Here are my top 5 book recommendations written by Hispanic authors that showcase the beauty and hardships of the Hispanic culture. Many of these stories are inspired by the authors' personal experiences, Hispanic folklore, traditions, history, and everyday struggles.
5: Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia
About the Author: Silvia Moreno-Garcia is a Mexican-Canadian author who has won various awards for her outstanding work, including the Goodreads Choice Awards, Sunburst Award- Adult, and the Pacific Northwest Booksellers Association Award. Moreno-Garcia commonly writes speculative fiction books, which is a type of genre that combines science fiction and fantasy with supernatural and futuristic elements. Summary: Mexican Gothic details the journey of Noemi Taboada, a wealthy socialite and Anthropologie enthusiast who enjoys fashion and attention, as she moves from Mexico City to a crumbling mansion near High Place, Mexico to discover the truth of her cousin Catalina’s urgent letters. Upon arriving, she is greeted by the cold presence of the British Doyle family and discovers that her once loving and busy-bodied cousin is now sick with tuberculosis (or so they say). Throughout her stay at High Place, Noemi can’t help but notice all the strange things going on around her, including the lack of color in the house and the need for such a big house for very few people. As she continues her stay at the residence, she experiences horrible nightmares, hallucinations, and phantasmagoric dreams just like the ones described in a letter Catalina wrote to her in Mexico City. As a result, it becomes apparent that the Doyles’ legacy is anything but normal, sucking her into the family drama that persists for being of foreign descent. However, brave Noemi perseveres, surviving every obstacle thrown at her with her wit and intelligence to uncover the Doyles’ secret and save Catalina before it’s too late. Rating: ⭐⭐⭐ |
4: Caramelo by Sandra Cisneros
About the Author: Sandra Cisneros is a Mexican American writer who is primarily known for her book The House on Mango Street. Cisneros was born in Chicago in 1954 and studied a bachelor's in English at Loyola University in Chicago. She has worked in various jobs, including as a teacher, counselor, creative writing artist, and college recruiter. Summary: Caramelo, partially inspired by the life and childhood of Cisneros, follows the life of the Reyes family as told by the main character, Celaya (known as Lala by her family). This story, which takes place in Chicago, is told in two distinct parts. The first part of the story recalls Celaya’s large and dramatic family, detailing all the drama that has occurred between her family and her possessive grandmother. During this time, she and her family move back and forth between Texas and Chicago, always following her dad's free-spirited thinking. During the second part of the story, which happens in the middle of the narrative, Celaya encounters the ghost of her possessive grandmother, who insists on retelling her side and story of the events. In this section Candelaria, the grandmother retells her younger years and all the hardships she has gone through to have pulled her family up to be successful from early Mexico times to America. Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
3: Fat Chance, Charlie Vega by Crystal Maldonado
About the author: Crystal Maldonado is a Puerto Rican author with a lot of feelings, and what better way to express those feelings than with writing?! Maldonado’s work has been published in various publication sites, including Latina, Buzzfeed, and the Hartford Courant. She loves Beyonce, glitter, shopping, and scrolling through her phone. Summary: Fat Chance, Charlie Vega is a story that follows the life of Charlie Vega, a brown girl who is working on her journey to self-acceptance due to her weight despite her mother and the world telling her to be thinner, lighter, and quieter. Throughout the book, Charlie tries to navigate typical high school problems such as dating and friendships. This book discusses challenges with body image, culture, relationships, and even society as she feels the pressure of society to meet certain standards. This story is a wholesome coming-of-age story filled with lots of chisme (gossip), laughter, and struggles. Rating:⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
2: How the Garcia Girls Lost Their Accents by Julia Alvarez
About the author: Julia Alvarez is a Dominican-American poet, novelist, and essayist notable for her book In the Time of the Butterflies. Alvarez was born in New York City but lived in the Dominican Republic for the first 10 years of her life until she was forced to flee her home due to her family's involvement with a plot to overthrow Trujillo, a Dominican dictator. She has won various awards, including the Pura Belpré and Américas Award and the National Medal of Arts from President Obama. Summary: How the Garcia Girls Lost Their Accent is a book about a wealthy family that lives in the Dominican Republic and is forced to move to New York City. This book is told in backward chronological order, detailing their adult life in New York City and going back in time to retell their childhood. Each chapter of this book is told from the perspective of one of the Garcia sisters as they navigate and retell their version and struggles of moving from the Dominican Republic to New York City. This book discusses the struggle to assimilate into a new country and the hardships immigrants go through. Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
1: I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter by Erika L. Sanchez
About the author: Erika L. Sanchez is a Mexican-American poet, novelist, and essayist best known for her novel I am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter. She is currently working as a professor at DePaul University and won the Tomás Rivera Award. Summary: I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter follows the life of Julia as she struggles to follow her dreams after the death of her “perfect” sister, Olga–who is not as perfect as she appears at first glance. Throughout the story, Julia struggles with her identity as her mother continues to praise and paint Olga as the perfect daughter even after her death. As she digs deeper and deeper into her sister's death, she discovers many secrets and lies told to her by her family that were probably better off as a secret. Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
Maria cabrera
