Diversity December Bingo!

I understand that it is very hard to find diverse books (I know this from my own experience of trying to complete this bingo board for a few hours now) So I thought I would help you out a little.

Throughout this post, I am under the impression that 'PoC' stands for 'Person of Colour'. If I am wrong then feel free to correct me and ignore the recommendations for PoC categories.

Non-Western Cultural Fantasy - Daughter of the sword by Steve Bein

This one was particularly hard for me as I have never read any books from this genre (and have only just really started to dabble into fantasy in general) I chose this book as it has a lot of good reviews. This book is described as an 'unusual fantasy' by many that is set in Japan across multiple eras. It is a contemporary story with a mix of detective and urban fantasy about an investigation into the attempted theft of an ancient sword. This book contains 3 period stories (two set in samurai periods and one set in WWII) within the whole story and each is about a different samurai weapon. All of these weapons are said to carry a curse from their maker. I guess you could call this book a collection of three novellas that tie together (kind of like 'Let it Snow' by John Green, Lauren Myracle, and Maureen Johnson)

Each story has a light fantasy element (perfect for beginners into this genre) and the sequel came out about 3 years ago so you could easily binge these stories!

You can buy this book here 

Non-binary Main Character - The book thief by Marcus Zusak

This, at first, wasn't obvious to me as I always considered Death as being a male figure but Zusak cleverly never suggests either way. This book is read as if you, the reader, are death so you choose their gender in your head or in this case keep Death androgynous.

The book thief is about a foster girl living in World War II in Germany who steals books and teaches herself how to read. She also helps her neighbours learn how to read during bombing raids. The book is narrated by death who, I presume, follows this girl or sees her multiple times whilst he is, you know, doing his thing.  It is described as 'an unforgettable story about the ability of books to feed the soul'.

You can buy this book here

Refugee Main Character - Refugee Boy by Benjamin Zephaniah

Again a hard category for me as I haven't read anything like this before but this seemed to be the book on everyone's radar. This book is about a boy who was taken to England by his father and left there with the hope that he will get a better life. He spends one night in a detention center then is taken in by a foster family. From here on is a mystery to me but some books are better that way.

You can buy this book here

PoC superheroes  - Zeroes by Scott Westerfeld, Margo Lanagan, and Deborah Biancotti

I immediately thought of this book when I read this even though they class themselves as 'Zeroes' not heroes and they aren't all PoC.There is one PoC character called Crash (there is also a blind character so this book could be used for both this category and the disabled main character category) Crash can, well, 'crash' technology with her mind. She is one of the 6 Zeroes who all have their own unique power. I consider them all main characters as you see the story through each of their perspectives however some would argue that Scam is the main character as the story kicks off due to his choices. This is a very interesting story of a heist, super powers, friendship, and family.

You can buy this book here

Chronic Pain Sufferers - The Fault in our Stars by John Green

Of course I had to mention this book it is one of the most known books dealing with cancer out there and for good reasons. I feel like I shouldn't even have to put a synopsis here as everyone has either read it or heard of it so I will just sum it up. Hazel is completely obsessed with 'An Imperial Affliction' by Peter Van Houten, she also has cancer. At a cancer support group she meets Augustus who also becomes obsessed with Mr. Houten's work and decided he needs to know what happened after the end of the novel. This book is a rollercoaster of adventure, love, and tragedy - but what else can you expect from a teenage love story right?

You can buy this book here 

Demisexual Main Character - Afterworlds by Scott Westerfeld

I know this is the second Scott Westerfeld book on this list but he is a good author ok just trust me. This book is about an author called Darcy (who is demisexual from what I have read in reviews). The novel is told in alternating chapters - one will be Darcy's life and the next will be her book. We get to see how events in her life shape her novel (as a soon to be creative writing student this excites me greatly!)

You can buy this book here 

Muslim Main Character - Written in the stars by Aisha Saeed

This book is about a forced marriage which is a very sensitive topic but from what I have heard this book is very well written and deals with the topic very well. I think this one have a very big impact especially as the author has friends who have been forced into marriages due to their culture. It shows the bad side of their culture which probably isn't what this reading challenge was designed to do but I think it is important to know what is going on in different parts of the world.

You can buy this book here

Trans Main Character - Parrotfish by Ellen Wittlinger

Not only does this book have a trans main character it is also set around Christmas so it is perfect for a December TBR! This is about a girl called Angela but she has never felt right as a girl so she decides to be Grady. He comes out to his friends and family as this life feels right to him but the reactions he gets are far from what he expected. His mother is upset, sister is mortified and his best friend isn't exactly his best friend anymore. Throughout this book, Grady builds new friendships and possibly even more than a friendship. Did I mention that this book is set around Christmas?

You can buy this book here 

Diverse Non-fiction - The Fire This Time: A New Generation Speaks About Race edited by Jesmyn Ward

I was drawn to this non- fiction text more as it consists of poetry which I am very quickly growing to enjoy and understand (I have even tried to write my own which hasn't gone disastrously wrong!) As well as poems this book also includes essays, both of which examine and question the darkest parts of our history and our future plans. This has been described as 'an urgent and unmissable collection'

You can buy this book here

PoC or Interracial M/M - One Man Guy by Michael Barakiva

This book is about an Armenian boy called Alek who attends summer school and meets a boy called Ethan. Ethan seems to want to be Alek's friend and before long seems like he wants to be more than a friend. Alek has never had a boyfriend (he has barely ever had a girlfriend) so this becomes a book of self-discovery with an interracial, homosexual relationship.

You can buy this book here 

Mental Health Awareness - It's kind of a funny story by Ned Vizzini

Our main character, Craig, is a top student with a solid group of friends - the perfect guy right? Nothing can go wrong! Except the fact that he is completely depressed and one night walks to a bridge and tries to decide whether he should jump. He decides no (this isn't a spoiler don't worry) and he checks himself into a mental health hospital. His friends and family are surprised as clearly nothing could have possibly been wrong with him (this is the awareness part) He meets so many lovely people at this hospital and it really shows that mental health conditions are very hard to spot. Ned Vizzini actually spent time in a Mental Health Hospital which makes this book very touching and accurate.

You can buy this book here 

Asian Main Character - To All the Boys I've loved before - Jenny Hann

To all the boys I've loved before is about a girl who wrote a letter to each of the boys she has previously loved with no intention of them ever being seen. Somehow, these letters get out and she is left to deal with the repercussions. I believe this is book 1 of a duology, the second book is already out so again - binge-worthy series

You can buy this book here

Non-Western (real world) setting - The Kite Runner - Khaled Hosseini

This is about a rich kid that wants to be friends with a poor kid. Society and parents disagree. This is a classic so I assume this is all the synopsis I feel is needed.

You can buy this book here 

PoC on Book Covers - Lying out Loud by Kody Keplinger

Sonny Ardmore is a born liar. 'She lies about her dad being in prison. She lies about her mom kicking her out. And she lies about sneaking into her best friend's house every night because she has nowhere else to go.

Amy Rush might be the only person Sonny shares everything with -- secrets, clothes, even a nemesis named Ryder Cross.

Ryder's the new kid at Hamilton High and everything Sonny and Amy can't stand -- a prep-school snob. But Ryder has a weakness: Amy. So when Ryder emails Amy asking her out, the friends see it as a prank opportunity not to be missed.

But without meaning to, Sonny ends up talking to Ryder all night online. And to her horror, she realizes that she might actually like him. Only there's one small catch: he thinks he's been talking to Amy. So Sonny comes up with an elaborate scheme to help Ryder realize that she's the girl he's really wanted all along. Can Sonny lie her way to the truth, or will all her lies end up costing her both Ryder and Amy?' - synopsis from Goodreads as it sums up the story better than I could.

You can buy this book here 

PoC w/ Natural Hair/ Curly Hair - Most Likely to Succeed by Jennifer Echols

I am unsure whether this one is curly or natural hair as I have seen the bingo card featuring both so just to be safe this one features a female PoC with curly natural hair.

Kaye is vice president of Student Council and knows the importance of keeping order in school, and in her personal life. She thinks the best way to keep order is to have everything mapped out which is why she and her boyfriend have already decided everything. They will attend Columbia University together, pursue banking careers, and eventually get married. Everything Kaye has accomplished in high school—student government, cheerleading, stellar grades—has been in preparation for this future.

Then there is Sawyer. To his entire class, Sawyer is an irreverent bad boy. His antics on the field as the school mascot and his love of partying have earned him total slacker status. But while he and Kaye appear to be opposites on every level, fate—and their friends—keep conspiring to throw them together. Perhaps the seniors see the simmering attraction Kaye and Sawyer are unwilling to acknowledge to themselves…

As the year unfolds, Kaye begins to realize her ideal life is not what she thought. And Sawyer decides it’s finally time to let down the façade and show everyone who he really is. Is a relationship between them most likely to succeed—or will it be their favourite mistake?

You can buy this book here 

Disabled Main Character - Wonder by RJ Palacio

This book is about a young boy trying to make friends, just like any other kid. But Auggie is different. He was born different. He has a facial deformity that challenges him in many ways. This book will touch your heart and honestly make you cry a few times. This is classed as a middle grade but I believe everyone should read it.

You can buy this book here 

SFF w/ LGBTQIA+ Main Character - City of Bones by Cassandra Clare

This book is recommended based on my guess that SSF stands for science fiction fantasy, once again if I am wrong feel free to ignore this and correct me. 

If you haven't seen the movie or series adaptation of these books then you won't know which character adds this element but in my mind, they are a main character so this counts ok, it counts. As this is very well known I feel that it doesn't need more of a synopsis than kick ass supernatural hunters.

You can buy this book here 

Pansexual Main Character - Unwind by Neal Shusterman

I have been wanting to read this book for a while and I honestly never knew that there was a pansexual character. Connor Lassiter is pansexual and as I haven't read this book yet I couldn't tell you if this was made obvious or has just been interpreted by fans but either way, I am happy with it. This book is about a society where you can't have an abortion but if you didn't want your child then you can give them away when they are between 13 - 18 to be 'unwound'. This means their organs will be taken and given to people who need them. It sounds very creepy and I am guessing there will be a group of kids who ran from their fate of being unwound which would be really interesting.

You can buy this book here

F/F Romance - Because I am so lovely I decided to give you two options for this one!

Everything Leads To You  by Nina LaCour

Emi works in Hollywood and is a film buff. She also happens to be a true romantic, but her real-life relationships are a mess. She has gone back to the same girl through desperation too many times to mention. But when a mysterious letter from a silver screen legend leads Emi to Ava her life will never be the same. Ava is unlike anyone Emi has ever met. She has a not-so-glamorous past and lives an unconventional life. She’s enigmatic…. She’s beautiful. And she is about to expand Emi’s understanding of family, acceptance, and true romance.

You can buy this book here

Another option is…

Ask The Passengers by A.S. King

Astrid feels like the only people she can talk to are the passengers in the planes at thirty thousand feet above her. Which means she has no one to talk to when she starts falling for a girl. Her friends start to demand answers but she still can only speak to the passengers. Little does she know the smallest connection can change hers and the passengers lives forever.

You can buy this book here 

Biracial Main Character - The Girl Who Fell From The Sky - Heidi W. Durrow

As the sole survivor of a family tragedy, Rachel now lives with her strict African American grandmother as her new guardian. She now lives in a mostly black community where her light brown skin, blue eyes, and beauty bring mixed attention. Rachael has to learn to swallow her grief and confront her identity as a biracial young woman in the 1980s when the world only wants to see her as either black or white.

You can buy this book here  

Neurodiversity - When We Collided by Emery Lord

From the synopsis on Goodreads, I can't tell you a lot from this book other than it looks very interesting. This is a story about Jonah and Vivi who 'collide' and change each others lives in a summer that changes their futures.

This book has a 4-star rating on Goodreads.

You can buy this book here

Asexual or Aromantic Main Character - Daughter of Smoke and Bone - Laini Taylor

This book sounds amazing to me and I have no words to explain it other than the definition already on Goodreads so I will just put that here -

Around the world, black handprints are appearing on doorways, scorched there by winged strangers who have crept through a slit in the sky.

In a dark and dusty shop, a devil’s supply of human teeth grows dangerously low.

And in the tangled lanes of Prague, a young art student is about to be caught up in a brutal otherworldly war.

Meet Karou. She fills her sketchbooks with monsters that may or may not be real, she’s prone to disappearing on mysterious "errands", she speaks many languages - not all of them human - and her bright blue hair actually grows out of her head that color. Who is she? That is the question that haunts her, and she’s about to find out.

When beautiful, haunted Akiva fixes fiery eyes on her in an alley in Marrakesh, the result is blood and starlight, secrets unveiled, and a star-crossed love whose roots drink deep of a violent past. But will Karou live to regret learning the truth about herself?

You can buy this book here 

These are the categories that I either didn't understand or just didn't find a book that I thought suited it :

Indigenous Main Character

From my understanding 'Indigenous' pretty much means was born in the place that they still live. I am sorry if this is wrong and once again feel free to correct me.

Free Face - this one was hard to read on the board so I still don't know if this is what it actually says!

Own Voices - I just plain don't know what this means - sorry

The books I plan on reading complete the horizontal 4th line

Lying Out Loud - Kody Keplinger - PoC on book cover

Most Likely to Succeed - Jennifer Echols - PoC with natural hair

Wonder - R.J. Palacio - Disabled main character

City of Bones - Cassandra Clare - SFF with LGBTIA+ main character

Unwind - Neal Shusterman - pansexual main character

I don't expect to finish all these as I have to buy most of them first and read other books for school and reviews - but I will try my best :)