10 New Books By Black Women You Should Read This Fall
These 10 New Books By Black Women Have Us Hyped For The Fall
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Fall is approaching fast, and it’s the perfect time to cozy up with a warm drink and a good read at home as we feel the hot summer air transition into a cool autumn breeze.
If you’re looking for a new book to dive into or to diversify your bookshelf, there are a number of amazing Black women authors who are killing it in the game right now and are sure to keep you turning from one page to the next with their brilliantly written pieces.
From fantasy and thriller to nonfiction, these incredible Black authors stand as luminous stars, casting light on untold stories, unique perspectives and profound views of the Black experience. Their words resonate with authenticity, courage and a deep understanding of the human condition. From historical narratives to contemporary fiction, their contributions enrich the literary world and inspire readers around the globe.
Here are a few upcoming book releases that have us hyped for the fall.
One Blood By Denene Millner – Release Date: Sept. 5
New York Times bestselling author Denene Millner’s haunting yet exciting book One Blood explores the lives of three women: Grace, LoLo and Rae, as they struggle to overcome life’s unexpected challenges in pursuit of love, hope and their dreams. All three women are connected by time, circumstance and family secrets that reveal they have more than just blood ties in common.
In September 2022, Millner, a former entertainment and political writer at the Daily News, spoke to MADAMENOIRE about the challenges of creating her forthcoming novel. She had to dig deep to pull out her literary genius.
“A lot of the writing that I’ve done over the years has been sort of like an extension of my job as a journalist. So, writing for other people just made sense as a natural transition from being an entertainment reporter, being a political reporter, being able to ask questions and then mine and glean that information and turn it into a story,” Millner told MADAMENOIRE’s former managing editor Ida Harris last year.
“It’s just a longer form version of me writing a profile for Essence or writing a profile for the Daily News. And then, if I’m being honest, it’s scary. It was scary to let go of something that came really easy to me and exchange that for something that is a bit more challenging. One Blood was challenged. It was not easy to do. It was not easy to tell that story, and it was not easy to employ the writing that I did for it. It took me a minute to kind of wrap my arms around, like, are you really going to do this right? And when you do it, are you going to do it the way that it needs to be done, and are you capable of doing it?”
With hard work and hours of fleshing out her idea for the novel, Millner quickly realized she could write the book of her dreams.
“I always knew that I had this writing in me but sitting down and actually doing it as a whole, nether proposition,” she added. “And so, it was a matter of sitting down and saying to myself, you got to trust that you got this. You can tell this story, and you can tell the story in the way that you intend to write it in a way that is elevated from a snarky headline in the Daily News.”
The Art of Desire by Stacey Abrams – Release Date: Sept. 5
Selena Montgomery is the pen name of two-time Georgia gubernatorial candidate, Stacey Abrams. In her forthcoming love novel, the Democrat dives into the complicated love life of Alex Walton, an aspiring writer who hasn’t had the best of luck at finding a compatible partner. But life changes when she meets Phillip Turman, a handsome man with a dark secret that could threaten to tear their love apart.
The Fraud by Zadie Smith – Release Date: Sept. 5
Set in 1873, Zadie Smith’s periodic novel The Fraud, follows the story of Mrs. Eliza Touchet, a Scottish housekeeper with blood ties to the revered English novelist, William Ainsworth.
She’s a skeptic and never takes anything at face value. Ironically, Touchet shares some similarities with Andrew Bogle, a worker who grew up enslaved on the Hope Plantation in Jamaica. He knows very well how cruel the world can be and is aware of the great lengths that some people will go to take hold of wealth, greed and fame.
After moving to London, Mr. Bogle becomes one of the star witnesses of the “Tichborne Trial,” a popular case that involves an Australian butcher’s fight to inherit a sizable estate and title in England.
Sir Roger Tichborne plays the part, but his testimony quickly blurs the line between fiction and reality. Mrs. Touchet and Mr. Bogle became enthralled with the excitement and the intensity of the case, leaving them and all of England to speculate if Mr. Tichborne is telling the truth or if he’s a complete fraud.
Something, Someday by Amanda Gorman & Christian Robinson – Release Date: Sept. 26
If you have children, this powerful book is a perfect read to help your kids build confidence and inspiration. Presidential inaugural poet and #1 New York Times bestselling author Amanda Gorman has teamed up with award-winning illustrator Christian Robinson to create a beautiful children’s book that carries a deep message about hope, change and the power of resilience.
Something, Someday encourages children to make a dent in the world with their unique power. We all have something special locked within us that can make a difference– we just need help bringing it out. But we can’t create change alone.
The magic truly happens when we team up with other like-minded friends and community members. It takes a village to make the world a better place. With intimate and inspiring text and powerfully stunning illustrations, Something, Someday reveals how even the smallest gesture can have a lasting impact.
In February, Gorman and Robinson spoke more about the beautiful message buried within their forthcoming children’s book. Gorman, 25, said she hoped readers of all ages could walk away from the book knowing that “even the smallest acts of kindness can lead to the largest positive change.”
Robinson added, “We all have the power to bring healing and beauty to the world, even in the most difficult circumstances.”
The Unsettled by Ayana Mathis – Release Date: Sept. 26
Ayana Mathis’ generational novel The Unsettled, is a riveting thriller set in racially turbulent Philadelphia in the 1980s. The story follows Ava Carson, and her son, 10-year-old Toussaint, as they struggle to survive the harsh conditions of a family shelter located on Glenn Avenue in the city.
Surrounded by squalid conditions, stale food and insect-infested rooms, Carson is determined to make her way out of the unlivable shelter. She’s desperate to provide her son with a better life, but she must first correct all of the complicated life mistakes that led her there.
Radiant Rebellion: Reclaim Aging, Practice Joy, and Raise a Little Hell by Karen Walrond- Release Date: Oct. 17
Aging isn’t a process we should be afraid of. In fact, in Karen Walrdon’s forthcoming book, Radiant Rebellion, the passionate author challenges readers to stand 10 toes down in their ageless beauty. She argues that aging is a radical act of freedom. When we reclaim the negative tropes and stereotypes associated with the aging process, we give ourselves the freedom to live an unapologetic life, free of doubt and free.
“Through conversations with social workers and neurologists, activists and clergy, Walrond satisfies her curiosity—and ours—about why the dominant culture treats aging as a time of dwindling capacity. She also embarks on a series of experiments that help her rebel against convention: letting her hair go naturally gray, going on a silent retreat, revamping her health practices, and plotting her next adventure,” a synopsis for the forthcoming book states.
bell hooks’ Spiritual Vision: Buddhist, Christian, and Feminist by Nadra Nittle- Release date: Nov. 7
The death of Black feminist and scholar bell hooks rocked the literary world in 2021. She was known for her incredible contributions to feminist theory, her deep analysis of race and class, and its complicated context within American culture.
But there were a few things that fans may not have known about the revered writer. She was a devout Buddhist Christian who lived a full spiritual life outside of her literary work. Nittle deconstructs hooks’ book Spiritual Vision, to recount how the legendary scholar and author lived her best Buddhist life, a spiritual practice that she kept secretary for years, “fearing that there was no room to discuss her faith in the feminist movement or in the academy,” a synopsis for the book reads.
Blood on the Dance Floor: The Creative Process of Michael Jackson by Glenda R. Taylor –Release Date: Nov. 7
Blood on the Dance Floor: The Creative Process of Michael Jackson investigates the late King of Pop’s illustrious career and the unparalleled creativity that made him a megastar. By looking back at Michael’s family biography and aspects of the star’s personal life, author Glenda R. Taylor hopes to give readers a close look at the many building blocks that made Michael Jackson a prolific icon across culture and music.
The Reformatory by Tananarive Due- Release Date: Oct. 31
This scary novel drops just in time for Halloween. Set in Jim Crow Florida, this page-turning thriller follows Robert Stephen Jones, a student sent to a segregated reform school called the Gracetown School For Boys.
Gracetown isn’t your normal reformatory. It’s filled with dark secrets and a haunting past. Jones witnesses racism and unthinkable injustices occur in the halls of the eerie all-boys facility. In order to survive, he has to find a way out. Along the way, he must help other students who are living and those who have died due to Gracetown’s eerie legacy.
Sing A Black Girl’s Song: The Unpublished Work Of Ntozake Shange by Imani Perry – Release Date: Sept. 12
Ntozake Shange was a renowned African-American playwright, poet and author known for her groundbreaking work that explored themes of race, gender and the Black female experience. The playwright, poet and literary essayist was best known for her Award-winning stage play, For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide/When the Rainbow Is Enuf, which combined poetry and dance with the power of music and storytelling to address the struggles and resilience of Black women.
Before Shange’s name flooded the literary world, the profound writer cut her teeth as a student at Barnard College. She spent years cultivating her unique voice through personal essays, plays and her school’s literary journal. National Book award-winner, Imani Perry, has compiled all of the late literary giant’s unpublished work into a book that will give fans a look at her growth and development as a writer over the years. Through essays, poems and plays, readers will get to see the formative years of Shange’s writing career that led to her remarkable literary contributions before her untimely passing in 2018.
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