Excellence in Black FictionLike this list

15 items

• King of Ashes

  a Novel

  Cosby, S. A.,

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  S.A. Cosby returns with a much-anticipated Godfather-inspired Black Southern crime epic and dazzling family drama. The film rights were snatched up before the book was published, and it is soon going to be adapted into a movie for Netflix. Booklist…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• The Wilderness

  a Novel

  Flournoy, Angela,

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  Five women navigate careers, romance, politics, grief, and much more over the course of their 20-year friendship. Each chapter alternates perspectives, giving each character a unique voice. A beautiful and honest celebration of female friendship. …Read moreRead more of this annotation

• James

  a Novel

  Everett, Percival,

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  One of 2024’s most popular works of historical fiction, this book offers an ingenious counterpoint to "The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn" and tells the story from the point of view of the enslaved character Jim. Percival Everett's retelling is…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• Esperance

  Oyebanji, Adam,

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  This globetrotting Afrofuturist science fiction mystery poses challenging questions about guilt, vengeance, and what we inherit from our ancestors. Suggested by Andrew and Rummanah.

• Come and Get It

  a Novel

  Reid, Kiley,

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  Keen observations and social commentary drive this slow-burning and character-driven novel set in 2017, on the campus of the University of Arkansas. Kiley Reid brilliantly provides both heart-wrenching and laugh-out-loud moments. Suggested by Paul.

• Harlem Rhapsody

  Murray, Victoria Christopher,

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  Victoria Christopher Murray has written an engaging biographical novel about Jessie Redmon Fasset, an underappreciated yet pivotal figure in the Harlem Renaissance who served as the literary editor of the NAACP's flagship magazine, "The Crisis,"…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• Masquerade

  Sangoyomi, O. O.,

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  I loved this Persephone-inspired West African story of a woman's quest to forge her own path after being abducted from her home and forced to survive in a world of political rivalry. The world-building is lush and the plot is well executed. …Read moreRead more of this annotation

• History Lessons

  Wallbrook, Zoe B.,

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  Funny and thought-provoking. Daphne Overture is a fabulous heroine: perceptive, empathetic, and endlessly witty. What elevates this cozy mystery for us is the discussions of life as an academic, particularly from the perspective of a BIPOC professor…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• The Unexpected Diva

  a Novel

  Warren, Tiffany L.,

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  Tiffany Warren explores the life of Eliza Greenfield, a gifted, young Black woman during the decade before emancipation. The book highlights her extraordinary accomplishments and her determination and resilience to achieve her dream of being a…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• Losing Sight

  Richardson, Tati,

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  Sports reporter Tanika has lost her prime Thursday Night Football gig to a younger, less-qualified journalist due to her struggles with her vision and workplace ageism. She has been ignoring her vision issues for years, and after an accident nearly…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• This Cursed House

  Sandeen, Del,

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  Gemma travels from Chicago to New Orleans for the job of a lifetime. She doesn't know she was actually hired to break a family curse. As Gemma gets to know the prestigious and light-skinned Duchon family, she uncovers shocking secrets that go back…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• I Think They Love You

  Winters, Julian,

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  This delightful and steamy queer romance uses the fake-dating and second-chance romance tropes quite well. The book celebrates community, found family, and being true to yourself. Suggested by Rummanah.

• Harmattan Season

  a Novel

  Onyebuchi, Tochi,

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  Noir meets fantasy in Tochi Onyebuchi’s standalone novel. A chronically unlucky private eye gets roped into a simmering war in French-colonized West Africa after a woman shows up bleeding at his house, mysteriously vanishes, and then reappears…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• The Love Lyric

  Forest, Kristina,

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  We have really enjoyed the Greene Sisters series by Kristina Forest, and this book is no exception. We really appreciated how it focused more on the relationship between Angel and Iris rather than Iris juggling with Angel's popularity. Iris and…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• A Love Song for Ricki Wilde

  a Novel

  Williams, Tia, 1975-

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  Tia Williams delivers an unforgettable read in this genre-bending story that blends past and present-day Harlem. Ricki Wilde leaves her family for New York City and soon finds out that there’s more waiting for her than just her dream of opening up a…Read moreRead more of this annotation