Ursula Villarreal-Moura Books in Order

This reading order guide provides a complete list of Ursula Villarreal-Moura books in order, from the first to the latest, and is always kept updated so you won’t miss anything!

Ursula Villarreal-Moura is an exciting voice in today’s literary landscape—an author whose work blends deep emotional insight with sharp, intelligent storytelling. Born and raised in the culturally rich city of San Antonio, Texas, Ursula brings a fresh and personal perspective to everything she writes. Her writing often draws from lived experience, identity, memory, and power dynamics, making her stories both timely and timeless.

She studied at Middlebury College and later earned her MFA from Sarah Lawrence College, a place known for nurturing literary talent. In addition, she is a proud VONA/Voices fellow, a program that supports writers of color and encourages the exploration of underrepresented narratives. Her academic and creative backgrounds reflect a deep commitment to the craft of writing and a lifelong passion for literature.

Over the years, Ursula’s writing has appeared in some of the most respected literary journals and magazines in the country. Her work has been published in Tin House, Catapult, Prairie Schooner, Midnight Breakfast, Story, Washington Square, Gulf Coast, and Wigleaf Top 50, among others. Her writing has earned her recognition across the literary world—she was the winner of the 2012 CutBank Big Fish Flash Fiction/Prose Poetry Contest and has been nominated for several honors, including Best Small Fictions, Best of the Net, and the prestigious Pushcart Prize. She was also longlisted for Best American Short Stories 2015, a notable achievement in the world of contemporary short fiction.

In 2022, she published her debut flash fiction collection, Math for the Self-Crippling. This unique collection showcases her talent for capturing complex human emotions in brief, powerful moments. Spanning decades and told through a variety of voices—first, second, and third person—the stories explore a range of topics including mysticism, Chicana identity, memory, marital struggles, and mental health. At times dark and other times humorous, this book is an intimate and deeply personal exploration of how we survive, adapt, and create meaning out of life’s challenges. Zinzi Clemmons described the collection as one that “crackles with originality and wit,” and it’s easy to see why. It’s the kind of book that stays with you long after you’ve put it down.

Then in 2024, Ursula made her full-length fiction debut with Like Happiness, a bold and emotionally charged novel that explores the complexity of fame, gender, memory, and relationships. The story follows Tatum Vega, a young woman living a seemingly peaceful life in Chile with her partner Vera, until a phone call from a U.S. journalist disrupts her world. The call reignites her connection to a complicated and powerful figure from her past—M. Dominguez, a renowned author she once had a long and intense relationship with. As the novel shifts between present-day scenes and a revealing letter Tatum writes to Dominguez, readers are pulled into a nuanced and gripping narrative that examines abuse of power, the cost of silence, and the way past trauma can shape a person’s future.

Like Happiness is especially recommended for readers who enjoy literary fiction that touches on LGBTQIA+ themes, identity, and the psychological complexity of relationships. It’s a novel that doesn’t shy away from difficult questions—and it offers no easy answers. Instead, it challenges readers to reflect deeply, while also introducing them to a compelling new literary voice.

Ursula Villarreal-Moura’s work continues to evolve, but her voice is already leaving a mark. With each story, whether it’s a short piece of flash fiction or a sweeping, character-driven novel, she invites readers into layered, intimate worlds that feel real, raw, and unforgettable.

Whether you’re discovering her for the first time or have followed her career from the start, Ursula Villarreal-Moura is a writer to watch—one who is shaping contemporary literature with honesty, courage, and an undeniable gift for storytelling.