January Books feat. #DiverseAThon & #DAReadathon Wrap-Up

In January, I read some gems. Here’s a few YA novels with fantastic Muslim heroines.

•  Ms. Marvel, Vol. 1: No Normal by G. Willow Wilson & Adrian Alphona.

A graphic novel which follows Kamala, a seriously awesome Pakistani-American superhero.

•  Where the Streets Had a Name by Randa Abdel-Fattah.

YA Historical novel which follows Hayaat, a Palestinian youth who undertakes a journey to Jerusalem to help her grandmother.

•  God Smites and Other Muslim Girl Problems by Ishara Deen.

YA Mystery novel feat. Asiya, a Bengali-Canadian heroine with sharp detective skills.

I also read and reviewed Damascus Nights by Rafik Schami. An Arabian Nights take on a curse that befalls a storyteller in Damascus, Syria. The storyteller’s friends are religiously diverse – notably Muslim, Jewish and Christian. On a similar note, Where the Streets Had a Name also shows aspects of a multi-faith society through friendship.

#DiverseAThon Wrap-Up:

Even though I only finished God Smites and Other Muslim Girl Problems by Ishara Deen, I shared some thoughts on this cozy mystery in a review.

I am currently halfway through The Paper Menagerie by Ken Liu. Some scifi with equal parts darkness and hope. I update Goodreads with notes as I read the short stories. Will try to expand upon a few of them later on.

#DAReadathon Wrap-Up:

• Expecto Patronum – The Land of Forgotten Girls by Erin Entrada Kelly.

A MG novel about Filipinx-American sisters and the power of stories. Reviewed here.

• Expelliarmus – Where the Streets Had a Name by Randa Abdel-Fattah.

Thoughts in this short review.

• Protego – BooksActually’s Gold Standard 2016 Edited by Julie Koh.

Very much an adult lit. read. Some surreal, satirical and dark stories. This anthology features writers from East-Asia, South-east Asia and the diaspora. I liked the stories by Tom Cho, Avianti Armand, Tiffany Tsao, Jing-Jing Lee, Cyril Wong and John Bengan.

• Reducto – What Is Not Yours Is Not Yours by Helen Oyeyemi.

Loved this collection of short stories. The first story features a f/f romance. Will try to share a full review.

•  Impedimenta – Sister Heart by Sally Morgan.

A YA historical verse novel about an Indigenous Australian heroine’s experience of the Stolen Generation. The young voice rings with a lot of power in exposing a history that should never be forgotten.

• Stupefy – Ms. Marvel, Vol. 1: No Normal by G. Willow Wilson & Adrian Alphona.

I need the sequels asap. Seriously, superhero stories for the present.

• Lumos – The Sidekicks by Will Kostakis.

An Australian YA novel with a nuanced take on coming out, friendship and grief.

 

January Spotlight Lists:

• Intersectional Poetry + Indigenous Australian Literature

February Focus:

• #WriteYourResistance + #ReadYourResistance

It is now Black History Month, so will catch up on reviews and re-read Parable of the Sower by Octavia E. Butler for #DSFFBookClub:

*Also, will be reading some non-fiction chapters on Intersectionality over at the Diverse Study Group!