It’s February, and Black History Month is here! If you’re looking to expand your reading list, here are some incredible books by Black authors that I’ve personally read.
- Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston
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Despite having to read this book for my high school English class, it’s actually one of my favorite literary pieces. Their Eyes Were Watching God is an unorthodox love story in which the main character finds her independence. The movie is equally stunning and possibly one of the best movie adaptations I’ve seen. Starring Halle Berry (X-Men, Boomerang) and produced by Oprah Winfrey and Quincy Jones, the film snagged Emmy, Golden Globe, and BET Award nominations.Â
- Everything, Everything by Nicola Yoon
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I’ve read this book a couple of times, and it’s amazing. About a girl with an extremely rare medical condition that prevents her from going outside who falls in love with her new next-door neighbor, this book is a beautiful testament to young love with a devastating twist that will leave you stunned. While the movie featuring Nick Robinson (Love, Simon; Jurassic World) and Amandla Stenberg (The Hunger Games, The Hate U Give) is excellent, the book is a must-read for Young Adult/Romance lovers.
- Â Bad Feminist by Roxanne Gay
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If you’re more into nonfiction work, Bad Feminist is the way to go. While sharing her personal and sometimes painful experiences navigating life in predominantly white male spaces as a first-generation, queer, Black woman, Gay defines what it means to be a feminist while ensuring that it’s okay to not live up to the expectations of the perfect feminist. The New York Times best-selling essay collection reveals what it means to navigate feminism intersectionally on an interpersonal level, and it is one that any feminist should add to their list.
- Legendborn by Tracy Deon
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While this book is pretty new, the buzz it’s been getting is well-deserved. Still reeling from the loss of her mother, a Black teenage girl discovers magic and a secret, Arthurian-like society at a predominantly white college while attending a summer program there. The LGBTQ representation is a plus and certainly makes the love triangle more interesting between the three main characters. If you’re left wanting more after finishing this book, don’t worry; it’s a series, and the speculated release date of the sequel is the end of this year.
- The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas
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I think we’ve all heard of this book by now, and if you still haven’t read it, I’m not sure what you’re waiting for. A powerful commentary on police brutality, resilience, and blackness in a white world, the book is an extension of Thomas’s short story written in the aftermath of the Oscar Grant Fruitvale Station shooting. Another book with a fantastic movie adaptation, the movie is one of very few to have ever made me cry. If you’ve already read this book, Angie Thomas also has some more recent works, including Concrete Rose, released in January.
If you’re an avid reader looking to support Black authors, this list is a great place to start! Happy reading.
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