Welcome back to the FYA Reading Challenge! This month’s prompt is to read a book that features an Asian voice.

Try an author’s fresh take on their classic cultural touchstones, read a historical novel set in a time period or location you aren’t familiar with, or find a modern-day story that highlights which real issues are still harming people today. We’ve got a few different tags that you can peruse to find your May read!

I’m still thinking about debut author Lauren Thoman’s timey-wimey ’80s mystery, I’ll Stop the World that came out in March. I’ve also had June Hur’s debut on my TBR for a while now, and I don’t know what’s stopping me since I love her other books (it may be my weird tendency to save up books I know I will like for when I ‘really need them’).

Here’s some other options to get you started!

Reading Challenge Recs

A Thousand Steps into Night

The main character in A Thousand Steps into Night by Traci Chee gets into trouble when she gets cursed after kissing a demon.

This Time It’s Real

Lying about a made-up relationship gets Eliza in too deep in This Time It’s Real by Ann Liang.

A Spy in the House (The Agency #1)

A Spy in the House by Y.S. Lee is about an all-female spy agency in historical England, and it’s a delightful start to the series.

A Line in the Dark

People should really know by now that if it involves a boarding school, everything associated with it is going to be rotten, just like in this queer love-triangle mystery, A Line in the Dark by Malinda Lo.

Hana Khan Carries On

Hana Khan Carries On by Uzma Jalaluddin is a retelling of You’ve Got Mail featuring dueling family restaurants and a secret podcast.

Afterlove

Our main character dies and becomes a grim reaper, but the girl she loves still recognizes her even after her death. Then what?! Read Afterlove by Tanya Byrne to find out!

Which book(s) are you planning to read for this prompt? Let us know in the comments!

Stephanie (she/her) is an avid reader who moonlights at a college and calls Orlando home. Stephanie loves watching television, reading DIY blogs, planning awesome parties, Halloween decorating, and playing live-action escape games.