Black Horror and SFF

Welcome Back, Booklovers! So I heard people wanted more Black genre fiction and I'm definitely one of those people. But I wanted to share some that are already out and available for purchase because we need to support these authors so they can continue to get published. So i wanted to list some Black Horror and SFF that I feel is more underrated. Some of these I read, some are on my tbr, and some I'm in the process of reading. 

Curdle Creek by Yvonne Battle-Felton

Welcome to Curdle Creek, a place just dying to make you feel at home.

Osira, a forty-five-year-old widow, is an obedient follower of the strict conventions of the remote all-Black town that’s stuck in the past and governed by ominous rituals including a one in, one out population policy. Osira has always been considered blessed, but her luck changes when her grown children run off to parts unknown, escaping Curdle Creek’s harsh traditions, she comes in second to last in the Running of the Widows, and her father flees after his name is called in the annual Moving On ceremony.

Forced to jump into a well in a test of allegiance, Osira finds herself transported first back in time, and then into another realm where she must answer for crimes committed by Curdle Creek. Exile forces her to jump realms again, landing Osira even farther away from home, in rural England. Safe there as long as she sticks to the rules, she quickly learns there are consequences for every kindness. Each jump could lead Osira anywhere but will she ever find a place to call home?

The Fallen Fruit by Shawntelle Madison 

On a rainy day in May 1964, history professor Cecily Bridge-Davis begins to search for the sixty-five acres of land she inherited from her father’s family. The quest leads her to uncover a dark secret: In every generation, one offspring from each Bridge family unit vanishes—and is mysteriously whisked back in time. Rules have been established that must be followed to prevent dire consequences: Never interfere with past events. Always carry your free Negro papers. Search for the survival family packs in the orchard and surrounding forest. The ribbon on the pack designates the decade the pack was made to orient you in time. Do not speak to strangers unless absolutely necessary. With only a family Bible and a map marked with the locations of mysterious containers to aid her, Cecily heads to the library, hoping to discover the truth of how this curse began, and how it might be ended. As she moves through time, she encounters a circle of ancestors, including Sabrina Humbles, a free Black woman who must find the courage to seize an opportunity—or lose her heart; Luke Bridge, who traverses battlefields, slavery, and time itself to reunite with his family; Rebecca Bridge, a mother tested by an ominous threat; and Amelia Bridge, a young woman burdened with survivor's guilt who will face the challenge of a lifetime—and change Cecily's life forever. It is a race through time and against the clock to find the answers that will free her family forever.

Where the Dead Brides Gather by Nuzo Onoh 

Bata, a young girl tormented by nightmares, wakes up one night to find herself standing sentinel before her cousin’s door. Her cousin is to get married the next morning, but only if she can escape the murderous attack of a ghost-bride, who used to be engaged to her groom.

A supernatural possession helps Bata battle and vanquish the vengeful ghost bride, and following a botched exorcism, she is transported to Ibaja-La, the realm of dead brides. There, she receives secret powers to fight malevolent ghost-brides before being sent back to the human realm, where she must learn to harness her new abilities as she strives to protect those whom she loves.

Devils Kill Devils by Johnny Compton 

Sarita has been watched over by a guardian angel her entire life. She calls him Angelo, and keeps him a secret. But secrets can’t stay buried forever… When Angelo murders someone she loves, Sarita begins to see what's really been lurking in the shadows surrounding her. And she will have to embrace the evil within if she hopes to make it out alive.

Flowers for the Sea by Zin E. Rocklyn

We are a people who do not forget.

Survivors from a flooded kingdom struggle alone on an ark. Resources are scant, and ravenous beasts circle. Their fangs are sharp.

Among the refugees is Iraxi: ostracized, despised, and a commoner who refused a prince, she’s pregnant with a child that might be more than human. Her fate may be darker and more powerful than she can imagine.

The Improvisers by Nicole Glover

Velma Frye is many things. A pilot, a former bootlegger, a well-seasoned traveler, a jazz pianist…and a wielder of celestial magic. She’s also a member of the mystical Rhodes family as well as an investigator for arcane oddities for a magic rights organization, dealing with both simple and complicated cases. And when a pocket watch instigates a magical brawl after one of her flight shows, things become very complicated. In 1930s America, enchanted items are highly valuable, especially in the waning days of the magical Prohibition. As Velma digs deeper, she discovers the watch is part of a collection of dangerous artifacts manipulating people across the country—and in some cases, leading to their deaths. Something about all this is tickling Velma’s memories, and the more she discovers, the more these seemingly isolated incidents feel as if they’re building to something apocalyptic. Connecting the dots isn’t easy, though, and further complicating her work is journalist Dillon Harris. He hounds her steps, and while not actively sabotaging her investigation, he also clearly knows more than he lets on. Whether it’s his presence that she finds so vexing or his easygoing charm, that’s a mystery she isn’t interested in solving. Because someone is out there seeding cursed objects with the intent on wreaking havoc, and Velma will have to use every trick in her tool kit, including some well-placed magical improvisation, to win the day.

Daughter of the Merciful Deep by Leslye Penelope

Jane Edwards hasn't spoken since she was eleven years old, when armed riders expelled her family from their hometown along with every other Black resident. Now, twelve years later, she's found a haven in the all-Black town of Awenasa. But the construction of a dam promises to wash her home under the waters of the new lake.

Jane will do anything to save the community that sheltered her. So, when a man with uncanny abilities arrives in town asking strange questions, she wonders if he might be the key. But as the stranger hints at gods and ancestral magic, Jane is captivated by a bigger mystery. She knows this man. Only the last time she saw him, he was dead. His body laid to rest in a rushing river.

Who is the stranger and what is he really doing in Awenasa? To find those answers, Jane will journey into a sunken world, a land of capricious gods and unsung myths, of salvation and dreams made real. But the flood waters are rising. To gain the miracle she desires, Jane will have to find her voice again and finally face the trauma of the past.

This World Is Not Yours by Kemi Ashing-Giwa

After fleeing her controlling and murderous family with her fiancée Vinh, Amara embarks on a colonization project, New Belaforme, along with her childhood friend, Jesse.

The planet, beautiful and lethal, produces the Gray, a “self-cleaning” mechanism that New Belaforme’s scientists are certain only attacks invasive organisms, consuming them. Humans have been careful to do nothing to call attention to themselves until a rival colony wakes the Gray.

As Amara, Vinh, and Jesse work to carve out a new life together, each is haunted by past betrayals that surface, expounded by the need to survive the rival colony and the planet itself.

There’s more than one way to be eaten alive.

Scourge Between Stars by Ness Brown

As acting captain of the starship Calypso, Jacklyn Albright is responsible for keeping the last of humanity alive as they limp back to Earth from their forebears’ failed colony on a distant planet.

Faced with constant threats of starvation and destruction in the treacherous minefield of interstellar space, Jacklyn's crew has reached their breaking point. As unrest begins to spread throughout the ship’s Wards, a new threat emerges, picking off crew members in grim, bloody fashion.

Jacklyn and her team must hunt down the ship’s unknown intruder if they have any hope of making it back to their solar system alive.

The Love Interest by Helen Comerford

Welcome Back, Booklovers! I have a love-disinterest relationship with superhero tales. I go through periods of time where I'm really into superhero media from comics to tv shows. But I also go through periods where I could care less about superheroes. This year we've seen shows like Supacell and books like The Second Chance of Darius Logan which offer a look at a different kind of superhero. So keeping in line with that I was excited to see The Love Interest released this year which promised a satirical look the superhero genre. 

Jenna Ray lives in the small coastal town of Nine Trees. Nine Trees, is the subject of a prophesy that said in the year 2024 a new hero would rise. In this world the Earth has evolved and people have evolved with it which resulted in many receiving powers. Anyone who displays signs of powers must be reported to the Heroics and Power Authority to be registered and monitored. Jenna Ray and her family don't buy into the Hero Industrial Complex like many people in their town so they're not thrilled when she becomes the new hero, Blaze's first rescue. Being his first female rescue means she's guaranteed to be his love interest something both Blaze and the HPA are pushing for. But love interests tend to die young and Jenna sees herself as so much more than a damsel in distress to be a pawn used by his enemies. She's ready to keep Blaze at a distance when she's approached by villains who tell her if she assists them they will take her to her mother who has been missing for years.

The Love Interest sets out to tackle the issues with the role girls and women have in superhero stories. A few feminist talking points are addressed here that I hope will be expanded upon in the next installment particularly surrounding the way women of color navigate these types of environments. Jenna also has issues with anxiety which is something the author did a good job highlighting in the text as well as including information at the end of the book with resources for teens in the UK who also suffer with anxiety.

The idea of an organization specifically designed to handle all things hero isn't new but it was a fun addition here as Jenna attends cons set up to cultivate a fandom around Blaze and strategically set up photo ops. Though this is not a comic there's still news articles scattered throughout to give it more of that feel. Most of the popular superhero stories are set in the US so the UK setting here is a refreshing change. There's plenty of appeal for readers who like small town stories with close knit casts. The book has enough twists and turns to keep readers engaged along with a steady and even pacing. The ending is satisfying enough with just enough loose threads to set up the sequel.

The Blood Gift by N.E. Davenport

Welcome Back, Booklovers! It's February already! The year is already flying by and after a series of DNFs I wanted to pick up an engaging fantasy but I wasn't sure if I should jump into anything by a new author. Then an arc of The Blood Gift by N.E. Davenport came through. So I decided to jump back into this world for the final installment. 

We see more of the world of Iludu this time around as Ikenna and crew search wide and far for allies. No one really wants to get involved because they don't want their people to die at the hands of the Blood Emperor. So Ikenna's new team (who have yet to figure out a team name) find an unlikely ally in Ajani, the Accacian warlord from book one who has his own reasons for wanting to bring down The Blood Emperor. 

No one can accuse this book or moving too slow because it was very fast-paced with multiple plot lines. I actually think some of the plots could've been cut and streamlined because I was hoping we'd have more time with certain characters. The cast is so large that not every character got a lot of time on page. The world of Iludu itself is interesting and we get to see more of it this book. And we got some glimpses into their past history with each other and how every country has their different version. Different countries within this world follow different gods and goddess and Ikenna finds herself in a tug of war between them while trying to garner enough magic to take down an empire.

I will say tonally book two felt different than book one. Ikenna was impulsive in book 1 and that carried over in book two. But she felt more immature here. Which I would've thought everything she experienced would've made her a little more rational. Especially since she was taking on a leadership role here as a general gathering people for a rebellion. It was frustrating when she would act petulant just to annoy the people around her. And then you have characters like Ajani who are only four years older years older referring to her as a child as if she's years younger. It was hard to believe this girl spent years in a strict military academy. And instead of growing out of her childish way she stayed consistent in them all book.

That being said when she wasn't being a contrarian for the sake of being a contrarian I did enjoy Ikenna. A bad ass character is always fun but my favorite scenes were the ones where she was with Reed and able to let her guard down. And despite what went down at the end of book one he's very supportive of her. Because he also had a strong connection to her grandfather, he was one of the only ones who could understand what she was going through. I also liked her scenes with her grandfather's old associates as they allow Ikenna to see another side of her grandfather that she hadn't seen. They also offer some insight to his relationship with her mother and how it differed from his relationship with Ikenna.

This book needed more death. And not just because I had my own mini list of characters who get a blood spike at any moment. The violence in book one made me physically uncomfortable multiple times while reading. There was a feeling of anyone could die at any time. With the exception of one death everyone who died here deserved to die. Even the ending was just too happy and idealistic. It just didn't fit this world for me and felt a little rushed.

Overall I think readers who enjoyed the first book for the action and the romance will be satisfied. Especially if you enjoyed the romance and wanted some more spice. No details are spared! 

Forgotten Gems of 2020

 

I read over 100 books this year which is something I'm very proud of. But when you read so many books during the year some leave an impression on you more than others. That doesn't mean the rest were bad books. Just not my top reads. So I present to you my forgotten gems of 2020.

Never Look Back by Lilliam Rivera was a retelling of  Orpheus and Eurydice and a great blend of magical realism that captured the spirit of the Bronx through two Afro-Latinx teens. 

All the Things We Never Knew by Liara Tamani is a solid Black YA romance in the vein of Love & Basketball. At first I thought this would just be about instant love but it ended up being so much more.

A Song of Wraiths and Ruin by Roseanne Brown was everything I wanted in Children of Blood and Bone but did not get. It's a lush African inspired fantasy that blended different cultures and civilizations. The magic system was intriguing without being overly vague.

The Voting Booth by Brandy Colbert was a cute story about two teens and the importance of casting your vote. It came just in time for this year's election. One of the things I liked most about it was that it truly felt like a book for teens.

Something About You by Bridget Anderson is a sweet summer romance set on an organic farm in Kentucky. Perfect if you like small town romance.

Mirage by Somaiya Daud had beautiful writing and great narration for the audiobook and I didn't want to stop listening.  It was compelling and fast paced.

The Record Keeper by Agnes Gomillan is a compelling dystopian set in a post World War III society.

Hide and Seeker by Daka Hermon gives the classic children's game a scary twist. If  you break the rules during the game it opens up a gateway to a nightmarish world. 

Ghost Squad by Claribel Ortega is the perfect Halloween read for kids. It has just the right amount of family and magic.

The Record Keeper by Agnes Gomillion

 

Welcome Back Booklovers!

I'm back with a sci-fi read. And no it's not YA even though the characters are young. Just figured I'd point that out since people love to incorrectly label sci-fi and fantasy stories by women authors are YA when they don't do that to men. But that's a whole other discussion we can get into on Book Twitter. I know some of you aren't reading any type of dystopian fiction right now but I still encourage you if those types of books are normally your wave to add it to your TBR. 

I really enjoyed this book. And I fully back Wayne Brady's campaign to make this into a movie because it would truly be epic. I actually decided to get both the audiobook and a physical copy of this book and it was a good decision. The narrator was solid and made it very easy to jump between mediums.

The Record Keeper follows Arika Cobane who lives in an area in the post World War III Earth called Kongo. She's been training for 10 years to become a record keeper and keep the history records of her people. She's nearing the end of her schooling and hoping to become a Senator of the Assembly. This post-apocalyptic world consists of the remains of what is  formerly America split into three distinct territories with The English in the north; The Clayskin in the central area; and The Kongo in the south. Each faction has an Assembly of elected Senators to guide them following the rules laid out in the agreement called the Niagara Compromise. 

I enjoyed how the author parallels the house negro vs the field negro with the first and second brother. You have the people who are chosen from birth to be record keepers and taught in fancy schools run by white people. And then you also have the laborers who do the backbreaking agriculture work. But this also isn't as simplified as the mixed light-skinned people got to go to school and become record keepers either which I was glad for.  Though featurism is at play and there are some more fair skinned record keepers. Looks aren't often described in this story in clear detail but our protagonist Arika is not mixed and she is described as medium brown in complexion. In the Kongo Classification section of the Niagara Compromise two brothers  are described each as dark as the other. However one is described as having a narrow nose and more intellect while the other is described as having a a heavy nostril and being more brutish in mind. The first brother rules the second brother. The record keeper's role is to keep the workers in their place in the fields. 

Arika experiences heavy trauma as a child upon entering the school that breaks her rebellious spirit. To counteract said trauma she becomes the model student inciting the doctrines to the point where she actually starts convincing herself that the doctrines are valid. Through this story we see her awakening as she finally looks beyond her privilege  and realizes the suffering her people are facing. She gains an understanding of how the Niagara Compromise freely lists all of the darker skinned Kongo's supposed weaknesses but lists very few for the white skinned English. She also knew the school textbooks censored history but she did not truly understand to the extent.

The Record Keeper is a solid dystopian tale full of twists and strong but not overly complex world building that will have you craving for more. And since a second book is releasing next year I'm curious to see how things continue. 

Do You Dream of Terra-Two by Temi Oh

Hey Booklovers,

I finished reading Do You Dream of Two-Terra and I'm still trying to put my thoughts into words. This is a character heavy sci-fi story containing multiple povs. 10 astronauts are chosen to embark on a journey to inhabit a new world.  4 of the 10 are decorated veterans and 6 are teens on the brink of adulthood. The story alternates in chapters between Jesse, Poppy, Astrid, Juno, Harry, and Eliot. It's a lot of people to follow and I was glad I got the ebook and audiobook. The smooth narration kept me interested but the ebook was great for sections I wanted to go over again or when I wanted to speed things up in the middle. 

Throughout the book we discover what drew each young person to the Dalton Academy for Aerospace Science and hear about the lives they left behind.

‘What kind of society do we want to be? What will our name be? What will our flag look like? 

  What kind of leadership model will we adhere to? Will we have a monarchy, a president?

I saw comparisons to The 100 but it's nothing like that vapid book series and really not much like the tv series either beyond having featuring teens who are journey to a new Earth.

The story is not set in the future but rather a more technologically advanced/alternate version of the close past where Britain has a highly competitive space program. 

Before launch they must deal with the death of one of their teammates Ara and how it affects each of them. They must also deal with their relationships with each other. Some are drawn closer and some further apart. Since it's a 23 year mission there's a lot of personal sacrifice. Some are struggling with the regrets of giving up a future on earth and some are getting over depression. 

How will they start this new colony? What rules will be in place? Is this a suicide mission? Can they survive living in the spaceship for the next 23 years with only each other to rely on?

This is a slower, quiet read where you exam each character and some of the science is glossed over and explained as technology being much more advanced in this alternate reality. It's a contrast to many sci-fi stories which are fast paced by sometimes lack on the character development. We don't ever get an explanation for how scientists have come to discover much about this world so far from our own. It can probably be best described as a slice of life story. We follow the characters go through the motions day to day. We follow their hookups and losses and reminisce with them over their past traumas.

Temi Oh studied neuroscience and you can very much see those elements present in her work as we explore the behaviors of these young people and how their relationships are effected. 

#BlackoutBestsellersList Recommendations

Welcome Back Booklovers!

Here at WOC Read I try to always post Black book recommendations for you.  You can never own too many Black books. Especially if they're on your Kindle and you can carry them everywhere. And I want to give you options from different genres. Not all books are released. Some can be pre-ordered. Remember pre-orders show an author is in demand. 

By Sea &Sky

With no magic, no brawn, and no pirate crew, Zala seeks to steal back the one treasure that matters to her most: her husband.

To succeed she needs a ship-and not just any ship, but the latest, secret invention by the Vaaji Empire. An airship.

Zala will have to use her wits to overcome scoundrels and nobles alike on her journey through the clouds.

But if she's smart enough, she may just have what it takes to save her husband-and go down in history as the first sky pirate.

Delve into a pirate fantasy inspired by the West Indies, The Swahili Coast, and Arabia, where Zala will encounter ruthless raiders, arrogant aristocrats, and imperial secrets.

A Killing Fire

As a child forced to witness her father’s crimes, homicide Detective Raven Burns dedicates every waking moment to proving that she is not her father’s child. But when she shoots a suspect who has what turns out to be an unloaded weapon, Raven finds that she must confront both the demons of her past and the stains on her soul in order to stop a killer.  

Nine Bar Blues

The stories collected in Nine Bar Blues weave emotion, spirit, and music, captivating readers with newfound alchemy and the murmurs of dark gods. Rooted in rhythm, threaded with magic, these tales encompass worlds that begin in river bottoms, pass through spectral gates, and end in distant uncharted worlds. These stories describe the pain that often accompanies the confines of sanctuary and the joy that is inextricably bound to the troubles of hard living. Nine Bar Blues sings a multiverse of fully realized worlds that readers will remember for ages to come and cherish from page to heart thumping, foot-stomping page.

Conquest

Jashi Anyua has been arranged to be married to the leader of her nation, the Great Faresh. To help her escape the unwanted engagement, her future husband's enemies offer her an out - if she agrees to spy on her intended, they'll give her a new identity and a life somewhere the Faresh will never find her. Yet as Jashi gets to know the Faresh, she wonders if she put her loyalties in the right place; especially when she realizes that he shares the abilities she's had to keep secret her whole life. What's more, he might be the only one who can train her to use them.

Do You Dream of Terra-Two?

A century ago, an astronomer discovered an Earth-like planet orbiting a nearby star. She predicted that one day humans would travel there to build a utopia. Today, ten astronauts are leaving everything behind to find it. Four are veterans of the twentieth century’s space-race.

And six are teenagers who’ve trained for this mission most of their lives.

It will take the team twenty-three years to reach Terra-Two. Twenty-three years locked in close quarters. Twenty-three years with no one to rely on but each other. Twenty-three years with no rescue possible, should something go wrong.

And something always goes wrong.

Mixed Match

Sophia Kent used to be a badass knife-wielding chef. Nowadays, she's lucky if she can remember to put on a bra. Between the move to Portland and unpacking boxes, she's glad there's only one name on the title. Unfortunately, at the door there's a gorgeous messenger with a document claiming she's not the rightful owner.

Dead-set on getting his grandmother's house back, real estate investor Everett Monroe is determined to see the thief go down, even if he has to deliver the summons himself. Only, the beautiful mess at the door is charming, sexy--and nothing like the man whose family's been feuding with Everett's for generations.

He doesn't know whether she's a pawn or a player, and she doesn't know he's not just a messenger, so after a few "chance" meetings, when she enlists his help to find a location for her restaurant, he agrees. After all, in thirty days there's going to be a hearing granting him ownership and she'll be long gone. Except, somewhere between sunset mountain hikes, brilliantly lit musical bridges, and picturesque Japanese Gardens, a dangerous attraction weaves its way between the secrets and lies. Forced to confront the truth, Everett must ask himself what good a home is without the one you love to share it with.

Music to My Ears

Orrin Greenwood, ex-boy-bander and notorious womanizer, is ready to make his big comeback. Needing a hit record sooner than later, his manager suggests up-and-coming singer/songwriter Jauri Tutuola. He jumps at the chance thinking she will be an easy ride to the top of the charts, but what he doesn't anticipate is her taking him on the most thrilling tour of his life as she makes him confront his past and make room for her on his stage and in his future.

Surrounded by a music industry full of clones, Jauri “JT” Tutuola wants to break new ground and do things her way. She vows to no longer let anything keep her from the spotlight, especially not her deeply melanated skin, her bushy hair or her “creative genius” label head. She initially dismisses Orrin as just another distraction until he begins to show her that making music and making love don't have to be mutually exclusive.

Broken Places

Cass took a bullet two years ago after an incompetent colleague screwed up a tense confrontation with an armed suspect. Deeply traumatized, Cass resigned from the Chicago PD, leaving one less female African-American on the force. Now she’s the head of a one-woman private investigation agency, taking on just enough work to pay the bills. But when the only father figure she’s ever known, Father Ray Heaton, asks her to look into a recent spate of vandalism at his church, she readily agrees to handle it.

Only hours later Cass is horrified to discover Father Ray’s murdered body in the church confessional, a dead gangbanger sprawled out nearby. She knew Pop, as she called him, had ticked off plenty of people, from slumlords to politicians, with his uncompromising defense of the downtrodden. But a late-night random theft doesn’t seem like much of a motive at a cash-strapped parish. The lead detective assigned to the case is all too eager to dismiss it as a burglary gone awry, just another statistic in a violent city. But Cass’s instincts tell her otherwise, and badge or no badge, she intends to see justice done . . .

A Winning Season 

Baseball ace Sutton Reed’s returned home triumphant after years in the majors. When he moves next door to a troubled young man, he’s determined to help—for the boy’s sake and for the boy’s gorgeous older sister, Zoey Allen. After sacrificing everything to keep her family together, Zoey has no time for romance…even with a hometown hero. But will this unlikely combo be the home run love story they all deserve?

The Conductors

As a conductor on the Underground Railroad, Hetty Rhodes helped usher dozens of people north with her wits and magic. Now that the Civil War is over, Hetty and her husband Benjy have settled in Philadelphia, solving murders and mysteries that the white authorities won’t touch. When they find one of their friends slain in an alley, Hetty and Benjy bury the body and set off to find answers. But the secrets and intricate lies of the elites of Black Philadelphia only serve to dredge up more questions. To solve this mystery, they will have to face ugly truths all around them, including the ones about each other.

Master of Poisons

The world is changing. Poison desert eats good farmland. Once-sweet water turns foul. The wind blows sand and sadness across the Empire. To get caught in a storm is death. To live and do nothing is death. There is magic in the world, but good conjure is hard to find.

Djola, righthand man and spymaster of the lord of the Arkhysian Empire, is desperately trying to save his adopted homeland, even in exile.

Awa, a young woman training to be a powerful griot, tests the limits of her knowledge and comes into her own in a world of sorcery, floating cities, kindly beasts, and uncertain men.

Black Buck 

An unambitious twenty-two-year-old, Darren lives in a Bed-Stuy brownstone with his mother, who wants nothing more than to see him live up to his potential as the valedictorian of Bronx Science. But Darren is content working at Starbucks in the lobby of a Midtown office building, hanging out with his girlfriend, Soraya, and eating his mother’s home-cooked meals. All that changes when a chance encounter with Rhett Daniels, the silver-tongued CEO of Sumwun, NYC’s hottest tech startup, results in an exclusive invitation for Darren to join an elite sales team on the thirty-sixth floor.


After enduring a “hell week” of training, Darren, the only black person in the company, reimagines himself as “Buck,” a ruthless salesman unrecognizable to his friends and family. But when things turn tragic at home and Buck feels he’s hit rock bottom, he begins to hatch a plan to help young people of color infiltrate America’s sales force, setting off a chain of events that forever changes the game.

Books To Check Out When You're Trying to Move Out of YA Fantasy

Welcome Back, Booklovers

So there's often a debate about whether New Adult is needed or not. Because essentially YA/ MG are more for categorization and marketing. We don't call fantasy, historical fiction, romance etc Adult insert genre here. We just call it that genre. At the same time because there are thousands of books in those genres it can be very hard to find books about characters at the beginning stages of adulthood. Sometimes especially in fantasy where male authors tend to be the most visible, publishers are not sure how to market books so they put books with 18+ age protagonists in the Young Adult category. I wanted to suggest 5 books which are also by Black authors to help you make that transition into reading more sci-fi/fantasy.

The Binti Trilogy by Nnedi Okorafor

Contrary to where it may be shelved at your bookstore or library this is not a YA book just because the character is a teen attending university.

In her Hugo- and Nebula-winning novella, Nnedi Okorafor introduced us to Binti, a young Himba girl with the chance of a lifetime: to attend the prestigious Oomza University. Despite her family's concerns, Binti's talent for mathematics and her aptitude with astrolabes make her a prime candidate to undertake this interstellar journey.

But everything changes when the jellyfish-like Medusae attack Binti's spaceship, leaving her the only survivor. Now, Binti must fend for herself, alone on a ship full of the beings who murdered her crew, with five days until she reaches her destination.

There is more to the history of the Medusae--and their war with the Khoush--than first meets the eye. If Binti is to survive this voyage and save the inhabitants of the unsuspecting planet that houses Oomza Uni, it will take all of her knowledge and talents to broker the peace.

The Rosewater Trilogy by Tade Thompson 

Rosewater is a town on the edge. A community formed around the edges of a mysterious alien biodome, its residents comprise the hopeful, the hungry and the helpless - people eager for a glimpse inside the dome or a taste of its rumored healing powers.

Kaaro is a government agent with a criminal past. He has seen inside the biodome, and doesn't care to again -- but when something begins killing off others like himself, Kaaro must defy his masters to search for an answer, facing his dark history and coming to a realization about a horrifying future.

 

Catherine House by Elisabeth Thomas

Catherine House is a school of higher learning like no other. Hidden deep in the woods of rural Pennsylvania, this crucible of reformist liberal arts study with its experimental curriculum, wildly selective admissions policy, and formidable endowment, has produced some of the world’s best minds: prize-winning authors, artists, inventors, Supreme Court justices, presidents. For those lucky few selected, tuition, room, and board are free. But acceptance comes with a price. Students are required to give the House three years—summers included—completely removed from the outside world. Family, friends, television, music, even their clothing must be left behind. In return, the school promises a future of sublime power and prestige, and that its graduates can become anything or anyone they desire.

Among this year’s incoming class is Ines Murillo, who expects to trade blurry nights of parties, cruel friends, and dangerous men for rigorous intellectual discipline—only to discover an environment of sanctioned revelry. Even the school’s enigmatic director, Viktória, encourages the students to explore, to expand their minds, to find themselves within the formidable iron gates of Catherine. For Ines, it is the closest thing to a home she’s ever had. But the House’s strange protocols soon make this refuge, with its worn velvet and weathered leather, feel increasingly like a gilded prison. And when tragedy strikes, Ines begins to suspect that the school—in all its shabby splendor, hallowed history, advanced theories, and controlled decadence—might be hiding a dangerous agenda within the secretive, tightly knit group of students selected to study its most promising and mysterious curriculum.

Combining the haunting sophistication and dusky, atmospheric style of Sarah Waters with the unsettling isolation of Kazuo Ishiguro’s Never Let Me Go, Catherine House is a devious, deliciously steamy, and suspenseful page-turner with shocking twists and sharp edges that is sure to leave readers breathless.

Lakewood by Megan Giddings

When Lena Johnson’s beloved grandmother dies, and the full extent of the family debt is revealed, the black millennial drops out of college to support her family and takes a job in the mysterious and remote town of Lakewood, Michigan.

On paper, her new job is too good to be true. High paying. No out of pocket medical expenses. A free place to live. All Lena has to do is participate in a secret program—and lie to her friends and family about the research being done in Lakewood. An eye drop that makes brown eyes blue, a medication that could be a cure for dementia, golden pills promised to make all bad thoughts go away.

The discoveries made in Lakewood, Lena is told, will change the world—but the consequences for the subjects involved could be devastating. As the truths of the program reveal themselves, Lena learns how much she’s willing to sacrifice for the sake of her family.

Provocative and thrilling, Lakewood is a breathtaking novel that takes an unflinching look at the moral dilemmas many working-class families face, and the horror that has been forced on black bodies in the name of science.

 

The Record Keeper by Agnes Gomillion

After World War III, Earth is in ruins, and the final armies have come to a reluctant truce. Everyone must obey the law--in every way--or risk shattering the fragile peace and endangering the entire human race.

Arika Cobane is on the threshold of taking her place of privilege as a member of the Kongo elite after ten grueling years of training. But everything changes when a new student arrives speaking dangerous words of treason: What does peace matter if innocent lives are lost to maintain it? As Arika is exposed to new beliefs, she realizes that the laws she has dedicated herself to uphold are the root of her people's misery. If Arika is to liberate her people, she must unearth her fierce heart and discover the true meaning of freedom: finding the courage to live--or die--without fear.

A Phoenix First Must Burn Edited by Patrice Caldwell

So I've been hyping this book since I heard about it back in Feb 2019. So I was elated that in Feb of 2020 I could read this. I was determined to get an arc so thanks Bookish First (use my referral code  f2f0690dd0768f611 during sign up to get an additional 100 points towards books) and Penguin Teen for providing me a copy and the very cute matching stickers to go along with it.

Sixteen tales by bestselling and award-winning authors that explore the Black experience through fantasy, science fiction, and magic.

With stories by: Elizabeth Acevedo, Amerie, Patrice Caldwell, Dhonielle Clayton, J. Marcelle Corrie, Somaiya Daud, Charlotte Nicole Davis, Justina Ireland, Alaya Dawn Johnson, Danny Lore, L. L. McKinney, Danielle Paige, Rebecca Roanhorse, Karen Strong, Ashley Woodfolk, and Ibi Zoboi.

It's always hard to read and review anthologies where multiple authors are involved. Each author has their own writing style and tone of voice and the stories though one over all theme are always very different. You're never sure how many of the stories you'll like. On the other hand it can give you a taste of an author you never read before and might put you onto their future work. Props to Patrice Caldwell for putting this collection together.

This was one of the stronger anthologies I've read. There were stories I adored, I liked and some that I found okay. But I liked that they were all so different. There is a story in this anthology for everyone and I appreciated the different themes. Mermaids, goddesses, vampires, witches, space opera, time travel,etc. And there was romance sprinkled throughout many of the stories but not in a way that was to the detriment of the story.

My top stories:
Gilded by Elizabeth Acevedo
The Rules of the Land by Alaya Dawn Johnson
Melie by Justina Ireland
Kiss The Sun by Ibi Zoboi
The Actress by Danielle Paige
Sequence by J. Marcelle Corrie

There are quite a few authors featured that I've heard great things about but had never read before so for me this was a chance to get a feel for their writing. While I thoroughly enjoyed most of the stories I picked my top 6 because they were all offered me something different.

I read my first story by Elizabeth Acevedo and I really enjoyed Gilded. This is a short story that takes place on the eve of a slave revolt in 1522. This is not usually the type of story I would read. I read The Deep recently and while I understand how important it is to tell these stories of perseverance sometimes I get overwhelmed with stories about slavery. I really liked this one. It was educational, it had a sweet romance, and just the right touch of magic.

The Rules of the Land by Alaya Dawn Johnson was another fun one. I've always been fascinated by the sea and this one features a descendant of the water goddess Yemaya.

I wasn't sure about Melie because I wasn't a fan of Justina Ireland's Dread Nation. This opened me up to her work. It had fun elements I love like mermaids, sorcerers, and unicorns. And it was a funny twist on the chosen one prophecy.

Kiss the Sun by Ibi Zoboi was a fun Caribbean folklore based tale that addressed colorism in a unique way.

The Actress by Danielle Paige was another one different in tone than what I was expecting. It's a very light and quick one to breeze through and I can easily see the concept expanding into a full time story.  A teen actress who plays a witch on TV discovers she's a real witch.

Sequence is by new author J Marcelle Corrie and features a futuristic society where they use a program called Sequence that predicts how your future will turn out based on the decisions you make.

All in all I do recommend this book for teens and even adults who want to get into the fantasy genre but aren't sure quite where to start. I'm hoping that this anthology opens the door to more fantasy stories by black women not just in the YA genre but also for adults. And that black girls can pick this book up and appreciate seeing themselves within the pages instead of just hoping to be included in the stories by white authors. Black girls read too and enjoy escaping to other worlds through the pages of a good book.




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