Today marks the official start of summer, and nothing signals the season of poolside lounging and beach vacays more than epic summer reads. These are the books that you pack in your tote bag, curl up in bed with, and you take trips through without ever leaving your home. Of course, we at LatinaMedia.Co found five must-read Latinx summer books. So pull out your beach towel or couch throw, and check out some of the best la cultura has to offer.
The Hacienda by Isabel Cañas
Looking for a spooky read for the summer? Then look no further than The Hacienda, by Chicana author Isabel Cañas. Described as Mexican Gothic meets Rebecca, the book takes us to Mexico, after the Mexican War of Independence, where we meet Beatriz, who accepts a marriage proposal from Don Rodolfo Solórzano. She moves into Hacienda San Isidro to get back some of the security she lost in the war, but she realizes that there might be something to the rumors about Don Rodolfo’s first wife, and something off about the house itself.
West Side Love Story by Priscilla Oliveras
Some of the best summertime beach reads are romances. One that you should pick up for verano is Priscilla Oliveras’ West Side Love Story. The novel by the Puerto Rican-Mexican writer, which came out on June 1, takes us right in the middle of the drama between two families–and rival mariachi bands–in San Antonio. When a spark ignites between Mariana and Angelo, can they keep their secret love affair going in the midst of the Battle of the Mariachi Bands? You’ll just have to read and find out.
Trust by Hernan Diaz
Next up on our list of Latinx summer books is Trust by Pulitzer Prize finalist Hernan Diaz. The historical fiction novel, which has been garnering a lot of press, takes place in 1920s New York. It is there that we learn about Benjamin and Helen Rask, a tycoon and his aristocratic wife. But how did they get to the top of New York’s elite? This is the topic of the 1937 book Bonds, which is just one version of what really happened. Untangle the web of deception, and get to the bottom of the truth, in this must-read book.
Inheritance: A Visual Poem by Elizabeth Acevedo
After the success of The Poet X, The Fire on High, and Clap When You Land, any new book by Dominicana Elizabeth Acevedo automatically becomes a must-read. Her latest, Inheritance: A Visual Poem, features her “most-famous spoken-word poem,” one that speaks on Black hair and Afrolatinidad. Illustrations by Andrea Pippins add to the beauty of this much-needed, real narrative.
Neruda on the Park: A Novel by Cleyvis Natera
Another Dominicana whose book you should be reading this summer is Cleyvis Natera. Her book Neruda on the Park: A Novel was released on May 24, and tackles a subject that many Latinxs have to deal with–gentrification. It tells us the story of the Guerrero family, who live in Nothar Park. Elder Eusebia is fighting the proposed new construction of luxury condos in the area, while her daughter Luz is in a relationship with the white developer of the company who is trying to move into the neighborhood. Let the drama ensue!
