“Deeply moving, laugh-out-loud funny, and swoony, Reyes packs it all in, in this powerful coming-of-age story about unapologetically loving ourselves—and others.” — J.Elle, New York Times bestselling author of Wings of Ebony

Born and raised in Arizona, Sonora Reyes is the award-winning and bestselling author of The Lesbiana’s Guide to Catholic School, The Luis Ortega Survival Club, The Broposal, and the forthcoming The Golden Boy’s Guide to Bipolar. They also have contributed short stories to the anthologies Transmogrify! and For the Rest of Us.

Sonora writes fiction celebrating queer and Mexican stories in a variety of genres, with current projects in both kidlit and adult categories. Outside of writing, Sonora loves breaking their body and vocal cords by playing with their baby niblings and dancing/singing karaoke at the same time.

Sonora's Featured Titles

The Golden Boy’s Guide to Bipolar

HarperCollins |
Teen & Young Adult

From bestselling author Sonora Reyes comes a poignant and searingly honest companion novel to the multi-award-winning The Lesbiana’s Guide to Catholic School, following beloved character Cesar Flores as he comes to terms with his sexuality, his new bipolar diagnosis, and more mistakes than he can count.

Seventeen-year-old Cesar Flores is finally ready to win back his ex-boyfriend. Since breaking up with Jamal in a last-ditch effort to stay in the closet, he’s come out to Mami, his sister, Yami, and their friends, taken his meds faithfully, and gotten his therapist’s blessing to reunite with Jamal.

Everything would be perfect if it weren’t for The Thoughts—the ones that won’t let all his Catholic guilt and internalizations stay buried where he wants them. The louder they become, the more Cesar is once again convinced that he doesn’t deserve someone like Jamal—or anyone really.

Cesar can hide a fair amount of shame behind jokes and his “gifted” reputation, but when a manic episode makes his inner turmoil impossible to hide, he’s faced with a stark choice: burn every bridge he has left or, worse—ask for help. But is the mortifying vulnerability of being loved by the people he’s hurt the most a risk he’s willing to take?

The Broposal

Forever |
Romantic Comedy

From the author of The Lesbiana’s Guide to Catholic School, two best bros fake an engagement–but will their friendship survive?

It’s about time roommates Alejandro and Kenny get married. Or at least, that’s what all their close friends and family think when they announce their engagement. The kicker? The two are faking their whole relationship so Alejandro can get a green card. But if Han was going to marry anyone, it would be his ride or die since second grade.

Han has never been able to put down roots, and the only one who truly breaks through his walls is Kenny. Sweet, sensitive Kenny is newly single, and what better distraction from his soul-sucking relationship than proposing marriage to Han? Kenny can’t think of anything more fun than spending his life with his best friend, even if it’s just for a piece of paper. But as Kenny keeps up the charade, he’s soon struggling to resist their sizzling chemistry.

The line between fact and fiction begins to blur the closer they get to their wedding date. With all eyes on Han and Kenny—including a meddling ex and immigration officers—will these two bros make it down the altar for real?

The Luis Ortega Survival Club

Balzer + Bray |
Young Adult Fiction

Ariana Ruiz wants to be noticed. But as an autistic girl who never talks, she goes largely ignored by her peers despite her bold fashion choices. So when cute, popular Luis starts to pay attention to her, Ari finally feels seen.

Luis’s attention soon turns to something more and they have sex at a party—while Ari didn’t say no, she definitely didn’t say yes. Before she has a chance to process what happened and decide if she even has the right to be mad at Luis, the rumor mill begins churning—thanks, she’s sure, to Luis’s ex-girlfriend, Shawni. Boys at school now see Ari as an easy target, someone who won’t say no.

Then Ari finds a mysterious note in her locker which eventually leads her to an unlikely group of students determined to expose Luis for the predator he is. To her surprise, she finds genuine friendship among the group, including her growing feelings for the very last girl she expected to fall for. But in order to take Luis down, she’ll have to come to terms with the truth of what he did to her that night—and risk everything to see justice done.

Transmogrify! 14 Fantastical Tales of Trans Magic

HarperTeen |
Young Adult Fiction

Perfect for fans of All Out and Cemetery Boys, this anthology claims a seat at the table of fantasy literature for trans and gender nonconforming stories.

Transness is as varied and colorful as magic can be. In Transmogrify!, you’ll embark on fourteen different adventures alongside unforgettable characters who embody many different genders and expressions and experiences—because magic is for everyone, and that is cause for celebration.

Featuring stories from:

AR Capetta and Cory McCarthy

g. haron davis

Mason Deaver

Jonathan Lenore Kastin

Emery Lee

Saundra Mitchell

Cam Montgomery

Ash Nouveau

Sonora Reyes

Renee Reynolds

Dove Salvatierra

Ayida Shonibar

Francesca Tacchi

Nik Traxler

The Lesbiana’s Guide to Catholic School

National Bestseller * National Book Award Finalist

A sharply funny and moving debut novel about a queer Mexican American girl navigating Catholic school, while falling in love and learning to celebrate her true self. Perfect for fans of Erika L. Sánchez, Leah Johnson, and Gabby Rivera.

Sixteen-year-old Yamilet Flores prefers to be known for her killer eyeliner, not for being one of the only Mexican kids at her new, mostly white, very rich Catholic school. But at least here no one knows she’s gay, and Yami intends to keep it that way.

After being outed by her crush and ex-best friend before transferring to Slayton Catholic, Yami has new priorities: keep her brother out of trouble, make her mom proud, and, most importantly, don’t fall in love. Granted, she’s never been great at any of those things, but that’s a problem for Future Yami.

The thing is, it’s hard to fake being straight when Bo, the only openly queer girl at school, is so annoyingly perfect. And smart. And talented. And cute. So cute. Either way, Yami isn’t going to make the same mistake again. If word got back to her mom, she could face a lot worse than rejection. So she’ll have to start asking, WWSGD: What would a straight girl do?

Told in a captivating voice that is by turns hilarious, vulnerable, and searingly honest, The Lesbiana’s Guide to Catholic School explores the joys and heartaches of living your full truth out loud.

Authors-Unbound_icon-web-link.png

Is it really possible to write a novel in 30 days?

In this presentation, Sonora Reyes will go over ways to prepare for writing a first draft of a novel in 30 days for both plotters and discovery writers, and tips on how to manage time while writing.

Authors-Unbound_icon-web-link.png

Healing through writing

In this presentation, Sonora Reyes will go over how they used writing to process some of their own trauma, and how writing and art can be a tool for healing.

Paola M Guerrero | Sonora Reyes on the coming out journey

Dymocks Books | Sonora Reyes on The Lesbiana’s Guide to Catholic School

The Chills at Will Podcast with Sonora Reyes

Coming Soon!

Honors, Awards & Recognition

Lambda Literary Award winner
Pura Belpré Award Honor
Walter Dean Meyers Award Honor
2023 William C. Morris Award Finalist
Kids Indie Next List
National Bestseller
National Book Award Finalist

Media Kit

By clicking the link below you will be directed to a Google Docs Folder
where you can download author photos and cover images.

Similar Authors

Adib
Young Adult Novelist
Reyna
Bestselling Memoirist & Novelist
Angeline
Bestselling Young Adult Novelist
Malaka
Award Winning YA Graphic Novelist
Raquel
Poet & YA Novelist

We’ve received your Message!

An AU Representative will connect with you as soon as possible.