As much as we may not want to face it, autumn is officially here which means it's time to embrace indoor activities like curling up on the couch with a good book. So, as temperatures drop and we pull out our scarves and sweaters, it’s the perfect time to refresh your reading list for the cozy winter nights ahead.

If you’re looking for a new page-turner, we’ve got you covered. Whether you prefer fiction or memoirs, this list of highly-anticipated, new releases, exclusively from Black authors, is sure to have something to keep you entertained during the chilly season ahead. 

Token Black Girl 

Token Black Girl book cover, one of our top new books by Black authors
Token Black Girl $15, amazon.com. Image: courtesy of Amazon Publishing.

Sharp-witted and bracingly candid, Token Black Girl unpacks the adverse effects of insidious white supremacy in the media—both unconscious and strategic—to tell a personal story about recovery from damaging concepts of perfection, celebrating identity, and demolishing social conditioning. Speaking on the topics of racial identity, pop culture, and delusions of perfection, Danielle Prescod shares her experiences growing up as the “token Black girl” – both in school and work. Token Black Girl is being released on October 1, 2022.

Scenes from My Life 

Scenes from My Life, a black author memoir by Michael K. Williams
Scenes from My Life $30, penguinrandomhouse.com. Image: courtesy of Penguin Random House.

New York Times Bestseller, Scenes from My Life is a moving, unflinching memoir of hard-won success, struggles with addiction, and a lifelong mission to give back—from the late Michael K. Williams, beloved for his roles in The Wire, Boardwalk Empire, and Lovecraft Country. In Scenes from My Life, Williams gives a raw and honest account of the place he came from and the places he went, tracing his life from a rough childhood in East Flatbush – his early years as a dancer to the bar fight that left his face with that distinguishing scar. Published one year after Mike’s untimely death, it is a fitting tribute to one of the finest actors of our time. Scenes from My Life was released on August 23, 2022.

Perish

Perish, a new novel by Black author Latoya Watkins
Perish $24, amazon.com. Image: courtesy of Penguin Random House.

Named ta Most Anticipated Book of 2022 by Good Morning America, Perish, is a debut novel from Latoya Watkins, about a Black Texan family, exploring the effects of inherited trauma and intergenerational violence as the family comes together to say goodbye to their matriarch on her deathbed. Tackling themes like trauma, legacy, faith, home, class, race, and more, this beautiful yet heart heart-wrenching novel will appeal to anyone who is interested in the intricacies of family and the ways bonds can be made, maintained, or irrevocably broken. Perish was released on August 23, 2022.

Drunk on Love 

Drunk on Love, a top Black author romance novel
Drunk on Love $11, amazon.com. Image: courtesy of Penguin Random House.

Drunk on Love is a heartwarming new romance by New York Times bestselling author Jasmine Guillory. Set against a lush backdrop of Napa Valley wine country, Drunk on Love is the story of Margot Noble, stressed out from running the family winery with her brother, and Luke Williams, a Silicon Valley tech dropout who gave it all up to move back to Napa because of burnout. It’s a story of a one-night stand turned into the pair both wanting more from the situation. As with all Jasmine Guillory books, it’s a charming romance with lots of twists and turns. Drunk on Love is being released on September 20, 2022.

Marriage Be Hard: 12 Conversations to Keep You Laughing, Loving, and Learning with Your Partner

Marriage Be Hard, a book by black authors Kevin and Melissa Fredericks
Marriage Be Hard $14, amazon.com. Image: courtesy of Penguin Random House.

In Marriage Be Hard, Kevin Fredericks, better known as comedian Kev on Stage, and his wife Melissa, provide a hilarious and fresh master class on what it takes to build and maintain a lasting relationship. The book shares their story going from high school sweethearts to being married in college, to having two sons and a thriving marriage. But the story doesn’t just show the fairytale. It delves into their communication problems over the years – the night Melissa kicked Kevin out her car, the time early in their marriage when Kevin bordered on an emotional affair – and more. Marriage Be Hard is being released on September 13, 2022.

Soul of the Deep

Soul of the Deep, a new book by Black author Natasha Bowen
Soul of the Deep $16, amazon.com. Image: courtesy of Penguin Random House.

Soul of the Deep, by Natasha Bowen, is the highly anticipated sequel to the New York Times bestseller Skin of the Sea, in which the world must pay the price for one mermaid’s choice and as a result, a dark force reverberates across realms. In Soul of the Deep, the stakes are even higher. Bowen introduces YA readers to the intricacies of West African mythology, brings mermaids to the surface and exemplifies the importance of diversity in mythology, while exploring themes of self love, Black strength, and family. Brimming with action and intrigue, this novel is sure to hook readers. Soul of the Deep is being released on September 27, 2022.

Maybe An Artist 

Maybe I'm an Artist, graphic novel by black author Liz Montague
Maybe An Artist $25, penguinrandomhouse.com. Image: Penguin Random House.

Maybe I’m an Artist is a heartfelt and funny graphic novel memoir from one of the first Black female cartoonists to be published in the New Yorker, when she was just 22 years old. Those initial cartoons in the New Yorker led to this memoir of Liz's youth, from the age of five through college – how she navigated life in her predominantly white New Jersey town, overcame severe dyslexia through art, and found the confidence to pursue her passion. Montague’s graphic memoir offers a fresh perspective on life and social issues and proves that you don’t need to be a dead white man to find success in art. Maybe I’m an Artist is being released on October 18, 2022. 

Tears of My Mother: The Legacy of My Nigerian Upbringing

Tears of My Mother, book cover of book by Black author Dr. Wendy Osefo
Tears of My Mother: The Legacy of My Nigerian Upbringing $27, amazon.com. Image: courtesy of Simon and Schuster.

From Dr. Wendy Ofeso, star of The Real Housewives of PotomacTears of My Mother describes growing up as a first-generation American, balancing two distinct cultures – her Nigerian heritage and American culture. As a teenager, Wendy struggled to carve out her own identity while still walking the narrow path of her mother’s expectations. Unwavering family loyalty and obedience gave Wendy the road map to making it in America, but it also drove a wedge between mother and daughter, never more so than when she began to build her own family.  In her memoir, Wendy takes a critical look at the paradox of her mother’s parenting: approval conditioned by achievement. Tears of My Mother is being released on September 20, 2022.

Justice of the Pies 

Justice of the Pies, a recipe book by Black author Maya-Camille Broussard
Justice of the Pies $28, amazon.com. Image: Penguin Random House.

In Justice of the Pies, Maya-Camille Broussard shares more than 85 recipes for sweet and savory pies and other mouthwatering creations that put her social mission–based bakery on the map, including her famous Salted Caramel Peach Pie and Brandied Banana Butterscotch Pie. Broussard also tells the stories of heroes outside the kitchen: folks striving for social justice and equity and shares the recipes they inspired. Broussard’s bakery was launched in honor of her father who had a deep love of baking pie. Through her bakery she proves that good work and delicious decadence can go hand in hand. Justice of the Pies is being released on October 18, 2022.

I Wish My Dad: The Power of Vulnerable Conversations Between Fathers and Sons

I Wish My Dad, new book by Black author Romal Tune and his son, Jordan
I Wish My Dad $28, amazon.com. Image: courtesy of 1517 Media.

From author, speaker, and social entrepreneur Romal Tune and his son, Jordan, I Wish My Dad helps fathers, and their sons move through the past to find deep connection in the present.  In I Wish My Dad, Tune sits down with 17 men of diverse backgrounds and invites us along as the men unpack relationships with their own fathers, work through emotional pain, and discuss healing and connection, while providing strategies for readers to have their own conversation with their dads. I Wish My Dad is being released on October 11, 2022.