My Diverse Book Picks for #DAReadthon: HUFFLEPUFFS REPRESENT!

January 4, 2017 by Jeann @ Happy Indulgence | Books, Features

The lovely Read at Midnight is hosting the #DAReadathon from Jan 1-15th, which is a Harry Potter reading challenge for promoting diversity in 2017! There’s heaps of diverse books that I would love to prioritise and pick up in 2017 and this challenge is the perfect motivation. EDIT: Jenna just informed me that this readathon only goes for 2 weeks, so I probably won’t get to pick up all of these books in this timeframe. I’ll still aim to read the books I’ve listed though 🙂

I do not own the graphics below, they are created by Read at Midnight.

Chinese families living in the Western world is definitely something that I relate to, and The Wangs vs the World by Jade Chang sounds hilarious, outlandish and just like my favourite Crazy Rich Asians. I spotted it on The Book Satchel and am really looking forward to reading it!

It’s not often that I get to read about Latin America, Death Day and bisexual characters and it sounds like Labyrinth Lost by Zoraida Cordova has it all. I purchased it after reading the review from Read Diverse Books and it sounds like it coverse intersectional diversity really well.

This is a book that I’ve been meaning to read forever, especially since it’s a LGBT #ownvoices book that comes highly recommended by Jenna. I usually need a bit of encouragement to pick up books that punch you in the gut and I’m glad to be finally picking up More Happy Than Not by Adam Silvera.

After reading A Thousand Splendid Sunby Khaled Hosseini, the struggles of two Muslim women from different walks of life really struck me in the feels. That’s why I bought And the Mountains Echoed which talks about women from all generations from around the globe taking care of each other.

Probably one of the first books I’ve ever added to my TBR about 4 years ago, Mao’s Last Dancer by Li Cunxin is an inspirational memoir about a Chinese boy from an extremely poor village in China pursuing his passion in America. I’m really glad to be finally picking this up for #DAReadathon and I can’t wait!

If you haven’t heard of The Sun is Also a Star by Nicola Yoon, about a Korean boy meeting a girl from Jamaica who is about to be deported, then I don’t know where you’ve been because it’s raved about all over the blogosphere. I’m a bit hesitant in reading this because of the insta-love, but I want to see if it’s something I can get behind for the sake of this diverse couple.

My fellow gamer and book blogger Read Think Ponder’s favourite book of the 2016 was Not Your Sidekick by C.B. Lee, about a Chinese-Vietnamese girl with superpowers. I love the complexity described here and how it depicts college life asking thought-provoking questions about superheroes and identity.

I don’t know how many other Hufflepuffs are out there but never fear, Jeann is here! I’m sure we’re not in it to win it, because it’s scary to think about the amount of Slytherins and Ravenclaws out there meticulously counting their points for victory. I’m doing it for funsies okay.

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What are your picks for #DAReadathon? Any of these books catch your eye?

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Jeann is an Aussie YA blogger and mum who loves to read and recommend books! You can usually find me fangirling about books on my various social media channels including Twitter @happyindulgence, Instagram and Youtube.

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39 responses to “My Diverse Book Picks for #DAReadthon: HUFFLEPUFFS REPRESENT!

  1. cw @ readthinkponder

    YASSS JEANN. So many amazing choices and I'm so excited for you!
    YAY YAY about Not Your Sidekick! I can't wait for you to read it and I really, really hope you enjoy it! ❤

    I really hope you enjoy More Happy Than Not too! It's such a heartbreaking book but so so profound and wonderful in its own way.

    • Yessss I have only read 1 book so far in the readathon but I will work through them! Going to put Not Your Sidekick on my birthday list, I\’m pretty excited about it. I\’ve been looking forward to reading More Happy Than Not for ages!

  2. lapiaenrose

    Thank goodness there is another Hufflepuff in the world! For a while, the #DaReadaThon was getting a bit lonely. I can't wait to read what you think about Not Your Sidekick!

  3. I still think you're the only Hufflepuff I know Jeann. I'm a boring old Gryffindor. I love this challenge! By the time I found out about it, it was too late to sign up. Really looking forward to seeing what you think of The Sun is Also A Star. There's been much discussion about insta love for that one and those who loved the book not too happy about the ratings by bloggers. Happy reading Jeann and looking forward to following your progress <3

    • I can definitely see you as a Gryffindor Kelly! Hufflepuffs are the best hahah I wish there was more of us. I just picked up TSIAAS today and I'm not keen on insta-love so we'll see how it goes.

  4. I REALLY wish I had signed up to do this. I would have been on Team Hufflepuff too. I mean, I was confused at first, because I thought it was about Harry Potter, and not diverse books. And then by the time I figured it out, the sign ups were almost over, and then I saved the link, but then they were REALLy over. I fail, Jeann.

    I voted for More Happy Than Not, because it is the only one I have read but also I really liked it. I need to read The Sun is Also a Star too, soon. Actually, I have heard fabulous things about all of these, so I think you will end up really loving them- I hope, at least! Good luck to you and the Hufflepuffs- I will be secretly (fine, not so secretly) rooting for you!! 😀

    • Ohhhh yay Team Hufflepuff Shannon! No wonder you, Val and I get along so well hahaha. DW It's not much of a readathon for me, more of a guide really of what to read next. I mean the readathon is almost over and I've read 1 book 😀 I can't wait to read more Happy Than not!

  5. I cannot believe that the only one of these that I have read is Mao's Last Dancer! The rest of them are all on my TBR but I just haven't gotten to them yet… *pouts*. I look forward to seeing what you think of them. I do definitely recommend Mao as well though – it is a great insight into growing up in rural, communist China.

  6. Yippeee! Omg it would be such a deep and heartbreaking read. I can't wait to read your thoughts on it! Also sending you lots of positive thoughts Lauren x

  7. AvalinahsBooks

    You're a Hufflepuff too! Omigod! 🙂
    The Wangs sound very interesting. I'll go check it out on Goodreads.

  8. The Sun Is Also A Star is SUCH an awesome novel and I cannot wait for you to read it! It is absolutely perfect for this challenge because it's so diverse and YAY YOU'RE A HUFFLEPUFF TOO!!!!

  9. I LOVE MAO'S LAST DANCER. I read it years and years ago (because I'm so old lol) but it's really stuck with me. And omgggg I'm so excited for Labyrinth Lost! Can't wait to pick that one up 🙂

    • OMG I have no idea why it took me so long to read, I literally just picked it up yesterday and it's so good! I used to read a few of these books in high school (Chinese Cinderella too). Me too, it looks like it's winning the vote too!

  10. whoa love the idea of this read-a-thon! how fun! i've been trying to read more diversely as well so i hope you don't mind that i added some of these books to my own tbr to read! they all sound so interesting. good luck jeann!! not a hufflepuff but i'll be rooting for you 🙂

    • Yesss it's fun especially when the blogosphere is involved hehe. I hope you enjoy the books that you pick up from this list! Thank you Annie 🙂

  11. Thank you for these great recommendations Jeann! I've been far away from the blogosphere, that I now, I don't have any idea of what books I should try to read at all. I'll definitely start with some of these!

  12. thebookprophet

    Good luck on the challenge! Since I'm not participating, would be be betrayal if I rooted for a house that's not my own?

    • Yessss I don't know about The Sun is Also a Star because of the insta-love, but I'm still looking forward to reading both of those books!

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