Six Books by Latinas to Read This Summer

Pretty much my favorite thing in the whole wide world is a good book list. 

But then, you probably know that about me already. 

And summer is an ESPECIALLY crucial time to have great reading options available! To me, nothing says “vacation” louder than a stack of wonderful books just waiting for me to read them.

(The other day my husband and I went out of town for three days to celebrate our anniversary and between the two of us, we took 7 BOOKS, which was… excessive. But did feel VERY vacation-y!)

So today I thought I’d share some great books I’ve read and recommend for your summer reading list—all written by Latina authors! I was so happy to find that it wasn’t difficult at all to find several recent books by Latinas in multiple genres to include in this guide, which gives me great hope for the future.

BOOKS BY LATINAS TO READ THIS SUMMER

Old novel: Dominicana by Angie Cruz

I just think it’s the worst when book lists are filled with new-releases that you have to wait 100 years to get from the library, so although “Dominicana” is actually only a couple of years old, it should be fairly easy to get your hands on this one. Ana Canción was never one of those dominicanas who dreamed of moving to the States. But when Juan Ruiz (a man twice her age) proposes and promises to take her to New York City, she has to accept the opportunity to move away from the place where hope for a better future is ever-dwindling; not just for her, but for her whole family. This was an incredibly insightful portrait of what it means to be an immigrant in America, and once again, beautiful writing by Angie Cruz. 

New novel: Infinite Country by Patricia Engel

This book hooked me from its very first line: “It was her idea to tie up the nun.” Ahh! This 2021 release about a Colombian family—half in the U.S. and half in Colombia—is just so, so good. I loved the way this book highlights so many different immigration experiences: a deported father, an undocumented mother, kids raised in the U.S. with and without U.S. citizenship, and a U.S. citizen raised in Colombia. And though the author doesn’t shy away from writing the pain, overall this story is a gorgeous portrayal of hope and one family’s commitment to each other (that I couldn’t put down and blazed through in a couple of days). Besides the fact that it was a joy to read such a nuanced immigration story (which is no small thing), the writing is incredible! Highly recommend. 

YA/Fantasy: Lobizona by Romina Garber

Fantasy is not usually my first choice, but I picked this one up because A) my friend Madison said it was really good and B) I wanted to have a few different genres represented in this book list. And I have to admit, a couple of times when I was reading, I’d look up and be like “I am reading a book about werewolves right now…” But then the story was so engrossing, I’d shrug and pick it back up. Props to Romina Garber for crafting an excellent story that weaves magic, social commentary, immigration, Argentine folklore and bilingualism! As a not-YA, I’m not the target audience for this book but I still read it in two days and will absolutely read the sequel, coming out this August! 

Romance: The Beautiful Ones by Silvia Moreno-Garcia

I read a review of this book that described it as “kind of like a Jane Austen novel with a splash of telekinesis thrown in,” which IMHO is spot-on. Antonina “Nina” Beaulieu is a fish out of water, sent to the city of Loisail to stay with her cousin and his wife, Valérie, who is supposed to oversee her first Grand Season where she will hopefully find a husband. When she’s drawn to Hector Auvray, a performer who shares the same telekinetic abilities she has, it becomes clear she’s been dropped straight into a world she’s both ill-prepared and ill-fitted for. This is a classic love triangle with several twists, and while it is slower-paced (especially at the beginning), it’s just a very easy romance to read. I blazed through it in a couple of days at the beach, and it was just a perfect light vacation read. Solid writing by Moreno-Garcia, who apparently never writes books in the same genre twice! 

Memoir: My Broken Language by Quiara Alegría Hudes

Originally I picked this book up because Quiara Alegría Hudes (along with Lin-Manuel Miranda) wrote the excellent musical “In the Heights.” TBH I didn’t know anything else about it, and was very pleasantly surprised by the gorgeous writing of this book (what else would you expect from a prize-winning lyricist, though, right?). I especially loved all of the unapologetic and unexplained Spanish in Hudes’ coming-of-age story as a half-Jewish, half-Puerto Riqueña growing up with her Santera mom in Philly. Warning that there’s quite a bit of swearing and some strong thematic elements to this memoir!

En español: La casa de los espíritus by Isabel Allende

If I haven’t yet convinced you to read something by Isabel Allende (honestly my life’s mission), then just go ahead and start with this absolute CLASSIC! This book is magical realism perfection, and follows the Trueba family through four generations, from post-World War I Chile through the Pinochet coup which overthrew the Allende government in 1973. Written in masterful prose by Isabel Allende, this book is (with good reason!) one of the most important and beloved Latin American works of the twentieth century. Whether we’re reading about ethereal Clara and her violent husband Esteban; their daughter, Blanca (and her forbidden love for a man named Pedro Tercero); or granddaughter Alba, a beautiful and ambitious girl who wants to usher Chile into its revolutionary future—Allende grips us in this sweeping saga. (TW for some strong thematic elements including rape and abortion.) 

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Feliz verano and happy reading! Hope one or more of these books by Latinas is calling your name!

P.S. 8 (more) books for your summer reading list, because can you ever really have too many?