Greetings readers!
Today is the day! AND BOY HAS IT BEEN A WHOLE DAY FOR SINCE THIS POST IS COMING TO YOU AT NIGHT!
On September 15th, five Central American countries: El Salvador, Guatemala, Nicaragua, Honduras and Costa Rica celebrate their independence day from Spanish rule in 1821. On September 16th and 18th, Mexico and Chile also have their independence days respectively! And because there is so much Latinx goodness to celebrate, the month between Sept 15th and Oct 15th has been designated Latinx Heritage Month!
So why not also celebrate bookishly?
This is the first LHM where I have made plans to participate in as many challenges and read as many Latinx books as possible and I am so excited!
If you would like to know about all the books I will be reading this month and the challenges I will joining you can check out this post that I made!
But if you are too lazy to click through posts (I get it, it’s been a whole day! phew) I will leave the image of all the books I’m planning to read! I have lots of new books, some backlist and some on my library app! There is just so much goodness to come! I cannot wait!
This first day of LHM also happens to be a huge day for Latinx Releases!! So several Happy Book Birthdays are in order!:
Happy Book Birthday to NEVER LOOK BACK by Lilliam Rivera
Featuring contemporary Afro-Latinx characters, acclaimed author Lilliam Rivera blends a touch of magical realism into a timely story about cultural identity, overcoming trauma, and the power of first love.
Eury comes to the Bronx as a girl haunted. Haunted by losing everything in Hurricane Maria–and by an evil spirit, Ato. She fully expects the tragedy that befell her and her family in Puerto Rico to catch up with her in New York. Yet, for a time, she can almost set this fear aside, because there’s this boy . . .
Pheus is a golden-voiced, bachata-singing charmer, ready to spend the summer on the beach with his friends, serenading his on-again, off-again flame. That changes when he meets Eury. All he wants is to put a smile on her face and fight off her demons. But some dangers are too powerful for even the strongest love, and as the world threatens to tear them apart, Eury and Pheus must fight for each other and their lives.
This Own Voices retelling of the Greek myth Orpheus and Eurydice is perfect for fans of Ibi Zoboi’s Pride and Daniel José Older’s Shadowshaper.
Happy Book Birthday to FURIA by Yamile Saied Méndez
An #ownvoices contemporary YA set in Argentina, about a rising soccer star who must put everything on the line—even her blooming love story—to follow her dreams.
In Rosario, Argentina, Camila Hassan lives a double life.
At home, she is a careful daughter, living within her mother’s narrow expectations, in her rising-soccer-star brother’s shadow, and under the abusive rule of her short-tempered father.
On the field, she is La Furia, a powerhouse of skill and talent. When her team qualifies for the South American tournament, Camila gets the chance to see just how far those talents can take her. In her wildest dreams, she’d get an athletic scholarship to a North American university.
But the path ahead isn’t easy. Her parents don’t know about her passion. They wouldn’t allow a girl to play fútbol—and she needs their permission to go any farther. And the boy she once loved is back in town. Since he left, Diego has become an international star, playing in Italy for the renowned team Juventus. Camila doesn’t have time to be distracted by her feelings for him. Things aren’t the same as when he left: she has her own passions and ambitions now, and La Furia cannot be denied. As her life becomes more complicated, Camila is forced to face her secrets and make her way in a world with no place for the dreams and ambition of a girl like her.
Happy Book Birthday to EACH OF US A DESERT by Mark Oshiro
From the award-winning author Mark Oshiro comes a powerful fantasy novel about finding home and falling in love amidst the dangers of a desert where stories come to life.
Xochital is destined to wander the desert alone, speaking her troubled village’s stories into its arid winds. Her only companions are the blessed stars above and enimagic lines of poetry magically strewn across dusty dunes.
Her one desire: to share her heart with a kindred spirit.
One night, Xo’s wish is granted—in the form of Emilia, the cold and beautiful daughter of the town’s murderous mayor. But when the two set out on a magical journey across the desert, they find their hearts could be a match… if only they can survive the nightmare-like terrors that arise when the sun goes down.
Fresh off of Anger Is a Gift’s smashing success, Oshiro branches out into a fantastical direction with their new YA novel, The Stars Around Us
I cannot wait to read all three of these! They will be the first books I tackle this month and I know I am going to enjoy them!
Let me know what you think! What books will you be reading this LHM? What kind of Latinx books would you love to read? What Latinx books are on your to-buy list?
Be sure to tune in for more LHM Book Fest posts on the blog and IG! There are a lot of great things happening and I am EXCITED!!!!
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Happy reading!
~ Rendz
Reading with Rendz 
oh my gosh, this is so exciting!!! happy Latinx Heritage Month!! I’m hoping to read Nocturna and (fingers crossed my library hold comes in) Mexican Gothic! i hope you enjoy all of these💜
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Thank you!! I hope you enjoy MG when you can get to it!
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I have Yamile Saied Méndez’s middle grade book on my TBR for LHM! I don’t know if I’ll be able to get a hold of a copy this month but one book I’ll be reading for sure is Mexican Gothic, which will be my first read by Moreno-Garcia. 🙂
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Oh Mexican Gothic is wonderful!!! I love Silvia Moreno-Garcia! I hope you enjoy your TBR!
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