Some of the best books I've ever read have been by Black authors - and they don't always the recognition they deserve. So, what better time to diversify your reading list than Black History Month? There are so many different books to choose from - if romances are your thing, Amber Rose Gill from Love Island has got your back, and if you prefer non-fic then Candice Brathwaite is your woman to watch.
These 12 books have taught me something - they left me with more knowledge than I entered them with and they've stayed in my mind to this day, so they're definitely worth a read. So whether you binge them throughout October, or read them throughout the next year - I can promise you won't regret it.
Candice Brathwaite - Sista, Sister
Kicking off with some non-fiction, not only does Candice's wardrobe spark the most joy (and slight envy!) on my Instagram feed, but her writing skills are even more glorious and informative and all her books are must-reads. I was introduced to her career via social media, and when she wrote her first book 'I Am Not Your Baby Mother', and I knew that Sista, Sister would need to be immediately devoured if it was anything like the first. IANYBM was a deep dive into her experience of being Black and pregnant - and her post-birth experience..
Sista Sister is a compilation of essays about all the things Candice wishes someone had talked to her about when she was a young Black girl growing up in London. From family and money to Black hair and fashion, as well as sex and friendships between people of different races, it gives a lot of food for thought.
I've said it before, and I'll say it again - Candice is a wordsmith of this generation. Her tone is straight-talking, warm and funny, and I'll always have her books on pre-order.
Bolu Babalola - Honey & Spice
I could not put this book down - fake dating is one of my favourite tropes, and this book dealt with it in the perfect way. Kiki Banjo is one of my favourite protagonists of 2022 - she's the host of popular student radio show 'Brown Sugar', and she's made it her mission to ensure the women of the African-Caribbean Society at Whitewell University do not fall into the mess of 'situationships', players, and heartbreak.
But when she's caught being a hypocrite by kissing Malakai Korede, the guy she just publicly denounced as 'The Wasteman of Whitewell', she finds her show on the brink of collapse - but she needs it to succeed.
So, to counter this, she and Malakai end up in a fake relationship to try and salvage their futures - and their campus reputations. Kiki does not stand for any rubbish, and she's never given her heart to a boy before, and she's determined that Malakai won't be the one to change that - despite the fact their connection feels electric.
But surprisingly entertaining study sessions and intimate, late-night talks at old-fashioned diners force Kiki to look beyond her own presumptions, helping her to open her mind to other possibilities.
Amber Rose Gill - Until I Met You
If you're going on holiday then this should = this be one of the books you take with you! It's gloriously easy to read and will make even the most stony-hearted people feel all warm and fuzzy inside.
The book is centered on Samantha, who is a budding travel writer and is on the way to her best friend's wedding in Tobago. Sadly for her though, she's found herself newly single - she was expecting a proposal, not a dumping, but it just wasn't meant to be for her. She then meets possibly the rudest, most unhelpful man on the island.
His name is Roman, and he's decided to ditch his corporate role in New York to move to sunnier climes in Tobago. The last thing he needed was a distraction, especially a free-spirited travel blogger, but there's something about Samantha that inspired a protective instinct in him.
The pair spend more time together under the tropical sun, and lines between friendship and romance begin to become blurry, until secrets become known and put everything at risk - and it takes every inch of Samantha’s strength to fight for what she truly wants.
Akwaeke Emezi - You Made a Fool of Death with your Beauty
Not only is the cover stunning, but the book is simply breathtaking. It made me gasp, beam from ear to ear, well up, feel stressed - the whole range of emotions were felt whilst reading this masterpiece. It was a genuine joy to read. Feyi Adekola is such a selfish main character, but selfish doesn't have to be a bad word by any means - she just wants to learn how to be alive again for herself after losing the love of her life in a horrific accident.
Feyi is an artist with her own studio and is sharing an apartment with her ride-or-die bestie Joe who is trying to convince her to get back on the dating scene. Feyi isn't too keen on anything serious, but a steamy chance encounter at a rooftop party cascades into a whirlwind summer she could have never imagined: a luxury trip to a tropical island, decadent meals in the glamorous home of a celebrity chef, and a major curator who wants to launch her art career. Feyi is living the dream.
She’s even started dating the perfect guy, but their new relationship might be sabotaged before it has a chance by the dangerous thrill Feyi feels every time she locks eyes with the one person in the house who is most definitely off-limits. This new life she asked for just got a lot more complicated, and Feyi must begin her search for real answers.
Akwaeke Emezi’s writing is vivid and passionate, and it takes readers deep into a world of possibility and healing, and the constant bravery of choosing love against all odds.
Christina Hammonds Reed - The Black Kids
This book was truly unforgettable - a coming-of-age debut novel that is an unflinching exploration of race, class, and violence as well as the importance of being true to yourself. Set in 1992, Ashley Bennett and her friends are living the charmed life. It’s the end of high school and they’re spending more time at the beach than in the classroom. They can already feel the sunny days and endless possibilities of summer.
But everything changes one afternoon in April, when four police officers are acquitted after beating a Black man named Rodney King half to death. Suddenly, Ashley’s not just one of the girls. She’s seen as one of the Black kids.
As violent protests engulf LA and the city burns, Ashley tries to continue on as if life were normal - which it definitely isn't as her self-destructive sister gets dangerously involved in the riots. It gets worse as the model Black family façade her wealthy and prominent parents have built starts to crumble and her best friends help spread a rumour that could derail the future of her classmate LaShawn Johnson.
This book is a mega interesting deep dive into race and class especially - and is obviously based on a true story - the book gave me chills but in the best way, and it held incredibly special importance following the police's brutal murder of George Floyd.
Stephanie Yeboah - Fattily Ever After
"The truth is, body positivity is for white women. White female bodies being safe is paramount to maintaining white supremacy." - Stephanie Yeboah, 2017
Stephanie Yeboah is one of my favourite Instagrammers, so when she brought out a book discussing fatness and how Blackness fits into that, it was an instant buy for me. Stephanie has experienced racism and fatphobia throughout her life.
From being bullied at school to being objectified and humiliated in her dating life, Stephanie speaks openly and courageously about her own experience of navigating life as a Black, plus-sized woman – telling it how it really is – and how she has managed to find self-acceptance in a world where judgment and discrimination are almost unavoidable.
She speaks about daily misogynoir and being fetishised, to navigating online dating and her vile experiences, as well as loneliness. Stephanie also shares her thoughts on the treatment of Black women throughout history, the marginalisation of Black, plus-sized women in the media (even within the body-positivity movement) while drawing on wisdom from other Black fat liberation champions along the way.
The book is beautifully illustrated, beautifully presented and it is essential reading for not only Black, plus-sized women, but for anyone who wants to understand a snippet of life from a different perspective.
Talia Hibbert - Take A Hint, Dani Brown
Dani Brown's personality is somewhat like mine, so I just clicked with this book instantly. The second book in the Brown sister's trilogy (trust me, read Chloe Brown first, Danika is just my fave) it brings fun, fake dating (ahh!) some serious flirtation, romance, and some of the best characters...ever! Dani is headstrong - she knows she wants academic success and casual relationships, but all these things change after a workplace fire drill goes wrong.
When brooding security guard Zafir Ansari 'rescues' Dani from the fire drill, it’s an obvious sign: PhD student Dani and ex-rugby player Zaf are destined to have a casual fling. But before she can explain that fact, a video of the rescue goes viral, and people have created a hashtag about the pair - #DrRugbae. When Zaf begs Dani to play along because of his sports charity for kids, she can't refuse.
Dani's plan is seemingly simple - she wants to fake a relationship in public, but try to keep things casual behind the scenes. But there's one problem - Zaf is actually a hopeless romantic and he's determined to corrupt Dani's stone-cold exterior. I couldn't put this book down, and Eve Brown - the third in the series - is equally as fabulous too!
Kalynn Bayron - This Poison Heart
This contemporary fantasy is so gripping, and focuses on the main character Briseis who has unusual powers when it comes to plants and flowers. Bri slowly learns to control her gift when she's left a dilapidated estate in rural New York from her auntie and Bri and her parents leave Brooklyn behind for the summer. But the home is spooky and sinister in ways the trio could never have imagined.
The property comes with a specific set of instructions, an old-school apothecary, and a walled garden filled with the deadliest botanicals in the world that can only be entered by those who share Bri's unique family lineage. And it gets even creepier when strangers start to arrive on their doorstep asking for elixirs.
There is more to Bri's sudden inheritance than she could have imagined, and she is determined to uncover it, until a group comes after her in search of a rare and dangerous immortality elixir. Up against a centuries-old curse and the deadliest plant on earth, Bri must harness her gift to protect herself and her family. This is another book I read in a couple of hours because I was so hooked.
Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé - Ace of Spades
This book is chilling and informative in the best way - it'll have you hooked from page one - as it's a thriller with a shocking twist that delves deep into the heart of institutionalised racism.
Money paves the hallways at Niveus Private Academy, and students are never less than perfect..until an anonymous texter known as Aces starts bringing two students' dark secrets to light.
Talented musician Devon buries himself in rehearsals, but he can't escape the spotlight when his private photos go public. Head girl Chiamaka isn't afraid to get what she wants, but soon everyone will know the price she has paid for the power she holds.
Someone is out to get them both and it's someone who holds all the aces - and they're planning much more than a high-school game.
Candice Carty-Williams - Empress and Aniya
From the author of the incredible, and frankly iconic, 'Queenie', Empress & Aniya is perfect for younger readers, but I also loved it thanks to the major 'Freaky Friday' vibes it was giving. I devoured it in less than an hour thanks to Carty-Williams' fast-paced writing and the content of it too was impeccable - and eye-opening for younger readers who may be looking to diversify their reading list to include more Black protagonists.
So, when Empress starts at Aniya's school, they're not exactly best friends. But, when the two teenage girls accidentally cast a spell on their 16th birthday and end up switching bodies, they quickly learn that friendship is the most important magic of all.
It's been described as 'South London's answer to Freaky Friday', and Empress and Aniya is a moving portrayal of the importance of real friendship and the ups and downs of being a teenager.
Tiffany D. Jackson - Grown
This was my first Tiffany D. Jackson book, and certainly not my last. This unputdownable novel follows Enchanted Jones, who thinks all her dreams are about to come true - but she couldn't be more wrong. It's a ripped-from-the-headlines mystery that exposes horrific secrets hiding behind the limelight and embraces the power of a young Black woman's voice.
When legendary R&B artist Korey Fields spots Enchanted at an audition, her dreams of being a famous singer take flight. Until Enchanted wakes up with blood on her hands and absolutely zero memory of the previous night.
Who killed Korey Fields? Before there was a dead body, Enchanted’s dreams had turned into a nightmare, because behind Korey’s charm and star power was a controlling dark side. Now he’s dead, the police are at the door, and all signs point to Enchanted...
Afua Hirsch - Brit(ish)
Afua Hirsch's incredible non-fiction book is more than food for thought - it's stayed with me until this day, and I think it will forever. She asks important questions: "You’re British. Your parents are British. Your partner, your children, and most of your friends are British. So why do people keep asking where you’re from?"
It's an urgent call for change which is split into sections that explore the origins of racism, how non-white bodies are seen, heritage, class, and what it means to not be white in British society today.
It is detailed and personal, but objective at the same time and it's personal - but by no means is it an easy read. No matter who you are, it'll have you asking questions about yourself and your beliefs, but it can change you for the better. A truly astounding, astute book.
These books have all been independently reviewed - no compensation has been received for positive reviews.
