If you’re looking for a thrilling, tear jerking, or dramatic read for the summer, look no further. These 10 talented Black authors take you on a journey with their vivid characters and intriguing plots. In no particular order, here are 10 books you can’t miss (according to me).
1: The American Queen by Vanessa Miller
The American Queen is a fictional retelling of the life of Louella Montgomery, who was queen of Happy Land, a settlement for freed slaves after the Civil War. You’ll be inspired by its Christian themes of faith and relatable characters.
2: Brooklyn by Tracy Brown
This book explores the life of an ambitious young woman named Brooklyn as she deals with family drama and tries to find a place to belong. While falling in and out of love, struggling with being accepted by her family, and venturing into a life of crime, self-centered Brooklyn learns that some people don’t forgive and forget.
3: By the Book by Jasmine Guillory
Guillory writes a swoon worthy retelling of Beauty and the Beast featuring a sweet natured editorial assistant named Isabelle and a mean, reclusive celebrity named Beau Towers.
When Isabelle volunteers to help Beau write his memoir, she unexpectedly moves in with him and realizes that he’s not so beastly after all, and maybe there could be something more than friendship between them. It’ll make you laugh, cry, and fall back in love with the classic fairytale!
4: Take My Hand by Dolen Perkins-Valdez
Get transported to 1970s Montgomery, Alabama as nurse Civil Townsend fights for justice after two young girls under her care are sterilized against their will. Heart-wrenching and empowering, you’ll come away with new knowledge of the Black community and a new sense of justice.
5: My Sister, The Serial Killer by Oyinkan Braithwaite
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What would you do if your sister just killed her third boyfriend in self-defense? What if you can’t be sure it really was self-defense? Korede knows exactly what that’s like. Nurse by day and crime scene cleaner for Ayoola by night, follow Korede as she tries to keep her sister from killing anyone else.
Backed into a corner when Ayoola begins dating the doctor her sister is hopelessly in love with, Korede has to ask herself how far she’s willing to go for her blood.
6: Night Wherever We Go by Tracey Rose Peyton
Another historical fiction read for the win. In this book, six enslaved women take matters into their own hands when they’re forced by their cruel master to have babies. They rely on herbal remedies and their own courage to get control over their lives, even if it means risking them.
7: Don’t Cry for Me by Daniel Black
Relatable and beautifully written, Don’t Cry for Me is about a Black man’s life and his broken relationship with his gay son. Jacob Swinton is dying, and before he leaves his son behind, he writes their story. He reckons with his patriarchal ideas, new feelings, and tries to understand where he went wrong.
8: Monday’s Not Coming by Tiffany D. Jackson
Tiffany D. Jackson is the queen of teen fiction. Monday’s Not Coming tells the story of Claudia and the search for her missing best friend Monday. It touches on family dynamics, adolescent issues, and loss. Jackson and her book are in a league of their own.
9: Sister Friends Forever by Kimberla Lawson Roby
Who doesn’t love a good novel about friendship, romance, and drama? Four best friends navigate all of these in Sister Friends Forever. Roby treats her readers to realistic characters and situations that will hold your interest until the last page.
10: Read this book! The House of Eve by Sadeqa Johnson
It’s the 1950s. Eleanor goes to college in D.C. and finds love with William, the only son of a very wealthy couple. Ruby lives in Philadelphia, dealing with a mother who hates her and an unexpected pregnancy that threatens to ruin her bright future.
Johnson weaves their stories together and puts you in each young woman’s shoes as they make the most difficult decision of their lives.
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