Let’s face it: winter quarter has been BUSY. There’s hardly enough time to get everything done, much less search for new book recs. With February being Black History Month, there’s no better time to read incredible books from black authors. That being said, Booktok is not the greatest at promoting books written by people of color, so finding good recs isn’t always easy. Here’s a list of 4 books by black authors that you can hopefully add to your TBR!
- Song of Solomon by toni Morrison
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Anyone who’s read a Toni Morrison book can probably agree with me that she is a genius and her work is seriously life-changing. From the beautifully written magical realism to the heartbreakingly real characters, this book is full of rich details that make it easy to read over and over again and find something new each time.
- Highly Suspicious and Unfairly Cute by Talia Hibbert
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Talia Hibbert is no stranger to writing phenomenal rom-coms, and this super cute YA novel she released last year is no exception. The dialogue is hilarious and I am truly a sucker for any storyline that includes childhood besties to rivals to… maybe even lovers?
- Legendborn by Tracy Deonn
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Another phenomenal YA novel, you may have actually seen this one on Booktok! Legendborn is (rightfully) being called one of the best YA fantasies to be released within the last few years — on my FYP, at least — and I’m inclined to agree. It’s also the first in a trilogy, with book three set to come out early next year!
- Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston
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Okay, this is a bit of a shift in tone from the last couple of recommendations, but I promise it is just as brilliant. I read this book in AP Lit during my senior year of high school and was immediately struck by how well-written it was, especially in its portrayal of an incredibly strong, complex female character that you can’t help but root for.
No matter what your preferred genre is, hopefully you can find a book from this list that feels impossible to put down! It’s important to remember that we should celebrate black authors, not just in February, but every month of the year. You should definitely check out these authors’ other works when you get the chance. Happy reading!