Black Stories Matter: A Year of Empowering Reads

bookishlyariel's profile picture bookishlyariel Host

20 participants (50 books)

01 Jan 2025—31 Dec 2025

Overview

The Black Book Reading Challenge is an initiative to celebrate, explore, and immerse ourselves in the rich and diverse literary works by Black authors. This challenge encourages participants to read books across genres, uncover hidden gems, and embrace stories that amplify Black voices, histories, and experiences.

Challenge Books

All books added
The Thing Around Your Neck by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

The Thing Around Your Neck

Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

218 pages • first pub 2009 (editions)

fiction contemporary short stories emotional reflective medium-paced
Oathbound by Tracy Deonn

Oathbound

The Legendborn Cycle #3

Tracy Deonn

650 pages • first pub 2025 (editions)

fiction fantasy young adult adventurous emotional mysterious medium-paced
Bloodmarked by Tracy Deonn

Bloodmarked

The Legendborn Cycle #2

Tracy Deonn

561 pages • first pub 2022 (editions)

fiction fantasy young adult adventurous emotional tense medium-paced
skin & bones by Renée Watson

skin & bones

Renée Watson

416 pages • first pub 2024 (editions)

fiction contemporary literary emotional inspiring reflective medium-paced
Tanqueray by Stephanie Johnson, Brandon Stanton

Tanqueray

Stephanie Johnson, Brandon Stanton

3 hours, 17 minutes • first pub 2022 (editions)

nonfiction memoir reflective medium-paced
Sleep Like Death by Kalynn Bayron

Sleep Like Death

Kalynn Bayron

344 pages • first pub 2024 (editions)

fiction fantasy lgbtqia+ young adult adventurous dark mysterious medium-paced
Trail Sisters: Freedwomen in Indian Territory, 1850-1890 by Linda Williams Reese
Trail Sisters: Freedwomen in Indian Territory, 1850-1890
—
Linda Williams Reese

Trail Sisters: Freedwomen in Indian Territory, 1850-1890

Plains Histories

Linda Williams Reese

426 pages • missing pub info (editions)

nonfiction history emotional informative medium-paced
Don't Cry for Me by Daniel Black

Don't Cry for Me

Daniel Black

304 pages • first pub 2022 (editions)

fiction historical lgbtqia+ emotional reflective sad medium-paced
Great Expectations: A Novel by Vinson Cunningham

Great Expectations: A Novel

Vinson Cunningham

6 hours, 52 minutes • first pub 2024 (editions)

fiction literary reflective medium-paced
The Women Could Fly by Megan Giddings

The Women Could Fly

Megan Giddings

283 pages • first pub 2022 (editions)

fiction dystopian fantasy lgbtqia+ dark emotional reflective medium-paced