Summer is sort of here, and which means it is time to recharge your melanin at beaches and parks, stretched out with some great summer reading. Below you will find 15 of the most well liked books of the season by black authors (in alphabetical order).

15 Summer Readings by Black Authors

by Lauren Wilkinson

New York City writer Lauren Wilkinson has made her gripping debut with a novel that . has called “one of the best books of 2019 so far.”

A spy thriller inspired by true events that takes us back to 1986 with a black female FBI intelligence officer. This thriller is filled with drama and romance—a sure-fire summer read.

(many collaborators)

This 2019 YA novel is an intriguing collection of short stories written by a few of the hottest black YA authors of our time, offering insight into what it means to be young and black in America.

Contributors: Justina Ireland, Varian Johnson, Rita Williams-Garcia, Dhonielle Clayton, Kekla Magoon. Leah Henderson, Tochi Onyebuchi, Jason Reynolds. Nic Stone, Liara Tamani, Renée Watson, Tracey Baptiste, Coe Booth, Brandy Colbert, Jay Coles, Ibi Zoboi and Lamar Giles.

by Jayne Allen

Detroit writer Jayne Allen is best often known as a lady who “smiles big, laughs loud, and loves to tell stories that stick in your bones.” She is one in all those stories. Allen, nevertheless, prefers to call her style “chocolate chick lit with a conscience.”

This contemporary novel addresses many issues that ladies face today: fertility issues, femininity within the workplace, racism, mental health issues, and more! Readers will undoubtedly fall in love with the principal character, Tabitha, and her two friends as they tackle the world on their difficult journey to seek out their inner black girl magic. If you’re a fan of Terri MacMillan or Omar Tyree, you need to check this one out.

by Lamar Odom

Two-time NBA champion and infamous Kardashian husband Lamar Odom has had his share of star-studded rises and heart-stopping falls. In his revealing memoir, Odom opens up concerning the money, fame, drug addiction and ladies that sent his life spiraling uncontrolled and the way he found hope on the opposite end.

allows readers to look behind the scenes of a life many thought they knew.

by Akiba Solomon and Kenrya Rankin

is a celebration of black resistance by highlighting the various individuals lively within the black community today. Amazon describes it best by saying, “(The book) offers a blueprint for the fight for freedom and justice — and ideas for how each of us can contribute.”

Revolutionary pages feature quotes from favorite people like: Amanda SealesPatrisse Khan-Cullors, Michael ArceneauxHarry Belafonte, Alicia Garza and 17 others.

by Common

Instant bestseller, Golden Globe, Grammy and Oscar-winning actor/rapper Common released his second memoir in May, and it’s already flying off the shelves. The rapper is understood for his introspection and delves into .

Becoming vulnerable, he shares his experiences with love and the way he often fell short. Often diving into love for self, God, children, family, partners, and even community, helping us understand what it means to receive and provides love.

by Elaine Welteroth

Part manifesto, part memoir, Elaine Welteroth, a former editor (known for revolutionizing the favored magazine by adding socially conscious articles), helps readers discover themselves on their very own terms.

This easy bestseller even delighted Yara Shahidi, who shared with us, “Elaine gives us all a beautifully intimate and powerful account of her ever-evolving journey. Sharing her joys, pitfalls, adventures, doubts, and triumphs, she reminds us that through exploring and discovering the many facets of ourselves, we are more than enough.”

by Justin Reynolds

This fictional YA love story (with a touch of science fiction) is filled with so many twists and turns that you simply won’t have the opportunity to place it down. The novel tells the story of a boy who quickly falls in love and just as quickly faces the death of his recent love. Traveling back in time to forestall her death causes him to vary other parts of his reality that he didn’t know may very well be manipulated. As the pages go by, you may begin to wonder how you’ll react for those who were in similar circumstances.

Reynolds did a spectacular job with this recent summer read. #1 NYT bestselling writer Angie Thomas said it was among the finest stories she’s ever read!

by Nicole Dennis-Benn

This heartbreaking novel brings out all of the emotions as Patsy leaves her Jamaican hometown and her daughter Tru in hopes of a greater life and rekindling an past love with a friend in New York City. Throughout this gripping novel, many issues arise consequently of Patsy’s overzealous evangelical mother, her being an undocumented immigrant within the U.S., and her daughter battling complex abandonment issues.

In this book, Dennis-Benn gives voice to those searching for opportunity within the US, to folks who select themselves over the protection of their family members, and highlights the LGBTQ+ community in a fresh way. The book effortlessly intertwines Patsy’s difficult recent life in the town together with her daughter Tru’s journey home to Jamaica.

by Aya de León

Author Aya de León is an award-winning writer, activist, educator, and spoken word poet. This is the fourth book in her urban crime series, nevertheless it works well as a standalone novel. In this extraordinary summer must-read, protagonist Dulce is fed up with the antics of her married drug dealer boyfriend, steals his money, and flees Miami for her family within the Caribbean, abandoning her life as a girlfriend on the side. The writer takes the story on an interesting journey, examining colonization, climate change, and the U.S. government’s response to Hurricane Maria.

is an interesting, insightful, and satisfyingly feminist read.

by Trent Shelton

The writer, a former NFL player turned motivational speaker and nonprofit founder, shares his arsenal of success learned within the depths of despair. Prepare to be uplifted and transformed by this self-help read by which Shelton shares personal stories and actionable steps to shape readers into their best selves.

by Devon Franklin

DeVon Franklin, award-winning film and tv producer, bestselling writer, distinguished preacher, life coach, and husband of actress Meagan Good, shares this story with readers in a way only he can. He advises that not all men are like this, but all men struggle with the identical struggle. By comparing men to dogs who need a master, Franklin tries to assist each men and women unravel infidelity.

At the top of every chapter of this controversial read, the writer shares practical tools and resources that ladies can use to empower their men and men can use to assist themselves through on a regular basis obstacles. Amazon describes it as “a raw, informative, and compelling look at an issue that threatens to tear our society apart, while also offering a positive path forward for both men and women.”

by Maurice Carlos Ruffin

Ruffin does an impeccable job in his debut novel a couple of father willing to do anything to guard his son from the violence that plagues the black community—including making him white. For readers who enjoyed this sensible satire, it highlights an all-too-real reality for many individuals living today. Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah’s review sums it up splendidly:

“Love is at the heart of this funny, beautiful novel that asks some of the most important questions fiction can ask, and does so with energetic and acrobatic prose, funny wordplay, and big heart…it brings fresh beauty out of old ugliness…Read this book and ask yourself: Is this the world you want?”

by Damon Young

The writer, co-founding father of VerySmartBrothers.com, makes his debut with an autobiography in the shape of an essay, filled with thought-scary humor, describing the experience of growing up as a black man in America, which for him is an extreme sport.

From the publisher: “The act of having black skin while searching for breathing space in America is enough to create a constant state of anxiety in which questions like ‘How should I react here, as a professional black person?’ and ‘Will this white person’s potato salad kill me?’ are ever-present.”

by Elizabeth Acevedo

Author Elizabeth Acevedo is an Afro-Dominican bestselling writer, award-winning slam poet, and overall role model on the earth of young adult literature. The novel’s principal character, Emoni, is a teen mom living together with her grandmother who has needed to make many difficult decisions in her life. With a desire to treat her child and grandmother well, and an equally burning passion to develop into a chef, we follow her journey to attain what she believes is unattainable.

Acevedo writes one other great book, tackling the topics of poverty, teen pregnancy, and even the post-pregnancy body.