In Her Tears, A Black Woman's Strength
Literary and contemporary fiction with Black FMCs that will make your heart break into a million pieces and then knit itself back together (hopefully). Specifically wanted to curate books that all also come with tough topics and hefty doses of warnings for major possible triggers. Check the comments for specific warnings tagged to individual books (mostly major stuff, recommend doing some research before diving in if there are other things you don't want to read about no matter how minor).
created by infairveronaa
last updated March, 2026
Comments
Also, these are just books I've read myself and I know there's plenty more so drop some recs in the comments!
Also, these are just books I've read myself and I know there's plenty more so drop some recs in the comments!
Someday, Maybe - Onyi Nwabineli (giref, miscarriage, racism, suicide) This Close to Okay - Message Cross-Smith (burn trauma, child death, depression, infertility, suicidal thoughts) Before I Let Go - Kennedy Ryan (depression, grief, stillbirth, suicidal thoughts) The Vanishing Half - Brit Bennett (death of a parent, domestic abuse, racism, transphobia) The Mothers - Brit Bennett (abortion, child abuse, rape suicide) Queenie - Candice Carty-Williams (miscarriage, mental illness, racism, sexual violence) Paradise - Toni Morrison (gun violence, racism, rape, self harm) Sula - Toni Morrison (child death, fire, infidelity, racism) The Bluest Eye - Toni Morrison (incest, pedophilia, racism, rape) Black Cake - Charmaine Wilkerson (grief, racism, rape, suicide attempt) Their Eyes Were Watching God - Zora Neale Hurston (death, domestic abuse, racism) Seven Days in June - Tia Williams (alcoholism, chronic illness, self harm) Honey Girl - Morgan Rogers (depression, self-harm, panic attacks, racism) The Collected Regrets of Clover - Mikki Brammer (death of a parent, terminal illness) Skye Falling - Mia McKenzie (cancer, mental illness, police brutality, racism, transphobia) The Color Purple - Alice Walker (domestic abuse, incest, racism, rape, slavery) Light It Up - Kekla Magoon (police brutality, racism, sexual harassment) The Hate U Give - Angie Thomas (addiction, police brutality, racism) The Stars and the Blackness Between Them - Junauda Petrus (homophobia, racism, terminal illness, transphobia) Memphis - Tara M Stringfellow (child abuse, domestic abuse, racism, rape) Full Disclosure - Camryn Garrett (biphobia, bullying, chronic illness, outing) The Black Kids - Christina Hammonds Reed (police brutality, racism, suicide) Black Girl Unlimited - Echo Brown (additction, homophobia, medical trauma, rape, sexual assault) Luster - Raven Leilani (abortion, miscarriage, police brutality, racism)
