Black In Lit

Your source for things black in literature.

[blackchildrensbooksandauthors]

📢August 2020 New YA Book Release

Now That I’ve Found You

Kristina Forest

Roaring Brook Press

Young Adult

August 25, 2020

Now That I’ve Found You is a YA novel about searching for answers, love, and your eccentric grandma in all the wrong places.

Following in the footsteps of her überfamous grandma, eighteen-year-old Evie Jones is poised to be Hollywood’s next big star. That is until a close friend’s betrayal leads to her being blacklisted …

Fortunately, Evie knows just the thing to save her floundering career: a public appearance with America’s most beloved actress―her grandma Gigi, aka the Evelyn Conaway. The only problem? Gigi is a recluse who’s been out of the limelight for almost twenty years. Days before Evie plans to present her grandma with an honorary award in front of Hollywood’s elite, Gigi does the unthinkable: she disappears.

Available Here👉🏿Our Stories Matter Bookshop

Find more children’s and young adult books by Black authors here

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[blackchildrensbooksandauthors]

📢August 2020 New Middle-Grade Book Release

🐝BEE FEARLESS: Dream Like a Kid

Mikaila Ulmer

G.P. Putnam’s Sons BYR

When Mikaila Ulmer was four, she was stung by a bee–twice in one week. She was terrified of going outside, so her parents encouraged her to learn more about bees so she wouldn’t be afraid. It worked. Mikaila didn’t just learn what an important role bees play in our ecosystem, but she also learned bees are endangered, and set out to save them. She started by selling cups of lemonade in front of her house and donating the small proceeds to organizations dedicated to bee conservation. When she realized the more lemonade she sold, the more bees she could help, Me & the Bees Lemonade was born.

Ages: 10 and up

Grades: 5 and up

Pages: 240

Available Here👉🏿Our Stories Matter Bookshop

Find more children’s and young adult books by Black authors here

<> Follow BCBA on Twitter | Instagram <> Subscribe to Our Newsletter <>

[blackgirlslit]

OUT NOW!!!

[curlyhairedbibliophile]

Book Haul | Graphic Novel Edition

Finally starting my graphic novel collection!

I had no idea the world would be at this position when I placed this order … but due to some order delays and the original package getting lost in the mail (🥺😤), this is when they finally reached me and honestly, the timing might have been perfect. I’ve had a hard time starting a book with everything going on and these arriving on my doorstep today might just be the thing to get me going again.🤞🏾

Keep reading

[curlyhairedbibliophile]

Cover Art | Felix Ever After by Kacen Callender

From Stonewall and Lambda Award–winning author Kacen Callender comes a revelatory YA novel about a transgender teen grappling with identity and self-discovery while falling in love for the first time.

Felix Love has never been in love—and, yes, he’s painfully aware of the irony. He desperately wants to know what it’s like and why it seems so easy for everyone but him to find someone. What’s worse is that, even though he is proud of his identity, Felix also secretly fears that he’s one marginalization too many—Black, queer, and transgender—to ever get his own happily-ever-after.

When an anonymous student begins sending him transphobic messages—after publicly posting Felix’s deadname alongside images of him before he transitioned—Felix comes up with a plan for revenge. What he didn’t count on: his catfish scenario landing him in a quasi–love triangle….

But as he navigates his complicated feelings, Felix begins a journey of questioning and self-discovery that helps redefine his most important relationship: how he feels about himself.

Felix Ever After is an honest and layered story about identity, falling in love, and recognizing the love you deserve.

Artwork by Alex Cabal

Release date | May 5, 2020 Goodreads

[blackchildrensbooksandauthors]

📢New July Middle-Grade Book Release

Something to Say

Lisa Moore Ramee

Balzer + Bray

July 14, 2020

Eleven-year-old Jenae doesn’t have any friends—and she’s just fine with that. She’s so good at being invisible in school, it’s almost like she has a superpower, like her idol, Astrid Dane. At home, Jenae has plenty of company, like her no-nonsense mama; her older brother, Malcolm, who is home from college after a basketball injury; and her beloved grandpa, Gee.

Then a new student shows up at school—a boy named Aubrey with fiery red hair and a smile that won’t quit. Jenae can’t figure out why he keeps popping up everywhere she goes. The more she tries to push him away, the more he seems determined to be her friend. Despite herself, Jenae starts getting used to having him around.

But when the two are paired up for a class debate about the proposed name change for their school, Jenae knows this new friendship has an expiration date. Aubrey is desperate to win and earn a coveted spot on the debate team.

There’s just one problem: Jenae would do almost anything to avoid speaking up in front of an audience—including risking the first real friendship she’s ever had.

Available for Pre-order👉🏿| Amazon | Bookshop | IndieBound

Find more children’s and young adult books by Black authors here

<> Follow BCBA on Twitter | Instagram <> Subscribe to Our Newsletter <>

[firstfullmoon]

saw this on twitter and i thought i’d share: thestorygraph is a non-amazon-owned alternative to goodreads funded by a black woman. you can export your goodreads library so no need to manually add every book you’ve read

[blackinliterature]

 Amari and the Night Brothers (Supernatural Investigations)

Amari Peters has never stopped believing her missing brother, Quinton, is alive. Not even when the police told her otherwise, or when she got in trouble for standing up to bullies who said he was gone for good.

So when she finds a ticking briefcase in his closet, containing a nomination for a summer tryout at the Bureau of Supernatural Affairs, she’s certain the secretive organization holds the key to locating Quinton—if only she can wrap her head around the idea of magicians, fairies, aliens, and other supernatural creatures all being real.

Now she must compete for a spot against kids who’ve known about magic their whole lives. No matter how hard she tries, Amari can’t seem to escape their intense doubt and scrutiny—especially once her supernaturally enhanced talent is deemed “illegal.” With an evil magician threatening the supernatural world, and her own classmates thinking she’s an enemy, Amari has never felt more alone. But if she doesn’t stick it out and pass the tryouts, she may never find out what happened to Quinton.

Out January 19, 2021. Available for pre-order now!

[blackinliterature]

A Deadly Inside Scoop (An Ice Cream Parlor Mystery #1)

Author: Abby Collette

Recent MBA grad Bronwyn Crewse has just taken over her family's ice cream shop in Chagrin Falls, Ohio, and she's going back to basics. Win is renovating Crewse Creamery to restore its former glory, and filling the menu with delicious, homemade ice cream flavors—many from her grandmother’s original recipes. But unexpected construction delays mean she misses the summer season, and the shop has a literal cold opening: the day she opens her doors an early first snow descends on the village and keeps the customers away. To make matters worse, that evening, Win finds a body in the snow, and it turns out the dead man was a grifter with an old feud with the Crewse family. Soon, Win’s father is implicated in his death. It's not easy to juggle a new-to-her business while solving a crime, but Win is determined to do it. With the help of her quirky best friends and her tight-knit family, she'll catch the ice cold killer before she has a meltdown...

Released: May 12, 2020

[blackinliterature]

July 2020 Book Releases

The Voting Booth —   Brandy Colbert (July 7th)  

Set over the course of a single day, this book revolves around teen activist Marva, who has a chance encounter with Duke after he's turned away from voting on election day. Together, Marva and Duke attempt to sort out Duke's registration issues, find Marva's cat, and land Duke a drumming gig, and though Marva has a boyfriend, she can't help but find herself attracted to her new friend.

Cinderella Is Dead — Kalynn Bayron  (July 7th)  

It's 200 years after Cinderella found her prince, but the fairy tale is over. Teen girls are now required to appear at the Annual Ball, where the men of the kingdom select wives based on a girl's display of finery. If a suitable match is not found, the girls not chosen are never heard from again. Sixteen-year-old Sophia would much rather marry Erin, her childhood best friend, than parade in front of suitors. At the ball, Sophia makes the desperate decision to flee, and finds herself hiding in Cinderella's mausoleum. There, she meets Constance, the last known descendant of Cinderella and her step sisters. Together they vow to bring down the king once and for all—and in the process, they learn that there's more to Cinderella's story than they ever knew . . .

Trouble the Saints —  Alaya Dawn Johnson (July 21st)  

Amidst the whir of city life, a girl from Harlem is drawn into the glittering underworld of Manhattan, where she’s hired to use her knives to strike fear amongst its most dangerous denizens. But the ghosts from her past are always by her side—and history has appeared on her doorstep to threaten the people she loves most. Can one woman ever sacrifice enough to save an entire community?

The Year of the Witching — Alexis Henderson  (July 21st) 

In the lands of Bethel, where the Prophet’s word is law, Immanuelle Moore’s very existence is blasphemy. Her mother’s union with an outsider of a different race cast her once-proud family into disgrace, so Immanuelle does her best to worship the Father, follow Holy Protocol, and lead a life of submission, devotion, and absolute conformity, like all the other women in the settlement. But a mishap lures her into the forbidden Darkwood surrounding Bethel, where the first prophet once chased and killed four powerful witches. Their spirits are still lurking there, and they bestow a gift on Immanuelle: the journal of her dead mother, who Immanuelle is shocked to learn once sought sanctuary in the wood. Fascinated by the secrets in the diary, Immanuelle finds herself struggling to understand how her mother could have consorted with the witches. But when she begins to learn grim truths about the Church and its history, she realizes the true threat to Bethel is its own darkness. And she starts to understand that if Bethel is to change, it must begin with her.

[honeyglazedbabe]

Talking about black books for ten minutes straight

[blackinliterature]

Solo

Author: Kwame Alexander

Blade never asked for a life of the rich and famous. In fact, he’d give anything not to be the son of Rutherford Morrison, a washed-up rock star and drug addict with delusions of a comeback. Or to no longer be part of a family known most for lost potential, failure, and tragedy. The one true light is his girlfriend, Chapel, but her parents have forbidden their relationship, assuming—like many—that Blade will become just like his father. In reality, the only thing Blade has in common with Rutherford is the music that lives inside them. But not even the songs that flow through Blade’s soul are enough when he’s faced with two unimaginable realities: the threat of losing Chapel forever, and the revelation of a long-held family secret, one that leaves him questioning everything he thought was true. All that remains is a letter and a ticket to Ghana—both of which could bring Blade the freedom and love he’s been searching for, or leave him feeling even more adrift.

Published: July 25, 2017

[richincolor]

Celebrating All Aspects of Black Life

Last week on Tor.com, L.L McKinney’s article “The Role Publishing Plays in the Commodification of Black Plan” talked about how books depicting Black pain are often sold more and that we need more novels depicting the different aspects of Black Life. While the “issue” books are important, they are just a small sample of what Black life is like. There is a wide range to our lived experiences and these stories need to be read as well. L. L. McKinney provided an excellent list and I was inspired to share some of my favorite novels about Black life. Click on the links to learn more about each book.  

Short story Collections

Black Enough: Stories of Being Young and Black in America, Editedby Ibi Zoboi

A Phoenix First Must Burn, Edited by Patrice Caldwell

Books on Friendship

When You Were Everything, by Ashley Woodfolk

Let Me Hear A Rhyme by Tiffany D. Jackson

The Field Guide to the North American Teenager by Ben Philippe

Sci-Fi/Fantasy Adventures

Dread Nation & Deathless Divide, by Justina Ireland

Akata Witch & Akata Warrior, by Nnedi Okorafor

Children of Blood and Bone by Tomi Adeyemi

Teens Changing the World

Slay, by Brittney Morris

Love is the Drug, by Alaya Dawn Johnson

Miles Morales: Spider-man by Jason Reynolds

Black Love

Full Disclosure, by Camryn Carrett

Pride, by Ibi Zoboi

Odd One Out, by Nic Stone

Felix Ever After by Kacen Callender

Teens Finding Themselves in the World

Little & Lion, by Brandy Colbert

Piecing Me Together, by Renee Watson

Dear Haiti, Love Alaine by Maika Moulite and Maritza Moulite

Not So Pure and Simple by Lamar Giles

Of course I’m sure there are books that I forgot to list, so please add more in the comments. In addition, there are many more books coming out and I can’t wait to read them all.

[weneeddiversebooks]

I was performing black girl magic necromancy, even before I knew what I was doing.

Yodassa Williams writes about losing Channelle, her cousin and best friend, and how books can keep the spirit of our loved ones alive.

(via weneeddiversebooks)

[blackinliterature]

The Wedding Party (The Wedding Date #3)

Author: Jasmine Guillory

Maddie and Theo have two things in common: 1. Alexa is their best friend 2. They hate each other After an “Oops, we made a mistake” kiss, neither one can stop thinking about the other. With Alexa’s wedding rapidly approaching, Maddie and Theo both share bridal party responsibilities that require more interaction with each other than they’re comfortable with. Underneath the sharp barbs they toss at each other is a simmering attraction that won’t fade. It builds until they find themselves sneaking off together to release some tension when Alexa isn’t looking. But as with any engagement with a nemesis, there are unspoken rules that must be abided by. First and foremost, don’t fall in love.

Released: July 16, 2019

[curlyhairedbibliophile]

Cover Art | A Song Below Water by Bethany C. Morrow

The Originals meets Nic Stone’s Dear Martin in Bethany C. Morrow’s debut YA, A Song Below Water, about two sister-friends discovering their magical identities against the challenges of misogynoir.

​Tavia is already at odds with the world, forced to keep her siren identity under wraps in a society that wants to keep her kind under lock and key. Nevermind she’s also stuck in Portland, Oregon, a city with only a handful of black folk and even fewer of those with magical powers. At least she has her bestie Effie by her side as they tackle high school drama, family secrets, and unrequited crushes.

​But everything changes in the aftermath of a siren murder trial that rocks the nation; the girls’ favorite Internet fashion icon reveals she’s also a siren, and the news rips through their community. Tensions escalate when Effie starts being haunted by demons from her past, and Tavia accidentally lets out her magical voice during a police stop. No secret seems safe anymore―soon Portland won’t be either.

Artwork by Alex Cabal

Release date | Jun 2, 2020 Goodreads

[blackinliterature]

I Wanna Be Where You Are

Author: Kristina Forest

When Chloe Pierce’s mom forbids her to apply for a spot at the dance conservatory of her dreams, she devises a secret plan to drive two hundred miles to the nearest audition. But Chloe hits her first speed bump when her annoying neighbor Eli insists upon hitching a ride, threatening to tell Chloe’s mom if she leaves him and his smelly dog, Geezer, behind. So now Chloe’s chasing her ballet dreams down the east coast—two unwanted (but kinda cute) passengers in her car, butterflies in her stomach, and a really dope playlist on repeat.

Released: June 4, 2019

[curlyhairedbibliophile]

Cover Art | Cinderella is Dead by Kalynn Bayron

It’s 200 years after Cinderella found her prince, but the fairy tale is over. Teen girls are now required to appear at the Annual Ball, where the men of the kingdom select wives based on a girl’s display of finery. If a suitable match is not found, the girls not chosen are never heard from again.

Sixteen-year-old Sophia would much rather marry Erin, her childhood best friend, than parade in front of suitors. At the ball, Sophia makes the desperate decision to flee, and finds herself hiding in Cinderella’s mausoleum. There, she meets Constance, the last known descendant of Cinderella and her step sisters. Together they vow to bring down the king once and for all–and in the process, they learn that there’s more to Cinderella’s story than they ever knew …

Artwork by Manzi Jackson

Release date | Jul 7, 2020 Goodreads