Sammy and Juliana in Hollywood
By Benjamin Alire Saenz
In the book, the main character, Sammy Santos, lives in a barrio nicknamed "Hollywood" in Las Cruces, New Mexico. He falls in love with a girl from both his school and his neighborhood, Juliana. But, Juliana isn't just any girl, she plays rough and revenge is her way out of everything. Early in the book, Juliana's abusive father kills her and her 4 brothers and sisters. Sammy is heartbroken, but moves on, thinking about her every now and again. One by One, his friends begin disappearing somewhere to start anew. Sammy's father dies of a stroke in their kitchen and Sammy decides to go to Las Cruces Community College, instead of the college he got accepted to, UC Berkeley.