I have a personal goal of diversifying the authors that I read from in the future. As much as I enjoy reading a variety of genres, I’ve realized that doesn’t equate to diversity amongst the authors I am consuming. Whether an author is writing from their personal experiences or writing a totally fantastical world, their personal life experiences influence the narrative. Reading books by a better variety of authors is in an attempt to absorb more perspectives into my understanding of others’ experiences in the world.

With the acknowledgement that authors won’t always share every aspect of their personal lives with readers and so this may be an incomplete list, I am reading more books this year by authors representing demographics typically missing on my reading list and in publishing in general. On my Read and Reading lists this quarter, there’s three authors of color (two American – N.K. Jemisin and Tao Lin, and one South African – Masande Ntshanga) and one aroace author (Emily Victoria, who is Canadian).

Here’s what I have done to diversify my reading list in the first quarter of 2021:

Read

• The Fifth Season by N.K. Jemisin
• This Golden Flame by Emily Victoria
  • Just the second book I’ve ever read by an aroace author! The first was Tarnished Are The Stars by Rosiee Thor, which I read last year. On top of the authors’ identities, the stories of aroace characters are central to both of these narratives. I recommend both; even if you haven’t acutely felt left out by all the romance typically featured in YA fantasy, it’s quite the feeling to see yourself represented.
• The Obelisk Gate by N.K. Jemisin
• Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy by Tao Lin

Reading

• The Stone Sky by N.K. Jemisin
• Triangulum by Masande Ntshanga

Altogether, this Read list represents more than half (4/7) of the books I finished reading this quarter and the Reading list includes 2/3 of the books that I am actively reading.

Check back next quarter for another reading list update, or you can friend me on Goodreads to stay updated more frequently. In the meantime, I challenge you to share what books you’ll pick up to diversify your reading list with me this quarter! It’s easy – click the button below to start your tweet, and customize it to share how many books you’ll read or share some specific book recommendations!

I’m committing to #ReadDiverseBooks this quarter! Here’s how I’ll do it:

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