Tag: fiction
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Black Girl Magic in Watercolors by Ravynn Stringfield
“Casta Davis could fly, and no one believed her.” It hooked my attention immediately. The line is concise, resigned, and beautiful—a callback to “The People Could Fly” by Virginia Hamilton. I loved the relatability of no one believing in Casta’s magic, or even the flawed perception of no one believing in her power. I read…
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28 Black Speculative Fiction Books For Black History Month
What is Black Speculative Fiction, anyway? For me, speculative fiction has two definitions. One overarching definition includes texts that use unreal elements in a story. This includes fantasy, alternative histories, magical realism, science fiction, some mysteries, and some horror. The second definition is more genre-specific and involves texts that propose a “what-if” scenario. I typically…
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Review: On Sundays She Picked Flowers by Yah Yah Scholfield
I finally have the words to describe one of my most anticipated and favorite reads of 2025. Yes, the literary horror novel On Sundays She Picked Flowers by Yah Yah Scholfield (they/ them) was traditionally published by Saga Press on January 27, 2026, but a version of the book had been circulating for some time.…
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Review: Timid by Jonathan Scott
The 2024 Scholastic Graphix, semi-autobiographical Timid is a coming-of-age story that follows Cecil Hall, a black middle schooler, as he navigates his new hometown of Boston, Massachusetts, and finds a friend group that appreciates his intersecting interests and beliefs. Originally from a predominantly black town in Florida, Cecil learns about code switching in predominantly white…
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The Dead Withheld by L.D. Lewis: A Sapphic Paranormal Neo-Noir Review
Neon Hemlock has another hit on its hands with The Dead Withheld by L.D. Lewis. Published in 2025, the sapphic paranormal neo-noir novella follows Desdemona “Dizzy” Carter in her quest to find the murderer of her wife, Lonnie, the Fallen Angels serial killer. Dizzy is a Private investigator and a deadwalker witch, one who can…
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Superman Smashes The Klan May Be A Favorite Read of the Year
It is with great sadness that I admit my favorite comic of the year may be a Superman graphic novel. I know. I see the disappointment etched across your face, but please, have faith in me. Know that the rare occasion of such mainstream treachery has a point founded in the social commentary you associate…
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Author Conversations in The Blerd Library: M.H. Ayinde and A Song of Legends Lost
Now that a few months have passed, I interviewed Ayinde again, after the well-deserved international praise to see how things have changed and possibly get a sneak peek into Book 2!!
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Next Stop: Grad School- Thoughts After the Black Book Bash
At the end of the Black Book Bash, a group of creators sat and ate one last meal together. Each of them ordered some variation of meals they enjoyed throughout the weekend, hoping to maintain the good vibes now imbued in their lemon pepper wings, mimosas, cheesecakes, and burgers. They talked about the event and…
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Your Bookshelves Tell Us Your Truth: Personal Ethics in Literature
Because who are we if not the art we consume? Literature is art. Art is political; therefore, literature is political.
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Hello God, Are You There?: The Intersection of Religion and Subversion in Godpunk
My parents weren’t particularly religious until it was time to place judgment on others. But that didn’t stop my aunt from trying to convince me otherwise. I remember one of the few times she took me to her church. We woke up before sunrise to make a trek from Brooklyn to the Bronx to an…
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‘Southern Hospitality’: A Graphic Representation of Racism and Revenge in Comics
Months later, the movie Sinners still sits with me, so I felt obligated to write about a comic short that reminded me of the film. Specifically Smoke’s last stand with the Ku Klux Klan. In “Southern Hospitality,” written by Mikhail Hardy with art and colors by Eli John and Robin L. Davis, the main character,…
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Short Story Sessions: Empathy and Identity in ‘Presence’ by Ken Liu
I chose this short story after a recent conversation about the author, Ken Liu. While sharing book recommendations and current reads, I said, “Dandelion Dynasty is the greatest series I never finished.” In fact, The Wall of Storms is easily one of the top five books I have ever read. I wanted to convince myself…
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Exploring Short Stories: A Journey Through Diverse Narratives
I have a new reading goal and want to share it with the world to find like-minded readers. For the foreseeable future, I want to read one speculative fiction short story, written by Black, Indigenous, and other Authors of Color every week and analyze them here! I have always loved short stories. As a reader,…
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Why Beginner Fantasy Readers Should Read Eve and the Faders by Berneta L. Haynes and Lornett B. Vestal: Book Review
Eve and the Faders has a complex, amazingly depicted main character in Eve Cooper. Eve is a queer woman in a Black polyamorous relationship, and I LOVED it so much. The couple (Eve, Zoe, and Gabriel) are not perfect, yet the authors explore the difficulties that can come with being in a poly relationship in…
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Harmattan Season by Tochi Onyebuchi: A Unique Postcolonial Fantasy Noir- Book Review
I wouldn’t call myself an arc reader because I rarely get to them in time, but I have two arcs I will have read and reviewed before they release! It’s the small wins in life that bring me joy these days. This first ARC is from Tor Books and is slated to be published on…