What I'm Reading for Black History Month 2023

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I read 160 books in 2022, which was a new personal record! Part of this was because I read more graphic novels and manga than in past years. Either way, it’s more about quality and enjoyment than quantity! Whatever and whenever I’m reading, I always try to make sure I’m reading a diverse assortment of books rather than just books written by people who look like me. It’s important to read diverse books year-round and not just in whatever history month it happens to be! That being said, I haven’t written a Black History Month TBR blog post since 2020, so I thought it would be fun to share my list for 2023. 

Here’s what I have on deck:

  1. Color Me In by Natasha Diaz – A friend gifted this YA novel to me and I started it earlier this week! It’s the story of a biracial high school girl trying to figure out where she fits in as she navigates between the world of her Jewish father in the suburbs and her Black mother in Harlem. 

  2. Counting Descent by Clint Smith – Clint Smith’s nonfiction book, How the Word is Passed, is one of my favorites to recommend to people. It grapples with the history of slavery in America and how various sites depict that period in our past. Counting Descent is his poetry, and I’m curious to read it! 

  3. Swim Team by Johnnie Christmas – I’ve read tons of graphic novels by Asian writers, but far fewer by Black writers! I decided to remedy that and was delighted to find Swim Team at my local library.

  4. Someday, Maybe by Onyi Nwabineli – While I went to the library seeking a book about Black joy or a romance novel by a Black author, I couldn’t resist Someday, Maybe. It’s a novel about a woman who lost her husband to suicide, so joy does not seem to be at the forefront, but the voice in the blurb on the jacket flap was so gripping that I had to check it out.

  5. My Monticello by Jocelyn Nicole Johnson – My book club is reading this in February, and I can’t wait! It’s a novella and short stories, and I’ve heard good things about it on BookTok. 

  6. 808s & Otherworlds by Sean Avery Medlin – This one comes from one of my favorite indie publishers, Two Dollar Radio, so I know it will be excellent.

  7. She Would be King by Wayetu Moore – One of my favorite BookTokkers, Books with Lee, recommended this novel and it has elements of magical realism, so I have high hopes!

  8. When Stars are Scattered by Victoria Jamieson and Omar Mohamed – Another great graphic novel find from the library! 

  9. If I Survive You by Jonathan Escoffery – Had to include a short story collection, and was glad to find this one at the library too. The blurb kept saying how funny it is despite the heavier subject matter, so it sounds intriguing.

  10. Rest is Resistance by Tricia Hersey – I enjoy following The Nap Ministry on Instagram, so I’m looking forward to reading this book by the founder. 

  11. Deacon King Kong by James McBride – I found this in a Little Free Library by my favorite coffee shop! I remember it getting lots of buzz a few years ago but don’t know much beyond that, so I’m eager to be surprised. 

If you’re looking to add to your Black History Month (and year-round) TBR, here are a few bonus recommendations!

  • Highly Suspicious and Unfairly Cute by Talia Hibbert – This is Hibbert’s YA debut and it was just as funny, sweet, and perfectly paced as her other work I’ve read. 

  • Act Your Age, Eve Brown by Talia Hibbert – The entire Brown sisters trilogy is a delight, but the Eve Brown installment might be my favorite. 

  • You Should See Me in a Crown by Leah Johnson – Don’t miss this cute YA novel where a queer Black girl runs for prom queen in hopes of winning a scholarship and falls in love along the way.

  • Felix Ever After by Kacen Callender – I loved this YA novel about a Black, queer, trans boy navigating high school, friendship, and love.

  • Black Girl, Call Home by Jasmine Mans – One of my favorite poetry collections I’ve read in years. There are poems about Whitney Houston, love, Kanye West, Serena Williams, the sterilization of Black women, and so much more.

  • Milk Blood Heat by Dantiel W. Moniz – An incredible short story collection. No misses in this impeccable debut. 

  • Friday Black by Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah – I love the surrealism and satire in this vibrant and strange short story collection. 

Find more of my favorite books by Black authors on my Bookshop. 

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