Book Review: You Don’t Have A Shot by Racquel Marie

You Don’t Have A Shot by Racquel Marie follows a high school girl, Vale, and her passion for soccer. Vale goes to her childhood soccer camp but is upset when her nemesis, Leticia, is co-captaining her team. The stakes are high as college scouts will be attending the game, which could determine Vale’s future as a soccer player. Vale is forced to rely on Leticia to join forces to coach a successful soccer team but it ends up blossoming to something more than a shared love of soccer.

“This book has it all. . . There are so many reasons to read Marie’s books. Consider this your sign to pick one up next!”

Racquel Marie has become an auto-buy author for me because she captures such important perspectives in her novels. Her books are alway five stars reads! I absolutely loved Ophelia After All and thought it was going to be a tough book to beat. However, I loved You Don’t have a Shot just as much, but for different reasons. This book not only represents such an important component of latinx culture, fútbol, but also blends the perspective of being a latinx daughter with high hopes for college, while exploring their sexuality.

Vale is a flawed character but I love that Marie depicted her in this way. As insufferable as she was in the beginning, Marie uses this as a foundation to create a compelling character development arc. Vale makes mistakes by selfishly focusing on her future but Leticia perfectly compliments her and encourages her to zoom out her perspective to help others succeed. It was heartwarming seeing Vale and Leticia come together to empower a group of women to work together to win soccer games.

In addition, I also highly respected and sympathized with Marie’s inclusion of losing a mother, based on her own experiences. This was delivered in such a personal and vulnerable way that made it extremely touching to experience.

This book has it all: enemies to lovers trope, latinx representation, LGBTQIA+ representation, character development, underdog trope, and so much more! There are so many reasons to read Marie’s books. Consider this your sign to pick one up next!

Content warnings: off-page maternal death by breast cancer, maternal grief, mentions of underage drinking, depictions of paternal emotional abuse, depictions of anxiety/panic attacks, discussions and depictions of sports-related injuries (primarily a sprained wrist), condemned homophobia, condemned xenophobia, off-page teenage cancer patient, and condemned mention of exclusionary transphobia in sports

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Racquel Marie grew up in Southern California, where her passion for storytelling of all kinds was encouraged by her friends and big family. She received a BA in English with an emphasis in creative writing and a minor in gender and sexuality studies from the University of California, Irvine. She is the author of Ophelia After All, You Don't Have a Shot, and many unfinished first drafts.

Mariana Felix-Kim (she/her) lives in Washington, D.C. with her lovely cat, Leo. When she is not working in the environmental science field, Mariana is constantly reading. Her favorite genres include non-fiction, thrillers, and contemporary romances. Mariana is half Mexican and half Korean. You can find her on Instagram: @mariana.reads.books

May 2023 Latinx Releases

ON SALE MAY 2

Ander & Santi Were Here by Jonny Garza Villa | YOUNG ADULT

The Santos Vista neighborhood of San Antonio, Texas, is all Ander Martínez has ever known. The smell of pan dulce. The mixture of Spanish and English filling the streets. And, especially their job at their family's taquería. It's the place that has inspired Ander as a muralist, and, as they get ready to leave for art school, it's all of these things that give them hesitancy. That give them the thought, are they ready to leave it all behind?

To keep Ander from becoming complacent during their gap year, their family "fires" them so they can transition from restaurant life to focusing on their murals and prepare for college. That is, until they meet Santiago López Alvarado, the hot new waiter. Falling for each other becomes as natural as breathing. Through Santi's eyes, Ander starts to understand who they are and want to be as an artist, and Ander becomes Santi's first steps toward making Santos Vista and the United States feel like home.

Until ICE agents come for Santi, and Ander realizes how fragile that sense of home is. How love can only hold on so long when the whole world is against them. And when, eventually, the world starts to win.

The Golden Frog Games (Witchlings 2) by Claribel A. Ortega | MIDDLE GRADE

Every four years, the Twelve Towns gather for a legendary magical tournament—the Golden Frog Games.

With Ravenskill hosting this year's games, all eyes are on Seven Salazar, Valley Pepperhorn and Thorn Laroux: the most famous Spares in the Twelve Towns. Thorn is ready to compete as a fashion champion, but when a forbidden hex is used to turn her fellow champions to stone, suspicion lands on the Witchlings.

As the Witchlings attempt to unravel the mystery of the stonifications, future Uncle Seven is harboring a dangerous secret: While she's supposed to be able to communicate with animals, the voices she hears most clearly belong to monstruos, and one spine-chilling voice is the loudest of all.

Can Seven fix her broken magic and find out who is stonifying the champions . . . before Thorn becomes the next victim?

The Weight of Everything by Marcia Argueta Mickelson | YOUNG ADULT

With her dad's drinking and spending getting out of control, Sarah struggles to make sure that the bills are paid, that her brother is fed and safe, that her dad's grief won't crush them all. She has no time for art, unless she's cranking out a piece to sell online for some grocery money. And she definitely doesn't have the time or the emotional energy to find out if her sweet, handsome classmate, David Garza, could be more than a friend.

But then a school project prompts Sarah to delve into her mom's Mexican and Guatemalan roots. As she learns more about this side of her heritage, Sarah starts to understand her mom better—and starts to face her own grief. When she stumbles upon a long-buried piece of history that mattered deeply to her mom, Sarah realizes she can't carry her pain silently anymore. She has to speak up, and she can't do it alone.

Nuncaseolvida by Alejandra Algorta; Illustrated by Iván Rickenmann | YOUNG ADULT

Fabio flies through the streets of Bogotá on his bicycle, the children of his neighborhood trailing behind him. It is there that life feels right—where the world of adults, and their lies, fades away. But then one day, he simply forgets. Forgets how to ride his bicycle. And Fabio will never be the same again. From Colombia comes a special debut talent, Alejandra Algorta, and a first novel of discovery and heartbreak. Algorta’s distinct and poetic prose has been translated by award-winning author Aida Salazar

Also available in English.

ON SALE MAY 9

My Dog Just Speaks Spanish by Andrea Cáceres | PICTURE BOOK

When Aurora came to the United States, she learned to speak English. But her spaniel, Nena, did not. Sweet Nena loves to give besos, and she knows only Spanish. She doesn’t know SIT, but she does know SIÉNTATE. She doesn’t know WAIT, but she does know ESPERA. And while TREAT doesn’t mean anything to Nena, she can certainly sniff out a POSTRE! At the park, Nena may not know what the other dog owners are saying, but she and Aurora will always understand each other just fine. Borrowing from her lived experience, Venezuelan-American author-illustrator Andrea Cáceres offers a gentle, charmingly illustrated ode to love that extends a hand—or a paw—to readers who may feel displaced or are learning a new language themselves.

You Don't Have a Shot by Racquel Marie | YOUNG ADULT

Valentina "Vale" Castillo-Green's life revolves around soccer. Her friends, her future, and her father's intense expectations are all wrapped up in the beautiful game. But after she incites a fight during playoffs with her long-time rival, Leticia Ortiz, everything she's been working toward seems to disappear.

Embarrassed and desperate to be anywhere but home, Vale escapes to her beloved childhood soccer camp for a summer of relaxation and redemption...only to find out that she and the endlessly aggravating Leticia will be co-captaining a team that could play in front of college scouts. But the competition might be stiffer than expected, so unless they can get their rookie team's act together, this second chance—and any hope of playing college soccer—will slip through Vale's fingers. When the growing pressure, friendship friction, and her overbearing father push Vale to turn to Leticia for help, what starts off as a shaky alliance of necessity begins to blossom into something more through a shared love of soccer. . . and maybe each other.

Nine Stray Shots by Jesús Miguel Soto | ADULT FICTION

In these nine short stories, the absurd breaks into the territory of the reality until it takes the reader into the kingdom of the extraordinary, from where there is no turning back.

Five friends establish a new country inside their apartment and set out to defend it with their teeth. The sensual voice of a jazz singer disturbs the life of a musician to the point of driving him mad. A jaded married couple receives a mysterious black box on their doorstep that will bring them together again. In the midst of a war that seemed distant, three children and their tutor repeat over and over again the same form of death. A mobster tells a crime as if it had already happened, but in reality he is anticipating it. On their honeymoon, a couple of newlyweds get lost in a remote and mysterious village that does not appear on any map and end up involved in a crime that will accompany them for years.

Between the fantastic, the absurd, the extravagant and the crude reality, these short stories are a winding path for the reader to venture into their own stray.

In Vitro: On Longing and Transformation by Isabel Zapata; Translated by Myers | ADULT NONFICTION

Medical interventions become an exercise in patience, desire, and delirium in this intimate account of bodily transformation and disruption. In candid, graceful prose, Isabel Zapata gives voice to the strangeness and complexities of conception and motherhood that are rarely discussed publicly. Zapata frankly addresses the misogyny she experienced during fertility treatments, explores the force of grief in imagining possible futures, and confronts the societal expectations around maternity. In the tradition of Rivka Galchen's Little Labors and Sarah Manguso's Ongoingness, In Vitro draws from diary and essay forms to create a new kind of literary companion and open up space for nuanced conversations about pregnancy.

Our Migrant Souls: A Meditation on Race and the Meanings and Myths of "Latino" by Héctor Tobar | ADULT NONFICTION

"Latino" is the most open-ended and loosely defined of the major race categories in the United States. Our Migrant Souls: A Meditation on Race and the Meanings and Myths of "Latino" assembles the Pulitzer Prize winner Héctor Tobar's personal experiences as the son of Guatemalan immigrants and the stories told to him by his Latinx students to offer a spirited rebuke to racist ideas about Latino people. Our Migrant Souls decodes the meaning of "Latino" as a racial and ethnic identity in the modern United States, and seeks to give voice to the angst and anger of young Latino people who have seen latinidad transformed into hateful tropes about "illegals" and have faced insults, harassment, and division based on white insecurities and economic exploitation.

Investigating topics that include the US-Mexico border "wall," Frida Kahlo, urban segregation, gangs, queer Latino utopias, and the emergence of the cartel genre in TV and film, Tobar journeys across the country to expose something truer about the meaning of "Latino" in the twenty-first century.

ON SALE MAY 16

As Brave as a Lion by Erika Meza | PICTURE BOOK

When she and her lion are together, one little girl feels like she can do anything. Whether she's afraid of the dark, or too shy to speak and in need of finding her voice, her big, bold companion always looks out for her. But one day, the inseparable pair decide to climb the new, dizzyingly high rocket slide at the playground together, and the girl discovers that even lions sometimes get afraid. Can she summon the strength to be his lion when he needs her? Joyful, expressive artwork glowing with bright primary colors brings to life the story of a special bond—and a child's discovery of unexpected courage.

Rubi Ramos's Recipe for Success by Jessica Parra | YOUNG ADULT

Graduation is only a few months away, and Rubi Ramos's "recipe for success" to get into prestigious Alma University is already off track.

When Alma waitlists Rubi's application, Rubi will need to be distraction-free to make the grade and keep her parents—who have wanted this for her for years—from finding out. Which means falling for her cute surfer-slash-math tutor, Ryan, definitely won't work. And neither will breaking her mother's ban on baking—her parents didn't leave Cuba so she could bake just like them.

But some recipes are begging to be tampered with.

When the First Annual Bake Off comes to town, Rubi's passion for baking goes from subtle simmer to full boil. Add to the mix her crush on Ryan may be turning into a full-fledged relationship and Rubi's life is suddenly so different from what it was. She's not sure if she has what it takes to win the Bake Off, or where the relationship with Ryan is going, but there's only one way to find out--even if it means going against her parents' priorities.

Now Rubi must differentiate between the responsibility of unfulfilled dreams she holds and finding the path she's meant for.

Venom & Vow by Anna-Marie McLemore and Elliott McLemore | YOUNG ADULT

Cade McKenna is a transgender prince who's doubling for his brother. Valencia Palafox is a young dama attending the future queen of Eliana. Gael Palma is the infamous boy assassin Cade has vowed to protect. Patrick McKenna is the reluctant heir to a kingdom, and the prince Gael has vowed to destroy.

Cade doesn't know that Gael and Valencia are the same person. Valencia doesn't know that every time she thinks she's fighting Patrick, she's fighting Cade. And when Cade and Valencia blame each other for a devastating enchantment that takes both their families, neither of them realizes that they have far more dangerous enemies.

Cowritten by married writing team Anna-Marie and Elliott McLemore, Venom & Vow is a lush and powerful YA novel about owning your power and becoming who you really are—no matter the cost.

Cousins by Aurora Venturini; Translated by Kit Maude | ADULT FICTION

Cousins, widely regarded as Venturini's masterpiece, is the story of four women from an impoverished, dysfunctional family in La Plata, Argentina, who are forced to suffer through a series of ordeals, including illegal abortions, miscarriages, sexual abuse, disfigurement, and murder, narrated by a daughter whose success as a painter offers her a chance to achieve economic independence and help her family as best as she can.

Neighborhood mythologies, family, female sexuality, vengeance, and social mobility through art are explored and scrutinized in the unmistakable voice of Yuna—who stares wildly at the world in which she is compelled to live—a voice unique in contemporary literature whose unconventional style can be candid, brutal, sharp, and utterly breathtaking.

The Enchanted Hacienda by J. C. Cervantes | ADULT FICTION

When Harlow Estrada is abruptly fired from her dream job and her boyfriend proves to be a jerk, her world turns upside down. She flees New York City to the one place she can always call home—the enchanted Hacienda Estrada.

The Estrada family farm in Mexico houses an abundance of charmed flowers cultivated by Harlow's mother, sisters, aunt, and cousins. By harnessing the magic in these flowers, they can heal hearts, erase memories, interpret dreams—but not Harlow. So when her mother and aunt give her a special task involving the family's magic, she panics. How can she rise to the occasion when she is magicless? But maybe it's not magic she's missing, but belief in herself. When she finally embraces her unique gifts and opens her heart to a handsome stranger, she discovers she's far more powerful than she imagined.

ON SALE MAY 21

I Can Be... Me! by Lesléa Newman; Illustrated by Maya Gonzalez | PICTURE BOOK

In this lighthearted story, a group of six, colorfully clad children exuberantly explore— through play—the many ways they can be themselves. They are free to embrace all kinds of activities, reveling in the fun of trying new things and discovering new ways of being. They can shoot baskets, dance around a room, weave ribbons through their hair, swim like a mermaid, and more. There is no right way or wrong way. There are no binary expectations. Children explore their individuality through whatever kinds of play appeal to them.

With lively, gender-neutral rhyming verses and fun, gender-bending images, author Lesléa Newman and illustrator Maya Christina Gonzalez invite young readers into a space where creativity and acceptance are enjoyed by all, and where each child will be inspired to say, "I can be... me!"

ON SALE MAY 23

The Luis Ortega Survival Club by Sonora Reyes | YOUNG ADULT

Ariana Ruiz wants to be noticed. But as an autistic girl who never talks, she goes largely ignored by her peers—despite her bold fashion choices. So when cute, popular Luis starts to pay attention to her, Ari finally feels seen.

Luis's attention soon turns to something more, and they have sex at a party—while Ari didn't say no, she definitely didn't say yes. Before she has a chance to process what happened and decide if she even has the right to be mad at Luis, the rumor mill begins churning—thanks, she's sure, to Luis's ex-girlfriend, Shawni. Boys at school now see Ari as an easy target, someone who won't say no.

Then Ari finds a mysterious note in her locker that eventually leads her to a group of students determined to expose Luis for the predator he is. To her surprise, she finds genuine friendship among the group, including her growing feelings for the very last girl she expected to fall for. But in order to take Luis down, she'll have to come to terms with the truth of what he did to her that night—and risk everything to see justice done.

The Do-Over by Rodrigo Vargas; Illustrated by Coni Yovaniniz | GRAPHIC NOVEL

Shy Mariana is looking for her chance to shine. She's having trouble making friends after a cross-country move to Ohio, plus, her dad refuses to let her help out at his hair salon, despite the fact that she's a social media expert!

So when she meets science whiz Zoe and creative maven Everly, and the three decide to start their own hair styling studio, she finally finds the friends—and the calling—she's been searching for. The trio's studio, True Colors, is a smash hit, and the girls are having a blast. Not to mention, Mariana loves helping her fellow middle-school clients express themselves.

But with the town Harvest Fest on the horizon and a line of customers always at the door, the friends have to scale up quickly, and they don't always agree on how. Can Mariana find the courage to speak up for what she wants? And does True Colors have what it takes to succeed in business and friendship?

Austral by Carlos Fonseca; Translated by Megan McDowell | ADULT FICTION

Julio is a disillusioned professor of literature, a per-petual wanderer who has spent years away from his home, teaching in the United States. He receives a posthumous summons from an old friend, the writer Aliza Abravanel, to uncover the mysteries within her final novel. Aliza had raced to finish her work as her mind deteriorated. In her man-uscript is a series of interconnected accouncs of loss, tales that set Julio hurtling on a journey to uncover their true meaning. Austral tracks Julio's trip from Aliza's home in an Argentine artists' colony to a forgotten city in Guatemala, to the Peruvian Amazon, and through Nueva Germania, the anti-semitic commune in Paraguay founded by Elisabeth Forster-Nietzsche.

ON SALE MAY 30

Spare Parts: The True Story of Four Undocumented Teenagers, One Ugly Robot, and an Impossible Dream by Joshua Davis; Adapted by Reyna Grande (Young Readers' Edition) | MIDDLE GRADE

In 2004, four undocumented Mexican teenagers arrived at the national underwater robotics championship at the University of California, Santa Barbara. No one had ever told Oscar, Cristian, Luis, or Lorenzo that they would amount to much—until two inspiring high school science teachers convinced the boys to enter the competition. Up against some of the best collegiate engineers in the country, this team of underdogs from Phoenix, Arizona, scraped together spare parts and a few small donations to astound not only the competition's judges but themselves, too.

Adapted by Reyna Grande—author of the acclaimed memoir The Distance Between Us about her experience as an undocumented child immigrant—this young readers' edition of Joshua Davis's New York Times bestseller showcases these students' ingenuity and courage in the face of seemingly insurmountable odds. Timely and empowering, Spare Parts is an accessible introduction to STEM, immigration, and the reality of the American Dream.

Breaking to the Beat! by Linda J. Acevedo; Illustrated by Frank Morrison | PICTURE BOOK

In the 1970s, many said the Bronx was just a pile of rubble, but for a shy kid like Manolo, it was alive with rhythm and music. He grew up with salsa dance parties at home and DJs battling on turntables on the street. Inspired by these new beats and the moves of James Brown, neighborhood boys and girls started dancing with a mix of twists, slides, and shuffles. The rhythm of the Toprock. Drop of the Six-step. Wiggle of the Worm. A new dance style called breaking was on the rise, and Manolo wanted to be a part of it.

Debut author Linda J. Acevedo was inspired to write this story from the many b-boys and b-girls whose love of dance propelled them to create an innovative and groundbreaking new form of dance. Coupled with award-winning illustrator Frank Morrison's sinuous and pulsating art, Breaking to the Beat! is an energizing ode to the Boogie Down Bronx and to Hip Hop—a movement that would forever change the course of music, art, and culture.

The Moonlit Vine by Elizabeth Santiago; Illustrated by McKenzie Mayle | YOUNG ADULT

Despite her name, Taína Perez doesn't know anything about her Taíno heritage, nor has she ever tried to learn. After all, how would ancient Puerto Rican history help with everything going on? There's constant trouble at school and in her neighborhood, her older brother was kicked out of the house, and with her mom at work, she's left alone to care for her little brother and aging grandmother. It's a lot for a 14-year-old to manage.

But life takes a wild turn when her abuela tells her she is a direct descendant of Anacaona, the beloved Taíno leader, warrior, and poet, who was murdered by the Spanish in 1503. Abuela also gives her an amulet and a zemi and says that it's time for her to step into her power like the women who came before her. But is that even possible? People like her hardly make it out of their circumstances, and the problems in her home and community are way bigger than Taína can manage. Or are they?

A modern tale with interstitial historical chapters, The Moonlit Vine brings readers a powerful story of the collective struggle, hope, and liberation of Puerto Rican and Taíno peoples.

Also available in Spanish.

We Don't Swim Here by Vincent Tirado | YOUNG ADULT

Bronwyn is only supposed to be in rural Hillwoods for a year. Her grandmother is in hospice, and her father needs to get her affairs in order. And they're all meant to make some final memories together.

Except Bronwyn is miserable. Her grandmother is dying, everyone is standoffish, and she can't even go swimming. All she hears are warnings about going in the water, despite a gorgeous lake. And a pool at the abandoned rec center. And another in the high school basement.

Anais tries her hardest to protect Bronwyn from the shadows of Hillwoods. She follows her own rituals to avoid any unnecessary attention—and if she can just get Bronwyn to stop asking questions, she can protect her too. The less Bronwyn pays attention to Hillwoods, the less Hillwoods will pay attention to Bronwyn. She doesn't get that the lore is, well, truth. History. Pain. The living aren't the only ones who seek retribution when they're wronged. But when Bronwyn does more exploring than she should, they are both in for danger they couldn't expect.

#SalaSundays with Arely Guzmán

Arely Guzmán hosted our Instagram, on April 16, for our weekly #SalaSundays series. Below are a few questions that we asked Arely.

Latinx In Publishing (LxP): What do you do?

Arely Guzmán (AG): I am an assistant editor at Levine Querido.

LxP: How did you get started?

AG: After sending over forty internship applications all around New York, Steven Malk, at Writers House, took a chance on me. I interned at Writers House for close to three years after that. 

LxP: What do you wish you knew before getting into the industry?

AG: I wish I'd known how advocating for diverse authors is an uphill battle. Sometimes you get lucky and find people who will support you, but it's not a given in the industry. 

LxP: What book are you currently working on or reading?

AG: My favorite book I'm working on is a graphic novel biography of Tsai Kun-Lin, a book publisher and victim of the White Terror era in Taiwan.

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Arely Guzmán is an Assistant Editor at Levine Querido. Previously, they were an editorial assistant at Knopf Books for Young Readers, and an editorial intern at Bloomsbury, Writers House, and Kweli Journal. They’re looking for middle grade and young adult books that will reverberate with the in-between communities, and fantastic stories for children who never saw themselves as protagonists. In their spare time, Arely can be found watching little gay cartoons, writing overly-convoluted essays, and being an ever-present guest at their best friend's house.

Book Review: The Worry Balloon by Monica Mancillas, Illustrated by Betty C. Tang

The Worry Balloon is written by Monica Mancillas with beautiful illustrations done by Betty C. Tang. The book follows Isla who is experiencing anxiety about her first day of school. The big “what if” questions plague her mind as the first day looms closer, but fortunately, her mom is there to help. Her mother teaches Isla a trick, or a coping mechanism, to calm her worried thoughts. She is a beacon of comfort as she validates her daughter’s concerns. At the end of the book, additional coping mechanisms are provided along with a beautifully written author’s note that goes on to explain why the book was written.

““The Worry Balloon” is the type of book that I wish was available to me as a young girl. . . Mancillas is doing a service not just for children, but for anyone who is seeking coping mechanisms for their worries or concerns.”

The Worry Balloon is the type of book that I wish was available to me as a young girl. At a young age, I changed schools and this resource would have given me the skills that I needed to be brave, just like Isla. Mancillas is doing a service not just for children, but for anyone who is seeking coping mechanisms for their worries or concerns. This book is especially important for the Latinx community because mental health is a topic that is rarely talked about, in our community, and can even be even seen as taboo. This book creates mental health awareness, while opening the door for conversations to be held, in a gentle and validating manner.

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MÓNICA MANCILLAS writes picture books, along with middle-grade nonfiction and fiction, that center on identity, culture, and mental health. She was born in Ensenada, Baja California, and then moved to the United States at the age of two. She is an alumna of the San Diego School of Creative and Performing Arts and has a B.A. in Anthropology from the University of California, Berkeley. 

MELISSA GONZALEZ (she/her) is a UCLA graduate with a major in American Literature & Culture and a minor in Chicana/o & Central American Studies. She loves boba, horror movies, and reading. You can spot her in the fiction, horror/mystery/thriller, and young adult sections of bookstores. Though she is short, she feels as tall as her TBR pile. You can find Melissa on her book Instagram: @floralchapters

April 2023 Latinx Releases

ON SALE APRIL 1

Hollow Beasts by Alisa Lynn Valdés | ADULT FICTION

After a long stint in academia, Jodi Luna leaves Boston for the wilds of New Mexico to start a new life as a game warden. Jodi is no stranger to the wilderness; her family has lived here for generations. Determined to protect her homeland, she nabs a poacher in her first week on the job.

But when he retaliates by stalking Jodi and her teenage daughter, a cat and mouse game leads Jodi to a white supremacist group deep in the mountains. She learns that new recruits are kidnapping women of color to prove their mettle to the organization's leader.

When the local sheriff refuses to assist, Jodi joins up with young deputy Ashley Romero. Together, they set out to take down a terrorist network that will test not just their skills as investigators but also their knowledge of the land and commitment to its people.

But will Jodi's fierce resolve to protect the voiceless put her loved ones in harm's way?

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ON SALE APRIL 4

The Ghosts of Rancho Espanto by Adrianna Cuevas | MIDDLE GRADE

Rafa would rather live in the world of The Forgotten Age, his favorite role-playing game, than face his father's increasing restrictions and his mother's fading presence. But when Rafa and his friends decide to take the game out into the real world and steal their school cafeteria's slushie machine, his dad concocts a punishment Rafa never could've imagined—a month working on a ranch in New Mexico, far away from his friends, their game, and his mom's quesitos in Miami.

Life at Rancho Espanto isn't as bad as Rafa initially expected, mostly due to Jennie, a new friend with similarly strong snack opinions, and Marcus, the veteran barn manager who's not as gruff as he appears. But when Rafa's work at the ranch is inexplicably sabotaged by a man who may not be what he seems, Rafa and Jennie explore what's behind the strange events at Rancho Espanto—and discover that the greatest mystery may have been with Rafa all along.

This Is Not Miami by Fernanda Melchor | Translated by Sophie Hughes | SHORT STORIES

Set in and around the Mexican city of Veracruz, This Is Not Miami delivers a series of devastating stories—spiraling from real events—that bleed together reportage and the author's rich and rigorous imagination. These narrative nonfiction pieces probe deeply into the motivations of murderers and misfits, into their desires and circumstances, forcing us to understand them—and even empathize—despite our wish to simply label them monsters. As in her hugely acclaimed novels Hurricane Season and Paradais, Fernanda Melchor's masterful stories show how the violent and shocking aberrations that make the headlines are only the surface ruptures of a society on the brink of chaos.

Ana María and the Fox by Liana De La Rosa | ADULT FICTION

Ana María Luna Valdés has strived to be the perfect daughter, the perfect niece, and the perfect representative of the powerful Luna family. So when Ana María is secretly sent to London with her sisters to seek refuge from the French occupation of Mexico, she experiences her first taste of freedom far from the judgmental eyes of her domineering father. If only she could ignore the piercing looks she receives across ballroom floors from the austere Mr. Fox.

Gideon Fox elevated himself from the London gutters by chasing his burning desire for more: more opportunities, more choices. For everyone. Now, as a member of Parliament, Gideon is on the cusp of securing the votes he needs to put forth a measure to abolish the Atlantic slave trade once and for all—a cause that is close to his heart as the grandson of a formerly enslaved woman. The charmingly vexing Ana María is a distraction he must ignore.

But when Ana María finds herself in the crosshairs of a nefarious nobleman with his own political agenda, Gideon knows he must offer his hand as protection . . . but will this Mexican heiress win his heart as well?

The Apprentice Tourist by Mário de Andrade |Translated by Flora Thomson-Deveaux | ADULT NONFICTION

A Brazilian masterpiece, now in English for the first time: a playfully profound chronicle of an urban sophisticate's misadventures in the Amazon.

"My life's done a somersault," wrote Mário de Andrade in a letter, on the verge of taking a leap. After years of dreaming about Amazonia, and almost fifty years before Bruce Chatwin ventured into one of the most remote regions of South America in In Patagonia, Andrade, the queer mixed-race "pope" of Brazilian modernism and author of the epic novel Macunaíma, finally embarks on a three-month steamboat voyage up the great river and into one of the most dangerous and breathtakingly beautiful corners of the world. Rife with shrewd observations and sparkling wit, and featuring more than a dozen photographs, The Apprentice Tourist not only offers an awed and awe-inspiring fish-out-of-water account of the Indigenous peoples and now-endangered landscapes of Brazil that he encounters (and, comically, sometimes fails to reach), but also traces his internal metamorphosis: The trip prompts him to rethink his ingrained Eurocentrism, challenges his received narratives about the Amazon, and alters the way he understands his motherland and the vast diversity of cultures found within it.

The People Who Report More Stress by Alejandro Varela | SHORT STORIES

A collection of humorous, sexy, and highly neurotic tales about parenting, long-term relationships, systemic and interpersonal racism, and class conflict from the author of The Town of Babylon, The People Who Report More Stress deftly and poignantly expresses the frustration of knowing the problems and solutions to our society's inequities but being unable to do anything about them.

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ON SALE APRIL 11

The Making of Yolanda la Bruja by Lorraine Avila | YOUNG ADULT

Yolanda Alvarez is having a good year. She's starting to feel at home at Julia De Burgos High, her school in the Bronx. She has her best friend Victory, and maybe something with José, a senior boy she's getting to know. She's confident her initiation into her family's bruja tradition will happen soon.

But then a white boy, the son of a politician, appears at Julia De Burgos High, and his vibes are off. And Yolanda's initiation begins with a series of troubling visions of the violence this boy threatens. How can Yolanda protect her community, in a world that doesn't listen? Only with the wisdom and love of her family, friends, and community—and the Brujas Diosas, her ancestors and guides.

The Making of Yolanda La Bruja is the book this country, struggling with the plague of gun violence, so desperately needs, but which few could write. Here Lorraine Avila brings a story born from the intersection of race, justice, education, and spirituality that will capture readers everywhere.

Plátanos Are Love by Alyssa Reynoso-Morris | Illustrated by Mariyah Rahman | PICTURE BOOK

A delicious picture book about the ways plantains shape Latinx culture, community, and family, told through a young girl's experiences in the kitchen with her abuela.

With every pop of the tostones, mash of the mangú, and sizzle of the maduros, a little girl learns that plátanos are her history, they are her culture, and—most importantly—they are love.

Viva Lola Espinoza by Ella Cerón | YOUNG ADULT

Lola Espinoza is cursed in love. Well, maybe not actually cursed—magic isn't real, is it? When Lola goes to spend the summer with her grandmother in Mexico City and meets handsome, flirtatious Rio, she discovers the unbelievable truth: Magic is very real, and what she'd always written off as bad luck is actually, truly . . . a curse. If Lola ever wants to fall in love without suffering the consequences, she'll have to break the curse. She finds an unlikely curse-breaking companion in Javi, a seemingly stoic boy she meets while working in her cousin's restaurant. Javi is willing to help Lola look into this family curse of hers, and Lola needs all the help she can get. Over the course of one summer—filled with food, family, and two very different boys—Lola explores Mexico City while learning about herself, her heritage, and the magic around us all.

Our Roof Is Blue by Sara E. Echenique | Illustrated by Ashley Vargas | PICTURE BOOK

This heartfelt story of resilience follows two siblings as they work to recover and rebuild after Hurricane Maria destroys their home in Puerto Rico.

Before an intense hurricane hits their home in Puerto Rico, Antonio told his sister vibrant stories each night. During the storm, they huddled with their parents in a closet and hear the storm blow the roof right off their home. After the storm, their family uses a temporary blue tarp for a roof, and Antonio stops speaking. Gradually the siblings imagine their blue roof playfully—as the ocean above them or a parachute helping them fall from the sky. As the narrator helps her little brother feel safe once more—and after the family and community build a new roof—the little boy begins to speak again.

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ON SALE APRIL 18

Wings in the Wild by Margarita Engle | YOUNG ADULT

This gorgeously romantic contemporary novel-in-verse from award-winning author Margarita Engle tells the inspiring love story of two teens fighting for climate action and human rights.

Winged beings are meant to be free. And so are artists, but the Cuban government has criminalized any art that doesn't meet their approval. Soleida and her parents protest this injustice with their secret sculpture garden of chained birds. Then a hurricane exposes the illegal art, and her parents are arrested.

Soleida escapes to Central America alone, joining the thousands of Cuban refugees stranded in Costa Rica while seeking asylum elsewhere. There she meets Dariel, a Cuban American boy whose enigmatic music enchants birds and animals—and Soleida.

Together they work to protect the environment and bring attention to the imprisoned artists in Cuba. Soon they discover that love isn't about falling—it's about soaring together to new heights. But wings can be fragile, and Soleida and Dariel come from different worlds. They are fighting for a better future—and the chance to be together.

Manolo & the Unicorn by Jackie Azúa Kramer & Jonah Kramer | Illustrated by Zach Manbeck | PICTURE BOOK

A story about seeing and believing wholeheartedly in the extraordinary—unicorns and oneself

To Manolo the world is a magical place—a place where he searches for the most magical creature of all: a unicorn. Manolo loves unicorns. When the Wild Animal Parade is announced at school, and Manolo declares that he will come as his favorite animal, his classmates say there is no such thing as unicorns, making the world feel ordinary. That is, until Manolo meets a real unicorn—wild and graceful—and discovers that the world is truly extraordinary.

Felice and the Wailing Woman by Diana López | MIDDLE GRADE

When Felice learns that she's the daughter of La Llorona, she catches a ride to the magical town of Tres Leches, where her mother is said to be haunting the river. Growing up with her uncle Clem in Corpus Christi, Felice knew that she had been rescued from drowning—it's where her intense fear of water comes from—but she had no idea her mother remained trapped between worlds, looking for her. Guided by the magical town's eccentric mayor, Felice vows to help her mother make peace with the events that turned her into the most famous monstruo of US-Mexico border lore. Along the way, she meets the children of other monstruos, like La Lechuza and the Dancing Devil, and together they free Tres Leches from magical and metaphorical curses that have haunted its people for generations.

Tumble by Celia C. Pérez | MIDDLE GRADE

NOW IN PAPERBACK

Twelve-year-old Adela "Addie" Ramírez has a big decision to make when her stepfather proposes adoption. Addie loves Alex, the only father figure she's ever known, but with a new half brother due in a few months and a big school theater performance on her mind, everything suddenly feels like it's moving too fast. She has a million questions, and the first is about the young man in the photo she found hidden away in her mother's things.

Addie's sleuthing takes her to a New Mexico ranch, and her world expands to include the legendary Bravos: Rosie and Pancho, her paternal grandparents and former professional wrestlers; Eva and Maggie, her older identical twin cousins who love to spar in and out of the ring; Uncle Mateo, whose lucha couture and advice are unmatched; and Manny, her biological father, who's in the midst of a career comeback. As luchadores, the Bravos's legacy is strong. But being part of a family is so much harder—it's about showing up, taking off your mask, and working through challenges together.

The Haunting of Alejandra by V. Castro | ADULT FICTION

Alejandra no longer knows who she is. To her husband, she is a wife, and to her children, a mother. To her own adoptive mother, she is a daughter. But they cannot see who Alejandra has become: a woman struggling with a darkness that threatens to consume her.

Nor can they see what Alejandra sees. In times of despair, a ghostly vision appears to her, the apparition of a crying woman in a ragged white gown.

When Alejandra visits a therapist, she begins exploring her family's history, starting with the biological mother she never knew. As she goes deeper into the lives of the women in her family, she learns that heartbreak and tragedy are not the only things she has in common with her ancestors.

Because the crying woman was with them, too. She is La Llorona, the vengeful and murderous mother of Mexican legend. And she will not leave until Alejandra follows her mother, her grandmother, and all the women who came before her into the darkness.

But Alejandra has inherited more than just pain. She has inherited the strength and the courage of her foremothers—and she will have to summon everything they have given her to banish La Llorona forever.

The Fitful Sleep of Immigrants by Orlando Ortega-Medina | ADULT FICTION

Attorney Marc Mendes, the estranged son of a prominent rabbi and a burned-out lawyer with addiction issues, plots his exit from the big city to a more peaceful life in idyllic Napa Valley. But before realizing his dream, the US government summons his Salvadoran life partner Isaac Perez to immigration court, threatening him with deportation.

As Marc battles to save Isaac, his world is further upended by a dark and alluring client who aims to tempt him away from his messy life. Torn between his commitment to Isaac and the pain-numbing escapism offered by his client, Marc is forced to choose between the lesser of two evils while confronting his twin demons of past addiction and guilt over the death of his first lover.

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ON SALE APRIL 25

Doodles from the Boogie Down by Stephanie Rodriguez | MIDDLE GRADE

A young Dominican girl navigates middle school, her strict mother, shifting friendships, and her dream of being an artist in this debut coming-of-age graphic novel inspired by the author's tween years.

Eighth grade in New York City means one thing: It's time to start applying to high schools! While her friends are looking at school catalogs and studying for entrance exams, Steph is doodling in her notebook and waiting for art class to begin. When her art teacher tells her about LaGuardia High School of Music & Art and Performing Arts, Steph desperately wants to apply. But she's in the Bronx, and LaGuardia is a public school in Manhattan—which her mom would not approve of. Steph comes up with a plan that includes lying to her mom, friends, and teachers. Keeping secrets isn't easy, and Steph must decide how far she'll go to get what she wants.

Borderless by Jennifer de Leon | YOUNG ADULT

Caught in the crosshairs of gang violence, a teen girl and her mother set off on a perilous journey from Guatemala City to the US border in this heart-wrenching young adult novel from the author of Don't Ask Me Where I'm From.

For seventeen-year-old Maya, trashion is her passion, and her talent for making clothing out of unusual objects landed her a scholarship to Guatemala City's most prestigious art school and a finalist spot in the school's fashion show. Mamá is her biggest supporter, taking on extra jobs to pay for what the scholarship doesn't cover, and she might be even more excited than Maya about what the fashion show could do for her future career.

So when Mamá doesn't come to the show, Maya doesn't know what to think. But the truth is worse than she could have imagined. The gang threats in their neighborhood have walked in their front door—with a boy Maya considered a friend, or maybe more, among them. After barely making their escape, Maya and her mom have no choice but to continue their desperate flight all the way through Guatemala and Mexico in hopes of crossing the US border.

#FellowFriday with Rose Heredia

Rose Heredia hosted our Instagram on Friday, March 24 for our #FellowFriday series. Below are a few questions that we asked Rose.

Latinx In Publishing (LxP): Why did you decide to apply to the Latinx in Publishing Fellowship program? 

Rose Heredia (RH): I thought long about what I wanted to do in publishing and saw this opportunity pop up on my social media feed, especially since I was in the middle of editing an anthology. Even my friend sent me the opportunity! I almost didn't apply because of my imposter syndrome (would I get this? who do I think I am?!) but I ultimately put in effort to demonstrate my interest, which is words. I was enjoying working on this project and saw this as my future: helping folks mold their stories and keeping their voice intact.

LxP: What has this experience meant to you? 

RH: It's been everything I've wanted and more. It's my foot in the door. It's demystifying the publishing industry by talking to folks in different departments. It's understanding the business side of publishing so when I'm ready to publish, I got some insider knowledge that I can share with newbie writers wanting to publish traditionally. It's seeing the path to working with words, which is what I've wanted to do since I was a young adult. 

LxP: What advice would you give to anyone applying to the program?

RH: Application wise: include more than just liking words and books. Really identify why you want to be an editor and translate that on the page. Also, shoot your shot. What's the worst that can happen? 

LxP: What's one of your favorite things you've learned during the fellowship? 

RH: Being able to talk shop with someone in the industry (my mentor) in the same way I was able to do with my MFA cohort. I missed that tea/gossip/chisme/sh*t talking aspect about the publishing industry that I don't have with anyone locally. Like a colleague, equal, homie, bestie, friend.

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Rose Heredia is Afro-Dominican born and bred from Williamsburg, Brooklyn, New York, where she helps lawyers save the Earth. She has an MFA in Creative Writing from the University of San Francisco and Post-Baccalaureate Certificate Program in Writing. She is a VONA and Las Dos Brujas alumna. She is a Culture writer and editor for Epifania Magazine, Assistant Non-fiction Editor for VIDA Review and has been published by the Dominican Writers Association and HeadFake. Rose recently edited The Washington Memoir Project published by DWA Press. She has since moved back to her neighborhood after a decade living in California. You can follow Rose on Twitter and Instagram: @bkwriter4life.

Interview with 2023 Whiting Award Fiction Winner Carribean Fragoza

Carribean Fragoza, author of the critically-acclaimed story collection Eat The Mouth That Feeds You, is one of the latest winners of a Whiting Award! The Whiting Awards are given annually to ten emerging writers in fiction, nonfiction, poetry, and drama. They are based on early accomplishment and the promise of great work to come. We were excited to catch up with Carribean and ask her a few questions.

Toni Kirkpatrick (TK): What was your first thought after you learned you won a Whiting Award?

Carribean Fragoza (CF): I flickered between two feelings, the first one being the feeling of being fully seen. This feels odd to say because I know that people I consider my community have been seeing me and my work for a long time. But when I took that phone call from the Whiting, and they told me how much time and energy had been invested into following and selecting each of the winners, I experienced maybe a different kind of care in that level of attention. The other feeling I kept flickering into was astonishment which is a kind of detachment from any one emotion or thought. Like is this really happening to me? I’m still sort of cycling between these, plus the thrill/mild terror of “what comes next?”

(TK): You have long been doing work to shed light on the culture and history of South El Monte. How does your hometown influence your fiction?

(CF): South El Monte and El Monte are almost always in my fiction. Sometimes it’s more in the forefront as a specific set of locations that I have in mind for my stories and sometimes it’s more of a mood or vibe. South El Monte and El Monte have a very distinguishable vibe. I see and feel it when I go back home to visit and I can see it in your Bolero of Andi Rowe collection, Toni, as well as in Michael Jaime-Becerra and Salvador Plascencia’s work. Also, every time I’m back in SEM/EM, I notice something new or something will catch my eye and it will immediately inspire something in me. They might be very ordinary things, like a mother pushing a stroller down the street or a kid eating a popsicle, but I feel them very deeply.

(TK): You are also the Prose Editor for Huizache, which made its return last year. What are you seeing these days from Latine writers and what excites you? 

(CF): I’m very honored to be on board as Huizache’s Prose editor. And so far, what has excited me the most is work that feels urgent and necessary. These are stories that feel like they need to be told and something very important is at stake for the narrator and other characters (and the author!). The style and risks that writers are taking are responding to the world with all of its beautiful and awful complexities. The voices they are developing in the work are forged from survival and wrought with sharp intelligence. There's a lot of power there.

(TK): What is your advice for Latine writers as they seek to publish their work and find recognition?

(CF): I suppose the best advice I can think of right now is to encourage writers to write stories that feel essential to them and to bring forward voices that are clear, strong, and have something that they need to say. Get in touch with the raw nerve of the story and others will feel it too. And perhaps more importantly: JUST KEEP WRITING. The publishing and awards will come, but most often we don’t have a lot of control over that as writers. But writers gotta write. And writers have to keep learning and growing and getting better. With that said, we also need more Latine/Latinx editors, agents, and other publishing industry folks to create a literary ecosystem that is more supportive of Latine/Latinx writers.

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Carribean Fragoza is a fiction and nonfiction writer from South El Monte, CA. Her collection of stories Eat the Mouth That Feeds You was published in 2021 by City Lights and was a finalist for a 2022 PEN Award. Her co-edited compilation of essays, East of East: The Making of Greater El Monte was published by Rutgers University Press and her collection of essays Writing Home: New Terrains of California is forthcoming with Angel City Press. She has published in Harper's Bazaar, The New York Times, Zyzzyva, Alta, BOMB, Huizache, KCET, the Los Angeles Review of Books, ArtNews, and Aperture Magazine. She is the Prose Editor at Huizache Magazine and Creative Nonfiction and Poetry Editor at Boom California, a journal of UC Press. Fragoza is the founder and co-director of South El Monte Arts Posse, an interdisciplinary arts collective. She lives in the San Gabriel Valley in Greater Los Angeles.

Toni (Plummer) Kirkpatrick grew up in South El Monte, California. A Latinx in Publishing board member, she lives in the Hudson Valley, where she acquires, edits, and writes fiction.

Interview with Margo Candela author of The Neapolitan Sisters

Latinx In Publishing had the opportunity to ask Margo Candela a few questions about The Neapolitan Sisters: A Novel of Heritage and Home.

Latinx In Publishing (LxP): Where did the inspiration for the novel come from?

Margo Candela (MC): Writers are like memory magpies, constantly collecting random bits and pieces of life that might not make sense in the moment, but are too interesting to ignore or forget. When the idea for The Neapolitan Sisters came to me, it already had its beginning, middle and end. Although it was fiction, the story and characters were familiar to me in a way that I still have a hard time explaining. While the inspiration for The Neapolitan Sisters came both from my imagination and from being observant, what really set this novel apart from my previous work was my intention for writing it. I wanted to challenge myself as a writer, but I also wanted to allow my characters to be flawed, difficult and complicated without excuse or apology. 

LxP: One of the primary themes within the story are the types of relationships that exist within families, but also outside of them. Can you talk a bit about the importance for you to highlight that?

MC: It's important, sometimes more so, for my characters to have an identity that’s not based on being a son or daughter, sister or brother, husband or wife, mother or father. How they function separately from those roles is one I like to explore because a lot of times, Latina and Latino characters don’t get to move away from that primary identifier of who and what they are. When they're navigating life in a larger social circle and away from family, they find themselves relating to friends, partners, workmates with the same skill set that either serves them or keeps them from moving beyond dysfunctional dynamics.

LxP: The sisters dealt with a lot of trauma that they all dealt with in their own various ways. Can you speak on your writing process, how you decided on each of the sisters' journeys, and how they would complement each other?

MC: Having three main characters who told their story in first person was a natural way to delve into how Dulcina, Claudia and Maritza would each be affected individually by their shared trauma. Even though they spent their childhood and teens together, they don't interpret that period of their lives in the same way, but they are strongly bonded because of it. Knowing this about them meant I had to let each sister go where she needed to go, even if it made me uncomfortable or took me by surprise. Once I allowed myself to just write what felt right for each sister, I was able to give all three of them added depth and humanity by accepting their flaws as part of who they needed to be. I really love these sisters and it was such a joy, even if sometimes a painful one, to get to know them and bring them to life.

LxP: What can readers expect to gain from reading The Neapolitan Sisters?

MC: The Neapolitan Sisters is about finding compassion and love not only for others, but for oneself. Dulcina, Claudia and Maritza’s acceptance of who they are to each other is the greatest gift they can both give and receive. Compassion, love, and acceptance are essential components to intimate relationships and the Bernal sisters are, to different degrees, able to realize this by the end of the novel. Once they do, they’re able to move forward with their lives, and also be in each other’s lives. This doesn’t always happen in real life, but it can in books which is why I’m so grateful that The Neapolitan Sisters was published after so many years of waiting for me to be brave enough to write it as best as I could.

ACCESS THE BOOK CLUB KIT HERE.

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Margo Candela was born and raised in Los Angeles and began her writing career when she joined Glendale Community College’s student newspaper. She transferred to San Francisco State University as a journalism major, and upon graduation began writing for websites and magazines before writing her first two novels, Underneath It All and Life Over Easy. She returned to Los Angeles to raise her son and wrote More Than This and Good-bye to All That. The Neapolitan Sisters is her fifth novel and her first after a decade-long hiatus from writing. She now lives in San Francisco. Learn more at MargoCandela.com.

Exclusive Cover Reveal: Do I Belong Here? / ¿Es Este Mi Lugar? by René Colato Laínez; Illustrated by Fabricio Vanden Broeck

Latinx in Publishing is pleased to exclusively reveal the cover for DO I BELONG HERE? / ¿ES ESTE MI LUGAR? written by René Colato Laínez and illustrated by Fabricio Vanden Broeck; publishing May 31, 2023 from Piñata Books. Read on for the official book synopsis and to view the gorgeous cover!

The experiences of newcomer students in schools are portrayed in this winning, bilingual picture book.

Cover illustration: Fabricio Vanden Broeck

Design Credits: Bryan Dechter

An immigrant boy stands “in the middle of a whirlwind of children,” and wonders where is he supposed to go. Finally, a woman speaks to him in a language that he doesn’t understand and takes him to his classroom. A boy named Carlos helps orient him, but later when he reads aloud,
everyone laughs at him. And when he gets an “F” on an assignment, he is sure “I do not belong here.”

But gradually the boy begins to learn English. He works hard. He always pays attention, finishes his homework and—most importantly—never gives up. He begins to recognize words. “I
understand now. Open is abrir, books are libros and page is página.” And when the kids invite him to play soccer, he thinks, “Maybe I belong here.” As the boy’s grades improve and he makes friends, he realizes, “I belong here.” And when he sees a girl looking lost, sure she doesn’t belong, but he can now say with certainty: “Not yet. But you will.”

Award-winning children’s book author René Colato Laínez teams up again with illustrator Fabricio Vanden Broeck to explore the experiences of newcomers in schools and affirm that yes, they do belong! With beautiful acrylic-on-wood illustrations depicting children at school, this bilingual kids’ book by a Salvadoran immigrant tells an important story that will resonate with all the kids who want nothing more than to belong.

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René Colato Laínez is the author of numerous picture books for children, including My Shoes and I / Mis zapatos y yo (Piñata Books, 2019), Mamá the Alien / Mamá la extraterrestre (Lee & Low Books, 2016), From North to South / Del norte al sur (Children’s Book Press, 2013),  René Has Two Last Names / René tiene dos apellidos (Arte Público Press, 2009) and I Am René, the Boy / Soy René, el niño (Arte Público Press, 2005). He is an elementary school teacher in Los Angeles, California.

Fabricio Vanden Broeck is a designer, illustrator, painter and professor of design at the Universidad Autónoma Metropolitana-Azcapotzalco in Mexico City. He illustrated My Shoes and I / Mis zapatos y yo (Piñata Books, 2019).

Book Review: The People Who Report More Stress by Alejandro Varela

Following his debut novel, The Town of Babylon, a 2022 National Book Award Fiction finalist, Alejandro Varela’s first short story collection, in its refined handling of complex subjects, appears to be on the cusp of similar success. Across thirteen loosely interconnected stories, Varela explores topics that both cause and relieve anxiety, which become particularly resonant for the Latinx reader, whose experience is explored in multitudes. The People Who Report More Stress primarily follows Eduardo, a New York-based Salvadoran-Colombian health researcher, his husband, Gus, and their two sons. Readers follow Eduardo through various stages of his life, from being a young boy on family trips in the 1980’s to an older man returning to the dating pool. The majority of the collection, however, follows Eduardo as he navigates a midlife standstill in his romantic, familial and personal lives.

The collection’s narrative style can be disorienting as readers follow Eduardo across time and location. However, this occasional absence of temporal and geographic stability mirrors the fluctuating nature of one of the book’s largest constants: Eduardo and Gus’ relationship. The opening story “An Other Man,” introduces Eduardo as he simultaneously acknowledges the certain beauties of married life and the possibilities that lie outside of it. In “The Six Times of Alan,” we sit with Eduardo as he articulates, in therapy sessions, the challenges of having a white partner and his desire for someone “who would inspire [him] to be a better human, someone who questioned power structures, someone to shake [him] out of [his] complacency.” We see how much of an ask that might be as Varela shifts to Gus’ perspective in “Waiting.” In this story, Gus reveals his side, admitting he is often “disarmed by Eduardo’s honesty and curiosity.” It is a complex marriage for readers to follow, and has one analyzing class and racial dynamics along with the individual characters themselves.

As the title suggests, stress is a prominent character in the book, but New York City proves to be another. Varela paints an accurate picture of a rapidly-gentrifying Brooklyn, as well as the new generation of upper-middle class, queer, and BIPOC residents living there. In the story, “She and Her Kid and Me and Mine,” Eduardo reflects on what it’s like to raise his son, Julio, in a predominantly white neighborhood. The gap between their upbringings is “vast and vertigo inducing,” and Eduardo is hyper aware of his son’s worldview and sense of self-worth as Julio predominantly plays with white children. This mindset and context has Eduardo thinking about his proximity to privilege too. He views the structural divisions of the neighborhood from the back seat of a cab in “The Great Potato Famine,” but also thinks about how people in the city view him (a prospective date tells him that they are “a sucker for Latinos.”). While Eduardo’s consistent, and often intense, questioning of societal failings is occasionally off-putting to other characters, it confirms he’s still on his own journey of self-discovery. It’s not defeat that causes Eduardo to think he “succumbed to the constructed order of things”—it’s his understanding that, as he begins to benefit from newfound advantages, he’s being complicit in the up-keep of some of these systems.

“A collection for readers who understand the protagonist’s plight and who can see themselves in his journey. Through Eduardo, we are allowed to feel everything, and understand that it’s okay. ”

Eduardo’s excavation for the truth is the most consistent part of the collection. Whether he is noticing his white husband being able to hail cabs, while drivers speed past him, or directly stating the frustration of having partners who are unable to recognize microaggressions, Eduardo is constantly searching for a place where he can be heard. We see him grow from the child in “Midtown-West Side Story,” where he witnesses his parents struggle to keep their family afloat, his father, Jorge, “[maintaining] the air of someone who might have done more if he’d had more opportunities.” We see his perception of his relatives in “The Caretakers,” where he begins to realize the standards that his aunt was held to as a woman, mother and sister, only when she’s on her deathbed. Through this, Eduardo subconsciously provides an intimate look into the Latinx family unit: the expectations from elders and the intergenerational trauma of leaving the homeland, but also the loyalty and perseverance that is firmly rooted within. Readers can see that while Eduardo notes where some of his anxiety may have originated, his loved ones are a reason he continues his fight forward.

Eduardo’s racing thoughts on queer parenthood, political and moral shortcomings, and the trials of intersectional identities may come off as heavy-handed, however, their overwhelming nature is its magic. It’s difficult to orient oneself when balancing numerous factors that may or may not be working against you. It’s emotionally-taxing to be a parent, to be in a relationship, to be a brown body in a white world. Varela is astute in his observations of these complexities and approaches them with honesty that shines on the page. The result is a collection for readers who understand the protagonist’s plight and who can see themselves in his journey. Through Eduardo, we are allowed to feel everything, and understand that it’s okay.

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Alejandro Varela (he/him) is a writer based in New York. His debut novel, The Town of Babylon (2022), was published by Astra House and was a finalist for the National Book Award. His work has appeared in the Point Magazine, Georgia Review, Boston Review, Harper’s, and the Offing, among others outlets. Varela is an editor-at-large of Apogee Journal. His graduate studies were in public health. Access his work at alejandrovarela.work. You can also find him on Twitter and IG: @drovarela.

Carly Tagen-Dye is a Guatemalan-American writer and editor based in New York City. Her fiction and nonfiction have appeared in The Augment Review, NY Press, Alma and The Sock Drawer, among other outlets, and her novel, All That You Can See, was a finalist for CRAFT's 2022 First Chapters Prize. She has previously worked in publishing at Sterling Lord Literistic and Catapult Book Group. You can visit her website at www.carlytagendye.com.