A Black Women’s History of the United States

The Bookish Mutant’s Books for Black History Month (2026 Edition)

Posted on February 4, 2026 by madeline @ The Bookish Mutant

Happy Wednesday, bibliophiles!

Here in the U.S., February is Black History Month! Another year, another post where I lament the erasure of history by the Trump administration. There’s no end to the irony of this erasure when our country was quite literally built off of the labor of enslaved peoples. This is just somebody’s blog and not some grand antifascist statement, but I can’t help but think that education, and reading in particular, is one of the best ways to combat the government’s erasure of the contributions of Black people in the U.S. And if my post gets just one person who didn’t know about our history to look further, then I feel like I’ve done something good.

This year, I’ve included nonfiction as well as fiction, many of them concerning the often glossed-over history of Black people in this country. But during any month celebrating marginalized people—and every month in the year—it’s so important to go looking for the history that your school, your government, or your peers have left behind. Black people always have been, always are, and always will be an integral part of United States history, from its literary tradition to its very foundation. Denying this is monstrous, and sets a dangerous precedent for the national perception of our country. So, as with every post like this I make: go out and read books by Black authors, and educate yourself about Black history in February and every month!

Below are some links to Instagram, but they provide resources for Black History Month—and every month!

For my lists from previous years, click below:

NOTE: not all of these books strictly adhere to the genres that I placed them in; a lot of them are fairly genre-bending, especially in the two genre fiction categories. It just goes to show how much of a creative bunch these authors are—we’ve got a lot of authors here who break and bend the rules of fantasy and sci-fi. Also, just for new readers—the “YA” on the cover image is a bit of a misnomer, but once again, I’m too lazy to make a new graphic for it and there’s only so much space for my WordPress media.

Let’s begin, shall we?

THE BOOKISH MUTANT’S BOOKS FOR BLACK HISTORY MONTH (2025 EDITION)

FANTASY:

Needy Little Things – Channelle Desamours | YA | magical realism, urban fantasy, mystery, disability | ⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
Daughter of the Merciful Deep – Leslye Penelope | Adult | historical fiction | ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Somadina – Akwaeke Emezi | YA | LGBTQ+, romance, epic fantasy | ⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
The Maid and the Crocodile – Jordan Ifueko* | YA | epic fantasy, disability, romance | ⭐️⭐️⭐️.75
Fate’s Bane – C.L. Clark | Adult | high fantasy, novella, romance, LGBTQ+ | ⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms – N.K. Jemisin | Adult | high fantasy, romance | ⭐️⭐️⭐️.25

*NOTE: this novel is set in the Raybearer universe, but is a companion novel that can be understood without reading the original duology.

SCIENCE FICTION:

The Ephemera Collector – Stacy Nathaniel Jackson | Adult | LGBTQ+, disability, dystopia | ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Sky Full of Elephants – Cebo Campbell | Adult | speculative fiction | ⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
Do You Dream of Terra-Two? – Temi Oh | YA | romance | ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Jamaica Ginger and Other Concoctions – Nalo Hopkinson | Adult | anthologies/short stories, speculative fiction | ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
The Library of Broken Worlds – Alaya Dawn Johnson | Adult | space fantasy, LGBTQ+, romance | ⭐️⭐️⭐️.75

REALISTIC FICTION/MYSTERY/THRILLER:

All the Noise At once – DeAndra Davis | YA | disability, contemporary | ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Afrotistic – Kala Allen Omeiza | YA | contemporary, disability | ⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
If We Were a Movie – Zakiya N. Jamal | YA | LGBTQ+, romance | ⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
When No One Is Watching – Alyssa Cole | Adult | mystery, thriller, romance | ⭐️⭐️⭐️
The Trees – Percival Everett | Adult | literary fiction, mystery, thriller | ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

NONFICTION:

All About Love: New Visions – bell hooks | Adult | essays, feminism |⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
You’ll Never Believe What Happened to Lacey: Crazy Stories About Racism – Amber Ruffin and Lacey Lamar | Adult | memoir | ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
How to Be an Antiracist – Ibram X. Kendi | Adult | politics | ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Wake: The Hidden History of Women-Led Slave Revolts – Rebecca Hall | Adult | graphic novel, history |⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I’m Still Here: Black Dignity in a World Made for Whiteness – Austin Channing Brown | Adult | memoir |⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
A Black Women’s History of the United States – Daina Ramey Berry and Kali Nicole Gross | Adult | history |⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Sister Outsider: Essays and Speeches – Audre Lorde | Adult | memoir, essays, feminism, LGBTQ+ | ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
All Boys Aren’t Blue: A Memoir Manifesto – George M. Johnson | YA | memoir, politics, LGBTQ+ | ⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
Inciting Joy: Essays – Ross Gay | Adult | essays, memoir | ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

TELL ME WHAT YOU THINK! Have you read any of the books on this list, and if so, what did you think of them? What are some of your favorite books by Black authors that you’ve read recently? Let me know in the comments!

Today’s song:

That’s it for this recommendations list! Have a wonderful rest of your day, and take care of yourselves!

Books

The Bookish Mutant’s Feminist Books for Women’s History Month (2024 Edition)

Posted on March 8, 2024March 6, 2024 by madeline @ The Bookish Mutant

Happy Friday, bibliophiles, and more importantly, Happy International Women’s Day!

Here in the U.S., March is Women’s History Month! In the years since I’ve started making these posts, the amount of attacks on women—in terms of laws attacking our bodily autonomy (as well as the bodily autonomy of trans and nonbinary people) and worldwide violence—has only increased. And amidst all of this turmoil, all I can take from this is that now, more than ever, we need feminism. We need to educate people, we need to help people to become less ignorant about the litany of issues plaguing marginalized groups here in the states and elsewhere. That, to me, is the most insidious consequence of the book bans spreading across the country: you take away a child’s ability to learn about perspectives outside of their own, and you produce an ignorant generation that does not question authority. In the absence of sound authority figures, books, more than ever, are our most valuable teachers.

Another change from my lists in previous years is that since my reading tastes have expanded, I’ve added adult and nonfiction books to this list—all of which I believe are just as valuable to feminism as any other book I’ve included. Enjoy!

For my previous lists, click below:

Let’s begin, shall we?

THE BOOKISH MUTANT’S FEMINIST BOOKS FOR WOMEN’S HISTORY MONTH (2024 EDITION)

SCIENCE FICTION:

Parable of the Sower (Earthseed, #1) – Octavia Butler | Adult | Dystopia | ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
The Crane Husband – Kelly Barnhill | Adult | Novella, Dystopia, Magical realism, Retellings | ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Meru (The Alloy Era, #1) – S.B. Divya | Adult | LGBTQ+, Romance, Disability | ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Ammonite – Nicola Griffith | Adult | Dystopia, LGBTQ+, Romance | ⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
Cloud Parliament – Olivia A. Cole | YA | Dystopia, LGBTQ+, Romance | ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Bitch Planet, vol. 1: Extraordinary Machine – Kelly Sue DeConnick | Adult | Graphic Novels, Dystopia, LGBTQ+ | ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

FANTASY:

The Monsters We Defy – Leslye Penelope | Adult | Historical Fiction, Paranormal, Mystery | ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
The Siren, The Song, and the Spy (The Mermaid, the Witch, and the Sea. #2) – Maggie Tokuda- Hall* | YA | High Fantasy, LGBTQ+. Romance, Disability | ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
VenCo – Cherie Dimaline | Adult | Paranormal, Urban Fantasy | ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
To Shape a Dragon’s Breath (Nampeshiweisit, #1) – Moniquill Blackgoose | YA | Historical Fiction, LGBTQ+, Romance, Disability | ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
The Lost Dreamer – Lizz Huerta | YA | Historical Fiction, High Fantasy | ⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
Everfair – Nisi Shawl | Adult | Alternate History, Steampunk, LGBTQ+, Romance | ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

*NOTE: The Siren, The Song, and the Spy is book 2 in a series, but I feel it should be included on this list for the feminist themes included in this book in particular.

REALISTIC FICTION:

Your Plantation Prom is Not Okay – Kelly McWilliams | YA | Romance | ⭐️⭐️⭐️.75, rounded up to ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
The Luis Ortega Survival Club – Sonora Reyes | YA | LGBTQ+, Romance | ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Imogen, Obviously – Becky Albertalli | YA | LGBTQ+, Romance | ⭐️⭐️⭐️.75, rounded up to ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Firekeeper’s Daughter – Angeline Boulley | YA | Mystery, Thriller | ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Not Here to Be Liked – Michelle Quach | YA | Romance | ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.25
So Lucky – Nicola Griffith | Adult | Disability, LGBTQ+ | ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Forever Is Now – Mariama J. Lockington | YA | Novels in Verse, LGBTQ+, Romance, Disability | ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Where You See Yourself – Claire Forrest | YA | Disability, Romance | ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
A Scatter of Light – Malinda Lo | YA | Historical Fiction, LGBTQ+, Romance | ⭐️⭐️⭐️.5

NONFICTION:

Sister Outsider – Audre Lorde | ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
A Black Women’s History of the United States – Daina Ramey Berry and Kari Nicole Gross | ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Disability Visibility: First-Person Stories from the 21st Century – edited by Alice Wong | ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.25
Invisible: How Young Women with Serious Health Issues Navigate Work, Relationships, and the Pressure to Seem Just Fine – Michele Lent Hirsch | ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Wake: The Hidden History of Women-Led Slave Revolts – Rebecca Hall | ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I’m Still Here: Black Dignity in a World Made for Whiteness – Austin Channing Brown | ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5

TELL ME WHAT YOU THINK! Have you read any of these books, and if so, what did you think of them? What are your favorite feminist books? Let me know in the comments!

Today’s song:

never thought I’d go through this whole album bc I was so Kate Bush’d out in 2022 but this one’s fantastic almost all the way through

That’s it for this list! Have a wonderful rest of your day, and take care of yourselves!

Monthly Wrap-Ups

December 2023 Wrap-Up 🎅🏼

Posted on December 31, 2023 by madeline @ The Bookish Mutant

Happy Sunday, bibliophiles, and happy New Year’s Eve!

2023 has been a year of growth for me; I’ve taken a lot of leaps that I never thought I would take, and all of them paid off. December has been busy, but now that I’m home for break, I’m glad that I’ll get some rest before the end of the year.

Let’s begin, shall we?

GENERAL THOUGHTS:

First off, I hit 600 followers a few days ago! Thank you all for sticking with me for all these years. Lots of love to you all.

Most of December was fairly stressful and chaotic, what with finals and all. The good thing about being an English major is that I typically don’t have any final finals that I have to take in class, but instead, I typically have to write rather long papers and slap some portfolios together. But now it’s all done! Now, I’m nearly done with my science credits, and I recently declared a minor in Women and Gender Studies, so I’m starting those classes next semester!

Blogging and reading are always slower around this time of year—the finals slump comes for us all. College (and getting older, I suppose) has slowed down my reading speed somewhat, but it makes me glad to spend more time with books on some days. (Doesn’t mean I still blow through books in a day sometimes. Happens to the best of us. The Siren, the Song, and the Spy was incredible.) It’s also been fun to introduce some book pairings to my Sunday Songs—I’m glad I can introduce a bookish aspect to them!

Other than that, I’ve just been getting work done pre- and post-finals, putting puzzles together, drawing when I can, celebrating the holidays with my wonderful family, and starting every week eagerly looking forward to Wednesday because of the new season of Fargo. (Dear LORD, what was that ending for episode 7?????? I’m SCARED)

READING AND BLOGGING:

I read 16 books this month! Inevitably slower going because of finals, but I’ve had a ton of great books towards the end of the month! I also passed my reading goal of 200 books—I read 207 books in 2023!

2 – 2.75 stars: