Hi everyone! I’ve finally found some time to write again, so in the next week or so I should be catching up with all my favorite books of the month (for May and June) and my ARC reviews (which will be a bit more frequent now, explanation coming soon). Hopefully I’ll be able to be a bit more consistent, but there’s still a lot of uncertainty, both in my personal life and in the world in general. I want to start this post off by saying I continue to be, and will forever be, in support of the Black Lives Matter movement, which is still a prevalent issue no matter how the news coverage may have shifted. At the beginning of every blog post from now until significant change is seen, I’ll be including a link to resources, compiled by YouTuber StarlahReads, so if you are able to contribute in any way, please click here. Thank you for reading.
I fell back into the steady rhythm of reading at the beginning of 2019, after I graduated from college, passed my licensing exam, and started my new job. I was watching booktube consistently, always reading recommendations, and picking up anything I could get my hands on. Towards the middle of the year, I wanted to reflect on what I’d read the past few months, and I realized I had not picked up a single book by a POC author. Not one. I was also trying so hard to read everyone else’s favorites that I wasn’t focusing on what I loved. From that moment on I vowed to be more conscious of the books I read, and sure, even today I still read predominantly white authors, but I read as diversely as I can, uplift POC authors and their books, and continue to be mindful of the books I promote. People have made lists of their favorite books by Black authors since the Black Lives Matter movement surged a few months ago, and I wanted to take the time to talk about some great books I’ve loved, and ones I’m looking forward to. Maybe I’ll make this a series, do a post like this every few months, but even if I don’t this is still an important standalone piece. So here are three books from Black authors I’ve loved, and three that I’m so excited to pick up in the future:
#1 Read – Allegedly by Tiffany D. Jackson (published January 24th, 2017)
Mary B. Addison killed a baby. Well, allegedly. As a nine-year-old black child facing accusations of killing a white infant, she didn’t speak much at her police interview, and it didn’t take much for her to be charged with the murder and for media to plaster the story all over the news. Now, six years later and in a group home, there’s a major reason for her to revisit the case and try to learn the truth – the fate of her own unborn child depends on it. But in order to uncover the facts about what really happened that night, she has to face the one person she distrusts the most – her mother. This book. This book had me reeling from the very beginning. My distrust of all the characters made me distrust myself and the theories I had concocted with the evidence I’d been presented. And by the time I reached the ending I was too stunned to even comprehend what it meant. I did not pick this book up on my own – my local library was hosting a “blind date with a book” promotion this past Valentine’s Day. The blurb for this book that caught my eye was: A dark, suspenseful exploration of justice and perception. Gritty and realistic content. Young adult fiction that may appeal to an older audience. Allegedly certainly delivered on everything I was promised. If you’re interested in giving it a read, check it out on Goodreads and visit Tiffany D. Jackson’s website to see what else she has to offer.
#2 Read – How to Be Remy Cameron by Julian Winters (published September 10th, 2019)
Everyone knows Remy Cameron. Well, at least they’ve assigned him labels in their minds to make him easier to understand. Gay, Adopted. Black. Good student. Outgoing. After his English teacher assigns an essay asking her students to describe themselves, it gives Remy the chance to dig past all the labels and stereotypes and figure out who he is, and who he wants to be. This was such a delightful read that packed a punch when it needed to. It’s a story that explores many aspects of a high school teenager’s journey to discovering his place in the world – being openly gay and crushing on a guy who may still be in the closet, grappling with adoption issues even though it’s been years and his family is nothing but supportive, having to hide secrets from those he holds dear because he doesn’t want to be a bother, but struggling to handle them on his own, and trying to write a paper about who he truly is as a person and not having a clue where to start – that’s just scratching the surface. It’s able to tackle a myriad of topics, and discuss them well, in less than 300 pages, which is incredible. I’ve read almost all of Julian Winters’ books and recommend them, so if they interest you at all check out How to Be Remy Cameron on Goodreads and visit his website to see more.
#3 Read – Long Way Down by Jason Reynolds (published October 24th, 2017)
Fifteen-year-old Will’s brother, Shawn, has just been murdered. Will knows who did it. Will cannot sleep until the person responsible has paid the price. So he shoves his brother’s gun into the waistband of his pants and takes the elevator down to the lobby of his building. The elevator stops at every floor, and each time the sliding doors open someone from Will’s past is just behind them. Will he give them a listen? And will his mindset be changed by the time he reaches the first floor? This was the first book I ever read that was written in verse, and although the lines are short, sharp, and staccato, they pack a punch and leave you reeling after every page. According to my Kindle, the only phrase I have highlighted is, “People always love people more when they’re dead,” which in and of itself is a pretty impactful line, and I’m sure I would’ve had more if I wasn’t so engrossed in the story and what would happen next. Since then I have read several more novels in verse (primarily ones from Afro-Dominican author Elizabeth Acevedo), and I am incredibly grateful Long Way Down paved the way for me to expand my reading tastes. If this piqued your interest at all, check out the book on Goodreads and visit Jason Reynolds’ website to see what else he’s written.
#1 To Read – Cinderella is Dead by Kalynn Bayron (published July 7th, 2020)
Two hundred years after Cinderella found her prince and lived happily ever after, teenage girls are expected to attend the Annual Ball in order to be selected as wives for the men of the kingdom. After three balls, if a girl isn’t chosen as a bride, she is never heard from again. Sixteen-year-old Sophia doesn’t want to give in to this idea of the Annual Ball. She’d much rather choose her best friend, Erin, to be with forever. After the decision to flee, Sophia meets Constance, the last living descendent of Cinderella, and the two team up to take down the king once and for all. I have been interested in this book as soon as the cover was revealed – it’s stunning, how could you not be intrigued? A YA fantasy debut that’s a loose Cinderella retelling and LGBTQ+? Ticks off a lot of my boxes. My copy should be on its way to me when this is posted, or soon after, so I can’t wait to pick this up and see what I think! Check it out on Goodreads, and author Kalynn Bayron’s site to keep up with what she releases next.
#2 To Read – Now That I’ve Found You by Kristina Forest (published August 25th, 2020)
Eighteen-year-old Evie Jones has been dreaming about following her famous grandmother, Gigi’s (also known as Evelyn Conway) footsteps and being Hollywood’s next big star for as long as she can remember. And she’s on her way to do just that… until a close friend’s betrayal puts her name on the blacklist. The only way to save her reputation is to make a public appearance with her grandmother, who’s been out of the public eye for almost twenty years, but a few days before that can happen, Gigi disappears. Evie enlists the help of musician Milo Williams, the last person to see Gigi before she vanished, and while the two conduct a wild manhunt around New York City, Evie makes some important discoveries about her grandmother, and maybe, just maybe, about herself as well. I’ve been wanting to try out this author’s books for a while, and this one definitely seems right up my alley. I’ve preordered a copy, and August can’t come soon enough. Check out Now That I’ve Found You on Goodreads and Kristina Forest’s website to find something that suits your fancy.
#3 To Read – The Good Luck Girls by Charlotte Nicole Davis (published October 1st, 2019)
The protector. The favorite. The medic. The fighter. The catalyst. Together, the make up the Good Luck Girls. Sold to a welcome house as children, the group seems trapped in a life that none of them would have chosen. But when one accidentally murders a man, the girls dangerously escape and head out in search of freedom, justice, and revenge in a country that provides them anything but. All they know is – it’s going to take more than luck for them to survive. I received this book as a part of an Unplugged Advent calendar promotion in December 2019 (which is a great book subscription company, I highly recommend checking it out) and I have been intrigued ever since. It’s giving me historical fantasy vibes, which isn’t a genre I typically gravitate towards, but I always find myself lingering over this book on my shelf. Since this is also going to be a series, I’m incredibly interested to see the journey this book takes. If the synopsis grabs your attention, check out The Good Luck Girls on Goodreads or check out Charlotte Nicole Davis’ website to keep up with what they’re doing.
And there you have it – three books I’ve read and three books I want to read by Black authors. There are actually tons more I want to read, but I didn’t want to make this list too long. If you want to check out any of these books, be sure to click the link I’ve included, visit the authors’ sites, and diversify your reading.
Allegedly cover 
How to Be Remy Cameron Cover 
Long Way Down COver 
Cinderella is Dead Cover 
Now That I’ve Found You cover 
The Good Luck Girls Cover
Cover art credits (from left to right in gallery above)
Allegedly: Photography direction by Erin Fitzsimmons
How to Be Remy Cameron: Cover illustration and book design by CB Messer
Long Way Down: Jacket photographs by Getty images
Cinderella is Dead: Jacket design by Danielle Ceccolini, illustration by Manzi Jackson
Now That I’ve Found You: Jacket design by Cassie Gonzales, illustration by Kat Goodloe
The Good Luck Girls: Jacket photograph by Jonathan Barkat
Thoughts About Things 