Written by Adri
If you’re like me, you’re always on the lookout for your next great read, and you know BIPOC authors are more than likely to deliver just that. There are so many exciting new titles and voices to look forward to in 2021, and paring them down always presents a challenge because one’s TBR list can never be too full. But fear not, I will be on the lookout for some of the most exciting and attention-worthy new releases and creative projects throughout the year so that hopefully you never miss a thing.
Today we’re talking about some upcoming SFF book releases written by Latinx and Caribbean authors. These are four titles I’m extremely excited about. It feels like I’ve been waiting forever for some of them to release, but they’re very nearly here. So get ready to take notes and add these books to your ever-growing TBR piles!
“Lost in the Never Woods”
by Aiden Thomas
(SwoonReads, March 2021) If you know anything about me, you know that Cemetery Boys was nothing short of a life-changing book for me and one that I proceeded to yell about for approximately all of 2020. So it should be no surprise that Aiden Thomas’ next book is at the top of my list.
Lost in the Never Woods is a dark contemporary re-imagining of the Peter Pan canon. Set in the small coastal town of Astoria, the story follows Wendy, who went missing alongside her brothers five years ago. She was the only one to return, and now that children are starting to mysteriously disappear once again, the town is looking to Wendy for answers. With the help of Peter, a boy she thought lived only in her stories, she will have to return to confront what’s waiting for her in the woods.
“Witches Steeped in Gold”
by Ciannon Smart
(HarperTeen, April 2021) Are you looking for Jamaican-inspired fantasy worlds where there’s witches, revenge, and enemies reluctantly working together? Then look no further.
In her highly-anticipated debut, Jamaican-born author Ciannon Smart imagines a world where a prisoner and the queen’s daughter share a common enemy and a deep-seated desire to extinguish the threat facing them both. While Iraya spends her days in a cell counting down the minutes to her freedom and next chance at revenge, Jazmyne is determined to survive and refuses to die in her mother’s pursuit of power. Divided by caste, these two witches will collide and come to form a mutual alliance in hopes of facing the dangerous magic that reigns supreme.
“Oculta”
by Maya Motayne
(Balzer + Bray, April 2021) Oculta is the long-awaited sequel to Nocturna, a sweeping epic fantasy story set in a Latinx-inspired world where a face-changing thief and grief-stricken prince cross paths. The two of them are forced to team up if they hope to defeat a powerful evil they accidentally unleashed. If you enjoy emotionally-driven characters and forbidden magic, the Forgery of Magic series is for you.
Without giving away too much, Oculta follows Finn and Alfie once again, as their lives collide over an illegal underground competition, which boasts a legendary prize. When a mysterious crime syndicate targets the summit, thief and prince must work together to protect Castallan’s hard-won peace before another war threatens their kingdom once more.
“Blood Like Magic”
By Liselle Sambury
(Margaret K. McElderry, June 2021) I know, I know. Calling June “early,” is a bit of a stretch, but I am simply too excited about this debut to wait any longer. Trinidadian-Canadian author Liselle Sambury makes her debut with this dark urban fantasy about a young girl who must sacrifice her first love in order to save her family’s magic.
Voya Thomas didn’t expect to fail her Calling—a trial every witch must pass in order to come into their powers. She also didn’t expect to get a second chance. Now if she hopes to maintain her bloodline and honor her family’s ancestral magic, she must kill her first love. Problem is, Voya’s never been in love. So now she must find her perfect match so that she can kill them, and she has to do it fast before every Thomas witch is stripped of their magic.
So there you have it! Those are four upcoming SFF titles from some of the best and most exciting Latinx and Caribbean voices that we can all look forward to in 2021. I anticipate finding even more upcoming projects from Latinx/Caribbean creatives as we make our way further into the new year, and it’s my sincerest hope that they all give you something to be excited about, which I think we all need now more than ever. If any of these books caught your eye, make sure to shout about them far and wide and show these creatives the love they deserve!
© Adri
Adri is a queer, trans, non-binary Mexican-American writer and book reviewer. They’ve been creating BookTube content for over seven years on the channel perpetualpages and remain interested in creating content that celebrates and centers marginalized voices, intersectional viewpoints, and inclusivity.