Welcome to In Reading Color, a space where we focus on literature by and about people of color.
By now you’ve been bombarded with all the best-of book lists (some have been out since October *gasp*). I’m throwing my humble hat into the ring with a mini list of some of my favorite books I read this year, but that didn’t necessarily come out this year. I thought including ones I like that were released whenever made it a little less redundant compared to other lists.
But before we get into that, it’s time for Read Harder 2023! This is the ninth year Book Riot has done this challenge and if you’d like to participate, click here to sign up to receive a newsletter that has sends tailored to each of the 24 prompts.
Bookish Goods
Totoro Japanese Knot Bag by CreativeLifeNY
I’ve been sick for the past few days and been seeking out comforting things, which naturally led me to watching some Studio Ghibli. Somehow, I hadn’t yet seen My Neighbor Totoro, but I’m glad I corrected that oversight because it’s one of the cutest movies ever. I can’t wait to order my own Totoro bag. $21+
New Releases
In It to Win It by Sharon C. Cooper
Morgan has never had to worry about money, and may be just the teensy bit spoiled, but she’s also determined to make her own way in life and have a career where she can help people. By helping kids who are aging out of the foster care system, she hopes to do just that, but the property she has her sights on is also being sought after by an old flame. Now she’ll have to compete against Drake, who she ghosted years ago. House hunting is about to get a little petty…and a lot steamy.
How to Turn Into a Bird by María José Ferrada, translated by Elizabeth Bryer
Miguel is beyond intrigued by his uncle Ramón’s unconventional lifestyle: after years of being a factory worker, the man takes a job looking after a Coca-Cola billboard…and decides to start living on the perch behind the billboard. Gossip swirls about the sanity of the man, and when a boy disappears, society’s general intolerance for those who are different erupts into violence. Through it all, Miguel will have to figure out for himself whether other people have a point or if his uncle just has a better view of things from that high up.
For a more comprehensive list of new releases, check out our New Books newsletter.
Riot Recommendations
Daughter of the Moon Goddess by Sue Lynn Tan
This was such a lovely fantasy ride! It tells the legend of Chang’e, the Chinese goddess of the moon, through her daughter Xingyin. After Xingyin’s presence is hinted at by her magic, she must flee the comforts of her mother, who has been exiled to the moon for offending the Celestial Kingdom. But Xingyin leaves her home with the goal of winning her mother’s freedom. To do so, she’ll disguise her identity, learn alongside the emperor’s son, and fight legendary beasts. The sequel to this is out and I’m sure it’s equally stunning.
A Master of Djinn by P. Djèlí Clark
If you’ve been reading this newsletter for a minute, you may have noticed my science fiction and fantasy bias. I try to correct for it by including a range of genres, but it’s no surprise that my favorites will be full of the fantastical. And Clark’s world in Master of Djinn is fantastical.
It’s full of djinn, who have returned to an early 1900s Egypt, bringing their magic and engineering with them. Their return is so significant that it elevates Egypt into world power status, to the chagrin of certain European countries. When the members of a secret brotherhood dedicated to the almost mythical man who brought back the djinn, al-Jahiz, are all brutally murdered, the youngest female detective in the Ministry of Alchemy is assigned the case. The streets are saying al-Jahiz, the Master of Djinn, has returned, but Agent Fatma can’t bring herself to believe it. The problem is that a mysterious man saying he’s al-Jahiz can actually control legendary djinn, and it’ll be up to Fatma, the rest of the agency, and all the magical beings she befriends to help her bring peace back to Cairo. Make sure to read the 43-page prequel A Dead Djinn in Cairo before getting into this one (and listen on audio if you can! The performance is *chef’s kiss*).
The Hacienda by Isabel Cañas
When Beatriz’s father is executed as part of the Mexican War of Independence in the 1800s, her and her mother are thrown out of the relative life of privilege they’d grown accustomed to. Desperate to change their situation, Beatriz agrees to marry Don Rodolfo Solórzano — nevermind the rumors about what happened to his first wife, the sigils the cook draws above the kitchen threshold, or the handsome priest who may know a thing or two about brujeria.
This retelling of Rebecca had me gagging! I couldn’t listen to it at night outside of my house. I’ve never been frightened by a book to that extent — which I realize may not be saying too much since I’m not a big horror reader.
Thanks for reading; it’s been cute! If you want to reach out and connect, email me at erica@riotnewmedia.com or tweet at me @erica_eze_. You can find me on the Hey YA podcast with the fab Tirzah Price, as well as in the In The Club newsletter.
Until next time,
Erica