Today, the day that I’m originally posting this, is the 4th of July. Independence Day, for the United States!
And while we’re celebrating the US, I thought it would be great idea to celebrate the diversity we have, so I’ve decided to share some diverse/inclusive books that are set here.
I came up with this post idea at the last minute, so I had to keep it short, but hopefully you’ll still find some new books for your TBR!
*If you’re considering buying any of these books from Amazon US, I’d appreciate it if you use my links! It will help support this blog at no additional cost to you!*
American Hippo by Sarah Gailey
Ever wondered what would happen if you combined the Old West with hippos? Now is your chance to find out! I read this book recently, and I’m bummed there won’t be more because it’s got writing, characters, and a story I want to keep reading about! It’s also got main characters who are POC and queer.
Amazon // Goodreads // My Review
Vespers by Irene Preston & Liv Rancourt
If you think there’s nothing new that can be done with vampire romance stories, you need to give this amazing M/M series a try. It’s about a twenty-something, who’s Indian and a non-practicing Hindu, dating a vampire, who’s devoutly Catholic—all while fighting demons and other supernatural threats in and around New Orleans.
Amazon // Goodreads // My Review
Graveyard Shift by Michael F. Haspil
This one is a gritty supernatural police procedural set in Miami and filled with vampires both good and bad, but the twist here is that the main character is—wait for it—an Egyptian mummy! Don’t worry, there was at least one scarab joke 😉
Amazon // Goodreads // My Review
Scardust by Suzanne van Rooyen
If new adult and/or sci-fi are more your thing, you might enjoy this mysterious, new adult book with a main character who’s gay, has a mental illness, and is a quarter Comanche.
Amazon // Goodreads // My Review
The Golem and the Jinni by Helene Wecker
I’ve not read this one yet, but golems come from Jewish mythology, jinn come from Arabian and Islamic mythology, and the blurb for this book calls it, “a dazzling journey through cultures in turn-of-the-century New York.” It sounds like a great book with an interesting mix of cultures and ideas!
Amazon // Goodreads
Nice recommendations! So Sarah Gailey isn’t writing any more hippo books?
Thanks! Not that I know of, unfortunately :-/
American Hippo, that title is going to stick with me. lol
It’s such a good book too!
Perfect post for today! There are a couple of new to me titles I’ll have to take a closer look at. Vespers sounds really good!
Thanks! All of these are really good books!
Great idea for a 4th July post. I’d only previously heard of American Hippo which has an amazing concept!
Thanks! American Hippo is great 🙂
Oh I just heard about American Hippo! Someone in my book club recommended it!
It’s as great book, you should check it out!
I’m loving the cover for Scardust! It also sounds like something I might enjoy!
L @ Do You Dog-ear?
It is a pretty cover! I hope you do enjoy it if you read it 🙂
Oh hello The Golem and The Jinni in NY! I swear though the cover looks like it’s the Arc de Triomphe in Paris *scratches head* American Hippo lol I will never get tired of that cover!
I don’t even know what that is on the cover of The Golem and the Jinni lol. I do love that American Hippo cover!
American Hippo! Gah, I want to read Sarah Gailey’s stuff so badly. Did you hear that she has a full-length novel in the works, too? I remember seeing your review of Graveyard Shift and thinking that a mummy MC was super cool…I may have to pick that one up soon!
Yes, READ IT! I heard, but I’m not really an automatic author person though, so I’ll have to read the blurb once it has one and see if it sounds like my kinda book. The mummy thing is so cool! I demand more mummy MCs!
I’ve heard great things about American Hippo and have it on my TBR list.
Vespers and Graveyard Shift sound hilarious. I love UF novels with crime elements 🙂
Thank for sharing!
American Hippo deserves all the great things said about it! Can’t wait to see what you think of it 🙂
I’ve heard phenomenal things about The Golem and the Jinni. I didn’t realize that golem were from Jewish mythology. Sounds like an interesting blend of elements.
Me too! And yep, when I first came across mention of them in a book, I had no idea what they were, so I looked them up.
Awesome Recommendations, the Golem and the Jinni sounds like a great mashup of cultures
Thanks! It does sound like a great one!
The Golem and the Jinni sounds amazing and I’ve been wanting to read American Hippo ever since I first saw it mentioned on your site.
It does sound great, right?! And yes, you should totally read American Hippo!
I have Vespers on my Kindle and that hippo keeps calling to me lol
Karen @ For What It’s Worth
I can’t wait to see what you think of Vespers! I love that series! And American Hippo is so good!
Ooh Stardust is so pretty! And I’ve been wanting to read more new adult–I don’t think I’ve ventured outside of NA contemporary yet.
It is pretty! I hope you like it if you try it 🙂
I remember you review of American Hippo and it was curious enough for me to want to read it! I’m curious to know what you’ll think of The Golem and the Djinn as well. I read a series about golems a few years back – okay more than that, when I was a child – and I loved it. So much that I looked into golems myself and researched them!
It was such a good book! I’m looking forward to The Golem and the Jinni. I just need to get a copy of it first, haha. That’s awesome you read a whole series about golems! That sounds like me. I love researching supernatural creatures lol. I haven’t read much about golems, but I know I briefly looked them up the first time I read about one because I had no idea what they were.
OMG, American Hippo is going on my TBR list RIGHT FREAKING NOW.
YAY! I hope you love it!
oh this remind me I had a post planned for 4th july too [sobs!] that never saw the daylight [sobs] LOVE LOVE LOVE that you are doing recommendations now! That’s my wifey! I will have to check out Scardust even though it is NAt!!! love that title and you had me at gay, mysterious, and mental illness! 🙂
I’ve done rec posts before! I just didn’t used to do them very often, but lately I’ve decided I want to do more of them 🙂 Hope you like Scardust if you try it!
I love the sound of Graveyard Shift and Scardust:). I’m glad you enjoyed Sarah Gailey’s hippo series and thank you for these intriguing recommendations.
They’re good books! I hope you like them if you try them!