Latine Books to Read if You Loved THE ODYSSEY

For gods, myths and epic journeys

This cross-country adventure through Jazz Age Mexico begins when Cassiopeia Tung accidentally unleashes the Mayan god of death and enlists her help in reclaiming the throne from her scheming brother. I think sometimes the answer to the question “What should I say to the Grim Reaper?” is “Cool Cool Cool, Dondebamos?”

As the number of myths increases, so do the gods.

In a world where the sun must be replenished once every ten years to ward off the evil Obsidian Gods, demigods compete in a series of high-stakes challenges called the Sunbearer Trials. How high are the stakes? The winner gets to carry light and life to all the temples, while the loser gets the “honor” of having their body melted down and used as juice to power up the Sunstone. The vibe of this Mexican-inspired YA fantasy is kind of queer-normative. hunger gamesHowever, it includes gods, magic, and Mexican folklore. This is the first of a completed two-part series. Go ahead and devour it!

For meditation on stories and oral traditions

Earth has just been rocked by a comet, and Petra and her family are among the hundreds chosen to travel to the new planet and keep humanity alive. Hundreds of years later, Petra wakes up to find that invaders have taken over the ship and erased the memories of everyone on board. Petra always wanted to be a quentista, or storyteller, like her abuelita, and now it looks like she could be of Quentista, the only person who remembers Earth and can keep its story alive. i walked away from there odysseyand all the online discourse surrounding it, makes me think a lot about the tradition of oral storytelling. This book will give you an opportunity to think about them as well.

For magic and a journey to the underworld

When a reluctant Brujah casts a spell to remove her own magic, it backfires spectacularly, forcing her to try to solve the disaster caused by her terrifying powers. She embarks on a journey of self-discovery to embrace her powers (she denies being the most powerful Brujah of all time), her queerness, and her place in the world. It also becomes a literal journey into some kind of underworld to regain all that was lost. This coming-of-age story explores sisterhood, identity, and familial duty, and is the first in a completed Witches trilogy.

For the best efforts of angry gods and just for the love of Greek mythology

In this bizarre take on Greek mythology, the non-binary Eros kidnaps Psyche, the most beautiful woman in town, to a hidden palace to escape the wrath of the gods, including an enraged Aphrodite. Under the darkness of the night, they fall in love and do what lovers do most passionately. But Eros must fly away every morning before dawn. The weight of all this secret begins to weigh on Psyche, and she begins to doubt Eros. These doubts lead her to betray Eros’s trust, and well… this is Greek mythology, so I’m sure everything will work out for everyone.