A beautiful look at knowing and loving the women who raised us. This book is an exploration of female archetypes specifically in Latin-American culture, a serves to take away some of the stereotypes we hold true. I enjoyed the little pieces of wisdom that were scattered throughout the book and I learned a lot.

wow, what a book! every latin person should read this book! amazing!!! highly recommend it. I related to soooo much of it :)

In 2024, I made it a goal to read more nonfiction books, so I’ve been on the lookout for books covering topics that interest me. I found out about Tias and Primas after receiving an ARC copy from Seal Press. I love books that reflect on the roles society forces people into and that’s essentially what this book does. It deep dives into the roles of the different women in a family.

Mojica Rodriguez is Nicaraguan and sometimes she speaks specifically on Nicaraguan cultural norms, but I think a large majority of this book will resonate with women of any cultural background: All too often women are shoe horned into specific roles to make the men in their life comfortable and Mojica Rodriguez explains how and why brilliantly. If the characters she draws in this book don’t resonate with you personally, you’ll at least be able to identify the people in your life who fit these roles.

I ended up alternating reading portions of this book in the hardcover and listening to the audiobook for other sections. I highly recommend the audiobook. It was narrated perfectly and helped further bring characters to life.

This will definitely be in my top nonfiction reads of the year. Thank you to Seal Press, Netgalley, and Priscilla Dorcas Mojica Rodriguez for the early copies!

Tías and Primas is a great new book that delves into the relationships that exist in most (if not all) Latin-American families. The author, Rodriguez, creates a vignette for each type of woman that you would probably encounter in these families. From the aunt who fat shames you to the perfect prima, these women are accurately describe to such an extent that I thought she and I might be related!

The narrator, who is also the author, did a great job brining the book to life. The book was read at a great pace, the voice was relatable, smooth and pleasing to listen to and the music played in the background was great. Rodriguez knew where to pause for emphasis and where to keep up the pace, which made the book flow easily.

I would recommend this book for anyone looking to learn more about family dynamics - especially between women or anyone looking for an interesting read.

Thank you to Hachette books for allowing me to listen to this book prior to its publishing date - Sept 10, 2024. I received an electronic ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This book is a personal study of the different types of women that exist and the way women are “encouraged” to live within those lines. Rather than a lens of “we hate men”, the author celebrates women and encourages us to not hold ourselves to the same standards we always have. The audiobook, narrated by the author herself, made me feel like I was listening to a friend.

This book is for all the women, but BIPOC women may be emotionally impacted more. As a mom, I had to often pause and reflect on what messages will be passed on to my daughter based on the women I surround myself with.

There is at least one TW chapter that some people may want to skip so definitely read up on the content warnings before reading!

Thank you to the author, NetGalley, and Hachette Audio for the free audiobook Arc for review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Tias and Primas by Prisca Dorcas Mojica Rodriguez is a love letter to all the women who raised us. It was comforting to see parts of my tias, primas, and myself written about on these pages. Mojica Rodriguez carefully crafted her descriptions of the various personalities we may encounter in our Latine families. What I loved most was how at the end of each section Mojica Rodriguez addressed both the individual with these characteristics and their family on how to love and care for them.

I can't recommend this book enough to all people who grew on in a Latine household.

Book Review: Tías and Primas: On Knowing and Loving the Women Who Raise Us
Author & Narrator: Prisca Dorcas Mojica Rodríguez


Tías and Primas: On Knowing and Loving the Women Who Raise Us is part memoir, part sociological study of Latine female archetypes. In her book, Dorcas wishes to understand, and honor the women in her life who deserve better. But most importantly to free and reclaim the narratives stifled or extinguished by sexism, homophobia, fatphobia, colonization, stigmatization of mental illnesses, male gaze, and rape culture. The author examines twenty distinct archetypes including: La Matriarch, The Young Tía, La Prima Perfecta, Tu Tía “La Loca,” Dignified Tía, The Childless Tía, Estas Engordando Tía, La Tía Cuir, The Street Smart Prima, and The Pretty Prima. As Dorcas dives into each of these archetypes, she reflects on her relationships with the women she grew up with and around. She frequently cites the classic work, The Second Sex written in 1949 by Simone de Beauvoir. The citations provide an illustrative framework to demonstrate how each of the female types are formed by society and Latinx culture, and defined by their relationship to men.

As a second generation Latina, born and raised in the US, I was able to recognize many or at least aspects of these archetypes. But I have also experienced a broader range of expression and complexity of womanhood than documented here. I believe the author would agree that one’s level of identification and recognition of these types is dependent on how long one has lived in the US and how conservative/traditional one’s family structure is. Nevertheless, I would recommend Tías and Primas to readers interested in learning about Latinx culture, with the caveat that these are archetypes, reified social constructs and more complex in their lived form. Readers might enjoy the author’s narration of the audiobook. The author’s style swings between the academic and the profane, and hearing T & P in the author’s own voice is a richer reading experience.


Many thanks to the author @Priscadorcas, @SealPress, @HachetteAudio and @NetGalley for the pleasure of reading the audio and digital arcs in exchange for an honest review.

For Brown Girls with Sharp Edges and Tender Hearts was an incredible read. I listened to the book and the author's narration added to the authenticity and vulnerability that was already on the page. Tías and Primas is the natural progression and listening to it was a deep, soul-level, pleasure. Thank you to Prisca Dorcas Mojica Rodriguez, the publisher, and NetGalley for the audio ARC.

There is a good chance this book isn't for you. And that's okay. I hope every reader finds books which fit them like a favorite cardigan. And to do that, books cannot be everything to everybody. This book has a targeted audience and it will be everything to them. I fell hard for the author's previous book and have been eagerly following updates ever since Tías and Primas was announced. I screenshot reading lists as they were posted and attended IG lives. I hope everyone who needs this book, finds it. And everyone else is welcome to read it too. Reading builds understanding and empathy. The world needs more of that. Always.

Tías and Primas documents the archetypes found in certain cultural contexts. Readers from that context will feel seen while reading the book. And people from other contexts will gain an insight, an understanding, of a culture other than their own. Both ways of reading the book are valuable. The book is full of personal narratives and hard-won wisdom. But it is built on a solid academic foundation. That is important to name. Certain stories seem to be given less scholarly weight because of who is telling the story. We, as readers, need to interrogate ourselves about that. We need to ask ourselves if we are doing that, and if so, why. This book is brave and honest and asks the reader to be as well.

Truly thought evoking book.
These are conversations I have with my cousin, my best friends in whispered conversations.
Although some of these categorizations feel so official and rigid, I had to check myself from feeling bristled. The conversation the author actually inspires is way more important than arguing over the archetypes.

I truly think this is the gift to give family members.

Exploring the stereotypes and archetypes given to women in Latin-American communities, "Tias and Primas" combines many standalone stories into one statement on the way these communities view the women in them.

I don't read to much nonfiction but this year I've pushed myself to pick up nonfiction titles. This one called to me because I'm Hispanic and come from a big family FULL of Tias and Primas. This reads like an ethnographic record of Latin culture as it pertains to women and their status within the culture. I bet almost all (if not all) Latin people reading this book would identify at least one if not all of these archetypes present within their extended families. In that way, this felt like a memoir as well as an exploration. The author identified her own experience with each archetype. I honestly loved everything about this and devoured this read in a single 4-hour sitting.

Whatever heritage month it is, I usually try to read at least one book from an author that fits into that category. Just to broaden my knowledge on other cultures and to discover new author that I may not have already had on my radar. I usually don't do it for Black History month because I am black but I thought I would this year. This is how I discovered Prisca's first book, For Brown Girls with Sharp Edges and Tender Hearts: A Love Letter to Women of Color. It was on a list I found either from my library or Goodreads. I LOVED that book! So much of it was relatable, I felt seen. Just the absurd things as POC you face in the US is laughable. When I noticed Tias and Primas on Netgalley, I knew I had to request it.

In Tias and Primas, Prisca sets to tell the story of the different archetypes of women in her life and how they shaped her life in positive and negative ways. She wants to show that Latina women are more than the stereotypes they are always portrayed as.

Unfortunately, I didn't relate to this book as much as I did her first one. But that is understandable, I'm not the right audience for this book. I'm not Latina or an immigrant. I did grow up in a religious household but my family dynamics with my aunts/cousins were different.

I have great respect for Prisca. She is truly unapologetically herself and wants other women to do so themselves. That's difficult and I strive to be that way myself.

Thank you Netgalley & the publisher for this audio ARC. These are my honest opinions.

Prisca Dorcas Mojica Rodriguez's Tías and Primas beautifully captures the richness and complexity of Latinas, shattering the narrow stereotypes often seen in Hollywood. As a Latina, this book will make you feel truly seen. Prisca masterfully portrays a variety of Latina archetypes, from the academic to the street-smart prima, and you're sure to find yourself relating to more than one. She describes our tías and primas in ways that other media often fail to, offering a more nuanced and authentic representation.

I thoroughly enjoyed this audiobook from start to finish. Beyond its relatability, I loved the little nuggets of wisdom and advice Prisca provides to help us heal past and future generations. The cherry on top was hearing it all narrated in Prisca's own voice, making it feel even more personal and heartfelt.

This is a must-read for anyone looking to understand themselves and the mujeres in their lives on a deeper level.

Thank you to NetGalley and Hachette Audio for the opportunity to listen to this powerful advance reader audio of Tías and Primas.

This book was AMAZING! The fact that the author was also the narrator was perfect. This book is very powerful in its message. It really helped put into perspective so many of my family relationships. I cannot be more thankful for how it’s opened my eyes and how relatable this book was. It has left me thinking and without much to say.

I definitely recommend for everyone to read this book especially my fellow latinas.

Thank you to the author Prisca, Hachette Audio, and NetGalley for this audiobook.

I thought I was going to like this one, but I could not get into it. I usually love books about relationships, especially between mother and daughter and those who are close but not blood, but this one just didn’t do it for me. Typically, I also enjoy Latinx stories, but this one seemed whiny at times. I’m not really sure what was missing. This was narrated by the author, and she did an OK job. Perhaps it wasn’t the right time in my life to read this one. I may try it again at a later date.

Thank you to NetGalley, Hachette Audio, and Seal Press for this e-arc and alc in exchange for an honest review.

“I see so many of the women in my family reflected in my behaviors, core belief systems, and overall views of the world.”

“This book is all my dreams for us, all my love I could write down and manifest onto us. And yet, it only scratched the surface.”

Tías and Primas: On Knowing and Loving the Women Who Raise Us by Prisca Dorcas Mojica Rodríguez has taken many different female archetypes found in Latine/x families and reclaimed the narratives usually associated with them. As I read this book, there were several instances where I could see parts of myself and the women in my life reflected on the page, but I was also met with instances in which my experiences with these archetypes were vastly different from how they were presented in this book. And all of our varying experiences are valid.

Thank you NetGalley and publisher for this ARC!

This book was so good! I finished this fast! I couldn’t put it down! I loved the writing style and the story was great! This was a first for me by this author and it will not be my last! Such a quick and easy read.

I'll start by saying that every experience is valid, even if it's not the same as mine.

At the start of this book I started to like try and connect these archetypes to the women in my family, and it was hard cause they just don't fit. Like my aunts and cousins have so many layers to them that in some all the archetypes fit them in some way. I think that's why I had such a huge disconnect with what this book wanted to do.

I don't know if it's because I am not part of the diaspora. Because I was raised Catholic, just not hardcore. My family is messy and has a lot of women, but most of the archetypes just felt too traditional and possibly I was too young to see these things from happening. I have multiple aunts that didn't have kids and I never once saw anyone judge/pressure them for their choice, even behind their backs. Even with my queer cousins, while they were in the closet and felt end of world for them. When they finally came out, it was all welcoming and supportive.

Last bit I want to say is that some of the archetypes felt one dimensional to me, and it lightly tries to mention that because of the way they are raised these Tias y Primas act this way, but it doesn't dive into it deeply enough for me.

I got an alc of this book on NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

**as posted to my Instagram on 8/29**

COMING SOON

Huge thanks to #partners @sealpress & @hachetteaudio for my #gifted copies.

Tīas and Primas: On Knowing and Loving the Women Who Raised Us
Prisca Dorcas Mojica Rodríguez
Available September 10th

>>> swipe to see a sample of the artwork included in each chapter

Tías and Primas is a powerful exploration of the complexities and beauty within Latina families, especially focusing on the roles that women play and how they are shaped by culture, history, and societal expectations. By examining archetypes, the author unpacks the nuanced ways that intergenerational trauma, colonization, and sexism impact Latina women.

Tías and Primas is not only a personal reflection but also a broader commentary on the struggles and resilience found within Latina communities. Mojica Rodríguez's work likely resonates with readers who recognize these figures in their own families or who are interested in understanding the cultural and social dynamics at play in Latina communities.

If you enjoyed her debut, For Brown Girls with Sharp Edges and Tender Hearts, this follow-up deepens those themes with a focus on family, community, and the journey toward healing and empowerment.

🎧 The audiobook is impressively narrated by the author, and is all the more impactful in her own voice 🩷

📌 Please be sure to read #ownvoices reviews of this book

I loved this collection or stories and third person reflections on the women that helped raise the author. The audiobook at times felt a little unorganized, but overall each chapter was almost like a stand alone mini novel that discussed a different archetypes.

Thank you Hachette audio and netgalley for the advanced listening copy.