Reading Recommendations: National Hispanic Heritage Month
National Hispanic Heritage Month is a period from 15 September to 15 October in the United States for recognizing the contributions and influence of Hispanic Americans to the history, culture, and achievements of the United States. I wanted to base this month’s list centered around Hispanic reads, so here are some recommendations of books I’ve enjoyed.
One morning before school, some girl tells Piddy Sanchez that Yaqui Delgado hates her and wants to kick her ass. Piddy doesn’t even know who Yaqui is, never mind what she’s done to piss her off. Word is that Yaqui thinks Piddy is stuck-up, shakes her stuff when she walks, and isn’t Latin enough with her white skin, good grades, and no accent. And Yaqui isn’t kidding around, so Piddy better watch her back.
At first Piddy is more concerned with trying to find out more about the father she’s never met and how to balance honors courses with her weekend job at the neighborhood hair salon. But as the harassment escalates, avoiding Yaqui and her gang starts to take over Piddy’s life. Is there any way for Piddy to survive without closing herself off or running away? In an all-too-realistic novel, Meg Medina portrays a sympathetic heroine who is forced to decide who she really is.
I enjoyed this novel because it’s gritty, real, but entertaining. It’s a good story about growing up, finding yourself, and the importance of family. Piddy is a highly entertaining character with a lot of heart and I think readers can resonate with a lot of aspects of her story. Not only was this book comedic, but it was also emotional too! I would love to see this novel adapted for a screenplay.
Synopsis: Gabi Hernandez chronicles her last year in high school in her diary: college applications, Cindy’s pregnancy, Sebastian’s coming out, the cute boys, her father’s meth habit, and the food she craves. And best of all, the poetry that helps forge her identity.
The book is a coming of age story since Gabi is in her senior year of high school. It’s a pivotal time in one’s life with a lot of fast transitions, career decisions, and family and friend relationship changes. Her candid thoughts about these issues really made me enjoy her character. Quintero carefully balances the humor and serious topics so that the book maintains its easygoing style, and it also opens a great platform for many discussions. (Review)
Synopsis: Juliet Milagros Palante is leaving the Bronx and headed to Portland, Oregon. She just came out to her family and isn’t sure if her mom will ever speak to her again. But Juliet has a plan, sort of, one that’s going to help her figure out this whole “Puerto Rican lesbian” thing. She’s interning with the author of her favorite book: Harlowe Brisbane, the ultimate authority on feminism, women’s bodies, and other gay-sounding stuff.
Will Juliet be able to figure out her life over the course of one magical summer? Is that even possible? Or is she running away from all the problems that seem too big to handle?
With more questions than answers, Juliet takes on Portland, Harlowe, and most importantly, herself.
Juliet Takes a Breath is a story about a young woman named Juliet who is in the midst of embarking on a summer of self-discovery.
During the summer Juliet is faced with many obstacles that propel and challenge her journey of self-discovery. Being out of her comfort zone pushes her to face these challenges head on while giving her a new perspective of the world around her and what she wants for her future. Juliet journey also fills her with questions as she struggles to understand privilege, spaces, being a queer woman of color, intersectional feminism, among many other things. (Review)
Synopsis: Ad executive Tomas Garcia shouldn’t even be thinking about his daughter’s alluring dance teacher, Yazmine Fernandez. Burned by a shattering divorce, he’s laser-focused on his career and giving his young daughter, Maria, the secure home she deserves. Plus, he’s certain that with her talent, Yaz will be leaving Chicago and heading back to Broadway as soon as she can. But Yaz’s generous spirit and caring concern are sparking a desire Tomas can’t resist and doesn’t want His Perfect Partnerto let go . . .
For Yaz, good-looking workaholics like Tomas simply can’t be part of her life ever again. She owes it to herself to get back her confidence and fulfill the dreams her papa could not. She’s glad to spend time with Maria and taste the family life she feels she can never have. And she’s sure that she and Tomas can keep their attraction under control because there’s so much at stake. But each unexpected intimacy, each self-revelation, makes the fire between them grow hotter with every step and every risk to their hearts . .
This is a lovely story about finding love and the bonding with family. The romance is on the sweet side with a few spicy moments thrown in here and there. I appreciated how it dealt with the topics of blended families and aging/ill parents. I liked the growing attraction/relationship between the two leads, both were prejudiced against each other at first, but were able to let down their barriers. I definitely want to read the rest of the books in the series.
Synopsis: Alex is a bruja, the most powerful witch in a generation…and she hates magic. At her Deathday celebration, Alex performs a spell to rid herself of her power. But it backfires. Her whole family vanishes into thin air, leaving her alone with Nova, a brujo boy she can’t trust. A boy whose intentions are as dark as the strange markings on his skin.
The only way to get her family back is to travel with Nova to Los Lagos, a land in-between, as dark as Limbo and as strange as Wonderland…
Labyrinth Lost is a wonderful YA book with a combination of magic, fantasy, and folklore.Even though this novel is a journey through a magical time and place, it’s also a coming of age/self-discovery story which makes it relatable to its readers. These factors kept me hooked into the story and I couldn’t put the book down! (Review)
Synopsis: Rosa Santos is cursed by the sea-at least, that’s what they say. Dating her is bad news, especially if you’re a boy with a boat.
But Rosa feels more caught than cursed. Caught between cultures and choices. Between her abuela, a beloved healer and pillar of their community, and her mother, an artist who crashes in and out of her life like a hurricane. Between Port Coral, the quirky South Florida town they call home, and Cuba, the island her abuela refuses to talk about.
As her college decision looms, Rosa collides – literally – with Alex Aquino, the mysterious boy with tattoos of the ocean whose family owns the marina. With her heart, her family, and her future on the line, can Rosa break a curse and find her place beyond the horizon?
This novel follows the story of teenager, Rosa Santos, who is “cursed” by the sea and on the cusp of heading off to college. She wants to go to her homeland, Cuba, and learn about her culture despite her family’s wishes. During the book she struggles with the fear the sea puts in her but all the same time she wants to push the limits and not be trapped by it (pushing boundaries). All in all this is a magical and beautifully written story about a multi-generational family, the diaspora, love, and identity.
Do you have any reading recommendations for National Hispanic Heritage Month? Leave your book picks in the comment section below?
