Diversity is Lit Book Club discussion

Add any BIPOC authors and books we should keep on our radar for future poll options.

Hi Holly! I am so excited to join the group! Quick question - do the books need to have been recent releases? If not, I'd love to recommend something by Tananarive Due, perhaps My Soul To Keep (https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/4...) or The Good House (https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/4...).

They definitely don't have to be new! :) Thanks for sharing these. I'll add them to our TBR!

The Forest of Stolen Girls by June Hur. It comes out on April 20th. She also has another book I'm interested in that's already out called The Silence of Bones.
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/5...
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/4...

Vanessa wrote: "The Forest of Stolen Girls by June Hur. It comes out on April 20th. She also has another book I'm interested in that's already out called The Silence of Bones.
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/..."
Cool, adding them to our TBR! They sound so good!

I have Black Leopard, Red Wolf by Marlon James (a Jamaican writer!) on my list!

Sweet! Adding it to the list!

I wonder if we should do an Indie Author spotlight month, and select between Indie published books!

One indie book from a Black author is Macario's Scepter by M.J. McGriff.

i'd recommend:

- anything by n.k. jemisin, particularly the fifth season
- black girl unlimited by echo brown
- darius the great is not okay by adib khorram
- love from a to z by s.k. ali
- noteworthy by riley redgate

Janine wrote: "I wonder if we should do an Indie Author spotlight month, and select between Indie published books!

One indie book from a Black author is Macario's Scepter by [author:M.J. McGriff|..."

That sounds like a great idea! Thanks!!

Hannah wrote: "i'd recommend:

- anything by n.k. jemisin, particularly the fifth season
- black girl unlimited by echo brown
- darius the great is not okay by adib khorram
- love from a to z by s.k. ali
- notew..."
Ooh, awesome. I'll add them to the group's TBR list. :)

Two more indie books: The Black Veins by Ashia Monet and The Distance Between by Blair Cousins. Let's do December for the indie read (just need to find two more Black indie books).

Another book, not indie, but from a smaller publisher: Conquest by Celeste Harte.

We should read some Dana L. Davis books. Like Tiffany Sly Lives Here Now and The Voice in My Head.

Are there any genres we're sticking to or avoiding? If it's open to different genres, how about horror? I've been wanting to read Mexican Gothic but it's a horror book so I'm not sure how others feel about horror. Here's the Goodreads link if anyone wants to read the synopsis. https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/5...

Ooh I've heard good things about Mexican Gothic. I'm down for some horror, it'd be nice to change things up a little too :)

Horror is my jam and Mexican Gothic has been on my TBR for months so I'd definitely be interested!

Janine wrote: "Two more indie books: The Black Veins by Ashia Monet and The Distance Between by Blair Cousins. Let's do December for the indie r..."

Sweet I'll add these to our TBR for future book of the month poll options!!

Vanessa wrote: "Are there any genres we're sticking to or avoiding? If it's open to different genres, how about horror? I've been wanting to read Mexican Gothic but it's a horror book so I'm not sure how others fe..."

Nope, no genres we're avoiding. :) I'd love to read a horror!!

Michelle wrote: "Horror is my jam and Mexican Gothic has been on my TBR for months so I'd definitely be interested!"

I'd love for one of our picks to be a horror! I'll try to post a lot of those as options next month. :)

One I’m planning to read this year is Scavenge the Stars by Tara Sim (gender-bent Count of Monte Cristo retelling). Would love to read that with DIL if others are interested!

Other ideas:
Skyhunter by Marie Lu
Woven in Moonlight by Isabel Ibañez
Forest of Souls by Lori M. Lee
Hunted by the Sky by Tanaz Bhathena (MG)

And some more from my TBR...

Elatsoe by Darcie Little Badger
Black Sun by Rebecca Roanhorse
Firekeeper’s Daughter by Angeline Boulley
Never Look Back by Lilliam Rivera (Greek myth retelling)
A Universe of Wishes by Dhonielle Clayton (anthology)
Ayesha at Last by Uzma Jalaluddin (modern-day Muslim pride and prejudice)
Loveboat, Taipei by Abigail Hing Wen

Great suggestions, Kristin!!

Kristin wrote: "One I’m planning to read this year is Scavenge the Stars by Tara Sim (gender-bent Count of Monte Cristo retelling). Would love to read that with DIL if others are interested!

Other ideas:
Skyhunte..."
Awesome suggestions! I'll add these and the ones from your other post to our TBR. :D

Thanks! So many good options in this thread! 😍

Two more black indie books: Howl of Hereafter and Across the Broken Tide. Can't wait until December for the indie book vote!

And I’m back with more books that have caught my eye... 😂

XOXO by Axie Oh (releases July 13th)

Somewhere Between Bitter and Sweet by Laeken Zea Kemp

The Infinity Courts by Akemi Dawn Bowman

Aziel by Lee James (releases June 15th)

Zara Hossain Is Here by Sabina Khan

A Thieving Curse by Selina R. Gonzalez (beauty and the beast retelling)

Sunburnt Veils by Sara Haghdoosti (own-voices rom-com with a political activist edge and a deliciously savvy pop culture voice)

Oops, it was Azriel by Lee James. Left out a letter above.😆

Kristin wrote: "Oops, it was Azriel by Lee James. Left out a letter above.😆"
Ooh thanks for all the reccs!!

Janine wrote: "Two more black indie books: Howl of Hereafter and Across the Broken Tide. Can't wait until December for the indie book vote!"

Sweet, going to add them now! :)

Kristin wrote: "Oops, it was Azriel by Lee James. Left out a letter above.😆"

Can you link this one? I can't find it from my Goodreads search!

I have been hearing such good things about The Poppy War by R.F. Kuang and I hope to read it this year, so I'd love to add it to the giant pile of good books here!

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/3...

Holly - https://www.love2readlove2writepublis...

Also if anyone is looking for ideas for books to read, I was on Axis 360 app today and they had a lot of great lists of children, MG, and YA books by BIPOC authors! I found several new-to-me books that I added to my TBR. 🤩

The Blazing Star is by a black indie author. For a smaller published book, Starswept by Mary Fan.

Michelle wrote: "I have been hearing such good things about The Poppy War by R.F. Kuang and I hope to read it this year, so I'd love to add it to the giant pile of good books here!

https://www.goodreads.com/book/s..."

I've heard good things too. :) I'll add it now!

Kristin wrote: "Holly - https://www.love2readlove2writepublis..."

Cool, thanks! I couldn't find it because it's not listed on Goodreads (yet).

Kristin wrote: "Also if anyone is looking for ideas for books to read, I was on Axis 360 app today and they had a lot of great lists of children, MG, and YA books by BIPOC authors! I found several new-to-me books ..."
Sweet, thanks for the tip!!

Janine wrote: "The Blazing Star is by a black indie author. For a smaller published book, Starswept by Mary Fan."

Thanks, I added both!

Another indie book: Refurbished: The Clover Initiative by Michelle Monárrez.

Kristin wrote: "Also if anyone is looking for ideas for books to read, I was on Axis 360 app today and they had a lot of great lists of children, MG, and YA books by BIPOC authors! I found several new-to-me books ..."
Sweet! Thanks for sharing!

Just found out about this book which sounds so good. https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/3...

Another one to add to the ever growing list: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/5...

Vanessa wrote: "Just found out about this book which sounds so good. https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/3..."
Sweet, will add these to the list!!

Hi all! I recently added The Other Black Girl by Zakiya Dalila Harris to my TBR, and thought I'd suggest it here too! I've seen some good buzz about it, and I'm really excited to read it!

Michelle wrote: "Hi all! I recently added The Other Black Girl by Zakiya Dalila Harris to my TBR, and thought I'd suggest it here too! I've seen some good buzz about it, and I'm really excited to read it!" That looks so good!

Ooh, thanks Michelle! I'm definitely adding it to July's book poll. I'm going to be posting the poll in a bit, fyi! :)

Pride Month Book Recs for LGBTQ+ and also you can win them in this free sweepstakes!: https://read.macmillan.com/promo/mcpg...

Maurice Carlos Ruffin's We Cast A Shadow is a fantasic BIPOC title, and he has a new story collection coming out this fall The Ones Who Don't Say They Love You. Both are amazing titles

https://www.goodreads.com/mauricecarl...

Another indie book: Elemental by Whitney Hill

These books sound so good! The Taking of Jake Livingston & How We Fell Apart. Please don't put them on the same month's poll, I can't choose. I want to read them both!

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/3...

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/5...

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/5...

Just saw this this morning and it looks so good! Teresa also mentioned it being on her radar for August!