Rated YA-MA discussion

42 views
Reading Challenges > Challenge 2 of 2018: Diversity is the spice of life

Comments Showing 1-50 of 60 (60 new)    post a comment »
« previous 1

message 1: by Diane (last edited Apr 02, 2018 02:42PM) (new)

Diane | 1234 comments Happy Spring!
The second quarter challenge - Diversity is the spice of life runs from April 1st through June 30th. The idea is to expand your thinking or understanding, by reading books from different walks of life. These could be books that: highlights a culture or religion other than your own - whose main characters are persons of color - the author is a person of color - main characters are LGBTQ - or lifestyle is different from what you have experienced ( gangs, poverty, homelessness, disability or immigration)

I do not mean to make assumptions about anybody's race, religion, lifestyle or experience. This is meant to be all inclusive and if I have left anything out feel free to add to the list of diversity. ( let's face it most popular books are written by white authors and have white cis gendered characters living a mainstream kind of lifestyle.) I want to break the mold and read outside of the box.


Rules breakdown:
♦ Audio books are allowed.

♦ All of the books MUST be at least 150 (paper) pages in order to qualify for this challenge. If the kindle or eBook pages are different than the paper count, please provide the correct number, so no books are left out unjustly. If you are reading an ebook only book, the word count MUST be a minimum of 45,000.

♦ 5 out of 6 of your books for this challenge must be YA.



I'll be keeping track of participant’s progress (as much as possible) in post #2. Participants will be listed alphabetically by their name and the number of their original post in the challenge.

When posting your progress, please remember to use the number attached to your original post as well. (This will be especially useful to save me from mixing up folks with similar names).
When posting the Title of your book let us know what the diversity was.
It is also nice, but not necessary, to tell us what you thought of the book just in case it grabs the interest of another member also.

A few lists you can browse through are:
https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/8...

https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/1...

https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/9...
https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/7...

https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/9...

https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/9...

https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/8...

https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/8...


message 2: by Diane (last edited Jul 07, 2018 07:34AM) (new)

Diane | 1234 comments Participants:

Barb 6/6 *********FINISHED!
Casey
Gabriella 6/6 *********FINISHED
Jennifer 6/6 **********FINISHED
KD 6/6 ***********FINISHED
Laurel 6/6**********FINISHED!
Laurel Round 2 -6/6 ******FINISHED!
Melanie 6/6 ******FINISHED
RA 2/6
Zhye


message 3: by Jennifer (last edited Jun 30, 2018 06:17PM) (new)

Jennifer | 456 comments I'm in.
Possibilities:
List 1: The Star-Touched Queen (The Star-Touched Queen, #1) by Roshani Chokshi A Wizard of Earthsea (Earthsea Cycle, #1) by Ursula K. Le Guin Turtles All the Way Down by John Green Walk on Earth a Stranger (The Gold Seer Trilogy, #1) by Rae Carson Warcross (Warcross, #1) by Marie Lu The Forbidden Wish (The Forbidden Wish, #1) by Jessica Khoury Exquisite Captive (Dark Caravan Cycle, #1) by Heather Demetrios Afterworlds (Afterworlds #1) by Scott Westerfeld Nation by Terry Pratchett

List 2: Under a Painted Sky by Stacey Lee Tiger Lily by Jodi Lynn Anderson Half-Blood (Covenant, #1) by Jennifer L. Armentrout Shatter Me (Shatter Me, #1) by Tahereh Mafi Children of Blood and Bone (Legacy of Orïsha, #1) by Tomi Adeyemi Forest of a Thousand Lanterns (Rise of the Empress, #1) by Julie C. Dao

Finished:
The Star-Touched Queen (The Star-Touched Queen, #1) by Roshani Chokshi The City of Brass (The Daevabad Trilogy, #1) by S.A. Chakraborty Dread Nation (Dread Nation, #1) by Justina Ireland Aru Shah and the End of Time (Pandava Quartet, #1) by Roshani Chokshi Driving by Starlight by Anat Deracine Dawn (Xenogenesis, #1) by Octavia E. Butler


message 4: by Gabriela (last edited Jun 30, 2018 05:19AM) (new)

Gabriela I'm in! Love diversity challenges.

Finished!

Read 6/6
Flowers for Algernon by Daniel Keyes MC with low IQ (Adult)
Orbiting Jupiter by Gary D. Schmidt MC in foster care
Gathering Blue (The Giver, #2) by Lois Lowry MC with physical disability
We Are the Ants by Shaun David Hutchinson LGBTQ and mental health
Secret (Elemental, #4) by Brigid Kemmerer LGBTQ
Walk the Edge (Thunder Road, #2) by Katie McGarry MC in a motorcycle club


message 5: by laurel [the suspected bibliophile] (last edited Jun 12, 2018 02:34PM) (new)

laurel [the suspected bibliophile] (laurelthereader) Yes! I love this challenge!! I'm going to make it more fun by doing #ownvoices books.

The possibilities (view spoiler)(view spoiler):
My So-Called Bollywood Life by Nisha Sharma The Obelisk Gate (The Broken Earth, #2) by N.K. Jemisin City of Saints & Thieves by Natalie C. Anderson Forest of a Thousand Lanterns (Rise of the Empress, #1) by Julie C. Dao Little & Lion by Brandy Colbert If I Was Your Girl by Meredith Russo Trail of Lightning (The Sixth World, #1) by Rebecca Roanhorse The Final Six (The Final Six, #1) by Alexandra Monir Dread Nation (Dread Nation, #1) by Justina Ireland The Power by Naomi Alderman The Girl with Ghost Eyes (Xian Li-lin, #1) by M.H. Boroson All American Boys by Jason Reynolds Patina (Track, #2) by Jason Reynolds Amal Unbound by Aisha Saeed Driving by Starlight by Anat Deracine

Round 1 (#ownvoices) Read 6/6
Peasprout Chen, Future Legend of Skate and Sword by Henry Lien (POC MC, MG)
Dread Nation (Dread Nation, #1) by Justina Ireland (African-American MC, LGBT, slavery, systematic racism)
Song of Blood & Stone (Earthsinger Chronicles, #1) by L. Penelope (POC MC)
The Final Six (The Final Six, #1) by Alexandra Monir (Iranian-American MC)
My So-Called Bollywood Life by Nisha Sharma (Indian-American MC)
Driving by Starlight by Anat Deracine (Saudi Arabian MC)

Round 2 (anything goes but MC must be diverse) Read 6/6
Spinning by Tillie Walden (lesbian MC)
Running on the Roof of the World by Jess Butterworth (Tibetan MC, MG)
Amal Unbound by Aisha Saeed (Pakistani MC, MG)
Leah on the Offbeat (Creekwood, #2) by Becky Albertalli (bi MC)
Dear Rachel Maddow by Adrienne Kisner (lesbian MC)
Undead Girl Gang by Lily Anderson (Mexican-American MC)


laurel [the suspected bibliophile] (laurelthereader) Book one is done Peasprout Chen, Future Legend of Skate and Sword by Henry Lien (MG)


message 7: by Barb (last edited Jun 12, 2018 07:08AM) (new)

Barb I'm in! Hopefully I'll do better at this one than the last one.

Finished - I Am Malala The Story of the Girl Who Stood Up for Education and Was Shot by the Taliban by Malala Yousafzai Tyler Johnson Was Here by Jay Coles Between Two Skies by Joanne O'Sullivan Solo by Kwame Alexander Cloudwish (The Six Impossiverse #3) by Fiona Wood The Red Pencil by Andrea Davis Pinkney


message 8: by R.A. (last edited May 03, 2018 08:59PM) (new)

R.A. Desilets | 375 comments I'm in!! Will update with possibilities later!

Possibilities:
The Astonishing Color of After by Emily X.R. Pan American Panda by Gloria Chao Not the Girls You're Looking for by Aminah Mae Safi The Way You Make Me Feel by Maurene Goo The Poet X by Elizabeth Acevedo A Land of Permanent Goodbyes by Atia Abawi A Girl Like That by Tanaz Bhathena The Skin I'm In by Sharon G. Flake Children of Blood and Bone (Legacy of Orïsha, #1) by Tomi Adeyemi

Finished:
The Secret Sky by Atia Abawi Tyler Johnson Was Here by Jay Coles


message 9: by Casey (new)

Casey Anderson | 637 comments This is something I've been telling myself I should do for awhile, so, Im in.
I didn't finish the last challenge but I did find some great new books in it.


message 10: by Zhye (new)

Zhye (zhyegoatt) | 2 comments Count me in! Just joined this group btw sooo... HI!


laurel [the suspected bibliophile] (laurelthereader) Zhye wrote: "Count me in! Just joined this group btw sooo... HI!"

Hiiiiiiiiiiii!


message 12: by Kdbrand (last edited Jun 30, 2018 06:27AM) (new)

Kdbrand | 353 comments Count me in too!

Progress: 6/6
A Time to Dance by Padma Venkatraman Beauty Queens by Libba Bray Solo by Kwame Alexander Dare Mighty Things by Heather Kaczynski Being Jazz My Life as a (Transgender) Teen by Jazz Jennings (Non-YA) Driving by Starlight by Anat Deracine



Possibilities:
Words in the Dust by Trent Reedy Snow Flower and the Secret Fan by Lisa See Dare Mighty Things by Heather Kaczynski A Time to Dance by Padma Venkatraman Beauty Queens by Libba Bray The Belles (The Belles #1) by Dhonielle Clayton


message 13: by Diane (new)

Diane | 1234 comments Zhye wrote: "Count me in! Just joined this group btw sooo... HI!"

Love your name! How is it pronounced? - Welcome to the group!


message 14: by Melanie, looking for a partner in crime (last edited Apr 08, 2018 04:13PM) (new)

Melanie | 1911 comments I will (as always) make a valiant attempt!

YA
A Torch Against the Night (An Ember in the Ashes, #2) by Sabaa Tahir Furthermore (Furthermore, #1) by Tahereh Mafi Dread Nation (Dread Nation, #1) by Justina Ireland Flame in the Mist (Flame in the Mist, #1) by Renee Ahdieh The Wrath and the Dawn (The Wrath and the Dawn, #1) by Renee Ahdieh Cinder (The Lunar Chronicles, #1) by Marissa Meyer The Star-Touched Queen (The Star-Touched Queen, #1) by Roshani Chokshi Warcross (Warcross, #1) by Marie Lu
Ten Little Indians by Sherman Alexie Flight by Sherman Alexie Prodigy (Legend, #2) by Marie Lu Eleanor & Park by Rainbow Rowell Beauty Queens by Libba Bray

MA
The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller Carmilla by J. Sheridan Le Fanu Kindred by Octavia E. Butler The Obelisk Gate (The Broken Earth, #2) by N.K. Jemisin


message 15: by Jennifer (new)

Jennifer | 456 comments I finished book #1
The Star-Touched Queen (The Star-Touched Queen, #1) by Roshani Chokshi - Indian folklore/myth
I gave it 4/5 stars. I enjoyed it very much, and I loved the artist's way of weaving words. Very beautifully done


message 16: by Kdbrand (last edited Apr 17, 2018 10:08AM) (new)

Kdbrand | 353 comments Finished #1 A Time to Dance by Padma Venkatraman --Author Padma Venkatraman is from India, and she tells the story of Veda's journey to be the best at bharatanatyam, a classical Indian dance form. Written in verse. I gave this one 4 stars!

Updated post #12


message 17: by Kdbrand (last edited Apr 23, 2018 10:00AM) (new)

Kdbrand | 353 comments Finished #2 Beauty Queens by Libba Bray -LGBT

Brilliantly written satire of beauty pageants and corporate America. A bit challenging for the first 30-40 pages, but once you get used to the over-the-top storytelling, you won't mind at all.

Updated post #12


message 18: by laurel [the suspected bibliophile] (last edited Apr 25, 2018 12:26PM) (new)

laurel [the suspected bibliophile] (laurelthereader) Finished Book 2!

Dread Nation (Dread Nation, #1) by Justina Ireland (POC MC, LGBT, slavery)


message 19: by Jennifer (new)

Jennifer | 456 comments I just wanted to remind everyone about SYNC
https://www.audiobooksync.com/
They have a lot of great books that fit this challenge this summer. It started yesterday, so take a look. Next week's book is Solo by Kwame Alexander, so a definite fit for this challenge :)
If you're not familiar with SYNC it tries to pair a classic with a more contemporary book each week. Both books are free and only available for download during their prospective week.


message 20: by Jennifer (new)

Jennifer | 456 comments Finished book #2 The City of Brass (The Daevabad Trilogy, #1) by S.A. Chakraborty


message 21: by R.A. (new)

R.A. Desilets | 375 comments Finished The Secret Sky by Atia Abawi today. Had to force myself to finish this one, not because of the writing or anything like that. It was hard to read -- painful. My heart broke for these characters, and it shows how insanely privileged I am, and how much I take for granted.


message 22: by Diane (new)

Diane | 1234 comments That looks like a good book. I like when a book can put me back into perspective.


message 23: by R.A. (new)

R.A. Desilets | 375 comments Finished 2 of 6 yesterday - Tyler Johnson Was Here. Sort of like The Hate U Give, but the first fifty pages are very expository.


message 24: by Kdbrand (new)

Kdbrand | 353 comments Finished #3- Solo by Kwame Alexander --POC
Written in verse, and free on AudiobookSync this week.
Loved the music references, and the description of Ghana.

Updated post 12.


laurel [the suspected bibliophile] (laurelthereader) Finished books 3 and 4!

Song of Blood & Stone (Earthsinger Chronicles, #1) by L. Penelope (POC MC)
The Final Six by Alexandra Monir (POC MC)


message 26: by Kdbrand (last edited May 09, 2018 07:51AM) (new)

Kdbrand | 353 comments Finished #4 Dare Mighty Things by Heather Kaczynski --Asexual MC

Fast-paced, science, space, and interesting characters. 4 star read!

Updated post 12.


message 27: by Barb (new)

Barb Haven't been on much, but did quite a bit of reading.

Finished - I Am Malala The Story of the Girl Who Stood Up for Education and Was Shot by the Taliban by Malala Yousafzai - accidentally started the young readers edition, so after a few days, I started over
Tyler Johnson Was Here by Jay Coles
Between Two Skies by Joanne O'Sullivan

Updated post 7


message 28: by Casey (new)

Casey Anderson | 637 comments Guys, i forgot about this! So, gonna try and find something to start when i finish what I'm on now.


message 29: by Gabriela (last edited May 25, 2018 09:58AM) (new)

Gabriela I haven't been very good at updating, but I've read 3 books so far: Flowers for Algernon by Daniel Keyes MC with low IQ (Adult), Orbiting Jupiter by Gary D. Schmidt MC in foster care and Gathering Blue (The Giver, #2) by Lois Lowry MC with physical disability.

Updated post #4


message 30: by laurel [the suspected bibliophile] (last edited May 28, 2018 12:29PM) (new)

laurel [the suspected bibliophile] (laurelthereader) Book 5 is done!

My So-Called Bollywood Life by Nisha Sharma (POC MC)

And post #5 is updated.


message 31: by Barb (new)

Barb Finished #4 & 5

Cloudwish (The Six Impossiverse #3) by Fiona Wood - MC child of Vietnamese refugees
Solo by Kwame Alexander - MC POC

Updated post 7


message 32: by Diane (new)

Diane | 1234 comments Hi Guys, This challenge has one more month to go. There seems to be less activity this time, I hope it is because of busy spring lives not the topic. I just want to put it out there that I have been crazy busy with life and finishing up the school year as well as getting ready to move across country. We will be leaving the end of June and I will be with out computer access for awhile ( I use my school lap top which will be turned in on the 11th) I will try to get everybody totaled out at the end but it wont be until after July 4th.

Also on that note, is there anybody interested in hosting the next quarter challenge? You would just have to come up with a theme (I could help if you have no ideas) and update the participants' progress. If nobody is interested the other options are:
* for me to post the new challenge a month early but on the honor system participants do not start it until July 1.
* Skip the 3rd quarter challenge
* Have the third quarter challenge be a 2 month challenge starting in August and ending after September

Any input would be appreciated


message 33: by Melanie, looking for a partner in crime (new)

Melanie | 1911 comments Finally got my first book in! Like you Dianne, I'm a teacher just trying to get everything graded for the year's end. I have more books picked out and waiting. Now I just need summer vacation so I have time to read them all.

Children of Blood and Bone (Legacy of Orïsha, #1) by Tomi Adeyemi
An interesting fantasy world and magic system set in a strong Afro-centric universe.


message 34: by Jennifer (new)

Jennifer | 456 comments Diane,
I think posting it a month early would be fine. We more or less use the honor system already. Also, the topic used to be posted prior to the start of the challenge, granted not a whole month before, but eh.

And, as for not a lot of participation/posts, yes, this spring has been crazy busy. At least for me it has been.


message 35: by Diane (new)

Diane | 1234 comments Melanie has agreed to take on the posting and updating of the next challenge. We are working on the topic now. Thanks for stepping up Melanie!


laurel [the suspected bibliophile] (laurelthereader) Thanks Melanie!


laurel [the suspected bibliophile] (laurelthereader) Book 6/6 is done!

Driving by Starlight by Anat Deracine (POC MC)

It's like The Handmaid's Tale and The Feminine Mystique had a baby and the baby was present day Saudi Arabia. It is excellent!


message 38: by Jennifer (new)

Jennifer | 456 comments Thank you, Melanie!


message 39: by Diane (new)

Diane | 1234 comments laurel [suspected bibliophile] wrote: "Book 6/6 is done!

Driving by Starlight by Anat Deracine (POC MC)

It's like The Handmaid's Tale and The Feminine Mystique had a baby and the baby was present day Saudi Arabia. It is excellent!"


Congratulations Laurel! Glad you finished, feel free to do round 2 :) It has been strange for me to not participate in this one - especially since I have a high interest in diversity. Can't wait till life settles down and I can jump right in with you all!


message 40: by Kdbrand (last edited Jun 04, 2018 12:31PM) (new)

Kdbrand | 353 comments Finished #5 Being Jazz My Life as a (Transgender) Teen by Jazz Jennings Non YA--Autobiography of transgender teen

Updated post #12


message 41: by laurel [the suspected bibliophile] (last edited Jun 04, 2018 03:44PM) (new)

laurel [the suspected bibliophile] (laurelthereader) Diane wrote: "laurel [suspected bibliophile] wrote: "Book 6/6 is done!

Driving by Starlight by Anat Deracine (POC MC)

It's like The Handmaid's Tale and The Feminine Mystique had a baby and the baby was pre..."


Thanks! I might try to do round 2, but they won't all be YA if that's all right.

Hopefully life settles down quickly for you and the move goes well!


message 42: by Diane (new)

Diane | 1234 comments Thanks it will settle eventually and I truly am looking forward to this refresh & and renew of the next chapter in my life. It is just the next 6 weeks that will be crazy :)

I feel like if you are doing round 2 you can read YA or adult since you already finished the YA part. This is going above and beyond.


message 43: by laurel [the suspected bibliophile] (last edited Jun 09, 2018 02:48PM) (new)

laurel [the suspected bibliophile] (laurelthereader) All right! Round 2 here we go!

My rules for this one are: anything goes but the MC must be diverse (where Round 1 I wasn't doing LGB [bc I'm gaaaaaaaaaaay] and the books had to be #ownvoices)

Read 5/6

Spinning by Tillie Walden (lesbian MC) A graphic novel where the MC slowly falls out of love with competitive figure skating. There's some mental illness.
Running on the Roof of the World by Jess Butterworth (POC MC, MG) Two Tibetan children race across the Himalayas to India to plead for the Dalai Lama to step in and release their parents from the hands of the Chinese.
Amal Unbound by Aisha Saeed (POC MC, MG) A Pakistani girl yearning for more education gets trapped into a form of indentured servitude when she "insults" the son of a rich man.
Leah on the Offbeat (Creekwood, #2) by Becky Albertalli (bi MC) The companion novel to Simon vs. The Homo Sapiens featuring Leah and her journey to possible love and definite college as she deals with her circle of friends unraveling.
Dear Rachel Maddow by Adrienne Kisner (lesbian MC) Brynne slowly pulls herself together after her brother's death and her girlfriend breaks up with her.

Post #5 is updated


message 44: by Diane (new)

Diane | 1234 comments wow I cant believe you have read 5/6 for round two! I am jealous!


laurel [the suspected bibliophile] (laurelthereader) Diane wrote: "wow I cant believe you have read 5/6 for round two! I am jealous!"

These are some that I've read throughout the quarter that didn't count for Round 1 :)

And some I read after round 1.


message 46: by Barb (new)

Barb Finished #6. It's a MG book, about a girl in Darfur in the early '00s. It was an award winner I found at the book fair at my kids' school.

The Red Pencil by Andrea Davis Pinkney


message 47: by laurel [the suspected bibliophile] (last edited Jun 12, 2018 02:33PM) (new)

laurel [the suspected bibliophile] (laurelthereader) Finished book 6/6 for Round 2!

Undead Girl Gang by Lily Anderson (Mexican-American MC)

Post #5 is updated!


message 48: by Melanie, looking for a partner in crime (new)

Melanie | 1911 comments Finished books 2 and 3! (*I will finish this challenge)

The Crossover by Kwame Alexander
This was an amazing book in verse! If you haven’t, you should read it too.

Unbound A Novel in Verse by Ann E. Burg
This was marketed as a book in verse, but it read as a standard narration. It was still good.


message 49: by Jennifer (last edited Jun 21, 2018 04:04PM) (new)

Jennifer | 456 comments Finished book 3 Dread Nation (Dread Nation, #1) by Justina Ireland
Great book
Also, I just realized I am only halfway through this... I thought I was on book 5, but alas it was only #3.
9 more days, 3 books - I can do this!


message 50: by Melanie, looking for a partner in crime (new)

Melanie | 1911 comments Melanie update

I did finish!

MA- book #4
Into the Drowning Deep (Rolling in the Deep, #1) by Mira Grant
This falls lightly into the horror category. It has mermaids, but not the singing Ariel kind. They have the carnivorous, man-eating kind. It was a pretty good read.

YA- book #5
Flight by Sherman Alexie
Sherman Alexie is a Native American YA author. I have yet to read a book by him that I do not like.

YA- book #6
Gilded (Gilded, #1) by Christina Farley
Korean main characters with heavy urban mythology world building.


« previous 1
back to top