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Diversify Your Bookshelf: Books by Black Authors
65
items Reading Black authors is always essential. Their words not only celebrate the rich tapestry of black experiences but also inspire dreams and ignite change, shaping and enriching our world. Let’s amplify and cherish these powerful voices and their inc...
Sections
7
Historical Fiction
Literary Fiction
Mystery, Thrillers, & Horror
Nonfiction
Romance
Sci-Fi / Fantasy
Historical Fiction
In this atmospheric novel set in the Jim Crow South, a powerful Black family fights to protect their empire—for readers of Tayari Jones.
The Sable Cloak
#1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • A brilliant, action-packed reimagining of Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, both harrowing and darkly humorous, told from the enslaved Jim's point of view
In development as a feature film to be produced by Steven Spielbe...
James: A Novel
Acclaimed author Trisha R. Thomas delivers a masterful new tale of scandal and intuition. In 1950s oil-rich Oklahoma, Bailey Dowery, a dressmaker with the gift of “second sight,” reluctantly reveals the true loves and intentions of her socialite clie...
The Secret Keeper of Main Street: A Novel
A never before published novel from beloved author Zora Neale Hurston, revealing the historical Herod the Great—not the villain the Bible makes him out to be but a religious and philosophical man who lived a life of valor and vision.
The Life of Herod the Great: A Novel
PULITZER PRIZE WINNER • NATIONAL BESTSELLER • This follow-up to The Underground Railroad brilliantly dramatizes another strand of American history through the story of two boys unjustly sentenced to a hellish reform school in Jim Crow-era Florida. • ...
The Nickel Boys (Winner 2020 Pulitzer Prize for Fiction): A Novel
#1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • PULITZER PRIZE WINNER • NATIONAL BOOK AWARD WINNER • "An American masterpiece" (NPR) that chronicles a young slave's adventures as she makes a desperate bid for freedom in the antebellum South.
One of The New York Time...
The Underground Railroad: A Novel
NATIONAL BOOK CRITICS CIRCLE AWARD FINALIST • From the award-winning, bestselling author of Americanah and We Should All Be Feminists—a haunting story of love and war. • Recipient of the Women’s Prize for Fiction “Winner of Winners” award.
Half of a...
Half of a Yellow Sun
Literary Fiction
NATIONAL BESTSELLER • The daughter of an affluent Black family pieces together the connection between a childhood tragedy and a beloved heirloom in this moving novel from the bestselling author of Black Cake, a Read with Jenna Book Club Pick
“Engros...
Good Dirt: A Novel
Winner of the NAACP Image Award, Outstanding Literary Work
From National Book Award-winning author Elizabeth Acevedo comes the story of one Dominican American family told through the voices of its women
Flor has a gift: she can predict, to the day,...
Family Lore: A Novel
In a world without white people, what does it mean to be Black?
One day, a cataclysmic event occurs: all of the white people in America walk into the nearest body of water. A year later, Charlie Brunton is a Black man living in an entirely new world...
Sky Full of Elephants: A Novel
From the acclaimed author of The Kindest Lie, a propulsive novel about a mother and daughter each seeking justice and following their dreams in 1960s Nashville and 1990s Chicago; perfect for readers of Brit Bennett and Tayari Jones.
People of Means: A Novel
NATIONAL BOOK AWARD WINNER • NATIONAL BESTSELLER • In this deeply compelling novel and epic milestone of American literature, a nameless narrator tells his story from the basement lair of the Invisible Man he imagines himself to be.
One of The Atlan...
Invisible Man
Winner of the 2023 NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Literary Work - Fiction
“Deeply empathetic yet unflinching in its gaze…an unforgettable exploration of responsibility and redemption.”—Celeste Ng
Inspired by true events that rocked the nation, a...
Take My Hand
A woman learns the incredible story of a real-life American Kingdom—and her family’s ties to it—in this enthralling novel from the New York Times bestselling, NAACP Image Award-winning author of Take My Hand.
Inspired by true events, Happy Land is a...
Happy Land
In this smart, funny Reese's Book Club pick and New York Times Notable Book, a young seamstress in Ghana agrees to an arranged marriage, only to realize that some compromises are too extreme to accept.
Get author Peace Adzo Medie's brand new novel, N...
His Only Wife
Mystery, Thrillers, & Horror
A young Black girl goes missing in the woods outside her white rust belt town. But she's not the first—and she may not be the last. . . .
ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR: Esquire, Vulture, PopSugar, Paste, Publishers Weekly • ONE OF COSMOPOLITAN’S...
Jackal
Set in a foreboding Gothic mansion and infused with the heightened paranoia and creeping horror of novels like Catherine House and Crimson Peak, a spine-chilling debut historical thriller from a fresh voice in the genre that will leave you questionin...
Midnight Rooms: A Novel
For fans of Jordan Peele’s films, Stranger Things, and The Other Black Girl, Listen To Your Sister is a laugh-out-loud, deeply terrifying, and big-hearted speculative horror novel from electrifying debut talent Neena Viel.
Listen to Your Sister: A Novel
#1 New York Times bestselling author Nicola Yoon’s daring new work of dystopian horror is a propulsive satire set in an all-Black gated community. For fans of The Sellout and Erasure, with a shocking ending you’ll never see coming, Jodi Picoult calls...
One of Our Kind: A novel
From the critically acclaimed and New York Times bestselling author of When No One Is Watching comes a riveting thriller about the new caretaker of a historic estate who finds herself trapped on an island with a murderer—and the ghosts of her past.
One of Us Knows: A Thriller
A fast-paced, completely delightful new mystery about what happens when parents get a little too involved in their kids' schools, from NAACP Image Award nominee Elise Bryant.
It's Elementary
“All Her Little Secrets is a brilliantly nuanced but powerhouse exploration of race, the legal system, and the crushing pressure of keeping secrets. Morris brings a vibrant and welcome new voice to the thriller space.” —Karin Slaughter, New York Time...
All Her Little Secrets: A Novel
Award-winning author Wanda Morris returns with a powerful, haunting thriller following a lawyer who after the mysterious disappearance of a local landowner and the death of his sister just months before, uncovers a conspiracy that dates back to Recon...
What You Leave Behind: A Novel
As Seen on The TODAY Show!
Called One of the Best Crime Novels of the Year by New York Times * NPR * New York Post * Washington Post * Buzzfeed * South Florida Sun-Sentinel * Library Journal * CrimeReads
From the award-winning author of All Her Lit...
Anywhere You Run: A Novel
Nonfiction
NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • NATIONAL BOOK CRITICS CIRCLE AWARD WINNER • TIME’S TEN BEST NONFICTION BOOKS OF THE DECADE • ONE OF THE NEW YORK TIMES’S FIVE BEST BOOKS OF THE 21ST CENTURY
“A brilliant and stirring epic . . . Ms. Wilkerson does for the...
The Warmth of Other Suns: The Epic Story of America's Great Migration
#1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • More than one million copies sold! A “brilliant” (Lupita Nyong’o, Time), “poignant” (Entertainment Weekly), “soul-nourishing” (USA Today) memoir about coming of age during the twilight of apartheid
“Noah’s childhood s...
Born a Crime: Stories from a South African Childhood
NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • “A fascinating and eye-opening look at how American schools have helped build and reinforce an infrastructure of racial inequality . . . a must-read for every American parent and educator.”—Esquire (Most Anticipated Books ...
Original Sins: The (Mis)education of Black and Native Children and the Construction of American Racism
A powerful exploration of self-resilience, family, and community from activist and prison abolitionist Keeonna Harris.
Keeonna and Jason met as young teens. Only fourteen, Keeonna had never had a boyfriend before, dreamed of attending Spelman to bec...
Mainline Mama: A Memoir
A classic work of feminist scholarship, a must-read for all those interested in the nature of black womanhood. Examining the impact of sexism on black women during slavery, the devaluation of black womanhood, black male sexism, racism among feminists...
Ain't I a Woman: Black Women and Feminism by Bell Hooks; Hooks...
Discover how a love of books can foster community, understanding, and personal growth.
Bibliotherapy in The Bronx by Emely Rumble, LCSW, is a groundbreaking exploration of the healing power of literature in the lives of marginalized communities. Dra...
Bibliotherapy in the Bronx
For true crime lovers!
In Hannah Mary Tabbs and the Disembodied Torso, historian Kali Nicole Gross uses detectives' notes, trial and prison records, local newspapers, and other archival documents to reconstruct this ghastly whodunit crime in all it...
Hannah Mary Tabbs and the Disembodied Torso: A Tale of Race, Sex, and Violence in America
Romance
**Indie Author**
If you told me I'd be on a reality dating show with a man I can't stand, while the guy I haven't been able to forget films it all, I'd tell you to kick rocks. But alas, here I am, pretending to fall in love with a man who'd marry hi...
Lipstick & Camera Clicks
A Phenomenal Book Club pick for November 2022!
A woman goes head-to-head with the CEO of a corporation threatening to destroy her neighborhood in this fresh and modern retelling of Pride and Prejudice by debut author Nikki Payne.
Pride and Protest
“Nikki Payne skillfully spins the tale of a well-known Jane Austen classic and makes it entirely her own. Thoughtful, hilarious, and smolderingly steamy.”—Kristina Forest, author of The Partner Plot
Two sisters roll up their sleeves to run a dilapid...
Sex, Lies and Sensibility
A FEBRUARY LIBRARYREADS PICK!
A hilarious and sexy romance about a woman who gets dropped on a strange planet only to fall for not one, but two, aliens, from the author of I Got Drunk and Yeeted a Love Potion at a Werewolf.
I Got Abducted by Aliens and Now I'm Trapped in a Rom-Com
Spice trader Cinnamon's quiet life is turned upside down when she ends up on a quest with a fiery demon, in this irreverently quirky rom-com fantasy that is sweet, steamy, and funny as hell.
That Time I Got Drunk and Saved a Demon
In this sexy modern-day fairytale from the New York Times bestselling author of Seven Days in June, a free-spirited florist and an enigmatic musician share a soul mate connection told through the history, art, and the magic of Harlem.
A New York Tim...
A Love Song for Ricki Wilde
Two writers get a second chance at love in this romantic, sexy-as-hell New York Times bestselling novel.
Best Book of the Year: NPR - Kirkus - Marie Claire - PopSugar - New York Public Library - Bustle - Reader's Digest - Literary Hub
Best Romance...
Seven Days in June
A forty-year-old woman risks her new career for a secret romance with the one person who could destroy her comeback in this "deliciously good time" of a novel (Nicola Kraus, author of The Nanny Diaries). Now a Netflix film starring Gabrielle Union.
The Perfect Find
A Good Morning America Book Buzz Pick!
Award-winning and bestselling "powerhouse" author Kennedy Ryan is at her absolute best in this compelling, scorching novel about hope and healing, and what it truly means to love for a lifetime (USA Today).
B...
Before I Let Go
"Heart-searing, sensual, and life affirming." ―EMILY HENRY, #1 New York Times bestselling author
For fans of Tia Williams and Colleen Hoover comes a deeply moving and personal novel about sacrifice, self-reliance, and finding true happiness from "on...
This Could Be Us
This beautiful edition of a heart-searing epic romance has metallic cover effects and an all-new 7000-word bonus epilogue!
Neevah Saint is ready for the spotligh
-Entertainment Weekly Best Romances of the Year 2024
-Washington Post Best Romances of ...
Reel
A PR partnership between a pop superstar and a pro-athlete bad boy turns into so much more in this swoony romance from the acclaimed author of When I Think of You.
No Ordinary Love
In this sweeping second chance romance from debut author Myah Ariel, the unexpected spark of two former flames may force them to choose between their dreams and each other.
When I Think of You
A captivating and sizzling new queer romance by New York Times bestselling author Jasmine Guillory.
Flirting Lessons
A groomsman and his last-minute guest are about to discover if a fake date can go the distance in this fun and flirty multicultural romance debut by New York Times bestselling author Jasmine Guillory—author of the Resse Witherspoon x Hello Sunshine B...
The Wedding Date
THE NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER
A Reese Witherspoon x Hello Sunshine Book Club Pick
“There is so much to relate to and throughout the novel, there is a sharp feminist edge. Loved this one, and you will too.”—New York Times bestselling author Roxane Ga...
The Proposal: Reese's Book Club
From USA TODAY bestselling author Nana Malone, a romance about a Ghanaian American heiress faced with the dilemma of choosing between culture and a love connection.
Gold Coast Dilemma: A Novel
“A thoroughly satisfying love story with a big, beating heart.”—Publishers Weekly (starred review)
“This book is emotional, steamy and sweet—a triple threat! De Cadenet tackles mental health, gender stereotypes, and interracial romance with care an...
Getting His Game Back: A Novel
A "Wildly steamy, utterly heartwarming" (Tia Williams) debut filled with romance, artistic ambitions, political scandal, and finding love where you least expect it.
Publishers Weekly Best Romance Book of 2023 - Chicago Public Library Best Romance of...
The Art of Scandal
In this spellbinding romantic comedy from a series about a family of witches, a lovelorn small-town witch helps a handsome prince break free from a curse--all while trying not to let their feelings for each other bubble to the surface.
Kiss and Spell
Sci-Fi / Fantasy
After her mother's death, a young woman is summoned to the floating city of Sky to claim a royal inheritance she never knew existed in this epic fantasy trilogy from the NYT bestselling author of The Fifth Season.
The Inheritance Trilogy
Two sisters are trapped on opposite sides of reality in this entrancing and deeply moving debut novel that weaves together a contemporary narrative with a parallel fantasy world.
The Princess of Thornwood Drive
This acclaimed post-apocalyptic novel of hope and terror from an award-winning author "pairs well with 1984 or The Handmaid's Tale" and includes a foreword by LeVar Burton and an afterword by N. K. Jemisin (John Green, New York Times).
Parable of the Sower
Saara El-Arifi is the internationally bestselling author of The Ending Fire Trilogy and the Faebound Trilogy inspired by her Ghanaian and Sudanese heritage. She has lived in many countries, had many jobs, and owned many more cats. After a decade of w...
Saara El-Arifi Books
THE INSTANT NATIONAL BESTSELLER
In this exhilarating tale by New York Times bestselling and award-winning author Nnedi Okorafor, a disabled Nigerian American woman pens a wildly successful Sci-Fi novel, but as her fame rises, she loses control of th...
Death of the Author: A Novel
Book blurb: A vampire, a witch, and a siren get accepted into a magical HBCU. The rest I am not allowed to say but just know there is a talking cat named Quan, a few murders that went cold, and a world that is just below our feet.
Granger: Drew Collins Series
A “spellbinding” (Publishers Weekly) Romantasy debut about an enchanted library, two handsome Fae, and one human who brings them all together.
A library with a deadly enchantment.
A Fae lord who wants in.
A human woman willing to risk it all for a ...
Lore of the Wilds: A Novel
From the author of Lore of the Wilds comes the exciting and passionate conclusion, as Lore navigates Fae magic amid looming dangers that threaten to destroy her world.
Lore of the Tides: A Novel
Young Adult
Hitch meets The Sun Is Also a Star in this “mega swoon-worthy, effortlessly cool” (Casey McQuiston, New York Times bestselling author) novel about a self-professed teen love doctor with a popular radio segment who believes he can get a girl who hates...
Love Radio
The first three books in Tracy Deonn’s #1 New York Times bestselling Legendborn Cycle about a dazzling contemporary fantasy world that blends Southern Black Girl Magic with secret societies and the legend of King Arthur.
The Legendborn Cycle: Legendborn; Bloodmarked; Oathbound
This bestselling Jamaican-inspired fantasy follows a gods-blessed heroine who's forced to choose between saving her sister or protecting her homeland--perfect for fans of Iron Widow and The Priory of the Orange Tree.
"By turns hopeful and devastatin...
So Let Them Burn
INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • A COSMOPOLITAN BEST YA BOOK OF THE YEAR
A teenager on the run from his past finds the family he never knew existed and the community he never knew he needed at an HBCU for the young, Black, and magical. Enroll in ...
Blood at the Root
Seton Academic High is a prep school obsessed with its football team and their thirteen-year conference win streak, a record that players always say they’d never have without Seton’s girls. What exactly Seton girls do to make them so valuable, though...
Seton Girls
A twisty, thrilling novel of growing up in—and out of—a small town with a huge secret.
Streetlight People