Here’s some 2021 recommendations of favorite Black authors from my reading this past year, but don’t forget to check out my prior post.

Take a Hint, Dani Brown by Talia Hibbert

A favorite Black author from 2020, I also love this next one in the series. This book is really funny. Zafir Ansari is such a total sweetheart–a great book boyfriend. It has the fake dating trope between “I’m just in it for the sex” woman with a romantic man. What I especially love is when they tease each other. The banter just sparkles off the page:

“I was thinking we should just have lunch together,” he went on, ” and try to . . . you know. Flirt.”

“Try to flirt? Because we’re so out of practice.”

She could almost hear his blush through the phone. “We don’t flirt.”

“If that’s what you think, I really need to brush up on my skills.”

Take a Hint, Dani Brown by Talia Hibbert

Note: steamy, open door sex scenes.

Queenie by Candice Carty-Williams

My favorite non-romcom book was Queenie by Candice Carty-Williams. It does get very dark and I had to put it down a few times because I was like “noooo!” But it has a happy ending and I was strongly rooting for the character of Queenie. And the voice is very funny. (It is quite explicit with sexual assault and very graphic sex scenes.)

It won the British Book Awards, among others.

Boyfriend Project by Farrah Rochon

When a live tweet of a date reveals that Samiah has been catfished by a three-timing jerk of a boyfriend, she and the two other women form a pact: no men and no dating. But the timing is terrible, as the deliciously sexy Daniel Collins has just started working where she works. And if his penchant for always grabbing coffee when she does is any indication, he’s interested in her. Daniel Collins is another sweetheart of a book boyfriend.

The Vanishing Half by Brit Bennett

My favorite women’s fiction book was The Vanishing Half. This is a great book for a book club discussion because there are so many layers to discuss. This book is about two twin Black sisters, one of whom abandons the other to pass as a white woman. Their daughters’ lives then intersect. There are also some beautiful relationships, of love and support, between Early and Desiree, and between Reese and Jude.

The Kindest Lie by Nancy Johnson

Another great book for a book club discussion is The Kindest Lie by Nancy Johnson. The Kindest Lie is about secrets, family, race, class and the broken promises of the American dream. Nancy Johnson does htis really well wtih the contrast between the upper middle-class settings of Chicago and a working class small town in Indiana, and with the two flawed POV characters, Ruth (a Black Ivy-educated engineer) and Midnight (a motherless white boy whose best friend is Black). Ruth is consumed by guilt over her secret–that she gave up her baby at 17 to go to Yale. The story really takes off when she goes to confront her family. The complex and realistic characters are all sympathetically drawn, but still flawed–which leads to great book club discussions. This was my first ever ARC received(!)–as part of an Instagram giveaway.

Mr. Tony Explores Space by Tony Gaskin

And my friend Mr. Tony published his book. My eight-year old said he was on page two and had already learned some new facts! He said it was great for learning about space and the space station (which he has been studying in school in third and fourth grade). He is also selling merchandise.

Let’s Talk

What books have you enjoyed reading this past year? What favorite Black authors have you found in 2021?

We’ve just returned from skiing in Colorado with family. It was a great break, but I’m happy to be home and catching up, even if we are in quarantine for ten days under New York rules.

I have been watching CRASH LANDING ON YOU (Netflix), and it’s utterly addictive. I LOVE LOVE it! Highly recommend it if you haven’t seen it already. But I’m afraid to start any more Korean dramas because I totally binged this one, and if they all end on hooks every scene, I will never get any work done!