"One of the most original performance poets of her generation, Melissa Lozada-Oliva has captivated crowds across the country and online with her vivid narratives. Humorous and biting, personal and communal, self-deprecating and unapologetically self-loving, peluda (meaning “hairy” or “hairy beast”) is the poet at her best.
The book explores the relationship between femininity and body hair as well as the intersections of family, class, the immigrant experience, Latina identity, and much more, all through Lozada-Oliva’s unique lens and striking voice. Peluda is a powerful testimony on body image and the triumph over taboo."
“Melissa Lozada-Oliva’s kinetic, pop-operatic Dreaming of You is like some terrific amalgam of fan fiction and fantasy nonfiction; a Selena monograph made of memoir, myth and magic. Her partly satirical, partly ecstatic linguistics constitute a whole other sort of literary hybrid. And, while I strain to describe Lozada-Oliva’s virtuosity, I want to very plainly say, at the heart of it all, Dreaming of You is a collection of moving, mercurial poems. Melissa Lozada-Oliva is truly a singular new voice.“
—Terrance Hayes, National Book Award-winning author of Lighthead
“Dazzling, playful, and likely to break your heart at least twice. Melissa Lozada-Oliva is a magician.”
—Kelly Link, author of Get in Trouble
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"Equal parts poignant, hilarious and horrific, this novel is a macabre feast for the senses—try a taste if you dare.
—Katherine Ouellette, WBUR
"Bonkers . . . the author's funhouse visions are hard to turn away from."
—Publishers Weekly
"Melissa can turn a person into a hero, a cryptid, and someone closer than family in the space of a page. "
—Jamie Loftus, author of Raw Dog
“Heartbreaking, hilarious and absurd in the very best way, Candelaria sticks to your soul and leaves you seeing the world and the people in it a bit differently."
—Xochitl Gonzalez, Pulitzer Prize Finalist and author of Olga Dies Dreaming