Recs if you like Twelve Years a Slave...

Books you SHOULD be reading all year

Essential literature by African American authors that changed the world, but somehow none of us were expected to read in school. Note: Most of these are available for free from Project Gutenberg.

A curation of Black classic novels, poems, essays, and more from across the diaspora. Fiction and Non-Fiction. More will be added, recs welcome.

I bought a guided reading journal for more grounded reflection and a way to wind down at night (and a cute incentive to take my time with reading and not feel guilty about it). Surprise, the journal has recommendations in the back! I figured I'd share just in case anyone else was interested/had the same journal and wanted a list on here too!

These Diverse Baseline Challenge was created by @bookish.millennial & @themargherita.s (on instagram). In 2025, the goal is to read 1 book by a racialized author each month. This challenge is meant to encourage readers to try genres they historically don’t reach for, find new-to-them racialized authors, and to encourage reflection on our reading habits.

This is a mix of recommendations by the challenge organizers and myself.

I love a good historical fiction novel, and sometimes the ones based on a real event, person, or disaster really bring out those human emotions we deserve to simmer in for a bit. From heartache and heroism to life and loss, these novels take the reader on a journey and lead them through all sorts of emotions along the way. More novels will be added to this list as I read them, and I am always on the look out for more historical fiction recommendations.

For understanding what the hell is going on in life. Biographies, essays, histories, philosophy, etc.