10 Books by Latina Authors to Add to Your Summer Reading List

It’s officially summer so it’s time for laying on the beach (or your backyard) and getting your favorite libritos to enjoy. Diverse representation in the publishing industry remains low, which is why it’s so important to prioritize marginalized and underrepresented voices, especially from the Latinx community. When we request books by Latina authors at the library or purchase them from the bookstore, we’re making a statement about how valuable our own voices are. On top of that, some studies show reading is good for our health through reducing stress, improving sleep, and developing empathy so there are multiple benefits. During summer we get the chance to take time for ourselves, and read stories that are good for our brain and well-being. That’s why we decided to put together this list of books by Latina authors that are fun, lighthearted, and perfect for summer reading like City Girls by Loretta Lopez and Magical/Realism by Vannesa Angélica Villareal. Read on to learn more about 10 books by Latina authors that you need to add to your TBR list this current summer.

The Quince Project by Jessica Parra

The Quince Project is a fun romance by Jessica Parra that follows Castillo Torres, the Student Body Association event chair and serial planner who could use a little fairy magic in her life. From everything going wrong at her sister’s quinceañera to her mother’s unexpected passing, Cas’s life feels beyond the help of a good planner. When she sees that a local lifestyle-guru/party-planner has opened up applications for an internship, she’s determined to get it, except that she needs more party planning experience before she can apply. Soon, she manages to book a quinceañera for a teen Disneyland vlogger, only to discover that the party was a publicity stunt and that she might be falling for the chambelán. It will be up to Cas to discover if she can handle her life going off-script or if she will stay a planner for other people forever and lose her change at happily ever after.

Isabel and the Rogue by Liana De La Rosa 

Isabel and the Rogue by Liana De la Rosa is a love story between two unexpected people. First, Isabel Luna Valdés, an heiress and the “forgotten” Luna sister who finds her life changing when the Mexican ambassador in London recruits her to unearth British intelligence that might help Mexico win the war against the French. Then, there’s Captain Sirius Dawson, a covert agent for the British Home Office who makes a game out of befriending politicians and seducing ladies all in an effort to learn their secret. But when he spies Isabel lurking in the shadows, he can’t resist her wit or charm. The only problem? Isabel discovers private correspondence that could change Mexico’s political turmoil and she’s unwilling to sacrifice her country for anything, even if it means ignoring her heart. Ultimately, this is a sweet, sexy rom-com that is bound to pull at your heartstrings.

Malas by Marcela Fuentes

Malas is the debut novel of Marcela Fuentes that follows the complicated legacy and history of various family members starting with Pilar Aguirre, who is confronted by a mysterious old woman in La Cienega, Texas. Accused of stealing the woman’s husband, Pilar finds herself and her family the target of a curse. Then there’s Lulu Muñoz who, more than 40 years later, is doing her best to dodge her father’s mood, his rules, her secret life as a punk band singer, and her upcoming quinceañera. When her grandmother passes away, Lulu finds herself drawn to a glamorous but lone stranger who crashes the funeral and lives on the edge of town. Through their kinship, Lulu is able to discover the secrets of her family’s past as her quinceañera draws closer. Over time, it becomes clear that one woman must make peace with the past while one girl pushes to embrace her future. Combined with dusty rodeos, Selena concerts, and conjunto ballads, this is a heartfelt love letter to Tejano culture, community, and family.

Oye by Melissa Mogollón

Oye by Melissa Mogollon follows Luciana, a high school senior who is used to being the baby of her Colombian American family and shuttled to the sidelines. But when their South Florida town is hit by a hurricane warning and her grandmother is given a troubling medical diagnosis, she finds herself becoming the caretaker, translator, secret keeper, and leader of the pack carrying all the responsibility while her older sister Mari is away at college. Structured as a series of humorous and relatable one-sided phone calls to Mari, Luciana begins to narrate her frustrating, complicated life, from when Abue moves into her bedroom and starts throwing out unreasonable demands, to when all of her attempts to sneak out and meet girls are shut down. Heartfelt and moving, this is one phone call you won’t want to miss out on eavesdropping on this summer.

City Girls by Loretta Lopez

City Girls by Loretta Lopez follows Elisa, Lucia, and Alice, three 11-year-old girls who attend the same classes in a middle school in New York City. But no one knows that Elisa, who has just arrived from El Salvador, is trying to navigate the asylum process. Or that confident, bilingual Lucia is caught in the middle of her parents’ divorce. Or that Alice is mourning her mother’s progressing cancer while also trying to pass off her persona as a rebel in combat boots. Featuring alternating chapters between the three girls, this is a powerful novel about the vulnerability of being in middle school, as well as the joy and relief of finding friendship and sanctuary in the middle of drastic life changes. It’s a feel-good read for all ages.

The Waves Take You Home by María Alejandra Barrios Vélez 

The Waves Take You Home by María Alejandra Barrios Vélez follows Violeta Sanoguera, a woman who has always done what she’s been told, leaving the man she loved in Colombia to please her mother and grandmother, and fleeing to New York City to create a better life. Pursuing an education with a new partner, she finally feels like she’s made a new life for herself on her own terms. But everything changes when her grandmother dies, and Violeta returns to Colombia as the ghost of her grandmother sends her messages. When she lands, she learns that she’s the heir of the family restaurant, leading her back to her home, her grandmother, her dreams, her past, and the flame of an old love. While sad in some parts, it’s a story that will have you cheering at the end.

Anita de Monte Laughs Last by Xochitl Gonzalez 

Anita de Monte Laughs Last  is the second novel by Xochitl Gonzalez whose debut novel, Olga Dies Dreaming, was critically acclaimed. This books follows Anita de Monte, an artist on the rise who is tragically found dead in 1985 NYC, and Raquel, an art history student at College Hill preparing her final thesis in 1998. Surrounded by privilege, Raquel feels like a fish out of water, as students of color like her are pressured to work twice as hard. But when she falls for a well-connected older art student, she suddenly finds herself on the path to her own success, even as she continues to straddle two worlds. When she stumbles on Anita and her story, she becomes hyper-aware of the eerie similarities between their two stories: the uneven power dynamics and the quick rise to fame. Alternating between the two women, Gonzalez returns to explore power, love, art, remembrance, and elitism in this refreshing and insightful read.

The Seventh Veil of Salome by Silvia Moreno-Garcia 

The Seventh Veil of Salome is the latest novel from Silvia Moreno-Garcia, who is known for her gothic novel Mexican Gothic and is now delving into a historical epic about film and love. Set in 1950s Hollywood, every major actress wants to play the historic figure Salome in the next big-budget movie. But unexpectedly, the film’s director casts Vera Larios, an unknown Mexican actress, in the lead role, spurring gossip, scandal, and jealousy, especially from star Nancy Hartley, who is determined to do anything to get back in the spotlight after a stalled career. Alternating between the stories of these two women, we also learn the story of the princess Salome herself, longing for a prophet who predicts the downfall of her stepfather Herod and torn between duty and love. This is a tantalizing Technicolor saga you’ll want to read before the curtain comes down.

Daughter of Fire by Sofia Robleda

Daughter of Fire by Sofia Robleda follows Catalina de Cerrato, a young Guatemalan woman in 1551 who is being raised by her widowed father Don Alonso. As a ruling member of the oppressive Spanish hierarchy, he holds ultimate power over the lower class of Indigenous communities. His wife and Catalina’s mother was a Maya noblewoman and Catalina struggles to honor her divided heritage. Her mother gave her the responsibility of preserving the lost sacred text of the Popol Vuh, the treasured and now forbidden history of the K’iche’ people. Encouraged by her mother’s voice from the afterlife, Catalina uses her gift of committing the invaluable stories to memory to embark on a secret quest to rewrite them. In her pursuit, she finds an ally in Juan de Rojas, the captivating lord whose rule was compromised by the Spanish invasion. As their love blooms and Don Alonso’s tyranny and power only grow stronger, it will be up to Catalina alone to confront her blood heritage and secrets in order to complete her dangerous quest to the end. This is a historical fiction novel that is as mystical as it is empowering and beautiful.

Magical/Realism: Essays on Music, Memory, Fantasy, and Borders by Vanessa Angélica Villarreal

Magical/Realism by Mexican American poet Vannesa Angélica Villareal is an essay collection that uses music, fantasy, and pop culture as a way to examine her marriage, her relationships, her family history, her experiences with migration and colonialism, and her assimilation into mainstream American culture. Structured in chapters that re-imagine and contextualize what has been lost, she spans a wide range of topics, from the gender performativity of Nirvana and Selena, to a racial reading of Jon Snow in Game of Thrones. Other times, she gets more personal, reflecting on her childhood, eldest daughter traumas, and her divorce and finding a new way to remember her stories. Ultimately, this is a wholly original read full of fantasy, hope, and magic.