Ultimate Popsugar Reading Challenge discussion

As much SFF as I've been reading these past few years I can't believe nothing is coming to mind...

Popsugar lists A Magic Steeped in Poison by Judy I. Lin.

Listopia is here

the books written by Yoon Ha Lee work

Would The Fifth Season by N.K. Jemisin work for this prompt?

Alisia wrote: "Would The Fifth Season by N.K. Jemisin work for this prompt?"



Probably. She doesn't spell it out, but I'm pretty sure the protagonist has dark skin.

A lot of fantasy will work here, where it's not always specified that the protagonists are from the same group as the author, but it's implied.

I think all of these fit?:
Iron Widow
Jade City
These Violent Delights
An Ember in the Ashes
The Jasmine Throne
A Spark of White Fire
The Killing Moon (and pretty much everything by Jemisin, really)


now that I'm thinking about it, I'm coming up with more There are SFF books that are set in a world much like our world, but with a speculative aspect (like superhero ability):
We Could Be Heroes
Not Your Sidekick
The Lost Girl

Least excited about this one but going with Jade City by Fonda Lee

Ugh...SFF is not my jam. Binti would work, but I've read it. Would Octavia E. Butler's books work, maybe Parable of the Sower or Kindred?

I like books that incorporate Native American traditions, etc. into them, so I searched for books by Native American authors and found this one. It is described as being a SCIFI book. Bearheart: The Heirship Chronicles by Gerald Vizenor.

https://reedsy.com/discovery/blog/nat...

Love After the End: An Anthology of Two-Spirit and Indigiqueer Speculative Fiction is looking really good. I saw this recently at the library, and wanted to wait in case it fit a prompt for 2022. And it does!

There are contributions from some of my favorite writers here. I think it might be YA, but count me intrigued.

Trail of Lightning by Rebecca Roanhorse I think would qualify? It's post-apocalyptic but it's in the SFF section in stores.

Cat wrote: "Trail of Lightning by Rebecca Roanhorse I think would qualify? It's post-apocalyptic but it's in the SFF section in stores."

I definitely would count it. It's got a fantastical mythology retelling basis.

I was thinking of finishing either
Brown Girl in the Ring by Nalo Hopkinson or
Rosewater by Tade Thompson.

Here is a great post with an eclectic list: https://www.newtonplks.org/2020/06/ow...

I notice that the Listopia includes The City We Became - for those who are not fans of SciFi or fantasy, like me, this is a great ootion. Reads contemporary fiction with some scifi fantasy elements, set in a highly recognizable NYC. You could take a walking tour of the 5 boros based on this book. Very funny and witty and absolutely nails tbe personalities of each boro.

My hope is she publishes the next in series in 2022.

If anyone is interested in middle grade SFF, then most of the books (if not all) from Rick Riordan Presents - the imprint with Disney would probably work for this.

Light from Uncommon Stars by Ryka Aoki. The author is trans and so is one of the main characters

Alyssa wrote: "Least excited about this one but going with Jade City by Fonda Lee"

That was actually a pretty good book

Charlsa wrote: "Ugh...SFF is not my jam. Binti would work, but I've read it. "

Did you read all three novellas? So, there's Binti, but then The Night Masquerade and Home. Unless you read the complete trilogy in one compilation, which I know exists now, but didn't originally.

Hopefully I can find something that's urban fantasy since I reallllly don't enjoy science fiction or high fantasy.

Debbie wrote: "Charlsa wrote: "Ugh...SFF is not my jam. Binti would work, but I've read it. "

Did you read all three novellas? So, there's Binti, but then The Night Masquerade and Home. Unless you read the complete trilogy in one compilation, which I know exists now, but didn't originally."
I have and I loved them all. I was glad I read all three.

Alisia wrote: "Would The Fifth Season by N.K. Jemisin work for this prompt?"

Without a doubt! Saw another comment saying it's not explicit but it definitely is :) All the characters (except for one, I believe) are Black.

I think Cemetery Boys would work for this prompt as well.

Cemetery Boys, The Fifth Season, Parable of the Sower, and Kindred all definitely work for this prompt!

Charlsa wrote: "Ugh...SFF is not my jam. Binti would work, but I've read it. Would Octavia E. Butler's books work, maybe Parable of the Sower or Kindred?

I like books that..."


YES absolutely, Parable of the Sower would work, as would Dawn or Kindred.

Kindred is FANTASTIC for non-SFF fans, because the only thing speculative about it is the time travel. Other than that, it's purely historical fiction. There are some disturbing scenes in it - it is about slavery, after all.

Theresa wrote: "Here is a great post with an eclectic list: https://www.newtonplks.org/2020/06/ow...

I notice that the Listopia includes The City We Became - for th..."


After I read that book I polled people on reddit to confirm my suspicion: people in Jersey City do NOT consider themselves part of NYC, thank you very much!!! New Jerseyites are not moping on the other side of the river wishing to join the city!

Emily wrote: "Alisia wrote: "Would The Fifth Season by N.K. Jemisin work for this prompt?"

Without a doubt! Saw another comment saying it's not explicit but it definitely is :) All the characters (except for on..."


I think that was me :-) I felt that way because it's set in a different world, where they don't use the racial terms we use here. (Although many people - including me - read this book as far future sci-fi set on our planet, Jemisin has said she did not intend it to be read that way, she set it on a different world; it's fantasy, not far-future Earth.) So the character has dark skin, but she's not "Black." I do think it fits this category though! And it was a fantastic series.

Dread Nation by Justina Ireland

Nadine wrote: "I think that was me :-) I felt that way because it's set in a different world, where they don't use the racial terms we use here. (Although many people - including me - read this book as far future sci-fi set on our planet, Jemisin has said she did not intend it to be read that way, she set it on a different world; it's fantasy, not far-future Earth.) So the character has dark skin, but she's not "Black." I do think it fits this category though! And it was a fantastic series."

Doesn't Own Voices include sex/gender? I'd say the main character's femaleness is highly pertinent to the story, so I assumed this would count!

Christine wrote: "Doesn't Own Voices include sex/gender? I'd say the main character's femaleness is highly pertinent to the story, so I assumed this would count! ..."


Good point. Her motivation as a mother drives the story.

Charlsa wrote: "Ugh...SFF is not my jam. Binti would work, but I've read it. Would Octavia E. Butler's books work, maybe Parable of the Sower or Kindred?

I like books that..."

Have you read any Rebecca Roanhorse? she has a native paranormal/ dystopian fantasy series that's fun, and a stand alone high fantasy. Both very much grounded in Native culture.

I've been meaning to read The Sound of Stars, but am also considering The Calyx Charm, Black Sun, Master of Poisons, The Gilded Ones, Prime Deceptions: A Novel, and Light from Uncommon Stars, among others.

Highly recommend the books of Rebecca Roanhorse for this prompt!

Absolutely! All of her books would qualify.


Cat wrote: "Trail of Lightning by Rebecca Roanhorse I think would qualify? It's post-apocalyptic but it's in the SFF section in stores."

Elizabeth wrote: "Hopefully I can find something that's urban fantasy since I reallllly don't enjoy science fiction or high fantasy."

Perhaps The Monsters We Defy, which set in the 20's, and should be out in August

The Blood Trials - N.E. Davenport
The Memory Librarian: And Other Stories of Dirty Computer - Janelle Monáe

Elizabeth wrote: "Hopefully I can find something that's urban fantasy since I reallllly don't enjoy science fiction or high fantasy."

Well I absolutely loved The City we Became by Jemisin. Set in NYC, with yes SF and F element but not full blown.

Im probably gonna read something else by Jemisin.
Or maybe i'll finally give An Ember in the Ashes a go.

I really like this prompt!

i know a couple of folks already posted lists in earlier comments, so apologies if there's overlap here, but i had a bunch of options for this one on my existing TBR so i thought i'd share!

The Poppy War and its sequels by R.F. Kuang (an east asian-inspired setting by an east asian author)
The First Sister has queer rep and the author is also queer!
Monstress Volume 1: Indigo Exclusive Edition and its sequels by Marjorie Liu and Sana Takeda (asian-inspired setting by an asian author and illustrator)
Children of Virtue and Vengeance is a YA fantasy set in an african-inspired setting by a Nigerian author. (this is the second book in the series, but goodreads didn't want to let me link to the first one for some reason???)
The Unbroken is a queer fantasy by a queer (woman of color) author!
The Sword of Kaigen is another fantasy with an asian-inspired setting by an asian author.
The Vanished Birds by Simon Jimenez features a queer protagonist and the author is also queer.

i'll be going with She Who Became the Sun by Shelley Parker-Chan, which is a historical fantasy set in fourteenth-century china.

Middle Grade fantasy:
Amari and the Night Brothers by B.B. Alston


Tristan Strong Punches a Hole in the Sky by Kwame Mbalia

Middle grade SF:
Sal and Gabi Break the Universe by Carlos Hernandez

Hi! This will be my first year doing the Challenge and I’m so excited! For this prompt, could someone confirm whether or not No Gods, No Monsters by Cadwell Turnbull would work? It looks really good and it’s high on my TBR pile!

Nick wrote: "Hi! This will be my first year doing the Challenge and I’m so excited! For this prompt, could someone confirm whether or not No Gods, No Monsters by Cadwell Turnbull would work? It looks really goo..."


It definitely looks like it fits here. It looks like an interesting book - I've never read anything by Turnbull. You'll have to come back and let us know if it was good!

Nick wrote: "Hi! This will be my first year doing the Challenge and I’m so excited! For this prompt, could someone confirm whether or not No Gods, No Monsters by Cadwell Turnbull would work? It looks really goo..."

Yes definitely and I think it would also work for the Social Horror prompt too.

Nick wrote: "Hi! This will be my first year doing the Challenge and I’m so excited! For this prompt, could someone confirm whether or not No Gods, No Monsters by Cadwell Turnbull would work? It looks really goo..."

I was just about to ask about this one! Thanks for posting.

My Soul to Keep

Would this work? I didn't get to it from my 2021 challenge and really want to read it!

Star Daughter by Shveta Thakrar
The Gilded Ones by Namina Forna

I don't want to come across as ignorant re: the definition of "OwnVoices", but...would The Apollo Murders by Chris Hadfield work here? A book about astronauts written by an IRL astronaut?

Mandi wrote: "I don't want to come across as ignorant re: the definition of "OwnVoices", but...would The Apollo Murders by Chris Hadfield work here? A book about astronauts written by an IRL astronaut?"

#OwnVoices came out of the #WeNeedDiverseBooks movement. While representation in books matters, #OwnVoices was specifically meant to refer to someone from a marginalized group, writing a book that they drew from their own experiences. This was to contrast these books with those that featured characters in marginalized groups but did not share that identity - for example, a white man writing Black female characters.

For your specific question, Chris Hadfield - a white, cisgendered, likely heterosexual man - definitely does not count as an author in a marginalized group.

WNDB has actually expressed its intention to move away from the #OwnVoices term (https://diversebooks.org/why-we-need-...). Because capitalism ruins everything.

Thanks, Jane! I'll probably go with N.K. Jemisin on this one instead, then!

Crystal wrote: "Charlsa wrote: "Ugh...SFF is not my jam. Binti would work, but I've read it. Would Octavia E. Butler's books work, maybe Parable of the Sower or Kindred?

I haven't, but I'll take a look at them. Thanks!

Sorry if this has already been asked - any suggestions for this prompt that don’t fall under Young Adult? It seems like every book that I see on the Listopia is Young Adult fiction.

Jennifer wrote: "Sorry if this has already been asked - any suggestions for this prompt that don’t fall under Young Adult? It seems like every book that I see on the Listopia is Young Adult fiction."

Octavia E. Butler, Tade Thompson, N.K. Jemisin, Fonda Lee, Mike Chen are mostly not YA (they might have released one or two YA books, but most are "adult")

Does "On the Origin of Species and Other Stories" by Bo-Young Kim fit here? It's an anthology of their own scifi stories translated from Korean. I'm in the middle right now and a lot of the stories are general sci fi but there are also reworked myths as well.