Baby, it’s still cold outside, and there’s no better time to hop under the covers with a good read! We know that reading books by Black authors exposes us to our multifaceted experiences, but sometimes, we just want to be entertained. Well, we got you covered with sci-fi fantasy novels, fictional memoirs and picturesque children’s books. If you need a little inspiration to be your healthiest in 2025, Dr. Ian K. Smith‘s newest book, Eat Your Age, instructs you on feeling younger and happier. So grab your heated blanket and a kale smoothie and dive into these incredible reads by Black authors for January 2025.
Eat Your Age: Feel Younger, Be Happier, Live Longer
Ian K. Smith (January 7)
Dr. Smith is making sure you keep in healthy in 2025 for every age, arming us with steps to take in our 30s, 40s, 50s, and beyond to increase longevity and stave off future illnesses and ailments.
Price: $26
Isaac’s Song: A Novel
Daniel Black (January 14)
A young queer Black man begins to define his authentic voice by writing down his life story, rediscovering family, forgiveness and perseverance, during the turbulence of 1980s Chicago.
Price: $25
Death of the Author
Nnedi Okorafor (January 14)
Zelu, a disabled Nigerian American woman, pens a wildly successful sci-fi novel. As her fame rises, so do the existential questions of love and identity and the burden of writing a novel that will change the future not only for humanity but for the robots who come next.
Price: $28
I Am Nobody’s Slave How Uncovering My Family’s History Set Me Free
Lee Hawkins (January 14)
The Pulitzer Prize finalist examines his family’s past to see how systemic racism and racial violence impacted their American Dream, and shares a healing process for Americans of all races.
Price: $29
Wash Day with Mama
Monica Mikai (January 14)
Centering on a little girl cherishing each step of their hair washing routine while Mama imparts her wisdom, young readers learn about self-care and self-love, and being proud of who you are.
Price: $19
The Light We Share
Andrea Ferguson (January 17)
Ferguson’s first novel centers around Elena Grace, a corporate lawyer who creates a circle of women committed to empowering one another. As their bonds deepen, the Council faces a pivotal breach of trust that tests their unity through resilience, reconciliation and mutual growth.
Price: $8
The Wickedest
Caleb Femi (January 21)
Through conversations, text messages, sonnets, vignettes, monologues, photos and lyrics, Femi gives us a VIP trip through the Wickedest, the longest running house party in the South London shoob scene—always held at an undisclosed inner-city spot.
Price: $16
Written in the Waters: A Memoir of History, Home, and Belonging
Tara Roberts (January 28)
Roberts, a National Geographic explorer and storyteller, shares her epic journey to trace the global slave trade across the Atlantic Ocean, which takes her through Mozambique, South Africa, Senegal, Benin, Costa Rica and more countries, and helps her find her place in the world.
Price: $28
The Scorpion Queen
Mina Fears (January 28)
Framed for a scandalous crime, a rich merchant’s daughter finds herself a servant to the princess. But as the two bond a friendship, Amie must choose between fleeing with her lover or protecting the princess from harm in this Malian story-inspired YA fantasy.
Price: $20
Plundered: How Racist Policies Undermine Black Homeownership in America
Bernadette Atuahene (January 28)
After years of investigation and research, Atuahene, a property law scholar, reveals a system of predatory governance, where public officials raise public dollars through laws and processes that produce or sustain racial inequity—a nationwide practice.
