5 Books to Read Year Round
By Hannah Dendas of naptime book review
A couple of years ago, I made one of my goals to increase my reading of Black authors and specifically Black female authors.
Since then, I have read so many good books that have opened my eyes to new perspectives, heartfelt stories, and the ongoing antiracism work we have as a society. If you’re looking for a book to grab this month, try one of these.
1. Somebody’s Daughter
by Ashely C. Ford
I first learned about Ashley Ford from reading her articles on Cup of Jo and have been eager to read her memoir. She writes with grace about growing up poor and Black with a mercurial mother and a father who was incarcerated for rape. At the opening of the book, she learns that her father will be released from prison. She then recounts her childhood through high school and college and how her experiences led her to have mixed emotions about her father’s release.
Throughout the book, I was impressed by her honest portrayal of her family members and how she wrote seemingly without fear of upheaval in her family. If you listen to the audio, which I did for a couple of chapters, there is an interview at the end with Clint Smith (author of How the Word Is Passed, which is now on my tbr) that addresses this aspect of memoir writing. I recommend the audio version just for the interview.
Memoir
Price: $16
2. The Stars and the Blackness Between Them
by Junauda Petrus
This is a beautifully written book that hit me in all “my feels.” It is the story of two 16-year old girls finding their happiness despite a range of issues in their realities. Audre is Trinidadian and sent to live with her father in Minnesota after her mother discovers her in a romantic relationship with a girl from church. Mabel lives in Minnesota and befriends Audre while dealing with her own medical crisis. I loved both of these girls. The book tackles a lot of heavy topics but the author fills each page with beautiful imagery and poetry; it’s easy to get lost in the story. I especially loved her use of dialect to bring each personality to life.
This story is a brilliant and inclusive look at LGBTQIA+ relationships and Black lives in the US. It is a young adult novel but everyone should read it. Fans of The Hate U Give, Clap When You Land, and I’ll Give You the Sun will find lovely similarities.
YA Fiction
Price: $10
3. Salvage the Bones
by Jesmyn Ward
Ward can do no wrong in my eyes; I love everything of hers that I have read. Salvage the Bones is a beautifully written look at an impoverished family in rural Mississippi. Esch is a 14-year old girl who is pregnant and largely fending for herself, along with her three young brothers. The book covers about two weeks leading up to Hurricane Katrina as Esch tries to prepare for the oncoming storm but also struggles to get through her day to day life. There are some scenes that are difficult to read (trigger warning: animal abuse) but this emotional, extraordinary novel has stayed with me for years.
Fiction
Price: $16
4. Girl, Woman, Other
by Bernardine Evaristo
This is one of those books that, as soon as I finished it, I knew I would reread at some point. It follows 12 different characters over generations and across countries. It can be a bit confusing at times but eventually, everything comes together and it is revealed how the characters relate to one another (I nerded out and drew my own character map to make sure I was keeping everything straight). Each personality is unique and authentic and allows Evaristo to address many topics such as antiracism, motherhood, and feminism. She also writes with a unique style - there is almost no punctuation, which can seem intimidating at first, but I quickly got used to it and embraced it.
Fiction
Price: $16
5. The Sum of Us
by Heather McGhee
McGhee takes a fascinating and in-depth look at many different aspects of the American economy and how racism (specifically the idea that progress for African Americans comes at a cost to white America) affects them. She uses specific examples from all around the country and from varying topics such as housing, student loans, public pools, and universal health care. Her research is thorough and she tackles some complicated subject matter but she presents the information in a straightforward and interesting way. The book is interspersed with anecdotes from interviews that balance out the policy and history content. I listened to it on audio, read by the author, which I recommend.
Historical Fiction
Price: $16
Hannah Dendas is a Postpartum Doula and Certified Lactation Counselor but since the pandemic, mostly a stay-at-home mom to her three young kids.
Always an avid reader, Hannah recently started sharing book reviews on her Instagram page @naptimebookreview. She has a book stashed in nearly every room of her house, is a frequent visitor to her local library, and loves historical fiction.