A whole new month has arrived quicker than it should have and it brings Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month (AAPIHM) with it. For those who don’t know what that means, AAPIHM celebrates the culture, traditions, and history of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders in the United States. The reason that I emphasize the and in that sentence is that many Pasifika peoples are erased during AAPIHM. This was first brought to my attention by a Pasifika blogger who wrote about Pacific Island Books and Erasure in the Book Community, and which inspired me to write an awareness-raising article trying to bring this to the attention of bloggers I was in contact with.
AAPIHM is a really important month and it is obviously important that we celebrate all Asian and Pasifika peoples during May. However, Pacific Islanders are disproportionately erased throughout articles, reading lists, recommendations, books of the month, and many other posts during AAPIHM. So, for this AAPIHM I once again want to do everything I can to bring attention to the works of Pasifika authors and generate discussion around AAPIHM, starting with a blog about ‘Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month – what is it?’ Over the next 3 weeks, I will also be featuring literary works by Pasifika, South East Asian, and Middle Eastern authors respectively so please do keep an eye out for those and get involved with spreading the word!
May TBR
➽ Circe by Madeline Miller
Owned physical copy
➽ Children of Blood and Bone by Tomi Adeyemi
Library Book, and Life & Lit’s BOTM
➽ Legend by Marie Lu
Owned physical copy, Beat the Backlist, and AAPI read
➽ Free Chocolate by Amber Royer
eARC
➽ Blackfish City by Sam J. Miller
eARC
➽ Tone of Voice (Xandri Corelel #2) by Kaia Sønderby
eBook
➽ The Whale Rider by Witi Ihimaera
Unknown format, Beat the Backlist, and AAPI read
➽ This is Paradise by Kristiana Kahakauwila
eBook, Beat the Backlist, and AAPI read
Have you got any reads lined up for AAPI or will you be looking out for recommendations?
What other books have you got planned for your May TBR or are you participating in Moody Monday?
Red Rocket Panda 
Hope you enjoy all of those reads! 🙂
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I was not aware of AAPIHM – thanks for writing about it!
Children of Blood and Bone is on my TBR too. I have a pile of unread books and very little money right now so I don’t think I’ll be getting to it this month, but hopefully soon!
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Great TBR for this month! I can’t wait to see what you think about Circe, Children of Blood & Bone, and Legend. All three of those books are books that I’ve been wanting to read. I need to look up some of these others that you mentioned!
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I hope you enjoy all your reads for this month! I have heard all the good things about Circe and Children of Blood & Bone 🙂 so yay for them being on your list!
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I also have Children of Blood and Bone on my TBR… well, I don’t know if I will get to it this month, since I never really settle a TBR, buuut I’m going to read it soon and I can’t wait! I hope we’ll both love it 😀
Happy reading!! 🙂
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