And I’m participating in the second round of DiverseAthon! One of my reading goals this year is to read more diversely. I want to read, review and feature more books from authors and voices from different countries and cultures. Diverseathon is really a good avenue for me to read more diverse books and discover books that I can add to my TBR. The Diverseathon is being hosted by BookTubers Whitney over at WhittyNovels, Monica over at shemightbemonica, Joce over at squibblesreads, Christina over at Christina Marie and Simon over at Savidge Reads. It runs from January 22 to January 29. My schedule did not allow me to participate on the first round of the DiverseAThon which happened last September so I was very ecstatic when I found that there’s a round 2! This is the first readathon that I’ll be joining and I am really stoke. I am anticipating next week will be a very busy week for me at work but nothing will stop from joining this event.

What I like about this readathon is that it’s lesser pressure to do as there’s no challenges. The only rule is to read as many diverse books as you can in the span of the readathon and of course if you can, follow the discussion on Twitter under the hashtag #DiverseAthon. And also you can follow @DiverseAThon in Twitter to be in the loop about news and updates.

It was hard for me to choose what books to include in this list considering the amount of books that are available for me to read. I have four books in the list below and I know that it’s quite an ambitious goal for me considering how a slow reader I am so in choosing for the books, I considered the number of pages of each book. I’ll still be posting individual reviews of each book.

Here are the books that I’ll be reading:

Saw Her Standing There – Paperback
by Patrick Formanes
Paperback: 298 pages
Publisher: CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform

In New York City, there were these two people, Ryan and Lane. They met in high school, fell in love, and later married. Yes, to each other. From here, it would be easy to ask, “Does anyone die? Did they turn into wizards? Witches? Ghosts? Vampires? How about zombies? Or, are they monsters of unknown origins, their only aim to annihilate their neighboring monsters by gnashing them to delicious morsels with their ridiculously sharp incisors, leaving the planet to stew in the juices and horrific odors of rotten animal flesh, splintered bones, and exposed innards, then kill each other because: (1) they get hungry again and (2) they don’t like vegetables?” No. None of that stuff will be found in this novel. Through these pages, you will learn about Ryan and Lane, who are regular humans devoid of any superpowers, as well as their fellow Filipino-American friends, and how they maneuver through personal challenges while attending their Queens high school. Follow them as they play sports, kiss (and more), use the foulest language, excel academically (at least most of them), fight, go to parties, eat food, take public transportation, and, most importantly, learn about each other.

I RECEIVED A COMPLIMENTARY COPY OF THIS BOOK WHEN I ATTENDED THE BOOK’S OFFICIAL RELEASE HERE IN THE PHILIPPINES NOVEMBER OF LAST YEAR. IT’S A SHAME I HAVEN’T READ IT YET. I’M EXPECTING THAT THIS WILL BE A FUN LIGHT READ.

History Is All You Left Me – Hardcover
by Adam Silvera
Hardcover: 304 pages
Publisher: Soho Teen (January 17, 2017)

From the New York Times bestselling author of More Happy Than Not comes an explosive examination of grief, mental illness, and the devastating consequences of refusing to let go of the past.

When Griffin’s first love and ex-boyfriend, Theo, dies in a drowning accident, his universe implodes. Even though Theo had moved to California for college and started seeing Jackson, Griffin never doubted Theo would come back to him when the time was right. But now, the future he’s been imagining for himself has gone far off course.

To make things worse, the only person who truly understands his heartache is Jackson. But no matter how much they open up to each other, Griffin’s downward spiral continues. He’s losing himself in his obsessive compulsions and destructive choices, and the secrets he’s been keeping are tearing him apart.

If Griffin is ever to rebuild his future, he must first confront his history, every last heartbreaking piece in the puzzle of his life.

I HAVEN’T READ ADAM SILVERA’S MORE HAPPY THAT NOT YET. I DECIDED TO READ THIS ONE FIRST BECAUSE… I REALLY CAN’T THINK OF ANY REASON. I JUST WANT TO READ IT FIRST. LET ME KNOW IF THAT WILL BE A GOOD IDEA OR I REALLY SHOULD START WITH MORE HAPPY THAN NOT FIRST.

We Should All Be Feminists – Paperback
by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
Paperback: 64 pages
Publisher: Anchor; Reprint edition (2015)

The highly acclaimed, provocative New York Times bestseller—a personal, eloquently-argued essay, adapted from the much-admired TEDx talk of the same name—from Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, award-winning author of Americanah. Here she offers readers a unique definition of feminism for the twenty-first century, one rooted in inclusion and awareness. Drawing extensively on her own experiences and her deep understanding of the often masked realities of sexual politics, here is one remarkable author’s exploration of what it means to be a woman now—and an of-the-moment rallying cry for why we should all be feminists.

I AM REALLY CURIOUS ABOUT CHIMAMANDA NGOZI ADICHIE’S WORKS BECAUSE OF THE MANY PRAISES THAT I’VE BEEN HEARING ABOUT THE WAY SHE WRITES. CAN’T WAIT TO DELVE INTO THIS ONE.

No Knives in the Kitchens of This City – Paperback
by Khaled Khalifa, Leri Price (Translation)
Paperback: 240 pages
Publisher: American University in Cairo Press (October 15th 2016)

In the once beautiful city of Aleppo, one Syrian family collapses into tragedy and ruin. The mother, abandoned by her husband, struggles to raise her children alone. Her daughter Sawsan flirts with the militias, the ruling party, and finally religion, seeking but never finding salvation.

All are slowly choked in the fog of violence and decay, as their lives are plundered and their dreams wrecked by the brutal Assad regime.

Set between the 1960s and 2000s, No Knives in the Kitchens of this City is a graceful and profound depiction of life under tyranny. Through the story of a single family, we read the disintegration of a whole society over half a century. This novel teaches us about grief, fear, and the end of beauty.

THIS BOOK IS ABOUT ALEPPO. I FEEL THAT THIS BOOK IS MORE ON THE HEAVY-SIDE OF THE SPECTRUM. THIS BOOK IS TIMELY MORE THAN EVER. I’M EXCITED TO START IT AND HAVE MY THOUGHTS ABOUT IT.

I encourage everyone to participate in this activity!

Let me know in the comments down below if you are also participating and what books will you be reading.