Reading Diversely in Romance

In my last post, I talked about attempting to read all of the 2018 RITA nominees, and to be honest it did stick out to me that this was probably the biggest swathe of white authors I've ever attempted to read in my life. While there are a few authors of color on the list, the absence of black authors was definitely striking. RWA addressed this in a blog post about needing to do better, which has sparked an inspiring (and, at times, enraging) discussion on Twitter amongst romance readers, writers, and booksellers; discussion is 100% necessary for change, and I thought I would be remiss to not mention all of this going on while also posting reviews of the RITA nominees as I read them.

As someone who is not 100% white (I'm half white, half Filipina), I already try to read diversely because I don't like reading about straight white people all of the time. I get incredibly excited when a heroine is Asian or if an author is Filipina, and I love supporting other authors of color besides those who write about characters who reflect my culture and heritage. That's because I just want to read good books, and often good books are written by authors of color and perspectives that are underrepresented in traditional publishing. So for every RITA nominee written by a white author, I'll be reading another romance book by an author of color. I have a ton on my TBR, so this will give me the excuse to work my way through them, and I'll be reviewing them alongside the RITA nominees. My hope is that next year the list of nominees will be more representative of the diversity of romance authors that are writing and being widely read and loved by romance readers. Until then, I think it's essential to keep discussing, keep dialog going, and to keep reading good books, books that happen to be written by black women.

How do you discover authors you love who may not be as widely promoted as most mainstream white authors whose covers feature white models? Are you more likely to use your purchasing power on books written by authors whose work is often pushed to the side in award nominations? I know that I often do; if an author that I know is excellent isn't being recognized by mainstream organizations, I make an effort to buy their books, pre-order their books, and promote them online. I'm also more likely to purchase them for my library; although I don't select our adult romances, I do get to purchase young adult, and contemporary romance is hugely popular amongst the teens at my library, so I'm always making an effort to purchase YA romance written by black authors and authors of color or LGBTQ authors because...dun dun DUN! Teens love reading them! Anyway, I don't know how this will all pan out in regards to the RITAs and the nomination process moving forward, but if there is a positive it's that the bubbles of many are bursting and hopefully that will lead to progress.

We shall see.

RITA 2018 Read-Along

Well this is probably a terrible idea.

Even so, I've decided to challenge myself to read all of the RITA 2018 nominees before the award winners are announced in July. With categories ranging from contemporary to historical to erotica and more, this will definitely push me outside my reading comfort zone; which is why I wanted to try to read all of the nominees in the first place. I'm relatively new to reading romance, having started as a 30-something instead of in my teens, but I've so far fallen in love with the genre. I've always loved character-driven fiction, and no one does well-rounded characters like a really good romance. I especially love historical, being a history major, and have discovered a few of my favorite authors (overall, not just genre) by reading romance. However, I pretty much stay in my lane when it comes to the titles I read; I don't really read erotica, and I definitely do not do Christian romance. But I ask myself: why? Why limit myself when there could be some awesome reads out there? So here I am. Challenging myself to read some 81 books in the next four months. Sure, there may be some duds in there, or books that are just not for me (I'm afraid to read the one about the millionaire's baby), but I figure I should try something new and maybe it will help me grow as a reader.

Reading Plan

To check out the nominees for each category, visit the RITA website. The list is long and I'm not going to reproduce it here. I did, however, create a RITA 2018 Goodreads shelf to help me keep track of the long list of nominees, as well as my opinions on them. In order to make a dent in reading all of the nominees, I'm planning to do a combination of reading and listening to books. I'm eternally thankful to the Libby app to help me get eBook editions from my local library for as many of the books as possible, otherwise this would be an incredibly expensive reading challenge. A few of the books I already own and haven't read yet, or are available through Kindle Unlimited. I'm a nerd and I made a spreadsheet to keep track of all the different formats and where I'm borrowing or buying them from.

Currently Reading

     

What I'm Reading Next

     

For my fellow romance readers, does an award nomination make you more inclined to pick up a book? Or do the RITA awards not make much difference to your TBR? Also, if for some reason you are also reading along with the RITA nominee list, let me know and link your reviews here on my blog! I'll be posting regular updates as I make my way through the list. We'll see how this goes....

Happy reading!

Unboxing: February Uppercase Box

I was recently gifted a subscription to Uppercase Box, which is a YA-focused monthly subscription box featuring one signed new release and a few little bookish goodies. So far, I've been loving my boxes! My first one came last month and I was super impressed with the book choice and the quality of items, and when this month's box came I literally gasped.

February Book of the Month

This is one of my most anticipated reads of 2018! I almost bought this book the other day because I had ordered it for my library and for some reason it hadn't come in yet and I was dying to read it, so when I opened my Uppercase Box and found The Queen's Rising by Rebecca Ross inside, I died! And the edition included is beautiful; cover is gorgeous and the pages are all deckled edges and super thick, plus it's signed by the author. This is the kind of book that is worth subscribing over!

Other Goodies

This box also included an exclusive sticker to go along with the book (last month had a magnet; if I'm being honest, I prefer a magnet), plus a cute little notepad and, my favorite goodie included, a library-themed whole-bean coffee. I think that Uppercase Box definitely knows its' audience.

Overall Thoughts

So far, and I've checked out quite a few other subscription boxes, Uppercase Box has easily become my favorite. The book selections are consistently books that I want to read and would love to own, the extra goodies are always fun and useful, and the special features like author videos and book playlists that are available through their website make the reading experience a bit more exciting. I would 100% recommend subscribing if you like YA new releases but aren't sure which ones to buy, or if you are looking to gift a book lover. Shout out to my mom for getting this subscription for me during the holidays.

Did you subscribe this month? How do you feel about the selection?

What I Read: January Wrap-Up

Young Adult

  

 

 

I accidentally read so much YA in January! And, for the most part, I enjoyed pretty much all of them. A Line in the Dark made for the perfect page-turner airplane read when I was flying back from a vacation in Florida on the January first. I love Lo's writing, the unreliable narrator, and the mystery of the story. I read a couple ARCs that aren't out yet, and both I would highly recommend! The Way You Make Me Feel is an awesome contemporary romance that also focuses on female friendship, father-daughter bonds, and finding identity. Meanwhile, Emergency Contact, by Mary H.K. Choi, is a slow-burning character study and sort-of romance about a college freshman named Penny and a young man she meets named Sam. It totally brought me back to my college days with how intense relationships could feel at the time, and the whole awkward transition from a high school teen to somewhat older but much more independent teen in college. If I were you, I would definitely pre-order it! Olivia Twist is another upcoming release that is a gender-swap of the classic tale of Oliver Twist, except Olivia is a young lady trying her best to leave her past life on the streets behind her, until she reconnects with the Artful Dodger. I don't know about you, and maybe this is a booknerd thing, but I always theorized that the Artful Dodger was super hot and this book only supports that theory. It's a fun historical that's plot-driven and a fast read.

Lastly, I finally got around to The Last Namsara, which I had checked out from the library and kept renewing because I didn't have time to get to it yet. The book initially appealed to me because there are dragons, and I did enjoy it, but it wasn't my favorite YA fantasy that I've read recently. The writing was pretty good and the world was intriguing, however I felt that both the world and the characters could have been fleshed out more. Overall, though, a solid debut. The Epic Crush of Genie Lo left me feeling similarly; I loved the mythology behind it (based on Chinese myths, in particular the Monkey King) and I thought the concept would have made for an awesome urban fantasy TV show. However, I just didn't connect with the writing style. It was a little too tongue in cheek for my taste, but I think readers who enjoy snarky urban fantasy would really like it.

Graphic Novels

 

I was in the mood for graphic novels in January, and I picked these up because my favorite kind of graphic novels is the sort that is sad, slice of life, and introspective. These pretty much fit the bill! Spinning follows the author's journey from a child figure skater to professional artist, and each chapter was broken down into a different skating move. I liked the simple art and was really drawn into the story. I'm Not Here is one of the most beautiful graphic novels I've seen in a long time. I loved every panel, and gg's style really resonated with me. It's sad, and short, and a good re-read.

Non-Fiction

 

Alison Weir's Queens of the Conquest was an excellent narrative history of the queens of England following the Norman conquest. It brought me back to my undergrad days (I majored in history with a focus on medieval England), and I was pleasantly surprised how much I remembered about the many queens named Maud. It was a good read, and I think she has more books in this vein coming out soon. Braving the Wilderness, meanwhile, was not my favorite. In fact, I kind of hated it and the saving grace was that it was short. I know everyone loves Brown, and I think she sounds like a really nice person who does put forth some ideas that can be helpful to people, but I just could not connect with it and I found myself ranting out loud quite a bit while reading this one.

Historical Fiction

This book was sooooo good! It was kind of a slow start, but basically it traces a fictionalized version of the life of Aemilia Bassano, who is often credited as the first woman in England to publish poetry for profit. The story follows her childhood, which was marked with tragedy but also encouraged in her a passion for the arts and for learning, up through her days as a courtesan, then wife, mistress, and eventual widow. I loved Mary Sharratt's writing, and there were some awesome moments of Elizabethan female empowerment going on that made me cheer. Sharratt has another historical fiction coming out soon called Ecstasy that I am 100% going to check out.

What I'm Reading Next....

Currently, I'm reading Unaccustomed Earth by Jhumpa Lahiri as part of my Around the Year in 52 Books challenge. I also started and am slowly reading Mary Oliver's essay collection, Upstream: selected essays. I have a few ARCs downloaded from NetGalley that I want to start soon, and I also have a few other reading challenges that I'm working on. Overall, we'll see what I'm in the mood for in February. I'm thinking lots of romance.

What are you looking forward to reading in February? 

Happy Reading!

New Year, New Books

What I'm Reading in 2018

Well, we somehow survived 2017 and have made it almost a month into the new year and I still haven't written my 2018 reading goals post, so here I am. Last year, I struggled with reading slumps, not really completing any of the challenges that I set out to do, and didn't read as many books as I did the year before. Total reading failure! But that's okay; one thing I'm resolving to do in 2018 is to not take my reading life to seriously. Instead, I'm reading what feels good, setting a lower overall goal for the year, and just doing one challenge (for now). I'm also aiming to read longer books (over 500 pages; I read a lot of super short novellas last year which was fine but I want to get invested in something over time), and to work on finishing more series. My total goal is 75 books for the year, which is way lower than usual, but that is 100% okay! Hopefully the ones I read are ones that stick with me.

Starting off my 2018 Reading Year like

What I'm Most Excited to Read in 2018

              

           

              

               

Plus, like, roughly a million more. Okay, maybe not a million, but pretty close. My TBR is rapidly increasing and I don't know how to feel about it. Basically, I'd like to read the latest from a few of my favorites, like Alyssa Cole, Becky Chambers, and Lisa Kleypas, as well as continue a few series, check out some debuts, and keep reading diversely from a range of authors who write about a wide variety of experiences.

What I Hope is Different in My 2018 Reading Life

Last year, I had quite a few moments when I didn't want to read anything. Or I would pick something up and just read it for the sake of finishing a book. That is not an enjoyable way to read!!! While I read some amazing books last year, I hope this year I will explore more works by the same author to get a better feel for their writing, dive into some lengthier books that make me sit down and pay attention for longer periods of time, and finally find out what happens at the end of series that I started but never completed.

What goals do you have for your 2018 reading life? What do you hope will be different? 

No matter if you're aiming to read one book this new year or 100, I wish you happy reading!

Review: The Way You Make Me Feel by Maurene Goo

Title: The Way You Make Me Feel
Author: Maurene Goo
Genre: Contemporary YA
Release Date: May 2018
Rating: 5/5 Stars

Maurene Goo is quickly becoming one of my favorite contemporary YA authors! I loved I Believe in a Thing Called Love and, to be honest, when I first started this book, I wasn't sure if it would live up to my expectations. Our main character is Clara, whose best friends are two prankster guys, and she loves joking around, playing pranks, and basically distancing herself from emotions and just having a good time. When one of her pranks goes too far, she's sentenced to work on her dad's Brazilian-Korean fusion food truck all summer long with her apparent enemy, Rose, who is a high achiever that Clara can't relate to at all. Meanwhile, a cute boy who frequents the food truck may make the summer a little more interesting.

At the start of the book, I straight up could not stand Clara. She was so obnoxious!!! And why didn't she have any female friends? But then, as I kept reading, I got to experience Clara's growth and see how she evolved throughout the story, and her relationships changed and grew, I found that I related to her quite a bit. I don't want to spoil the story so I won't elaborate much more, but basically this book has all the feels, and has a good balance of a romance but also focuses on friendships and family relationships, too. I always get a little annoyed in YA books when the parents are basically non-characters and the teens just live their lives-- it's so unrealistic! Goo does an excellent job including the familial relationships and giving depth to her characters, even to minor ones. Also, this book will make you incredibly hungry so make sure you have snacks handy while reading.

All the feels

I would definitely recommend this book to lovers of contemporary YA, readers who love stories about characters finding their identities, and lovers of feel-good romances with a good dose of comedy and emotional moments. Ahh it was so good! I can't wait to read more books by Maurene Goo. These are 100% books that I wish I could give to teenage me.

Me as I finished this book

Note: this ARC was provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

My Favorite Middle Grade Books of 2017

There were seriously so many awesome middle grade books that came out this year! Although I sadly couldn't get to them all (if only), there were still quite a few I read that I loved. Below, in no particular order, a few of my favorites from 2017. Keep an eye out for a future post of the middle grade reads that I'm most looking forward to in 2018!

My Favorite Reads

 

The Way to Bea by Kat Yeh (published September 2017)

This was one of my favorite overall reads of the year. I loved the sensitive main character, Bea, as she navigated middle school, changing friendships, and understanding how to be yourself when all kinds of circumstances are pulling you in different directions. Highly recommended for readers who enjoy honest, introspective books that deal with emotions in a realistic way. 

Paper Chains by Elaine Vickers (published October 2017)

This book is a follow-up to Like Magic, telling the story of a character from that book as she moves to a new town and has a new best friend. Both girls have secrets and make assumptions that get in the way of their friendship, but they also go through amazing growth to learn how to be brave for one another and for themselves. A lovely book that confronts serious issues of families splitting up and adoption without sacrificing that brutal kid honest that makes a story ring true.

See You in the Cosmos by Jack Cheng (published February 2017)

I think this book was another star of 2017, and will definitely resonate with anyone who loved Carl Sagan's Cosmos as a kid. This book follows a precocious kid named Alex, who wants to win a rocket building contest and ends up on a bigger journey with his dog, Carl Sagan, than he initially anticipated. The book is told through recordings that Alex is making for possible alien lifeforms who may discover his "golden iPod", making for a unique storytelling device as well as a quick read, as it is largely dialog. Still, Cheng manages to incorporate some gut wrenching emotional moments as Alex deals with living with a parent who has issues that he doesn't understand, and living without a deceased father that he knows little about. A funny but insightful read.

Other Notable 2017 Releases

 

To be honest, so many awesome middle grade books came out this year that I can't really include them all, but here are a few that I feel should be getting a bit more buzz.

The First Rule of Punk by Celia C. Pérez (published August 2017)

Confession: when I was in middle school, I totally made zines and listened to punk music and scoffed at all things that I considered suburban and lame, so this book really speaks to me. A lovely, light book about self-expression, figuring out your identity, and determining what it means to feel like you "belong".

It All Comes Down to This by Karen English (published July 2017)

It's 1965 and Sophie has just moved to Los Angeles, where she finds herself on of the few African-American kids in an almost exclusively white neighborhood. Karen English blends the realism of growing up and dealing with shifting family dynamics and being the new kid, along with the historical events of the Watts Riots. A slower paced read that focuses more on the main character and her inner life that will appeal to historical fiction lovers.

Lucky Broken Girl by Ruth Behar (published April 2017)

Inspired by the author's actual experiences growing up in 1960's New York City, this book follows Ruthie, a Cuban-Jewish immigrant who navigates a new culture, a new language, and a horrific car accident. A realistic, inter-sectional book for readers who appreciate character growth and inclusive storytelling.

Nevermoor: The Trials of Morrigan Crow by Jessica Townsend (published October 2017)

And to balance out all of those realistic reads, a bit of magic. Morrigan Crow is fated to die when she turns eleven, but is instead swept away to a magical land by the mysterious Jupiter North for a chance to join the Wundrous Society. This imaginative, wonderful story will definitely draw in fantasy lovers who are Harry Potter fans or fans of other inventive worlds like those of Neil Gaiman. Plus it's always good to mix it up with a bit of the fantastic when reading all of these emotional middle grade books!

Side note: can we take a moment appreciate how awesome the cover art for all of these books is??? I love that middle grade is leading the charge for beautiful, engaging cover art. Anyway, that's all for now from me. I'll be assembling a few other best of 2017 lists for young adult and adult fiction, so keep a look out for future posts. 

Until then, happy reading!