Diverse Books FTW!

In July when one of the weekly topics for Top Ten Tuesday was favourite diverse books, I didn't think I'd be able to find enough books to create a complete list. I went through my GoodReads and was amazed to find I had to narrow the list down from over 40 (and still couldn't pick just 10). 

Readers, authors, and publishers are asking for more diversity - which is great, we need more diversity - but we can't ignore the diverse books that are already out there. There will never be enough diverse books, but we can't forget the ones that already exist. Since so many people are looking for recommendations of diverse books, I thought I'd compile a list of the ones I've read. I’ve tried to include all the diverse books I’ve read, whether I enjoyed them or not. I want to promote diversity as much as I can, and think it's important to talk about all books. Just because I didn’t necessarily enjoy a book doesn’t mean someone else won’t love it or need it.

The books I'm sharing incorporate all types of diverse characters: people of different races, colours, religions, sexual orientation and gender identity, socio-economic backgrounds, plus neuro-diversity, disabilities, differences in body type, etc.

I'll be adding to this list regularly. If you're looking for something specific or have questions, don't hesitate to tweet me. I'm always happy to answer questions, recommend books, or just chat!

Diversity in YA and NA

* = the book appears on more than one list

* = adult (even though this list is mostly YA and NA, there are a few stand-out adult books I feel are worth mentioning)

LGBTQ+ and Gender Diversity

• Beauty of the Broken by Tawni Waters*

• Black Iris by Leah Raeder* 

• Bottle Rocket Hearts by Zoe Whittall

• Everything Changes by Samantha Hale

• Everything Leads to You by Nina LaCour

• Far From You by Tess Sharpe* 

• Focus on Me by Megan Erickson*

• (The) Good Girls by Teresa Mummert

• (The) Gravity Between Us by Kristen Zimmer 

• Great by Sara Benincasa

• Hushed by Kelley York

• Kiss the Morning Star by Elissa Janine Hoole 

• My Best Friend, Maybe by Caela Carter*

• No One Needs to Know by Amanda Grace*

• One Man Guy by Michael Barakiva*

• Path of Angels: Gabriel by Patricia Josephine

• Path of Angels: Michael by Patricia Josephine

• Simon vs the Homo Sapiens Agenda by Becky Albertalli

• (The) Summer I Wasn’t Me by Jessica Verdi

• Take Them by Storm by Marie Landry

• Tell Me Again How a Crush Should Feel by Sara Farizan*

• Trust the Focus by Megan Erickson

• Under the Lights by Dahlia Adler*

Books With POC Characters

(Main character or love interest is a person of colour)

• After the Storm by Marie Landry

• Burn for Burn by Jenny Han and Siobhan Vivian

• Farsighted by Emlyn Chand*

• Fire With Fire by Jenny Han and Siobhan Vivian

• Galgorithm by Aaron Karo

• I See London by Chanel Cleeton

• Last Will and Testament by Dahlia Adler

• London Falling by Chanel Cleeton

• My Best Friend, Maybe by Caela Carter*

• One Man Guy by Michael Barakiva*

• Path of Angels: Zadekiel by Patricia Josephine

• Servants of the Storm by Delilah S Dawson*

• Sisterhood of the Travelling Pants by Ann Brashares 

• (The) Summer of Chasing Mermaids by Sarah Ockler*

• Tell Me Again How a Crush Should Feel by Sara Farizan*

• Tiger Lily by Jodi Lynn Anderson

• To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before by Jenny Han

• Under the Lights by Dahlia Adler*

Mental Health & Neuro-diversity

• A Desperate Fortune by Susanna Kearsley*

• Black Iris by Leah Raeder*

• Every Last Word by Tamara Ireland Stone 

• Focus on Me by Megan Erickson

• I’ll Meet You There by Heather Demetrios*

• Make it Count by Megan Erickson

• One Night by AJ Pine

• Pushing the Limits by Katie McGarry

• Ultraviolet by RJ Anderson

• Upside Down, Sideswiped, and Inside Out by Lia Riley

• What If by AJ Pine

Characters with Disabilities

• Between Everything and Us by Rebecca Paula

• Far From You by Tess Sharpe*

• Farsighted by Emlyn Chand*

• I’ll Meet You There by Heather Demetrios*

• (The) Summer of Chasing Mermaids by Sarah Ockler*

• Tides of Honour by Genevieve Graham*

Socio-economic Diversity

• Beauty of the Broken by Tawni Waters*

• If You Find Me by Emily Murdoch

• I’ll Meet You There by Heather Demetrios*

• No One Needs to Know by Amanda Grace*

• Servants of the Storm by Delilah S Dawson*

• Sugar by Deirdre Riordan Hall*

• The Truth About Us by Janet Gurtler

Weight and Body Diversity

• Dumplin’ by Julie Murphy*

• Focus on Me by Megan Erickson*

• Sugar by Deirdre Riordan Hall*