Five Books by Hispanic Authors to Read in 2024

Hispanic and Latin Americans are a culturally diverse group, which have a lot to offer. From inspiring movies to entertaining songs and moving literature, Latinx individuals have made significant contributions. Latinx and Hispanic perspectives differ from American writers, which is refreshing and inspiring.

This is why, I am going to talk about five books by Latinx authors you should add to your to-be-read (TBR) pile right away. These range from emotional, young adult, to romance and even non-fiction. Reading these perspectives can provide an outlook you might never have before. This can help you develop compassion and empathy for the Latinx perspectives.

Now let’s get to what you all are here for. 

1.      Like You Had Me At Hola

This one is a happy book through and through. Alexic Daria diverts the Hispanic narrative from the common subjects of heartaches, prejudice, and indemnity struggles. Daria brings forward the Hispanic narrative through an upbeat romantic comedy. It features the soap star Jazmine as she navigates through a messy breakup but gets cast into a bilingual comedy telenovela called Carmen in Charge. Jazmine’s leading lady plan, a plan to help her become successful in the industry, is thwarted as she meets her costar, Ashton.

Jazmine is a paparazzi magnet, as her previous breakup was displayed all over the tabloids. Ashton and Jazmine’s chemistry is explosive and their attraction is strong. However, Ashton has to be careful about publicly dating a paparazzi magnet. The book’s plot, the settings, and the character relations have a distinctly Hispanic feel. Hispanic representation is discussed but without dwelling on the challenges, rather the story is told through an optimistic approach.

2.      The Greif Keeper

Written by Alexandra Villasante, this is a young adult debut. The book is an excellent depiction of the desire for freedom. It features the 17-year-old Marisol, who always wanted to be an American. What she didn’t know was that her journey in America would start as an underage undocumented immigrant at a detention camp.

She had to run away from El Salvador with her sister after her brother was killed by a local gang. In a weird turn of events, she is offered the job of a grief keeper as part of an experimental study filled with risks. She has to take the grief of another into her body to save the person’s life. But how much grief can a seventeen-year-old take? The book details the consequences of entitlement of people as illegal. It is heartbreaking and treats the complexity of illegal immigrants very respectfully.

3.      Ordinary Girls

It is a painful memoir of the writer, Jaquira Diaz, of the adverse conditions she grew up in. Diaz’s beginning in the housing projects of Puerto Rico, her mother’s Schizophrenia, and her own sexual assault are the shaping elements of her story. As she moves to Miami with her family, the Puerto Rican colonization narrative becomes strong in the book.

All Diaz wants is to become a seasoned writer, but her depression, struggle with her sexual identity, and rough life force her into navigating a chaotic life alone. As she gets into the Navy, her life finally gets the structure and control she desperately craved. The memoir is candid, raw, compelling, and rivals Educated by Tara Westover.

4.      What Happened to Ruthy Ramirez

The book is written by Claire Jimenez and is an interesting piece of fiction surrounding Puerto Rican women and more specifically, the Ramirez women. When thirteen-year-old Ruthy Ramirez disappears after her track practice, the Ramirez family is left scarred. Their hope is rekindled when twelve years later, Ruthy’s oldest sister Jessica spots a woman on TV she swears is her younger sister. As the Ramirez women are struggling with the loss and problems of her own, the possibility of seeing their sister again puts everyone into action.

The book explores familial bonds in detail, along with the characters silently fighting generational trauma, sexism, and institutional racism. The family road trip forces everyone together and each character discovers the true importance of family.

5.      The Book of Rosie

Written by Rozaria Pablo Cruz and Julie Schwietert Collazo, the Book of Rosie is a painful non-fiction account of a mother (Cruz) separated from her children at the US-Mexican border. It is about the struggle of the mother, desperate to reunite with her children, who seeks help from an American. The memoir is subtly critical of the stringent immigration laws under the Trump administration.

Through the memoir, Cruz describes the painful circumstances when she had to flee with her children from Guatemala. The memoir also features the heart-wrenching condition of the incarcerated mothers, separated from their children. The second part of the book is a background narration by Collazo. It features The Immigrant Family Together organization that raises money to reunite family members separated at the border. The book comes through in its raw emotional activism and intensity.

Bonus Tips: Reading Books Online

There is always the option of buying paperbacks, but we know how pricey they have become. Reading these books online, however, is way more affordable and sustainable.

Here are some tips to improve your online reading experience.

• The online copies of these books cost a fraction of their paperback versions. You can buy them from Amazon or the writers’ websites.
• If you are short on money, there are sites where you can read them online for free. Just make sure you have a stable internet connection. You can check out Spectrum en Español (for Spanish Customers) for dependable and affordable internet plans.
• Do not forget to rest your eyes for a few minutes after continuous reading. Otherwise, the eye strain can give you headaches.
• It is a good idea to reduce blue light and screen glare. This makes the reading experience easy on your eyes.

Reading Latin American books allows us to get to know Latino culture on a deeper level. Plus reading these books online is way more convenient and easy on the pocket.