I don’t know what is it about summer and reading but the two go together nicely. Despite the immense heat, it’s the ideal time to read as many books as you can while you have the time to chill in the sun. Every summer I try to come up with a list of books I want to cram into the season. Even if you can’t afford that summer trip, reading is a great way to get away. Looking for some good reads this season? Check out these 4 books written by these fantastic black women you can read as you get your summer vacation on!
1.) Hunger by Roxanne Gay
image from barnesandnoble.com
The bestselling author of “Bad Feminist”, Roxane Gay is back with a brand new memoir just in time for Summer. “Hunger” is an exploration into the author’s personal struggles with food and her body image. It dives deep into the common battle between your self-image and desire. Gay takes it further by examining violence towards women by sharing an experience of her own. Roxane Gay is a brave writer. Her willingness to be vulnerable allows readers to connect with her. If you are a fan of her essays, you don’t want to pass this one up.
2.) What Is Not Yours is Not Yours by Helen Oyeyemi
image from barnesandnoble.com
This collection of short stories by Oyeyemi explores the meaning of the term “key”. The author unlocks certain aspects of her characters lives in four magical tales. Each of them leads to various imaginative worlds. If you can’t physically get away this summer, let Oyeyemi’s latest addition help you travel with this.
3.) Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi-
image from barnesandnoble.com
Yaa Gyasi’s book Homegoing follows the lives to two Ghanan half sisters. Each born in two separate villages. One marries an Englishman. The other gets captured and imprisoned by Englishmen. She is later forced into slavery. The book looks through the lives of these two sisters and their descendants that go back eight generations. The novel looks into the deep roots of racism, slavery and the lives forever changed by its dark legacy.
4.) I Almost Forgot About You by Terry McMillan
image from barnesandnoble.com
Fans of How Stella Got Her Groove Back and Waiting to Exhale get excited!! Terry McMillian’s I Almost Forgot About You new book tells the story about Dr. Georgia Young. She is a successful optometrist and has a fantastic circle of family and friends. It may seem like she has it all but deep down Young is not satisfied. One day she decides to shake up her own world by making some serious life decisions. We follow Young’s journey of self-discovery as she goes through this crazy path but where will it take her? This is an ideal summer read with a story that can inspire you to take life into your own hands to create the life you really want.
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