Latinx Heritage Month – Books by Latinx Authors That I Want to Read

I want to start being diligent about diversifying what I choose to read. I typically don’t pay attention to all of that. If someone writes an interesting book, then that’s all I care about regardless of sex, race, age, etc. I’m actively working on it, and I went through last night and found books by authors that are Latinx (individuals with Latin American origin/descent.)

Cemetery Boys by Aiden Thomas

“Yadriel has summoned a ghost, and now he can’t get rid of him.“

This book is not only written by a Latinx author, but it is also about a Latinx family. It is young adult, which I don’t read much of, but I try to pick ones that I think might send a good message. It’s fantasy, obviously, but I noticed that it has some LGBTQ+ elements to it according to Goodreads.

Dominicana by Angie Cruz

“In bright, musical prose that reflects the energy of New York City, Dominicana is a vital portrait of the immigrant experience and the timeless coming-of-age story of a young woman finding her voice in the world.“

This one has such great ratings on Goodreads. I’m assuming it’s a mix between literary and historical fiction. Again, it seems as if the book is also about Latinx characters. I’m actually super excited to get to this one. I want to read it right now, but it’s currently checked out at my library, so I get to play the waiting game.

Clap When You Land by Elizabeth Acevedo

“. . . the devastation of loss, the difficulty of forgiveness, and the bittersweet bonds that shape our lives.”

Okay, so I think the majority of these involve Latinx characters, which is awesome, but I’ll stop repeating myself. I’ve heard amazing things about Acevedo. I think I’m most interested in this book by her, but if I love it, then I’ll try her other ones. I’m interested to see how it goes considering it’s written in-verse. Let me know what you thought of this one!

Love in the Time of Cholera by Gabriel Garcia Marquez

“In their youth, Florentino Ariza and Fermina Daza fall passionately in love. When Fermina eventually chooses to marry a wealthy, well-born doctor, Florentino is heartbroken, but he is a romantic.“

I didn’t even know what this was about until I started writing this blog post. It gives me such You vibes, but as a classic. I’m excited to read this, but I’m also questioning myself every second.

A Long Petal of the Sea by Isabel Allende

“. . . follows two young people as they flee the aftermath of the Spanish Civil War in search of a place to call home.“

This is another one with fantastic ratings on Goodreads. I’ve also seen it floating around at my library and on Instagram. I’m interested in learning more about the Spanish Civil War, and I just love a good historical fiction novel. How about y’all?

Fruit of the Drunken Tree by Ingrid Rojas Contreras

“. . . a mesmerizing debut set against the backdrop of the devastating violence of 1990’s Colombia about a sheltered young girl and a teenage maid who strike an unlikely friendship that threatens to undo them both.“

I have never heard of this book, but it seems like it has decent ratings on Goodreads. I don’t read a lot of books set in Colombia; I actually couldn’t even tell you one book that I’ve read that is set there. Again, I’m working on diversifying my reading, and this is definitely a good place to start. If you’ve read this, I’m interested to know what you thought! Goodreads related it to the works of Isabel Allende and Gabriel Garcia Marquez.

Gods of Jade and Shadow by Silvia Moreno-Garcia

“The Mayan god of death sends a young woman on a harrowing, life-changing journey in this one-of-a-kind fairy tale inspired by Mexican folklore.“

This just sounded like nothing I’ve read before. This is actually the same author who wrote the new book Mexican Gothic. I think they’re two completely different stories. I’ve seen this floating around, but it’s a rare occasion. I’m going into this with no expectations. Hopefully, this doesn’t disappoint.

Love War Stories by Ivelisse Rodriguez

“This collection documents how these “love wars” break out across generations as individuals find themselves caught in the cross-hairs of romance, expectations, and community.“

This was published in 2018, and I discovered it less than 24 hours ago. It has such an interesting premise, and if I do read it, this will be my first short story collection. I’ve never heard anyone talk about it, but the book has good ratings on Goodreads. Let me know if you’ve read this one! I’m excited to pick it up.

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That’s my short list of books by Latinx authors. I don’t think I’ve read from any of these authors, which makes me kind of sad. They all have such interesting stories to tell. I hope you enjoyed this, and I’m excited to discover more as I continue to read everyone’s blog posts!

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