Diversity Reading Challenge

I’m joining the Diversity Reading Challenge hosted at Celebrity Readers again this year. The basic goal is to read diverse books. The author or the main character – or one of the leads, who preferably has a POV – has to belong to a diverse group. According to the definition of We Need Diverse Books:

“We recognize all diverse experiences, including (but not limited to) LGBTQIA, Native, people of color, gender diversity, people with disabilities*, and ethnic, cultural, and religious minorities.

*We subscribe to a broad definition of disability, which includes but is not limited to physical, sensory, cognitive, intellectual, or developmental disabilities, chronic conditions, and mental illnesses (this may also include addiction). Furthermore, we subscribe to a social model of disability, which presents disability as created by barriers in the social environment, due to lack of equal access, stereotyping, and other forms of marginalization.”

The mini-challenge involves monthly themes:

• JANUARY – diverse folktales/culture/mythology; or diverse retelling; or non-western setting
  • Lengendborn by Tracy Deonn (King Arthur legend)
• FEBRUARY – poc: Black/African American
  • Against the Currant by Olivia Matthews
  • Red Lip Theology by Candice Marie Benbow
• MARCH – #ownvoices; or gender: female authors in male-dominated genres/non-fiction
  • Fadeout by Joseph Hansen
  • Death Claims by Joseph Hansen
• APRIL – poc: Middle Eastern/South Asian
  • The Blind Owl by Sadegh Hedayat
• MAY – poc: East Asian/Southeast Asian/Pacific Islander
  • The Honjin Murders by Seishi Yokomizo
  • Misfortune Cookie by Vivien Chien
• JUNE – LGBT+ pride summer: sexuality and gender identity
  • The Low, Low Woods by Carmen Maria Machado
  • The Last Drop of Hemlock by Katharine Schellman
• JULY – LGBT+ pride summer: sexuality and gender identity
• AUGUST – mental health/addiction
• SEPTEMBER – poc: hispanic/latinx
• OCTOBER – physical/sensory/cognitive/intellectual/developmental disabilities
• NOVEMBER – poc: Native American
• DECEMBER – religious minorities

My goal is going to be to read at least 12 books and to aim toward the monthly themes.

1. Lavender House by Lev A.C. Rosen
2. Into the Drowning Deep by Mira Grant
3. A Good Day to Pie by Misha Popp
4. Legendborn by Tracy Deonn
5. Against the Currant by Olivia Matthews
6. The Raven Thief by Gigi Pandian
7. Red Lip Theology: For Church Girls Who've Considered Tithing to the Beauty Supply Store When Sunday Morning Isn't Enough by Candice Marie Benbow
8. Fadeout by Joseph Hansen
9. Don't Fear the Reaper by Stephen Graham Jones
10. The Mimicking of Known Successes by Malka Older
11. Death Claims by Joseph Hansen
12. The Blind Owl by Sadegh Hedayat
13. Bellweather Rhapsody by Kate Racculia
14. Hard Dough Homocide by Olivia Matthews
15. Lament at Loon Landing by Josh Lanyon
16. The Honjin Murders by Seishi Yokomizo
17. Misfortune Cookie by Vivien Chien
18. The Low, Low Woods by Carmen Maria Machado
19. The Last Drop of Hemlock by Katharine Schellman
20. The Boys from Brazil by Ira Levin
21. Board to Death by CJ Connor
22. Death at the Deep Dive by Josh Lanyon