Tag Archives: black authors

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Black Fantasy Authors I Love

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I forgot to post this and one more during Black History Month, but I know we all read Black authors all year long!

Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links, meaning I get a commission if you decide to make a purchase through my links, at no cost to you.

This post feels a little silly because my favorites are all extremely popular and well known titles…but if you’re a fantasy reader and you haven’t read them yet, consider this your sign!! This is absolutely not an exhaustive list, but are just some of my most favorites. And of course, these are amazing books to read all year long! 

🖋 = received an arc or pub gift, review on goodreads

The Legendborn Quartet by Tracy Deon – These were two of my absolute favorite books in 2022, and I cannot wait for the next book to come out next year! (🖋 Bloodmarked) 

The Broken Earth Trilogy by N. K. Jemisin – You’re not going to know what’s going on for most of the first book, but it’s absolutely worth the ride. 

Parable of the Sower & Parable of the Talents by Octavia E. Butler – Of all the dystopians I’ve read, this one seems the most likely to come true and the most terrifying. I probably need to reread it. 

Even More Fantasy: Each of these 4 books have some stand out elements that I enjoyed.
Wildblood 🖋 – set in Jamaica, sentient forest
A Song of Wraiths and Ruin 🖋 – amazing cast of characters & romance (YA) 
Dread Nation – elite female zombie fighters
Crowned 🖋 – Folk & Fairy tales – gorgeous photography & storytelling 

My top TBR: Faebound, Skin of the Sea, & The Gilded Ones

QotD: Do you mostly read new releases or backlist books? 

I think about half of my reads are published within the past year, and half are older. Lately I’ve been wondering what I’m doing when I post a review of a book that was written in like…2002…but it’s still fun to get my thoughts down!

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Nonfiction by Black Authors

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Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links, meaning I get a commission if you decide to make a purchase through my links, at no cost to you.

Once upon a time, I thought I lived in a country that had solved a lot of problems and had created equality for everyone. Unfortunately, that’s still a goal that we’re working towards, and these are some of the books that helped me wrap around what we’ve learned and how far we have to go. 

[Education] Punished for Dreaming

I am not an expert by any means, but I do feel like I know a lot more than I did a decade ago thanks to these amazing authors. If you are also looking for more information about Black History in America and current policies that affect equality today. 

[Women’s History] Wake: The Hidden History of Women-Led Slave Revolts (graphic novel)

A note: I haven’t been reading many heavy or difficult books in the past year and a half while I’ve been dealing with Long Covid, so you may have seen these books before, since only two were new for 2023!

[Anti-racism] So You Want to Talk About Race & How to Be an Antiracist

[Instersectionality] Sister Outsider

[Current-ish Events) We Were Eight Years in Power

[My TBR] Hood Feminism, Stamped from the Beginning, Caste

QotD: (pick one or answer all!)
Am I missing a favorite of yours? 
Are you reading anything special in honor of Black History Month?
Which book cover that I shared is your favorite? 

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Black Romance Author Feature

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Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links, meaning I get a commission if you decide to make a purchase through my links, at no cost to you.

The post is a friendly reminder for me and anyone else who needs it that Black History Month does not have be focused on Black pain, but can (and should) celebrate Black joy and Black accomplishments!

Last year when the #23for23 challenge began, I learned that while BIPOC authors are underrepresented in publishing generally, the romance genre is especially underrepresented. Across all genres, just 11% of traditionally published books in 2018 were written by BIPOC authors. However, romance novels only had 7.8% written by BIPOC authors (2021). Since 2021, there have been 0 Black romance authors on the NYT print and e-book bestseller lists. 

My goal this year is to read at least 4 romances by BIPOC authors each month, with at least one being a book published this year! I would love to get more recommendations so I can continue to build my tbr!!

Talia Hibbert’s The Brown Sisters are some of my all time favorite romcoms. I would start at the beginning, because I feel like you get to know the whole family unit and that just builds your enjoyment of each book. So, start with Get a Life, Chloe Brown!

Rebel was my first book that I read by Beverly Jenkins, and I can’t wait to read more of her backlist! If you like historical romance, she is an absolute must read.

I usually stick to less emotional romances, but when you want to have your heart cracked wide open in the best of ways, Kennedy Ryan is the writer for you. Before I Let Go might be the most optimistically heartbreaking book I have read. Her backlist is also on my TBR!

I am enough of a sap that The Wedding Date made me cry with joy. Twice. I’ve only read two of the books in this series so far, but I look forward to reading more!

This is my current backlist TBR – I think Pride and Protest will be up first because I just got the sequel sent to me from Berkley Romance.

These are my top 2024 releases. Do you have any recommendations for me to add to my backlist or 2024 release TBRs? I’d love to hear about them!