Bruno Blog

2019 is here. This year that ends has been a challenging one, with a lot of changes and a bit turbulent, but I don’t have a bad taste in my mouth. In spite of everything, I don’t believe things happen without a reason. There is always a reason, and this is a roller coaster that I had to ride if I wanted to bring new things and people to my life, in order to pursue the goal I always had in mind. So I feel kind of grateful for this “shake me”; otherwise, I couldn’t face the new year with energy and surrounded by people that I have chosen.

Now you will find all the Advent Calendar that we’ve been opening day by day until the 24th, where everything finishes and starts. We are already in the home straight for the Christmas celebrations, so let’s be optimistic, let’s bring the positive things of 2018 and let’s forget the bad ones. Let’s set amazing goals for the 2019, which we will achieve if we pursue them with tenacity, strength, hope and attitude. And now, don’t forget to write the letter to the Three Wise Mean but here’s my tip: the best gift is a hug, a smile, saying I love you to someone and of course, a book.

Happy 2019.

1st of December: ‘THE TEMPLE OF THE HEART’ by Lola Sorribes

to those who wish to get over a break-up or those who wish to help those who suffer it. The Temple of the Heart is an inspirational book that has been included in the ‘Más Leer’ list as one of the bests to recover from a love pain.

2nd of December: ‘LUNA AND THE BODILESS’ by Ana Alonso

 The most successful YA fantasy serie. And there’s more… It includes an app with stories that complement the paper book! + 12 years old.

3rd of December: AS WE WERE by Sílvia Tarragona.

As we were is capable of explaining those truly important in our lives, which don’t depend on our luck or the fluctuations of a changing heart. The important things are the relationships we have been building for years: friends, partens, maybe couple (not in this book) against the volatile workmates or unstable lovers. The human relationships are proven with perseverance, love and friendship during years.

4th of December: 18 MONTHS AND ONE DAY by Paz Castelló

A novel about the abuse behaviour, a very intense psychological thriller.

5th of December: HOTEL METROPOLE by Sebastià Bennassar

Sebastià Bennassar goes back to Lisbon, one of his favorite scenes, and brings us a contemporary novel about the role of the CIA and the spy women during the Cultural Cold War. Hotel Metropole was the most sold book at the Catalan Books Week in Mallorca (2018).

6th of December: OBAGA by Albert Villaró

We bring back a classic! Mystery, corruption and humour in this crime novel settled in the rural world.

7th of December: PATENT-LEATHER SCARS by Berta Pichel

A wonderful love story set in the dawn of the Spanish Civil War.

8th of December: THE WHISPERER by Malenka Ramos

Who doesn’t love a horror story? A truly different kind of horror! A book that was chosen to be presented at the Sitges Film Festival to study its screen adaptation.

9th of December: Bye Cinecittà by Julián Comas

For the cinema lovers, a historical fiction that memorates the most successful and great cinema events through a love story.

10th of December: PEQUEÑO CURSO DE MAGIA COTIDIANA by Anna Sólyom and Francesc Miralles

The everyday happiness can be found in our little rituals, which we are often not aware of. This book is an invitation to be happy with the little moments.

11th of December: WHAT HAPPENED WHEN YOU BROKE MY HEART by Rocio Carmona

A novel that will make you cry and laugh, a book that will teach you that a broken heart can beat again.

12th of DECEMBER: The Spring’s Epidemic by Empar Fernández

A perfect portrait of the World War and the epidemic worldwide known as the Spanish Flu in the 1918. An amazing story where passion and love seem to be the only answer and the only cure.

Less than a week for Christmas and we all want a big celebration and a break to finish the term. But these last days are also very busy because of the company dinners, the meetings with old friends, meetings to look back on the year, and all this together with children’s events, the extracurricular activities and buying gifts for everyone. However, I confess that I love it and I want to enjoy it, so I don’t want Christmas to slip through my hands. So I start filling my agenda with things I wish to do, and not as an obligation. I went to the film preview ‘SOBRE RUEDAS’, which I loved, it made me laugh and also think. The perfect comedy for these days, because apart from reading, we should also go to the cinema. It’s a pity I cannot dedicate more time to this hobby of mine.

This year we sold the options of different books to adapt them to the big screen or to a serie format, and the truth is that it makes me really happy when these two world cross their ways, and I hope we can do this more often because in both fields you can find great professionals.

Now is where I leave you with our advent calendar that is coming to an end, and I’m pretty sure it inspired all of you for some Christmas presents. A book is a really nice gift. Don’t forget that it is a great travelling companion and life partner. Merry Christmas!

14th of December

A SON by Alejandro Palomas

His most special book. Guille is a quiet boy who is always smiling. He has only one friend. But this serenity hides a fragile world and a mystery to solve. The pieces are a father living a crisis, a missing mother, a curious teacher and a psychologist willing to understand what Guille hides.

15th of December

THE RICHEST MAN IN THE WORLD by Rafael Vídac

An inspirational book that will change your destiny. This month has arrived to Mexico and it is already the most sold book in the country.

16th of December

THE PATHS OF LIGHT by Coia Calls

Undoubtedly, one of the greatest books of the year. The first book ever that tells the life of Louis Braille and that is catching the media attention. An amazing inspirational story.

17th of December

IKIGAI by Héctor Garcia and Francesc Miralles

the Japanese secrets for a long and happy life. The international bestseller with 42 translations and 1.000.000 copies sold.

18th of December

NO WAY BACK by Susana Rodríguez

The first of the crime trilogy that is followed by ‘Cold debts’  and ‘I will see you tonight’. The books have been included in the 100 ‘Most Sold Crime and Thriller Books’ List.

19th of December

THE THIEF OF MINUTES by David Lozano

Can you imagine that the day of your birthday disappears on the calendar? An amazing book for the youngest ones!

13th of December, Saint Lucy’s Day, the day that officially started the Christmas celebration, but this was before, because today everything starts earlier. I remember that the 13th of December started at the Christmas Market in the Cathedral, and together with my parents and brothers we went to buy a new tree and to have dinner outside, just a sandwich, but we were really thrilled because of what it meant. I loved sharing this tradition and the celebration with all the family, something I still enjoy, because even though things may change, the Christmas spirit lingers on forever. For this reason, I encourage you to keep opening the windows of our advent calendar, in which we offer the best gifts for these days: the books.

5th of December: HOTEL METROPOLE by Sebastià Bennassar

Sebastià Bennassar goes back to Lisbon, one of his favorite scenes, and brings us a contemporary novel about the role of the CIA and the spy women during the Cultural Cold War. Hotel Metropole was the most sold book at the Catalan Books Week in Mallorca (2018).

6th of December: OBAGA by Albert Villaró

We bring back a classic! Mystery, corruption and humour in this crime novel settled in the rural world.

7th of December: PATENT-LEATHER SCARS by Berta Pichel

A wonderful love story set in the dawn of the Spanish Civil War.

8th of December: THE WHISPERER by Malenka Ramos

Who doesn’t love a horror story? A truly different kind of horror! A book that was chosen to be presented at the Sitges Film Festival to study its screen adaptation.

9th of December: Bye Cinecittà by Julián Comas

For the cinema lovers, a historical fiction that memorates the most successful and great cinema events through a love story.

10th of December: PEQUEÑO CURSO DE MAGIA COTIDIANA by Anna Sólyom and Francesc Miralles

The everyday happiness can be found in our little rituals, which we are often not aware of. This book is an invitation to be happy with the little moments.

11th of December: WHAT HAPPENED WHEN YOU BROKE MY HEART by Rocio Carmona

A novel that will make you cry and laugh, a book that will teach you that a broken heart can beat again.

12th of DECEMBER: The Spring’s Epidemic by Empar Fernández

A perfect portrait of the World War and the epidemic worldwide known as the Spanish Flu in the 1918. An amazing story where passion and love seem to be the only answer and the only cure.

December is here, so Christmas is definitely coming. Streets are fully decorated, they shine with lights and everything seems better, or at least that’s what we try. I like these days and I don’t wanna lose my Christmas soul, but as I grow older, I feel that somehow I’m not as excited as I used to be, because everyday I am more aware of the world we live in, and even though we look happier during Christmas, everything turns blue again right after. Magic disappears and almost nothing has been really true. It seemed that even people smiled more often, but we turn off the lights and also our smiles. It seemed that people looked more after the others, but we turn off the lights and we are not even capable of looking at each other’s eyes. So this kind of Christmas is not good enough for me: I’d rather a more stable society, where real feelings would lead us every day, not only these fifteen days and like a mandatory thing.

However, I still feel that my Christmas is special because that’s how it has been since I was a child, so I try that the Christmas I used to spend in family stays the same all the year with family, friends and workmates. That’s why I wish to share with you our Advent Calendar we’ve designed to recommend you a book everyday, and not only for Christmas. Because a present is given whenever we want to, to say thank you or ask for forgiveness. A book is always a great fellow traveler and a wonderful gift, without the need to celebrate a special day. So let me introduce you the first four numbers of our calendar:

1st of December: ‘THE TEMPLE OF THE HEART’ by Lola Sorribes: to those who wish to get over a break-up or those who wish to help those who suffer it. The Temple of the Heart is an inspirational book that has been included in the ‘Más Leer’ list as one of the bests to recover from a love pain.

2nd of December: ‘LUNA AND THE BODILESS’ by Ana Alonso: the most successful YA fantasy serie. And there’s more… It includes an app with stories that complement the paper book! + 12 years old.

3rd of December: AS WE WERE by Sílvia Tarragona. As we were is capable of explaining those truly important in our lives, which don’t depend on our luck or the fluctuations of a changing heart. The important things are the relationships we have been building for years: friends, partens, maybe couple (not in this book) against the volatile workmates or unstable lovers. The human relationships are proven with perseverance, love and friendship during years.

4th of December: 18 MONTHS AND ONE DAY by Paz Castelló: a novel about the abuse behaviour, a very intense psychological thriller.

One of my favorite subjects was literature. It looks evident but it didn’t have to be this way by then. However, I remember when I started pure literature, which I enjoyed a lot with my teacher Josefine, who made me laugh by reading classical novels by Spanish and European authors, and I still remember how and when I devoured these novels. From the Science Tree by Pio Baroja at the bus stop while I was waiting for the kid who I babysitted, to Otelo by Shakespeare, that I read during the Christmas Holidays when my parents were already working and I had the house for my own, all the sofa for myself next to the Christmas tree that my mother still decorates with love every year. Another author that marked me , years later, during the hispanic philology class, was Lorca, the great Lorca. For this reason, when Víctor Amela told me his new project a couple of years ago, I was thrilled, and we finally have the novel in the bookstores. I COULD HAVE SAVED LORCA is the most solid book by Amela, who has worked on something very close to him, his grandfather. A story about a whole generation and a tribute to all these people who lived a tumultuous period. Manuel Bonilla, Víctor’s grandfather, gathered these people who were in danger of the republican side and moved them to the rebel faction, because he knew all the ways pretty well. And the 16th of August in 1936, Luis Rosales’s plan when he returned from the front that night was quite the opposite: to get his friend Federico out of the house in order to get him into Republican hands, and to do that Víctor knew that he could rely on his grandfather’s help. Luis Rosales had realised that, in the face of the governor of Granada’s murderous delusions, Lorca was no longer safe, not even in that important falangist house, in his own house. They returned from the front at ten o’clock at night, but they had already got Federico Garcia Lorca out five hours previously, at five o’clock that same evening.

Manuel Bonilla was in the winning side but he didn’t win anything, Víctor says, who lived in a small flat in la Trinidad. Like him, many others were silenced, and Bonilla was there together with Rosales and Lorca. Rosales was awarded the Cervantes Prize, Lorca is a universal figure and Víctor considers that his grandfather deserves this novel that rescues his silence, not only him but others who were also heroes. A story settled in the Spain of 1936 but that arrives to New York with Lorca as the main character, even though Víctor gives voice to all these people who were silenced and deserved to be listened. A different, personal and intimate voice about a passage that we all heard about thousands of times but in this novel, you go deeper. This novel an emotional treasure that readers from all over the world should read. They were the true heroes that, in certain way, we own them being here today.