Latinx Heritage Month is celebrated between September 15 and October 15 each year and honors the influence and contributions of the Latinx community. To mark the occasion, we’ve rounded up new and upcoming books by Latinx authors for your TBR. These books represent a small selection of the large body of incredible work done by Latinx authors, and we encourage readers to enjoy books from these authors not just this month, but all year long. Join us in celebrating, and dive in!
A Sunny Place for Shady People by Mariana Enriquez
Ghosts, goblins, and more can be found in this collection of twelve literary horror stories. Mariana Enriquez transports readers to Argentina where they’ll meet ordinary people whose lives are forever changed by the surreal, supernatural, and strange beings that they encounter. You’ll find a neighborhood haunted by ghosts, an infamous hotel, women transformed into birds, and so much more.
Tiny Threads by Lilliam Rivera
Samara’s dreams are all coming true. She’s living in California, working for the iconic designer Antonio Mota, and falling in love. But as the fashion show she’s working on nears, Samara begins experiencing strange things: hearing voices, seeing things that aren’t really there. Samara begins to expect that behind a glittering facade, the House of Mota is hiding sinister secrets.
Lightning in Her Hands by Raquel Vasquez Gilliland
A fake relationship sparks real feelings in this magical romance novel. Teal Flores is searching for her long-lost mother in the hopes of learning to use her gift for controlling the weather. Help comes in the form of Carter Velasquez, who needs to marry in order to receive his inheritance. The two strike a bargain but don’t plan for what happens when they begin to fall in love.
Bindle Punk Jefe by Desideria Mesa
Desideria Mesa returns this fall with the sequel to Bindle Punk Bruja, a historical fantasy set in the 1920s and inspired by Mexican folktales. Rose (Luna) Lane is living a double life—around those gifted with magic she’s Luna, the bruja mastering her earth magic; but to everyday citizens of Kansas City she’s Rose, the speakeasy owner. The sudden arrival of new enemies threaten the balance she’s trying to strike between both identities.
Guava and Grudges by Alexis Castellanos
Alexis Castellanos’ YA romcom follows teens from rival Cuban bakeries. A recipe competition with a social media twist could be Ana Maria Ybarra’s ticket to culinary school. She also hopes it will help convince her father to update some of their desserts to compete with the Morales Bakery, known for leaning into viral and Instagram-able treats. When Miguel Morales offers to help her, Ana Maria is torn between the prideful part of her that wants to say no and the desire to use Miguel’s skill sets to win.
I Might Be in Trouble by Daniel Aleman
A writer finds inspiration in an unlikely place in this dark comedy. David Alvarez is looking for redemption after his highly-anticipated second book flopped. When he wakes up to find his one-night-stand dead in the bed beside him, he calls his literary agent to help him piece together what happened the night before, dispose of any damning evidence against David, and figure out how to possibly spin a tragic series of events into his next big book.
Dominoes, Danzón, and Death by Raquel V. Reyes
The Caribbean Kitchen mysteries continue in this fourth installment following Miriam Quiñones-Smith, amateur sleuth and cooking show star. For Miriam, this case is personal: human bones are discovered on the grounds where her husband is building a hotel. Then her boss is named a suspect in the mysterious death of a local tour guide. Miriam must uncover who or what is behind these strange happenings in order to save those she cares about.
Twisted Shadows by Allie Therin
Allie Therin returns to the urban fantasy Sugar & Vice series set in an alternate-universe Seattle. Government agent Evan has made a name for himself as a hunter of corrupted empaths. He knows that he should stay far away from Reece, a pacifist and empath, but when a string of mysterious disappearances leads Evan to believe that someone is targeting empaths and going after Reece, he simply can’t stay away.
But Not Too Bold by Hache Pueyo
Readers already working on their 2025 TBRs will want to add this gothic novella with a monster romance twist to their lists. After the death of her mentor, Dália becomes the keeper of the keys—tasked with locking and unlocking draws where Anatema, a humanoid spider, keeps her memories. It’s a dangerous job: Anatema is known for eating beautiful women and Dália must find a way to survive or risk becoming Anatema’s next meal.
Till the Last Beat of My Heart by Louangie Bou-Montes
In this queer young adult novel, the son of a mortician discovers the powers of necromancy when he brings his crush back to life. Jaxon Santiago-Noble is heartbroken when Christian Reyes, a best friend he felt so much more for, dies in a car crash. When Jaxon accidentally reanimates Christian, he thinks he has a second chance at telling Christian how he really feels. But it soon becomes clear that the spell keeping Christian tethered to the mortal world can’t last forever.
What’s the best book by a Latinx author you’ve read this year?
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Stuff Your Shelves
The best book I’ve read by a Latinx author (so far!) this year is Jonny Garza Villa’s Canto Contigo! I was laughing and crying in equal measure!