We’ve gathered some of our favorite bookstagrammers and books for API Heritage Month to diversify your feed and your TBR in May and beyond!
May is Asian and Pacific Islander American Heritage Month, and we asked some of our favorite bloggers and bookstagrammers to share their recommendations to diversify your reading this month and beyond! And of course we included 20 of our own recommendations, because you can never have a TBR long enough!
Sachi Reads | Insta: @sachireads
Have you met Sachi and Yuki? Sachi reads and reviews a variety of books, focusing on women of color, and Yuki is the goodest pup around. Sachi is also a cohost of Reading Women and Words Between Worlds Book Club. Her May recommendation: Whiter: Asian American Women on Skin Color and Colorism edited by Nikki Khanna.
Asha Reads | Insta: @ashareads | Website
She’s the host of #OCbooksandbrunch and her posts from sunny California will brighten up your feed and your day! Her May recommendations: Frankly in Love by David Yoon, The Joy Luck Club by Amy Tan, and Unaccustomed Earth by Jhumpa Lahiri.
Definitely RA | Insta: @definitelyra
RuthAnn is a huge advocate for #dressember, and works tirelessly to raise awareness and funds to combat human trafficking. And feel free to ask her about Madeline L’Engle… but prepare for a long conversation. Her May recommendation: The Paper Menagerie and Other Stories by Ken Liu.
Simone and Her Books | Insta: @simoneandherbooks | Website
You’ll look forward to keeping up with Simone — she takes detailed notes on what she’s reading (we love her SFF recs), and she loves to discuss them with fellow book lovers. And her living room dance parties will raise your spirits on even the gloomiest day. Her May recommendation: Warcross by Marie Lu.
Owl’s Little Library | Insta: @owlslittlelibrary
Diana’s feed is filled with cozy, fancy hot chocolate vibes. She focuses on uplifting and promoting diverse voices, and her stories are filled with delicious food and her adorable dog, Belle. She’s also a co-creator of Words Between Worlds. Her May recommendations: Pachinko by Min Jin Lee, If You Leave Me by Crystal Hana Kim, The Mountains Sing by Nguyễn Phan Quế Mai, The Far Field by Madhuri Vijay, and The Secrets Between Us by Thrity Umrigar.
Reading Is Magical | Insta: @readingismagical
Some people just make your day brighter, and Christine is one of those people. She shares the ins and outs of working at a bookstore (the dream, right?) as event coordinator for BookBar in Denver, and hosts #bookstaboops to give bookstagram pets the virtual boops they deserve! Her May recommendation: America Is Not the Heart by Elaine Castillo.
Where the Reader Grows | Insta: @wherethereadergrows | Website
If you want to read a good thriller but don’t know where to start, look no further. Chandra is queen of speed reading, and she has something for everyone on her blog, from horror to mystery to crime fiction! Her May recommendations: Miracle Creek by Angie Kim, The Perfect World of Miwako Sumida by Clarissa Goenawan, and Please Look After Mom by Kyung Sook-Shin.
Anna and the Books | Insta: @anna.andthebooks
One of the most creative people on bookstagram, Anna’s thoughtful posts are full of honesty and heart. And don’t miss the tiny crochet animals! Her May recommendations: The Magical Language of Others by E.J. Koh and The Island of Sea Women by Lisa See.
Well Read Human | Insta: @wellreadhuman
Cherise’s reviews dig deep into books, and she highlights a variety of diverse authors in her feed. This is one of our go-to accounts when we’re looking for YA books! Her May recommendation: Minor Feelings: An Asian American Reckoning by Cathy Park Hong.
Bookish Behavior | @bookish.behavior
Is there anything Poonam doesn’t read? She even tackled (and loved) the behemoth that is Ducks, Newburyport. And her focus on intersectional feminism and mental health makes her a can’t-miss bookstagrammer. Her May recommendation: What We Carry by Maya Lang.
Some more book recommendations from the Books Forward team:
- Know My Name by Chanel Miller
- A Place For Us by Fatima Farheen Mirza
- All You Can Ever Know by Nicole Chung
- The Perfect Escape by Suzanne Park
- The Kiss Quotient by Helen Hoang
- The Poppy War by R.F. Kuang
- The Ninja Daughter by Tori Eldridge
- Jar of Hearts by Jennifer Hillier
- The Kite Runner by Khalid Hosseini
- Good Talk: A Memoir in Conversations by Mira Jacob
- Long Live the Tribe of Fatherless Girls by T Kira Madden
- Little Fires Everywhere by Celeste Ng
- Darius the Great Is Not Okay by Adib Khorram
- When Breath Becomes Air by Paul Kalanithi
- Queen of the Night by Alexander Chee
- Cravings by Chrissy Teigen
- The Ministry of Utmost Happiness by Arundhati Roy
- Brown White Black: An American Family at the Intersection of Race, Gender, Sexuality, and Religion by Nishta J. Mehra
- To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before by Jenny Han
- Fresh Off the Boat by Eddie Huang
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Books Forward is an author publicity and book marketing firm committed to promoting voices from a diverse variety of communities. From book reviews and author events, to social media and digital marketing, we help authors find success and connect with readers.
Interested in what’s possible for your book sales and building readership? Check out our services, tell us your goals, and get a customized publicity campaign tailored just for you.
Ellen Whitfield is senior publicist at Books Forward, an author publicity and book marketing firm committed to promoting voices from a diverse variety of communities. From book reviews and author events, to social media and digital marketing, we help authors find success and connect with readers.
Interested in what’s possible for your book sales and building readership? Check out our services, tell us your goals, and get a customized publicity campaign tailored just for you.
