Banner by the amazing CW!
Around August of 2019, I found out that the Year of the Asian Reading Challenge (YARC) existed (hosted by the phenomenal CW, Shealea, Lily, and Vicky) and I was so excited I cried. I felt like it was a little late for me to join and I didn’t have an official blogging platform yet, but the fact that YARC was happening and so many people were participating made my Grinch heart grow and grow and grow. As a Chinese-American girl who grew up reading predominantly white authors because that was what was available to me at the time, this challenge, and the books that are read for this challenge, mean the world to me. So, it goes without saying that I am thrilled to be participating in YARC for 2020.
My personal goal for YARC is to read 41-50 books by Asian authors this year and earn myself the Asian elephant badge, because a) I want the majority of my Goodreads goal (60-70 books) to be fulfilled by Asian authors and b) LOOK AT THIS CUTIE CW DREW.

To track my progress, I’ll be adding all of the books by Asian authors that I’ve read to this post with either links to my Goodreads review or a review on the blog, as well as building a list of my YARC TBR. I’ll also be updating the badge I’ve earned once I move up a tier until I get to my goal of the elephant. LET THE YARC 2020 BEGIN!

Progress tracker (updated Jan. 5):
- The Surprising Power of a Good Dumpling by Wai Chim
- Jade City by Fonda Lee (currently reading)
YARC To Read List:
- Scavenge the Stars by Tara Sim
- Loveboat, Taipei by Abigail Hing Wen
- Jade Fire Gold by June C.L. Tan
- Rent a Boyfriend by Gloria Chao
- Wicked As You Wish by Rin Chupeco
- The Empress of Salt and Fortune by Nghi Vo
- The Perfect Escape by Suzanne Park
- The Henna Wars by Adiba Jaigirdar
- Where Dreams Descend by Janella Angeles
- We Are Not Free by Traci Chee
- Forest of Souls by Lori M. Lee
- Unravel the Dusk by Elizabeth Lim
- A Sweet Mess by Jayci Lee
- Star Daughter by Shveta Thakrar
- The Silvered Serpents by Roshani Chokshi

Are you participating in YARC 2020? What books are you most looking forward to reading? Which badge are you aiming for?
To learn more about YARC 2020 and sign up, check out the welcome posts on CW’s, Shealea’s, Lily’s, or Vicky’s blogs!

good luck on your goals, lauren! I have so much respect for you for aiming for the elephant! That’s amazing! I’m going for the Malayan tapir! I want to read all of the books on your TBR as well! I want to read The Surprising Power of a Good Dumpling so bad, but I can’t find it anywhere! Scavenge the Stars and The Henna Wars also all sound so amazing <3
Good luck on your goals as well Caitlin!! I’m graduating this year so hopefully that means more time to read and meet my goal. I’d love to set up a buddy read with you since our TBRs match up if you’re interested!! I think it’d be a fun way to keep us both on track ❤️The Surprising Power of a Good Dumpling is only out in Australia atm so you can find it on Book Depository or Amazon, but it’s coming out in the US this year! I’m super excited for Scavenge the Stars because Tara Sim is coming to my town this week and just ugh there are so many good books coming out this year it’s amazing
ahhh, good luck with the rest of the school year! and congrats on graduating in advance!
YES. honestly, just message me with any asian book, and i’d be down to buddy read. seriously, any book and any time!
ahh, i sadly can’t order books online :(( but thank you! that clarifies so many things <3
i know right! i was thinking of making 2020 the year of reading only backlist books, but clearly… that's impossible
thank you!!!
my next reads are gonna be Scavenge the Stars and Loveboat, Taipei so lmk if you get either of those and we can totally buddy read
happy to help!!
i’m doing cw’s startonyourshelfathon which is helping a lot with backlist books but also uhhh i have no self control so i’ve been pre ordering a ton of new books
I’d love to br Scavenge the Stars!
And best of luck w the readathon!
awesome I’ll dm you on twitter? once i get it in the mail!
yes!! so hyped <3