Fall is finally here, and one of the best things of the new season is all the fabulous new books we get to dive into. Thankfully, more and more of these new books are being written by, and about, Latinas. We want you to pick up some great books this autumn penned by Latinx authors – so put these seven new Latinx books on your checkout list!
Racial Innocence: Unmasking Latino Anti-Black Bias and the Struggle for Equality by Tanya Katerí Hernandez
Released on August 23, Racial Innocence is a must-read by comparative race relations expert and lawyer Tanya Hernandez. It has been described as “the first comprehensive book about anti-Black bias in the Latino community that unpacks the misconception that Latinos are ‘exempt’ from racism due to their ethnicity and multicultural background.” We know that racism is a huge problem in Latin American countries and Latinx communities in the United States, so it’s amazing to see a book that not only publicly acknowledges it, but also breaks down the issue in detail.
Big Chicas Don’t Cry by Annette Chavez Macias
Another one of the new Latinx books you should pick up this autumn is Big Chicas Don’t Cry, by Chicana Annette Chavez Macias. In it, “four cousins [Mari, Erica, Selena, and Gracie] navigate love, loss, and the meaning of family over the course of one memorable year in this heartfelt family drama.” Novels are a great escape, as they let us glean life lessons from the fictional lives of others. Big Chicas Don’t Cry hones in the intertwined narratives of Latinas and the various obstacles in their lives.
How Not to Drown in a Glass of Water by Angie Cruz
We already know to get hyped when a new Angie Cruz book comes out. The Dominicana author released her latest one, How Not to Drown in a Glass of Water, on September 13. It follows factory worker Cara Romero, who loses her job in her mid-50s. She sees a job counselor, who, “over the course of twelve sessions, learns about Cara’s relationships, including those with her neighbor, sister, and estranged son; her love life; and her struggles with debt, gentrification, and loss.”
The Neapolitan Sisters by Margo Candela
Margo Candela’s The Neapolitan Sisters is another must-read about the power of a sister bond. The book, released on August 9, tells the story of the Bernal sisters–Dulcina, Claudia, and Maritza–who reunite to attend Maritza’s wedding. Over the course of the novel, e learn about each sister, their lives, secrets, parents, and their relationship with each other – providing a meaning look into the Latinx preoccupation of family.
Valley of Shadows by Rudy Ruiz
Fall is all about the spooky reads. On September 20, Rudy Ruiz released his latest book, Valley of Shadows, which has been described as “a visionary neo-Western blend of magical realism, mystery, and horror.” It takes place in the late-1860s West Texas. There, Solitario Cisneros, once a Mexican lawman, is haunted by a family curse. He meets Onawa, a Mexican-Apache seer who captures his heart. The Rio Grande plays host to this story, a stand-alone prequel to Ruiz’s The Resurrection of Fulgencio Ramirez, both of which explores “the real effects of war, greed and climate displacement on human lives.”
The Other: How to Own Your Power at Work by Daniela Pierre-Bravo
We are here for new Latinx books that enlighten and empower us. The Other: How to Own Your Power at Work was written by Chilena Daniela Pierre-Bravo, a bestselling author, MSNBC reporter, and DACA recipient. It shows “women of color, children of immigrants, and minoritized groups” how to thrive in the face of their otherness. The lesson? Instead of being a liability, our differences are actually our strength.
Chingona: Owning Your Inner Badass for Justice and Healing by Alma Zaragoza-Petty
There was a time when we didn’t have non-fiction books that talked about the Latina experience. Especially those of young Latinas. In Chingona, Alma Zaragoza-Petty helps us to reclaim the word “chingona,” and use it as a word of empowerment, not shame. We learn about honoring our inner badass, living between two worlds, decolonizing our minds and our lives, smashing the patriarchy, rejecting white supremacy, healing, justice, and more. It’s just the thing to kick off your fall.
