Book Riot's Read Harder Challenge discussion
2021 Read Harder Challenge
>
Task 5: Read a genre novel by an Indigenous, First Nations, or Native American author
I'll be reading Mongrels by Stephen Graham Jones. I loved The Only Good Indians and want to read more of his work. Unfortunately my library doesn't have much, which means i had a good reason to purchase it.
Judith wrote: "Would Catching Teller Crow count? It's a YA mystery which I came across as a recommendation for the indigenous author task last year but didn't get around to reading."Yes it would count, the authors are indigenous Australians and one of Ambelin Kwaymullina's books is listed in the Book Riots suggestions. I read Catching Teller Crow this year, and The Interrogation of Ashala Wolf in a previous challenge and will be reading the second in that series next year.
My-Linh wrote: "Variablestar wrote: "I have to put in a strong recommendation for There, There by Tommy Orange. I loved that book!"+1 Came here to say this. I listened to There There as an audiobook and quite en..."
It's a GREAT book but I don't think it counts as genre fiction. But for anyone reading it for any reason - I also highly recommend the audiobook
I am tentatively planning to read either Life and Adventures of Joaquin Murieta: Celebrated California Bandit, by John Rollin RidgeJohn Rollin Ridge [dime novel], or Coyote and the Turtle's Dream, by Terry LoftonTerry Lofton [juvenile mystery/adventure novel].
would Son of a Trickster work for this prompt ?
Future Home of the Living God looks good. I'm also looking to see if Sherman Alexie has something genre.
I’m planning to read Son of a Trickster by Eden Robinson- SF genre I think. Got made into a TV series!
Judith wrote: "Would Catching Teller Crow count? It's a YA mystery which I came across as a recommendation for the indigenous author task last year but didn't get around to reading."Catching Teller Crow was fantastic! Highly recommended and it definitely is a mystery so it fits the prompt well!
Heartbeat BravesI read Heartbeat Braves this year, by Pamela Sanderson. It's a romance and part of a four book series with intersecting story lines. I will probably read more from this series, I really enjoyed it!
Right now, I am thinking that Elatsoe might fit this prompt. It is on my TBR and I believe that it is genre fiction...
Firekeeper's Daughter comes out in March and looks to be an interesting YA mystery featuring a Native teen!
Viggo wrote: "Elatsoe has been on my reading list since it came out. Now's the time!"I've just read the plot summary- thanks! I've added it to want to read shelf :)
I read Rebecca Roanhorse's Black Sun as my first book of 2021, and it is fabulous!!!!!!! Especially if you enjoy great world-building and queer representation in your fantasy.
Just throwing in another recommendation for Rebecca Roanhorse - I loved Trail of Lightning, and I'll likely read Black Sun for this prompt
I'm also reading Black Sun, but I'll second recommendations for Eden Robinson's Trickster books, Cherie Dimaline.If you don't want to read SF/F for this, Murder on the Red River and Girl Gone Missing: A Cash Blackbear Mystery by Marcie Rendon are fantastic mysteries, set in North Dakota/Minnesota in the 70s.
I love that Sandra. I spent 2 years in Fargo-Moorhead so this will be extra fun. Thank you!
I just finished Winter Counts and it was pretty solid! Would recommend it to anyone still looking for something for this prompt. It's a mystery thriller.
Melissa wrote: "Would The Round House work for this task?The Round House"
Sadly, I would say no. It's squarely literary fiction, not genre fiction. But it's a GREAT book! If you're trying to fit it in somewhere, it would work for Task #22 (a book set in the Midwest). ;)
doreneemi wrote: "Melissa wrote: "Would The Round House work for this task?The Round House"
Sadly, I would say no. It's squarely literary fiction, not genre fiction. But it's a GREAT book! If you'r..."
I agree with all of this, especially the part about it being a great book. Just wanted to mention that if you want to read Louise Erdrich for this prompt you can try "Future Home of the Living God" which is SciFi/dystopia. I have not read it, but Erdrich is generally pretty reliably great.
Bonnie G. wrote: "doreneemi wrote: "Melissa wrote: "Would The Round House work for this task?The Round House"
Sadly, I would say no. It's squarely literary fiction, not genre fiction. But it's a GR..."
Thank you. I plan to read it regardless of the Challenge.
Rebecca Roanhorse is fantastic. While Trail of Lightning is hands down my favorite recommendation right now, Black Sun is great for a more classical fantasy style, and Race to the Sun is a really fun book for younger readers - tweens maybe?
Any personal recommendations for good Romance novels that would fit? I saw an old BR blog that had 3 suggestions but they had ~3 stars only on goodreads
Bonnie G. wrote: "Here is a great article on SFF written by Indigenous authors. "Great article; thanks for the link!
Anna wrote: "I'll be reading Mongrels by Stephen Graham Jones. I loved The Only Good Indians and want to read more of his work. Unfortunately my library doesn't have much, which ..."Mongrels is a great idea, I have a copy that I've been meaning to read. I also really recommend Night of the Mannequins and Mapping the Interior, although they're both novellas.
I just started Race To The Sun by Rebecca Roanhorse for this, and I love it already!
I read Robopocalypse last year and loved it! I would recommend it to anyone who's a fan of sci-fi.I'll read Black Sun this year. I'm currently #8 on my library's waiting list :)
Having a hard time wrapping my head around the term “genre fiction� Can anyone help
Stef wrote: "Having a hard time wrapping my head around the term “genre fiction� Can anyone help"
It's just fiction that falls under a certain genre, and are meant to appeal to fans of that genre (opposed to literary fiction, which is written with the intent to have literary merit).
So if a novel is, for example, romance or sci-fi or fantasy, it's genre fiction.
Ok so maybe son of a trickster wouldn’t work since it’s general fiction?
Stef wrote: "Ok so maybe son of a trickster wouldn’t work since it’s general fiction?"Son of a Trickster is fantasy, that is a genre,
Oh really ? That’s good to know! I worked at chapters and they classified it as general fiction so I wasn’t sure
Leslie Ann wrote: "I love the Cash Blackbear Mysteries by Marci Rendon: Murder on the Red River and Girl Gone Missing."Loves this series!
I read Sex and the Single Vamp by Robin Covington. It wasn't great and I would not have finished it if it wasn't for this task/challenge.
I’m going to go with..THE ONLY GOOD INDIANS. Can I ask how do you all get the pictures of the book posted. I don’t have that option...
Samantha wrote: "Any personal recommendations for good Romance novels that would fit? I saw an old BR blog that had 3 suggestions but they had ~3 stars only on goodreads"I read Her Land, Her Love by Evangeline Parsons Yazzie- for the historical romance task in a previous year, I think. It's probably more emphasis on history than romance and wasn't the easiest read but it has really stuck with me. Also, it's the first in a series.
On suggestion of this thread I’m reading The Only Good Indians by Stephen Graham Jones. Loving it so far. It is also set in the Midwest!
Michelle (RavenLily) wrote: "Would Split Tooth count for this prompt? The author is an Inuit throat singer."In my opinion, yes, definitely! Mystery is genre fiction
The Only Good Indians is a winner! Some gruesome bits involving both people and animals, so warning for that. I am not a horror fan, but this was good.
Would Gods of Jade and Shadow by Silvia Moreno-Garcia fulfill this prompt?
Lisa wrote: "Would Gods of Jade and Shadow by Silvia Moreno-Garcia fulfill this prompt?"Moreno has talked about how writing this book allowed her to write about her Mexican heritage and the clash between native and European cultures
For people looking for a romance book Heartbeat Braves is a good book! Maybe a little bit more on the women's fiction side of romance but I thought it was interesting.
Firekeeper's Daughter is what I read
I read Firekeeper's Daughter by Angeline Boulley for this prompt. The author is an enrolled member of the Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians.
Book Riot's Read Harder Challenge
Books mentioned in this topic
Nature Poem (other topics)The Marrow Thieves (other topics)
Butcherbird (other topics)
Jonny Appleseed (other topics)
Elatsoe (other topics)
More...
Authors mentioned in this topic
Joshua Whitehead (other topics)Robin Covington (other topics)
Cherie Dimaline (other topics)
Eden Robinson (other topics)
John Rollin Ridge (other topics)
More...
Same!