It’s a new year, so it’s the perfect time to assemble your TBR (To Be Read) list. There’s nothing better than cozying up with a good novel to read. Oftentimes, books by black authors go unnoticed, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t some beautifully crafted black stories out there. This blog post will share some of the most entertaining books by black authors that you should add to your reading list.
Such a Fun Age
A Reese’s Book Club pick, Such a Fun Age by Kiley Reid, is a novel based upon what it’s like to be a black woman in America today. The story is about a rich, privileged white woman who hires a black babysitter. There’s an incident at the grocery store when the babysitter is racially profiled while babysitting, leading to a chain of events that changes the relationship between the sitter and employer. This book is highly recommended. Readers say it’s full of racism, classism, white privilege, and micro-aggressions.
Chaos Theory
Chaos Theory by Nic Stone is set to be released in February 2023. The book is about a girl who’s a high school senior with a past. She’s enrolled at a new school and hasn’t made any friends. She meets a boy with whom she connects because they share a traumatic past. Many readers are excited to dive into this novel by the New York Times best-selling author. Fans are excited to see if the story delivers, as it’s all about living with grief, prioritizing mental health, and finding love amid the chaos.
Ties That Tether
Ties That Tether by Jane Igharo is a romance novel about finding yourself while struggling to remain loyal to family and culture. The story is about a Nigerian woman who promised her dying father that she would marry a Nigerian man. After meeting and falling in love with a white man, she realized she could not honor her promise to her father. Because of this, she discovers who she really is, and her relationship with her family changes forever. This book will keep you entertained. You will laugh and even cry, but you will be glad you read it.
Sun Keep Rising
Sun Keep Rising by Kristen Lee is a novel about a young single mother trying to make it. The book, set to be released in January 2023, has fans of the Tennessee-based writer eager to read it. The story follows a young, new mom having trouble paying her bills. When her rent increases, she’s on the verge of losing her home. She thinks up a risky plan to get her out of her situation and can lose everything. If you enjoy reading about racial inequality and women defying the odds, you definitely want to add this book to your reading list.
Queenie
One of Time’s 100 Best Books, Queenie by Candice Carty-Williams, is a hilarious roller-coaster of a story. The book is about a young Jamaican woman named Queenie, who just got out of a long-term relationship with her white boyfriend. Queenie seeks comfort in all the wrong places, making for a wild story ride. Entertainment Weekly called the book a modern-day Bridget Jones Diary. This novel is entertaining and has much to say about black female identity, sexual politics, and emotional becoming.
So, which one of these books will you be adding to your reading list? Leave a comment below!
