Amp up your love of #WeNeedDiverseBooks by checking out these great books by diverse authors. Last time, we talked about a variety of diverse books by seasoned authors. Today, I’m focusing on the new kids on the block.
ADAM SILVERA
Get ready for all the feels. Silvera made me fall in love with his gritty, witty writing and sharp characters, and then ripped my freaking heart out. I can’t wait for him to do it again.
RENEE AHDIEH
I practically wept when I finished this book. Because it was over. And I didn’t have more. Wrath is one of the most gorgeous books I’ve ever read (just look at the cover and then imagine that in word form), and it brings Arabic folklore to startling life.
SABAA TAHIR
Tahir’s debut mixes Romanesque epic fantasy with Middle Eastern flair and a heart-wrenching interracial romance. And, spoiler alert, it’s gonna have a sequel.
NICOLA YOON
I just swallowed Everything, Everything in two big bites, and it’s so freaking good. I mean, it’s lyrical, quirky, sweet, whimsical… Think John Green but with more cool inserts (like diagrams and drawings!) and its very own slick-as-hell style.
JASMINE WARGA
Have you ever read a book about a Turkish main character? Me neither! Aysel is a memorable heroine who struggles through her severe depression with wit, raw honesty, and hope.
I.W. GREGORIO
Gender fluidity is perhaps the most underrepresented diversity issue in young adult (and maybe all) fiction. I haven’t read this one yet, but by all accounts, it’s a brilliant, sexy triumph.
STACEY LEE
Remember computer day and Oregon Trail? Now insert a girl running away from slavery and a Chinese musician trying to make her name in a world inimical to her identity. Get one gorgeous, epic friendship.
AISHA SAEED
Fate or family? Saeed explores the dynamics of love for a girl in a traditional Pakistani family, torn between her greatest love and the choice her parents have made for her.
Who are some of your favorite authors with diverse characteristics and diverse backgrounds? I’m looking out for ideas for future volumes! Next time, look for volume 3, the second part of the debut edition. There were just too many great ones for a single post!
About C.J.I’m a font of useless knowledge and an endless source of sarcasm. Oh, and I guess I read, too.Goodreads | Twitter | Facebook | Sarcasm&Lemons | all of C.J.’s posts →
I Adork You 
Of this list I’ve only read None of the Above so far! XD
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WRATH WAS FAB. I didn’t like the shipping or the ending but the worldbuilding knocked off my socks. Just, please, MORE. I haven’t heard the best things about Ember but I was definitely interested in all the interviews and such. I’m actually contemplating More Happy Than Not as my second contemporary read ever, so I’m definitely VERY tempted.
As for the other books, some I’ve heard of and some I haven’t, but they ALL sound wonderfully awesome and GAH my TBR please don’t fall down and crush me. Great list!
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I just wrote my review of it for Sarcasm&Lemons and I feel book hangover ALL OVER AGAIN. Ember was okay–I thought the romance was kind of forced–but it’s worth checking out. MHTN IS AMAZING.
Thanks!
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Wow! Thank you I needed this list :)
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Some recs – loved The Wrath & The Dawn, and None of the Above. While I thought Everything, Everything was a sweet story, I recently read an interesting article about how problematic it is in terms of disability erasure.
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Ai, that was supposed to read ‘Great recs’ – clearly not thinking straight today!
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Hm, I thought a little bit about that when I got to the ending, but not in those terms. Would you mind posting a link to the article if you have it? I’d love to read it!
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Here it is! http://disabilityinkidlit.com/2015/09/04/review-everything-everything-by-nicola-yoon/
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These are great recommendations that I have to grab and read. I am most interested in “The Wrath and the Dawn”. I love the idea of it being an Arabic folklore. it is something new to me,
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Ahdieh does SUCH a good job making it authentic. I mean, as far as I know.
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Great recommendations! The thing I struggle with the most concerning reading books by minority authors is that I can’t seem to find many of them in my favourite genre of fantasy. Especially epic fantasy seems to be dominated by white male authors.
Celine ~ Nyx Book Reviews
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whoops! i responded on twitter, but Diversity in YA (co-run by me and malinda lo) are featuring diverse YA SFF all month! also, with a chance to win great books! http://diversityinya.tumblr.com it’s true there is a real dearth of inclusive speculative fiction, but we are writing them, and they are out there! :D
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You’re very right. Especially if you read adult fantasy! I hope that with the success of books like Wrath and the Dawn, Ember in the Ashes, and Serpentine, we’ll be seeing a lot more fantasy written by POC.
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I’ve read 3 of these! And I REALLY want to read Written in the Stars and Under A Painted Sky. :D They sound so exciting and interesting and I haven’t read any books like them so far. xDXD
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ME TOO! I haven’t read them yet but they sound like I’d love them.
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You need to read The Color of Our Sky like, right now and feature it here for the next round. It needs more hype.
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YES, thank you for reminding me! I’ll definitely add it to debs part 2! And I will read it, asap. Oh, the TBR.
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I have read a few of these (Wrath, MHAOBH) and I own a pair of them that are in the TBR pile (None of the Above, Written in the Stars)! Under a Painted Sky is in my wish list and I really hope I can grab it soon!
Great recommendations!
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I hope you get it too! Thanks!
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UNDER THE PAINTED SKY YAAAAAAAASSSS.
Besides that, I’ve only read None of the Above and More Happy Than Not from this list, both of which I was hugely fond of. I’m seriously dying to read My Heart and Other Black Holes. It sounds interesting. Great recs!
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It was a really sweet book. Thanks!
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I’ve read two of these and have yet to begin The Wrath & The Dawn, but own it. And Under a Painted Sky sounds do good! I just read a similar book in Walk the Earth a Stranger, and am game for more Oregon Trail-esque stories!
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I’m still not a hard-core Western/prairie fan, but I find myself reading them more and more. Under a Painted Sky does sound cool.
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YESSS i thought None of the Above was brilliant the way it portrayed a topic that has a lot of stigma attached to it. I loved Ember in the Ashes and looking forward to reading the Wrath and the Dawn! So many wonderful diverse books here CJ!
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I can’t wait to read it! I’ve heard nothin but good things. Wrath and the Dawn was freaking amazing! Glad you found some good ones. (:
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I loved None of the Above, so well done, and it made my own understanding much better. I have some of the others on my TBR, but I think I need to check out some others, especially More Happy Than Not.
Thanks for sharing, CJ :)
Have a wonderful weekend and happy reading.
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I hope more similar ones found it. Thank you so much!
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ORLEANS by Sherri L. Smith. It is a unique Dystopian with a POC heroine, written by a POC author, and has a ridiculously wonderful boy/girl platonic relationship. There is zero romance in this book. It is gritty and real. Everytime I made a Book Outlet order I would buy 2 PB copies to give away. I bought the last one in my last order, so I am going to buy a hardcover to give away on my review! Most of the books on your list above are on my tbr and I am going to look into the others. :)
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PLATONIC!? OMG THE WHITE WHALE. Seriously, though, that sounds so cool! I’m definitely adding it to the next list (or the one after, if it’s not a deb). Thank you for the rec!
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YES BRING ON THE DIVERSE BOOKS! I have only personally read The Wrath and the Dawn, and Everything Everything but I agree that they are totally diverse. As for the others, they have almost too priority on my TBR.
Great post! xoxo💋
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I hope you love them all! Report back. ;)
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I sure will 😉
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The wrath and the dawn is one of those hyped books that live up to the expectations. Such a gorgeous, stunning tale.
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It might actually be BETTER than the hype.
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Under A Painted Sky has so much diversity (and it’s just an awesome book in general!). I really want to read Written in the Stars :) I love how Nicola wrote her daughter’s mixed-race into the MC, it really enforces the We Need Diverse Books idea of having all people able to see themselves in books :) I really enjoyed Everything, Everything, Wrath, and AEITA too :)
Rachel @ A Perfection Called Books
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I didn’t realize Nicola based the character on her daughter. That’s so sweet and cool. :D Plus it’s just a great read.
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These are phenomenal! I have read all but two (and I have the two that I haven’t read!), and wow, talk about great choices. I have loved every one of these that I read. Actually, they were all at least 4 star books! And Everything, Everything and Wrath are absolutely favorites for the year! Can’t wait for part 3 :)
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I still haven’t read so many. Making these lists keeps them on the top of my mind, though. WRATH SO GOOD. <3 If you have any recs for part 3, send 'em my way. ;)
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Ahh I so badly want to read all of these! I want to read more diverse books so this post was really helpful to me. THANK YOU! <3
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Glad to be useful! Many more posts like this are planned.
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