#DiverseReadingGoals 2018

I'm continuing to be more intentional in the diverse books I read and to keep track of them in 2018, as inspired by Kayla Whaley. Here's my tracking progress for 2017 and 2016.

My diverse goals for 2018 are:
  • To improve, generally, on my diverse reading in 2017.
    • To read more novels with mentally ill characters as protagonists. As someone who has a mental illness, I was surprised how few I'd read in 2017 - only 8. Hoping to improve on this in 2018.
    • To read more novels with neurodiverse/neuroatypical characters as protagonists. Just 3 in 2017, so really need to pick up moer in 2018.
    • To continue to read more novels with disabled characters as protagonists. Again, I only read 6 books with disabled protagonists last year. Need to do better.
    • To continue to read more novels with characters who have chronic/terminal illnesses/diseases/conditions as protagonists. I improved in 2017, but only read 3. So I want to get that number higher.
    • To continue read more books with protagonists from different religious/cultural backgrounds. I read 9 in 2017, and would really like to improve on this.
    • To continue with the improvement made in 2017 for novels with POC protagonists. I did pretty well in 2017 - 28 POC protags (as opposed to 13 POC protags in 2016) - and I'd love to continue this streak in 2018.
    • To continue with the improvement made in 2017 for novels with lesser represented LGBTQ* protags (and LGBTQ* protags in general). Last year I read 16 LGBTQ* protags, 13 of which had lesser represented LGBTQ* protags. I improved on the lesser represented identities, as I read only 3 in 2016, but for LGBTQ* protags in general, the number is pretty low. So I'd like to improve both.
  • To read more books with intersectional characters. Because not all, but many people are from more than one marginalised group, and my reading should reflect this. Also, I'm not a fast reader, so intersectional characters may help me with meeting my other goals.
  • To continue to read more marginalised authors, but to focus less on #OwnVoices. My reasons for this is that not all authors are public about the marginalised groups they belong to. I'll still keep track of the #OwnVoices authors I read, but I won't necessarily be looking for them.
  • To read - instead of overlook - diverse books by authors who seem "privileged". For the same reasons as above. An author may seem to be writing out of their lane, but we don't necessarily know this to be fact.
Not exactly #DiverseReadingGoals, but I hope to read more books by authors outside of the UK and US, more translations, and more books set in other countries. You can see how I'm doing on my Where Authors are From, Translated Reads, and Where Books are Set pages.

Below are the books I've read. Some books might fall into several sections due to intersectional characters, multiple diverse main characters, and #ownvoices authors.

Characters

LGBTQ*:

Before I Let Go by Marieke Nijkamp - Corey: Asexual, Kyra: Pansexual
The Upside of Unrequited by Becky Albertalli - Secondary character - Cassie: Gay
The Gracekeepers by Kirsty Logan - North: no label given, attracted to Callanish, Callanish: no label given, attracted to North
Vanished by E. E. Cooper - Kalah: Bisexual
The Beauty That Remains by Ashley Woodfolk - Logan: Gay
The Art of Feeling by Laura Tims - Secondary character - Eliot: asexual
The Wicker King by K. Ancrum - August: Bisexual, Secondary Character - Jack: Bisexual
The Art of Starving by Sam J. Miller- Matt: Gay
For a Muse of Fire by Heidi Heilig - Jetta: Pansexual.
A Room Away from the Wolves by Nova Ren Suma - Bina: Bisexual
Sawkill Girls by Claire Legrand - Marion: Bisexual, Zoey: Asexual, and Val: Lesbian
Strange Grace by Tessa Gratton - Rhun: Bisexual, and Arthur: Bisexual
A Discovery of Witches by Deborah Harkness - Secondary character: Sarah: Lesbian, and secondary character: Emily: Lesbian
Broken Things by Lauren Oliver - Bryn: Lesbian, secondary character: Abby - Omnisexual.
Girls of Paper and Fire by Natasha Ngan - Lei: No label used, but has a f/f relationship.

Polyamory:

Strange Grace by Tessa Gratton - Rhun, Arthur, and Mairwen.

POC:

Love, Hate & Other Filters by Samira Ahmed - Maya: Indian-American
The Girl and the Grove by Eric Smith - Leila: Black, secondary character - Sarika: South Asian.
The Belles by Dhonielle Clayton - Camellia: Black
Starfish by Akemi Dawn Bowman - Kiko: Biracial; half-Japanese, half-white American
Last Night I Sang to the Monster by Benjamin Alire Sáenz - Zach: Biracial; half-Latino, half-white.
Vanished by E. E. Cooper - Kalah; Biracial, half-Indian-American, half white-American
The Astonishing Colour of After by Emily X. R. Pan - Leigh: Biracial; half-Taiwanese, half-white-American
When Reason Breaks by Cindy L. Rodriguez - Emily: Latina
The Lost & Found by Katrina Leno - Louis & Willa (secondary character): Biracial; half-Indian, half-White American. Arrow (secondary character): Vietnamese.
I Stop Somewhere by T. E. Carter - Ellie: Latina (mother is Puerto Rican, father is of Peruvian descent)
The Beauty That Remains by Ashley Woodfolk - Autumn: Korean-American, Shay: Black, Dante (secondary character): Latino
Four Weeks, Five People by Jennifer Yu - Clarrisa: East Asian-American
The City of Brass by S. A. Chakraborty - All: Middle Eastern.
Pointe by Brandy Colbert - Theo: Black, Secondary Character - Donovan: Black, Secondary Character - Phil: Latino
The Wicker King by K. Ancrum - August: Biracial (doesn't specify)
For a Muse of Fire by Heidi Heilig - High fantasy, Chakran characters are people of colour based on East Asian people. Secondary character - Leo: Biracial; half-Chakran, half-Aquitan (loosely half-Chinese, half-French)
Are We All Lemmings & Snowflakes? by Holly Bourne - Olive: She doesn't want to know her diagnosis.
Muse of Nightmares by Laini Taylor - Almost all the characters who aren't blue have brown skin.
The Book of Blood and Shadow by Bobin Wasserman - Secondary character - Chris: Biracial; half-Black, half-white, secondary character - Adriane: Biracial; half-Japanese, half-white.
Undead Girl Gang by Lily Anderson - Mila: Latina.
Sawkill Girls by Claire Legrand - Zoey: Black
Strange Grace by Tessa Gratton - Rhun: Biracial; white father, mother with brown skin.
Girls of Paper and Fire by Natasha Ngan - All: Asian inspired high fantasy.
Empress of All Seasons by Emiko Jean - All: Japanese inspired high fantasy.
Empire of Sand by Tasha Suri - All: Indian inspired high fantasy.
The Poppy War by R. F. Kuang - All: Inspired by Chinese history.
Shadow of the Fox by Julia Kagawa - All: Japanese inspired high fantasy.
Children of Blood and Bone by Tomi Adeyemi - All bar one: West African inspired high fantasy.
A Spark of White Fire by Sangu Mandanna - All related to Esmae: inspired by Indian epic the Mahabharata.

Immigrants/Refugees:



Mental Illness:

It's Kind of a Funny Story by Ned Vizzini - Craig: Depression and Anxiety
Before I Let Go by Marieke Nijkamp - Kyra: Bipolar
The Upside of Unrequited by Becky Albertalli - Molly: Anxiety
Underwater by Marisa Reichardt - Morgan: Agoraphobia and Anxiety.
The Girl and the Grove by Eric Smith - Leila: Seasonal Affective Disorder.
White Rabbit, Red Wolf by Tom Pollock - Peter: Panic Disorder.
Starfish by Akemi Dawn Bowman - Kiko: Social Anxiety.
Last Night I Sang to the Monster by Benjamin Alire Sáenz - Zach: Alcoholism, Anxiety, Depression.
Vanished by E. E. Cooper - Kalah: OCD and Anxiety
When Reason Breaks by Cindy L. Rodriguez - Emily and Elizabeth: Depression
The Lost & Found by Katrina Leno - Louis: Anxiety
The Beauty That Remains by Ashley Woodfolk - Autumn: Depression, Shay: Anxiety and panic attacks, Logan: self-medicating with alcohol
Four Weeks, Five People by Jennifer Yu - Clarrisa: OCD, Ben: Bipolar and Disassociation, Stella: Depression, Andrew: Anorexia, Mason: Narcissitic Personality Disorder
The Art of Feeling by Laura Tims - Sam: Depression, Anxiety, Secondary character - Eliot: Depression
Pointe by Brandy Colbert - Theo: Anorexia, Secondary Character - Donovan: Selective Mustim (maybe PTSD)
The Wicker King by K. Ancrum - August: Anorexia, Anxiety, Pyromania, and Codependency.
Wild Awake by Hilary T. Smith - Kiri: Bipolar
On a Scale of One to Ten by Ceylan Scott - Tamar: Boderline Personality Disorder
Charm & Strange by Stephanie Kuehn (review to come as part of Mental Illness in YA Month) - Drew: PTSD with a system of meaning
The Art of Starving by Sam J. Miller - Matt: Eating Disorder: Anorexia
Whisper to Me by Nick Lake - Cassie: Hears a voice - no official diagnosis given, but psychotic dissociation and schizophrenia are mentioned (also possibly not a mental illness but down to trauma experienced. Discourse discussed in real life.)
All the Ways the World Can End by Abby Sher - Lenny: OCD
Challenger Deep by Neal Shusterman - Caden: no diagnosis given, but considers psychosis and schizophrenia (and in this article, Shusterman implies schizorphrenia)
The Definition of Us by Sarah Harris - Florence: Depression. Secondary character - Jasper: anorexic
Colour Me In by Lydia Ruffles - Arlo: Bipolar
For a Muse of Fire by Heidi Heilig - Jetta: Bipolar.
A Discovery of Witches by Deborah Harkness - Diana: Anxiety.
Broken Things by Lauren Oliver - Mia: Selective Mutism, secondary character: Mia's mum - hoarding.

Disability:

Mosquitoland by David Arnold - Mim: Blind in one eye.
The Lost & Found by Katrina Leno - Willa (secondary character): Amputee; uses prosthese on both legs, and a wheelchair.
The Art of Feeling by Laura Tims - Sam: Walking disability, chronic pain.
The Twisted Tree by Rachel Burge - Martha: Blind in one eye.
Sadie by Courtney Summers (review coming in Jan 2019) - Sadie: Has a stutter

Neurodiversity/Neuroatypical:

The Unpredictability of Being Human by Linni Ingemundsen - Malin: Undiagnosed Autism Spectrum Disorder.
The Definition of Us by Sarah Harris - Secondary character - Andrew: Austism Spectrum Disorder.

Chronic/Terminal Illness/Disease/Condition:

The Art of Feeling by Laura Tims - Secondary character - Eliot: Cognitive insensitivity to pain with anhibrosis.

Class:

Sadie by Courtney Summers (review coming in Jan 2019) - Sadie: Living in poverty.

Cultural/Religious Background:

Love, Hate & Other Filters by Samira Ahmed - Maya: Muslim
The Upside of Unrequited by Becky Albertalli - Molly: Jewish, Secondary character - Cassie: Jewish
The City of Brass by S. A. Chakraborty - All: Muslim
The Art of Starving by Sam J. Miller - Matt: Jewish
All the Ways the World Can End by Abby Sher - Lenny: Jewish
A Room Away from the Wolves by Nova Ren Suma - Bina: Jewish
The Book of Blood and Shadow by Bobin Wasserman - Nora: a Jewish atheist (one parent is lapsed Jewish, was brought to Synagogue as a child by a grandparent, knows some Hebrew, but doesn't believe in God now).
Undead Girl Gang by Lily Anderson - Mila: Wiccan, secondary character - Riley: Wiccan.

Intersectional:

Love, Hate & Other Filters by Samira Ahmed - Maya: Indian-American, Muslim
Before I Let Go by Marieke Nijkamp - Kyra: Pansexual, Bipolar
The Upside of Unrequited by Becky Albertalli - Molly: Anxiety, Jewish, Secondary character - Cassie: Gay, Jewish.
The Girl and the Grove by Eric Smith - Leila: Black, Seasonal Affective Disorder.
Starfish by Akemi Dawn Bowman - Kiko: Biracial; half-Japanese, half-white American, Social Anxiety.
Last Night I Sang to the Monster by Benjamin Alire Sáenz - Zach: Biracial; half-Latino, half-white, Alcoholism, Anxiety, Depression.
When Reason Breaks by Cindy L. Rodriguez - Emily: Latina, Depression.
The Lost & Found by Katrina Leno - Louis: Biracial; half-Indian, half-White American, and Anxiety.
The Beauty That Remains by Ashley Woodfolk - Autumn: Korean-American and Depression, Shay: Black and Anxiety and panic attacks, Logan: Gay and self-medicating with alcohol.
Four Weeks, Five People by Jennifer Yu - Clarrisa: East Asian-American and OCD
The City of Brass by S. A. Chakraborty - All: Middle Eastern, Muslim
The Art of Feeling by Laura Tims - Sam: Despression, Anxiety, Walking Disability, Chronic Pain, Secondary character - Eliot: Depression, Cognitive Insensitivity to Pain with Anhidrosis.
Pointe by Brandy Colbert - Theo: Black, and Anorexia, Secondary Character - Donovan: Black, and Selective Mutism (possibly PTSD).
The Wicker King by K. Ancrum - August: Bisexual, Biracial, and Anxiety, Pyromania, and Codependency.
The Art of Starving by Sam J. Miller) - Matt: Gay, Eating Disorder: Anorexia, and Jewish
All the Ways the World Can End by Abby Sher - Lenny: OCD, Jewish
For a Muse of Fire by Heidi Heilig - Jetta: Pansexual, based on East Asian people, and Bipolar.
A Room Away from the Wolves by Nova Ren Suma - Bina: Bisexual, Jewish
Undead Girl Gang by Lily Anderson - Mila: Latina, Wiccan.
Sawkill Girls by Claire Legrand - Zoey: Asexual, Black.
Strange Grace by Tessa Gratton - Rhun: Bisexual, polyamorous, and biracial, and Arthur: Bisexual and polyamorous.
Girls of Paper and Fire by Natasha Ngan - Lei: in a f/f relationship, Asian.
Sadie by Courtney Summers (review coming in Jan 2019) - Sadie: Has a stutter, living in poverty.

Authors

LGBTQ*:

Before I Let Go by Marieke Nijkamp - Queer, Non-Binary.
The Gracekeepers by Kirsty Logan - Queer.
Last Night I Sang to the Monster by Benjamin Alire Sáenz - Gay.
The Wicker King by K. Ancrum - Bisexual.
The Art of Starving by Sam J. Miller Gay.
For a Muse of Fire by Heidi Heilig - Pansexual, not cis.
Strange Grace by Tessa Gratton - Queer.
Girls of Paper and Fire by Natasha Ngan - Queer.

POC:

A Fierce and Subtle Poison by Samantha Mabry - Mestiza (Father is half Puerto Rican and half Anglo, mother is Mexican-American.)
Love, Hate & Other Filters by Samira Ahmed - Indian
The Belles by Dhonielle Clayton - Black
Starfish by Akemi Dawn Bowman - Kiko: Biracial; half-Japanese, half-white American.
Last Night I Sang to the Monster by Benjamin Alire Sáenz - Latino
The Astonishing Colour of After by Emily X. R. Pan - Taiwanese-American
When Reason Breaks by Cindy L. Rodriguez - Latina
The Beauty That Remains by Ashley Woodfolk - Black
Four Weeks, Five People by Jennifer Yu - East Asian-American
Pointe by Brandy Colbert - Black
The Wicker King by K. Ancrum
Challenger Deep by Neal Shusterman
For a Muse of Fire by Heidi Heilig - Hapa.
Undead Girl Gang by Lily Anderson - Mila: Afrolatina.
Girls of Paper and Fire by Natasha Ngan - Biracial; half-Chinese Malaysian, half white British.
Empress of All Seasons by Emiko Jean - Biracial; half-Japanese, half-white American.
Empire of Sand by Tasha Suri - British Indian.
The Poppy War by R. F. Kuang - Chinese.
Shadow of the Fox by Julia Kagawa - Japanese American.
Children of Blood and Bone by Tomi Adeyemi - Nigerian American.
A Spark of White Fire by Sangu Mandanna - Indian.

Immigrants/Refugees:

The Poppy War by R. F. Kuang - Chinese immigrant.

Mental Illness:

It's Kind of a Funny Story by Ned Vizzini - Depression and Anxiety
White Rabbit, Red Wolf by Tom Pollock Bulimia, Anxiety, and Depression
Starfish by Akemi Dawn Bowman - Social Anxiety.
The Beauty That Remains by Ashley Woodfolk - Anxiety.
Four Weeks, Five People by Jennifer Yu - Depression and Anxiety
The Art of Starving by Sam J. Miller - Had an eating disorder: Anorexia
All the Ways the World Can End by Abby Sher - OCD
For a Muse of Fire by Heidi Heilig - Bipolar.
A Thousand Perfect Notes by C. G. Drews - Social and General Anxiety, and Depression.
Girls of Paper and Fire by Natasha Ngan - Anxiety.
Father Christmas and Me by Matt Haig - Depression.

Disability:

Before I Let Go by Marieke Nijkamp - Disabled

Neurodiversity/Neuroatypical:

A Thousand Perfect Notes by C. G. Drews - ASD

Chronic/Terminal Illness/Disease/Condition:

Girls of Paper and Fire by Natasha Ngan - Chronic genetic health condition.

Cultural/Religious Background:

Love, Hate & Other Filters by Samira Ahmed - Muslim
The Upside of Unrequited by Becky Albertalli - Jewish
The City of Brass by S. A. Chakraborty - Muslim
The Art of Starving by Sam J. Miller - Jewish
All the Ways the World Can End by Abby Sher - Jewish
Challenger Deep by Neal Shusterman - Jewish
A Room Away from the Wolves by Nova Ren Suma - Jewish
Empire of Sand by Tasha Suri - Hindu

Intersectional:

Love, Hate & Other Filters by Samira Ahmed - Indian, Muslim
Before I Let Go by Marieke Nijkamp - Queer, Non-Binary, Disabled
Starfish by Akemi Dawn Bowman - Biracial; half-Japanese, half-white American, Social Anxiety.
Last Night I Sang to the Monster by Benjamin Alire Sáenz - Gay, Latino.
Four Weeks, Five People by Jennifer Yu - East Asian-American and Depressiona and Anxiety
The Art of Starving by Sam J. Miller - Gay, had an eating disorder: Anorexia, and Jewish
All the Ways the World Can End by Abby Sher - OCD, Jewish.
Challenger Deep by Neal Shusterman - Person on colour, Jewish
For a Muse of Fire by Heidi Heilig - Pansexual, not cis, Hapa, and Bipolar.
Girls of Paper and Fire by Natasha Ngan - Queer, Biracial; half-Chinese, half-White British, Anxiety, Chronic genetic health condition.

#OwnVoices

LGBTQ*:

The Gracekeepers by Kirsty Logan - Queer
The Wicker King by K. Ancrum - Bisexual
The Art of Starving by Sam J. Miller - Gay
For a Muse of Fire by Heidi Heilig - Pansexual.
Girls of Paper and Fire by Natasha Ngan - Queer.

POC:

The Belles by Dhonielle Clayton - Black
Starfish by Akemi Dawn Bowman - Biracial; half-Japanese, half-white American.
The Beauty That Remains by Ashley Woodfolk - Black
Four Weeks, Five People by Jennifer Yu East Asian-American
Pointe by Brandy Colbert - Black
Girls of Paper and Fire by Natasha Ngan - inspired by author's Malaysian background.
Empress of All Seasons by Emiko Jean - inspired by author's Japanese background.
Empire of Sand by Tasha Suri - inspired by author's Indian background.
The Poppy War by R. F. Kuang - inspired by author's Chinese background.
Shadow of the Fox by Julia Kagawa - inspired by author's Japanese background.
Children of Blood and Bone by Tomi Adeyemi - inspired by author's Nigerian background.
A Spark of White Fire by Sangu Mandanna - Author is Indian, story is a retelling of Indian epic the Mahabharata.

Immigrants/Refugees:



Mental Illness:

It's Kind of a Funny Story by Ned Vizzini - Depression and Anxiety.
White Rabbit, Red Wolf by Tom Pollock - Anxiety.
Starfish by Akemi Dawn Bowman - Social Anxiety.
The Beauty That Remains by Ashley Woodfolk - Anxiety.
Four Weeks, Five People by Jennifer Yu - Anxiety and Depression.
The Art of Starving by Sam J. Miller - Eating Disorder: Anorexia
All the Ways the World Can End by Abby Sher - OCD
For a Muse of Fire by Heidi Heilig - Bipolar

Disability:



Neurodiversity/Neuroatypical:



Chronic/Terminal Illness/Disease/Condition:



Cultural/Religious Background:

Love, Hate & Other Filters by Samira Ahmed - Muslim
The Upside of Unrequited by Becky Albertalli - Jewish
The City of Brass by S. A. Chakraborty - Muslim
The Art of Starving by Sam J. Miller - Jewish
All the Ways the World Can End by Abby Sher - Jewish
A Room Away from the Wolves by Nova Ren Suma - Jewish

Intersectional:

Starfish by Akemi Dawn Bowman - Kiko: Biracial; half-Japanese, half-white American, Social Anxiety.
The Beauty That Remains by Ashley Woodfolk - Black and anxiety.
Four Weeks, Five People by Jennifer Yu - East Asian-American and Anxiety and Depression
The Art of Starving by Sam J. Miller - Gay, had an eating disorder: Anorexia, and Jewish
All the Ways the World Can End by Abby Sher - OCD, Jewish
Girls of Paper and Fire by Natasha Ngan - Queer, inspired by author's Malaysian background.

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