Writers of Color 50 Books Challenge

Signup Post: Reading Challenges in 2026

Thu, 08 Jan 2026 19:46:08 GMT

Posted by: ysabetwordsmith

Signup Post: Reading Challenges in 2026 on goals_on_dw

This post lists a bunch of reading challenges for 2026, from one-month to full-year options. It includes a listing for 50books_poc along with several other Dreamwidth communities. bookclub_dw is fairly new; it works based on host suggestions and member votes, so that's another good way to promote POC books.

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Happy Juneteenth!

Fri, 20 Jun 2025 02:09:31 GMT

Posted by: ysabetwordsmith

Today is Juneteenth.

These book lists feature black authors. Take a look if you're searching for black books to read.

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Grown by Tiffany D. Jackson

Sun, 04 Aug 2024 21:18:11 GMT

Posted by: wearing_tearing

Award-winning author Tiffany D. Jackson delivers another riveting, ripped-from-the-headlines mystery that exposes horrific secrets hiding in the limelight and the power of a young woman’s voice.

Content warning: this story was heavily inspired by the R. Kelly case. All warnings pertaining to that apply.

The writing was fantastic, as always, but it was still a difficult read. It definitely served to show red flags re abusive and criminal relationships very clearly despite the book being written from the survivor's perspective--someone who didn't necessarily recognize what was happening to her at the time. It was also very accessible, and I hope it teaches young people to know what to look for and what to be careful of in these types of situations/relationships.

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Olga Dies Dreaming by Xochitl Gonzalez

Thu, 01 Aug 2024 16:05:39 GMT

Posted by: wearing_tearing

A blazing talent debuts with the tale of a status-driven wedding planner grappling with her social ambitions, absent mother, and Puerto Rican roots, all in the wake of Hurricane Maria.

Well! The writing here was fantastic despite all the long paragraphs that sometimes led to nothing. The fast pace and distinct perspectives for Olga and Prieto made this such a quick and engaging read that I managed to finish this in one sitting.

( Read more... )

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Anywhere You Run by Wanda M. Morris

Tue, 30 Jul 2024 11:16:27 GMT

Posted by: wearing_tearing

From the acclaimed author of All Her Little Secrets comes yet another gripping, suspenseful novel where, after the murder of a white man in Jim Crow Mississippi, two Black sisters run away to different parts of the country. . . but can they escape the secrets they left behind?

I think I had a case of mismatched expectations with this one. I thought it'd be more of a mystery plot instead of a historical one, but I still very much enjoyed the writing style--it was very accessible and the fast pace kept me engaged the entire time.

( Read more... )

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Peach Blossom Spring by Melissa Fu

Thu, 02 May 2024 13:11:32 GMT

Posted by: wearing_tearing

A "beautifully rendered" novel about war, migration, and the power of telling our stories, Peach Blossom Spring follows three generations of a Chinese family on their search for a place to call home.

A beautiful and heartbreaking read. The book followed 3 generations of a Chinese family as they searched for home. The story started in 1938 and went into current days and was told in multiple perspectives. There was a lot of hardship and heartbreak throughout, but it was the ending that got me right in the chest. I cried so hard during the final chapters and the way the book dealt with family history and all the things we end up leaving unsaid and get lost to time.

Content warnings for: ( Read more... )

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All the Sinners Bleed by S.A. Cosby

Sat, 16 Mar 2024 15:14:01 GMT

Posted by: wearing_tearing

A Black sheriff. A serial killer.
A small town ready to combust.

I had a little trouble with the writing at first, but quickly got sucked into Titus' perspective and the town of Charon. He was such an interesting and complex character and it was an unique experience to read this story through his eyes considering the themes it addressed.

( Read more... )

Content warnings for: ( Read more... )

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Fevered Star by Rebecca Roanhorse

Sat, 09 Mar 2024 22:00:51 GMT

Posted by: wearing_tearing

The Meridian: a land where magic has been codified and the worship of gods suppressed. How do you live when legends come to life, and the faith you had is rewarded?

This is the second book in the Between Earth and Sky series! And I’m very sad to say it was not for me. I wanted to love it from the beginning, but I didn’t find most of the character perspectives that engaging. There was very little plot development here as well, which didn't help my enjoyment when reading. :/

I believe people who enjoy Fantasy stories set in alternate history times—in this case: the civilizations of the Pre-Columbian Americas—with prophecies and gods and a bit of a slow pace will have a good time with this one.

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Slay by Brittany Morris

Sat, 02 Mar 2024 10:25:43 GMT

Posted by: wearing_tearing

Ready Player One meets The Hate U Give in this dynamite debut novel that follows a fierce teen game developer as she battles a real-life troll intent on ruining the Black Panther-inspired video game she created and the safe community it represents for Black gamers.

Slay read a bit too young for me, but it was lovely from beginning to end. The writing was engaging and the fast pace made this an engrossing read. It did tackle some very important questions and issues throughout about Blackness and racism and I think it would be a wonderful addition to any classroom/school library.

Content warnings for: ( Read more... )

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The Mimicking of Known Successes by Malka Ann Older

Sun, 25 Feb 2024 16:54:09 GMT

Posted by: wearing_tearing

The Mimicking of Known Successes presents a cozy Holmesian murder mystery and sapphic romance, set on Jupiter, by Malka Older, author of the critically-acclaimed Centenal Cycle.

The premise here sounded right up my alley, but the writing style really wasn’t for me and I had a lot of difficulty following along with the investigation plot. I do believe people who enjoy Sci-Fi Mystery with a healthy dash of sapphic romance (exes who have to work together!) will have better luck than me with this novella.

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Does My Body Offend You? by Marie Marquardt, Mayra Cuevas

Sat, 17 Feb 2024 19:33:39 GMT

Posted by: wearing_tearing

A timely story of two teenagers who discover the power of friendship, feminism, and standing up for what you believe in, no matter where you come from. A collaboration between two gifted authors writing from alternating perspectives, this compelling novel shines with authenticity, courage, and humor.

I’m not able to say much about this one due to some bits of it hitting too close to home to be entirely comfortable, but the writing here was so accessible and the distinctive perspectives did a fantastic job at establishing the two main characters. The plot also showed a lot of growth and tackled complex subjects with sensitivity.

Content warnings for: ( Read more... )

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When Crack Was King: A People's History of a Misunderstood Era by Donovan X. Ramsey

Sat, 10 Feb 2024 10:10:49 GMT

Posted by: wearing_tearing

A vivid and frank account of the crack cocaine era and a community’s ultimate resilience, told through a cast of characters whose lives illuminate the dramatic rise and fall of the epidemic.

No mini review for this one. I wouldn’t be able to do it justice. This was a very well researched and humanized take on the crack epidemic and the War on Drugs in the USA and how that disproportionately affected Black and Brown communities. Ramsey's writing was very accessible and the work outlined and contrasted different realities and perspectives extremely well.

Content warnings for: ( Read more... )

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Lonely Castle in the Mirror by Mizuki Tsujimura

Thu, 01 Feb 2024 15:41:07 GMT

Posted by: wearing_tearing

Tender, playful, gripping, Lonely Castle in the Mirror is a mesmerizing tale about the importance of reaching out, confronting anxiety and embracing human connection.

Such an odd little book, at first. I had some trouble with the first half as it was a bit too slow-paced and the writing took some getting used to. It ended up being a lovely read, though!

Content warnings for: ( Read more... )

( Mini Review )

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Their Vicious Games by Joelle Wellington

Fri, 26 Jan 2024 15:28:51 GMT

Posted by: wearing_tearing

A Black teen desperate to regain her Ivy League acceptance enters an elite competition only to discover the stakes aren’t just high, they’re deadly, in this searing thriller that’s Ace of Spades meets Squid Game with a sprinkling of The Bachelor.

I wasn’t sure what to expect from this one since competition plots usually aren’t for me, but I loved how Joelle Wellington developed that element here! There was a twist right at the beginning that captured my attention and the writing kept me engaged the entire time.

Content warnings for: ( Read more... )

( Mini Review )

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Song of the Last Kingdom Duology by Amélie Wen Zhao

Fri, 19 Jan 2024 10:57:37 GMT

Posted by: wearing_tearing

In a fallen kingdom, one girl carries the key to discovering the secrets of her nation's past—and unleashing the demons that sleep at its heart. An epic fantasy series inspired by the mythology and folklore of ancient China.

A two-for-one post! I finished the duology this month, but thought it'd be a little weird to only post about the second book. The best thing I can say about this duology is that it reads like the most adventurous TV show! The writing is engaging from beginning to end and the world-building is very well developed. The main POV characters, Lan and Zen, go through a loooot as the story progresses and their character arcs are pretty satisfying in terms of personal growth and what they're willing to do to achieve what they want.

( Song of Silver, Flame Like Night Review )

( Dark Star Burning, Ash Falls White Review )

And I also leave you with this:

"Perfect for fans of The Untamed. I loved it!” —Shelley Parker-Chan, #1 Sunday Times bestselling author of She Who Became the Sun.

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The Lovers by Silvia Moreno-Garcia

Sun, 14 Jan 2024 14:10:52 GMT

Posted by: wearing_tearing

During a brutal winter, a young woman longing for love finds more than she expected in the woods, in this wickedly sensuous short story by Silvia Moreno-Garcia, the New York Times bestselling author of Mexican Gothic.

I ended up listening to this novella on audio and it was pretty great! The story is about two sisters, Judith and Alice, and the many things that come between them. It also deals with Judith's relationship with two men during winter storms. And there's a wolf!

Content warnings for: ( Read more... )

( Mini Review )

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The House of Eve by Sadeqa Johnson

Mon, 08 Jan 2024 13:30:08 GMT

Posted by: wearing_tearing

From the award-winning author of Yellow Wife, a daring, beautiful, and redemptive novel that explores what it means to be a woman and a mother, and how much one is willing to sacrifice to achieve her greatest goal.

This was my first read by Johnson and I really enjoyed her writing! The story is set in 1950s and follows two characters, Ruby and Eleanor, as they each try to navigate their lives and school. Eventually, their stories connect in an unexpected way.

Please be aware that this book contains content warnings for: ( Read more... )

( Mini Review )

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"Notes From A Young Black Chef" by Kwame Onwuachi with Joshua David Stein

Wed, 28 Dec 2022 21:22:44 GMT

Posted by: brainwane

I just read Notes From A Young Black Chef by Kwame Onwuachi with Joshua David Stein, thanks to this recommendation.

I enjoy chef memoirs -- The Apprentice by Jacques Pepin is a favorite and I've read it multiple times -- and this one definitely hit the spot. I appreciated getting the behind-the-scenes glimpses at different restaurants, including ones where I've eaten, and I appreciated the specifics of how different self-presentations, and sometimes lying, were instrumental to Onwuachi's steps on his career ladder.

Onwuachi is significantly younger than I am, and I found it edifying to get glimpses of how cell phones, social media, and related technologies have played different kinds of roles in his education than in mine.

Also, I rarely cook, and this book spurred me to get back in front of the stove!

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Black Water Sister

Sat, 09 Apr 2022 11:28:42 GMT

Posted by: brainwane

Zen Cho's Black Water Sister - just saw a review that reminded me to mention here my own review.

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R.K. Narayan's "My Dateless Diary"

Tue, 17 Aug 2021 07:03:02 GMT

Posted by: brainwane

If you can get ahold of this idiosyncratic little memoir, it's pretty fun and light.

R.K. Narayan was a South Indian author, mostly of fiction, during the twentieth century. One year, in the 1950s, he travelled around the US (thanks to a Ford Foundation grant), and got two books out of it. One is The Guide, a novel about a tour guide. The other is My Dateless Diary, his diary of his travels from New York through Chicago, Berkeley, Hollywood, the Grand Canyon, and more.

He has a ton of wry observations about different bits of the US, comparisons to stuff back home in Mysore, conversations with celebrities (Greta Garbo and Aldous Huxley, for example), sitcom-esque misunderstandings, poignant conversations with strangers, etc. He runs into discrimination on a bus in the South, he has trouble finding vegetarian food, people keep asking him for spiritual advice and for his opinion of Nehru. And he drafts his book along the way and submits it to his publisher. He has fun, he runs into some worries and difficult situations but nothing ever goes deeply wrong, and his descriptions of various scrapes and angsts reminds me of Wodehouse.

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BILFTR*: Burning Roses, by SL Huang

Wed, 30 Sep 2020 01:28:05 GMT

Posted by: bibliofile

*Book I look forward to reading

Burning Roses by SL Huang is out today. Here is how Huang described the book to their personal mailing list:

I wrote this book, and it's out today. I like it a lot. It's about Red Riding Hood. If she turned into an assassin.

And then fell in love with Beauty from Beauty and the Beast.

But then she had to flee her crimes halfway around the world.... where she teams up with Hou Yi the Archer from Chinese mythology, famed for bow and arrow skills magnificent enough to shoot suns out of the sky. The partnership works quite well, because Red Riding Hood is a crack shot with a rifle.... dun dun DUNNNNN.

Anyway, if you want to read about two queer, middle-aged markswomen who are having adventures in fantasy!China while angsting about their families and their pasts, you might like this book. Also starring: Goldilocks as an abusive con artist and the Jade Rabbit as an obnoxious dream guide.

(I am still crap at posting reviews, but I thought that this announcement was too good not to share.)

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"A Rising Man" by Abir Mukherjee

Tue, 18 Aug 2020 14:35:09 GMT

Posted by: brainwane

A Rising Man by Abir Mukherjee is a mystery written by a Scot of Bengali descent, taking place in 1919 Calcutta: "Desperate for a fresh start, Captain Sam Wyndham arrives to take up an important post in Calcutta’s police force." I agree with this book's politics but it really shows that the author had never written a novel before, in particular in the dialogue. Characters speak their subtext or otherwise exposit in that "unrealistically monologue coherently about national politics for six paragraphs" kind of way. I am a little interested in reading the next books in the series, because maybe the writing will improve.

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Review: Black No More

Mon, 13 Jul 2020 18:16:42 GMT

Posted by: cesy

Black No More by George Schuyler is early sci-fi about race. I found it very much in the style of its era rather than modern pacing and readability, but really good. It does the thought-provoking thought experiment on society that a certain type of speculative fiction is really good at. And given its age, it's easy to find cheap or free ebooks. Check the blurb for the concept if you might need content notes, but I can't quite work out how to summarise effectively without spoilers.

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"The Warmth of Other Suns: The Epic Story of America's Great Migration" by Isabel Wilkerson

Sun, 21 Jun 2020 11:15:03 GMT

Posted by: brainwane

(I read this in 2013 and am copying this review from what I blogged then.)

The Warmth of Other Suns: The Epic Story of America's Great Migration by Isabel Wilkerson: SO GOOD. READ THIS. Ta-Nehisi Coates agrees with me. Want to understand the US in the twentieth century? Want to think in real terms about exit, voice, and loyalty? Read Wilkerson's narrative history of black people who decided to stop putting up with Jim Crow and escaped from the US South (sometimes in the face of local sheriffs ripping up train tickets). Riveting, thought-provoking, and disquieting in the best way. My only nit to pick: I think if her editor had cut repetitions of things she's already told the reader, she coulda cut about 15 of the 500+ pages. But that's really minor, and as a scifi reader I'm accustomed to absorbing world-building at perhaps a higher clip than expected.

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Reviews of Asian American fiction

Sun, 09 Feb 2020 18:43:53 GMT

Posted by: brainwane

Folks here might also be interested in asianamlitfans which reviews Asian-American literature:

This is a community for people to discuss Asian American literature. Topics can range from big debates in the field or general help with a reading of a particular text. This is also a place where you can post your book reviews of new Asian American literature authors you have found and would like more people to read.

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