The Diverse Books Tag! The search for a diverse list of books!

The Diverse Book Tag!

Okay, so we've been tagged by the mighty blog Silicon of The Internet to take part in this challenge, but it's hosted by Naz, the awesomesauce blogger at Read Diverse Books!

Me(Guinevere) am in a writing rut, and am looking for almost anything to distract me from writing! This tag is challenging. Especially since the direction of inclusivity in books has shifted so much since #WeNeedDiverseBooks, that I've tried my best to include #ownvoices titles, but if I've read the book personally, it may not be specifically an own voice book.

Let me just say, that while Libertad and I adore the same kinds of books, I'm always the first to read and suggest speculative fiction to her, while she in turn does the opposite with contemporary fiction. So we have plenty of books to share, especially me, since I'm looking for any reason to get out of writing!

I'll read any age category, so long as I like the premise of the book. I'm pretty open, so expect to see Middle Grade, Young Adult, New Adult and Adult titles on here! Some may have more than one suggestion if I couldn't choose between two, but hopefully I wont make any readers book broke! Also, some blurbs have been shortened!

So here goes!

1. Find a book with a lesbian character.

So SoTI took the first few that came to mind for me! So my mind defaulted to the third book that came to mind.

London Reign by A.C. Britt features a lesbian character who is a masculine lesbian. I haven't read it, so from reviews it also appears the MC is or might also be trans. I love the synopsis!

London reign is about an androgynous teen with a secret, battling turmoil of the inner streets, physical abuse from family, while being in a steamy love triangle. London reign deals with sexuality, relationships, monogamy, gender roles, love, lust and betrayal.

2. Find a book with a Muslim protagonist.

I really wanted to find a speculative fiction book, but I haven't read many where a Muslim character wasn't a supporting character. I thought about highlighting a few YA titles, but the ones I've read, I'm not sure they're the best representations. So after a little search, I found one that appealed to me, mainly because it's set in Bangladesh, by an author of Bangladeshi descent.

Set in Bangladesh at a time when Islamic fundamentalism ison the rise, The Good Muslim is an epic story about faith, familyand the long shadow of war. Tahmima Anam, the prize-winning author of A Golden Age, offers a moving portrait of a sister and brother whostruggle with the competing loyalties of love and belief as they cope with thelasting ravages of war and confront the deeply intimate roots of religiousextremism. Echoingthe intensity and humanity of Thrity Umrigar’s The SpaceBetween Us, Abraham Verghese’s Cutting for Stone, and Kiran Desai’s TheInheritance of Loss,Anam’s “accomplished and gripping novel,” in thewords of author Pankaj Mishra, “describes not only the tumult of a greathistorical event, but also the small but heroic struggles of individuals livingin the shadow of revolution and war.”

3. Find a book set in Latin America.

FYI, it's easy to find, but I haven't read a ton, so my mind defaults one I've purchased recently. Sun kissed is a planned trilogy by Coco Nichole. The book itself is set in Brazil, but the main character is actually Brazilian on one side, and Colombian on the other. I believe the author is American of Afro-Caribbean descent(I've asked, but it was a while back, so I know she is, but don't want to quote the wrong heritage!)

Sixteen year old Sofia Aguilar believed she was doing the right thing when she relocated three thousand miles to be with her dying mother (mãe). Now her home is a remote, isolated village buried deep in the Amazon where nobody speaks English and where the weather is unbearable. To make things worse, Sofi’s mãe is too sick to remember her own daughter... 

4. Find a book about a person with a disability.

Again, my mind will default certain books first, but I've tried to make every effort to include authors from such marginalized group. I suck with reviews of recent time(a combination of lazy, and not having time). But C.K. Oliver's Daybreak Rising was like, my first 5 star review of the year, if I'd actually do them! 

22-year-old Celosia Brennan spent sixteen years being raised as the heroine her nation needed. A dual-touched Elementalist with both the power to conjure fire and see glimpses of her future, Celosia was the best hope at overthrowing the oppressive Council in a mission called Daybreak, an attempt to secure justice for the massacre of her people and so many others. There’s just one problem: she couldn’t. Celosia broke down after realizing the enormity of her task, and is struggling to make things right while the blood of her fellows stains her hands.

P.S. It also features a f/f romance, and the cover reveal is about to drop, so sign up for C.K. Oliver's Cover Reveal Sign Up if you want the first look!

5. Find a Science Fiction or Fantasy book with a POC protagonist.

This is easy. Want all eight of my bookcases? Because I can guarantee there ain't shit else but that. The next suggestion has an awesomesauce cover! Who can argue with that?!?
It's a recent release that just dropped, so don't hesitate to learn more about it!

In The Root, the dark and surging urban fantasy debut from Na’amen Tilahun, two worlds must come together if even a remnant of one is to survive.

6. Find a book set in or about any country in Africa.

I highlighted a bunch of books a few years back during a Black Speculative Fiction Month event, but I don't think suggesting any of their books ever get old. I can't decide who I'd like to highlight more, so I'm just going all out, and highlighting the best authors that come to mind for this, both Balogun Ojetade and Milton Davis. They're both well known in Steamfunk and Sword and Soul(both genres of fantasy featuring Black main characters) and create content for every age group, so no excuses! There's something you would like from either of them!

Each book links to their Goodreads backlists, so have fun searching through to find the plethora of choices they have to offer!

Between the two of them, they have so many books! It's hard to choose just one blurb! But you can purchase their novels via their websites as well!
Balogun Ojetade    Milton Davis

7. Find a book written by an Indigenous or Native Author.

Obviously my head defaulted Joseph Bruchac. We've had him on our blog twice! But in efforts to be inclusive, I'll highlight more than one author, because most of us need this in our lives! 

Years ago, seventeen-year-old Apache hunter Lozen and her family lived in a world of haves
and have-nots. There were the Ones—people so augmented with technology and genetic
enhancements that they were barely human—and there was everyone else who served them...

Karin Lowachee's Warchild looks steller! And for me, the best part is their both Spec Fic! Yay!

When Jos' parents are killed in an attack on their trading ship, the boy is kidnapped by the attackers and then escapes - only to fall into the alien hands of humanity's greatest enemies. He is soon coerced into becoming a spy against the human race.

8. Find a book set in South Asia(India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, etc.).

The Ash Mistry series by Sarwat Chadda. I HAVE SPOKEN!

Book's too awesome to leave the blurb, just buy it!

9. Find a book with a biracial protagonist.

I think this is easy. Most books that I find with POC protagonists are biracial. Not sure if this is a coincidence or not, but I'd say 45-50% of my shelf of POC or Native protagonists are actually characters with multiracial identities.

I've made many efforts to include or feature a character who doesn't have one white parent. I think because most people whom are mixed race in books, are often half white, biracial identity has become synonymous with automatically being half white.

Biracial characters can be Native, Black, Asian, and many other ethnicities. White doesn't always have to be the default =)

First, Issa Mazumder's nerdy boyfriend dumps her for popular Latina princess Cat Morena—as if Cat even likes him. She just hates Issa. And for good reason: Issa finds out that her mother not only has been dating Cat's dad, but is going to marry him. That means they're moving into Cat's huge house. And not only is Issa's stepsister-to-be a total beyotch, she has no respect for Issa's Indian and African-American heritage. But Issa gets some tough advice: if she wants Cat Morena to welcome her traditions, Issa had better learn how to salsa in a sari. (less)

10. Find a book starring a transgender character or about transgender issues.

First off, I haven't read this book, but I have a hard time assuming I wouldn't love it <3

Not only is it penned by an Afro-Latinx trans woman, but it's ABOUT an Afro-Latinx trans woman.

Brew follows the lives of a mother and daughter, one who thinks she knows everything and another discovering what she knew isn’t true at all.

I think I have to tag three people, and I'm trying to think of three people this would come the most easy for, folk who read a lot, and have no problem finding diverse books.

Anyone can do this tag though! Don't feel as though you can't just because you haven't been tagged! Spread the love!

I think I'll tag Lekeisha The Booknerd 

Gia via GJWrites 

and...

Kayti Nika Raet

They all read fast, and a ton of books if you check and follow their blogs! Hopefully they're able to find books as easily as I did!