Waiting on Wednesday | February 2017

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme (or monthly in my case), hosted by the amazing Jill at Breaking the Spine.

Since I am a rebellious blogger, I am not following the traditional Waiting on Wednesday rules. Instead of posting the meme weekly, I am going to do it monthly (work smarter, not harder). Plus, my WOW will only include books that will be releasing (or have already been released) in the same month, so you don't have to wait forever to get these beauties. 

This month features a lot of diverse books, which could not have been timed better. This year, I vowed to read and blog about more diverse and inclusive novels. With such a suffocating atmosphere in the real world, I want to be able to spotlight books that offer a more diverse, accepting, and open-minded approach to the world. Books really do have power; the power to increase knowledge, open minds, and create understanding, but only if you pick up the right ones. So, I hope that I can guide you in the right direction with my picks this month.

The Hate U Give 
By Angie Thomas
Published on February 28, 2017
Diverse, Contemporary, 2017 debut






This diverse debut has been hyped up for a while now, from the beginning with a bidding war between publishing houses to the anticipated ARCs. All of this excitement is for good reason due to the relevance and necessity of this book. The Hate U Give is directly inspired by the Black Lives Matter campaign and brings up the social issues and racism that are still all too prevalent today. Tough social issues are rarely addressed so directly in YA, so I am interested to see the precedent that Thomas will create.

Daughter of the Pirate King
By Tricia Levenseller
Daughter of the Pirate King #1
Published on February 28, 2017
Fantasy, Adventure



What can I say, I am a sucker for pirates, especially female pirates who aren't afraid to defy gender stereotypes. There is just something about the open sea and debauchery that instantly draws me into a novel. It is like the book form of clickbait for me. Even though Lila Bard from A Darker Shade of Magic is still my favorite, I think that Levenseller can come close with her new adventurous, sea-faring heroine.

Sad Perfect
By Stephanie Elliot
Published on February 28, 2017
Diverse, Mental Health, Contemporary



This is another diverse title on my TBR, but this one focuses more on mental health issues. I have been warned that it is told in a 2nd person point of view, which is definitely unique, but not a turn-off for me. Elliot focuses on Avoidant/Restrictive Food Intake Disorder in this novel, which is a first for me. I honestly never really knew about this disorder, but I would love to learn more about those who have to face it every day. 

The Dragon's Price
By Bethany Wiggins
Transferrence #1
Fantasy



I feel like dragons may be making a comeback in YA fiction with Alchemists of Loom and The Dragon's Price and the multitudes of other dragon novels. This is one trend that I can actually get behind since dragon stories are always interesting to me. There are so many ways to twist the old legend of the dragon, while there are only so many things you can do with say, vampires and werewolves. Anyway, The Dragon's Price seems like a promising start to a magical series of fire-breathing, shiny scales, and enemy-to-lover relationships.

Optimists Die First
By Susin Nielsen
Published February 21, 2017
Contemporary, Romance, Diverse



I am not ashamed to admit that I added this one just because of the title. There is a certain kind of dark and enticing humor about the title that I could not seem to resist. After I stopped admiring the title, I learned that Optimists Die First also incorporates mental illness (specifically anxiety from what I can tell). With such a great title and promise of diversity, I just had to add this one to my TBR.

American Street
By Ibi Zoboi
Published February 14, 2017
Contemporary, Diverse



Finally, American Street is another book that I think is exactly the kind of book that America needs right now. It addresses the troubles and hardships of immigration (not going to point any fingers, just acknowledging the fact that immigration is an important part of American culture) and the struggles of assimilations and basically fitting into a whole new culture. Not to mention, American Street was written by Ibi Zoboi, an immigrant from Haiti, just like her main character. Can someone say #ownvoices?

Did you find any new books to add to your TBR? What diverse reads are you planning to read this month? Are there any words that are like book clickbait for you?