Sept. 15 through Oct. 15 is Latinx Heritage Month and to celebrate we wanted to spotlight some Latinx book influencers who you should 100% be following! Keep reading to learn a little bit about each influencer and a book by a Latinx author that they would recommend!
Alicia | Blog: akernelofnonsense.wordpress.com, Instagram: @akernelofnonsense
My name is Alicia. I am a Mexican-American Book Blogger. I believe we as readers need to be deliberate when it comes to our reading choices. Marginalized writers are often overlooked and I believe we can make a difference in whose books get attention. I have had the pleasure seeing more and more Latinx authors make their way into the publishing scene and I hope my voice can help lift theirs and show publishing that our communities are worth investing in.
Recommendation: The Lesbiana’s Guide to Catholic School by Sonora Reyes is my favorite debut this year. This YA contemporary follows a Mexican-American teen navigating tumultuous familial relationships, her queer identity and religion. Equal parts heartbreaking and hopeful, this novel is sure to resonate with queer Latinx teens.
Mel | The Steam Box: https://www.steamylit.com, Instagram @thesteamboxco, Instagram: @bookrecsbymel
Mel is a Peruvian bookish content creator and a small business owner. She has been creating bookish content for over two years and loves to use her platform to celebrate diversity in books. Her love for reading romance led to her starting The Steam Box – a romance book subscription box that promotes diversity and encourages self love. Mel is a navy veteran, a proud dog mom to two Rottweilers, and is constantly arguing with her husband that she in fact does need more books.
Recommendation: On The Hustle by Adriana Herrera – This is the perfect romance book! Not only is it the perfect combination of plot and steam but it highlights and discusses the “hustle” mindset we have as immigrants. The constant need to work and do more that really hit home for me. This is one of the best romance books coming out this fall!
Destiny | Blog: https://myhoneyreads.wordpress.com/, Instagram: @myhoneyreads
My name is Destiny and I am a Mexican-American, Indigenous, disabled, and queer blogger who likes to scream about books with the aforementioned representation. I read across all genres and in all formats. My goal is to create a positive and cozy space on all my platforms where I can talk about the things I love with others.
Recommendation: I haven’t stopped recommending Lobizona by Romina Garber since the second I picked it up. An elaborate fantasy full of werewolves and witches, Lobizona also features immigration, family secrets, sports, and rich Argentinian culture. This is the book for anyone looking for their next favorite YA Fantasy.
Caro | Instagram: @_afrovegan
Caro is a social justice oriented Puerto Rican educator based in Santurce, Puerto Rico. She is currently a PhD student of Caribbean Literature.
Recommendation: Olga dies dreaming by Xochitl Gonzalez, an unapologetic *fictional* book about the Nuyorican. This book is Brooklyn but is also a protest to the yanki in Puerto Rico; is a full on schooling about Puerto Rican history to a reader that might not know about the hundreds of years we have endured under colonialism and the movements that have always fought to free the island.
“…as a brave young woman who knows that in a world of oppression, achieving liberation will require sacrifice.”
Cristina | Instagram: @2bookornot2book
Cristina (she/her) is a Puerto Rican bookstagrammer in NYC with a passion for strange, lyrical fantasy and sci-fi, literary fiction about dysfunctional families, and dark fairytale retellings. For her day job, she’s an archivist, which really means she gets paid to go on research tangents for other people, and she now knows way too much about 1930s NYC mobsters. Besides reading, she loves to play puzzle-based video games that don’t involve anyone dying, and she’s even published a few short stories. Her heritage is always on her mind and informs much of what she does, especially in regards to the books she reads.
Recommendation: I of course have loved many recently published books by Latinx authors, but I wanted to pick something a little less well known. I highly recommend Tears of the Trufflepig by Fernando A. Flores, a novel about a man living in a border town in Texas, in a world where narcotics are legal and a new kind of contraband exists: ancient Olmec artifacts, shrunken indigenous heads, and filtered animals—animals brought back from extinction to live short lives as entertainment to the rich. This book is magical and weird in the best way possible, and one of the most imaginative and unique books I’ve read by a Latinx author in a long time. I like Latinx books that could not exist without the ethnicity of the author and characters being that way, but are not stories where the characters reckon with it or come to terms with their identity. Those have their place but I much prefer a story like this—where they know who and what they are, they live it, and this is a story that wouldn’t exist without it.
Alexis | Instagram: @poppincurlsnprose
My name is Alexis (@PoppinCurlsNProse). I was born and raised in Brooklyn, NY and currently live in Austin, Texas. Thanks to my mom, I’ve been an avid reader all my life. Growing up I loved The Babysitter’s Club, Goosebumps and Fear Street novels. Now, I mostly read YA, Fantasy and a sprinkle of romance.
Recommendation: A book I would recommend is Clap When you Land by Elizabeth Acevedo. I’m a huge fan of anything she does. Clap When You Land is a YA novel, written in verse that as a Latina really resonated with me. It speaks to my heart with the love of culture, importance of family, and Acevedo never shies away from all the emotional baggage that young people carry around on a daily basis, that as an adult can be easy to forget or dismiss.
Francis | Instagram: @abookinbed
Hi! My name is Francis and I’m a proud Boricua that gets a little too emotionally attached to fictional characters. I love watching movies, reading books, and creating fake scenarios in my head. Representation and diverse stories are a priority for me. Also dessert, but that’s not important right now.
Recommendation: Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia. Fall is here and I think this is an excellent atmospheric read to really set the mood. The author did an incredible job of mixing fantastical elements with hard hitting topics to truly create a sinister experience. With that said, make sure to check out the content warnings. If you want a well written, strong, and witty Latina as the center of a story then this is the book for you.
Sharon | Instagram: @bookdragon217
My name is Sharon @bookdragon217 and I’m a voracious mood reader always looking to find myself in books. Growing up I never saw myself, my community or my culture represented in books and this is why I started my bookstagram page. I wanted to create a safe space where I could connect people to their next favorite read and amplify books written by marginalized identities and communities.
Recommendation: I always recommend The Taste of Sugar by Marisel Vera because it talks about important Puerto Rican history that many people don’t know about that is still relevant today. It was an emotional and beautiful read for me. The characters stay with you long after the story is finished.
Julith | Instagram: @nerdy_little_julith
I’m Julith, a plus size Latina who loves to scream about books I’m loving and Kpop. Fantasy and romance books have my entire heart and it’s what you’ll find the most on my page. Finding books where I see myself and others represented is my favorite thing so I do my best to promote diverse books in hopes that others find a book they can see themselves in.
Recommendation: Labyrinth Lost by Zoraida Córdova is the first book in the Brooklyn Brujas series and it immediately pulls you in for a witchy read that is full of beautiful imagery and a spellbinding story! Fans of Cemetery Boys by Aiden Thomas will love this book!
Alessandra | Instagram: @naturemamareads
(She/they) I’m a chicana mama breaking down chancla culture in our home. I’m a nursing student, and an ultra runner living in the high desert of Arizona. If I’m not reading fantasy and sci-fi stories, you can find me in my garden with my son or playing Stardew Valley.
Recommendation: A Crash of Fate by Zoraida Cordova! I will read anything and everything this author puts out! A Crash of Fate is a story that takes place in the Star Wars world. I just loved everything about this book, friends to lovers, adventure, and Latinx representation in a super popular story scape. Everything I love about reading Zoraida Cordova hits every time!
Mariah | Instagram: @thekneadtoread
I’m a biracial Latina from the Bronx, NY who is obsessed with all things books and food. I started combining my hobby of books and food when I was a special education high school English teacher looking to include multiple ways for my students to connect to a story. Now I have the bookstagram and booktok TheKneadToRead where I love pushing and seeing Latine voices (and eating all food inspired by them)! I bake and read at my home in the Bronx with my husband, daughter, and cat.
Recommendation: I recommend you read The Hacienda by Isabel Cañas for all your spooky season vibes! The genre of gothic horror isn’t often associated with Latine voices but this novel proves that incorrect. It’s full of supernatural suspense, the foreboding hacienda is the perfect gothic backdrop, has Mexican politics in the background, and will have you going out in search of some pulque to drink.
Kristina | Instagram: @whenreadingattacks
I am Kristina (she/they). I’m a 34 year old queer Puerto Rican living in California. I’m a reader, writer, educator, zinester, and resident weirdo Aquarian. When I’m not reading, you can find me basking in the sun or playing TTRPGs online with my friends.
Recommendation: My book recommendation is A Caribbean Heiress in Paris by Adriana Herrera. I read it with my book club (@onlyloversbookclub) and it was delightful to see a protagonist from the Dominican Republic. It’s so meaningful to see Latinx people starring in historical fiction and achieving a happily ever after.
Adriana | Instagram: @bookish_aspirations
I was born in Mexico City, raised in Los Angeles, and living in Arizona for the last 12 years. I have been part of the bookstagram community for the past 6 years, but I’m really excited about the recent movements, the rising voices and emphasis on representation within the book community, and the way platforms are being used to amplify BIPOC voices. It has inspired me to be more open about my identity, culture and experience as an immigrant.
Recommendation: I recently read Coyote Songs by Gabino Iglesias and I was so haunted by the deeply painful but also familiar stories. I was so glad I was recommended that book through this community and in return I recommend it to everyone. I’m also picking up his new book The Devil Takes You Home.
Ivana | Instagram: @ivanainthecity
I’m a Puerto Rican bookstagrammer living in Boston. I primarily enjoy reading short, quirky books about women and sociological nonfiction books. Recently, I’ve gotten into poetry. In my free time, I enjoy running, playing with my cat, and eating breakfast sandwiches.
Recommendation: For Latinx Heritage Month, I recommend an underrated backlist short story collection by Sandra Cisneros, Woman Hollering Creek & Other Stories. What I loved most about this book is that the writing is simple yet gorgeous—Cisneros flawlessly integrates Spanish into her stories and has an uncanny ability to capture moments and people who are oddly specific and somehow so relatable.
Natalie | Instagram: @the.cozy.archives
Hello! I’m Natalie, a Puerto Rican bookstagrammer who loves reading fantasy and horror stories. I love recommending books and have amazed professors and friends alike with my extensive knowledge of new releases. You’ll often catch me reading at home with my dachshund, Walter, bundled up next to me. Besides reading, I enjoy journaling, thrifting, and cozy gaming.
Recommendation: Witchlings by Claribel A. Ortega. This magical middle-grade book has a great cast of characters and fantastic world-building. Witchlings has it all: a Spanish-based magic system, coven sorting, toad races, monster hunting, and great friendships. One of my favorites this year, and I cannot wait for the sequel.
Angie | Instagram: @angiesreading
My name is Angie and I live in the DC area. I love reading almost everything under the sun, from lit fic to memoirs to romance to sci fi.
I’m a huge fan of spooky season and love to read horror. It’s a very, very white genre, though. I’ve loved reading recent books from Silvia Moreno Garcia, Tiffany Jackson, and Stephen Graham Jones who are authors of color completely transforming the genre with terrifying stories that go beyond ghosts and ghouls, shedding light on the horrors of racism and colonialism. My most recent favorite horror book that I highly recommend checking out this month is The Hacienda by Isabel Cañas. It’s an eerie gothic tale that takes place in 1800’s Mexico. It checks all the boxes!
✔️ strong female lead
✔️ ghosts
✔️ hot priest
Seeing Mexican rep in one of my favorite genres means so much to me, especially as someone who grew up hearing ghost stories from Mexico. Happy Latinx Heritage Month and Happy Spooky Season, book friends 🖤
A literary omnivore and influential Bookstagrammer, Layne applies her vivid creativity for every title we promote by deftly coordinating news coverage and events for authors, writing and editing diverse content for social media, and assisting with Books Forward’s social media engagement initiatives.
As a former special education teacher, Layne firmly believes in the importance of literature and accessibility. This unique point of view is an asset in her publicity efforts as she works to reach readers across various platforms and demographics.
Layne received her Bachelors of Arts in Creative Writing and Bachelors of Science in Psychology from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, and her Masters of Art in Teaching from Relay Graduate School of Education. She lives in New Orleans with her loyal, but sadly illiterate cat, Macaroni.
