11 Books by Latina Authors Coming Out in 2024 That We Can’t-Wait to Read
If you’re like us, chances are you’ve already crossed the last book off your 2023 to-read list. And while we still have a ton of books sitting in the library waiting for us to decide to crack them open, having the year’s list is a must.
This is especially true after a year that gave us gems like “Vampires of El Norte” by Isabel Cañas or poetry books like “Plantains and Our Becoming” by Melania Luisa Marte.
That’s why we want to start 2024 on the right foot, and we bring you the list of books by Latina authors coming out this year that we can’t wait to read.
“The Seventh Veil of Salome” by Silvia Moreno-Garcia
In 1950s Hollywood, every actress wants to play Salome. But when the film’s fickle director chooses the unknown and naïve Mexican actress Vera Larios, the drama begins. Thus, the story of Princess Salome is woven into a world of “gossip, scandal, and intrigue” worthy of the pen of Mexican Gotic queen Silvia Moreno-Garcia.
“Anita de Monte Laughs Last” by Xochitl Gonzalez
For those of us who love plot twists, this novel by bestselling author Xochitl Gonzalez should definitely go on the list. Raquel, a third-year Art History student in 1998, simultaneously uncovers the intricate nooks and crannies of privilege and the story of Anita de Monte, a rising star in the art world whose tragic death in 1985 had passed into oblivion — until now.
“Shut Up, This Is Serious,” by Carolina Ixta
For fans of Elizabeth Acevedo and Erika L. Sanchez, Carolina Ixta’s debut novel may be a fantastic addition to the year’s list. The young adult literary book follows the story of Belen Dolores Itzel del Toro and her super-catholic best friend, Leti. While Belen wants to experience love and lose her virginity, Leti faces an unexpected pregnancy.
“The Bullet Swallower” by Elizabeth Gonzalez James
Can you imagine a novel that mixes Gabriel Garcia Marquez’s magical realism with a Western? That’s the novel by Elizabeth Gonzalez James. “The Bullet Swallower” follows “a Mexican bandit on his journey to Texas to save his family,” only to encounter a mysterious figure who has come, finally, to collect a generations-old cosmic debt.
“Forgotten Sisters” by Cynthia Pelayo
Sisters Anna and Jennie live in a historic bungalow by the Chicago River. They are tied to a haunting past, and with nowhere else to go, nothing can separate them from their family home. The haunted history of a city and the horrors of fairy tales converge for two women in an “addictive novel of psychological suspense” from a multiple Bram Stoker Award-nominated author.
“Immortal Pleasures” by V. Castro
The author of “The Haunting of Alejandra” takes us on another adventure, this time to the land of our ancestors. An ancient Aztec vampire wanders the modern world “in search of revenge and love” in this seductive dark fantasy.
“The Cemetery of Untold Stories” by Julia Alvarez
Julia Alvarez is a name that should not be missing from any Latino library. However, if you are not yet bewitched by the narrative of this international bestselling author, perhaps “The Cemetery of Untold Stories” is a good place to start.
Alma Cruz, the celebrated writer who stars in “The Cemetery of Untold Stories,” doesn’t want to end up like her friend, a novelist who struggled so long and hard to finish a book that it jeopardized her sanity. So when Alma inherits a small plot of land in the Dominican Republic, her homeland, she has the beautiful idea of turning it into a place to bury her untold stories.
“Sun of Blood and Ruin” by Mariely Lares
This reimagining of Zorro, which features a heroic sorceress warrior, interweaves Mesoamerican mythology and Mexican history two decades after the Spanish conquest in a “cloak-and-dagger historical fantasy debut” with magic, intrigue, betrayal, and romance.
“Rick Riordan Presents: It Waits in the Forest” by Sarah Dass
Drawing on the darkest corners of Caribbean mythology, acclaimed author Sarah Dass creates “a chilling tale of magic, murder, and the lengths we’ll go to protect what’s ours,” perfect for fans of Angeline Boulley and Tiffany D. Jackson.
“This Is Me Trying,” by Racquel Marie
“This is Me Trying” is a “profound and tender contemporary young adult novel” by Racquel Marie that explores grief, love, and guilt. It is perfect for fans of Nina LaCour.
“Lucero” by Maya Motayne
Last but not least, we have the final installment of the Nocturna trilogy, a “sweeping, Dominican-inspired epic fantasy” about a face-changing thief and a risk-taking prince who must save their kingdom in the ultimate battle between good and evil magic.
