Hey bibliophiles! January turned out to be a rather pleasant month for me in terms of finding wonderful diverse books! Much of the haul consists of Asian, #OwnVoices titles, which is spectacular. Some of you may recall that one of my goals for 2017 is to read more #OwnVoices novels, so being able to find as many as I did (for the cheap prices no less) is a great steal, and a fun way to begin the new year!

Islamic & South Asian Books:

The Golden Son by Shilpi Somaya Gowda (#OwnVoices)

• Adult Fiction, Romance
• WOC (Indian-Canadian) Author, POC Protagonists

Written in the Stars by Aisha Saeed (#OwnVoices)

• Islamic Literature, Young Adult, Romance
• WOC (Pakistani-American) Muslim Author, Muslim POC Protagonists

East, West by Salman Rushdie (#OwnVoices)

• Indian Literature, Adult Fiction, Magical Realism
• Muslim POC (Indian-British) Author, POC Protagonists

The Moor’s Last Sigh by Salman Rushdie (#OwnVoices)

• Indian Literature, Adult Fiction, Magical Realism
• Muslim POC (Indian-British) Author, POC Protagonists

Japanese Books by #OwnVoices Female Authors

Asleep by Banana Yoshimoto

• Japanese Literature, Magical Realism, Contemporary Adult Fiction
• Japanese Author, Japanese Protagonists

Lizard by Banana Yoshimoto

• Japanese Literature, Japanese Post-modernism, Magical Realism
• Japanese Author, Japanese Protagonists

Real World by Natsuo Kirino

• Japanese Literature, Feminist Noir, Psychological Thriller
• Japanese Author, Japanese Protagonists

A Tale for the Time Being by Ruth Ozeki

• Japanese Literature, Mystery, Magical Realism
• Japanese-Canadian Author, Japanese Protagonists

Japanese Books by #OwnVoices Male Authors:

This Scheming World by Ihara Saikaku

• Japanese Literature, Historical Fiction (1600s Japan), Classical Literature
• Japanese Author, Japanese Protagonists

A Quiet Place by Seicho Matsumoto

• Japanese Literature, Contemporary Adult Fiction, Mystery
• Japanese Author, Japanese Protagonists

The Elephant Vanishes: Stories by Haruki Murakami

• Japanese Literature, Magical Realism, Anthology
• Japanese Author, Japanese Protagonists

Non-Asian Diverse Books:

Challenger Deep by Neal Shusterman

• Young Adult Fiction, Mental Health Representation (Schizophrenia)
• This is an #OwnVoices book that was written by the author to offer insight and understanding for a mental illness that is highly misunderstood, and also to be a voice for his son, who has schizophrenia.

More Happy Than Not by Adam Silvera

• Queer Literature, Young Adult, Romance (M/M)
• Queer Author, Queer Protagonists

When the Moon was Ours by Anna-Marie McLemore

• Young Adult Fiction, Magical Realism
• WOC (Mexican-American) Author, Protagonists who deal with gender identity & sexual identity.

Honorary Mention:

A Silent Voice (Volumes 1-7) by Yoshitoki Oima

• Young Adult, Coming-of-Age, Physical Disability Representation

**My full review will be up within one week**

This is a manga series with a protagonist who is deaf and a protagonist who is a bully. It’s an extraordinary story about growing up—emotionally and psychologically. A Silent Voice takes readers into Japan’s society where the dark stigma of having a disability is explored with deep and profound feelings, complex relationships, and an evaluation of the effects that alienation from being different can have on a person, no matter how strong their fortitude. The series also shows us that first impressions can never truly illustrate to us the power that lies beneath the surface. It is a story that everyone should read.

What are some diverse books that y’all picked up in January?? Do you have any diverse recommendations to share??