8 Hispanic Heritage Month Reads You Won’t Want to Miss

This novel tracks four generations of the del Pino family. Split up across the tumultuous backdrops of Cuba, the U.S., Germany and Russia, the family struggles to stay connected not only to each other but to their cultural heritage as well. While this novel is a follow-up to García's 1992 novel, "Dreaming in Cuban," it can be read as a stand-alone novel, taking place 20 years after the original book.

When his traditional Latinx family has problems accepting his gender, Yadriel becomes determined to prove himself and his special abilities. With the help of his cousin, he performs a ritual by himself and sets out to find the ghost of his murdered cousin to set it free, but instead summons Julian Diaz, the school’s resident bad boy. The two pair up to help each other get what they want, but soon Yadriel realizes maybe he isn't ready for Julian to go to the afterlife.

After losing her job in the Great Recession, Cara Romero in her mid-50s is forced back into the job market for the first time in decades. The novel follows 12 sessions between Cara and her new job counselor as she recounts her love affairs, her messy and loving relationships with her neighbor Lulu and her sister Angela, her struggles with debt, gentrification, loss and the truth of what happened with her estranged son.

This novel follows Catalina, a young Harvard student who grew up in Queens undocumented with her grandparents. Now a senior, she faces graduation with no plans afterwards for a world that does not help the undocumented. Her sense of doom grows, as do her curiosities and desires, as she infiltrates the school’s subcultures — internships and literary journals, posh parties and secret societies that leave her fascinated and disgusted. Faced with a ticking clock, Catalina finds herself drawn to a fellow student, an anthropologist eager to teach her about the Latin American world she was born into but never knew.

After a messy public breakup, soap opera star Jasmine Lin Rodriguez finds herself the main interest of the tabloids. When she returns to her hometown of New York City to film the starring role in a bilingual romantic comedy, Jasmine is ready to adjust to her new life and role. That is, until a casting change pairs her with telenovela icon Ashton Suárez. Both needing this film to be a smash hit for their careers, the pair agree to rehearse in private but those rehearsals turn into something more as the media threatens to expose them and their greatest secrets.

Colombian director Sergio Cabrera is in Barcelona for a retrospective of his work during a difficult time: his father has died, his marriage is crumbling, and his country has rejected peace agreements that would have ended the war occurring. As his films are showcased, Sergio reflects on the dramatic events that shaped his family's lives, especially his father’s, his sister Marianella’s and his own. "Retrospective" blends family saga with historical fiction, based on real people and events.

A father and son, grieving the death of their wife and mother, embark on a road trip to her ancestral home, where they confront her dark legacy — a cult seeking immortality. As the sinister Order tries to claim the son, the pair flee, battling forces that threaten their survival. "Our Share of Night" weaves family drama, the occult and supernatural elements across decades and continents in a gripping, genre-bending tale.

In "The Sons of El Rey," a family of Luchadores navigates love, secrets and legacy from 1960s Mexico City to modern-day Los Angeles. Ernesto Vega, a famous luchador, faces the end of his life as his son Freddy struggles to save the family gym, while grandson Julian seeks love and identity as a gay Mexican American. Spanning generations and cultures, this epic follows their fight to find passion and confront the past.