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Goodreads | Book Depository |
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Goodreads | Book Depository |
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Goodreads | Amazon |
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Goodreads | Amazon |
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Goodreads | Amazon |
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Goodreads | Book Depository |
Goodreads | Book Depository |
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Goodreads | Book Depository |
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Goodreads | Book Depository |
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The Shock of Survival by Nicole Field | Goodreads | {Own voices author, polyamorous relationship}
After winning the final battle against The Oppressor, Benedict, Ophelia and Dylan return to their magical community triumphantly, but soon discover that returning to their old lives after the war has been won isn’t necessarily as easy as it seems. The Shock of Survival is not only one of few books that looks at the events after the war against evil rather than before and during, but also features pansexual characters and portrays polyamorous relationships respectfully.
The Melody of You and Me by M. Hollis | Goodreads | {Pansexual MC with Filipino lesbian love interest}
In an attempt to turn her life back around after dropping out of university and breaking up with her girlfriend of three years, Chris (a pansexual MC), picks up a job at her local bookstore, although her hopes for feeling better aren’t high. However, this all changes when Chris meets Josie through the bookstore, and the two form a fast friendship, which Chris hopes can develop into something more.
Out on Good Behaviour by Dahlia Adler | Goodreads {Pansexual MC, lesbian love interest}
Frankie knows that she can get anyone she sets her sights on – but when she starts falling for Samara Kazarian, the daughter of her town’s Republican mayor, she thinks that some lines shouldn’t be crossed – that is, until Frankie discovers that she’s been on Samara’s mind as well. However, Samara wants the real thing, not just a quick fling, and Frankie has never been one for commitment. For Sam, though, she’s willing to try…
{disclaimer: we have read mixed reviews about the representation in this book – just so you are aware if you choose to read it!}
Seven Ways We Lie by Riley Redgate | Goodreads | {Pansexual MC}
Seven Ways We Lie follows the story of seven different characters who all attend the same high school (Olivia, Claire, Kat, Juniper, Matt, Lucas and Valentine), correlated with the seven deadly sins. When rumours of a student-teacher affair surface within the school, the unlikely group end up in the middle of the situation, and each of their individual stories merge together to form the full picture.
Timekeeper by Tara Sim |
Goodreads | {Pansexual character, gay relationship}
Danny Hart is a clock mechanic in an alternate Victorian England. When he is assigned to a new position and meets his new apprentice, Colton (a pansexual character), he soon realises that Colton’s distance to him is due to the fact that he is the tower’s clock spirit – the mythical being overseeing the time in the town Danny is placed in. Falling in love with a clock spirit is forbidden and would destroy the position that Danny has worked so hard to be given, but the pair are immediately drawn to each other.
27 Hours by Tristina Wright |
Goodreads | {Pansexual character}
27 Hours is a diverse sci-fi novel, which I’m sure we can all agree that we need more of. It is the story of a group of LGBT+ teenagers battling to save their home, the colonised moon on which they live on that was previously inhabited by Chimaera. There isn’t much info out about this book yet, but we’re sure that it’ll be a must read when it’s released this October!
For this post on diverse recs, we’re focusing on book characters that are on the autism-spectrum. This is a topic close to my heart, as at the age of 18, I was diagonised with Asperger Syndrome. It makes it difficult to communicate with people, understand emotion and understand other people’s actions but Aspergers is only one form of autism – there is a whole spectrum and these characters are on it. No two people with autism are the same but these are some books that we have found. As always, if any of our information is incorrect, please do not hesitate to let us know in the comments.
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Goodreads | Book Depository |
Goodreads | Book Depository |
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Goodreads | Book Depository |
Goodreads | Book Depository |
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Goodreads | Book Depository |
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Goodreads | Book Depository |
The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time by Mark Haddon
We follow the story of Christopher Boone, a boy living with Aspergers which makes everyday life a little more difficult for him, however, he is a mathematical and scientific genius. He has no understanding of human emotions and cannot stand to be touched but he knows every country of the world and its capitals and every prime number up to 7,057. His brain is just remarkable but when a neighbour’s dog is killed, fifteen-year-old Christopher sets out to solve the murder in the style of his favourite detective (and mine), Sherlock Holmes.
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Goodreads | Book Depository |
Shtum by Jem Lester
Told by Ben Jewell as he and his wife, Emma are struggling to cope dealing with their ten-year-old son, Jonah and his severe autism. The only way to further Jonah’s upcoming tribunal is for the couple to fake their separation and Ben and Jonah move in with Ben’s elderly father, Georg. What follows within the four walls of a small house in North London is the family dynamics between two men who won’t talk and one boy who can’t. Heartbreaking and important as it shows how families deal with their loved ones having autism.
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Goodreads | Book Depository |
Mockingbird by Kathryn Erskine
Caitlin is an eleven-year-old girl living with Asperger Syndrome and to her, everything is black or white, good or bad. Caitlin’s older brother, Devon has always been able to understand this and can explain when she couldn’t. However, Devon is now dead and her father just doesn’t get it. When one day, she reads the definition of closure, she realises that she must go out to find it and on her journey, she discovers that the world is made up of more than just black and white. It is complicated and wonderful and strange.
Goodreads | Book Depository |
Rogue by Lyn Miller-Lachmann
We follow the story of Kiara who lives with Asperger syndrome and in a world where not a lot makes sense, she relies on the Internet to answer any questions she may have but some things don’t have answers, like why she struggles to get along with other kids and why she has been kicked out of school. She wishes she could be like Rogue, a misunderstood X-Men mutant she looks up to. One day, a new boy moves in across the street and Kiara vows to make this friendship work.
Love from Angharad @
Alex, a bisexual Latina protagonist, is an encantrix – one of the most powerful Brujas in generations. However, she fears that her powers will ultimately hurt those close to her, and in an attempt to get rid of them, accidentally sends her entire family to the in-between world of Los Lagos. Alex is forced to hire Nova, an untrustworthy brujo boy, to guide her through Los Lagos and rescue her family. However, there is a darkness running through Los Lagos that has affected her and her family more than she could expect. Labyrinth Lost is a novel with an almost fully POC cast of characters, and the fact that Alex has both a male and female love interest but this wasn’t treated like a big deal (the word ‘bisexual’ isn’t actually used throughout the book) really made this book stand out for me.
When Taylor, Jamie and Charlie go to SupaCon together, they know they’ll have an amazing time, but they don’t expect the convention to change their lives forever.
Charlie, a bisexual Chinese-Australian film star, knows that SupaCon is her chance to show fans that she’s over her ex-boyfriend. When her crush Alyssa Huntington turns up, she definitely didn’t expect her feelings for Alyssa to be requited.Taylor runs a blog where she openly talks about her anxiety, and because of this, is scared of big changes. The one change she’s hoping for, though, is for her friendship with Jamie to turn into something more. However, when she hears about the Queen Firestone contest, she starts to rethink her stance on taking risks.
A book packed with diversity, romance and strong female friendships, this is a must read!
Etta is sick of the labels that are being attached to her and making her feel as though she doesn’t fit in – she’s “not gay enough” for her old friends after recently dating a boy, “not white enough” for her ballet class, and “not sick enough” after recovering from an eating disorder. When she meets Bianca in her therapy group – a straight, white Christian girl with an eating disorder who represents everything that Etta both does and doesn’t want to be – Etta finds herself on a path to self-discovery and overcoming the labels constantly placed on her.
When Sophie’s (a bisexual MC) best friend, Mina, died in what everyone believed was a drug deal gone wrong (which they also believe that Sophie set up), Sophie was forced into rehab along with her and Mina’s secret – Mina was deliberately murdered. Once Sophie is out of rehab, she’s determined to track down Mina’s killer before they track her down first. Not your typical romance, but instead a murder-mystery which also focuses on Sophie and Mina’s relationship, Far From You is definitely different from the rest of the books featured on this list, and worth a read!
Radio Silence by Alice Oseman
Goodreads | Book Depository
Frances, a bisexual WoC, is known only as a study-machine focused on getting high grades. However, she has a secret obsession – a podcast called Universe City. When Frances is asked to design art for the podcast and meets its creator, the two form a strong bond, and what follows is a story of friendship and self-acceptance.
Not Your Sidekick by C. B. Lee
Goodreads | Book Depository
Jess, a Chinese-Vietnamese bisexual girl, lives in a world where the majority of citizens have superpowers – including her famous parents. Being without superpowers herself, Jess finds what could be the perfect internship whilst looking for activities to add to her college application – it’s paid, it doesn’t require her to have powers, and she gets to work with her secret crush, Abby. She may be working for the town’s biggest supervillain, but what could go wrong?
Noteworthy by Riley Redgate
Goodreads | Book Depository | Release Date: 2nd May
Jordan Sun is starting her junior year at performing arts school, but being an Alto 2, she’s always struggled to get a role in the school musical. When the school get a mass email informing them that the Sharpshooters, the school’s revered all-male a cappella group, Jordan is determined to make this year different. She auditions in drag and discovers that, as a Tenor 1, she’s just what the Sharpshooters need.
The Seafarer’s Kiss by Julia Ember
Goodreads | Release Date: 4th May
When nineteen year old mermaid Ersel rescues and falls in love with Ragna, a shield-maiden, and the two are caught by Ersel’s suitor, he attempts to force her to choose between saying goodbye to Ragna or facing the wrath of her king. However, Ersel has other plans and is determined to be reunited with Ragna. A bisexual, f/f retelling of The Little Mermaid with Norse mythology thrown in (plus, who doesn’t love both mermaids AND shield-maidens?) this is a must read!
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The Upside of Unrequited by Becky Albertalli
(Release Date: April 11th)
Diverse Aspect: Fat, Jewish protagonist
This time for our diversity recommendations we are listing books that feature asexual/aromantic characters. Unfortunately, it was near enough impossible to find YA books for this topic but we did find some sci-fi, short stories and fantasy so we hope there will be something for everyone. In case there are any mix-ups, asexual people have no sexual feelings towards another person and aromantic people experience little or no romantic attraction/feelings towards another person. Being an aromantic asexual is also common and we will list which sexualities are featured in each book. So without further ado, here’s what we found!
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Goodreads | Book Depository |
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Goodreads | Book Depository |
Fourth World by Lyssa Chiavari
Book one in an ongoing trilogy, Fourth World follows the story of Nadin, a girl who is doing everything to stop her planet from dying even if that means defying its leaders. When a mysterious alien boy, by the name of Isaak, arrives in the citidome from another world, Nadin knows her plan will work if they work together. Featuring an almost entirely PoC cast and LGBT characters, this YA dystopian stands apart from the more well-known ones and yet isn’t heard of. The reason this book is featured in this list is because our main character, Nadine is in the ace-spectrum and so is Isaak. A sci-fi, dystopian YA novel with ace protagonists? Add this to your TBR!
Goodreads | Book Depository |
Chameleon Moon by RoAnna Sylver
This primarily fantasy, dystopian young-adult novel features (get ready…) a cast of characters (mainly PoC) dealing with mental/physical disabilities, a trans woman as a MC and an interracial, queer polyamorous family. Adding to that, we have asexual characters and even discussions of their sexuality. If you’re not sold already, I don’t know what else you could want. There are multiple PoVs and each person has their own identity and voice. Taking away the sci-fi aspects, this is a book about character development in this diverse, dystopian world. There’s also a mechanical dog!
Goodreads |
Goodreads |
Goodreads | Book Depository |
We Awaken by Calista Lynne
A fairly new release, this young-adult novel is described as a coming-out story/tale of self-discovery mixed with fantasy. It is a quiet love story between two asexual lesbians – Victoria and Ashlinn. So not just one asexual protagonist, but two and the author makes this clear early on in the novel. The entire book reads in a dreamlike form, so it’s lyrical, atmospheric and beautiful. It is primarily a love story and it probably won’t be known for its plot/action but if you’re looking for an important love between two girls, this is definitely the book for you. Oh, and look at that stunning cover!
Goodreads | Book Depository |
The Last Chronomancer by Reilyn J. Hardy
Allow me to shimmy on over to you presenting an asexual/aromantic protagonist in a fantasy novel *balloons fall from the sky.* But seriously, this story follows nineteen-year old, Maestri Craft from a small town living a perfectly normal life (as all fantasies start) and this was ideal for him, not for his friend, Jace though. Jace is turning two decades old and in the eyes of their people, this makes him a man and he wants to prove it. Together, the two set off on a journey as they encounter winged horses, vampires and hags to name but a few. Many aromantic asexuals are portrayed as being cold-hearted but Mae is soft and gentle and cares deeply about his best friend. Definitely a must-read.
Love,
Sticking with our theme of looking into diverse books, we thought that it was about time that we had a go at the diverse books tag, by Read Diverse Books. This tag is a great way to discover new diverse books, as it works sort of like a scavenger hunt – you basically have to find a book that fits into each category!
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Goodreads | Book Depository |
Released in May 2017, this is the story of two WoC (I’m unsure of their ethnicity which is why I haven’t mentioned it, if you know, please let us know in the comments) who fall in love. Sana and Jamie, two sixteen-year old girls with their fair share of problems – Sana is worried her father may be having an affair and she is surrounded by friends who constantly leave her out. Jamie has an established group of friends but they don’t accept Sana into them and a boy named Caleb is definitely making more than friendly advances towards her. Battling with their own problems, they find solace in each other and realise that loving a girl is the easy part.
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Goodreads | Book Depository |
Yes, you’ve read that correctly. A Muslim superhero in a comic/graphic novel who goes by the name of Kamala Khan. Kamala, seemingly just a normal girl from Jersey City suddenly develops extraordinary gifts but is she ready for the legacy that she is about to create? However, developing superhuman powers doesn’t come without discovering a secret behind them. Volume 1 in an ongoing series, Ms. Marvel is a definite must-read.
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Goodreads | Book Depository |
A fantasy story full of Latinx culture, by an author originally from Ecuador! Not only is the main character Alex a WoC, she is also a bisexual character, and the majority of characters in this book are PoC as we discover Latinx culture. Alex is what is known as a bruja, the most powerful witch in a generation but it is power she doesn’t want. At her Deathday celebration, she performs a spell to rid herself of her powers but instead, she vanishes into thin air with nothing but the company of Nova, a brujo boy. This begins their journey to Los Lagos, an in-between land just as strange as Wonderland.
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Goodreads | Book Depository |
Six of Crows is a is a young-adult fantasy duology following a gang of six misfits about to complete a series of impossible heists in the criminal town of Ketterdam. Their leader, Kaz Brekker, is a criminal prodigy with a no-price-is-too-high attitude – he is smart, clever and ruthless and he just happens to have a disability – Kaz walks with a cane due to an accident damaging his leg a few years back. Occasionally crippled with pain and walking with a limp, it is just another part of him and he doesn’t let it hinder him in any way. This series is also diverse with a bunch of PoC characters who also show us their individual cultures and gay and bisexual characters. Must read duology!
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Goodreads | Book Depository |
A reimagining of One Thousand and One Nights with a fantasy twist. E.K. Johnston tells the story of Lo-Melkhiin, a ruler who has killed over three-hundred girls before coming across our protagonist. When he takes her to his court instead of her sister, she vows she will not be the next to die. The court is a creepy and atmospheric place and each night, she tells him a story and every morning she wakes up is another day she has survived. Amongst the palace walls, she gradually discovers that Lo-Melkhiin may not have always been a cruel man. All the female characters are unnamed throughout it, including the MC showing us the magnitude of Lo-Melkhiin’s reign.
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Goodreads | Book Depository |
A beautiful story that not only gives voice to Nigerian culture and folk tales but also to its LGBTQ community. Written by an own voices author, the wonderful Chinelo Okparanta, this tells the story of Ijeoma, only eleven during the outbreak of civil war in the young republic of Nigera as she is sent to safety and meets a girl who she falls in love with. However, in a country where this is a sin, the two must keep it secret and remain star-crossed lovers. It is the story of two women, their struggles and their triumphs set against a dangerous backdrop.
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Goodreads | Book Depository |
A novel following numerous characters who are trying to find the balance between their Native American traditions and the modern world. Written by a Cherokee author, Thomas King erases common stereotypes about Native Americans in his works. This story tells the story of Alberta, a university professor who would happily trade her boyfriends for a baby but no husband, Lionel, a forty year old television-salesman and finally Eli, whose log cabin home stands in the way of a profitable dam project. These three come together at the Blackfoot reservation for the Sun Dance and what follows will leave the small town of Blossom forever changed.
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Goodreads | Book Depository |
When Naila falls in love with Saif, despite her parents strict rules that they would choose her husband, they travel to Pakistan so that Naila can get in touch with her roots and rediscover her culture. However, upon arriving in the country, Naila discovers that her parents have found her a husband in Pakistan and expect her to marry him during their stay. This is a book that isn’t afraid to delve into Pakistani culture, and showcase the forced marriages that so many girls are involved in to this day.
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Goodreads | Book Depository |
Jess is a bisexual Chinese-Vietnamese girl living in a world where having superpowers is just the norm, except for her… she is completely normal despite having two famous superheroes as parents. She’s still struggling with everyday issues, such as trying to find an internship that isn’t for a super villain and doesn’t require her to be more than human. When she does find one, she finds out she’ll be working alongside her longtime crush, Abby who may just have a secret of her own. Not only does this book have a diverse cast of lesbian and bisexual characters but there’s Bells, Jess’ friend who is trans. This book needs to be talked about a lot more. Superheroes and diversity is the best combo.
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Goodreads | Book Depository | Our Review
This book follows the story of Amanda, a transgender woman as she moves across country to live with her father. Starting at a new school requires her to fit in but she soon finds a diverse group of friends and even love with a student called Grant. This book not only deals with transgender issues – we hear from Amanda from a young age when she realised she was born in the wrong body, all the way up to her starting her transition – it is also written by a transgender author. It is a very important YA novel and Amanda has a very strong and memorable voice. |