Friday 8 April 2016

Conversations Week 1: Are There Any Diverse Books You Read More and Why?


I’m so excited to be participating in the first-ever discussion post meme Conversations! Conversations is a meme created by Geraldine @ Corralling Books and Joan @ Fiddler Blue with a basic theme and a topic to follow! For more information on the meme, click here. This week’s theme is popular issues, and the topic is: Are there any diverse books you read more and why”?

My answer to this question is: yes, there are diverse reads that I tend to go for more than others, and that is specifically LGBT books. The reason for this is, that LGBT rights is an issue that I am passionate about and I really enjoy reading different takes on them. Being a contemporary junkie, romance is obviously a huge component and it’s almost always between a boy and a girl. Now while this gives me something to relate to, it get’s kind of repetitive after a while reading about the same relationships. In LGBT contemporary books, there is more of a diverse romance that brings a fresh new edge.

I think that the reason I am so passionate about LGBT issues is because of my upbringing. I was raised in a very religious family, and obviously in the church LGBT rights is a huge issue. Now while I am fortunate enough to have a family that is accepting of all people, many of our friends have more negative views and there is always that sour note in a room whenever someone mentions “gay marriage”. This issue really angers me especially when people bring religion in it, but I guess this is another story. Right now, let’s just focus on the books.

The point is, that LGBT books appeal to me more when it comes to diversity because I enjoy the change in relationships. One of my favourite LGBT books is Simon vs. The Homosapiens Agenda, because it was a very unique take. You’d expect LGBT contemporary to be very dark with very negative views towards the person, and while this issue is sadly very relevant in real life, this book had a much lighter,funnier tone to the issue where everyone was accepting of Simon. It made me happy that there are good people in this world.

Now you may be wondering, do you not read any other diverse reads? The answer is, while I would like to, I don’t really find other extremely striking diverse reads, that is, I don’t know which books are diverse. You don’t see many books that perhaps have a person of colour as the main character, actually write on the synopsis: “this book has a black character”, so I don’t think I really know if a book’s diverse or not unless I actually dive in. In LGBT books, the theme is pretty much obvious.
The other diverse reads that I have read that contained people of colour as the mains, would have to be Everything, Everything, which contained a mixed girl who had a rare illness, and My Name is Parvana, which was an incredible series involving a Afghan girl. These books were both done really well, but I do think that more could be done on the racial diversity front.


I guess that’s all of my thoughts down! If you have any racially diverse book or even LGBT book recommendation's, please let me know as I’d love to check them out! Thank to Geraldine and Joan for creating this meme, and I can’t wait for the next topic! 

Emily @ Paperback Princess

16 comments:

  1. Mmm, Emily, I love that you like reading books with LGBT themes! I don't read them so much - but I'm hoping I will read more of them! I'm going to start Simon and the Homo Sapiens Agenda very soon - hopefully I find it as awesome as you do!

    With racially diverse books...maybe A Thousand Splendid Suns?? IM ALWAYS GOING TO SHOUT THIS BOOK OUT, because it's my absolute fave haha xD It's set in Afghanistan, from memory...so yeah! :D

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    1. I hope you live it!! And yes, judging by our Twitter conversation just now, it is TOTALLY on my TBR!

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  2. Great post Em!

    There's an excellent list of diverse books compiled by the author James Dawson here: http://www.jamesdawsonbooks.com/2015/06/28/yougotdiversebooks/

    It covers pretty much everything you can think of in terms of YA diversity.

    Ooh, and try The Invisibles by Francis Gideon - a really sweet LGBT romance that I read & reviewed a few months ago. It's uber-good. :)

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    1. Thanks for the rec's Cee! I'll definitely check these out!

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    2. Just realised that since James Dawson is now Juno Dawson, her website link is different now - so that list is now at: http://www.junodawson.com/2015/06/28/yougotdiversebooks/

      Sorry!

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  3. Wonderful post, Emily! LGBT books are so important, and I've been trying to read more books grappling with these themes too! I need to get around to reading Simon vs., because it does sound really good! There's a pretty cute YA book coming out in June - it's called You Know Me Well (by David Levithan and Nina LaCour) and it's about LGBT topics and the story takes place during Pride. So I'd definitely recommend that one :)

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    1. I LOVE David Levithan! He does LGBT so funny and charming. So I'll definitely check that out. Thanks for stopping by Annika!

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  4. I've been wanting to read Simon vs. The Homosapiens Agenda for so long! Everyone keeps on recommending it; I should probably take the hint hahaha. But I totally agree with you about being passionate about LGBT issues! I'm so glad there are more and more books being written about those issues; I think it's helping people become more accepting! :)

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    1. Especially in YA, it's so great to see the changing of relationships. You NEED to read Simon :D

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  5. I think I might be a bit like you, as I do tend to gravitate more towards books about LGBT+ people. Like you, I find it a very important issue, so I find it interesting to read about. I also think I read more LGBT+ books because you know when you go in it's going to be like that. I think all diverse themes are important, and I like to read a variety!

    Denise | The Bibliolater

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    1. Yeah, I feel like most LGBT+ books are very recognizable, I just wish other diverse books did the same!

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  6. Hello Emily! I just finished a book called Radio Silence by Alice Oseman which features LGBT relationships + mixed race female protagonist. It's a YA contemporary about making choices and finding yourself. It's so, so good! :D

    Joan @ Fiddler Blue

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    1. Ooh that ticks off all my categories! Thanks Joan!

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  7. WELL LOOK WHAT'S BEEN GOING ON HERE WHILE I WAS AWAY!!! I see you have a GORGEOUS new header (which was not made by me... I'm SO sorry that I couldn't deliver, Em!! I'll make it up to you somehow). This meme sounds so amazing! I love your take on the theme, and I HAVE GOT TO read Simon Vs. because apparently EVERYONE loves it so much! You should try reading Everything, Everything, The Star-Touched Queen, and The Wrath and The Dawn of you're looking for racial diversity (not that I've read any of those, but I don't call myself a book blogger for nothing! XD) Anyway, so glad to be back and see the way your blog has progressed (even though it has done so without my knowing ;) )

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    1. No No Ranu! It wasn't your fault! I'm just happy to see you back and (hopefully) stress free! Isn't this meme awesome?! It just gives us a chance to rant or erm... discuss on some great topics! I have read Everything, Everything and I loved it's take, but I've heard great things from The Wrath and the Dawn! PLEASE read Simon vs. and tell me what you think! Thanks so much Ranu, I'm so happy you're back with us :D

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