Left Unread Books | Asiri and the Amaru: Pisqu Sweet an...

Asiri and the Amaru: Pisqu Sweet and Sour Book 1

Natalia Hernandez

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Asiri has a gift—she has the ability to speak to animals. However, when she begins to feel that her talents are being abused in her home, she escapes to a delightful coastal village where she plans to hide her gift and finally live a “normal” life.

This proves difficult as her path keeps crossing with Dario, the village’s charming and handsome animal healer—and the person most likely to guess her secret.

Through a twist of fate, Asiri and Dario stumble across an injured Amaru, a creature who had, up until then, been thought only to be myth.

Now, Asiri has a mission.

Convince Dario to help the creature.

Protect it from the superstitious town people.

Keep her gift a secret.

And absolutely, most definitely, NOT fall in love while doing so.

Asiri and the Amaru is a Cozy Latin Fantasy Romance based on Peruvian mythology and is intended for adult audiences.

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Posts about this title from Left Unread Books

Left Unread Books\ \ Michael LaBorn\ \ • Jan 11 2025

GIVEAWAY: The Flowers of Prophecy Series & Asiri and the Amaru

Natalia Hernandez is a rising star in the indie space and I am so excited to be able to share her work with you! If you have not already read all of her published work, here is your chance to! See below for information on how TWO of you can win copies of all four of her currently published books! AHHH!!!

4 books

Left Unread Books\ \ Michael LaBorn\ \ • Sep 17 2024

FALENCIA JEAN-FRANCOIS\ \ Falencia is a hatian woman who speaks freely about her intersecting identities and fights to bring the world stories that not only represent her, but teach the world something. Her debut book, Devil of the Deep, follows a mermaid who is forced to flee her home in order to escape an underwater cult and ends up partnering with a notoroius pirate and an unwilling navy captain to protect an ancienty artifact from nefarious forces who want to use it to end the world.\ \ This book is filled with intersecting marginalized identities and big conversations about things like Blackness, trans identity, queerness, what it means to be "othered" and even the need to deconstruct colonial religion. This book was masterfully written and, in my opinion, is one of the greatest pieces of literature to be written in modern times.\ \ NATALIA HERNANDEZ\ \ Natalia is a rising (already risen, let's be honest) star in the indie space. Her debut, The Namebearer, came out late 2022, and she has already become one of the most well-known and celebrated authors in many bookish spaces. The Namebearer follows a young girl who was taken from her home and stripped of her name and identity so that she could be raised by the royal family with one specific purpose: so that when the Queen eventually gives birth to the next monarch, she can go to the flowers of prophesy and receive his name. However, when the Prince is born, she goes to the flowers and is told that he will not be king. In fact, if she wants to save the kingdom, she must rebel against the royal family and go find The Promised Prince so that he can take his throne and usher the realm into peace.\ \ In the Namebearer, we primarily follow this nameless girl as she hides among a group of warrior women and trains for this important mission. And throughout the rest of the series ( Follower of Flowers, Daughter of Danray & unnamed final installment), we follow her as she fights for her own identity in the midst of sacrificing everything to save a kingdom that considers her a traitor. This story speaks to every little girl and every brown person who has been raised to believe that they only exist in the context of a people who want to both rule them and erase them.\ \ She is also the author of Asiri and the Amaru, which follows a woman who has the rare gift of being able to talk to animals. She has spent her entire life being exploited by her father to build his own reputation. But when she runs away, she decides that she isn't going to tell anyone about her gift. She wants to live a normal life. But when a mythical Amaru gets hurt and a very attractive vet needs her help to save it... well... you know where the story goes from there. This story is a beautiful peak into Peruvian mythology with a cozy, warm setting.\ \ Natalia writes unapologetically Latine storys filled with beautiful imagery, fantastical magic and beautifully orchestrated plots. Couldn't recommend her work more!!!\ \ AMANDA WEAVER\ \ Amanda is one of the best writers I know. Her first book I came across was In the House of Transcendence, which follows a Black woman who can see and interact with ghosts. As a child, her father exploited her gifts and denied her community with people who could help her understand and grow in her gifts. She lived her life in isolation and seperated from her community. But when she stumbles accross another witch and is invited to be a part of a real community, she jumps at the opportunity. Even when it comes with its own set of challenges and difficulties. Including a murder that only she can solve. Working closely with one of the communities elders, our main character must investigate the death of the elder's lover, while building community with her new found-family and working at a local burlesque club. Yes, you read that right. This book is about a burlesque dancing necromancer. Need I say more?\ \ I also read her most recent novel, No One's Gonna Take Her Soul Away, which follows a Black woman who is brutally murdered and unjustly sent to the seventh level of Pandemonium (hell). But she knows she doesn't deserve to be there, so with the help of a vampire and a werewolf, she must battle her way through seven levels of hell so that she can confront the god who banished her there and find justice for herself. This book has strong conversations about the plight of Black women who are forced to fight for, and to save, themselves. It is an incredible story filled with gore, big conversations, and a dash of spice.\ \ \ \ \ \ \ \

Sapphic September!

Here is a short list of a few of my favorite sapphic indies to read this September!

7 books

Left Unread Books\ \ Michael LaBorn\ \ • Jul 28 2024

[**Amanda Weaver: **Amanda writes a range of Fantasy and Horror. I have read two of her books:\ \

_In The House of Transcendence, _which follows a necromancer who works as a burlesque dancer and helps her new boss solve the murder of her dead lover while cproving herself to the community of witches her boss oversees. This book has strong conversations about identity, found family, Blackness and belonging, and has plenty of Black and queer representation. Low spice, but plenty of romantic themes.\
_No One's Gonna Take Her Soul Away, _a book about a Black woman who is murdered and unjustly sent to the seventh level of Pandemonia (hell). Unwilling to spend eternity suffering, she partners with a werewolf and a vamp, who help her fight her way through all seven levels of Pandemonia so she can confront the pretentious goddess who condemned her in the first place. This story has moderate spice, an enemy to lovers storyline, and PLENTY of violence, gore and hard-to-stomach torture. It also has conversations about found family, redemption, Blackness and the Black woman's worth.\ \ Natalia Hernandez: Natalia is in the middle of a high fantasy series and a series of interconnected cozy fantasy stand-alones. I have read all four of her books, including her most recent, which releases in two months.\ \
Flowers of Prophesy Series is a high fantasy series about a young woman who is on a quest to find the rightful prince of her nation so that she can stop a war that has been raging for centuries and stop the bloodshed. The first book, _The Name Bearer, _introduces us to the Name Bearer, who was taken from her family as a baby and raised in the royal castle with no name or identity of her own. Her only purpose was to wait for the Queen to have a son and to then go to the flowers of prophesy to receive his name. Only, when the Queen finally has a son, she goes to the flowers...and they tell her that the Queen's son will not be the next King. Armed with that knowledge, she must go on a quest to find the Prince that was Promised and to bring him back for his naming ceremony. Which leads the Name Bearer on a decade long quest, where she is raised and trained in combat by a society of reveered warrior women. The following books follow her quest to discover her identity, carve out space for herself, and...well...FIND THE PRINCE. The third book in this series (of four planned books) comes out October 17th! This series is filled with magic, self-discovery, fighting, bloodshed, political intrigue, and a very slow burn romance.\
_Asiri and the Amaru _is the first in a five-book interconnected series of stand-alone romantasy stories. This one follows Asiri, a young Peruvian woman who has the rare ability to speak with animals. After a lifetime of her father exploiting her abilities to amplify his prestige in their community, she runs away from home and resettles in a beautiful seaside village, where she is determined not to tell anyone about her gift...until she runs into a Veterinarian who needs her help to nurse a mythical Amaru back to health. This one has a bit of spice, but only one scene.\ \ Falencia Jean Francois writes high fantasy better than almost anyone I know! I have read her debut, which was one of the best books I've ever written!!\ \
_Devil of the Deep _is a high fantasy following a pirate, a mermaid and an officer as their stories converge at the end of the world. When our main character realizes she is a part of an underwater cult, she must swim to the surface world to escape their clutches, only to find her path crossing with a notorious pirate who is at war with a navy that is secretly working toward the same aim as the cult she has just escaped from. This story has massive conversations about identity, found family, colonization and resisting colonial religion. It has plenty of Black, queer, trans and neurodivergent representation. And it is by far, one of the best books I have EVER read in my life. Couldn't recommend this story more highly! Very mild spice.\ \ Deston Munden writes high fantasy with the intention of representing Black people and challenging the racist notions that often exist in fantasy circles. I have read several of Deston's books and I loved them so much that I am currently working with him to republish them and hopefully push them to a wider market!\ \
_Dusk Mountain Blues _is a sci-fi story about a Black family that are the descendants of humans who were experiemented on by the government before developing powers and escaping to a mostly abandoned planet, where they now battle against the invading forces of the intergallactic government that captured them to begin with. This is a story that speaks to making space for Black people in every space, drawing inspiration from a lot of stories that often speak primarily to white audiences. Our main characters are deniably country, poor, uneducated and rough around the edges. But also...they are undeniably BLACK. We watch them navigate hard relationships, family fueds, tension with the native inhabitants of the planet they were forced onto, and incredible displays of power, love and solidarity against oppression. This is the first of a series. I honestly don't remember if there was any spice, but I don't believe there was.\
Tavern is also the first book in a series. It follows an Orc who owns a tavern and leads a group of mercenaries. When he helps heal the wrong people, he ends up on the wrong side of a group of assassins, who are determined to make him pay. This story sees him fight for his freedom, and fight to protect his home and city from an insurmountable threat. This book fights to combat many of the racist tropes that are often written into Orc characters in fantasy stories. And despite having no humans, this book reads as undeniably BLACK.\ \ Michael Tinsley put out his debut last year, which I read and LOVED.\ \
_May a Divine Awaken _is about a young Black boy who has been ostracized from his community because of a skin condition (vitiligo). His world takes the divisions that exist in our world to the extreme. So far that their eight nations are not only split by ethnic identity, but also by gender. Men and women are seperated as dramatically as possible, as are the rich from the poor and the powerful from the powerless. Our main character has always thought himself to be weak, not having supernatural power of his own, but when his town is attacked by assassins, and he ends up on a journey in search of help, he finds out that the power he SHOULD have has been locked away and if he wants to save the world from an attempted coup from two of their world's highest leaders, he will have to awaken his power and fight for everyone's lives. This book was one of my favorite reads of 2023, and I recently received a package from the author with a copy of the second edition, which has been released with an all new (and incredible) cover!](https://leftunreadbooks.binderybooks.com/item/QUSvW8OLyzenCMlxHfFl/)

Five Black/brown Authors You Should Know

If you like reading Black and brown books (which, if you don't...why are you here?), here are a list of five authors you should be intimately familiar with!

11 books

Left Unread Books\ \ Michael LaBorn\ \ • Jul 10 2024

[Meet the Author: Natalia Hernandez\ \ Natalia is the author of The Name Bearer, Follower of Flowers, Asiri and the Amaru, and the upcoming release Daughter of Danray. She is an Indigneous, Latine indie author and her debut novel, The Name Bearer is our July bookclub pick!\ \

- *\ \ Event Details:\ \ Date: July 23rd\ \ Time: 6:30 PM\ \ Location: https://us06web.zoom.us/j/82274460416?pwd=iWZ3QRbobyyPuF2NJEeCXLjFUIOMUK.1\\ \ Meeting ID: 822 7446 0416\ \ Passcode: 605610\ \ This will be a joint event with Boozhoo Books](https://leftunreadbooks.binderybooks.com/item/t9aLnaFqFkvm6gAqRmzs/)

Meet the Author: Natalia Hernandez

We are currently reading The Name Bearer by Natalia Hernandez for bookclub! A booktok favorite! And for those of you that are interested, Natalia has agreed to come spend some time with us on the 23rd! It will be a zoom event at 6:30 CST and the zoom info is in the post! I hope to see you all there!

3 books

Left Unread Books\ \ Michael LaBorn\ \ • Apr 17 2024

Q&A With author Natalia Hernandez TODAY at 1pm CST

If you are a fan of the Flowers of Prophecy series or an indie author looking for advice on how to navigate the publishing industry, join us for a candid chat with Natalia Herndandez.

3 books

Left Unread Books\ \ Michael LaBorn\ \ • Mar 5 2024

Asiri and the Amaru: Low stakes romantacy

One of my favorite romantasys. Low stakes, fun characters, a little 🌶️. Plot: the main character has the rare ability to speak with animals and runs away from home after years of her father using her gift to further his own renown. In her new village, she stumbles upon her perfect match in a veterinarian and the two must work together to save a legendary amaru, all while she keeps her gift hidden from him. #booktok #blackbooktok #readwithmichael #readingispolitical #writingispolitical #writewithmichael #bipocauthors #indieauthors #nataliahernandez #asiriandtheamaru

1 book

Left Unread Books\ \ Michael LaBorn\ \ • Feb 29 2024

Earlier this week, I made a post on Tiktok promoting Devil of the Deep, which I will link below, and I asked my following to help me sell the author out of her tiktok shop. And a few hours later, she was completely sold out. And loving the reaction, I put more books in front of my audience (books by Natalia Hernandez and Michael Tinsley), and they continued to show up and buy Black and brown books and help me in my goal of making Black and brown indie's famous.... and I am feeling so encouraged.\ \ This journey... content creation... has never been just about building an audience or monetization or anything like that. It has always been about making CHANGE... and I cannot tell you how exciting it has been to me over the last year to watch as my audience shows up time and time again to join me in that mission.\ \ And I am especially grateful for each and every one of you because you are here because you share that visison with me. You care about making change. And I appreciate you more than you will ever know.\ \ \ \

A week of selling Black books.

I spent the last few days working toward selling Black books on Tiktok and I wanna talk about!

5 books

Posts about this book from across Bindery

Bien Leidos\ \ tomesandtextiles\ \ • May 24

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\ \ Happy Sunday, mis internet amigxs!\ \ I'm thrilled to announce that we'll be chatting with Natalia Hernandez, author of our May book club selection, Asiri and the Amaru on Monday, June 1st at 8:00 PM EST. The Zoom invite is below!\ \ If you're wondering why I didn't say our chat was in lieu of weekly sprints, it's because sprints have been moved to a monthly schedule as I work on some other initiatives. Our schedule now is the second Monday of the month, meaning our next official Discord sprint session is Monday, June 8th at 8:00 PM EST. \ \ Be on the lookout for future announcements and changes to our Bien Leidos schedule coming up very soon.\ \ If you have questions for Natalia, there is a thread on Discord open through May 31st for you to drop our questions.\ \ As always, the chat link below is for Bien Leidos Bindery members only. DO NOT SHARE THIS LINK WITH OTHERS:\ \ Topic: Bien Leidos Author Chat: Natalia Hernandez\ \ Time: Jun 1, 2026 08:00 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada)\ \ Join Zoom Meeting\ \ https://us06web.zoom.us/j/88089763992?pwd=Oeo6GjJqKbrPKXBsNFC9HU9bNp3yI0.1\\ \ Meeting chat link\ \ https://us06web.zoom.us/launch/jc/88089763992\\ \ Meeting ID: 880 8976 3992\ \ Passcode: 211986\ \

- *\ \ One tap mobile\ \ +13052241968,,88089763992#,,,,*211986# US\ \ +16469313860,,88089763992#,,,,*211986# US\ \
- *\ \ Join by SIP\ \ • 88089763992@zoomcrc.com\ \ Join instructions\ \ https://us06web.zoom.us/meetings/88089763992/invitations?signature=T8xWsPtz99mPwQrn8VgQbPb3C32GTZLk-0wvEG-4Bfw\\ \ Join for free or login](https://bien-leidos.binderybooks.com/item/se210t0RONR3RhTSBUB1/)

AUTHOR CHAT: Natalia Hernandez

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Bien Leidos\ \ tomesandtextiles\ \ • May 24

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[Happy Tuesday, mis internet amigxs!\ \ I hope everyone had a relaxing Decoration, i.e., Memorial Day and that those that had a 3 day weekend truly enjoyed the additional time off.\ \ Before I begin with book club reminders, I have seen the violent footage form Delaney Hall yesterday (tw: police violence), that lead to friends being attacked an a US Senator, Andy Kim, being pepper sprayed for trying to provide oversight of the facility. I feel like I have run out of words to describe the horrors I see everyday in this country, but I will continue to witness and help where I can. Currently, I am trying to find mutual aid to donate to for protestors. I've reached out to friends who were there this weekend and am waiting to hear back from them. If you know of any, please feel free to comment them below so that I can share and amplify.\ \ AUTHOR CHAT \ \ Our author chat with Natalia Hernandez is coming up on Monday, June 1st at 8 PM EST. The private Zoom link to attend is here. The conversation will be recorded for those who miss it. If you are joining, PLEASE REMEMBER TO TURN OFF YOUR CAMERA AND MICROPHONE.\ \ There is still time to read the book! I read it in 2 sittings this weekend. It is a quick and fun cozy romp that I highly recommend. It's on Kindle Unlimited for those with subscriptions.\ \ JUNE BOOK CLUB \ \ I can't believe June is right around the corner. Our fiction read is And I'll Take Out Your Eyes by A. M. Sosa, a debut following a queer Chicano’s cannon-shot into adulthood amidst familial turmoil and the suffocating violence of Stockton, California in the early 2000s.\ \ We're also still reading our May nonfiction pick through the end of June, Accordion Eulogies, a memoir of music, migration and Mexcio that is also a micro-history of the accordion.\ \ July book club polls for both fiction and nonfiction will be up this week!\ \ As we look out for the rest of the year of book club:\ \

In August, we'll be reading The Intrigue by Silvia Moreno-Garcia (fiction pick)\ \
October's fiction pick is You Should Have Been Nicer to My Mom by Vincent Tirado\ \ \ Community support \ \ Building community through Bindery is how I can make a difference in publishing and continue to push for more Latinx representation in publishing. If you are looking to support my work, there are 2 paid tiers that provide crucial monthly financial support to keep my work going.\ \ And now, May 26th Latine Releases... LITERARY FICTION \ \ Pretend You're Dead, I'll Carry You by Julián Delgado Lopera (Audiobook)\ \ MIDDLE GRADE\ \ \ \ The Chismosas Only Book Club by Laekan Zea Kemp and Illustrated by Heidi Moreno (Audiobook)\ \ \ \ Five Days at the Hotel Adams by Hailey Alcaraz (Audiobook)\ \ YOUNG ADULT\ \ \ \ How to Love You When You’re Gone by Gabriela Gonzales (Audiobook)\ \ \ \ We Could Be Anyone by Anna-Marie McLemore (Audiobook) \ \ PICTURE BOOK\ \ \ \ Finding My Wave by Alexandra Katona and illustrated by Sara Palacios\ \ xo,\ \ Carmen\ \ Carmen\ \ Join for free or login](https://bien-leidos.binderybooks.com/item/CymW2TWp4giVqSnuVIdc/)

WEEKLY NEWSLETTER: May 26th Latine Book Releases

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Bien Leidos\ \ tomesandtextiles\ \ • May 19

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Happy Tuesday, misinternet amigxs,\ \ I'm still coming down from BookNet Fest Weekend (roundup post coming tomorrow), so, for now, I'll leave you with a couple of book club announcements before getting to this week's releases.\ \ We're still currently reading Asiri and the Amaru by Natalia Hernandez and Accordion Eulogies by Noe Alvarez. It's not too late to join for either, but especially for Accordion Eulogies because we're reading it through the end of June.\ \ There will also be a poll this week on Discord to schedule our author chat with Natalia Hernandez in early June.\ \ A note on programming, effective immediately, we'll be taking official Monday night sprints from weekly to a monthly event, on the second Monday of every month, meaning our next sprint will be Monday, June 8th. Also, Journaling/Sticker night is cancelled this month as well. I'm working on some alternatives that I hope will more than make up for these changes. Watch this space for more announcements and polls as we move forward!\ \ And now onto this week's Latine book releases...\ \ MEMOIR\ \ \ \ The Keeper of My Kin by Ada Ferrer (Audiobook) \ \ ROMANCE\ \ \ \ I'm Gonna Get You Back by Eva Des Lauriers (Audiobook) \ \ \ \ Running Home To You by Samantha Saldivar (Audiobook) \ \ TRANSLATED LITERARY FICTION\ \ \ \ Tarantula by Eduardo Halfon and Translated by Daniel Hahn\ \ NONFICTION\ \ \ \ What Science Says about Astrology by Carlos Orsi\ \ Join for free or login

WEEKLY NEWSLETTER: May 19th Latinx Book Releases

7 books

Bien Leidos\ \ tomesandtextiles\ \ • May 3

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[Happy Sunday, mis internet amigxs!\ \ I was trying to get all May releases into one post, but just ran out of time, but I am planning for next week's post to wrap-up the month for you...There are a few books releasing today just in time for World Cup fever for readers of all ages, but first, a little housekeeping...\ \ Until then, I have some Discord Book Club reminders for you:\ \

MAY FICTION BOOK: Asiri and the Amaru by Natalia Hernandez\ \
MAY - JUNE NONFICTION SIDE QUEST: Accordion Eulogies by Noe Alvarez (requested theme was micro history)\ \
Both May book channels are open on Discord\ \
On Friday, May 8th, we'll be having spoilery discussion of both The House of the Spirits AND Everyone Who is Gone Is Here\ \
As a reminder our June fiction selection is And I'll Take Your Eyes Out by A.M. Sosa, plus we have The Intrigue by Silvia Moreno-Garcia coming up as our August selection and You Should Have Been Nicer To My My by Vincent Tirado for October.\ \
We'll be voting on future selections as well as a chat with Natalia Hernandez soon.\ \ \ And now on to this week's Latine releases!\ \ YOUNG ADULT \ \ Here Ye Mortals by Yamile Saied Mendez (Audiobook) While they're waiting for a girl's body to be recovered, an angel tells her ghost the story of their favorite band, which was created during the dictatorship in Argentina at the end of the 1970's. A historical YA steeped in anti-authoritarianism.\ \ MIDDLE GRADE \ \ \ \ The Mystery of the Stolen World Cup Trophy by Angela Cervantes (Audiobook) a middle grade detective story inspired by the real-life history of the World Cup trophy going missing -- just in time for the 2026 FIFA World Cup\ \ NONFICTION \ \ The Game at the End of the World: Villainous Referees, Communist Bakers, the Secret Women's World Cup, and a Goalkeeper's Last Stand by Juan Villoro and translated by Francisco Cantu: From the author of Horizontal Vertical, comes a history of soccer just in time for the World Cup\ \ \ \ Cold War Puerto Rico: Anti-Communism in Washington’s Caribbean Colony by Steve Howell: A gripping history of FBI surveillance, political repression, and the fight for Puerto Rican independence for those who want further reader after War Against All Puerto Ricans.\ \ xo,\ \ Carmen\ \ Upgrade for $5 or login](https://bien-leidos.binderybooks.com/item/OfcU1cAKdvz1Tpy8mmD8/)

EXCLUSIVE NEWSLETTER: May 5th Latine Book Releases

10 books

Bien Leidos\ \ tomesandtextiles\ \ • Apr 28

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Happy Tuesday, mis internet amigxs!\ \ As I announced Sunday on socials, I'm just returning from the world premier of La Casa De Los Espiritus in Santiago, Chile. I will be publishing a post tomorrow about my experience, as well as some thoughts on the first 2 episodes of the show.\ \ Who's tuning in tomorrow when it premieres on Amazon Prime?\ \ As we wind up April reads, I will be posting polls for when to have our spoilery discussions on Discord.\ \ In addition, start planning your May reads: Asiri and the Amaru by Natalia Hernandez for our main May selection and Accordion Eulogies by Noe Alvarez as our nonfiction sidequest through June.\ \ And now onto the reasons you are here; this week's Latinx releases...\ \ HISTORICAL FICTION \ \ Liar's Dice by Juliet Faithfull (Audiobook)\ \ PICTURE BOOK \ \ Mami's Magic Words by Kiara Valdes and illustrated by Richy Sánchez Ayala\ \ \ \ What Kind of Queen? A Royal Biography of Drag Queen and Activist José Sarria by Kyle Casey Chu & Andrew W Shaffer and Illustrated by Cindy Lozito\ \ \ \ We the People Is All the People: A Picture Book by Howard W Reeves and Illustrated by Duncan Tonatiuh\ \ Cheers,\ \ Carmen\ \ Join for free or login

WEEKLY NEWSLETTER: APRIL 28TH LATINE BOOK RELEASES

7 books

Bien Leidos\ \ tomesandtextiles\ \ • Apr 21

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Happy Tuesday, mis internet amigxs!\ \ I've been bursting at the seams to break this news to you...this post is coming to you from Santiago, Chilr. I'm here this week for the worldwide premiere of The House of the Spirits! \ \ I started my trip last night and am just arriving this morning. We set-up an #✈️-Adventuras channel in Discord where I am sharing some in-real-time updates as I can, so please head over there to ask questions/get more updates this week!\ \ BOOK CLUB POLL RESULTS \ \ Bindery and Discord results varied greatly, so we finally decided on the following--\ \ June Book Club Selection: And I'll Take Your Eyes Out\ \ October Book Club Selection: You Should Have Been Nicer to my Mom\ \ Don't forget May is Asiri and rhe Amaru and August is The Intrigue by Silvia Moreno -Garcia\ \ We have nonfiction book club through June, Accordion Eulogies, so we'll vote on July book club after I get back. xo, Carmen\ \ And now, onto today's Latine book releases!\ \ APRIL 21st TRANSLATED FICTION \ \ Exemplary Humans by Julana Lette and translated by Zoe Perry (Audiobook)100-year old Natalia is stuck inside her house reliving her past and watching everything go on outside her window. This is a story about her past and all our futures.\ \ LITERARY FICTION \ \ Last Night In Brooklyn by Xochitl Gonzalez (Audiobook) Xochitl is back with another work of literary fiction, this time, about a girl in 2007 whose life becomes ensnared in the life of her neighbor...\ \ NONFICTION \ \ Prophecy: Prediction Power, and the Fight for the Future from Ancient Oracle to AI Carissa Velez (Audiobook) An urgent new look at prophecies—the predictions that determine our lives, from our personal finances and the quality of our healthcare to the news and social media we consume and the products foisted upon us.\ \ \ \ The Sun and All the Other Stars by Karla Montalván (Audiobook) Publishin both English and Spanish, intentionally creating space for bilingual readers and intergenerational conversations within Latin families. The novel follows a Cuban American muralist who begins to recognize a pattern of generational heartbreak in her family. In searching for answers, she explores past-life regression — uncovering three former lives across different eras and geographies. Through these layered timelines, the book explores love, identity, migration, memory, and the cultural threads that shape who we become.\ \ POETRY \ \ The Selected Poems of José Emilio Pacheco by José Emilio Pacheco and edited by George McWhirter (Audiobook)\ \ PICTURE BOOK \ \ Lupe Lopez: Rock Star Rivals! by e.E. Charlton-Trujillo & Pat Zietlow Miller and Illustrated by Joe Cepeda\ \ \ \ Hold by Randy Ribay and Illustrated by Zeke Peña\ \ xoxo, \ \ Carmen\ \ Join for free or login

WEEKLY NEWSLETER: APRIL 21ST LATINE BOOK RELEASES

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Bien Leidos\ \ tomesandtextiles\ \ • Apr 15

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BIEN LEIDOS MAY BOOK ANNOUNCEMENT

BIEN LEIDOS MAY BOOK ANNOUNCEMENT: Asiri and the Amaru by @Natalia Hernandez #cozyfantasy #readlatinxbooks #bienleidos #tomesandtextiles

1 book

Bien Leidos\ \ tomesandtextiles\ \ • Feb 18

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Good morning, Bien Leidos!\ \ I wanted to announce the winner of our April book club poll as well as let you know some changes to upcoming book club selections--it'll just be a change in reading order versus changing books, though so keep reading!\ \ So the winner of our April fantasy pick was Asiri and the Amaru by Natalia Hernandez! As I was putting together the post, I saw Isabel Allende's Instagram post that La Casa De Los Espiritu Spanish language television adaptation would be releasing on April 29th on Prime. For our Bien Leidos 2 year anniversary, I'd been planning to select a classic of Latine literature to read in May. In fact, I was going to be putting up a poll today, but this announcement made the answer clear to me (as did a 4 hour poll I put up on Discord--YOU REALLY NEED TO JOIN IF YOU HAVEN'T ALREADY), so what I did was switch up the order of our book club reads for April and May. I'll be posting the announcements in a bit on social media, but I wanted to deliver the announcements exclusively to you first.\ \ \ \ I also wanted to remind you that we're still reading Sparks Fly this month so it's not too late to join! I'll be putting up a poll today to schedule our spoilery chat early in March.\ \ \ \ Also, our March pick is Now I Surrender by Alvaro Enrigue. It releases March 3rd, so we'll get started with our chat a little bit later in the month since this is a new release. And in case you haven't entered, I have a MASSIVE 15 BOOK GIVEAWAY FOR NOW I SURRENDER up that ends tomorrow!\ \ \ \ I am very much looking forward to reading all these books with you! Thank you for being a part of this amazing community!\ \ xoxo,\ \ Carmen\ \ Join for free or login

April + May Bien Leidos Book Club Polls Result

4 books

Bien Leidos\ \ tomesandtextiles\ \ • Feb 14

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Poll:\ \ Vote for April book club\ \ Good morning, mis internet amigxs,\ \ Over on Discord, we decided our April and May genre for book club would be Fantasy for April and a Latine Classic for May.\ \ I'm posting a bit about each of the April possibilities below so that you can vote on the selection. I'll also be posting a poll on Discord. Feel free to vote on one of both polls. The poll will be open until February 17th, both here and on Discord.\ \ \ \ Pedro The Vast by Simon Lopez Trujillo and translated by Robin Myers: Chilean literary science fiction with a fungal twist set in a dystopian . Short and headspinning--for fans of Jeff Vandermeer.\ \ \ \ Asiri and the Amaru by Natalia Hernandez is a Latin American cozy romantasy inspired by Peruvian mythology and set in a reimagined Inca empire. There are cute animals! mythical creatures! magical secrets! low stakes! slow burn romance! This is the first book in an unfinished series.\ \ \ \ A Cruel Thirst by Angela Montoya is a young adult dual POV romance fantasy about a cinnamon roll newly turned vampire boy and a badass vampire huntress set in an alternative historical Mexico with fantastic banter.\ \ I'll be following up with a May possibilities poll later this week.\ \ xo,\ \ Carmen\ \ Join for free or login

POLL: April Book Club Selections

3 books

Bookish AfroLatina's Library\ \ Gabby\ \ • Oct 13 2025

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\ \ Latine Heritage Month isn’t over yet!! Day 28 of #LHMBookstaChallenge focuses on An Afro-Latine and/or a Latine-Indigenous author, book, and/or character so I chose a couple of books to recommend to y’all.\ \ Pilar Ramirez and the Escape from Zafa by Julian Randall \ \ This is the 1st book in an awesome duology about a girl named Pilar who aspires to be a filmmaker. She’s creating a film about the Dominican Republic and her family but there’s one big part of the story that she can’t get her mamí or abuela to share: her cousin’s disappearance in D.R. 50 years ago. Determined to find out the answers for herself, Pilar ends up on the mystical island of Zafa, searching for her cousin as coconut-shaped demons chase her and Las Mariposas guide her.\ \ I recommend this book a lot because I love the way that Randall writes and the story is so original!\ \ Asiri and The Amaru by Natalia Hernandez \ \ Asiri seeks a normal life after escaping her community when she realizes her ability to speak to animals is being abused. When she arrives in a new village, Dario the animal healer immediately draws her in. \ \ This cozy romance is spicier than you think and packed with some of my favorite tropes like found family. I recommend a lot of Hernandez’s work for similar reasons to Randall’s. It’s always fresh, fascinating, and heartfelt.](https://bookish-afrolatina.binderybooks.com/item/NpfYfqRU2NQHRmdoXerv/)

Day 28 LHM Challenge: Afro-Latine & Latine-Indigenous Book Recommendations

2 books

Bookish AfroLatina's Library\ \ Gabby\ \ • Feb 20 2025

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Mini Book Reviews!

I've got a triple feature for y'all! Here are book reviews for the first three books I read in January:

A Sunny Place for Shady People: Stories by Mariana Enriquez This is the first book I’ve read by Mariana Enriquez! Each story pulled me in and ended in just the right place. They were a great mixture of paranormal, slice of life, and thrilling. I think I’m going to give her novels a try now!

Asiri and the Amaru by Natalia Hernandez I love this book! The animals had fitting dialogue with Asiri and I think Dario is the cutest love interest. It was equal parts sweet, funny, and lusty. I didn’t expect the romance to be such a slow burn but I enjoyed it anyway. Folks who are looking for steamy scenes will have to patiently wade through the pining that takes up most of the book. I’m definitely looking forward to book 2!

Love in Winter Wonderland by Abiola Bello I really enjoyed reading this book! Saving a local bookstore is very Christmasy but saving a Black-owned bookshop as the son who inherits that legacy is even better. The main characters have strong relationships with their families but make a few mistakes that are pretty typical for teens. Ariel’s struggle with emotional eating was incredibly relatable and handled with care. It wasn’t the main focus though. This was a very sweet YA Romance with a little bit of sexual content. I recommend it and plan to read more by this author this year.

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#BookReviews #LatinxBooks #LatineBooks #BlackBooks #RomanceBooks #HorrorBooks #Romantacy

3 books

Bookish AfroLatina's Library\ \ Gabby\ \ • Feb 19 2025

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Welcome to my Library!

23 books

Left Unread Books\ \ Michael LaBorn\ \ • Jan 11 2025

GIVEAWAY: The Flowers of Prophecy Series & Asiri and the Amaru

4 books

Queer as Books\ \ José\ \ • Nov 21 2024

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Queer Latine Authors

Here are some queer latine authors to check out!

17 books

Left Unread Books\ \ Michael LaBorn\ \ • Sep 17 2024

Sapphic September!

Here is a short list of a few of my favorite sapphic indies to read this September!

7 books

Left Unread Books\ \ Michael LaBorn\ \ • Jul 28 2024

Five Black/brown Authors You Should Know

If you like reading Black and brown books (which, if you don't...why are you here?), here are a list of five authors you should be intimately familiar with!

11 books

Left Unread Books\ \ Michael LaBorn\ \ • Jul 10 2024

Meet the Author: Natalia Hernandez

3 books

Cozy Quill\ \ Meg\ \ • Jul 3 2024

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An Evening with Rebecca Thorne

Join us for a night with Rebecca Thorne! We discuss her publishing journey and what led her to cozy fantasy. We also dive deeper into the creation of her best-selling cozy, Can't Spell Treason Without Tea!

10 books

Paws, Pages and Brews\ \ Sammie\ \ • Apr 22 2024

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\ \ Upgrade for $12 or login](https://pawspagesandbrews.binderybooks.com/item/kDSLTrNaXeMbanehTK2P/)

Interview with Author Natalia Hernandez

Interviewing Author Natalia Hernandez and talking about her latest book Asiri and the Amaru!

3 books

Left Unread Books\ \ Michael LaBorn\ \ • Apr 17 2024

Q&A With author Natalia Hernandez TODAY at 1pm CST

3 books

Cozy Quill\ \ Meg\ \ • Mar 26 2024

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\ \ Upgrade for $12 or login](https://cozyquill.binderybooks.com/item/KUzlIQgFIAKTGCpfpB5Z/)

Cozy Cooking Class feat. Natalia Hernandez

Join me and Natalia Hernandez as we make a delicious Arroz Con Leche and chat all things cozy!

3 books

Left Unread Books\ \ Michael LaBorn\ \ • Mar 5 2024

Asiri and the Amaru: Low stakes romantacy

1 book

Left Unread Books\ \ Michael LaBorn\ \ • Feb 29 2024

A week of selling Black books.

I spent the last few days working toward selling Black books on Tiktok and I wanna talk about!

5 books

Cozy Quill\ \ Meg\ \ • Jan 25 2024

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\ \ Upgrade for $5 or login](https://cozyquill.binderybooks.com/item/R5cCBqasW2pKyQ8Za0bi/)

Cozy Cooking Class feat. Rebecca Thorne

Join us for a Cozy Cooking Class with special mystery guest, Rebecca Thorne, author of Can't Spell Treason Without Tea! I did forget to hit record at the beginning but thankfully I got it in time. We begin with author Natalia Hernandez discussing the spice in her new cozy fantasy! Enjoy!

2 books

Paws, Pages and Brews\ \ Sammie\ \ • Nov 5 2023

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Happy spots in my day when I get the cutest book mail from @nataliahernandezauthor I am so excited to read this cozy Latin romantasy based on Peruvian mythology😍

1 book