio
Manuel Vilas (Barbastro, Spain, 1962) graduated from the University of Zaragoza with a degree in Hispanic Philology. His poetic creation includes recognized publications, among which we can mention Heaven (2000) Heat (2008) and Collapse (2015), among others; Likewise, in his narrative work, titles such as Spain (2008) The immortals y Seven hundred million rhinos (2015)
Likewise, Vilas is a regular contributor to The Herald of Aragon, El Mundo, La Vanguardia, El País y ABC. The autobiographical and distressed trait is a common characteristic of his writings, along with existential themes such as the passing of time, the acceptance of loss or loneliness.
Characteristics of the book
- Hard cover:360 pages
- Editor:Editorial Planeta
- Edition: 1 (November 5, 2019)
You can buy it here: Joy
The Captain's Daughters by María Dueñas (María Dueñas Library)
The Captain's Daughters.
About the novel
The plot is about the life of three sisters in their twenties with a strong temperament (Victoria, Mona and Luz Arenas). They must battle between skyscrapers, setbacks, countrymen and passions to achieve their dreams in New York. The girls came to this metropolis in 1936 from Spain forced by their father, El Capitan, who must deal with the courts while solving the collection of a juicy compensation after the accidental death of Emilio Arenas, his frivolous employer.
María Dueñas reflects in this moving and easy-to-read book the harsh situations involved in becoming a migrant. This, since it almost always requires a large dose of determination to leave an adventure with epic overtones and an uncertain future. The author also pays tribute to the courage of women who must face adversity in the midst of unfavorable contexts.
Biography of the author
María Dueñas was born in 1964 in Puertollano, Ciudad Real. He received his doctorate in English Philology and after spending two decades completing his training, he published The time between seams (2009), a novel that achieved enormous editorial success, to the point that it was adapted for television by Antena 3, becoming a resounding audience success and obtaining numerous awards.
Later, he continued to gain readership and enchant literary criticism with Mision Forget (2012) and La templanza (2015) The Captain's Daughters is his most recent novel, the fourth. Altogether, Dueñas' works have been translated into more than 35 languages and her millions of prints sold place her as one of the most appreciated writers in Spain and Latin America.
Characteristics of the work
- Soft cover: 624 pages
- Editor: Planet
- Edition: 01 (July 2, 2019)
- Collection: Maria Dueñas Library
You can buy it here: The Captain's Daughters
Someday, today by Ángela Becerra: 2019 Fernando Lara Novel Award
Someday, today.
About the novel
Bathsheba is a bastard baby born on a stormy night in muddy places. Despite having everything against her, she has been blessed with the feminine strength necessary to overcome any obstacles that come her way. They recognize her for her unbreakable connection to Capitolina, an unfortunate rich girl who becomes her milk sister and blazing eyes whose magical magnetism never goes unnoticed.
Someday, today is based on a real event that took place in Colombia during 1920, when Betsabé Espinal, a precocious twenty-three-year-old girl, assumes heroic leadership of one of the first recorded women's strikes. In this book, the author makes a tribute to the most immaculate friendship and presents the surprising story of the love circle that surrounded its protagonists.
Biography of the author
Ángela Becerra is a native of Cali, Colombia; In his hometown he studied Communication. She became creative vice president of one of the most prominent agencies in Spain, however, in 2000 she decided to leave her successful career behind to become a writer, her true great passion.
A year later there was the launch of Open soul, a sublime collection of poems about the crises that occur during people's maturity. His first novel, Of the loves denied (2003), earned him the 2004 Latin Literary Award from the distinguished Chicago Book Fair, as well as excellent reviews by specialized critics and a spectacular reception among Latin American readers.
He repeated this award in 2006 along with the 2005 Azorín Novel Award and the 2005 Best Colombian Fiction Book Award with The penultimate dream (2005), the publication of his definitive consecration as a novelist. During the following years he completed other renowned books, among which are What time lacks (2007) She who had it all (2009) y Memoirs of a seven-soled scoundrel (2013)
Characteristics of the book
- Hard cover: 816 pages
- Editor: Editorial Planeta (May 21, 2019)
- Collection: Spanish and Ibero-American Authors
You can buy it here: Someday, today
invisible by Eloy Moreno (Ink Cloud)
Invisible.
About the novel
It is a very introspective book. It analyzes the contradictions generated during childhood by the different states of mind that can lead anyone to want to disappear when they feel observed by others and then go to the other extreme of wanting to be seen when they feel unnoticed. For the reader it is quite difficult not to be reflected in any of the segments of the text.
Author bio
Eloy Moreno (Castellón, Spain, 1976) has stood out as a writer since the self-publication of The green gel pen —His first novel— a title that exceeds 200.000 units sold. The author knew how to maintain the level of quality, the hook in his followers and his reputation among literary critics with his following releases: What i found under the sofa (2013) The gift (2015) invisible (2018) and Stories to understand the world (series of three volumes, to date, started in 2015), the latter is aimed at a general public, although its reading has been included in several educational institutions.
Characteristics of the book
- Soft cover: 304 pages
- Editor: Ink Cloud
- Edition: 001 (February 1, 2018)
- Collection: Ink Cloud
You can buy it here: invisible
The forest knows your name by Alaitz Laceaga (Great Novels)
The forest knows your name.
About the novel
A story that contains all the elements of an exciting read: love, intrigue, jealousy, pain and revenge. It is located at the end of the 1920s, when Estrella and Alma (her twin sister) lived the splendor of an aristocratic life as the daughters of the Marquises of Zuloaga, a family that owns an iron mine.
But their luxurious lifestyle hides a mystery that haunts them: Due to a strange inherited curse, one of the two sisters will die before her fifteenth birthday. In this context, the development of the plot begins, which will lead the protagonist to assume herself as a daring and unforgettable woman, without paying attention to the social codes of conventional behavior and totally determined to protect her family's legacy.
Biography of the author
Born in Bilbao in 1982, Alaitz Laceaga is a loyal fan of Victorian novels, horror and family series. His literary career began with the publication of numerous short stories on Internet pages, exceeding 60.000 visits and countless favorable opinions. Consequently, he decided to produce his first novels (very well received by the public and critics): The forest knows your name y The daughters of the earth.
Characteristics of the book
- Hard cover: 632 pages
- Editor: B (Editions B)
- Edition: 001 (May 24, 2018)
- Collection: Great novels
You can buy it here: The forest knows your name
Outdoor by Jesús Carrasco (NF Novela)
Outdoor.
About the novel
We are facing a utopian reality, a world plunged into a brutal drought and in which misgovernment is notable. The protagonist is a child who must find a way to survive in the overflowing violence that the same scarcity has generated and in a loss of values product of the same social decomposition.
The story begins with a persecution that the protagonist lives, after running so much, a plain is reached that is drawn insurmountable. He, seeing himself still alive, decides to face the arid landscape, and on his way he meets a goat herder who changes his luck and his life forever.
Author bio
Jesús Carrasco (Badajoz, 1972) is a writer who has managed to establish himself in the literary world internationally in his debut with Outdoor (2013). The Madrid Booksellers Guild did not miss the work, and gave it the Book of the Year Award, not to mention the Prix Ulysse for the Best First Novel and many other awards. Currently the writer is living in Seville, where he continues his career.
Characteristics of the book
- Soft cover: 224 pages
- Editor: Planet (October 29, 2019)
- Collection: NF Novel
You can buy it here: Outdoor
The mess you leave by Carlos Montero: 2016 Spring Novel Award
The mess you leave.
About the novel
This story puts us in the shoes of Raquel, an ordinary woman, a literature teacher, who must move from his workplace to Ourense to cover the absence of a colleague. She goes with her husband, who, causally, is from that place.
Everything is normal, until the person she was supposed to replace is found lifeless. Everything indicates that it was a suicide, but Raquel doubts. In addition to that, the students begin to worry him, and the protagonist begins to receive messages. Every detail creates a tense and suspenseful atmosphere that makes the hair stand on end.
We are facing one of the best crime novels of recent times.
Author bio
Carlos Montero (Orense, 1972) is an outstanding Spanish writer, also a prolific screenwriter. He has a degree in information science from the UCM. He is recognized for his work in the two aforementioned facets, however, he recently debuted as a director with Easy money.
His works as a screenwriter include Genesis, Maneras de vivir, and one of his most emblematic creations Physics and chemistry. With The Disorder You Leave, he has caused an incredible impact on his readers, who do not stop making reviews on the web regarding the work.
Characteristics of the book
- Format: Kindle version
- Tamaño the archive: 796 KB
- Print length: 398
- Editor: Espasa (March 22, 2016)
- Sold by: Amazon Media EU S.à rl
It can be purchased here: The mess you leave