Families who loved Midnight Taxi Tango (Bone Street Rumba, #2) by Daniel José Older often look for books with a similar feel. These 20 recommendations were selected for their similarity in style, theme, and reading level.
A parent would reach for this book when their teenager is grappling with the weight of community responsibility or feels like an outsider even in their own neighborhood. It is a sophisticated urban fantasy that speaks to the 'in-between' stage of late adolescence, where the pressure to protect others often clashes with the search for one's own truth. Following Carlos Delacruz, a man caught between life and death, the story explores themes of justice, loyalty, and the complex layers of urban identity. While the setting is supernatural, the emotional core is deeply rooted in the Latinx experience and the realities of Brooklyn life. Parents might choose this for a teen who enjoys gritty mysteries and high-stakes action but also craves a protagonist who reflects their own cultural background. The book handles mature themes of mortality and systemic corruption with a secular, grounded perspective, making it ideal for readers aged 14 and up who are ready for a story that is as much about social connection as it is about ghost hunting.
