Another Bingo challenge begins on September 15th and lasts until October 15th! This time it’s Latinx Book Bingo to celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month, though I think Latinx Book Bingo intends to encompass more than just Spanish speaking humans and I know it intends to focus on Intersectionality. Here is the link to the Latinx Book Bingo Twitter account, and the hosts are Paola, Allie, and Sofia. I’ve not chosen a book for every single category this time since I realized with the Ripped Bodice Bingo, I’m really bad at doing that. We’ll see how things turn out!
1) Bisexual Main Character
My intention for this square is to read Labryinth Lost by Zoraida Córdova, which also would fit the sci-fi/fantasy category and the f/f relationship square. What I know about this book is that the main character is a Bruja and she wants to get rid of her magic, but accidentally gets rid of her whole family. It’s not much, but I’m excited to read it. I’ve heard such good things about it and I enjoy Zoraida Córdova on Twitter.
2) Sci-Fi/Fantasy
I think it’s finally time for me to finish Her Body and Other Parties by Carmen Maria Machado. This is a short story collection and I managed to make it to the very confusing short story reimagining Law & Order: SVU and I think I need to just push through that one and finish the book. Machado’s writing is intriguing and a little dark, but I found it really interesting. We’ll see how finishing it off counts. (This is only half cheating, honestly. Haha)
3) Main Character with Mental Illness
Gabi, a Girl in Pieces by Isabel Quinterro is a book I hadn’t heard of, but Sophie, one of the hosts, posted this giant 90 book recommendations list and this ones seemed intriguing! Apparently there is depression and eating disorder rep in this one. It’s about Gabi who is chronicling her senior year of high school and dealing with quite a lot, from the sounds of it. It could also count for fat rep.
4) On Cover Representation
Pretending He’s Mine by Mia Sosa has the most perfect start to a book ever and I’m so excited to read more than just the first chapter. This book follows Julian and Ashley and has fake dating and forced proximity so like, does it get better than this? This is the second book in Sosa’s Love on Cue series and while I enjoyed Acting on Impulse, I didn’t love it. That said, I really think this one is going to check all of my boxes. I cannot wait to pick this book up so fingers crossed I can hold off until Saturday!
5) Historical Fiction
I’m finally giving Lydia San Andres a try with A Summer for Scandal and I can’t wait. I’ve heard incredible things about her historical romance so it’s about time I try one out. A Summer for Scandal follows Emilia Cruz who attends a boating party at the behest of her sister and meets some literary darling who is super rude about the serial she writes under a pseudonym. This literary darling, Ruben Torres, is writing for a gossip column and he is determined to find out the identity of this mysterious author so… Ya girl is ready, in other words!
6) Contemporary Romance
I think I’m going with His Perfect Partner by Priscilla Oliveres for this one, though I also have Delicious Temptation by Sabrina Sol and I’d love to read them both. We’ll see how it goes! His Perfect Partner is a RITA nominated book that follows a divorced dad who is really intrigued by his daughter’s dance teacher. It’s giving me Taming Natasha by Nora Roberts vibes, which remains one of my absolute FAVORITES of Roberts’ books so I’m extremely optimistic that I’ll love this one just as much.
7) Magical Realism
When the Moon Was Oursby Anna-Marie McLemore was available from my library so I picked this one up. When I tried Wild Beauty last year, I couldn’t really get into it because I really don’t do well with description. Her writing is super lush, which is why so many people love it, but I thought I would try again and see if I can get into it better now. Anyway, this book is about two friends and there are probably queer elements and it’s very definitely magical realism. Oh, and there are secrets.
8) Poetry
As you’ll see in my Contemporary A Thon TBR, I plan to read The Poet X by Elizabeth Acevedo for both this readathon and that one. I actually have a very specific plan to listen to this audiobook on Monday as I drive to the furthest courthouse from where I live in my district for a case I have out there. I should be able to finish it on my drive! This book is about a girl in Harlem who discovers slam poetry and uses it to cope with her mother’s religion and the world. I am not great with poetry, but am cautiously optimistic I’ll enjoy this one.
9) Refugee/Migrant Story
American Streetby Ibi Zoboi is my pick for this one, which I also have on audio from Hoopla and have on my ContemporaryAThon list as well. I’ll be listening to this most likely on my way back from court on Monday and then trying to finish it off before it expires on me. It follows a teenage girl who tries to immigrate to the United States with her mom, but her mom gets sent back to Haiti and Fabiola makes it to her aunt in Detroit. Fabiola has to adjust to life in the States and living with her extended family. I think Kayla at BooksandLala really enjoyed this book last year, so I’m hoping I will too!
10) Fat Rep
Another recommendation from Sophie, Learning Curves by Ceillie Simkiss is a female/female romance set in law school and I’m really loving this cover. Anyway, this short novella follows Elena Mendez, who is a 3L and utterly convinced she doesn’t have time for love, which is super relatable, but like, that did not work out for me the way it’s about to for Elena. Anyway, she lends her notes one day to Cora who is also career driven, but a freelance writer getting her MBA so I’m interested to see how they meet in a way that leads to sharing notes. ANYWAYs, they share notes and slowly become closer and I am delighted. I love books about soon to be lawyers. And lawyers, I guess. Ahh. I can’t wait!
11) Disabled or Main Character with a Chronic Illness
The Storm Runner by J.C. Cervantes is another book from the Rick Riordian imprint that deals with Mayan myths and I’m really excited about it. It doesn’t come out until Tuesday, but I’m going to do my best to get my hands on it as quickly as possible because I’m really excited for it. Our main character, Zane, really loves to explore this volcano by his home in New Mexico, but one day his friend, Brooks, tells him that he’s destined to release an evil Mayan god from an ancient relic he’s imprisoned in. So lots of stuff goes down around this volcano and the whole time Zane has only one good leg. And there’s a dog! Rosie! Very excited about this situation.
I’m also hoping that I’ll get to a few other books this month like Anger is a Gift by Mark Oshiro and Stripped by Zoey Castile, but we’ll see how that goes. Are you participating in Latinx Book Bingo? If you are and you haven’t read Next Year in Havana by Chanel Cleeton yet, allow me to encourage you to absolutely get on that! It counts as historical fiction or contemporary romance! You should read it! Let me know in the comments below if you have any other recommendations for me!
xx
firewhiskeyreader 