Hispanic Heritage Month Recommendations

by Leanna Florez

Hispanic Heritage Month takes place from September 15 to October 15, so in the last week of this month, we wanted to highlight some amazing reads by Hispanic authors. Commitment to diversity in reading is important not just in the month that is being celebrated, but year-round.

Sanctuary by Paola Mendoza and Abby Sher

Takes place in a not-so-dystopian future where the citizens are chipped and tracked by a xenophobic government. The two main protagonists are living as undocumented immigrants after their mother is detained, and they must make the journey to California, a sanctuary state.
Genre: Science-Fiction
4.15/5 on Goodreads

Once I Was You: A Memoir of Love and Hate in a Torn America by Maria Hinojosa

This journalistic memoir tells the author’s story and explores the immigration system in America, women’s issues, and civil rights.
Genre: Non-Fiction Memoir
4.25/5 on Goodreads

Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia

The protagonist receives a letter from her newlywed cousin begging her to save her from a mysterious threat. When she arrives at the traditional home in the Mexican countryside, she uncovers horrifying secrets and violence.
Genre: Horror
3.68/5 on Goodreads

Next Year in Havana by Chanel Cleeton

This novel describes the experience of an American-born Cuban returning to Cuba after their grandparents were exiled. Time-jumping between the protagonist’s present visit and her grandmother’s story, the novel takes you on a journey of familial mystery and political exploitation.
Genre: Mystery
3.93/5 on Goodreads

The Lesbiana’s Guide to Catholic School by Sonora Reyes

Following a sixteen-year-old girl’s new move to a Catholic School, she struggles with her queer identity, Catholic guilt, and all of the other hardships that come with being sixteen. Living in a very white and rich area, she must adapt and find confidence in her own identity.
Genre: YA Fiction
4.32/5 on Goodreads

You Sound Like a White Girl by Julissa Arce

This book is a discussion on the experience of Latine people who feel disconnected with their identity due to being “whitewashed” or not speaking Spanish. It works to dispel the myth that assimilation into American culture brings happiness to immigrants, and shows the importance of maintaining a cultural connection.
Genre: Non-Fiction/Political
4.31/5 on Goodreads

Legitimate Kid by Aida Rodriguez

From childhood abductions to adult homelessness, comedian Aida Rodriguez turns her childhood horrors into comedy gold. She paves the way for Latine representation in comedy and presents an inspirational memoir.
Genre: Comedy/Memoir
4.25/5 on Goodreads

Fat Chance, Charlie Vega by Crystal Maldonado

Mother/daughter relationships can often be extremely toxic, and this is the case for Charlie Vega and her mother, who passive-aggressively tells her to lose weight. In a heartwarming novel, Charlie Vega learns the importance of found family in her journey to loving her body.
Genre: YA Fiction/Romance
4/5 on Goodreads

Extended Stay by Juan Martinez

When two siblings flee Colombia and end up in a dingy hotel in Las Vegas, they are introduced to strange figures lurking in the hallways and monsters feeding off the sorrows of the vulnerable. In a suspenseful tale of survival, there is also deeply relevant criticism of capitalism and exploitation.
Genre: Horror/Thriller
3.74/5 on Goodreads

Piñata by Leopoldo Gout

Inspired by Aztec mythology and religion, an ancient Aztec vessel is seeking revenge for victims of colonization. Pursued by the spirit, an architect and a small family struggle to figure out what to do in this story of possession when their adolescent daughter begins to live in a liminal spiritual state.
Genre: Horror
3.67/5 on Goodreads