Happy Monday, bibliophiles!
For those of you who didn’t know, in the U.S., May is Asian American & Pacific Islander Heritage month! I made a list of YA reads for the occasion last year (click here if you’d like to parse through), but since I’ve read so many more incredible books by AAPI authors since last May, I figured I would make another list. These are books from all genres, but all of them are from authors of AAPI heritage. And with all of these kinds of posts, I always want to impress the following: reading diversely should never be confined to one part of the year. That being said, it’s always important to uplift marginalized voices—AAPI in this case—and reading is a key way to do so.
Let’s begin, shall we?
THE BOOKISH MUTANT’S YA BOOKS FOR AAPI HERITAGE MONTH (2022 EDITION)
The Mermaid, the Witch, and the Sea – Maggie Tokuda Hall
GENRES: Fantasy, romance, LGBTQ+
MY RATING: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
One of my favorite reads of last year, The Mermaid, the Witch, and the Sea was a raw and tender read filled with pirates, mermaids, and resonant love. Highly recommended!
The Weight of Our Sky – Hanna Alkaf
GENRES: Historical fiction, fiction, mental illness/disability
MY RATING: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
A searing and powerful read that follows the story of a sixteen-year-old girl with OCD in the midst of the Malaysian race riots in the late sixties.
Gearbreakers – Zoe Hana Mikuta
GENRES: Science fiction, dystopia, romance, LGBTQ+
MY RATING: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
Gearbreakers is no ordinary YA dystopia—filled with mechs, found family, and fierce feminism and queerness, this is a must-read!
The Ones We’re Meant to Find – Joan He
GENRES: Science fiction, dystopia, mystery
MY RATING: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
Mind-bending and endlessly thought-provoking, The Ones We’re Meant to Find is a unique and unforgettable tale of sisterhood in the darkest of times.
Rise of the Red Hand – Olivia Chadha
GENRES: Science fiction, dystopia, romance
MY RATING: ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Rise of the Red Hand certainly wasn’t perfect, but it’s best element was its representation; it’s one of the only dystopias that I’ve seen that’s set in South Asia!
GENRES: Fantasy, high fantasy
MY RATING: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
A rich and spooky fantasy that’s perfect for readers who like their traditional fantasy with a dash of necromancy, vengeful souls, and spiders.
GENRES: Dystopia, science fiction, LGBTQ+, romance
MY RATING: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Raw, fierce, and relentless, Iron Widow is a searing ode to those who are unafraid to take down the status quo—no matter the stakes.
Mad, Bad & Dangerous to Know – Samira Ahmed
GENRES: Contemporary, fiction, historical fiction
MY RATING: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
A love letter to all of the women that history erases, Mad, Bad & Dangerous to Know is a sharply feminist story set in alternating timelines.
Summer Bird Blue – Akemi Dawn Bowman
GENRES: Contemporary, fiction, LGBTQ+
MY RATING: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
A powerful and unforgettable story of grief and starting over. Akemi Dawn Bowman’s writing never fails to stir up all kinds of emotions in me.
TELL ME WHAT YOU THINK! Have you read any of these books? If so, what did you think of them? What are your favorite YA books by AAPI authors? Let me know in the comments!
Today’s song:
That’s it for this post! Have a wonderful rest of your day, and take care of yourselves!
The Bookish Mutant 