black authors – Just Read It

The Weight of the Stars

I picked this book up because I enjoyed The Wicker King and it was the best decision of mine in a long time.

Legendborn

I have a lot of feelings about this book so strap in.

I’m sure you’ve all heard about this novel and that many of you have already read it yourselves. In fact I don’t really think that I have a lot to add to the conversation about this book. It is beloved and for good reason. It has been produced as a movie and a musical. I’mContinue reading “The Color Purple”

The Wicker King

August and Jack are best friends. They need each other, they are there for each other, they are bonded like no one else they know. So when Jack starts seeing things that August can’t, August does everything he can to help him.

The Ballad of Black Tom

This is a short story about Charles Thomas Tester and what he does to earn some money. He lives with his father in Brooklyn and he deals with the everyday racism of being a black man and the danger of dealing in things mysterious and occult. One day Tom meets a man who offers himContinue reading “The Ballad of Black Tom”

Bad Feminist

This was absolutely incredible. Gay shares so many examples of modern culture that reflect the racist and sexist nature of our culture and challenges the reader to accept them and see them for what they are. At the same time, she admits that some songs are catchy and that that’s ok. Being messy is apartContinue reading “Bad Feminist”

Honey Girl

Another book with a Virgo main character… is this a new trend in literature? Sources say maybe. Honey Girl is about a woman named Grace Porter and it starts with her in Vegas the day after she drunkenly gets married to a woman she’s just met. When Grace is back home, she is confronted withContinue reading “Honey Girl”

When No One is Watching

Sydney Green lives in a neighborhood in Brooklyn that is historically Black but its history, and present, is being replaced by white people. On a tour of her neighborhood, the tour guide knows nothing of the historic Black residents and actively dissuades Sydney from speaking up. In response to this, Sydney decides to take matterContinue reading “When No One is Watching”

Clap When You Land

This is the story of two sisters who don’t know that the other exists. Yahaira lives in New York and Camino lives in the Dominican Republic, they both love and care about their father, Camino only gets to see him over the summer, so when she goes to the airport to pick him up andContinue reading “Clap When You Land”

Hood Feminism

Greetings! Let me introduce to you my new favorite book on feminism. This book tackles mainstream/white feminism and points out the glaring inadequacies that specifically harm Black women and women of color. Ranging from topics like safe neighborhoods, health care, food insecurity, and access to quality education, Mikki Kendall hits you with the hard truth.Continue reading “Hood Feminism”