Monthly Recommendations #OwnVoices

Monthly Recommendations is a Goodreads group started by booktubers Trina from Between Chapters and Kayla  from Kayla Rayne. Each month they pick a topic and everyone recommends books based on that topic. This is the link to the Goodreads group if you want to join! This month’s topic is own voices. Own voices is a hashtag started by Corrine Duyvis. It basically means that author a diverse book is part of the diverse group. I.e. a book about a lesbian coming out by a lesbian. For more information check out Corrine’s blog here. I think it’s really important to support marginalized groups by reading own voices novels. Note though that as a Cisgendered, white, and physically abled person I cannot attest to authenticity of the novels focusing on these topics. I do however have some experience with mental illness so if you ask I can talk about the legit representation in those novels. I have most of these novels. Though a few I read awhile back. I did do lots of research and hope to continue reading and recommending own voices.

POC

•  Piecing Me Together by Renée Watson. (African American)
• To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before by Jenny Han. (Japanese American)
• The Absolutely True Story of a part time Indian by Alexie Sherman. (Native American)
• Ms. Marvel graphic novel. (Pakistani)
• The House on Mango Street by Sandra Cisneros. (Hispanic culture)

LGBTQIA

• 10 Things I Can See From Here by Carrie Mac. (F/F relationship)
• Boy Meets Boy by David Leviathan. (M/M relationship)
• Far From You by Tess Sharpe. (Bisexuality AND Chronic Pain)
• Queens of Geek by Jen Wilde. (F/F relationship and Austism)
• Being Jazz (Transgender)

Physical Disabilities

• Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo. (Osteonecrosis)
• Run by Jody Keplinger. (Blindness)
• El Deafo. (Deafness)
• Not Otherwise Specified by Hannah Moskowitz. (Eating Disorder and Bisexuality.)
• The State of Grace by Rachel Lucus. (Austism.)

Mental Illness

• It’s Kind of a Funny Story by Ned Vizzini. (Depression)
• I Don’t Want to Be Crazy by Samantha Shultz. (Anxiety)
• Highly Illogical Behavior by Corey Whalen. (OCD)
• When We Collided by Emery Lord. (Bipolar disorder.)
• Marbles: Mania, Depression, and Me by Ellen Forney. (Bipolar)

 

These are just a few of the own voices out there. I encourage you to do your own research and seek out diverse books that are also own voices. Let’s support marginalized authors! Let me know in the comments if you’ve read any of these books and what you thought. Hope you’re having a lovely day!