10 Must-Read Books by Latina Women

Posted by: Maryanne Piña

These powerful books by Latina authors provide an enriching and transformative reading experience, offering stories that resonate deeply with culture, identity, and perseverance. Whether it’s a heartfelt memoir of family and faith or a story that challenges societal expectations, these books are perfect for those seeking inspiration in leadership and success. As we celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month, there’s no better time to explore these works, which highlight themes of leadership, personal growth, resilience, and the diverse experiences of the Latino community.

Last Flight from Havana: A Memoir of Cuba, Family, and Faith by Marie Quintana

Embark on a compelling odyssey alongside young Marie Quintana, whose life takes an extraordinary turn as her family escapes from their beloved homeland during the tumultuous rise of Fidel Castro’s regime. Through the gripping pages of this memoir, join Marie on the last flight out of Cuba, a harrowing journey that thrusts her into an unknown and foreign land at a young age. In her quest to maintain family bonds and carve her identity as an American, she discovers her own resilience.

Set against a canvas of historic upheavals, this memoir paints a vivid picture of the Quintana family’s unwavering commitment to their faith and heritage while adapting to a new life in the United States. Experience the emotional rollercoaster of leaving behind all that was familiar and embracing the uncharted path of assimilation, growth, and self-discovery through Marie’s perspective. Guided by her faith and profound sense of purpose, Marie forged a remarkable career, attaining executive leadership positions in Fortune 50 and Fortune 500 corporations.

As she navigates the labyrinth of cultural adaptation, witness a poignant metamorphosis from a young girl to a woman, her narrative resonating with the universal pursuit of belonging. “Last Flight from Havana” stands as a testament to human tenacity, a tribute to diversity, and a gentle reminder that, regardless of distance, the heart unfailingly finds its true home.

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The Likeability Trap by Alicia Menendez

Consider that even competent women must appear likeable to successfully negotiate a salary, ask for a promotion, or take credit for a job well done – and that studies show these actions usually make them less likeable. And this minefield is doubly loaded when likeability intersects with race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, and parental status.

Relying on extensive research and interviews, and carefully examined personal experience, The Likeability Trap delivers an essential examination of the pressure put on women to be amiable at work, home, and in the public sphere, and explores the price women pay for internalizing those demands. Rather than advising listeners to make themselves likeable, Menendez empowers them to examine how they perceive themselves and others and explores how the concept of likeability is riddled with cultural biases. Our demands for likeability, she argues, hinder everyone’s progress and power.

Inspiring, thoughtful, and often funny, The Likeability Trap proposes surprising, practical solutions for confronting the cultural patterns holding us back, encourages us to value unique talents and styles instead of muting them, and to remember that while likeability is part of the game, it will not break you.

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I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter by L. Sánchez, Erika

#1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER A “stunning” (America Ferrera) YA novel about a teenager coming to terms with losing her sister and finding herself amid the pressures, expectations, and stereotypes of growing up in a Mexican American home.

“Alive and crackling—a gritty tale wrapped in a page-turner.”—The New York Times

Perfect Mexican daughters do not go away to college. And they do not move out of their parents’ house after high school graduation. Perfect Mexican daughters never abandon their family.

But Julia is not your perfect Mexican daughter. That was Olga’s role.

Then a tragic accident on the busiest street in Chicago leaves Olga dead and Julia left behind to reassemble the shattered pieces of her family. And no one seems to acknowledge that Julia is broken, too. Instead, her mother seems to channel her grief into pointing out every possible way Julia has failed.

But it’s not long before Julia discovers that Olga might not have been as perfect as everyone thought. With the help of her best friend Lorena, and her first love, first everything boyfriend Connor, Julia is determined to find out. Was Olga really what she seemed? Or was there more to her sister’s story? And either way, how can Julia even attempt to live up to a seemingly impossible ideal?

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My Broken Language by Quiara Alegría Hudes 

Quiara Alegría Hudes was the sharp-eyed girl on the stairs while her family danced their defiance in a tight North Philly kitchen. She was awed by her mother and aunts and cousins, but haunted by the unspoken, untold stories of the barrio — even as she tried to find her own voice in the sea of language around her, written and spoken, English and Spanish, bodies and books, Western art and sacred altars. Her family became her private pantheon, a gathering circle of powerful orisha-like women with tragic real-world wounds, and she vowed to tell their stories — but first she’d have to get off the stairs and join the dance. She’d have to find her language.

Weaving together Hudes’s love of music with the songs of her family, the lessons of North Philly with those of Yale, this is a Mult mythic dive into home, memory, and belonging — narrated by an obsessed girl who fought to become an artist so she could capture the world she loved in all its wild and delicate beauty.

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What Would Frida Do?: A Guide to Living Boldly by  Davis, Arianna

Revered as much for her fierce spirit as she is for her art, Frida Kahlo stands today as a brazen symbol of daring creativity. She was a woman ahead of her time whose paintings have earned her generations of admirers around the globe. But perhaps her greatest work of art was her own life.

What Would Frida Do? explores the feminist icon’s signature style, outspoken politics, and boldness in love and art, even in the face of pain and heartbreak. The book celebrates her larger-than-life persona as a woman who loved passionately and lived ambitiously, refusing to remain in her husband’s shadow. Each chapter shares intimate stories from her life, revealing how she overcame obstacles by embracing her own ideals.

In this charming audiobook, author Arianna Davis conjures Frida’s brave spirit, encouraging women to persevere, to create fearlessly, and to stand by their own truths.

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A Nation of Women: An Early Feminist Speaks Out by Capetillo, Luisa, Matos Rodríguez, Félix V., West-Durán, Alan, Matos Rodríguez, Félix V.

In 1915, Puerto Rican activist Luisa Capetillo was arrested and acquitted for being the first woman to wear men’s trousers publicly. While this act of gender-nonconforming rebellion elevated her to feminist icon status in modern pop culture, it also overshadowed the significant contributions she made to the women’s movement and anarchist labor movements of the early 20th century – both in her native Puerto Rico and in the migrant labor belt in the eastern United States.

With the volume A Nation of Women, Capetillo’s socialist and feminist activism is given the spotlight it deserves with its inclusion of the first English translation of Capetillo’s landmark Mi opinión sobre las libertades, derechos y deberes de la mujer. Originally published in Spanish in 1911, Mi opinión is considered by many to be the first feminist treatise in Puerto Rico and one of the first in Latin America and the Caribbean. In concise prose, Capetillo advocates a workers’ revolution, forcefully demanding an end to the exploitation and subordination of workers and women. Her essays challenge big business in favor of socialism, call for legalizing divorce and the acceptance of “free love” in relationships, and cover topics such as sexuality, mental and physical health, hygiene, spirituality, and nutrition.

At once a sharp critique and a celebration of the gathering fervor of world politics, A Nation of Women embraces the humanistic thinking of the early 20th century and envisions a world in which economic and social structures can be broken down, allowing both the worker and the woman to be free.

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H.E.R.A.C.T. (merarysimeon.com)

Deep down, you hear the whisper: you are meant for more in this world.

H.E.R.A.C.T. illuminates six proven steps to help you achieve and sustain the best version of you. No more waiting, doubting or wondering. Author Dr. Merary Simeon combines insights from real-life stories and published research to equip you with practical solutions in your transformational journey from here to what’s possible.

The pivotal truth? People have limitations, but God is limitless. His power lives in you. Anchored in biblical principles, H.E.R.A.C.T. offers proven solutions to healing, elevating your mindset, respecting who you are, activating your confidence, and nurturing your transformation. No matter where you are in your journey, Dr. Merary Simeon meets you there with actionable advice and little-known secrets to activating your power, unlocking your potential, and fulfilling your true purpose in life.

Be intentional. Activate your inner power. Revel in your transformation. H.E.R.A.C.T. is your path to shine bright on life’s biggest stage.

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La Vida Rica: The Latina’s Guide to Success at Work and in Life by Rico, Yrma, Garascia, Nancy

Hispanics are a demographic powerhouse, comprising approximately 35 million of the Unites States’ population. In addition to tremendous growth in population (the Hispanic community grew by nearly 60% in the last decade alone) books by and for Latinas such as The Dirty Girls Social Club are gaining in popularity and crossing over into mainstream culture. But Hispanic women are caught in a cultural divide between traditional Latin values and modern American ideals. In La Vida Rica, or “The Good Life,” Yrma Rico explains how, rather than turning her back on her cultural heritage she drew upon it for inspiration. She describes how the Latin traditions of hard work, close family ties, and spirituality can be a driving source of strength and self-assurance for Hispanic women.

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The Real ROI: Return On Inclusion by Espinoza, Pedro David, Lensing, Maria, Titinger, Jorge

The Real ROI: In today’s AI world, shaped by remote work’s rise post-pandemic, reassessing our DEI strategy is crucial. We must go beyond token gestures to tackle systemic barriers, eradicate unconscious biases, and ensure equitable opportunities. As workplace dynamics change, building a culture based on trust and understanding is essential. Without trust, even well-meaning DEI efforts fail. Embracing diverse perspectives and addressing the unique challenges of all workforce segments can create an inclusive culture that fosters innovation. The Real ROI includes interviews with 50 CEOs such as Michael Dell, Carol Christ (Berkeley Chancellor), John Hennessy (Alphabet Chairman), Shellye Archambeau (MetricStream CEO), and Monica Lozano (Apple Board Director) with their tangible steps on how to embrace inclusion.

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Conquering the Peak of Success by Adriana Ocampo Senior

Embark on a journey to true success with Adriana Ocampo Senior’s “Conquering the Peak of Success, A Journey of Reaching Life’s Highest Altitudes”.

This empowering guide is crafted to inspire and equip leaders with the tools needed to achieve both personal and professional triumphs.

With practical advice on education, resilience, and strategic networking, the book reveals how to overcome obstacles, unlock opportunities and confidently navigate your career.

Focusing on building a strong support system and enhancing self- confidence, this book is the ultimate companion for anyone determined to achieve goals on their own terms.

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Don’t Dread Monday by Maryanne Piña

Don’t Dread Monday is a pragmatic and powerful guide to a lifetime of career success. Studies have shown that the majority of adults are in the midst of a mediocre career. It is the under-reported dilemma and challenge of our generation. In Don’t Dread Monday, you will apply proven principles surfaced by the relatively few who have “cracked-the-code” and built a fantastic career. The book exposes common career myths and corresponding truths, surfaces the reader’s unique passionate core needs, and outlines the path forward in the CARE Cycle for career success. Don’t Dread Monday can change your career, and even your life.

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These book selections celebrate Hispanic heritage while offering readers wisdom, inspiration, and practical tools for both personal and professional growth. Hispanic Heritage Month is a time to honor the contributions of Latinos, and these books stand as a testament to their lasting impact and legacy.