Books of the Month
THEY HOLD GRUDGES
Author: Diana Rojas
Publisher: Arte Público Press
ISBN-13: 978-8893750423 ASIN: B0GZR8Z911
SUMMARY:
As a kid, Rob was his uncle Pablo’s favorite, and the whole family knew it. Pablo’s only flaw was his wife, Mara, whom everyone called idiosyncratic–or plain crazy–and their son, Pablito, who took after her. But they all loved Pablo, so they put up with his wife and son and lived by the Golden Family Rule: no serious quarrels, no harboring of resentments, no anger, no grudges. Many years later, Pablito brings an accusation against Rob that punctures the harmony. If they ignore it, will it simply go away? Does anyone even believe Pablito? Gossip and whispers swirl, unleashing doubts, paranoia and betrayal, while Rob embarks on a desperate quest to clear his name. They Hold Grudges is a riveting exploration of the lines we draw between loyalty and truth. With layered, taut prose, it examines what we’re willing to sacrifice to keep the peace, and what remains if the truth is buried.
About the Author:
Author Diana Rojas is the author of the novel, They Hold Grudges (Arte Público Press), the novella collection Litany of Saints: A Triptych (Arte Público Press), and the forthcoming children’s book, Clara’s Big Green Coat (Piñata Books, 2027). Her essays are featured in various journals, including The Washington Independent Review of Books, Barrelhouse, and Latino Literatures. A member of the Board of Directors of the PEN/Faulkner Foundation, and a 2026 participant in the Macondo Writer’s Workshop, she lives in Washington, DC.
/https://www.bydianarojas.com/
@bydianarojas
DAUGHTER OF ROT
Author: Rios de la Luz
Publisher: Broken River Books
ASIN: B0H9M4KQB5
SUMMARY:
THE HOUSE DREAMS OF BIRTH & DEATH.
When the Velasquez family moves into a quaint adobe home surrounded by forest, it’s the beginning of Isela’s dream life. Isela Velasquez is a pathological liar with strange impulses that terrorize her at night. She wants the perfect family, but she regrets becoming a mother.
Olivia Velasquez is four years old when she first meets the house. Spending most of her days alone, Olivia befriends the house and looks after it. At night, the house whispers into Olivia’s dreams, creating a bond between them.
The house takes on a maternal role after it gives birth to a brand new room. An immaculate conception, turning the two-bedroom house into a three-bedroom home. The new room lures Isela inside and shows her pieces of herself that she’s refused to look at in her adult life. It teases her. It haunts her. When Olivia gathers the courage to enter the newly born room, she finds warmth and safety. The room creates lush and vibrant ecosystems right before her eyes.
DAUGHTER OF ROT blends magical realism with dreamlike botanical horror and explores the intertwining of toxic parenting with childhood innocence.
About the Author:
Author Rios de la Luz, is the author of the novella, Itzá (Broken River Books, 2017) and the short story collections, An Altar of Stories to Liminal Saints (Broken River Books, 2023) and The Pulse between Dimensions and The Desert (Ladybox Books, 2015). Her work has been featured in several anthologies, including Burn it Down (Seal Press), The Weird Sister Collection (Feminist Press), and Latin American Shared Stories (Flame Tree Publishing). Her latest novella, Daughter of Rot (Broken River Books, 2026) is out now. When she is not writing, Rios loves leading writing workshops focused on body stories, magic, and the wild. She currently lives in Oklahoma with her partner, son, and dog, Frodo. You can follow her @riosdelaluz on Instagram and TikTok.
About Rios de la Luz – Link
