My TBR for #AsianLitBingo

14:00 Cilla 6 Comments

Header and bingo board by Read at Midnight

Confession: Unless it's a year-long one, I'm terrible at reading challenges. Picking one up while I'm heading into the busiest time of the semester is probably madness! That said, I want to be a part of #AsianLitBingo because I'd like to spread the word about this challenge. Not only does it look like a lot of fun, but it also shines a spotlight on Asian characters and writers. I've talked about wanting to read more diversely this year, and this lines up perfectly with that goal.

Realistically, I'm not going to be able to get a bingo due to time constraint. So my aim is just to read as many books off my TBR as I can and share them with you guys. 😄 Without further ado, here is my TBR!



Multiracial / Multiethnic Asian MC: Nora and Kettle by Lauren Nicolle Taylor

"What if Peter Pan was a homeless kid just trying to survive, and Wendy flew away for a really good reason?" (Goodreads)

Taking place in 1953, 17-year-old Kettle is an orphaned Japanese American struggling to make a life in the aftermath of the interment of Japanese Americans during World War II. Eighteen-year-old Nora is privileged but trapped, enduring abuse from her father, a controlling and violent civil rights lawyer who is building a compensation case for the interned Japanese Americans.

I'm in the middle of reading this, and it's heartbreaking yet beautifully written at the same time! 

Poor or Working Class Asian MC: Laurinda by Alice Pung

Laurinda is an exclusive school for girls. At its hidden centre of power is The Cabinet, a triangle of girls who wield power over their classmates – and some of their teachers.

Entering this world of wealth and secrets is Lucy Lam, a scholarship girl with sharp eyes and a shaky sense of self. As she watches The Cabinet in action, and is courted by them – as she learns about power and repression – Lucy finds herself in a battle for her identity and integrity. (Goodreads)

I won this book from Nicole's giveaway a couple of months ago, and it was brought to my attention by a good friend who shares my taste in books, so I'm excited for it!

South Asian MC: Sorcerer to the Crown by Zen Cho

At his wit’s end, Zacharias Wythe, freed slave, eminently proficient magician, and Sorcerer Royal of the Unnatural Philosophers—one of the most respected organizations throughout all of Britain—ventures to the border of Fairyland to discover why England’s magical stocks are drying up.

But when his adventure brings him in contact with a most unusual comrade, a woman with immense power and an unfathomable gift, he sets on a path which will alter the nature of sorcery in all of Britain—and the world at large. (Goodreads)

I've been hearing good things about this book for a while now, and I finally have it! The plot looks like it would be right up my alley too!

Translated Work by An Asian Author: The Rainbow Troops by Andrea Hirata

Ikal is a student at Muhammadiyah Elementary, on the Indonesian island of Belitong, where graduating from sixth grade is considered a major achievement. His school is under constant threat of closure. In fact, Ikal and his friends - a group called The Rainbow Troops - face threats from every angle: pessimistic, corrupt government officials; greedy corporations hardly distinguishable from the colonialism they've replaced; deepening poverty and crumbling infrastructure; and their own faltering self-confidence. But in the form of two extraordinary teachers, they also have hope, and Ikal's education is an uplifting one, in and out of the classroom. (Goodreads)

I was in high school when this book first came out, and my father loved it. He tried to get me to read it, but he had a tendency to be a tad condescending about what I read (still does, actually), so... Anyway, I think in a challenge that celebrates Asian authors, I should make an effort to read one from my home country. And it is supposed to be really great!

Contemporary with Asian MC: Mirror in the Sky by Aditi Khorana

For Tara Krishnan, navigating Brierly, the academically rigorous prep school she attends on scholarship, feels overwhelming and impossible. Her junior year begins in the wake of a startling discovery: A message from an alternate Earth, light years away, is intercepted by NASA. This means that on another planet, there is another version of Tara, a Tara who could be living better, burning brighter, because of tiny differences in her choices. (Goodreads)

This book was on my most anticipated releases of 2016. Like most books on that list, I didn't get around to it. I'm still keen to read it, so hopefully I can get to it this month!


If you're interested in participating, check out Shenwei's announcement and master post. I'm excited to see everyone's TBRs, and all the discussion and spotlight posts that will be posted this month! 

Are you participating? 
What's on your #AsianLitBingo TBR? 

6 comments:

  1. Anonymous7 May 2017 at 05:13

    Hi Cilla!
    I'm so excited to hear that you're participating! And AHHHH Sorcerer to the Crown! So happy to see that on your tbr - it's SUCH a fantastic book and I can't wait for you to read it. :D
    I hope you have fun with our reading challenge! <3

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    1. Cilla17 May 2017 at 16:34

      Hi CW! I'm really looking forward to Sorcerer to the Crown! :D I'm two books in and definitely enjoying the challenge. Thanks for helping host it! <3

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  2. Unknown7 May 2017 at 09:35

    AHA THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR PARTICIPATING! As a host this makes me so endlessly happy and I cannot wait to see what you think of all these amazing picks!

    xx Anisha @ Sprinkled Pages

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    1. Cilla17 May 2017 at 16:35

      Thank you for hosting it, Anisha! I'm keen to see more Asian lit in the blogosphere! :D

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  3. Wendy7 May 2017 at 20:20

    Yay Cilla! Laurinda is the only one here that I've read (it's great and very thought-provoking) but Nora & Kettle + Sorceror to the Crown are on my TBR and I'm keen to hear your thoughts. Happy reading!

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    1. Cilla17 May 2017 at 16:37

      I totally recommend Nora & Kettle, Wendy! It's heartbreaking but beautifully written. Thanks for hosting the challenge! <3

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Thanks for reading! It makes my day to hear your thoughts and I will respond asap. :)

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