5 Deeply Intriguing YA Books By Latinx Authors Coming Out In The Second Half Of This Year

You'll want to devour these this month!

1. Sia Martinez and the Moonlit Beginning of Everything by Raquel Vasquez Gilliland

Simon & Schuster, raquelvasquezgilliland.com

Release date: Aug. 11

Why you should read it: This book took me by surprise! Raquel has such a poetic, lush way of writing and creating characters that it's hard not to become sucked into the story — and it's one with such an interesting mix of genres. Sia Martinez lives in a small Arizona town and is dealing with the deportation of her mother, whom she hasn't seen or heard from in three years. She believes her mother to be dead. There's a splash of romance that happens when a new boy named Noah moves into town, but the speculative element comes into play when Noah, Sia, and Sia's best friend get caught up in a space mystery after a blue-lit spacecraft crashes in front of Sia's car carrying her mother, who is very much alive. Raquel presents topics of immigration, assault, racism, grief, and abuse and writes about them in a careful yet realistic manner. Once you begin reading, it's hard to put down.

Get it from Bookshop for $17.47, Barnes and Noble for $18.99, or from a local independent bookstore through Indiebound here.

2. Never Look Back by Lilliam Rivera

Bloomsbury YA, Lilith Ferreira / Las Fotos Project

Release date: Sept. 15

Why you should read it: I love Rivera's stunningly authentic and intriguing books, and Never Look Back didn't disappoint. She has such a unique way of capturing you with her lyrical prose. Never Look Back is an Afro-Latinx retelling of Orpheus and Eurydice set in the Bronx and stars Eury, who's lost everything to Hurricane Maria. She also believes she's attracted an evil spirit, Ato. Then there is Pheus, a singer, a charmer, and someone who's set on capturing Eury's affections — but it doesn't come easy. As Eury and Pheus's connection grows closer, the world threatens to tear them apart.

Get it from Bookshop for $17.47, Barnes and Noble for $18.99, or from a local independent bookstore through Indiebound here.

3. Each of Us a Desert by Mark Oshiro

Tor Teen, Zoraida Córdova / Via zoraidacordova.com

Release date: Sept. 15

Why you should read it: Oshiro writes a slow burn of a spectacular novel that is eloquent, thoughtful, and transformative. I can't think of anything else like it! Our main character, Xochitl, wanders the desert alone, attempting to determine her destiny and place in the world. As a cuentista, her gift is taking other's stories and presenting them to Solís. On her journey through the desert, she meets Emilia, a girl with a dark past, who joins her. Together, they meet complex characters that help shape them. This one is introspective and atmospheric — you won't want to miss it.

Get it from Bookshop for $16.54, Barnes and Noble for $17.99, or from a local independent bookstore through Indiebound here.

4. A Cuban Girl’s Guide to Tea and Tomorrow by Laura Taylor Namey

Atheneum Books for Young Readers, laurataylornamey.com

Release date: Oct. 6

Why you should read it: If swoony, cute, and contemporary are your YA keywords, I've got the perfect pick for you. Namey creates such an adorable premise and delivers with characters you can't help but adore. Lila Reyes is really going through it. She loses her abuela, her best friend abandons her, and her long-time boyfriend dumps her. Thinking their daughter needs an escape from Miami, Lila's parents take her to Winchester, England for the summer. Lila loves creating Cuban cuisines and is given the space to do so in England, but she longs for Miami. Enter cute British boy, Orion Maxwell. When Orion shows Lila what there is to love about England, Lila can't quite ignore the chemistry between them.

Get it from Bookshop for $17.46, Barnes and Noble for $18.99, or from a local independent bookstore through Indiebound here.

5. White Fox by Sara Faring

Tor, Emily Lipson / Via sarafaring.com

Release date: Sept. 22

Why you should read it: If mystery books are more your speed, then you won't want to miss Faring's latest. She writes in a way that draws you in from the beginning. It's about two sisters, Manon and Thaïs, who return to their Mediterranean island home 10 years after their mother's disappearance. They're drawn to their mother's unfinished screenplay, scouring it for clues that reveal she might be alive. But what they don't expect is to uncover even darker secrets.

Get it from Bookshop for $17.46, Barnes and Noble for $18.99, or from a local independent bookstore through Indiebound here.

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