Johanny Ortega

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Johanny Ortega

Goodreads Author


Born
in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic
Website

Twitter

Genre

Influences
author: Zoraida Córdova author: Lindsay Currie author: Emily St. John ...more

Member Since
April 2019

URL


From the sunny shores of the Dominican Republic to the vibrant streets of the United States, Johanny Ortega’s love for reading has always been her guiding light. Upon immigrating to the U.S., she quickly learned English, driven by a desire to immerse herself in the forbidden romance books in her school's library.

But Johanny often found the literary world lacking in diversity, with few tales reflecting her own rich experiences. Determined to change this, she embarked on a journey to create stories that celebrate her heritage and community.

Johanny’s imagination knows no bounds, transforming her myriad "what-if" scenarios into compelling books, blogs, short stories, and novellas. Her unique perspective shines through in every tale, featuring q
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Johanny Ortega A cool, relaxing soak turned ugly when a hand crept from underneath the water. Why did it have claws with dirt and dried up blood underneath its nails…moreA cool, relaxing soak turned ugly when a hand crept from underneath the water. Why did it have claws with dirt and dried up blood underneath its nails?(less)
Johanny Ortega I tend to drive the same route to and from work but one day a small voice inside my head said to go in another direction. This direction takes longer …moreI tend to drive the same route to and from work but one day a small voice inside my head said to go in another direction. This direction takes longer so I never take it. But for whatever reason that day, I got ready early, had a whole fifteen minutes to spare, got in the car and instead of turning left into the highway, I turned right because something told me it would be fun to take the scenic route in. After I came to work that day, I come to found out there was a fatal accident around the same time I pass the highway junction. It was bad, a semitrailer that loss control and took out a lot of cars. Some people didn't make it.
A long time ago, I had my coffee grounds read and the lady told me, I had the spirit of an old lady that hung around me to thank me for what I've done. I knew when she told me that, that my grandma (Mamá); the lady that raised me but died of cancer, had decided to stick around with me. You see, when things got really bad, I became her 24/7 personal nurse, at home, and in the hospital. She didn't know English and I didn't feel like it was right for her to be in a strange place with people she can't understand so as a high school student I lived in her bedroom till she was discharged. I would go to school from there and come back there. I wonder if she's still hanging around. If she was the one that saved me that day.(less)
Average rating: 4.16 · 43 ratings · 35 reviews · 4 distinct worksSimilar authors
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4.09 avg rating — 22 ratings — published 2025 — 3 editions
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3.71 avg rating — 7 ratings — published 2022 — 5 editions
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* Note: these are all the books on Goodreads for this author. To add more, click here.

Day 5: My Familiar — Dila, The Little Warrior Who Mirrors Me

If you have ever rescued an animal, you know it is never really you doing the rescuing. Somehow, without warning, they end up rescuing parts of you too. That is exactly what happened with Dila, my little feral kitten with the wounded eye, the fragile body, and the spirit of someone who has already lived a thousand lives.

Dila came into my life through my son. He found her in El Paso, tiny, injured,

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Published on November 29, 2025 22:00
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The Possession of Alba Díaz by Isabel Cañas
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The Possession of Alba Díaz by Isabel Cañas
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Salt Bones by Jennifer Givhan
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Five stars… and honestly I’m still processing...What did I just read?!

Jennifer Givhan didn’t just write a book. She cracked open the chest of generational trauma, held up the ribs, and asked us to look inside. Salt Bones is one of those rare reads t
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The Unworthy by Agustina Bazterrica
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This one pulled me straight into its bleak, claustrophobic little world and did not let go. The Unworthy is the kind of dystopian horror that crawls under your skin in a slow, intentional, and psychologically loaded way that reminds you how fragile a ...more
The Ordinary Bruja by Johanny Ortega
The Ordinary Bruja by Johanny Ortega
"Thank you to Have a cup of Johanna and Booksprout for an e-arc of this book.

This is a coming of age story featuring magical realism, horror, and Dominican folklore. The story follows Marisol, who is still grieving the death of her mother of Covid. S" Read more of this review »
The Ordinary Bruja by Johanny Ortega
""The Ordinary Bruja" beautifully blends elements of horror with a compelling narrative about forging your own path, even in the face of adversity.

Marisol hails from a rich lineage of witches in the Dominican Republic, and with her mother's passing, " Read more of this review »
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Salt Bones by Jennifer Givhan
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Bochica by Carolina  Flórez-Cerchiaro
Bochica
by Carolina Flórez-Cerchiaro (Goodreads Author)
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Bochica is one those slow-burn Gothic stories that stays with you long after you close the book. Set in 1920s-1930s Colombia, it's full of atmosphere, and layered with history, faith and generational guilt.
As someone who wrote a book with the same vi
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Johanny Ortega The Ordinary Bruja is available as an ARC on NetGalley, BookSprout, and BookFunnel. The book comes out on November 1st, 2025. If you like the TV shows Wednesday, The Haunting of Hill House, or the books The Inheritance of Orquidia Divina, or Mexican Gothic, you will vibe with The Ordinary Bruja.


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