Hi everyone! I hope you’re staying safe and healthy! I’m snacking on a slice of mediocre banana bread while I write this, which means that I have, as predicted, regressed to my Lockdown 1.0 ways. I hope that you’re faring better than me (if not, welcome to the club, my child).
It’s February, which means in Canada, America and other countries across the globe, it’s Black History Month (this takes place during October here in the UK). While this month can be rife with hollow and disingenuous gestures from corporations and individuals alike, I hope that non-Black readers are using this time and the countless resources at their disposal (not sure about resources? Email me!) to critically reflect, engage and learn. This edition of Book Bites will zero in on fiction by Black authors, ranging from heart-warming romance to suspenseful thriller. Last month’s Spilt Milk recommended Brit Bennett’s The Vanishing Half and Lemn Sissay’s My Name is Why, and if you haven’t read them I’d suggest you add them to the list of books Chloe has suggested below! And one final recommendation before I hand it over: if you have yet to read a novel by the magical and magnificent Toni Morrison (you might recognize some of her works such as The Bluest Eye, Sula and Beloved) then please stop whatever it is you’re doing and remedy that this instant! Toni Morrison was a true visionary and one of the most influential literary voices to grace the world. Pick any one of her books and I have no doubt you will be blown away.
Sending love,
Arielle
Hello fellow bibliophiles, and welcome to February's edition of Book Bites, your go-to source (maybe?) for flaming-hot book recommendations🔥. Me being perpetually intimidated by Arielle (she'll probably edit that out) has not stopped this month's column from being late, because it turns out 2021 isn't much less of a trash fire than 2020 was!
Regardless of the delay, I'm really excited about February's book picks. In many parts of the world, February is Black History Month, an intentional time to recognize and celebrate Black individuals, communities, and cultures. Though not without its criticisms (What about Black futures? Why only a month?), I still wanted to take the time to highlight and honour some truly outstanding books by Black authors.
The books I've included here are intentionally fictional. 2020 saw a huge uptick in folks picking up anti-racist writing, and while undoubtedly valuable, there's a lot that you miss when you omit Black authors from your fiction reading. As Black romance author Jasmine Guillory penned in a 2020 TIME article, "Black lives are not a problem to be solved or an academic text that can be studied. To recognize Black lives as ones to celebrate, empathize with and care about, here’s your antiracism work: read more fiction by and about Black people."
With that said, here are some books (romance, YA, and more) by Black authors that I'd highly recommend getting your hands on.
1. Get a Life, Chloe Brown - Talia Hibbert
What it's about: After nearly getting hit by a Range Rover (and deciding that the life that flashed before her eyes was woefully disappointing), Chloe Brown decides that she needs to get a life. Luckily, she thinks her building superintendent Red is perfectly situated to help her do just that. This is an emotional, laugh-out-loud, and swoon-worthy enemies-to-lovers romance that is sure to satisfy all your Valentine's Day feels this month.
Read this if...you're looking for a new favourite romance: incredible representation (in addition to being a general badass, Chloe is Black, chronically-ill, and fat), 10/10 steamy scenes and characters you will fall unabashedly in love with. You literally cannot go wrong.
2. The Black Flamingo - Dean Atta
What it's about: Half Jamaican, half Greek-Cyprian, Michael is a gay British teen growing up at the intersection of multiple identities. A drag origin story told in verse (!!!), this is a uniquely-crafted tale with a lot of heart about a lovable main character navigating race, queerness, and growing up.
Read this if…you're looking for a coming of age story with a spin. The realization of Michael's drag persona (named - you guessed it - the Black Flamingo) is incredibly fun to witness, and the story being told through poetry adds another layer to this already fantastic read.
3. My Sister, the Serial Killer - Oyinkan Braithwaite
What it's about: Korede's sister, Ayoola, is a serial killer - women can be anything these days, right? (*Laughs nervously* - that was a joke). She's killed three (former?) boyfriends, and relies on Korede to clean up after her each time, both figuratively and literally. Things take a turn when Ayoola starts dating Korede's long-time crush and coworker, and Korede finds herself caught between sisterly love and protecting her murderous sister's next would-be victim.
Read this if…you're seeking something darkly comic, strangely addictive, and quick - at just about 200 pages, you can definitely get through this one in a single sitting (and I bet you'll want to). This one is just weird enough that it works.
4. Felix Ever After - Kacen Callender
What it's about: Black, trans, and queer, Felix constantly finds him thinking that he has "too many marginalizations" to be worthy of the love he so desperately seeks. When faced with transphobic bullying at school, Felix is adamant on finding the perpetrator - and devises a plan for revenge. This queer YA meets catfish-revenge plot meets adorable romance has received a lot of well-deserved hype - it is, quite simply, *chef's kiss.*
Read this if…you're looking for a truly solid YA with lovable and messy (i.e. realistic!) teens. This book beautifully grapples with identity, self-discovery, and love. If you liked Simon Vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda, you will *adore* this.
I have no doubt you’ll find a new favourite among this list! Let me know in the comments what your favourite books by Black authors are, and what recommendations you're looking for next.
In the meantime, fellow white folks: consider this your reminder to read books by Black authors all year long - not just during Black History Month or after another tragedy. In addition, remember that reading should never be the only or central part of your anti-racist learning and practice: as Nicole Cooke writes, "To be sure, reading is an an important first step. Anti-racism is a long game. Instead of just reading, I want to challenge you to go the distance." Here's to going the distance, beginning - but certainly not ending - with honouring the Black authors and literature that make our world (and our bookshelves) an infinitely better place.
Talk to you next month - happy reading! 📚
- Chloe
P.S. Yes, this is another postscript where I remind you that I also talk about books on YouTube! I'd love for you to subscribe - check out this video where I share my favourite books I read in 2020. There are also *so many* incredible Black booktubers I'd highly recommend following - head over to this link for a playlist featuring some truly awesome creators.
P.S.S. Wow, sorry, I'm really annoying today. BUT you may have noticed that I've changed my book hyperlinks to link to the StoryGraph instead of Goodreads! I've been working towards moving my reading tracking there instead - in addition to not being owned by Amazon, the StoryGraph was founded by a Black woman and has some amazing features, including trigger warnings for each book. Check it out!