Books to Read with Black Voices from Every Genre!

February 24, 2022

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By: Kaysey A. Richardson

Although Black History Month is coming to an end, there’s no reason to stop celebrating and learning about Black history and culture.  A great way that we can do this is by supporting Black owned businesses and reading books by Black authors with Black main characters.  As a devoted reader, I love utilizing books as a way to show my support to many diverse groups of individuals.  Even through fiction, I find reading is a great way to become more educated and open-minded.  Because of this, I wanted to share several books by Black authors in genres ranging from fantasy to non-fiction.

Listed below are several recommendations in multiple genres.  If there is a specific genre that interests you, go ahead and click on your favorite: romance, fantasy, contemporary fiction, young adult, thriller, historical fiction, nonfiction

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• Have We Met? by Camille Baker
  • Synopsis: After losing her best friend to cancer, Corinne’s life is in limbo. Not knowing what her next career move will be, moving back to Chicago where she grew up, and still grieving, Corinne has no time for love.  That’s when a mysterious app called Met suddenly appears on her phone with an invitation for Corinne to reconnect with four missed connections from her past.  One of them, the app predicts, is her soulmate.  At the same time, Corinne meets a person outside of the app that she begins to connect with.  With the help of a new group of friends, her loving and annoying family, and a touch of possible fate, Corinne is tasked with coming to terms with her life and maybe just maybe…finding love along the way.
  • My Review: I loved this book so much because of the diverse set of characters and being able to connect with being close to thirty and struggling to move forward in life.  Corinne’s group of friends were wonderful, the representation of people from all backgrounds was well thought out, and I loved how everything connected by the end.
• Get a Life, Chloe Brown by Talia Hibbert
  • Synopsis: After almost—but not quite—dying, Chloe Brown has come up with seven instructions to help her “Get a Life.”  The first on the list was moving out of her family’s rich and bougie mansion, which she has completed.  The next six include everything from enjoying a drunken night out and traveling nothing but hand luggage.  Chloe enlists her attractive new bad-boy neighbor Redford “Red” Morgan to help her.  What she doesn’t expect is to grow feelings for him. 
  • Read this book if you want to laugh or start a new series of romance books.  Get a Life, Chloe Brown is the first of three of “The Brown Sisters” series.  They can all be read as standalone books, but have overlapping characters in each!
• Honey Girl by Morgan Rogers
  • Synopsis: Grace Porter is a 28-year-old, queer, Black woman who just completed a rigorous PhD program.  To celebrate her graduation, Grace and her best friends head to Vegas.  After a champagne-filled night out on the Strip, Grace wakes up married to a stranger.  What happens next is Grace’s journey navigating new love and discovering herself.
  • Read this book if you are in your twenties, have felt like an outcast, struggle with mental illness, and need to feel a little less alone in the world.  This is another book with a diverse set of characters and follows queer love.

• Black Sun by Rebecca Roanhorse
  • Synopsis: Black Sun is inspired by the religious traditions and culture of civilizations in the pre-Columbian Americas and is a tale of celestial prophecies, political intrigue, and forbidden magic. Every time I try to write more to this synopsis, I have to stop myself from revealing too much.  I encourage you to read the synopsis here on your own!
  • My Review: I loved this book!  I read it at the beginning of the year and enjoyed being introduced to a new fantasy world based on a culture that I knew nothing about. Rebecca Roanhorse is Native American and African American, and successfully intertwines both of her cultures into this masterpiece.  The synopsis can sound intimidating, but Roanhorse does a great job with world-building and helping the reader to fully grasp what is happening.  There is also a great cheat-sheet of characters, gods, and cities in the front of the book to help the reader navigate.
• A Song of Wraths and Ruin by Roseanne A. Brown
  • Synopsis: Malik’s younger sister, Nadia, has been abducted by a vengeful spirit and to get her back and start a new life, he strikes a deadly deal: kill Karina, the Crown Princess of Ziran, for his sister’s freedom. This is the first in a fantasy duology inspired by West African folklore where a grieving crown princess and a refugee find themselves on a collision course to murder each other despite their growing attraction.
  • Read this book if you’re interested in learning about folklore from a different country and enjoy fantasy books that are the classic “enemies to lovers”.  Personally, this is my favorite trope!
• Legendborn by Tracy Deonn
  • Synopsis: In this unique and contemporary retelling of the story of King Arthur that intertwines Southern folk traditions, sixteen-year-old Bree Matthews wants nothing to do with her family memories or childhood home after the death of her mother. To escape her past, she enrolls in new residential program for bright high schoolers at UNC-Chapel Hill.  It seems like the perfect escape, until Bree witnesses a magical attack the first night she is on campus.  Soon, Bree discovers a secret society of “Legendborn” students that hunt creatures down and is thrust into a magical adventure.
  • Read this book if you like young-adult fantasies such as A Court of Thorns and Roses or The Ninth House but want to see a diverse lineup of characters.

• The Vanishing Half by Brit Bennett
  • Synopsis: Following the lives of two twin girls, both light-skinned Black girls who run away at sixteen, The Vanish Half tells the story of how these girls chose to live differently. Desiree, marries a dark-skinned Black man and has a child, while Stella lives her life passing as white.  The book traces their lives across generations as their lives branch away from each other, but remain unknowingly intertwined.  Is an exploration of identity, family, and race.
  • My Review: The reason I loved this one so much is because it was so interesting to see how our choices can determine our future and just how complex self-identity can be. It took place over several decades, switching point of views between the twins and Desiree’s daughter, Jude. It was a beautiful look at family dynamics, race relations, and what we will do to make it in this world.
• The Girl with the Louding Voice by Abi Dare
  • Synopsis: This is an unforgettable and inspiring story of a teenage girl growing up in a rural Nigerian village who longs to get an education so that she can find her “louding voice” and speak up for herself.  Adunni, our main character, never loses sight of her goal of escaping the life of poverty and building a future for herself…along the way inspiring other young girls to do the same.
  • Read this book if you are looking for a positive and uplifting book with an underdog narrator who will inspire you to reach for your dreams.
• Sing, Unburied, Sing: A Novel by Jesmyn Ward
  • Synopsis: A lyrical prose with tones of a road novel and a ghost story, that centers around a trip with her drug-addled best friend and two children in which Leonie sets off to pick up their father Michael, who is serving the final days of his sentence. This hauntingly beautiful story unfolds through the perspectives of Leonie and her son Jojo as both begin communicating with a ghost of their past.
  • Read this book if you like magical realism or ghost stories that serve a deeper purpose.  This book grapples with racism in the present day and how it overlaps with the drug problem/prison system in America.

•  Ace of Spades by Faridah Abikike-Iyimide
  • Synopsis: Ace of Spades takes place in an elite high school that is all-white except for Devon and Chiamaka.  The two are not allowed to show their Black heritage such as wearing their natural hair or cornrows and must adapt to the rest of the school population.  When they start receiving anonymous texts from someone who goes by “Ace,” and their deepest secrets are revealed, the two must band together to figure out who’s sending the messages.
  • My Review: The reason I loved Ace of Spades is because it tightropes between a high school drama and a disturbing reality of systemic racism. I have a big appreciation for books geared toward the ages of 14 and 24 that are able to level with that age group but also help young readers to recognize problems that are taking place within society as a whole.  This book does exactly that.
• Queenie by Candice Carty-Williams
  • Synopsis: Queenie is a British-Jamaican woman living in London and going through the trials and tribulations of being a young journalist.  The premise of the book is simply a Black woman in London trying to juggle her career, spend time with her friends, and navigate the dating scene. Queenie must balance her life all while trying to discover herself and overcome her own self-esteem issues.
  • Read this book if you are looking for a relatable character and were a fan of Bridget Jones Diary. Queenie takes a classic romcom feel but makes it more relatable to a broader and more diverse group of women.
• Muted by Tami Charles
  • Synopsis: Muted is a novel told in verse which centers around seventeen-year-old Denver.  For Denver, music is her passion and her ultimate goal is to write songs, perform, and ultimately escape her very small and very white town. When a big time R&B star discovers Denver and her two best friends’ talent, the group are suddenly thrust into the world of music and the lifestyle they always dreamed of.  Soon, Denver begins to realize that she is no longer living her dream world, but rather she is trapped in a nightmare and struggles to hold on to her own voice.
  • Read this book if you enjoy books about the music industry and fiction that is inspired by true events. This book exploits the darkness of the business and how a young girl’s dreams can be used against her—and most importantly, what it takes to fight back.

• When No One is Watching by Alyssa Cole
  • Synopsis: This thriller centers around our main character, Sydney, trying to preserve the history of her childhood neighborhood as the neighborhood itself is facing the harsh realities of gentrification.  As her former neighbors begin to disappear one by one, Sydney must solve the mystery of where they are going and who is behind ridding them of the community.
  • My Review: This was one of my favorite books that I read in 2021 and gave me the same feeling that the movie Get Out did.  It was a frightening mystery thriller that held much truth to what takes place in communities around the United States today.  This book is an excellent example of how fiction can be used to tell a truth within the world to help spread awareness but also entertain.
• Leave the World Behind by Rumaan Alam
  • Synopsis: Leave the World Behind is about a family vacation that suddenly goes awry when an unexplained sonic boom takes place, cutting the family off from all communication and civilization.  Then, a family claiming to own an Airbnb show up at the door seeking refuge.  During an unspecified disaster, two families of different class and race are under one roof as the tension from the outside world builds.
  • My Review: I really loved the way that this was written, but the writing is not for everybody.  While it is a thriller, it is slow and has very little dialogue.  Rather, it examines what is taking place inside the minds of each person that is in the cabin during this unprecedented time, making the reader feel the anxieties of what is taking place within the book.
• Razorblade Tears by S.A. Cosby
  • Synopsis: Two ex-cons, one black and one white, team up to find those responsible for the death of their sons, who were married to each other. This fast paced and riveting thriller confronts the prejudices against race, class, and sexuality while keeping the reader on their toes through the twists and turns.
  • Read this book if you enjoy a fast-paced and action filled thriller.

• The Final Revival of Opal and Nev by Dawnie Walton
  • Synopsis: This is a book about a fictional interracial rock duo in the 1970s, their breakup, and secrets that become unearth during their revival decades later. It is written in the style of an oral history which makes it easy to digest. Although the rock duo is fictional, much of what takes place within the book regarding racial violence and tensions depicts what life was actually like for rising Black stars in the 1970s.
  • My Review: I loved the Final Revival of Opal and Nev so much.  It was a beautiful story of an unlikely music duo that attempts to overcome adversity, but ultimately fails.  It examines that oftentimes repercussions are harsher for women, especially Black women who confidently speak their truth and challenge social norms.
• Yellow Wife by Sadeqa Johnson
  • Synopsis: This is a tale of the life of an enslaved woman in Virginia, beginning in the 1850s.  It goes through the years telling the story of a mother’s love, what a mother will do to protect her children—no matter how those babies come into the world.
  • My Review: Although this is a very heavy read, it is an important read.  As I’ve said several times, fiction can be utilized as a way to educate while keeping the reader engaged.  Oftentimes nonfiction history books are dry reads that do not engage with the reader as opposed to historical fiction, which tells a story.
  • Trigger warning: Because this is depicting plantation life through the eyes of an enslaved person, some of the topics within this book are heavy and can be difficult at times to read.
• Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi
  • Synopsis: This book traces the descendants of two-half sisters born into different villages in Ghana.  Each sisters’ lives follow different paths.  One marries wealthy, while the other is captured and sold into slavery.  Homegoing tells parallel stories and goes through eight different generations, portraying African and African American experiences during and after slavery.
  • Read this book if you enjoy reading about multiple generations and watching a story unfold over centuries.

• Born a Crime by Trevor Noah
  • Synopsis: Born a Crime begins with young Trevor Noah committing a crime: being born.  Born to a white Swiss father and a black Xhosa mother at a time when such union was punishable, this book follows the journey of a young boy, who should not have been born, navigating life in South Africa. Noah’s book provides insight on what life was like in South Africa during apartheid in these heartbreaking, beautiful, and sometimes hilarious stories from his childhood.  It also is a story of the unconditional love between a mother and son, which is beautiful to read about.
  • My Review: I loved Trevor Noah’s book, because even though he stayed on-brand to his humor, his book was more than that.  It provided insight to what life was like during apartheid in South Africa, which is something that I had absolutely no prior knowledge of. 
• I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou
  • Synopsis: This is an autobiographical account of American writer, Maya Angelou that was published in 1969, but still is incredibly important to Black history and voices today.  The book recounts stories from Angelou’s early childhood, ranging from the age of three to sixteen, and chronicles traumatic experiences that she went through as a child.
  • Read this book to gain insight on what life was like during a time of social unrest in the mid-1900s. Additionally, Angelou’s book is one of the most widely read and taught books written by an African American woman to this day.
  • Trigger warning: this book does depict rape scenes and strong racism.
• Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents by Isabel Wilkerson
  • Synopsis: “Caste is the granting or withholding of respect, status, honor, attention, privileges, resources, benefit of the doubt, and human kindness to someone on the basis of their perceived rank or standing in the hierarchy.” Isabel Wilkerson argues that racism and casteism overlap stating that “what some people call racism could be seen as merely one manifestation of the degree to which we have internalized the larger American caste system.”
  • Read this book if you are curious about learning the history of how systemic racism came to be and what you can do in society to make a difference.

 

Books on a Budget: If you are like me trying to read books on a budget, let me suggest to you some avenues to get cheap/free books! Many of these books mentioned are available through your local library and kindle for little to no cost!  For those who prefer to listen to their books, Libby is a downloadable app that allows you to borrow audio books with your library card.  Additionally there are many websites that sell used books such as ThriftBooks and almost all of these are available through a book subscription box called Book of the Month.  If you are not aware of this, it is a monthly box that showcases early releases, new and noteworthy books that are hardcover all at a discounted rate.  If you are interested in checking it out, click here to get your first book for even cheaper.