Before we share info about this month’s book, we want to recognize that this month’s “Community Kindness Sponsor” (which helps offset the cost of the extra 20 books we hide after scavenger hunt weekend every month – the “random act of kindness” books) are our friends at Tucson Hop Shop! We are so grateful for their support in creating a bookish community rooted in kindness, so please send some gratitude their way (and visit the Hop Shop for a drink!) for helping make this month’s book-hiding adventure possible!

Do you know someone who might be interested in partnering with us as a Community Kindness Sponsor in 2026 ($250)? We still have three months available for sponsors in 2026. Please send us an email (tucsontomegnome[at]gmail.com), and we can send you some information 🙂

AND NOW, for what you’ve been waiting for: all about this month’s hidden book!

About the book, from The Feminist Press:

“LONGLISTED for the 2025 International Booker Prize: A debut collection of gritty, streetwise, and wickedly funny stories about Mexican women who fight, skirt, cheat, cry, kill, and lie their way to survival.

“Life’s a bitch. That’s why you gotta rattle her cage, even if she’s foaming at the mouth.” In the linked stories of Reservoir Bitches, thirteen Mexican women prod the bitch that is Life and become her. From the all-powerful daughter of a cartel boss to the victim of transfemicide, from a houseful of spinster seamstresses to a socialite who supports her politician husband by faking Indigenous roots, these women spit on their own reduction and invent new ways to endure, telling their own stories in bold, unapologetic voices. At once a work of black humor and social critique, Reservoir Bitches is a raucous debut from one of Mexico’s most thrilling new writers.”

About the author, Dahlia de la Cerda, and the Translators, Julia Sanches and Heather Cleary:

Dahlia de la Cerda is a writer and activist based in Aguascalientes, Mexico. She is the author of Perras de Reserva, which won the 2019 Premio Nacional de Cuento Joven Comala, and Desde los Zulos. She is also the cofounder of the feminist organization Morras Help Morras. Reservoir Bitches is her English-language debut.

Julia Sanches translates literature from Spanish, Portuguese, and Catalan into English. Born in Brazil, she now lives in Providence, Rhode Island.

Heather Cleary is an award-winning translator of poetry and prose whose work has been recognized by English PEN, the National Book Foundation, and the Mellon Foundation, among others. She teaches at Sarah Lawrence College and is the author of The Translator’s Visibility: Scenes from Contemporary Latin American Fiction.

Why I selected Reservoir Bitches for the March 2026 Giveaway:

• March is Women’s History Month, and I wanted to share a book that centers bold, complicated women who refuse to be overlooked – – – women with voices that demand to be heard, even when the world would rather look away…
• These stories are sharp, electric, and unapologetically real. Set in Mexico, they offer a fierce look at survival, friendship, and the systems that shape women’s lives. Given our realities as a border community, we think these stories are powerful and thought-provoking for Tucson readers.
• The stories in this collection linger. Each story hits quickly and deeply, but you’ll probably carry its questions and emotions with you long after.
• I’m always proud to hide books that amplify global voices. This translation, beautifully done by two amazingly talented translators (Heather Cleary and Julia Sanches) brings important stories across borders, reminding us how literature can connect communities and experiences beyond geography.
• Finally, this book comes with some well-deserved recognition! Longlisted for the 2025 International Booker Prize, this is a standout collection that invites both reflection and conversation, exactly the kind of book I hope sparks something meaningful when it’s found.
• A gentle note/trigger warning: these stories do not shy away from difficult realities, including abortion/miscarriage, gender-based violence, drug use, and other events that might be difficult to read about. Please take care while reading.