There is something sacred about watching new Black books enter the world.
Every month, Black writers gift us stories that help us imagine, remember, question, heal, laugh, and dream. They remind us that there is no singular Black experience, only a beautiful, expansive collection of voices speaking across generations, genres, countries, and communities.
This June, there are 83 books by Black authors hitting shelves.
Eighty-three!!! Whew!
That’s 83 opportunities to discover a new favourite author. Eighty-three chances to see ourselves reflected. Eighty-three reminders that Black storytelling is thriving.
As always, I won’t be reading all 83 (though a girl can dream), but there are a few books that immediately caught my attention and earned a spot on my ever-growing TBR.
Breakout by Dhonielle Clayton and other authors
Dhonielle Clayton has built a reputation for creating imaginative worlds while centering Black girls in stories that feel expansive and powerful. Breakout promises high stakes, compelling characters, and the kind of storytelling that keeps you turning pages long after bedtime.
Why it’s on my list: Because I will always make room for stories that allow Black young people to be adventurous, complicated, brave, and fully human. We need more books that remind our youth that they can be the heroes of their own stories.
The Missed Connection by Tia Williams
If Tia Williams writes it, I’m gonna read it!
Known for crafting romance that is equal parts heart, chemistry, and emotional depth, Williams returns with what promises to be another unforgettable love story. The Missed Connection explores timing, possibility, and the beautiful messiness of human connection.
Why it’s on my list: Because Black love stories deserve space on our bookshelves. Also, Tia Williams has a way of creating characters that feel like people you know, or wish you knew.
Half Lives by Krystle Zara Appiah
Krystle Zara Appiah has a gift for exploring the complicated spaces where identity, family, love, and belonging collide. Half Lives examines what happens when the lives we build and the lives we imagine begin pulling us in different directions.
Why it’s on my list: I love books that ask difficult questions about who we become and what we sacrifice along the way. The title alone feels like an invitation to reflect on the parts of ourselves we carry and the parts we leave behind.
Doe by Rebecca Barrow
Rebecca Barrow consistently writes stories that feel atmospheric, layered, and emotionally resonant. Doe is already generating buzz for its exploration of identity, mystery, and the stories we tell about ourselves.
Why it’s on my list: I’m drawn to books that blur the line between truth and perception. This one feels like the kind of novel that will spark conversations long after the final page.
To Catch a Sinner by Dylan Allen & Lucy Wilson-Tagoe
This collaboration brings together two talented storytellers for what looks to be a gripping and addictive read. Combining romance, intrigue, and tension, To Catch a Sinner promises plenty of twists along the way.
Why it’s on my list: I love when Black authors play across genres. Give me mystery. Give me romance. Give me secrets. Give me characters whose choices keep me talking to the book. And the cover! Whew, gorgeous.
A Committee of One: How Faith + Action = A PurposeFULL Life by Opal Lee
Known affectionately as the “Grandmother of Juneteenth,” Opal Lee’s life is a testament to the power of perseverance and purpose. In this inspiring work, she reflects on faith, advocacy, and what it means to remain committed to creating change.
Why it’s on my list: Because I am always interested in learning from elders whose lives embody courage and conviction. Opal Lee reminds us that ordinary people can create extraordinary change.
Never Tell a Black Girl How to Black Girl by Amena Brown
Poet, speaker, and storyteller Amena Brown offers a powerful exploration of identity, self-definition, and refusing the boxes that others try to place us in.
Why it’s on my list: The title alone speaks volumes. Black women spend enough time navigating expectations from the world. I’m looking forward to a book that celebrates the freedom of defining ourselves on our own terms.
Transcendent by Laverne Cox
In her debut memoir, Cox reflects on her journey from a childhood marked by trauma and self-discovery to becoming a groundbreaking actress, advocate, and cultural force. Transcendent explores identity, healing, resilience, and what it means to embrace your full self despite the world’s attempts to diminish you.
Why it’s on my list:
Because stories of becoming never stop teaching us. Laverne Cox has spent years helping others feel seen, and I’m eager to hear her story in her own words. As someone who believes books can be a pathway to healing, I’m drawn to memoirs that wrestle honestly with pain while still making room for joy, purpose, and transformation.
The Revelation of Dionne Daphne by Mara Brock Akil
From the creator of Girlfriends and Being Mary Jane comes an emotionally layered debut novel about love, family secrets, self-awakening, and the truths we spend a lifetime avoiding. Set in the 1990s, the story follows Dionne Daphne, whose carefully curated life begins to unravel after a revelation sends her on a journey into her past.
Why it’s on my list:
Because Mara Brock Akil has spent decades giving us complex, vulnerable, beautifully flawed Black women on screen. The chance to experience that same emotional depth in novel form feels like a gift. I’m especially excited for a story that explores what happens when we finally confront the parts of ourselves we’ve hidden away.
The Deepest Blue by Shauntay Grant
Award-winning author Shauntay Grant continues her tradition of creating stories filled with beauty, heart, and cultural richness. The Deepest Blue is expected to be a moving exploration of belonging, imagination, and possibility.
Why it’s on my list: Because children’s literature matters. The stories our children encounter help shape how they see themselves and their place in the world. I am always excited to champion books that affirm and celebrate Black childhood.
Simply Winnie by Winnie Harlow
In this deeply personal work, Winnie Harlow debuts a beautiful story about a fun, spungy little girl that learns to embrace her uniqueness.
Why it’s on my list: Not only do i LOVE my Jamaican/Canadian sister, I also love this message of embracing what makes us different. Can’t wait to read this with all my little learners.
Additional Books By Black Authors Coming Out in June
- You Jump First by Myah Ariel
- It Comes in Waves by Rukky Brume
- The Feywild Job (Dungeons & Dragons) by C. L. Polk
- Almost by Design by Jenny Erlingsson
- The Ties Between Us by Chencia C. Higgins
- Betting Against the Duke #3 A Deal at Dawn by Vanessa Riley
- Madly Driven By Tiye
- Winners & Liars by Aleema Omotoni
- These Kindred Hearts: A YA Romantasy Anthology by Shari B. Pennant
- Half Lives by Krystle Zara Appiah
- When Africa Comes to America: How the Next Wave of Immigrants Will Transform the United States by Neeraj Kaushal
- All This Want (and I Can’t Get None): Stories by T. Clark
- Sex in Public: The Transformative Social Power of Our Erotic Lives by Angela Jones
- Strangers Behind Closed Doors: A Novel by Catherine Adel West
- Fairfield County by DeLana R.A. Dameron
- Onward Christian Soldiers: A Novel of Resistance by Terrill North
- The Fervent Whites by De’Shawn Charles Winslow
- A City Dreaming by Maurice Broaddus
- The Problem with Pretty: Beauty, Bias and the Surprising Science of Good Looks by Allycin Powell-Hicks
- We’ve Been Here Before: How Rebellion and Activism Have Always Sustained America by Michael I. Days , Angela P. Dodson
- The Price of Exclusion: The Pursuit of Healthcare in a Segregated Nation by Nicole Carr
- Bridging the Rivers of Difference: A Proclamation of Unity in Resistance by Catherine Meeks
- Remembering Roots: How an American Classic Transformed the World by Lucas L. Johnson II
- Loving the Wicked by Rebecca Johnpee
- The Broken Hearts Agency by Clarence A. Haynes
- Saltwater Springs #4: Between the Boards by Tanisha Headley
- Riverbank Ranch #1: Leave Me Again by Ambar Cordova
- Goldenborn by Ama Ofosua Lieb
- No Holes Barred: A Dual Manifesto of Sexual Exploration and Power by Mandii B, Weezy WTF, Tempest X
- A Committee of One: How Faith + Action = A PurposeFULL Life by Opal Lee
- The Lovers, the Liars, and Me by DeAndra Davis
- Something We Said: Richard Pryor, a Notorious Word, and Me by Elizabeth Stordeur Pryor
- Love in the Key of Black by Shanti Edwards
- Champions of the Galaxy by Tolá Okogwu
- When We Almost Came Undone by Georgia K. Boone
- Blue Beach by Karyn Parsons
- Doe by Rebecca Barrow
- The Romance Rewind by Sarah Everett
- Man, Heal Thyself: The Wellness Warrior’s Guide to Self-Mastery in 12 Weeks and Beyond by SupaNova Slom, Queen Afua
- Scarlet Yearnings Beyond First Glance: Stories of Love and Desire by Scarlet Ibis by James, D. James Joseph
- Black Freedom: A Visual History of Juneteenth and Emancipation Days by Blair LM Kelley
- Crossroads: A Memoir in Baseball and Life by Dusty Baker
- The Cruelty of Nice Folks: Why Minneapolis Is the Story of America by Justin Ellis
- When the Revolution Comes: A Fight for the Future of the Working Class by Chris Smalls
- Pure Men by Mohamed Mbougar Sarr
- Yes to You, No to Them: The Discipline of Saying No and the Freedom that Follows by Wallo267
- Black Stats: African Americans by the Numbers, Second Edition by Monique Couvson
Picture Books and Young Readers
- The Pool Is Cool by Dwayne Reed
- Chasing Dragonflies by Blessing Musariri
- Frankie and Friends The Missing Sock by Christine Platt
- We Are Joy by Chrystal D. Giles
- I Am the Dream Come True by Marley Dias, Islenia Mil
- The Umbrella by Sylvia Walker
- Charley’s Honky Tonk Mission by Beatrice Winifred Iker
- We See Triangles by Andrea Pippins
- A Little Book About Belonging by Kevin Carroll
- Riding Magic by Kelly Starling Lyons
- You Are My Favorite Story by N. Jeremi Duru
- Liberty’s Forgotten Hero: The Revolutionary Life of James Forten by Kesha L Grant, Anastasia Magloire Williams
- Nansi #2: False Starts by Carl Brundtland, Claudia Davila
- A Sweet Secret! By Bea Jackson
- I Am Kylian: The True Story of an International Soccer Champion by Kylian Mbappé
- Rosa Parks: 5-Minute Genius Stories by Ebony Joy Wilkins
- Venus Washington and the Birthday Blowout by Maisha Oso
- Gracie’s Corner: The Safari Shuffle Gracie’s Corner
- David’s Diary #2: The Science Fair Sabotage by Bunmi Laditan
- David’s Diary #1: The Summer Camp Disaster by Bunmi Laditan
Black Books. Black Stories. Black Possibility.
One of my favourite things about putting together these monthly lists is seeing the sheer range of stories being published by Black authors.
Romance sits beside fantasy.
Memoir sits beside mystery.
Children’s books sit beside literary fiction.
Poetry sits beside personal development.
This abundance matters.
Because every Black reader deserves the opportunity to find themselves somewhere on a shelf.
So whether you’re picking up one book this month or ten, I hope you’ll make space for a Black author.
And if you’re anything like me, your TBR is about to get a whole lot longer.
Which June release are you most excited to read? Let me know in the comments.
