Shame the Stars

By Guadalupe Garcia McCall

Ebook

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Eighteen-year-old Joaquín del Toro’s future looks bright. With his older brother in the priesthood, he’s set to inherit his family’s Texas ranch. He’s in love with Dulceña—and she’s in love with him. But it’s 1915, and trouble has been brewing along the US-Mexico border. On one side, the Mexican Revolution is taking hold; on the other, Texas Rangers fight Tejano insurgents, and ordinary citizens are caught in the middle.

As tensions grow, Joaquín is torn away from Dulceña, whose father’s critical reporting on the Rangers in the local newspaper has driven a wedge between their families. Joaquín’s own father insists that the Rangers are their friends, and refuses to take sides in the conflict. But when their family ranch becomes a target, Joaquín must decide how he will stand up for what’s right.

Shame the Stars is a rich reimagining of Romeo and Juliet set in Texas during the explosive years of Mexico’s revolution. Filled with period detail, captivating romance, and political intrigue, it brings Shakespeare’s classic to life in an entirely new way.

Read an interview on BookPage with author Guadalupe García McCall about the people who inspired the story and why this history must be taught.

Read an interview on Rich in Color about author Guadalupe García McCall's journey when writing Shame the Stars.

Read a piece from Jesus Montaño, PhD (he/él), Associate Professor of English at Hope College, on his personal connection to Shame the Stars.

Discover Guadalupe García McCall's entire collection!