books about Black people – Equal Opportunity Reader

[REVIEW] Repairing Play: A Black Phenomenology, by Aaron Trammell

A Black woman's hand(Mel's) holds the paperback of Black Play in front of a strongly patterned carpet in complimentary colors. The cover shows Black children running a footrace.

(Buy this book here) One person’s game can be another’s torment. Aaron Trammell is a professor of informatics and the editor of Analog Game Studies. He puts this background to good use in this book, analyzing what play really means in a racialized context and a racist society. He pulls from theory, philosophy, cultural wisdom,Continue reading “[REVIEW] Repairing Play: A Black Phenomenology, by Aaron Trammell”

[Review] Honey and Spice, by Bolu Babalola

The Kindle cover of Bolu Babalola's Honey and Spice, depicting two young Black lovers standing side by side, lays on a pink , red and white camouflage mat, surrounded by a fancy candle, a pink set of earbuds, and a tall pink cup with XOXO written on the side.

(Buy this cute book here.) This would make a really cute movie. Kiki Banjo hosts the hottest campus radio broadcast for Black students at a PWI. Malakai Korede is a transfer student and an up-and-coming filmmaker. Both of them are fit, fine, and have no time for relationships. But when professional opportunity comes knocking, theseContinue reading “[Review] Honey and Spice, by Bolu Babalola”

[REVIEW] How High The Moon, by Karyn Parsons

A young Ukrainian man in a Black sweater smiles down at the blue and gold cover of How High The Moon. Behind him are a world map, an orange map, and an open window looking out onto a public square.

(Buy this book.) I’m not sure if I’ve mentioned this before, but my current day job is in an ESL school. Perhaps this is a bit too on-brand, but I’m always telling my students that if they want a good English vocabulary, they need to read. Our school even has a little library that IContinue reading “[REVIEW] How High The Moon, by Karyn Parsons”

[REVIEW] The Weight of Blood, by Tiffany D Jackson

(Buy this book.) The blurbs call this a Black version of Stephen King’s Carrie, and they’re mostly right. The author set out to write this as an homage, only shifting the tone of the main character’s terror, not the source. Instead of sheltered, abused, religiously traumatized Carrie White, this book focuses on Madison Washington. MaddyContinue reading “[REVIEW] The Weight of Blood, by Tiffany D Jackson”

[REVIEW] The Ballad of Perilous Graves, by Alex Jennings

(Buy this book here.) (Disclosure: I met Alex aka @magicknegro at Under The Volcano 2022 and have been known to message him whiny existential writer complaints on occasion. This is still an honest review and I bought my own copy of this book because Paying Writers Cures Foolishness.) The publisher blurbs for this book allContinue reading “[REVIEW] The Ballad of Perilous Graves, by Alex Jennings”

[REVIEW]How To Catch A Queen, by Alyssa Cole

(Buy this book!) Black. Royals. In. Love. Let me say that again, y’all. Black. ROYAL. Romance! That’s it. That’s the whole review. Go read the book. Okay, fine. As much as I wish that was the whole review, it’s not. As much as I wanted to adore this tale of stern King Sanyu finding andContinue reading “[REVIEW]How To Catch A Queen, by Alyssa Cole”

[Review] In Every Mirror She’s Black, by Lola Akimade Akerstrom

(Buy this book at Bookshop) It feels like it’s been 935 years since the last time I wrote a book review but I couldn’t let any more time go by without telling y’all about this one. Work, weddings and war. I lived abroad in 2 different countries over 15 years and I heard this constantly.Continue reading “[Review] In Every Mirror She’s Black, by Lola Akimade Akerstrom”

[REVIEW] Too Much Soul, by Cindy Wilson

(Buy this book here.) It’s January 19th. I’ve read 6 books so far in 2022. I’ve reviewed one. This year has been MAD so far, y’all. How are you doing? Moving on to a review, I suggested this book as part of my January Equal Opportunity Reading Challenge and all I have to say is…canContinue reading “[REVIEW] Too Much Soul, by Cindy Wilson”

[REVIEW] The Secret of Gumbo Grove, by Eleanora E Tate

A paperback copy of The Secret of Gumbo Grove lies on a table, surrounded by a crochet project, an open laptop, and a blue and white paper bookmark.

(Buy it from Bookshop here.) Finally I have time to write another book review! Eleven-year old Raisin Stackhouse loves Prince, her younger sisters, and history. She’s a responsible kid who does odd jobs for neighbors in her South Carolina tourist town, so when Effie Pfluggins, the church secretary, calls her over to help clean gravesContinue reading “[REVIEW] The Secret of Gumbo Grove, by Eleanora E Tate”

[REVIEW] Forty Acres, by Dwayne Alexander Smith

A Black woman's hand(my hand) holds a Kindle displaying the black and white cover of Forty Acres in front of a freshly chopped woodpile, complete with axe.

(Buy this on Bookshop) I had to think long and hard about what to say about this book and to be honest, I’m still not sure. Let’s start with the premise. (Warning: I’m going all in with the spoilers for this one.) Martin Grey is an up-and-coming, black and bougie New York attorney. When heContinue reading “[REVIEW] Forty Acres, by Dwayne Alexander Smith”