10 Books By Latinx Authors That Deserve Your Attention According To Readers

Why not pick one of these up during Latinx Heritage Month?!

1. Génesis from @whisperingchapters recommends Here to Stay by Adriana Herrera.

Génesis says: Here to Stay by Adriana Herrera is a fantastic story with a sweet and swoonworthy romance, laugh-out-loud family, and a strong bond between a found family. The representation of Puerto Rican and Dominican cultures is on point! Adriana gave me a story with all the culture I’ve ever wanted for a book to have, and even reminded me so much of my own family and experiences. Any Puerto Rican and Dominican would only feel immense pride after reading this book.

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2. Meirys from @musingwithmeirys recommends Somewhere Between Bitter and Sweet by Laekan Zea Kemp.

@musingwithmeirys / Instagram: @musingwithmeirys

Meirys says: I highly recommend Somewhere Between Bitter and Sweet because it was more than just a love story. It addressed so many important immigration issues in the US about deportation, the border, discrimination, etc. But on the other hand, this story also showed compassion, love, family, and what it means to be a community.

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3. Kim from @afrobookricua recommends Daughters of the Stone by Dahlma Llanos-Figueroa.

@afrobookricua / Via instagram.com

Kim says: This offers a necessary and beautiful Afro-Latina recount of history. Daughters of the Stone is generational motherhood surviving slavery from Africa to 19th-century rural Puerto Rico. The integration of Black slaves into the Puerto Rican slave trade is monumental to the island’s wealth. Dahlma Llanos-Figueroa (Afro-Boricua herself) invites you, as a reader, to understand and feel how African culture contributed to Puerto Rico through Fela, Tia Josefa, Mati, Concha, Elena, and Carisa. Black y Latina. Ni uno ni el otro.

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4. Mel from @bookrecsbymel recommends Lobizona by Romina Garber.

@bookrecsbymel / Via bookshop.org

Mel says: A book recommendation from me would be Lobizona by Romina Garber. It’s a beautiful and heart-wrenching story that will have you entranced from cover to cover. While it’s fantasy, immigration is weaved into the story in a way that perfectly highlights the importance of prioritizing human life over imaginary borders. There are witches, werewolves, magical boarding schools (but make it Latinx!), and a huge emphasis on defying gender roles. This book is simply magical.

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5. Carmen from @tomesandtextiles recommends When We Make It by Elisabet Velasquez.

@tomesandtextiles / Via Instagram: @tomesandtextiles

Carmen says: When We Make It by Elisabet Velasquez is a monumental YA coming-of-age story told in verse. Sarai is a first-generation Puerto Rican eighth-grader who is trying to define what making it means to her while dealing with family trauma, toxic masculinity, colorism, and a rapidly gentrifying neighborhood. She is the compass of a story you just can't help but root for. Capturing the sizzling heat of Elizabeth Acevedo with a heavy dose of love for the Bushwick neighborhood, you won't be able to put down When We Make It.

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6. Francis from @abookinbed recommends Cemetery Boys by Aiden Thomas.

@abookinbed / Via Instagram: @abookinbed

Francis says: My new favorite book to recommend is Cemetery Boys by Aiden Thomas. It is a story full of intrigue, heart, and culture. Save this recommendation for when you’re feeling down and need a hug. This book will definitely be that warm hug!

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7. Rosie from @mybookishdream recommends In the Dream House by Carmen Maria Machado.

@mybookishdream / Via Instagram: @mybookishdream

Rosie says: In the Dream House is the most creative and inventive memoir I have ever read. It follows the arc of Machado’s abusive same-sex relationship, weaving literary tropes and queer theory through language that is poetic and vulnerable and stop-you-in-your-tracks honest. The narrative structure itself is a masterpiece: Each chapter exists as an experimental vignette that unpacks everything from lesbian history, Cuban culture, and gaslighting, to self-image, femininity, and what it means to experience trauma. This is one for la cultura, and I couldn’t recommend it enough.

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8. Julith from @nerdy_little_julith recommends Fat Chance, Charlie Vega by Crystal Maldonado.

@nerdy_little_julith / Via Instagram: @nerdy_little_julith, instagram.com

Julith says: I recommend Fat Chance, Charlie Vega by Crystal Maldonado because not only is it my favorite Latinx read of the year, but it’s also the kind of representation I’ve been waiting my entire life for. As a fat Latina myself, this book means the world to me, and I’m glad that today’s youth gets to have it. It is the book I wish I had when I was a teenager and so insecure of who I was. Charlie has stayed with me since I read it at the beginning of the year; whenever I’m down on myself I think of my favorite quote from the book: “Because this life is mine. Because I deserve it."

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9. Erik from @theboywiththeraventattoo recommends ¡Hola Papi! How to Come Out in a Walmart Parking Lot and Other Life Lessons by John Paul Brammer.

@theboywiththeraventattoo / Via Instagram: @theboywiththeraventattoo

Erik says: This is hands down one of my favorite books this year! This one especially is for all the queer Latinx men who had to grow up to be a “man” all the while trying to mask their queerness. John Paul Brammer shares candidly what it’s like to be biracial and often having to juggling how Mexican he is and how American he is, and any child of immigrant parents knows this struggle very well. In this memoir-in-essays, you’ll laugh, get emotional, and get to hear from a voice that isn’t often showcased.

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10. Keara from @theboricuabookworm recommends A Lot Like Adiós by Alexis Daria.

@theboricuabookworm

Keara says: Probably my favorite book of this year, and honestly, of all time is the second book in Alexis Daria’s Primas of Power series: A Lot Like Adiós. From their first encounter, Michelle and Gabe’s chemistry was sizzling. Their love story unfurled on the page in such a beautiful and intimate way that half the time I felt like I was intruding. The messy and loving Puerto Rican and Latine families are such a reflection of my own that the book feels like coming home. This is a story I’ll reread until I’m old.

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