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Powerful Stories by Black Authors
35
items Dynamic literature told through the lens of black authors across the diaspora
Sections
5
Fantasy & Magical Realism
Sci-Fi & Dystopian
Literary
Mystery & Thriller
Romance
Fantasy & Magical Realism
Wow. Just wow. The true definition of an epic fantasy. Beautifully and vividly written.
The Rage of Dragons (The Burning, #1) by Evan Winter
After reading this I was genuinely speechless. I believe I came across this title while searching for “books like The Mummy” and I definitely understood why it was included. Set in 1912 Cairo, Agent Fatma from the Ministry of Alchemy, Enchantments an...
A Master of Djinn (Dead Djinn Universe, #1) by P. Djèlí Clark
Stellar! Such a unique way to tell a story. The world building is phenomenal and magically dystopian. The story is told from multiple viewpoints offering a more detailed storytelling approach where you can fully immerse yourself into the story. An in...
The Fifth Season (Broken Earth Series, #1) by N.K. Jemisin
A cute and cozy adventurous fantasy! The plot felt familiar, in a comforting way, yet unexpected with whimsically dark twists and turns.
Lore of the Wilds (Lore of the Wilds, #1) by Analeigh Sbrana
The beginning had me a bit worried but it was just set up and world building for an immersive cultural setting, plot and adventure. Unique storytelling and amazing character development. Seamlessly touches on a multiple of themes related to self-gro...
The Final Strife (Ending Fire, #1) by Saara El-Arifi
Whoaaaaa. A trippy sci-fi fantasy with not a single dull moment. NK Jemisin pulls you into the story with descriptive writing that made the book feel cinematic. I recommend the audiobook, it’s amazing and the sound effects make the experience very im...
The City We Became (Great Cities, #1) by N.K. Jemisin
An alternate reality set New Orleans during the Civil War era, drawing on influences set by the Haitian revolution. Historical fiction meets epic fantasy in this short but extraordinary story, with thought provoking dialogue and cautionary lessons. T...
The Black God's Drums by P. Djèlí Clark
A fascinating way to show how dystopian societies don’t stray too far from reality using the US prison system. The author uses a unique storytelling style that offers a 360 perspective that feels very cinematic. Facts wrapped in fiction serving as a ...
Chain-Gang All-Stars by Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah
Sci-Fi & Dystopian
Wow. A chilling but necessary read.
Parable of the Sower (Earthseed, #1) by Octavia E. Butler
Wow. This was stunning! A wonderfully layered sci-fi that feels like a story within a story, balancing different timelines that are connected through the main character Zelu. Diverse characters, rich dialogue and a fascinating plot. The mood and paci...
Death of the Author by Nnedi Okorafor
Literary
My God. So beautifully written it’s almost enchanting? Sula is a complex person, resulting in interesting dynamics and interactions she has with nearly everyone she meets. Her friendship with Nel being the most notable as their differences, once char...
Sula by Toni Morrison
Beautiful and heartbreaking, detailing the lives of people connected by lineage and separated by destiny, time and location. The author thoughtfully handles several heavy topics and real world issues faced by women for dynamic storytelling that also ...
The Edge of Water by Olufunke Grace Bankole
A beautifully complex story that dives into race, class, conformity, societal expectations and beauty standards through the eyes of a young girl named Pecola. The perspectives and lives of those close to her are also revealed as Pecola's story unfold...
The Bluest Eye by Toni Morrison
A beautiful and thoughtful queer romance with electric characters and poetic writing. A young woman navigating life, love and relationships told from a realistic perspective.
Rosewater by Liv Little
A death in the family sparks a rollercoaster ride into this family’s web of past histories and current secret lives. Secrets that leave them vulnerable to exploitation and manipulation, from others and towards each other. Entertaining, shocking and r...
Long After We Are Gone by Terah Shelton Harris
A beautifully heartbreaking coming of age story set in 1950’s Paris. While David’s fiancé is away, he begins exploring the city and nightlife of Paris where he meets Giovanni. The two build a tense yet magnetic relationship. This relationship forces ...
Giovanni's Room by James Baldwin
Wow. What a wonderfully layered story. Emotional, mysterious, maddening and hopeful. A multigenerational POV that takes the reader through a night of tragedy and its aftermath, all seemingly tied to a family heirloom whose origins and significance ar...
Good Dirt: A Novel by Charmaine Wilkerson
Beautifully written with a captivating tone. Jim’s brilliance, attention to detail and perseverance lays the foundation for his journey towards autonomy and freedom. Heartbreaking yet hopeful. Now I need to read The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn...f...
James by Percival Everett
So sad and so beautifully written. Trigger warnings should be read before this one. It is pretty brutal to get through, especially in Part 1. A coming-of-age story and romance detailing the life of Caprice at different life stages. Part 1 is her at a...
fast by Millie Belizaire
A stunning portrayal of life, friendship and how the two impact one another. Five black women in their early twenties navigate the everchanging aspects of adulthood, each woman facing their own unique aspects like sisterhood, marriage and motherhood....
The Wilderness by Angela Flournoy
Mystery & Thriller
A refreshing take on dark academia with beautifully layered characters and a rich storyline. Gossip Girl vibes, mysteries, secret societies, racial divides and complicated relationships. There was so much covered in this book, presented in a manner t...
Ace of Spades by Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé
An enrapturing crime thriller with dynamic characters with rich backgrounds and storylines. There is an eerie tone that deepens with every discovery that leads Titus closer to solving the town’s chilling murders. Titus also balances quelling the tens...
All the Sinners Bleed by S.A. Cosby
This was awesome. A body swapping thriller mystery with lots of layers and interconnected storylines and character development. I love when books unfold in web-like manner.
Out of Body by Nia Davenport
When their father ends up in a coma, a secret is revealed attributing the cause to Dante, one of the brother's debts. The other brother, Roman returns home to settle the debt for good and by any means necessary. With the family's crematory used as a ...
King of Ashes by S.A. Cosby
Romance
Beautiful, clever, frustrating, funny and so lovely. A beautiful portrayal of the natural closeness nurtured in friendship and romance. As a Nigerian, this one has a special place in my heart.
Honey & Spice by Bolu Babalola
This is a phenomenal book. The storytelling is wonderfully balanced, substantive, spicy and reflective. The full spectrum of emotions and all the feels a romance gives you cleverly woven into the storyline. This isn’t my first Kennedy Ryan book, I wa...
Before I Let Go (Skyland, #1) by Kennedy Ryan
Beautiful, tender and introspective with a whimsical spin. My kind of romance! Gorgeous and rich character development and settings.
A Love Song for Ricki Wilde by Tia Williams
Short and sweet with plenty of bed chem 😏
Only for the Week by Natasha Bishop
A cute and tender romance about high school sweethearts who find their way back to one another. Xavier lives a more laidback life and Violet a more flashy life. Both try to find the balance between a fulfilling career and a life that makes space for ...
The Partner Plot (The Greene Sisters, #2) by Kristina Forest
A beautiful piece of literature about what it means to fall in love. The main character and his love interest fit together like a perfectly composed symphony, like rhythm itself. A natural and tender kind of romance and discovery of oneself. I found ...
Open Water by Caleb Azumah Nelson
This was a lovely romance about two former flames reuniting as seasoned writers. Almost instantly it becomes evident that they never truly parted, reminiscing through their own writings. Romantic with realistic themes (some heavy) and layered relatio...
Seven Days in June by Tia Williams
What a stunning story within a story. A beautiful romance that begins on the set of a movie that serves as a “love letter to black creatives.” A lovely pairing as the romance unfolds in modern day while documenting the film’s storyline which is told ...
Reel (Hollywood Renaissance, #1) by Kennedy Ryan
When Audre is caught kissing her girlfriend, her mother sends her to America to live with her father. In America, Audre meets Mabel and they quickly learn they have a lot in common. The alternating POVs between Audre and Mabel are so beautifully and ...
The Stars and the Blackness Between Them by Junauda Petrus
When Jo’s long term friend and crush Ezra starts dating her former bully, realization sets in as Jo navigates her feelings. She meets Malcolm, who is handsome, charming and a tempting escape. Jo’s feelings are like a tennis match, flashing between a ...
Between Friends & Lovers by Shirlene Obuobi
Undeniable chemistry brings Kiki and Malakai back together in a second chance romance that explores how complex life events, experiences communication and reflection can shape and evolve relationship dynamics over time.
Sweet Heat by Bolu Babalola