Category: Read Harder

This is one of my favorite books of all time; I think about it frequently. It’s also a quick read, and you can even listen to King’s original lectures instead. This collection of essays/lectures explores the nature of storytelling, specifically looking at the kinds of stories told about Indigenous people in North America. If you’re reading this, you’re passionate about books and stories. This book will leave you thinking about the power and importance that the kinds of stories we listen to and tell have.

This is a gorgeous, queer, Welsh take on King Arthur. Getting used to the Welsh names might take a little while, but after that, this is a precisely plotted novella that packs an expansive story into a small page count. It follows a main character who grows up isolated, with a deep connection to nature. Then, she disguises herself as a man and decides to head to King Arthur’s court to try to become a knight. There are also a few illustrations included! Be sure to read the author’s note at the end for an exploration of the nature of Arthuriana.

The True Love Bookshop is a feel-good story filled with romance and books. Tess Lane is working her dream job running Lakeside Books and hosting the weekly book club. The bookstore has been her safe haven ever since her husband died three years earlier. She has tried to move on with her life and get past the mysterious circumstances surrounding her husband’s death. But then River Harrison shows up on her doorstep. River is her husband’s best friend and a private investigator, and with his help and the support of her friends, Tess might finally get answers to what happened to her husband. But will this mean she’ll finally be able to move on? And will she be able to forgive herself for past mistakes?

Tembi Locke’s memoir From Scratch was recently adapted into a Netflix limited series starring Zoe Saldaña. But whether you’ve seen the show or not, this book is worth a read. This memoir is part love story, part food memoir, and part reflection on grief. When Tembi went to art school in Italy, she didn’t know that she would fall in love with Sicilian chef Saro. Unfortunately, Saro’s hyper-traditional family did not approve of him marrying a black American woman. Despite family disapprovals and culture clashes, the couple marries and moves to Los Angeles together. There, they build their careers, adopt a child, and fall deeper in love. But it isn’t until their lives are torn apart by a cancer diagnosis that they are able to finally reconnect with Saro’s family.

Clark’s debut novella is a steampunk historical reimagining of New Orleans during the Civil War. Creeper is a girl who longs to escape the city by earning a spot aboard the airship Midnight Robber. How does she plan to do this? By giving Captain Ann-Marie information about a Haitian scientist and a mysterious weapon he calls The Black God’s Drums. There is a small complication: Oya, the African orisha of the wind and storms, speaks inside Creeper’s head. And she has different plans for our protagonist.

Dr. Grace Park has been appointed to the survey ship The Deucalion to observe the thirteen crew members aboard. They’re all headed to an icy planet called Eos in an unexplored galaxy. But before they even get there, tensions are building between Park and the rest of the crew. She finds herself befriending the androids on the ship, preferring their company to that of the human crew members. When they land, things only get worse. The crew gets trapped by a storm with no means of communication or escape, and the androids start behaving strangely.

Author Curtis Dawkins is a convicted murderer, serving a life sentence without parole. The Graybar Hotel is his debut collection of short stories, all told in first person from an unnamed narrator reflecting on life in prison. Dawkins’ share of the proceeds from this book are going to an education fund for his children.

This one is probably obvious, since this book has been on every bestseller list recently, but there’s a reason for it. This book is phenomenal, and even if you aren’t a fan of Jennette McCurdy or iCarly, this book is a must-read, IMHO. If you’ve somehow been living under a rock and missed what this one is about, I’m Glad My Mom Died is Jennette McCurdy’s reflection of her time as a child star, the pressures her mom put on her to be famous and successful (and thin), and how she’s coming to terms with these past traumas as an adult.

I’ll admit Westerns aren’t usually my thing. But a sci-fi Western? Now we’re talking. Esther is a stowaway, attempting to escape from her complicated past. Her father is trying to marry her off to the man who was supposed to marry her best friend. Her best friend whom she was secretly in love with and who was recently executed for possession of resistance propaganda. Intrigued yet? I think you’ll really like this one. Now she finds herself in a book wagon with rogue librarians who make it their job to deliver “unapproved materials” into dangerous territories.

Driving While Black reflects on Gretchen Sorin’s own personal family history and experiences with traveling on the road. But she also focuses on traveling by car and how this mode of transportation has been liberating for Black people in America. Sorin looks at how travel guides, Black-only businesses, and informal communications networks have helped keep Black people safe on the roads in the 20th century. At the same time, despite the freedoms that cars offered, driving also created new challenges for Black people: segregated ambulance services, unwarranted traffic stops, and racist violence.

I’m starting this list with my #1 recommendation: The Getaway by Lamar Giles. This book is the perfect social commentary about classism and capitalism in the face of (yes I’m going to say it) “unprecedented times.” Which means it’s the perfect book to read right now. It’s set in Karloff Country, one of the world’s most famous resorts (this book is clearly talking about Disney World, let’s be real). Jay lives in Karloff Country and loves his life there. He’s got good friends, a great family, and a job he loves, working after school at the property’s main theme park. Outside, the world might be falling apart, but inside the resort, people can escape from their problems. However, behind this perfect community are dark secrets. When the richest and most powerful families arrive and don’t leave, employees discover that the resort has been selling shares in an end-of-the-world oasis. The world may be ending, but the most powerful people will remain safe. Now Jay and the rest of the resort’s employees will be the ones to care for them, whether they like it or not.

This social thriller is deeply unsettling, but you’ll just have to read it to find out why. Farrah Turner is the only Black girl at her country club that also has Black parents. The other Black girl is her best friend Cherish Whitman, but Cherish was adopted by white parents. Farrah calls her WGS–White Girl Spoiled. When Farrah’s family is hit with money problems, she sees this as her opportunity to get an inside look at how Cherish’s family lives. And so she goes to stay with the Whitmans. The longer she stays there, the more she becomes obsessed with their way of life. And despite her parents’ warnings that something is off about the Whitmans, Farrah feels compelled to stay with them as long as possible. Cherish Farrah is a social thriller novel that explores many topics, including race, class, friendship, and family.

A lot of Tiffany D. Jackson’s books could fit for this prompt, so I figured why not go for her latest? Especially since this is an awesome social horror retelling of Carrie. The Weight of Blood follows high school student Madison Washington. Springville High is a tiny high school in small-town Georgia where Madison has always been the target of bullying. But Madison has a secret: she’s biracial and has been passing as white, at the behest of her white father Thomas Washington. When Madison’s secret is revealed and a video highlighting the racism at Springville goes viral, the students know they have to rehabilitate their image. Their solution? Hosting the school’s first integrated prom. But the students still have a few surprises for Maddy. And when Maddy reveals another one of her well-kept secrets, she’ll have a big surprise of her own.

You’ve probably heard of this one, because I’m pretty sure everyone I know who’s read it is totally blown away by it. Myself included. This novel follows four Blackfoot Indian men who, at a young age, go on a hunting trip that goes very, very wrong. Now, years later, there’s an evil spirit hellbent on revenge, and she’s hunting the men down one by one.

This social thriller novel takes place in a full-contact haunted escape room called the Quigley House. If you can make it to the last room of the house without shouting the safe word “Reprieve,” you stand to win a large sum of money. But here’s the thing: no one ever makes it that far. But on April 27, 1997, four contestants do. Only they don’t all make it out alive. This book follows the journey of those contestants during their time in the escape room, but it also goes back to look at how each of them ended up there in the first place. And the truth behind what actually happened in that escape room slowly starts to reveal itself.

This one is the perfect social thriller for fans of dark academia. Ace of Spades is a YA thriller that explores what happens when Devon Richards and Chiamaka Adebayo, the only two Black students at Niveus Private Academy, are faced with the threats of an anonymous bully who goes by the name “Aces.” Will Devon and Chiamaka be able to stop Aces before things get deadly?  

Set against the starkly white backdrop of the New York City publishing industry, The Other Black Girl is a novel about two young Black women. Nella is an editorial assistant who is initially thrilled when Hazel is hired at Wagner books. Now she’s no longer the only Black woman in the office. But soon Hazel becomes the office darling, and Nella is left in the dust. Then threatening notes start appearing, and Nella can’t help but wonder if Hazel is behind them. This book is the perfect mixture of of edge-of-your-seat thrills and biting social commentary that will get readers talking.

Tender is the Flesh is a social horror novel in translation from Argentina. Marco’s marriage has fallen apart and his father is suffering from dementia. Meanwhile, the world around him is changing rapidly. An infectious virus has made all animal meat poisonous, and so the government has sanctioned the consumption of human meat — or “special meat.” Personal contact with those who have been raised to be eaten is strictly forbidden. But when Marcos comes into contact with a live specimen, he feels drawn to her, and he can’t help but start treating her like a human being.

Root Magic won the award for Best in Middle Grade in 2022. The novel is set in 1963. Jezebel Turner’s grandmother just passed away, and and school integration is coming to South Carolina. But the biggest change for Jez and her twin brother Jay? Their uncle begins to train them in rootwork. Suddenly, a whole world of magic opens up to Jez. And just in time, too, because a dark, supernatural force has come to town. Jez will need every bit of her magic to fight against the evil — both natural and supernatural — that’s all around her.

Gods of Jade and Shadow was chosen as Best Novel in 2020. In this fairy tale-like novel inspired by Mexican folklore, the Mayan god of death meets Casiopea Tun, a young woman living in a small town Mexico during the Jazz Age. Casiopea longs for an adventurous life, and that’s what she gets when the god of death sends her on a journey deep into the darkness of the underworld.

In 2021, Legendborn won the award for Best YA novel. This book, based on Arthurian legend, tells the story of Bree Matthews, a teen who joins a residential program for bright high schoolers at UNC–Chapel Hill and stumbles upon something extraordinary. When a flying demon attacks the campus, a secret society of “Legendborn” students hunts the creature down. Because Bree wasn’t meant to see any of this, a mage called “Merlin” attempts to wipe Bree’s memory. But in doing so, he instead unlocks dormant powers within her.

While it’s Darcie Little Badger’s second novel A Snake Falls to Earth that won the Ignyte Award in 2022, Elatsoe is my personal favorite, and it was a finalist in 2021. Elatsoe is set in an America that is similar to the one that exists today. The only difference is that this America is shaped in no small part by the magic, monsters, knowledge, and legends of all its people, Indigenous and not. This is the world in which young Elatsoe lives. Through the lineage of her Lipan Apache family, she has learned how to raise the ghosts of dead animals. Elatsoe’s cousin has been murdered, and she will stop at nothing to find out the truth of what happened. And she will use her smarts and her special skills to get the answers she needs.

In 2021, Black Sun won for best novel. In the holy city of Tova, the winter solstice usually signifies renewal, but this year the winter solstice also coincides with a solar eclipse, which the Sun Priest warns signifies an unbalancing of the world. Xiala is a disgraced Teek who is sailing a ship towards Tova, set to arrive on the solstice. With her is a young man named Serapio. He seems harmless enough, but his need to arrive in Tova before the eclipse suggests there’s more to him than meets the eye.

Riot Baby won for Best Novella in 2021. Ella has a gift of premonition, and her brother Kev is sworn to protect her. The dystopian America they live in, however, is cruel. And perhaps not that different than the America we live in now. In this novella, Onyebuchi’s world reflects the issues that affect contemporary America, namely racism and prejudice and the systems that work against minorities.

This book was the winner for Best Novella in 2022. After her brother Baraka’s death by suicide, Nyokabi’s world is falling apart. So when her aunt gives her a potion that can send Nyokabi back in time, she comes up with a plan. She will go back to when her brother was still alive, and she will do everything in her power to keep him that way.

This final book was the winner for Best Novel in 2022. This book is set in an alternate version of Cairo in 1912. Fatma el-Sha’arawi may be the youngest woman working for the Ministry of Alchemy, Enchantments, and Supernatural Entities, but she’s no novice. When someone murders a secret brotherhood dedicated to al-Jahiz, one of the most famous men in history, it’s Fatma they call upon to solve the case. Al-Jahiz disappeared 40 years ago, but now the murderer claims to be the al-Jahiz, returned to condemn the modern age.

In this collection, Evans looks at history, race, and contemporary life. From a girl who tries to remake herself when a racist photo goes viral to a woman who puts her career and reputation at risk to solve a historical mystery, these stories force readers to reconsider what we’ve accepted as the “truth” about America’s founding.

Set in Colorado and starring Latina characters with Indigenous heritage, these stories are about the resilience and history. This collection was a National Book Award finalist, and it won the American Book Award.

Rainbow Rowell’s assorted short stories are collected in one book for the first time ever, plus this book contains some brand-new stories that have never been published. They run the range from stories that feature old and beloved characters to new characters and worlds, and many are winter or Christmas-themed!

Curtis Sittenfeld’s short story collection looks at people, mostly millennial women, dealing with a whole slew of relatable yet unexpected situations. From social media to social justice, these stories look at upending expectations about gender, family, and class.

From the same person who dreamed up the story that inspired the movie Arrival, here is a collection of short speculative stories about the bounds of humanity and human technology, and our understanding of the universe.

In this satirical and sometimes surreal collection of short stories, the author explores what it means to be young and black in the U.S., addressing social issues such as consumerism, justice, and racism.

In Holly Black’s short story collection, strange and sinister events unfold, undercut with unexpected dark humor. This collection contains the short story that inspired The Coldest Girl in Coldtown, and one of my personal favorite short stories, “Paper Cuts Scissors.”

This new collection of short stories is set in a Penobscot community in present-day Maine, revealing what life is like for contemporary citizens. These stories are about survival, memory, and dealing with the fallout of trauma, as well as perseverance.

These gorgeous poems follow spoken word poet Jasmine Mans’s path as a queer Black girl in Newark, New Jersey, becoming a woman.

In these poems, award-winning memoirist Saeed Jones explores his voice as an unreliable narrator confronting white supremacy and looking at America through cultural icons including Little Richard and Aretha Franklin.

In these poems, nonbinary poet Andrea Gibson explores the world through self-reflection, looking at everything from their own queerness to climate change.

Queer poet and editor Holly Lyn Walrath explores the body in these tiny poems, taking the reader on a journey of questioning and acceptance. (Disclosure: I have written for Holly’s magazine.)

In these poems, queer poet Grace Lau explores Hong Kong history and life as a Canadian immigrant, using reference points in popular culture including boy bands, food, and more.

In his second collection, queer Vietnamese American poet, novelist, and MacArthur fellow Ocean Vuong reflects on his life and the experience as a product of war, following his mother’s death.

In Lovecraft-inspired horror poems, Black poet Brandon O’Brien explores Blackness through monsters in the form of racism, sexism, and violence.

In this collection, written during COVID-19 lockdown, Instagram poet Nikita Gill explores loneliness, mental health, and more. Included in the collection is her famous poem “Love in the Time of Coronavirus,” and the collection is illustrated with her own line drawings.

If you haven’t read This Will Be My Undoing yet, make this the one. Just saying. Jerkins’ collection of linked essays explore what it’s like to be a Black woman in contemporary culture. These essays give insightful commentary on pop culture, black history, misogyny, racism, the the problems with the predominantly white, mainstream version of feminism that marginalizes women of color.

In July 2012, Juliet Jacques underwent sex reassignment surgery at the age of 30. This memoir chronicles her journey to define herself and find her true identity in a world where gender politics is ever changing. Trans interweaves the personal with the political, exploring how liberal and feminist media reactions and responses to trans politics all while also tracing Jacques’ own road to self-discovery.

As the subtitle suggests, Mikki Kendall’s Hood Feminism directly confronts mainstream feminism and points out all of the people and issues that the movement has traditionally left out. Kendall argues that food insecurity, access to quality education, safe neighborhoods, a living wage, and medical care are all feminist issues. And yet the focus of the feminist movement is hardly ever about the basic survival of the many. Rather, it focuses on furthering the privileges of a few. How, Kendall asks, can everyone stand in solidarity with the feminist movement when women are being oppressed by other women?

The face of feminism has long been upper middle class white women, who are seen as the “experts” of the feminist movement. In Against White Feminism, author Rafia Zakaria, an American Muslim woman, attorney, and political philosopher, calls for a reconstruction of feminism that focuses on women of color. In the face of white feminism’s long-standing connection to colonial, patriarchal, and white supremacist ideals, this book offers a counter-manifesto.

Can We All Be Feminists? is an anthology of intersectional feminist essays by 17 writers from diverse backgrounds: Soofiya Andry, Gabrielle Bellot, Caitlin Cruz, Nicole Dennis-Benn, Brit Bennett, Evette Dionne, Aisha Gani, Afua Hirsch, Juliet Jacques, Wei Ming Kam, Mariya Karimjee, Eishar Kaur, Emer O’Toole, Frances Ryan, Zoé Samudzi, Charlotte Shane, and Selina Thompson. Despite each of these authors commitment to gender equality, they all struggle with feminism and the way it ignores other aspects of their identities, such as race, religion, sexuality, gender. Each essay seeks to answer the question: Can we all be feminists?

If you’re looking to read a classic book about intersectional feminism, This Bridge Called My Back is not to be missed. Originally released in 1981, this book is an anthology featuring several different perspectives from women of color through personal essays, criticism, interviews, testimonials, poetry, and visual art. Each work reflects on evolving definitions of feminism that are adapting to include the issues important to women of color in the United States and throughout the world.

Women, Race, & Class is another must-read classic for anyone looking to read more intersectional feminist works. Here, Civil Rights icon Angela Davis provides a thought-provoking history of how whiteness and privilege has influenced the social and political landscape of traditional feminism. Ultimately Davis argues that racist and classist biases continue to undermine the ambitions of the feminist movement, from the abolitionist movement to present day.

Activist Sonya Renee Taylor believes that radical self-love has the power to change the world, and she’s showing readers how to find that self-love in her bestselling book The Body is Not an Apology. When we are able to set aside indoctrinated body shame, we are free to interrupt the systems that perpetuate body shame and oppression against all bodies, such as racism, sexism, ableism, homophobia, and transphobia.