Can you feel the fall air yet? Well, before the season changes, we at THP have to celebrate the start of Latine and Hispanic Heritage Month! It’s an important time to highlight diverse reads. Luckily for us, we find it easy to do so when there are so many bold and delightful stories centered around Latine and Hispanic characters.
From a dark romantasy to a YA dystopia, we have plenty of great recommendations for you to check out. Here are five books you should read to celebrate Latine and Hispanic Heritage Month!
Content Warning: The Honey POP encourages mindful reading and checking the author’s website for content warnings.
The Other Moctezuma Girls By Sofia Robleda
We’re kicking off our list with a February book release that still lives in our heads rent-free: The Other Moctezuma Girls by Sofia Robleda. Set in 16th-century Mexico, this historical novel stars Isabel Cano, the rebellious daughter of the last empress of the Aztecs. After her mother’s death, Isabel sets out to find the truth about the life she lived, following clues along the Valley of Mexico. She’s accompanied by her older brother Nano and younger sister Catina on this scavenger hunt, along with a handsome cook named Juan. We get an opposites-attract romance, as well as a rich, detailed history that we couldn’t put down!
Release date: February 24
Order The Other Moctezuma Girls here!
TO LEARN MORE ABOUT SOFIA ROBLEDA:
INSTAGRAM | WEBSITE
Daughter Of The Dark By R.J. Valldeperas
Next, we have R.J. Valldeperas‘ new dark romantasy, Daughter of the Dark! A standalone novel with a South American-inspired world, this book follows a demon slayer named Solana, who yearns to escape her cursed land. But when Solana is captured and brought to the king, she’s offered a path to freedom as the Royal Demon Hunter. She must work alongside Reyes, an insufferable silver-haired healer and the king’s right hand man. Her loyalties to her people are tested, complicated further when she forms a connection with the very man she’s supposed to loathe. It’s a vivid tale with high stakes and a page-turning plot.
Release date: September 15
Order Daughter of the Dark here!
TO LEARN MORE ABOUT R.J. VALLDEPERAS:
INSTAGRAM | TIKTOK | WEBSITE
To Our Untamed Core By Sonido Reyes
We love whenever we celebrate Latine and Hispanic Heritage Month with books that have thoughtful intersectionality with other marginalized groups. Sonido Reyes’ new YA dystopia, To Our Untamed Core, has exactly that. After the conquistadors claimed the Afueras, Temo must spend his life obeying the Holy Order’s decree. The only rule he breaks is hiding the fact that he’s trans. It’s a secret that could land him in a deadly tournament against all the untamed. But when his boyfriend Ollin suddenly gets arrested and thrown into El Torneo, Temo would do anything to save him, even enter the tournament himself.
Release date: September 22
Pre-order To Our Untamed Core here!
TO LEARN MORE ABOUT SONIDO REYES:
INSTAGRAM | TIKTOK | WEBSITE
The House Of Gardenias By Isabel Cañas
The wide range of genres in our list of Latine and Hispanic Heritage Month books should tell you all you need to know. Next, we have Isabel Cañas’ YA debut, The House of Gardenias. If you enjoy Gothic fiction, horror, and history like we do, then you’ll love this read! Set in revolutionary-era Mexico, this novel follows 16-year-old Minerva Treviño as she flees from an abusive home and becomes a lady’s maid to a wealthy widow. But when revolution strikes, Minerva accompanies her lady to a remote mountainside estate. She soon learns that in order to survive, she must fight against both human and supernatural forces.
Release date: September 29
Pre-order The House of Gardenias here!
TO LEARN MORE ABOUT ISABEL CAÑAS:
INSTAGRAM | TIKTOK | WEBSITE
When The World Was Happy By Benjamin Alire Sáenz
Finally, we wanted to highlight the late Benjamin Alire Sáenz’s new contemporary novel, When the World Was Happy. Our list of Latine and Hispanic authors would be incomplete without a legendary voice like his. This book tells the story of two twins, CheChe and Emma, and their group of friends as they navigate life, love, and grief after a shooting at their high school in El Paso, Texas. With their life turned upside down, CheChe and Emma must learn to heal. They create a community full of humor, kindness, and most of all, hope. The characters slowly but surely find their voices in more ways than one. We couldn’t have found a better way to close out our roundup.
Release date: September 29
Pre-order When the World Was Happy here!
TO LEARN MORE ABOUT BENJAMIN ALIRE SÁENZ:
INSTAGRAM | TWITTER
What books are you reading for the next month? How else are you planning to celebrate Latine & Hispanic Heritage Month? Let us know on Twitter! You can also find us on Facebook and Instagram.
Need some more book recs? We got them!
Want to hear some of our audiobook recommendations? Here’s the latest!
