Testimonials/Awards

Luck is Just the Beginning was honored with a Mariposa Award for Best First Book in the 2016 Latino International Book Awards, the largest awards program in the country promoting Latino literature for the past 20 years. It was also awarded finalist in the "Fiction: Multicultural" category of the 2016 International Book Awards. The awards program began in 2009 and 2016 was the largest year with over 1500 entries. 

Celeste was named one of the "Top Ten New Latino Authors of 2017" by LatinoStories.com. Click here to read the list!

The novel was also selected as August Book of the Month in Las Comadres and Friends National Book Club.  Be sure to listen to her podcast here which aired to 20,000 members!

Celeste was the recipient of First Prize in the annual contest for the High Sierra Writers Group in Reno, Nevada for her essay, Finding Home, about her travels to Puerto Rico in search of her family roots. Supreme court Justice Sonia Sotomayor read the piece and said, “If your short story reflects your work on your book, it will be successful.”

The piece was also awarded Honorable Mention in the 2014 annual contest for nonfiction travel for the Preservation Foundation. 

Celeste's short story, A Lucky Man, was also awarded Finalist in the 2006 annual contest for nonfiction for the Preservation Foundation. A Lucky Man eventually grew into her novel, Luck is Just the Beginning, published by Floricanto Press in November, 2015. 

Advanced praise and reviews from authors:

"Luck is Just the Beginning is sure to appeal to young readers everywhere. Set in 1940s Puerto Rico, the novel's message cuts across cultures. The decisions the main character, Ramón, has to make remind us of important decisions we all make in life. I recommend this novel highly, especially to teachers who will find it a valuable teaching tool."

--Rudolfo Anaya, author of Bless Me, Ultima, Heart of Aztlan and Alburquerque

"Celeste León takes the reader on a deeply affecting voyage, balancing “the luckiest man in Maunabo” Ramon León’s dreams and aspirations against the push and pull of a tightly-knit community.  Emotionally pitch-perfect, skillfully written, this historical novel transports the reader on an unforgettable journey to a time and place most of us have never known." ​
--Désirée ​ Zamorano, author of The Amado Women

Twitter: @LaDeziree 

"When Ramon Leon wins the lottery, he believes his dream will come true. He has yet to discover that the gods first favor those whom they would destroy.  Celeste Leon’s compelling biographical novel of her father’s struggles to become a healer among the people of Puerto Rico follows Ramon Leon’s twisting tale from exultation to despair and finally to fulfillment. Above all, it is a gripping story of heartbreak, courage and self-sacrifice, of one man’s struggle to find the right path to his dream. It will take your breath away and warm your heart."
--David Sundstrand, author of The Shadow of the Raven, The Shadows of Death, Minotaur Books

"Luck is Just the Beginning announces the arrival of a gifted and intuitive writer whose heart, grace, and compassion will surely win her a devoted readership. With skill and precision, Celeste León explores the complexities of family, home, and heritage in a refreshing new way. León’s debut novel places her among the most exciting Latina writers working today." 

--Alex Espinoza, author of Still Water Saints and The Five Acts of Diego León

--Click to read the latest five star reviews on Amazon!