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    30 YA Books By Latinx Authors We Can't Wait To Read In 2020

    You want to talk about range? These Latinx authors have it.

    zoraidacordova
    by zoraidacordova

    BuzzFeed Contributor

    1. Woven in Moonlight by Isabel Ibañez

    Page Street Publishing / Via pagestreetpublishing.com, Via isabelibanezdavis.com

    Release date: Jan. 7

    What it's about: Inspired by Bolivian history and politics, Woven in Moonlight follows Ximena, the body double to the Condesa of the Illustrian people. When the rival king Atoc demands the Condesa's hand in marriage as a truce, Ximena has to go instead. She had her own agenda: to find a weapon that could turn the tides. But as she grows closer to the enemy people, especially the enigmatic castle healer named Rumi, Ximena's understanding of the war and her allegiance is questioned. This is a stunning debut with original magic and lots of heart.

    Get it from Amazon for $13.39, Barnes & Noble for $17.07, or at a local bookstore through Indiebound here.

    2. Shadowshaper Legacy by Daniel José Older

    Scholastic / Via scholastic.com, John Midgley / Via ew.com

    Release date: Jan. 7

    What it's about: One of the OG Latinx authors writing urban fantasy for teens, Daniel Jose Older’s Shadowshaper Cypher trilogy has come to an end. Sierra Santiago has been on an epic journey since she discovered her ancestral magic can channel spirits into art. With war brewing in her magical Brooklyn, Sierra has to do something drastic. Confronting Death itself is one thing, but confronting your family is another, and any mistake could cost her entire future. If you haven't started this series, now's your chance to binge.

    Get it from Amazon for $13.99, Barnes & Noble for $17.09, or at a local bookstore through Indiebound here.

    3. Dark and Deepest Red by Anna-Marie McLemore

    Feiwel & Friends / Via author.annamariemclemore.com, Via author.annamariemclemore.com

    Release date: Jan. 14

    What it's about: Rosella and Emil's lives become intertwined by a pair of 500-year-old shoes. The mysterious red shoes seal themselves to Rosella's feet and lead her to Emil, whose ancestors were the very witches accused of being responsible for a fever that plagued Strasbourg in 1518. McLemore delivers with their signature enchanting prose and strange fairytale twists.

    Get it from Amazon for $12.79, Barnes & Noble for $16.19, or at a local bookstore through Indiebound here.

    4. Infinity Son by Adam Silvera

    Cover designed by Erin Fitzsimmons. Art by Kevin Tong / Via harpercollins.com, Elliot Knight / Via adamsilvera.com

    Release date: Jan. 14

    What it's about: In Adam Silvera's latest New York Times bestseller, two brothers living in a New York City crawling with super-powered humans are just trying to survive the violence on their streets. Emil wants the fighting to stop while Brighton wishes for superpowers. Only, it's Emil who manifests fiery powers of his own, propelling the brothers into a war they never asked for.

    Get it from Amazon for $12.99, Barnes & Noble for $17.09, or at a local bookstore through Indiebound here.

    5. Diamond City by Francesca Flores

    Wednesday Books / Via us.macmillan.com, Sarah Deragon / Via francescafloresauthor.com

    Release date: Jan. 28

    What it's about: Aina Solís is an assassin living in Diamond City. It's a place ruled by tyrants with maze-like cities full of diamond mines. Blood magic like Aina's is illegal, but she'll do whatever it takes to protect it. When she's assigned a new mission, Aina discovers that she's the one who's become a target. This is a debut and the start of a promising duology.

    Get it from Amazon for $12.29, Barnes & Noble for $17.09, or at a local bookstore through Indiebound here.

    6. The New David Espinoza by Fred Aceves

    HarperCollins / Via harpercollins.com, Geovanni Trujillo / Via harpercollins.com

    Release date: Feb. 11

    What it's about: David Espinoza has been picked on for being skinny his whole life. But after a viral video of his beat-down by a bully gets turned into a meme, he vows to change his life. He spends the summer doing whatever it takes to bulk up. The New David Espinoza is an honest conversation about body dysmorphia and toxic masculinity.

    Get it from Amazon for $13.79, Barnes & Noble for $16.55, or at a local bookstore through Indiebound here.

    7. This Train is Being Held by Ismée Williams

    Abrams / Via abramsbooks.com, Via ismeewilliams.com

    Release date: Feb. 11

    What it's about: Williams's latest novel feels like if West Side Story were about two teens who met on a train. Alex and Isa are Latinx, but their families and lives could not be more different. After several chance-encounters on the New York City subway, they start seeing each other for real. With themes of privilege, mental health, and diaspora, this love story is bound to pack a punch.

    Get it from Amazon for $12.79, Barnes & Noble for $16.19, or at a local bookstore through Indiebound here.

    8. The First 7 by Laura Pohl

    Sourcebooks FIre / Via sourcebooks.com, Via onlybylaura.com

    Release date: March 3

    What it's about: Laura Pohl's debut, The Last 8, was basically if Will Smith's Independence Day and a John Hughes group of misfits had a baby. After the massive plot twist in book one, the duology comes to a close. The Last Teenagers on Earth are heading into the unknown, and discover a colony of survivors who aren't what they seem.

    Get it from Amazon for $17.99, Barnes & Noble for $17.99, or at a local bookstore through Indiebound here.

    9. Salty, Bitter, Sweet by Mayra Cuevas

    Blink/HarperCollins / Via mayracuevas.com, Via mayracuevas.com

    Release date: March 3

    What it's about: Isabella Field's life just fell apart. Her parents got a divorce, her grandmother passed away, and she had to move in with her dad and his new, pregnant wife. At least the move happens to be to France, where Isa gets the opportunity to participate in a cutthroat restaurant apprenticeship. What follows is a slow burn romance with a boy named Diego and the start of her emotional healing.

    Get it from Amazon for $18.99, Barnes & Noble for $18.99, or at a local bookstore through Indiebound here.

    10. Tigers, Not Daughters by Samantha Mabry

    Algonquin Young Readers / Via samanthamabry.com, Via samanthamabry.com

    Release date: March 24

    What it's about: Three years after the mysterious death of the eldest Torres sister, Ana, strange things start to happen. Jessica, Iridian, and Rosa are living in a house that feels haunted by Ana. Together they have to uncover what exactly their sister's spirit is trying to say. For fans of Anna-Marie McLemore and Emily X.R. Pan.

    Get it from Amazon for $17.95, Barnes & Noble for $17.95, or at a local bookstore through Indiebound here.

    11. We Didn’t Ask for This by Adi Alsaid

    Inkyard Press / Via adialsaid.com, Peter Ross / Via adialsaid.com

    Release date: April 7

    What it's about: The Central International school has an annual tradition of a "lock-in." That night, hopeful teens want to do something to be remembered by whether it's an amazing prank or kissing the guy they like. For Marisa Cuevas, it's so much more. She literally chains everyone in, staging an eco-protest, and she won't leave until her list of demands is met. Brave teens and hard decisions will shine in this one.

    Get it from Amazon for $13.39, Barnes & Noble for $13.39, or at a local bookstore through Indiebound here.

    12. A Breath Too Late by Rocky Callen

    Henry Holt and Co. / Via fiercereads.com, Via rockycallen.com

    Release date: April 28

    What it's about: This debut by Ecuadorian-American author Rocky Callen is perfect for fans of I'll Give You the Sun and If I Stay. When 17-year-old Ellie dies by suicide, she has an out-of-body experience that helps her relive the moments that lead to her moments of lost hope. This book tries to find the light in the dark, and I'm deeply looking forward to reading it.

    Get it from Amazon for $17.99, Barnes & Noble for $17.99, or at a local bookstore through Indiebound here.

    13. Running by Natalia Sylvester

    Houghton Mifflin Hartcourt / Via nataliasylvester.com, Via goodreads.com

    Release date: May 5

    What it's about: This novel seems incredibly timely in light of the upcoming election. Fifteen-year-old Cuban American Mariana Ruiz’s father decides to run for president after a successful political career. Mari's life is about to become a media circus, but most importantly, she begins to realize who her father really is. Can she stand up to him while the whole country is watching?

    Get it from Amazon for $17.99, Barnes & Noble for $17.99, or at a local bookstore through Indiebound here.

    14. Santiago’s Road Home by Alexandra Diaz

    Simon & Schuster/Paula Wiseman Books, Owen Benson / Via alexandra-diaz.com

    Release date: May 5

    What it's about: Santiago journeys from Mexico to the United States border with a kind stranger and her young daughter. After he gets detained by ICE, his future hangs in the balance. In light of the footage coming out of ICE detention centers, Diaz's latest book feels absolutely necessary.

    Get it from Amazon for $17.99, Barnes & Noble for $17.99, or at a local bookstore through Indiebound here.

    15. Don’t Ask Me Where I’m From by Jennifer de Leon

    Atheneum / Via jenniferdeleonauthor.com, Alonso Nichols / Photo by {photog) / Via jenniferdeleonauthor.com

    Release date: May 5

    What it's about: When Latinx Liliana Cruz gets accepted into a wealthy and predominantly white high school, she makes a decision to reinvent herself. From the way she walks and talks to her name change, she'll do anything to fit in. But as her family troubles are revealed, it becomes harder to sustain. This is a perfect metaphor about walls and assimilation, set in a Massachusetts suburb.

    Get it from Amazon for $18.99, Barnes & Noble for $18.99, or at a local bookstore through Indiebound here.

    16. Clap When You Land by Elizabeth Acevedo

    Quill Tree Books/ HarperCollins / Via acevedowrites.com, Via acevedowrites.com

    Release date: May 5

    What it's about: Award-winning and bestselling author Elizabeth Acevedo brings her powerful voice to a novel of family pain and discovery. After their father dies in a plane crash on the way to the Dominican Republic, Camino Rios and Yahaira Rios discover their dad's secret: his two families. Faced with the revelation that they have a sister, their lives will never be the same. Perhaps for the better.

    Get it from Amazon for $13.99, Barnes & Noble for $14.39, or at a local bookstore through Indiebound here.

    17. We Are Not From Here by Jenny Torres Sanchez

    Philomel / Via jennytorressanchez.com, Via jennytorressanchez.com

    Release date: May 19

    What it's about: Pulga, Chico, and Pequeña are three teens crossing from Guatemala through Mexico to get to the U.S.-Mexico border. The route they take is called La Bestia (The Beast). Once they go, there's no turning back and there is no guarantee of survival. This is a story about the hope and danger migrants undertake, without the vouyerism or sensationalism that has plagued U.S. publishing recently.

    Get it from Amazon for $17.99, Barnes & Noble for $17.99, or at a local bookstore through Indiebound here.

    18. Where We Go From Here by Lucas Rocha

    Push/Scholastic / Via ireadyabooks.tumblr.com, Via goodreads.com

    Release date: June 2

    What it's about: This debut novel by Brazilian author Lucas Rocha follows three gay friends in Brazil whose lives collide. Each boy experiences a different relationship with an HIV diagnosis. Ian tests positive. Victor's test is negative. Henrique has lived with HIV for three years. Set in Rio de Janeiro, Where We Go From Here uplifts a community that has been plagued with misinformation, and instead highlights love and self-acceptance and the work we still have to do.

    Get it from Amazon for $18.99, Barnes & Noble for $18.99, or at a local bookstore through Indiebound here.

    19. Category Five by Ann Dávila Cardinal

    Tor Teen / Via annhcardinal.com, Carlos Cardinal / Via annhcardinal.com

    Release date: June 2

    What it's about: If you love your fiction with a side of paranormal, Category Five looks like the perfect scary read. After the devastation left behind by Hurricane Maria, a group of teens return to Puerto Rico. They form their own detective gang to investigate a string of suspicious murders while a new supernatural threat looms. A companion to Dávila Cardinal's debut Five Midnights.

    Get it from Amazon for $17.99, Barnes & Noble for $17.99, or at a local bookstore through Indiebound here.

    20. Cemetery Boys by Aiden Thomas

    Swoon Reads | Macmillan / Via aiden-thomas.com, Elizabeth Stelle

    Release date: June 9

    What it's about: Yadriel seeks help from the beyond in order to prove his true gender to his family. He summons the spirit of his school’s bad boy, Julian, purely by accident. They decide to team up and help each other. Thomas is definitely promising some ghost-romance and I am here for it.

    Get it from Amazon for $12.59, Barnes & Noble for $12.59, or at a local bookstore through Indiebound here.

    21. All These Monster by Amy Tintera

    Houghton Mifflin Harcourt / Via amytintera.com, David Heisler (photographer) / Via amytintera.com

    Release date: July 7

    What it's about: New York Times best selling author Amy Tintera is back with a new sci-fi duology. Earth has been ravaged by violent creatures nicknamed scrabs. In order to escape an abusive home, Clara joins a call for an independent monster-fighting squad training to fight back against, well, all those monsters. This looks like a promising read with the action of I Am Number 4 and Warcross.

    Get it from Amazon for $17.99, Barnes & Noble for $17.99, or at a local bookstore through Indiebound here.

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

    Simon Pulse, Via goodreads.com

    Release date: Aug. 4

    What it's about: Narratives about immigration and ICE have been part of the Latinx community way before the recent headlines. Raquel Vasquez Gilliland takes on this topic and puts a sci-fi spin on it. Sia Martinez's mom disappeared after an ICE raid three years ago. One day, a blue space ship crashes in front of Sia's car. Out comes her mother. Alive and well. But there are alien-soldiers after her, and Sia races to save her mom no matter the cost.

    Get it from Amazon for $18.99, Barnes & Noble for $18.99, or at a local bookstore through Indiebound here.

    23. Illegal by Francisco X. Stork

    Scholastic Press / Via franciscostork.com, Anna Stork / Via franciscostork.com

    Release date: Aug. 4

    What it's about: Award-winning author Francisco X. Stork's returns to the Disappeared series with a dangerous adventure for siblings Emilio and Sara. On the run from the cartel, Sara and Emilio make for the U.S. But they separate. Sara turns herself over to the authorities and applies for asylum. Emilio enters the county without documentation. While Sara is permanently held at a detention center, Emilio plots to find justice for his family. I'm looking forward to seeing how Stork brings his nuance and sensitivity to this subject.

    Get it from Amazon for $18.99, Barnes & Noble for $18.99, or at a local bookstore through Indiebound here.

    24. Never Look Back by Lilliam River

    Lilith Ferreira / Via lilliamrivera.com

    Release date: Sept. 1

    What it's about: This is one of my most anticipated reads of 2020 and not just because Lilliam Rivera is a powerhouse author combining speculative fiction with issues affecting the modern Latinx community. Never Look Back is an Orpheus and Eurydice retelling featuring two Afro-Puerto Rican kids post-Hurricane Maria. I can't wait.

    Get it from Amazon for $18.99, Barnes & Noble for $18.99, or at a local bookstore through Indiebound here.

    25. Oculta by Maya Motayne

    Balzer & Bray, Via mayamotayne.com

    Release date: Sept. 15

    What it's about: Finn is a girl who can change faces but hasn't seen her own reflection in so long. Prince Alfie is the next in line for the throne of Castallan after his brother went missing. In Nocturna, book one, the face-changing girl and the prince team up to steal a treasure that could help them both, but end up releasing an unstoppable force instead. While book two's details are still under wraps, I know Finn and Alfie have their work cut out for them.

    Get it from Amazon for $18.99, Barnes & Noble for $18.99, or at a local bookstore through Indiebound here.

    26. Each of Us a Desert by Mark Oshiro

    Cover art: Jenna Stempel-Lobell / Tor Teen / Via markoshiro.com, Zoraida Córdova / Via markoshiro.com

    Release date: Sept. 15

    What it's about: Wanderer Xochitl sets off on a magical journey with an unexpected girl: the cold daughter of the town's conqueror. As they travel across the desert, they discover that they could be the missing pieces they were looking for. Now Xochitl and Emilia must survive the monsters that come out after sunset.

    Get it from Amazon for $17.99, Barnes & Noble for $17.99, or at a local bookstore through Indiebound here.

    27. White Fox by Sara Faring

    Buzzfeed, Emily Lipson / Via sarafaring.com

    Release date: Sept. 22

    What it's about: Last year, Sara Faring's atmospheric gothic novel, The Tenth Girl proved that there are some novels you shouldn't read before bed. Her sophomore novel promises to deliver what is becoming her iconic dark contemporary fairytales. In White Fox, sisters Manon and Thais return to their remote Mediterranean home after a decade, where they have to uncover the secrets left behind by their deceased mother's last screenplay.

    Get it from Amazon for $18.99, Barnes & Noble for $18.99, or at a local bookstore through Indiebound here.

    28. Furia by Yamile Saied Méndez