Sheziss's Reviews > Dex in Blue

Lol. Mi espanol es muy sucky. Sorry about not using accents, but too early to look up the shortcut keys.

Vivian wrote: "Lol. Mi espanol es muy sucky. Sorry about not using accents, but too early to look up the shortcut keys."

Hahahaha, I understand that, why did we invent the accents, anyway? They are a pain lol.

The book can fool me with English typos, but those in my own language make me grind my teeth. I like it in real life, but in a book I'm becoming very picky :S . I'm aware I'm very tiring in this XD .

I won't say anything because I know that Latin American Spanish is a whole different animal then Spanish Spanish. Its like saying English and American are the same--ah, no.

Btw. Did you know Brazil got rid of their accents several years ago. I know that's Portuguese and not Spanish, but funny how languages keep changing.

Well, I've met people from South America in my life, from countries like: Argentina, Peru, Cuba, Colombia, Venezuela, Mexico... and I've written chats and the like with some of them. I've read Latin authors like Isabel Allende or Florencia Bonelli or Laura Esquivel and I know that the first thing that changes is the accent, then the vocabulary, but the structure and the grammar remain the same, so I can immediately know if someone is not Native, because they would never say "carne asada burrito". That's something you only hear from a foreigner. The correct sentence is "burrito de carne asada". The words are mostly well translated generally, it's the place where you put them and the verb conjugations which give you away.

As for the accent, yes, it is a pain, I'd like French people to get rid of theirs, too, but they are there for a reason. There is a difference between tenía and tenia, and between hola and ola or vaca and baca (the soundless h is a pain, too. And for us there is not a difference in the pronunciation of the b and the v, either).

So, till we find a better way of writing we we will have to put up with it xD .

Sheziss wrote: "Well, I've met people from South America in my life, from countries like: Argentina, Peru, Cuba, Colombia, Venezuela, Mexico... and I've written chats and the like with some of them. I've read Lati..."

I'm a 100% with you. I can't deal with authors who intend to use the Spanish but are unable to write it correctly. If you don't know the language and don't even bother to check the grammar, don't use it!

RE: "carne asada burrito"

I wouldn't categorize that as Spanish. In the US, especially with food we just appropriate names. So when I go into a restaurant I say "carne asada burrito" even if I'm the only gringa in the place.

Another thing, it is very common in certain areas where Mexicans (mostly) and English speaking people have partially integrated that a bastardized form of Spanish and English is spoken. So not knowing the context of the story that might be part of what's going on or it could be crappy translation. If the story is set in the southwestern US then there is a good chance that it may be the first.

BTW. I'm not a fan of Lane's contemporary works--too angsty. Hope this doesn't sound like I'm being critical of your comment, because I'm not.

I'm sorry, I did sound defensive. I didn't mean to, really.

You told me something I didn't consider, that about Latin people living in the States. But the MC here is supposed to be born in Mexico! So I'd think he knows how to speak proper Spanish. But maybe he is not a Native per se, as he went to an American school since he remember it, so he didn't receive the education in his mother language (about the rules and grammar).

I was thinking about a mate I had at school. Her mother was English, so she had a perfect English accent and understood the language perfectly and her pronunciation was awesome, but she didn't have very high marks in the exams because she failed at the writing. It was very weird for me, because I had better results in the subject, and God knows I make lots of mistakes XD .

I'm just her fan (well, I gave 1 star to Clear Water, just... COULDN'T finish that book), her angsty books are just my kind :D .

Bucletina wrote: "I'm a 100% with you. I can't deal with authors who intend to use the Spanish but are unable to write it correctly. If you don't know the language and don't even bother to check the grammar, don't use it! "


I didn't see this message before! I have an issue with Spanish language in books. In the beginning I didn't mind but it's not that weird to find some sentences or words in them, and little by little, my tolerance faded...

Sheziss wrote: "But the MC here is supposed to be born in Mexico!"

Some people emigrating left quite young or don't have the same educational background so their language skills, even native ones, aren't as developed.

I believe that one thing is that the character doesn't speak Spanish well by a deliberate decision, and quite another is that the author has committed grammatical errors due to lack of care or knowledge, or interest. It's not the same. I don´t know if this is the case with this book because i haven´t read it, but i know it happens with many others.

Vivian wrote: "Sheziss wrote: "But the MC here is supposed to be born in Mexico!"

Some people emigrating left quite young or don't have the same educational background so their language skills, even native ones,..."


It doesn't mean that the Spanish is bad. It's undeniable it's bad. Maybe there is a reason behind it, maybe the author is just lazy to ask, but it's bad Spanish anyway.

Bucletina wrote: "I believe that one thing is that the character doesn't speak Spanish well by a deliberate decision, and quite another is that the author has committed grammatical errors due to lack of care or know..."


Well, I don't think the MC knows the correct form and chooses to say the wrong one XD. It would be more logical if he just is unaware of the mistake and due to that he uses it as if it was correct. It can be realistic, but I still believe Amy Lane just didn't (bother to) look it up. Because I find the opposite situation very weird: that she researched but chose the wrong version on purpose.

I don't know, but it still annoys me.

I second you, Shez, I am very peculiar about languages, too. There are so many of us here from all over the world; you can be as lazy as you can, we'll help with pleasure. But - no. It def takes away from the reading experience.

I remember a few years back there was a thread with m/m members offering aid to the authors in that respect. I don't know what happened to it :(

Yes, nowadays is so easy to find help, if you really want to. It spoils me and the books I read. Actually, I've added a new shelf, "bad spanish" though I don't remember all the books that could fit there.

I think that's a very good idea, a thread that offers aid to authors. I offer my help to everyone who needs some translation or have some questions. I'm not a professional translator but I sure as hell know how to speak my own language XD .

I liked Dex better in book 1. i didn't like his blame the girl thing here

I think he's a little different from the first book, but it didn't annoy me so much :S . But I prefer book 1, and there was too much focus on that pair, too.

Sorry for the bad Spanish, but your updates were hilarious, Sheziss!

Nice review and awesome gif-updates, Sheziss!
No puedo evitar ... Jaja, no me regañe.

Lena♥Ribka wrote: "Sorry for the bad Spanish, but your updates were hilarious, Sheziss!"


Hahaha, I had totally forgotten that elephant gif XD .

Ingela wrote: "Nice review and awesome gif-updates, Sheziss!
No puedo evitar ... Jaja, no me regañe."


Ohhhhhh, Ingela, you speaking Spanish? I love you!!! <3

Oh I have to check out your review for Chase......Chase made me so angry I couldn't continue with the rest of the series lol.

Lucy wrote: "Oh I have to check out your review for Chase......Chase made me so angry I couldn't continue with the rest of the series lol."

I didn't like Chase and Dex in Ethan's book.

Ezinwanyi~the Impish Angel wrote: "Lucy wrote: "Oh I have to check out your review for Chase......Chase made me so angry I couldn't continue with the rest of the series lol."

I didn't like Chase and Dex in Ethan's book."

In that case I'm glad I didn't read Ethan's book, Chase was unlikable enough in his book lol.

Lucy wrote: "Ezinwanyi~the Impish Angel wrote: "Lucy wrote: "Oh I have to check out your review for Chase......Chase made me so angry I couldn't continue with the rest of the series lol."

I didn't like Chase a..."

Well, remember Ethan's book is about Ethan, so Chase & Dex are just very minor.

I agree that there are lots of books that use horrible Spanish but I don't think this is one of them. Kane was born in Mexico but he was raised in California and he's speaking Spanglish. A lot of people may argue that Spanglish is bad Spanish but that's a separate argument. Amy Lane uses it correctly (Spanglish) cuz that's how most of us (Mexican-Americans) talk, at least in California and Arizona. We mix English and Spanish in the same sentence and even have words that are a blend of both languages.

Butting in... LOL. So, I read the whole thread. I agree with those who say that even if the person was born in Mexico, his language use would have been affected by having been raised in The US. One of my friend's sister lives in Texas, and she had a daughter, who's practically been raised there, her spanish is very "spanglish". And god knows that no matter how hard you try she'll just keep spanglishing it!.
The Carne Asada Burrito.. Hell yeah! i agree. A native speaker would use the proper grammar. Also, in many parts of Mexico the word is burrita, even if, apparently the right word for the dish is burrito.
PS I always get pissed off too when spanish is used weirdly because there was an obvious lack of research. :/

My Mom's from Mexico and my dad from California and she hated when we picked up Spanglish words from him. She was always correcting us. "No se dice parquear, es estacionar" or "no se dice quitear, es renunciar." So no using Spanglish with my mom but it's perfectly normal to tell a friend "oye, bring me a carne asada burrito con frijoles y cheese. Y diles que te pongan la salsa on the side por que luego se pone todo soggy." :D

LOL! I met a guy once who told me "yo te hablo pa'tras"..
And i was like . huh.. It took me ageees to realize he meant "i'll call you back". I never got over it lol.

LOL! I say that all the time!

OMG!!! LOL!!!

Lucy and Ezin: I liked Chase in Shadow a lot. But I preferred Dex in that book that in his own. I have yet to review this books (pfff) and I'm thinking about changing the rating, too.

Otila and Gaby. I know Spaniglish exists. But I don't know if Amy Lane does it on purpose or not. Anyway, I created the Bad Spanish shelf thanks to this book.

It's funny because mostly South American countries have "older" versions of Spanish but they transform lots of English words into their languages. I mean "shockeada" is not something I hear everyday in my country XD .